On episode 17 of the Slower Lower podcast, Chris and Crystal celebrate the official arrival of fall (or autumn) and recount an off-season Saturday spent in Rehoboth and Lewes.

Topics discussed:

• Fall vs. Autumn
• Why did Generation X parents name their daughters Autumn and Summer, but not Spring, Fall, or Winter?
• Royal Farms coffee and Chris's refusal to wait in line for the pumpkin spice even though he wanted it.
• Oktoberfest beers and pumpkin ales.
• Breakfast at the Egg; the Uncle Charlie; Hughes and other local scrapple brands.
• Delivering copies of Chris's book 1742 to Browseabout Books.
• What was the most challenging part of writing the book? (Answering a question from a friend.)
• Grotto's (yes, with an 's) Beach Bar, Zelky's, and Nalu.
• The annual Mrs. Roper Romp.
• Lunch at the Pig & Pub in Lewes.
• Looking forward to fall weather, deer hunting, chili, and hoodies.

Episode 16 of the Slower Lower podcast features Cory Shaffer, a resident of Delmar, Maryland, who was elected to serve on the town commission in the aftermath of the tragic murder of Corporal Keith Heacook in 2021. Previous guest Russell A. Taylor III also returns for his third appearance on the podcast. This episode is all about Delmar, the little town too big for one state.

Topics discussed:

• Sampling a bottle of Fordham Lee (Maryland) bourbon that Cory got at a special event at the Groove.
• How the Delmar town government works with two mayors, a Delaware council and a Maryland commission, and a police department located on the Maryland side.
• Pros and cons of growth in and around Delmar.
• Sampling a Painted Stave (Delaware) whiskey that Chris bought without knowing Cory was bringing bourbon.
• Delmar restaurants of the past and present including the Groove, Delmar Pizza ("best pizza on the Eastern Shore," says Cory), and Milk & Honey.
• The 6 P's: Proper Planning Prevents Piss-Poor Performance.
• A deep dive into the recent history of the Delmar Police Department from its depleted, exhausted state in 2021 through its rapid transformation.
• The election of Shaffer and fellow "Be the Change" candidates Benjamin Jorden and Jacob Boothe in the fall of 2021.
• How municipal elections work.
• Delmar's unique sense of pride in community, the school, and its sports teams.
• Some of our favorite podcasts including Bear Grease, MeatEater, Shawn Ryan, and Joe Rogan.
• Quail, deer, turkeys, and habitat improvement.
• More on sika deer and the rising cost of land in Dorchester County.
• Congratulating Cory and his colleagues for running unopposed this year.

Chris and Crystal return from a week-long vacation with an episode all about Cape Charles, Virginia.

Topics discussed:

• Since Lower Delaware is becoming less slow, should the podcast name refer to Slower Lower Delmarva instead?
• Breakfast spots including the Northampton (aka the Wren), the Cape Charles Coffee House, the Almeta, and Rayfield's Fountain.
• The importance of checking days and hours, especially on busy weekends.
• Other noteworthy Cape Charles businesses including E&O, AJ's, the Shanty, Gull Hummock, and North Street Market.
• Fine dining at Ambrogia, "A Taste of Italy in Cape Charles."
• How not to behave when you failed to make reservations and there are no tables available.
• The clean, quiet, relaxing beach.
• Cape Charles golf cart culture and etiquette.
• Backing in vs. backing out.
• Teasing an upcoming Slower Lower sponsorship.

This week Chris and Crystal hang out with local small business owner, historical society board member, and veteran Jared Allen for a largely Laurel-focused conversation loaded with memories and laughs. Topics discussed:

• A brief shout-out to the late, great John Brady.
• Vanished businesses of Laurel, Delaware, from the 90s (French's, Food City, the old Britt's, Pizza Palace, etc.).
• 20-cent generic sodas at French's Food Rite.
• $4 cheese and $5 pepperoni pizzas at Bargain Bill's.
• Trying to name one Laurel food business for every day of the month. (Whoops, forgot a couple.)
• Chris's love for Peggy's Kitchen in the red flea market.
• Lakeshore Wine & Spirits, a.k.a. "Tom's."
• Revisiting Grotto Pizza vs. Grotto's Pizza, and a deeper dive into the Mandela Effect.
• JA Pressure Washing and Allen Irrigation & Lighting.
• Jared's time in the Air Force.
• The Broad Creek Bash.

Chris and Crystal chat about the unusual cool spell that Delmarva is enjoying, and whether it should be called a "false fall" or a "fraudulent autumn." Plus:

• Drinking pumpkin ale in August.
• Is summer the season that we look forward to the most, but get over the quickest?
• A visit to the Threshermen show in Caroline County.
• Is Denton's Market Street Pub the best pub on the peninsula?
• Bull & Goat Brewery in Centreville.
• Is Grotto Pizza vs. Grotto's Pizza a local example of the Mandela Effect?

Chris and Crystal cryptically recall a recent beach day at a nearby location they'd prefer not to mention, and talk through a list of ten commandments for going to the beach.

Agree? Disagree? Have something to add? Connect with the Slower Lower podcast on Facebook, Instagram, or by leaving a comment on the episode.

This week's featured guest is Billy Hardesty, a sportsman's sportsman who harvests the wild bounty of Delmarva and the Chesapeake year-round. He has previously appeared on the local TV program Outdoors Delmarva, and has a large social media following. Billy is also an award-winning taxidermist specializing in waterfowl. Since 2019, he has worked full-time in his Fowl Creations studio on the outskirts of the Cypress Swamp.

Chris and Crystal are also joined by guest host Russell A. Taylor III, who was featured on Slower Lower episode 6.

Topics discussed:

• Hunting and fishing through the seasons in Delaware and Maryland.
• Whitetails, sika deer, ducks, and turkeys.
• Waterfowl hunting with dogs.
• Eating what you kill, and some recipe ideas.
• Thoughts on hunting over bait (legally).
• The evolution of Billy's waterfowl taxidermy from a hobby to a part-time gig to a full-time career.
• How can somebody with no hunting background get started?

Chris and Crystal hang with Shane Beard, an up-and-coming country artist from Slower Delaware, and Shane's bandmate, influence, and dad Glenn Beard. They are the heart and soul of Shane Beard & the Barn Burners.

Topics discussed:

● Feedback from Bruce in Long Neck

● The State of Delaware has a new official dragonfly

● Shane Beard and Glenn Beard are perfect country artist names; they sound like somebody you've already heard of

● Shane's early passion for music, and a stint in a Seaford metal band at age 12

● Winning local singing competitions and trying out for American Idol and The Voice

● Early singles including "Heavy Metal" (2019) and fan favorite "Ghost" (2022)

● Shane's first EP (2024) and the stories behind the songs

● Glenn's transition from guitar to bass

● A fun (depending on who you ask) game of David Allan Coe vs. Edgar Allan Poe

● Why do people love to hate the greats, e.g., Nickelback, Morgan Wallen, MGK, and Taylor Swift?

● Paths to country music success with and without Nashville

☆ See Shane Beard & the Barn Burners at R n' R Bar & Grill in Laurel, Del., on Saturday, July 19, 2025, and at Apple Scrapple in October. ☆

It's the 4th of July. Chris and Crystal talk about the summer of 2025; the recent heat wave; whether there are more lightning bugs this year; lightning bug vs. firefly; getting 30 yards of mulch for free; a garden update; and July 4th memories and traditions.

Steve Wootteon is the current drummer for the Baltimore-based indie rock band Have Mercy as well as the hardcore punk band Meth Rats. He is a past drummer of the world-touring metalcore act Across Five Aprils, in addition to several other bands including A Perfect Kiss, Leland Palmer, and Future Thrills. Steve is a passionate music enthusiast, a skilled cabinetmaker, a dad, and a good friend.

On the eighth episode of the Slower Lower podcast, Chris and Crystal chat with Steve about:

• Steve's early interest in drumming, high school ska bands, and getting kicked out of church.

• What it was like to join an established band like Across Five Aprils in the mid-2000s.

• Victory Records shenanigans and royalties.

• MySpace streams don't count towards Spotify stats.

• Other bands including A Perfect Kiss, Leland Palmer, and Future Thrills.

• Joining Meth Rats, and the wonderful music video for their single "Beach Mitch."

• Drumming for Have Mercy, first in the studio and then on tour.

• Advice for aspiring drummers.

• Session drummers and hired guns.

• The most famous (or infamous) snare in history.

• The upcoming Have Mercy tour, and vague hints about new music!