Partly cloudy skies early with heavy thunderstorms developing this afternoon. High 87F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Mostly cloudy with scattered thunderstorms mainly during the evening. Low near 70F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.

Hot Old Bay steamed crabs with cold beer — no other meal will do in the spring and summer months in Maryland. Oh God, are they good. Being from Mississippi we were into mud bugs and beer, but they have been replaced in my heart.

The blue crab buries itself in the mud during the winter months and just goes to sleep. In early March they start to appear and breed; a female can lay as many as 100,000 eggs in the grasses lining the shore to give the little ones a chance when they hatch.

They are searched out by everything moving in the water — a tasty treat for a rockfish, eels and blue fish, they are an appetizer of the sea.

The Chesapeake is one of the United States greatest ecosystems being flushed out twice a day by the shifting tides. The oyster beds keep filtering the water as it moves.

The Bay is known around the world as a great food service — eels to France, and oysters shucked and packaged for shipment around the world.

As summer starts to arrive, the crab watermen are given their permits for traps and trotlines.

We stood by with our steamer pots and Old Bay seasoning, waiting on the catch to reach shore.

Finally they arrived at the crab houses with brown-paper-lined tables. We started with cream of crab so thick the spoon stands up, and we added a little sherry. My God. I have tasted heaven.

As we finished our soup, the waiter arrived with a fresh pitcher of cold beer and a dozen extra large crabs. This is heaven — the steam was rising as we prepared small bowls of apple cider vinegar and some Old Bay poured onto our brown paper tablecloth.

We leaned forward, as we have a task and time that was not waiting for no one … the best feast was ahead.

As we finished and wash our hands, it’s time for a Nutty Buddy to clear the salt, and with a heavy sigh we cleared our check and drove home talking about how great they were.

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