Lady Maryland

Among collectors of cookbooks, former Maryland first lady Helen Avalynne Tawes' "My Favorite Maryland Recipes," a paean to old-fashioned Maryland cooking, is a highly-sought-after item. And it is considered good fortune if one turns up a copy of the work, first published in 1964 by Random House, in a yard sale or on the shelf of a used book store. Tawes, a Crisfield native, was married in 1915 to J. Millard Tawes, the governor from 1959 to 1967. He died in 1979. Known as Lou to close friends, she studied music at the Peabody Conservatory in Mount Vernon Place and later sang on a Salisbury radio station.

Tis time for all fair maidens and handsome gents to gather round ye old village to toast the grand old days of yore. And if thou lovest to speak like this, clothe thyself in complete garments befittin' the occasion or simply stick a plume in your bonnet and carry thee down to Crownsville.Thou wilt be in good company, for the Maryland Renaissance Festival 'tis the place to be.M'lady Beth Fabel is a regular at the Renaissance Festival, for she has been coming for many a year. She is one of the Thrir Venstri Foetr dancers and was twirling to melodious melodies as fair onlookers clapped their approval.

The Lady Maryland Foundation has selected Parker Rockerfeller as vice president of development for the non-profit corporation, which is dedicated to education, job training and job placement of youth from diverse backgrounds.Rockerfeller will be assisting with fund-raising efforts and will oversee promotional and special events, includingthe Save Our Skipjacks campaign at the Foundation's Maritime Institute.For the past four years, Rockerfeller has managed his own company, which markets high resolution satellite photos as posters.

Preakness Crab Derby -- Local celebrities compete in a crab-racing contest, 12:30 p.m. at Lexington Market. Free. Call 410-685-6169.Great Schooner Race -- Tall ships including the Clipper City, Lady Maryland and Nighthawk race to and from Fort McHenry from the Inner Harbor. Best view is from the Inner Harbor promenade. 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Free.The Preakness Pub -- Professional jockeys from Pimlico tend bar for charityfrom 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. nightly (through Friday) at the Sheraton Inner Harbor Hotel.

ELDERSBURG -- Girl Scout Troop 417 recently participated in the "Maryland in Miniature" program, a hands-on land and sea adventure, sponsored by the Lady Maryland Foundation.The Junior Scouts began with a "llama trek" where the girls groomed, fed and packed their llamas for a trip along a natural spring that feeds Deer Creek.The girls also learned the importance of the watershed area on Chesapeake Bay.Later, the Scouts went to Rocks State Park for dinner, fireworks and an overnight camp-out.

J. Lawrence Worth Jr., a mechanical engineer who was 57 and known as Larry, died Saturday after a heart attack at his home in Pasadena.A memorial service for Mr. Worth was being held today at the Barranco and Sons funeral establishment, Ritchie Highway and Robinson Road.He retired in 1989 as general foreman of utilities systems at the Sparrows Point plant of the Bethlehem Steel Corp., where he worked for 30 years. Since his retirement, he has been associated with the consulting engineering firm of Whitman, Requardt and Associates.

Crackers hold up under tasty toppingsDainty, waferlike Carr's Crackers have been longtime cocktail-party favorites. Now, they have a heartier counterpart -- Monterey Crackers -- for casual entertaining. The crackers, which come in Roasted Vegetable, Hearty Wheat, Savory Wheat and Sesame & Onion flavors, provide a sturdy base for tasty toppings. Try easy BLTs: Spread Sesame & Onion crackers with mayonnaise and top with baby salad greens. Arrange sliced cherry tomatoes and cooked, sliced bacon on lettuce.

Today's Preakness-related events:7th Annual Phillips Preakness Celebrity Crab Picking Contest (noon): Celebrity contestants have three minutes to pick the most crab meat at the Harborplace Amphitheatre. Free. Call 800-HARBOR-1 or 410-332-4191.The Coca-Cola Great Schooner Race (3 p.m.-5 p.m.): Tall ships (the Pride of Baltimore II, Clipper City, Lady Maryland, Nighthawk and Woodwind) race to and from Fort McHenry. Free to spectators.Preakness Pub (5 p.m.-8 p.m.): Jockeys such as Larry Reynolds and Mark Johnston will tend bar at the Sheraton Inner Harbor's Orioles Bar for area charities, including the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the March of Dimes and the Disabled Jockeys' Fund.

ABOARD THE PRIDE OF BALTIMORE II -- Lying on a bench in the ship's dining area, Westminster resident Doug Leasure is fast asleep, oblivious to the noise around him as his companions settle down to watch the television show "In Living Color" on their last night in New York City."

Entrants touting names like "Big Daddy," "Congo" and "Air Jordan" from Monkton to Glen Burnie rallied at Broadway Market Square in Fells Point yesterday for the 25th annual Maryland Preakness Celebration Frog Hop.But it was an amphibian named "Ernie" that leaped to first place among a field of 39 frogs.The prized possession of 15-year-old Tim Thate of Parkville, Ernie jumped 9 feet, 1 inch, outdistancing his nearest contender by only two inches. As the Frog Hop winner, Ernie will fly on to Calaveras County, Calif.