Category Archives: Hobbies

Wine in the Garden

Posted on May 17, 2012 by AnnieRie

With all the talk about Wine in the Woods, don’t forget that next Thursday is one of the highlights of the Howard County Conservancy annual events, Wine in the Garden.

Reduced price for tickets ends on May 20th. $40 until then, $50 after that. It is well worth the price of admission to spend the evening wandering the paths of the Honors Garden, while sampling excellent food and tasting the wines provided by the event sponsors.

All proceeds from this event go to fund the preservation and education programs at the Conservancy. This is the big event of the year, where the Conservancy’s generous sponsors donate the food, drink, and silent auction items.

As you stroll around, you will see the descriptions or the items displayed. There are some really nice additions this year to what is being offered. I am looking at the BSO tickets, or maybe the weekend at the B&B in Shepherdstown WV. Last year we won a fold up reclining chair donated by REI. Every day new items are being added as they are delivered to the Conservancy.

The caterers and wine contributors include:
Absolutely Perfect Catering ~ Atlantic Caterers ~ Biddle Street Catering and Events ~ Catering by Uptown ~ Constellation Wines US ~ Far Eastern Shore Winery ~ Gourmet Express Catering ~ Hunt Valley Catering ~ My Thyme, Inc ~ Putting on the Ritz ~ Reliable Churchill ~ The Savory Spoon ~ Simply Elegant Catering ~ The Spice Rack ~Stanford Grill ~ Your Wine & Spirit Shoppe

I wanted to highlight this list of local and nearby companies who annually contribute incredibly beautiful foods and complimenting wines that allow the guests to wander and savor the experience at their leisure. With three acres of gardens, and numerous pathways, every time you turn a corner someone is offering you treats or pouring you a couple of ounces of interesting wines.

The fruit based wines from Far Eastern Winery are really interesting, and something I would not ordinarily drink, but they paired so well with some of the spicy offerings of a couple of the caterers. Dry wines can overpower or fight with those satays, or those tasty little bites that include Indian spices.

This is what is so much fun about Wine in the Garden. The variety. The thought process to find good wines to match what you are tasting. The relative peace and quiet and the view. Beautiful al fresco setting.

And, the water lilies may be blooming by then. Last year they bloomed the beginning of June, but this year they may be a week early and looking like this.

Come join us. We are setting up auction items earlier in the day, then returning to enjoy the event with friends. Cheers!

hocoblogs@@@

Leave a comment

Posted in Community, Food, Gardening, Hobbies, Howard County, Local Businesses, People, Volunteering, Wine and tagged community, Food, gardening, hoco loco, Howard County, howard county conservancy, local businesses, nature, volunteering, wine. Bookmark the permalink.

The Garden After the Rain

Posted on May 8, 2012 by AnnieRie

Besides the rhododendron, this is the time the trees and shrubs are the best present springtime brings us here in this area. We are graced with some mature, immensely beautiful specimens throughout our yard and garden. We spend the time to prune, feed and protect these lovely gifts of nature, and after today’s rain they are awesome.

The mock orange shrub out by the well is gearing up to blaze us with white and yellow flowers.

Mock Orange

The kousa dogwoods are blooming earlier than they usually do.

Kousa Blossoms

Although they make me nervous at the weight of the branches from the rain. We carefully prune them every year but they are growing like crazy because of all the rain the past year.

All of the plants are growing well due to the weather, a mild winter and enough rain.

The tangelo azalea. Fragile, delicate and so pretty.

Why I love living here in the spring time!

And so do my frogs, who jumped in the pond just as I snapped their picture, hidden under the lace maple.

Spring in West County! Ready to plant the veggies this weekend, and enjoying the flowers.

Leave a comment

Posted in Gardening, Hobbies, Howard County, Nature, Weather, West HoCo and tagged azaleas, gardening, hoco loco, Howard County, nature, photography, spring flowers, weather, West HoCo. Bookmark the permalink.

My Blooming Rhododendron

Posted on May 8, 2012 by AnnieRie

One of the prettiest, but one of the most difficult species of plants I have on the property are my rhododendron catawbiense. They love rain and temperate climates, not the scorching heat and oftentime droughts here in our region. That’s why I am so happy to see them doing well this spring.

Lots of blooms. Lovely flowers. Lots of new growth as well. An evolving display as they open.

They look so deep in color when closed, but are so delicate after they open.

Saturday they were at their peak. Over two dozen blooms on each of the two plants.

I really do appreciate all the spring flowers left behind by the original owners of our home. These plants are a delight to see every year.

1 Comment

Posted in Gardening, Hobbies, Howard County, Nature, Weather and tagged hobbies, Howard County, nature, photography, spring flowers, weather. Bookmark the permalink.

Hoping the Weather Changes

Posted on April 28, 2012 by AnnieRie

This crazy spring, full of frost warnings and heat waves, has done a number on the plants. At least many of them seem to have survived the changes and are still on their schedule to bloom. I still have the tomato plants inside though. And, the delicate herbs. The weather in West HoCo is just a little cooler than Ellicott City or Columbia. We also are at 630 feet above sea level, one of the higher points in the county with little asphalt to retain heat overnight, so we get more frost warnings.

The spring flowers keep blooming, despite the strange weather. I noticed yesterday that my candy stripe azaleas were beginning to pop open.

I have two of this variety, and though they are a little spindly, they really do add a nice touch of color to the yard. They bloom much later than the others, like my red varieties.

The tangelo azalea is much further behind, and should burst next week. This variety is closer to the rhododendrons in size. It is being dwarfed at the moment by a volunteer burning bush that I have to prune way back this fall. It is at least protecting it from wind and frost damage, though.

As for the rhododendrons, they are coming along nicely and will soon burst open. One lonely bloom has been the vanguard.

Another isn’t far behind. This year I have the most blooms on the two plants. There are dozens of them instead of the 6-8 on each plant that I got other years. I think all the rain last fall made them happy.

We bought our house in the winter and didn’t know until spring just how many plants and flowers we had and what varieties they were. Every April, May and June we have the luxury of blooming flowers and trees. I don’t really need to visit Brighton Dam for azaleas as we have beauty in our back yard.

What’s blooming now where you live?

Leave a comment

Posted in Gardening, Hobbies, Nature, Weather, West HoCo and tagged azaleas, gardening, hoco loco, Howard County, nature, photography, spring flowers, weather, West HoCo. Bookmark the permalink.

Some History of Mt. Pleasant

Posted on April 11, 2012 by AnnieRie

We recently took a guided walk around the Howard County Conservancy property looking at the buildings through the eyes of the historians. Much of the property is being preserved, in order to keep examples of agricultural heritage so important to Howard County. The farm was named Mt. Pleasant by the Brown family members who lived there. The family owned the land from 1692 until they donated it to the Conservancy almost 20 years ago. Parcel names and boundaries changed over the years either by marriages, or bequeathing of properties to the various children, and the 232 acres are what remained that Ruth and Frances Brown donated. Together the sisters taught school in Howard County for a combined total of 97 years.

Head up the driveway towards the top of the hill where many of the buildings still stand.

The farmhouse is the centerpiece of the property, and you can’t see it until you get far into the grounds. It sits high on the property with vistas in many directions. I can only imagine how peaceful and quiet it was before Waverly Woods and I-70 were added. You can hear the interstate traffic faintly these days.

It was built in stages, with the front of it, seen from the parking lot, a newer addition. New, being relative, that is. The original log cabin is still under the siding covered walls near the rear of the house, the logs were covered over as the family grew and expanded the house. Inside there are three separate staircases, and connections between the different parts of the home.

The front of the farmhouse is used for offices now, and the rear is the home of the caretaker’s family, so it is not open to the public. This view from the rear shows where one of the “front” entrances is located, which faced west-northwest.

There are numerous outbuildings as well. Many of these are in stages of preservation. Some are used for demos. Besides the ones I picture, there is a carriage house, a corn crib, a bank barn, and wagon shed. One of the two coops now holds the resident chickens.

The smokehouse and second coop, once used to house guinea fowl. No one knows why those cut outs are there.

When can you see much of the property used as it may have been used years ago?

At the annual Fallfest in October is one time. Including demonstrations in the blacksmith shop. Also this year, there will be a wonder walk in July that showcases what it was like to live and farm on the land.

The Montjoy barn, which is always a draw for people visiting, was moved to the Conservancy from Ellicott City and reassembled. It would have been torn down to make way for development in its former location.

There is also a three acre honors garden on the grounds, where you can find examples of plants native to this area.

Finally, stop in and get the arboretum guide, and you will find trees on site that are beautiful specimens like this American Elm behind the farmhouse, and while back there look carefully and find the outhouse and the foundation for the ice house. Lots of history on the property. So much to discover on your own, or on one of the Conservancy wonder walks. I volunteer here and never get tired of exploring the trails, walking the pathways, visiting the chickens and goats, looking for birds, or just chilling out.

hocoblogs@@@

4 Comments

Posted in Community, Gardening, Hobbies, Howard County, Nature, People, Volunteering, West HoCo and tagged community, gardening, hoco loco, Howard County, howard county conservancy, nature, spring flowers, volunteering, West HoCo. Bookmark the permalink.

Smarter Than the Average Squirrel

Posted on April 10, 2012 by AnnieRie

Sometimes I feel that the squirrels are winning. No matter how hard I try, they figure out most of the squirrel proof solutions. The latest is one of those feeders that they are managing to empty by hanging a certain way on it.

We have gone to great lengths to keep them from the bird seed, giving them corn and peanuts but trying to keep them from the woodpeckers’ favorite treats.

This arrangement gives them the cheapest suet I can find, and they have to work for it. They get corn, but if you don’t wedge it in, they run off with the entire ear of corn. My neighbors find the entertainment of a squirrel trying to carry an entire ear of corn to their nest in the old oak trees amusing, but it is expensive to put corn out there every few hours. I usually only feed the squirrels in the winter, and let them fend for themselves when the ground is full of nuts and seeds.

This feeder is truly squirrel proof. The good seed goes here, with the vitamins and minerals the birds need while raising their young. I have had to move it twice, though. Once, it was too close to the bird bath. The second time it was too close to the yucca and deck seats. Squirrels will jump quite far to grab that bar and get the good stuff. Even risking impalement on a yucca tree.

The squirrels do provide entertainment to us too. They know how to descend a ladder quite quickly when startled.

Even the hummingbird feeder isn’t safe.

They scrounge around where the birds push unwanted items out of the feeder on the pole, at least keeping it somewhat clean, but I usually get volunteer plants and weeds coming up where I don’t want them.

When we moved in, we had a lovely cedar feeder out there. The previous owners had dogs, so no squirrels. It lasted just a few months before they chewed through the wood. They will chew on the plastic too, so now we have metal feeders with metal lids and as many baffles as I can manage.

The double baffle works, as does the witches hat over the nuts for the woodpeckers.

Of course, the woodpeckers go where they want, and not always to their little feeder.

I now cram two small suet holders into the large one. Put them at an angle to minimize the area that the squirrels can reach into and grab suet. It doesn’t totally stop them but it slows them down considerably.

I have created a habitat here to keep the birds that assist us in having my garden lush and relatively bug and flying insect free. They have coniferous trees for nests. Water, heated in the winter. A constant source of food, including insect suet when they are feeding their young. We have lots of trees and bushes that produce berries. I leave the pokeweed in the meadow so they can feed from it.

We have lots of worms, good for the soil and for the robins (and their allies).

Of course, they also need to learn how to play nice around here. Looks like a little mom and pop spat going on here.

At least the robins and cedar waxwings get along.

So I put up with the squirrels, knowing that a dog will keep them away, but also impact the birds. Who needs the Discovery Channel when all this excitement goes on, right outside the kitchen window?

6 Comments

Posted in Birds, Gardening, Hobbies, Nature and tagged birds, gardening, habitat, hobbies, nature, photography, squirrels. Bookmark the permalink.

A Jug of Wine, A Loaf of Bread, And Thou

Posted on April 7, 2012 by AnnieRie

From Omar Khayyam, the phrase from the Rubaiyat that resonates with me.

Today was one of those lovely spring days. No, we did not want to do yard work. Or spring clean up. We went first to look at the chicks and pick up bird seed.

Then, we did what I haven’t done since fall.

Drove up to Black Ankle for lunch.

Now, it may be one of the closest wineries to us in West County, but the roads will test your car’s shock absorption ability. Unless you take the long way round. On the paved roads.

Black Ankle Road isn’t paved. We actually came home on the short cut, but went up the longer route.

They are out of whites until late May. It is a tribute to those who love good wine, that this young MD winery sells out their whites every year. Nothing left. The winery is beautiful, a green building with straw walls and a planted roof. Cows in the meadow below the patio.

Here is where the Friday night music is played. Where we usually come to picnic and listen. Today for lunch we watched the cows and the tractor while enjoying local cheese made in Easton MD, some mixed olives and a good bottle of Rolling Hills.

Picked up a few bottles and wandered on home to enjoy another lovely MD spring day. If you live in Howard County and want to spend some time relaxing in a lovely setting, this is a day trip worth taking.

hocofood@@@

Leave a comment

Posted in Day Trips, Food, Hobbies, Howard County, Local Businesses, Locavore, West HoCo, Wine and tagged day trips, Food, Howard County, local businesses, Locavore, MD Wine, West HoCo, wine. Bookmark the permalink.

Springing Up All Over

Posted on March 30, 2012 by AnnieRie

The plants and trees are gaining momentum, and as I walk around the property there are new things to discover.

Like, the redbud.

We have a running battle about the redbud. It is heavily shaded and not doing great, but it still tries its best to put on a springtime show for us. I want it to stay. The other half of this family thinks it needs to come out because it is being crowded by the maple and the oaks.

I have no idea what these are. It is one of my goals this year to identify all of the volunteer grasses, weeds, and flowers that carpet our meadow (and our quote, lawn, unquote).

All down the property line, a sea of different shades of green is spreading, and starting to take over in some places.

We don’t have grass all over our property, we have every different type of weed, wildflower, and invasive green stuff you can imagine. I don’t believe in messing with the environment that feeds and nourishes so many of our wild critters around here. The bunnies are happy; the birds are happy. TruGreen isn’t, but I don’t care. This is certainly not the back nine at Hobbits Glen.

Also, the toads are happy. We have three living in the pond at the moment. I don’t know how they get here. The nearest creek is about a half mile away. I like having them there. They will keep the mosquito population at bay. The pond has a small pump and trickle of water, but the lower shallow end has standing water. The toads love mosquito larvae, so they are welcome to live in the pond all summer.

The spring and summer birds are slowly returning. More finches, more red winged blackbirds and cowbirds. The hummingbirds aren’t here yet, but I read that they have been sighted as far north as Canada already. We always have two or three that frequent my feeder and my neighbors. They will come up even when you are sitting out there.

The butterflies are back.

The garlic in the herb garden is coming up nicely.

For me, spring is my favorite season, full of growth and promises of warmth to come. New beginnings.

Time to go out and do some more planting.

2 Comments

Posted in Birds, Gardening, Hobbies, Nature, Weather and tagged birds, gardening, nature, photography, spring flowers, weather. Bookmark the permalink.

A Day Trip to Breaux

Posted on March 24, 2012 by AnnieRie

About an hour from here is an amazingly beautiful vineyard, developed by Paul Breaux as one of the area’s destination wineries. They purchased 400 acres of land to the east of the Appalachian Trail near the border of VA and WV. They are six miles south of Harper’s Ferry WV. When you cross the bridge from MD to VA on US 340, turn left at the gas station and drive the six miles.

On the site, they planted 100+ acres of mostly vinifera. This was one of the few large scale, well bankrolled wineries in VA in the 1990’s. First class all the way. Paul Breaux had done well in real estate. You may know of his company, Sun Realty. If you rented a place in the Outer Banks, it may have been one of his. In an interesting “six degrees of separation” moment, it was Sun Realty that rented us a house on the Outer Banks for our honeymoon in August 1980, when they were a fledgling company.

In the year 2000, we first went to visit the vineyards with friends, after a morning hike in Harper’s Ferry. The building is impressive. Way bigger than almost any winery I had ever seen in the mid-Atlantic. Now, after a trip to Napa and Sonoma, I can put it into a different perspective. Barboursville in VA also has impressive grounds, but we never saw the other big VA wineries until years later. So, for us, this place was awesome. They had invested in much better equipment than any Maryland winery we had visited in the 1980s or early 90’s. This place even has a misting machine in the barrel storage chambers, to keep the barrels from drying out by regulating the humidity. And, they are still growing.

Coming up to the building yesterday, we saw massive construction going on. A new building that promises to add more capacity for storage of production, as well as surprises, since they are not revealing yet what all will be housed there.

We are charter cellar club members. Breaux and Linden are the VA wineries we support as case club members. Black Ankle and Boordy are the cellar clubs in MD that we also support. As a hobby, wine collecting is not inexpensive, but it beats car collecting, or having a boat, or playing golf. All those other things are money sumps, just like our winery visits are. We have become very selective about where we go and what we purchase now that we are retired. We continue our Breaux membership because we believe they provide a great value for the money. The wines for the club are not available to the general public.

Yesterday we went to pick up six bottles. We get two bottles every two months, or a case a year. It is one of the more affordable clubs, as others were requiring two bottles a month. We were last there in October. The hostess opened a bottle of one of the cellar club wines for us to taste to decide if we wanted to purchase more. We ended up getting a couple of bottles of the Cabernet Franc Reserve, and a couple of bottles of the Viognier, which has won numerous awards. Viognier is a wine that Virginia does a very good job of producing, and Breaux makes a stellar bottling.

We bought a baguette and some salami, and took our picnic lunch of local Howard County cheese, and my brownies out on the patio to enjoy the view.

Served with a bottle of Lot 10-08, a cellar selection. We enjoyed a glass and corked up the bottle to bring home for later.

As a committed locavore, I want to support local wineries as well as the local farmers. Even extending my tendencies to buy local to buying pottery, and plants, and services. Supporting local businesses puts some of our money directly into our local economy, and I feel good about that. Not to mention, day trips to wineries are a benefit of living in a very good viticultural climate.

Cheers!

1 Comment

Posted in Day Trips, Hobbies, Locavore, People, Retirement, Wine and tagged day trips, hobbies, Locavore, retirement, wine. Bookmark the permalink.

Attracting Pollinators

Posted on March 18, 2012 by AnnieRie

One of my most important spring time jobs is establishing the proper environment to be sure the pollinators take up residence in our yard and garden. I know I need the proper mix of flowers, bushes, bird seeds and the habitat that attracts the birds, bees and beneficial insects.

I had a coworker who lived in an area devoid of the bees necessary to pollinate her vegetables, and she resorted to hand pollination. Not what I want to do. Thankfully, we have lots of bees. Carpenter bees, honey bees, bumblebees. They will swarm around the hummingbird feeder to get to the nectar.

The flowers are also important and my perennials like my tulips and gladiola

besides attracting bees give me the pleasure of flowers on the table brightening my day.

The flowering trees attract bees and birds. The birds particularly like them once the berries are set, but in the spring the return of the bees to my cherries, mock orange, dogwoods and red bud trees tell me they are setting up shop and staying around to find my garden.

I have black eyed susans as well, the MD state flower. Once they are almost done, the finches will hang on them to get the seeds out of them.

My yard also contains spirea, which the bees crawl all over until the color has left the flowers. It contains butterfly bushes to attract butterflies and for the birds to nest in. Azaleas in the spring, another big source of color and cover in the yard. Chipmunks and bunnies hide under the wall of bushes along my house.

All in all, I have been creating a habitat to coexist with birds, bees, small animals and beneficial insects attracted to keep my garden productive.

Can’t wait to get out there and plant vegetables. I just need to make sure that I keep this little monster’s relatives out of my garden. He lives under my neighbor’s shed.