Category Archives: Nature

Make a Bouquet and Card for Mom Tomorrow

Posted on May 11, 2012 by AnnieRie

The Saturday morning wonder walk at the Howard County Conservancy at 10 AM is a crafty fun day for families. Just in time for Mom’s Big Day, take a short walk to collect fresh flowers to make bouquets, and be crafty making homemade cards with pressed, dried flowers the volunteers collected in advance of the walk. The fields and trails are full of wildflowers right now.

Master Gardener Lisa Baum will be leading this event. Volunteer naturalists will be on hand to assist the little ones in putting dried flowers on cards, and in arranging their bouquets. After setting up their “vases” and putting pebbles in them for stability, they will go off to gather flowers. The little ones may catch a glimpse of the Conservancy animals like Lily and Holly, the goats while gathering flowers.

Or, if they go down the hill to the creek, they will pass by Ranger the owl, and may find Hodge Podge Lodge.

All materials are being provided by the volunteers and the Conservancy. There is no cost to do the wonder walks at the Conservancy. Take a hike and enjoy a lovely day with the family, or leave mom some quiet time as a special present by bringing the little ones so they can surprise her.

They may spy something special enjoying the flowers with them. Maybe a butterfly.

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Posted in Community, Family, Gardening, Howard County, Nature, Volunteering and tagged community, family, gardening, Howard County, howard county conservancy, nature, spring flowers, volunteering. 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.

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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.

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

They’re Baackk!!

Posted on May 2, 2012 by AnnieRie

The wild asparagus returns! After being MIA for two weeks, I noticed their presence today.

There are three spears at the moment. Two white ones and a larger green one. Maybe a few more will pop out before the weekend.

Plus, the mint is going nuts again, just in time for the Kentucky Derby. Sounds like a mint julep party Saturday night on the patio.

Anyone can grow mint. It is essentially a weed. Get a pot and put some in. The Howard County Farmer’s Markets open next week and there will be vendors selling plants. Mint is extremely easy to grow. I put it in iced tea, use it in salads and over veggies, like zucchini, and my personal favorite, watermelon, feta and mint salad. I leave the pots out all winter and every spring the mint comes back. DO NOT put in in the ground or it will spread like mad and take over your other plants.

As for the tomato plants, they are hanging out waiting until this weekend to be planted. I think we might be lucky and get them in the ground before Mother’s Day. So is the basil.

I did plant lavender, tarragon and marjoram today, along with some plugs of cutting flowers. The herb garden is filling in nicely. The ability to cut fresh herbs for dinner is so convenient, and they just add something special to meals. I also toss a few leaves on the grill while grilling to fill the air with the scent of herbs.

As for the non edibles out there, the rhododendron are blooming finally.

I am thrilled this year. Dozens of blooms instead of just a few. This is one of my two bushes. The other is behind the tree. For me, having flowers in bloom all spring and summer is a lovely backdrop while dining on the patio. Beats that view of the parking lot at most restaurants. 😉

The tangelo azalea finally bloomed.

This is the first of a number of blooms on this plant. It is my favorite azalea in the yard. And, it is fragile so I baby it every winter.

The markets open next week. There will be plant and flower vendors at every market. If you don’t want herbs, at least get a basket of loveliness to put outside of your home. The bees will thank you for it. Like our carpenter bees who are living under our deck. Pollinators help your garden. We can’t lose them from our environment.

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Posted in Farmer's Markets, Food, Foraging, Gardening, Howard County, Local Businesses, Locavore, Nature and tagged azaleas, farmer's markets, Food, heirloom tomatoes, hoco loco, Howard County, local businesses, Locavore, nature, photography, spring flowers. Bookmark the permalink.

Visiting Alex’s Snowball Stand in Lisbon … And Other Random Thoughts on West County Activities

Posted on April 30, 2012 by AnnieRie

Yesterday morning I posted that we would be going out to Sharp’s Farm to buy plants. While we were out, my husband wanted to try the snowball stand in Lisbon to see how they measure up to Woodstock, his favorite place for summer treats.

We spent about 30-45 minutes picking out plugs at Sharp’s, and it is warm and humid in the greenhouses, so a snowball sounded good.

After we settled up, I carefully wedged the plants in the back of the truck, I didn’t want them sliding around in the bed of the pickup. As you notice in this picture, these are not the two dozen flower plugs I bought, these are the pole beans, cucumbers and a few more exotic varieties of heirloom tomatoes. Somehow they enticed me, and now I need to rethink what goes where in the garden. The 3 inch pots at Sharp’s are only $1.50, a very good price for plants this large.

So, where are the snowballs? They are here.

They also sell ice cream and Nathan’s hot dogs. They have a children’s play area around back.

They are on the circle in Lisbon just up from the Town Grill and on the way to Larriland Farms. A really convenient spot to stop for a cooling ice cream or snowball after picking strawberries this May.

On the way home we stopped into Western Regional Park to see how it had grown. There are now five miles of trails in the park, paved and natural surfaces.

Weekends in West County. You also have lots of options for picnics. There are three locations where you can pick up foods to go and have a day in this less crowded Howard County park.

There is Vittorio’s.

Casual Gourmet.

And, Smokin’ Hot.

All in all, a good trip today. I am monitoring the updates on when the strawberries will be ready to pick at Larriland. In the meantime, my husband gave his egg custard snowball from Alex’s a thumbs up, for putting more than enough flavoring in it, and for the taste. We will be going back.

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Posted in Community, Day Trips, Food, Gardening, Howard County, Local Businesses, Nature, People, Restaurants, West HoCo and tagged community, day trips, Food, gardening, heirloom tomatoes, hoco loco, Howard County, local businesses, nature, spring flowers, tomatoes, West HoCo. Bookmark the permalink.

A Typical (?) Day in West County

Posted on April 29, 2012 by AnnieRie

Today started out with lovely weather. I uncovered the plants, fed the blue jays and squirrels their peanuts, put the tomato plants out to get some sun, and cleaned out the bird bath. This afternoon I want to plant some more herbs and finish prepping the vegetable garden.

That was all before this little visitor showed up, at 11 am.

Right outside my kitchen window, and chasing the birds and squirrels. Yes, it did get something.

Took it around behind the garden, then heard me and took off north from behind the pine trees and our shed.

Now I have to worry about what I put outside. Usually the fox hunts at dusk. There must be hungry babies up in a den somewhere on the undeveloped land north of us. There are about 11 acres of natural habitat north of us, that is the home for many of the animals that live here. I need to tell my neighbor to keep the kitties in, or stay out with them.

Well, since the weather improved, it’s back to putting plants in the herb garden and working on cleaning out the vegetable gardens for transplanting tomatoes next week. With the weather looking to stay close to normal, I might have the tomatoes transplanted the week before Mother’s Day, which is the traditional day that there is no longer a possibility of frost.

I may also head out later to Sharp’s to finish buying plugs of cucumbers, and some flowers for around the patio and along the front pathway. The greenhouses are open on Sundays from 12-5, and now that I have figured out the vegetable layout of the garden, it is time to pick up plugs of flowers to put out. They have plugs for 65 cents a piece, 55 cents each if you purchase two dozen or more. It is the most economical way to put in splashes of annuals all around your property.

Just a typical Sunday here in West County. What is your Sunday like? Any grilling tonight? Enjoy the great weather, in spring, the reason we don’t want to move from Howard County. Love this season of growth, warmth and anticipation. Might have to repeat this meal. Get out the steaks and wrap some Boarman’s bacon around some asparagus. Break open a bottle of local wine. Sounds like a great Sunday to me.

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Posted in Birds, Community, Food, Gardening, Howard County, Local Businesses, Locavore, Nature, Weather, West HoCo and tagged Food, gardening, grilling, hoco loco, Howard County, local businesses, Locavore, nature, spring flowers, weather, West HoCo. 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?

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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.

Update on Brighton Dam Azalea Gardens

Posted on April 25, 2012 by AnnieRie

Today on my way to Boarman’s, I detoured to see how the azaleas are doing.

I think they are pretty close to their peak right now. The gardens are absolutely lovely and today for 30 minutes, I was the only one there.

Well, except for our pollinating friends.

There are so many varieties there. I can’t pick my favorite but this one comes close. I love the yellow tint in the center of the flower.

Some of the flowers have fallen, the earlier blooming varietals. And, some haven’t even opened yet.

If you go during the week, you can have the entire picnic area to yourself.

Except for the workers down at the dam.

It is such a lovely spring day, this is the place to be.

The views from here are worth the drive out Brighton Dam Rd. They are open every day.

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

Earth Day Here and There

Posted on April 21, 2012 by AnnieRie

Tomorrow is Earth Day, but today the Conservancy was hosting dozens of volunteers and visitors for service projects, a plant sale by the Master Gardeners, a birding hike, and crafts projects for the little ones.

The wheel barrows were loaded and ready to go out for tree planting.

The parking lot was full of cars, on a lovely morning that cleared up to make it easy to work. Thankfully, it didn’t rain on the projects.

WR Grace brought out a group of volunteers to put in plants and mulch the entrance area, right on Old Frederick Rd. Everybody was hard at work. The Conservancy greatly appreciates their dedicated volunteers that come out to help.

I bought a few more tomato plants from the Master Gardeners. I couldn’t resist. I got two red fig and two pineapple plants. Yes, these are tomatoes. Interesting rare varieties. The red fig dates back to the 1700s, and is a pear shaped tomato. The pineapple tomato is one of my favorites. In talking to the gardeners, they said many of their heirloom seeds come from Baker Creek, which is the source for this picture.

After I left there, I ran over to TLV Tree Farms to pick up herbs for my garden. At Greenfest last week, I told them I would come out during their Saturday hours (10am – 2PM) and pick up what I needed to fill in my herb garden with new annuals and a few perennials that are getting ragged.

While there, I did pick up a couple of New York Strip Steaks to grill if the weather holds. MD steaks marinating in MD wine. What could be better?

I put the three varieties of thyme in the ground this afternoon, and left the lavender sitting in the pots until I position the basil, tarragon and marjoram that isn’t hearty enough to plant yet.

English, creeping and silver queen thyme

Lavender waiting to be planted, keeping the mint company

I also wandered around to document the blooming of my bank of azaleas along the north side of the house. They are almost the last to bloom. One more area in the northeast corner still isn’t ready. These that bloomed today are brilliant red, and some of my favorites.

What a beautiful spring day in the county. One more pic of the azaleas, because they are so brilliant. Go out and plant something!

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Art Reception This Week, and Earth Day

Posted on April 18, 2012 by AnnieRie

Two events this week at the Howard County Conservancy. The art reception and auction is tomorrow evening starting at 6 pm. I will be working the event, and who knows if I will get something to finish off the foyer. Lots of good stuff to bid on, particularly these pieces done on reclaimed wood by SOGH.

I keep hearing there is nothing to do in HoCO. For $12, come drink wine, hear entertaining judges, have some My Thyme appetizers, and maybe go home with interesting art for your place. If you have never heard Rebecca Hoffberger, you are in for a real treat. What is showing here is similar to what they are showcasing at the American Visionary Art Museum, or AVAM. All Things Round.

Then, for more to do, this weekend is Earth Day. The Conservancy has a full day planned. For singles, couples, families, retirees, whatever category that fits, there is something to do. Winter is hard on the trees and streams. Sprucing up the property in spring time means lots of little things to do. Easy to hard. Pick your pleasure. Stream cleanup, for example.

Some of us are going birding at 8 am. We may be out for two to three hours, depending on what we hear and see. We have recorded sightings of rare birds, and we have two very talented leaders. Even if you are just getting interested in what is singing in your yard, they are great to walk with. They bring the high powered scopes and generously share the sightings. We have seen eagles on the property, lots of raptors, rare sparrows, and it is spring. Can you say Orioles? We see them often. Baltimore and Orchard orioles. Here is a link to the bird club page with photos of Mt. Pleasant, the farm where the Conservancy is located.

After the bird walk, there are lots of activities that the staff are organizing. Clean up tasks, crafts for children. Check the web site if it rains. Come spend some time outdoors.