Tag Archives: holidays

Small Business Christmas Trees

Posted on November 23, 2014 by AnnieRie

All this week and next, I will be focusing on small business shopping for Christmas. After all, the locavore in me spills over into other aspects of my shopping habits.

Let’s start with Christmas trees. To support your local farmers, you can get a tree at many sites in or close to Howard County. Some are “U-Cut”. Others like Gorman Farms work with farmers to bring in fresh trees for sale.

The U-Cut sites include Greenway in Woodbine and Cooksville, Pine Valley in Carroll County just north of I-70 off Rte. 97, TLV Tree Farm in Glenelg, Gaver Farm west of Mt. Airy, Feezers in Marriottsville, and Browning Farms on Penn Shop Rd near Mt. Airy (no web site).

For those in other parts of Maryland, here is the Maryland Christmas Tree Association’s list of U-Cut farms.

We have cut trees at Greenway, TLV and Pine Valley. Where you go depends on what kind of tree you want. What size. We now tend to look for smaller trees so will pick a site that has graduated prices depending on tree size.

All of these sites will be open next weekend, and what better way to commemorate small business Saturday than to buy a local tree. Most of the sites also have pre-cut trees, wreaths, roping, and my personal favorite for my house, poinsettias are sold in the greenhouses at Greenway.

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Posted in Community, Farms, Howard County, Local Businesses, West HoCo and tagged community, farms, holidays, Howard County, local businesses, traditions, West HoCo. Bookmark the permalink.

To Honor Our Dads

Posted on November 11, 2014 by AnnieRie

Both our dads served in World War II.

My dad:

A SeaBee. Construction Battalion. Enlisted at 17. Built airfields all across the South Pacific. Including the one at Okinawa, where my nephew is deployed, and a pilot flying out from those airfields. Truly something special for us, as he was in high school when my dad passed away. He never saw him graduate from Annapolis, or earn his wings.

My FIL. Ten years older than my dad, and a Staff Sergeant in the Army Air Corps.

Their paths may have crossed in the South Pacific. Like on Thanksgiving.

We have my FIL’s service memory album.

My mom probably has most of my dad’s paperwork. But, my MIL and FIL passed away and we have all of it. For most of us in my generation, our families were touched by WWII. So Veterans Day means a lot to us.

We are thankful they returned, met and married our moms, and we were born into this great country. For us, Veterans Day is special. Personal. We will never forget the sacrifices our servicemen made.

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Posted in Commentary, Family, Remember When and tagged commentary, family, holidays. Bookmark the permalink.

And So This is Christmas*

Posted on December 24, 2013 by AnnieRie

*credit to John Lennon and Yoko Ono.

One of my favorite holiday songs. Particularly the line “and what have you done?”

Interestingly, Christmas isn’t my favorite holiday. Thanksgiving is. But, Christmas is when almost all the family gets together.

Tonight, three generations of my father’s side of the family gathered. The closest ones. The first cousins. Their children. Grandparents.

To me, watching the little ones smile is my favorite part. We don’t do presents much anymore at our level. We don’t need lots of “things” these days.

I prefer giving to getting now. And, I like to expand the giving in the days after the holidays.

So, I will head out to the food bank with all the extra items purchased for cookies and candy that wasn’t made. Things like butter, sugar, nuts. Add a stash of items like beans and rice and grains. Stop and pick up some “on sale” foods, now that the holiday is past. This is the time the food bank can use items. After that holiday rush of giving.

Plus, I will compensate for those new items we do get, like the scarves and sweaters. I will do another run through the drawers and the closets looking for warm clothing to add to the St. Vincent de Paul bin, down at Kendalls’ hardware store.

The holidays are special. Let’s keep the remainder of the year, and beyond, just as special.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

hocoblogs@@@

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Posted in Commentary, Community, Family and tagged commentary, community, family, holidays, traditions. Bookmark the permalink.

Not A White Christmas

Posted on December 20, 2013 by AnnieRie

Well, the snow was pretty while it lasted, but these warm temperatures are making it go away rather quickly.

This Sunday we may see temps near seventy degrees, and maybe a thunderstorm. All on the first day of winter.

It is one of the more endearing aspects of living here. The weather can take a rollercoaster ride, from below freezing to short sleeve weather. All in the same week.

I gather we are above our rainfall requirements. That is good for the water table, and our wells should be healthy for the time being.

I have to admit, around here, it is never dull. We have the hawks back. The bluebirds visited the bird bath during the freezing weather last week. The robins are all over the lawn now that the snow has melted.

We are overrun with deer again. Although they seem to be getting hit by cars on a weekly basis not far from our house. They also are starting to eat the tips of our azaleas, a sure sign they are having difficulty finding enough food.

Enough about the weather. This is the final weekend before Christmas. Time to finish the shopping, wrapping, cooking and keep the Christmas music as the background as I work.

Only a few days left. Have a safe holiday. And, do something nice for someone who doesn’t expect it.

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Posted in Commentary, Community, Family, Weather and tagged commentary, community, family, holidays, weather. Bookmark the permalink.

Last Minute Gifts

Posted on December 18, 2013 by AnnieRie

We’re a week away from Christmas. Six more shopping days.

Have you found the perfect gifts yet? How about a few locally inspired/small business/non profit suggestions?

Even some of the more unusual items. Like gifts of food, or a CSA membership. Or, head over to the Howard County Conservancy or Robinson Nature Center gift shops to pick up stocking stuffers.

How about toys made in the USA, that Clark’s Farm has in their gift shop? They are open Saturdays from noon to three. The Enchanted Forest book, maybe, as a gift to someone who grew up here and has memories of visits and parties there.

Specialty foods for the holidays? Like the handmade specialty sausages made for Copper Penny by Simply Sausage. If you go there this weekend, I may be fighting for those last packages of these treats. Particularly the chorizo and the kielbasa. Although I may be tempted by that Philippine longganisa.

The same chorizo that they make for Jaleo chef Jose Andres.

Other local options. Wine from Black Ankle, Big Cork, Elk Run, Sugarloaf, Old Westminster, Serpent Ridge, all wineries very close to us and whose wines are available not only at the wineries but at many local liquor stores.

Greenbridge Pottery is another local place where awesome items are crafted right here in the county.

Gift certificates to locally owned restaurants would be a nice present. How about Iron Bridge, Victoria Gastropub, Bistro Blanc, Aida Bistro and dozens more? Make a choice to give something local instead of a chain restaurant card.

Local farms like Breezy Willow have gift items, not just food, but crafted items like the alpaca woven clothing, felted soaps, RJs herbal soaps.

Ice cream. Cheese. Local honey. Jam. Jellies. There are hundreds of possibilities.

Support Mother Nature’s off Snowden Parkway for your birding friends and relatives.

Crunch Daddy Popcorn of Columbia for those who love traditional and way out there flavors of popcorn.

Anything else you can think of? I have given you ideas from places where I have bought gifts, or visited, or dined at. What else is out there that supports the local economy?

hocoblogs@@@

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Posted in Farms, Food, Howard County, Local Businesses, Locavore, Restaurants and tagged farms, Food, foodie, holidays, Howard County, local businesses, Locavore. Bookmark the permalink.

Vanillekipfel

Posted on December 16, 2013 by AnnieRie

Vanilla Crescents. Grandmom’s cookies. Made with almonds.

My mom made these for many years. Now, she doesn’t do them anymore, and I was determined to find the recipe and carry on this tradition.

In my Time Life series of cookbooks. The Cooking of Vienna’s Empire. These are the cookies I remember from my childhood.

But, to make them the best, I had to find really good ingredients. Like these.

All of the ingredients with the exception of the confectioners’ sugar came from Roots.

Trickling Springs butter. King Arthur Flour. Natural sugar. Vanilla extract. Blanched almonds. Oh, and flaked sea salt, not pictured.

You can taste the difference.

The recipe:

1/2 pound unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar

Cream the butter and sugar together in the stand mixer, until light and fluffy.

2 cups sifted all purpose flour, beaten into the butter/sugar mixture a 1/2 cup at a time.

1 1/4 cups ground almonds (I used blanched, the recipe calls for unblanched)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt

Add these three items to the mixer and continue to beat until slightly stiff.

I created a large disk of the dough and refrigerated it overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Break off pieces and shape into crescents on a floured work surface. Place on buttered cookie sheets, about a 1/2 inch apart.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, until they are just becoming lightly browned.

Remove from oven, cool on pans, then transfer to a rack. Dust with confectioners’ sugar.

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Posted in Food and tagged cooking, Food, holidays. Bookmark the permalink.

Hoe! Hoe! Hoe!

Posted on December 13, 2013 by AnnieRie

Getting into the Christmas spirit using local farms for inspiration and products.

Like my poinsettias from Greenway Farms.

We headed out to the tree cutting site on Rte. 144 west of Cooksville after a visit to the landfill to rid ourselves of all the downed tree limbs.

I only wanted to get my poinsettias and maybe a really tiny tree. Turns out I really want a tree in the living room, so we succumbed and cut a five foot high white pine.

It is sitting in a bucket in the garage waiting for tomorrow to be put into place.

We also got a small basil for my kitchen window. They also have little rosemary trees, if you want a specialty tree for a table.

Keeping in the Buy Local spirit, tomorrow I am heading out to Copper Penny for a ham, and Breezy Willow for alpaca gifts.

Then, home to decorate while watching my favorite football game.

Christmas, only 11 more days to go.

hocoblogs@@@

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Posted in Farms, Food, Howard County, Local Businesses, West HoCo and tagged farms, Food, holidays, Howard County, local businesses, West HoCo. Bookmark the permalink.

Cut Your Own Tree?

Posted on December 6, 2013 by AnnieRie

For those of us who love the scent of freshly cut pine and who want to have a Christmas tree up for four weeks, getting a tree that you cut yourself is a good deal.

Granted, it can be daunting running all over the farms looking for that perfect tree.

For I don’t know how many years, we would head out to TLV Tree Farm to get a tree. Right after Thanksgiving.

I have been going through old pictures to decide which to keep and I have found dozens of pictures of our decorated house. Mostly with trees that we cut ourselves.

There are three choices here in Howard County. This web site gives you the name of the farms, arranged by county. Besides TLV, there are two others. Greenway Farms and Browning Tree Farm.

Just over the county lines, Pine Valley is north on Rte. 97 with an incredibly huge selection. And, Gaver Tree Farm is west of Mt. Airy, on Detrick Rd. Very close to a farm I frequent during the winter to buy dairy, meat, eggs and produce, England Acres.

If you want to support local businesses this holiday season, head out to the farms and either cut a tree or pick up one that they have cut very recently.

Certainly beats those dried up things the big box stores sell. Price wise, they are a good deal too.

Or, those of us who support Gorman Farm on Gorman Rd. east of Hopkins, can head out there where the farm stand is also open.

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Posted in Community, Farms, Howard County, Local Businesses and tagged community, farms, holidays, Howard County, local businesses, traditions. Bookmark the permalink.

Giving Thanks …

Posted on November 28, 2013 by AnnieRie

… after another holiday with our family.

Thanksgiving has to be one of my favorite holidays. Even more so than Christmas.

We always spend the day with relatives. For our entire 35 Thanksgivings since we met.

This year a smaller gathering, as my nephew and his wife weren’t able to fly up to join us.

We give thanks for family, freedom and commitment. The type of commitment that those who serve us make when they choose what they do.

The sort of commitment that the armed forces, the police, fire departments, hospitals, and utilities/infrastructure companies make.

We thank these dedicated people working on holidays. I know there was much discussion all over the news, and the web, about stores opening on Thanksgiving.

In my world, I can’t imagine choosing time at Target or Walmart over time with family and friends.

But then, I don’t do Black Friday either.

I will just hang around waiting for Small Business Saturday. To get my Christmas greens, my small holiday gifts for family, and whatever else we may need.

Keeping it in our local family, in places like TLV, Breezy Willow, Kendall, Clark’s, Maple Lawn Farm, Big Cork Vineyards.

Buying Christmas gifts at the Conservancy crafts fair next weekend, the 7th.

Like Green Bridge Pottery. MD Beekeepers. Local artists.

Just giving thanks for living in such a wonderful small community.

hocoblogs@@@

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Posted in Commentary, Community, Family, Food, Howard County, Local Businesses and tagged commentary, community, family, farms, Food, holidays, Howard County, howard county conservancy, local businesses, traditions. Bookmark the permalink.

Thanksgiving Eve Eve

Posted on November 26, 2013 by AnnieRie

The calm before (and during) the storm. The ice and snow and rain and sleet and whatever storm.

Pretty dismal today, and the same for tomorrow. But, tomorrow, I have lots to do.

Pick up the turkey at Boarman’s. The Maple Lawn turkey, along with sausage for dressing, and oysters for stew.

My menu for our meal (Friday night) is oyster stew, salad, turkey, dressing, green beans and a whipped potato/turnip dish.

After getting the turkey, it is off to pick up the CSA box.

We got an anticipatory email, telling us what we might get, but with all the weird weather, we may have lots of substitutions.

Tonight we enjoyed a hearty crockpot soup.

This is my take on the vegetable soup (With smoked shank) that inspires crab soup.

How did I make it?

1 smoked shank from Boarman’s
1 package frozen green beans from last summer
1 pint stock from the freezer
1 jalapeno
1 baby bok choy shredded
3 large scallions
1 pint frozen tomatoes
1 can Navy beans
salt, pepper to taste
1 pint water

20 hours on low in the crockpot. This was one intensely flavored soup. Served tonight with the last of the rye bread from the CSA.