Tag Archives: nature

This Saturday: Hike to the Patapsco River

Posted on April 10, 2012 by AnnieRie

With all my talking about Greenfest, I forgot that this is the second Saturday, when the free wonder walks take place at the Howard County Conservancy.

At 10 am, join the leaders, two of the volunteer naturalists, as they lead you on a spring hike across the property and down a stream side trail in Patapsco State Park, to the Patapsco River. Last year, we did this hike in March, with little spring foliage or flowers. This year promises a real treat, with lots in bloom.

The hike starts at the Gudelsky Center, and there will be opportunities to turn around and return easily to the center, if the hike proves too strenuous or long.

It will take at least two hours, total, to do the hike and explore the area where the railroad tracks border the river. There is much to see down there, including some ruined remains of old structures.

You can do the hike in the morning and come hit Greenfest for its final few hours, if you are ambitious.

If you can’t make it to the Conservancy this Saturday, never fear. The Earth Day celebration, bird walk, and clean up is scheduled for the 21st. Or, stop in at Greenfest this Saturday, at the Conservancy’s table there, and pick up the event flier for the rest of 2012.

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Posted in Community, Howard County, Nature, Volunteering, Weather and tagged community, hoco loco, Howard County, howard county conservancy, nature, spring flowers, volunteering. Bookmark the permalink.

Foraging Wild Asparagus, and Other Spring Pics

Posted on April 8, 2012 by AnnieRie

The first wild asparagus poked above the mulch yesterday.

There are a few volunteer plants under the crepe myrtle. Every spring we get just enough asparagus to make a frittata. Found food is a good thing. It will be a while for the rest of our fruit and berries to produce, but finding what is hidden on the property has been interesting. This past fall we found a couple of hickory nuts in the yard, probably brought in by the squirrels, but haven’t located that tree yet.

We have black raspberries, mulberries and one peach tree. Wild strawberries. Parsley, mint and of course, enough dandelions to gather greens for dinner. Thankfully, no one out here sprays.

As for what else I found yesterday, the azaleas are coming out left and right.

The mock orange is about to go into its flowering stage with the highest buds opening.

My neighbor’s crab apples are in full bloom along the driveway.

The later varieties of tulips are hanging in there, despite the frost.

Nothing says spring like flowers and Easter. Happy Easter to all who celebrate. I am off to make herb roasted onions for my brother.

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Posted in Family, Food, Foraging, Gardening, Nature and tagged family, foraging, gardening, nature, photography, spring flowers, weather, wild asparagus. Bookmark the permalink.

See You at Greenfest? Save the Date, 14 April!

Posted on April 5, 2012 by AnnieRie

Looking at what is coming up this month in the county. April 14th, 10-4 at the Community College.

Are you going to be at this year’s Greenfest? It is an information packed day at Howard Community College. I will be there volunteering as well as bringing in items for the collections set up in the parking lot. Put it on your calendar now, and don’t forget it.

Need shredding done? Want to donate old shoes, or old bikes? Or clean out the basement? Finally get rid of that IBM PC? Or, whatever is in those yard sale boxes in the garage? Goodwill, Habitat for Humanity, Nike, Bikes for the World, and shredding and electronics recycling will all be available in the parking lot.

Want to raise backyard chickens? You would be surprised how many people in the county raise chickens.

How about Grow It, Eat It?

Learn about composting, rain gardens, storm water management.

web brochure workshop schedule_FINAL

Have the children go outside and play. Great book, by the way.

Attend a mini farmer’s market.

There is so much happening that day, I am not sure where all I will be going, but it promises to be another great day. Open from 10-4. Check out the link above to see where it is all happening.

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Posted in Community, Gardening, Howard County, Local Businesses, Nature, People, Volunteering and tagged community, farmer's markets, gardening, hoco loco, Howard County, local businesses, nature, volunteering. Bookmark the permalink.

Getting Ready for an Art Reception and Auction

Posted on April 2, 2012 by AnnieRie

On the first Monday of every month, the Program Committee for the Howard County Conservancy meets to plan the execution and assignments for each month’s events. Today we discussed the finalization of plans and the potential assignments for the volunteers at the upcoming Art Reception and Auction scheduled for the 19th of April at 6 pm.

I saw when I arrived that at least one piece already had a sold sticker on it, having sold for the buy now price. These SOGH pieces are amazingly beautiful, and affordable as well. They are painted on scrap lumber. They just jump out and grab your attention when you walk in.

I also love all of Greg Mort’s work, and wandered around taking some shots so one of the other committee members could show her husband what Greg had brought to the show.

This piece is one that I like.

All Things Round, the theme, ties in nicely with the nature mission at the Conservancy. While we were meeting, and discussing what should be in the bidding handout, we were already thinking ahead to next year’s date and theme.

I find that volunteering to plan events is satisfying, plus for me as a retiree, a way to continue to connect to people with like interests.

Besides, time spent at the Conservancy is just so relaxing, as after I finished in the meeting, I wandered out, talked to gardeners in the community gardens, and took some pictures of the flowering trees and the barn, inspired by a photograph in the show that is similar in composition (but much better than mine).

Spring is such a beautiful season in Maryland, and the Conservancy property showcases the flowers, trees, birds and farmland of Howard County. Just a great place to visit.

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Posted in Community, Howard County, Nature, People, Retirement, Volunteering and tagged art, hoco loco, Howard County, howard county conservancy, nature, photography, retirement, spring flowers, volunteering, weather. 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.

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

Hodgepodge Lodge

Posted on March 27, 2012 by AnnieRie

How many of you remember this TV show, on MPT? Do you remember Miss Jean? Do you know that the Lodge has found a permanent home at the Howard County Conservancy?

The show was on MPT in the 1970s. I was in college when it was first shown, and I caught it occasionally while I was babysitting. The lodge fell into disrepair after the show was canceled, but it was moved to the Conservancy and restored.

If you take a short hike on the woodlands trails just east of the main buildings, you can find the lodge.

Walk down the hill past Ranger, the barred owl used for educational programs.

Continue down past the monarch butterfly garden, and turn right at the forest display board.

Wander along the creek until you see it on your left just before a large bridge crossing the East Branch. It is locked but sometimes the staff will open it for people to see the exhibits.

This is a good walk to take with little ones. There is lots to see. Bluebird Houses. Butterflies. Honey Bee boxes. The creek. Old farm equipment.

Before you leave, you can stop into the Nature Center, and check out the animals like the tree frog

and go upstairs to view the art exhibit, All Things Round. Details about the current art exhibit, in my earlier post, Art of Stewardship.

Enjoy Spring! Take a hike and a walk down memory lane.

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Posted in Birds, Community, Family, Howard County, Nature, People, Remember When, West HoCo and tagged birds, community, hoco loco, Howard County, howard county conservancy, nature, West HoCo. Bookmark the permalink.

Frost Happens!

Posted on March 26, 2012 by AnnieRie

It never seems to fail. The tulips come up. The herbs start growing. Thankfully, I didn’t transplant the lettuces yet.

And then, we get a frost warning. I had to cut some herbs and bring them in, so I could cover the rest.

Covering the garlic and herb beds.

And the tulips in the front of the house, just the ones that haven’t opened yet.

The ones that had fully opened or that were all by themselves, not worth spending the time to cover the single bulbs, came in to be the centerpiece on the dining room table. I usually do this later in the spring, but you can’t beat Mother Nature.

The temps will hit the 20s here tonight. Here’s hoping it doesn’t mess up the strawberries and the fruit trees coming along nicely for spring.

As well as the grape vines. Budbreak has occurred in some areas due to the warm spring weather. Cross your fingers for the farmers spending a tough night protecting their plants.

As for me, I am just happy the weeping cherry hit its peak and is already shedding its flowers. I love it when it reaches that intense pink and white loveliness.

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Posted in Gardening, Local Businesses, Nature, Weather, Wine and tagged gardening, hoco loco, local businesses, nature, spring flowers, weather, wine. Bookmark the permalink.

The Art of Stewardship

Posted on March 25, 2012 by AnnieRie

All Things Round.

This year’s theme for the juried art show at the Howard County Conservancy.

At the auction on the 19th of April, you may find yourself in a bidding war with me for this piece. This porcelain disk with spirals is stunning in its simplicity. It is an eye catcher when you walk in the room. As are quite a few other pieces.

The details in some of the paintings:

Greg Mort, one of the judges, has a few pieces for sale in the show as well. He will be signing his books at the auction, as will Anne Raver, garden columnist for the New York Times, another of the judges. The third judge, Rebecca Hoffberger, is well known in the area as the founder and director of the Anerican Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore.

On Wednesdays through Saturdays, when the Conservancy is open to the public, anyone may wander around the Gudelsky Gallery and look at the art from now until April 19th when the auction takes place and the winners are announced. On the 19th, for $10, a wine and cheese reception is open to all who wish to bid, or just take in the art with the artists present to talk about their work. Many of the artists are local, and if you like their style, you may end up finding a source to add locally produced art to your home.

The art show is one of the recurring programs that the Conservancy holds. At least once a month, there is always something going on at the site on Rte. 99 in Woodstock.

If you want to take a walk on a lovely spring day, and stop in to view the art, it is a relaxing way to spend an afternoon. The Conservancy hours are 9-3 Wed-Sat. Call in advance to confirm that no organization is holding a meeting in the Gallery when you want to visit. The grounds are open during daylight hours for those wanting to wander the gardens and grounds.

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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.

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St. Patty’s Day Gifts

Posted on March 17, 2012 by AnnieRie

We got lots of gifts today. Perfect weather.

Crock pot corned beef and cabbage.

Mojitos on the patio (hey, they’re green, aren’t they?)

and a spring clean up without lifting a finger.

When we knew I was having surgery, for the first time in seven years, my husband hired a local family owned business to do our spring clean up. I can’t lift or carry, and he was on his own doing things inside and outside our home.

We usually do all our yard work ourselves. I find it relaxing to putter around in my flower beds and spread mulch. I couldn’t do anything this year, so we bit the bullet and hired Rhine, a local west county family in the landscaping business.

Four really good guys came in, removed shrubs, edged all the beds on the property, cleaned it all up, and will be back tomorrow to mulch, with 40 cubic yards of mulch. That’s what it takes to do our entire property.

The fun part for me now is replacing all we took out. I get to choose my shrubs, bushes, ornamental trees and flowers. It was all cleared up and dug up, including a few massive stumps from dead trees we cut down after two years of blizzards.

A clean slate. And, a few froggies in my pond.

I still like to do things myself around here, but it is nice to have locally owned family businesses to turn to when you do need help. This was such a large job, and I can relax and know my husband isn’t pushing himself to the limit doing it all himself.

Now, when it comes to my garden, ain’t nobody touching it but me.

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