Tag Archives: weather

Too Much To Do This Weekend

Posted on

Like everyone else around here in the Howard County area, I am seeing lots of things to do every weekend now that spring has arrived.

It is funny how all the big events start clustering together in April and May and cluttering our calendars.

What to do? What to do?

Greenfest is where I will be, since I volunteered to spend three hours manning a booth for the Conservancy. The hike to the river is where I’d like to be, but can’t navigate treacherous hills until I have more mobility in my neck.

The Housing Fair is happening, but since we aren’t in that market, it didn’t make my short list.

HoCoConnect did a really good summary of what is going on at Greenfest, and I will add what I want to see. He also highlights two other events I missed.

Well & Wise has a list of upcoming events, too. They include the announcements of the Conservancy events this week and next.

At Greenfest, I will be attending at least two workshops, one on stormwater management in your yard, and one on backyard composting. We do compost some, but I can always use more tips and tricks. I wish I could do the watershed walks, but they conflict. Hubby is going to hear Cathy Hudson talk about raising chickens in the morning at 11am, while I am working at our table. And, just walking around talking to vendors is interesting. I applied last year for the lottery for a free energy audit, and won. We now know what we need to do to finish the weather proofing of our house, making it more energy efficient. As I said above, what to do, what to do?

Don’t forget, there will be a mini farmer’s market there too.

Sunday morning I may make the trek into Baltimore to check out the market for some herbs from Knopps Farm, one of my old favorite vendors when I went to visit family in Severn. If you have never taken a Sunday morning drive to this market, you are missing one of the largest and craziest markets around here. Worth the drive up I-95. There are 45 vendors registered for this year, some with crafts, some with food products, others with produce, meat and dairy, and we love the excitement.

Go early if you do want to find things. It is just an amazing array of food, people and good times. South Mountain Creamery and Zahradka Farms are there. My source of dairy most of the time, and my winter CSA. Both of these vendors will be at Glenwood in four weeks, but until then Baltimore is a good place to get their products, particularly for Elkridge and East Columbia Hoco residents. The market is set up under the Jones Falls Expressway.

And, then of course, I get to come home and file income tax. Not letting MD get those few dimes of mine until the very last minute. At least we broke even and get a few bucks back from the Feds. Hmm, I didn’t check, do we get an extra day or two? Yes, google my friend, says we have until Tuesday, so if the weather is nice, we can spend more time downtown.

I love spring!

hocoblogs@@@

Foraging Wild Asparagus, and Other Spring Pics

Posted on

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.

Getting Ready for an Art Reception and Auction

Posted on

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.

hocoblogs@@@

Springing Up All Over

Posted on

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.

Frost Happens!

Posted on

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.

The Official First Day of Spring

Posted on

So, today officially spring begins even though it has been evident for days that the calendar and the flowers, trees and shrubs have already synched up.

The tulips in our yard are up. In Columbia, where I went today for a doctor’s appointment, they are already way ahead of us in terms of the color all around. We are a few degrees cooler and a few hundred feet higher in elevation than Columbia.

To me, my favorite thing to celebrate spring is fennel salad. Light and tart, full of the delicacy of the baby fennel, the tartness of juice oranges, and bite of red onion, I love making this every spring.

It will be dressed with the best olive oil I have, and sprinkled with sea salt and white pepper.

My other favorite thing to cook in spring is asparagus. We have wild asparagus growing out under our crepe myrtles. I keep going out there to look for it, but it usually doesn’t show up until mid April. Just checking to see if the warm weather has hastened the sprouting of them, but no luck yet. Asparagus frittata, yum!

As for my trip to Roots the other day, I had to indulge in Hummingbird Farms tomatoes, from their hydroponic plantings. I know I really should eat tomatoes in season to get the best tasting tomatoes, but these beauties just called to me from the case.

I think they will be sliced open and served with Cherry Glen Gold goat cheese. Drizzled with St. Helena Olive Oil’s lemon infused oil, and some herbs de Provence. Truly a spring time pleasure.

Add to all that, my husband insisted on picking this up at MOM’s yesterday.

Their web site says it is mild. They lied.

I think it needs something to mix it with, and serve it with grilled lamb kebabs maybe. I know, maybe I need to use this Treuth skirt steak.

All this great weather inspires me to get out and grill.

hocofood@@@

A Day at the Conservancy

Posted on

Today I finally had a day out and about all by myself, without just riding around being chauffeured by my husband and not being able to do much. I went to the Conservancy to be one of the hike leaders for the Howard Legacy Leadership Institute on the Environment (HoLLIE) class finishing their course work and beginning their internships across the county non-profits.

I graduated from HoLLIE and volunteered at the Conservancy, working on planning programs like the one tomorrow night with Tony Geraci talking about healthy lunches for school aged children. The time I spent working with the committee to bring new and interesting programs to the site has been satisfying to me. I have met so many wonderful people, who along with me give freely of their precious time on educational programs, field trips, and much more. The Gudelsky Center is the location for the artwork, and the nature center is in the basement.

We went to visit Ranger, our rescued barred owl who was out last night visiting a County library, I hear.

The bee hives, where Howard County Beekeepers harvest the honey that they sell and give part of the proceeds to the Conservancy, and I buy to use in my cooking.

Today what made it even more fun was the opening of the art exhibit for the juried art show. The exhibit goes through April 19th, when the silent auction takes place. I already have my eye on an amazing piece made of porcelain. There’s also a whimsical one made with marbles. I will be writing about the art show later, once I take a few pics in better light than noon today.

While out and about on the trails, we searched for and found skunk cabbage opening up, along the east branch near the north end of the property. Always a sure sign of spring. A beautiful day, with temps far above what they should be in March.

Tomorrow is a full day there. I will be there for a history walk with the volunteers at 8:30. There is elementary school training for volunteer naturalists at 9:30, and Tony Geraci’s program at 7 PM.

Sometimes I do wonder how I ever found time to work.

hocoblogs@@@

Spring Has Sprung

Posted on

The Grass has Riz, I wonder where the boidies iz. Remember that children’s poem? The grass hasn’t risen, but the garlic I planted late in December is making its way up.

The rosemary never died off, and some of the sage is still hanging in there. The mild winter left us with some already producing herbs, and we lost nothing to wind or frost damage. Two years ago the blizzards killed numerous bushes and damaged trees,

This year, the big spring clean up will take place this weekend. Hubby is getting help there, as I am out of commission. I get to supervise this time. This entire week is going to have warm, mostly beautiful weather just right for planting seeds of spring producers. Temps in the 70s. Sunny most days.

I have a few seeds we are going to put in where we took a tree out last year and had the stump ground out. I need to leave something there for the summer that can be replaced with new bushes in the fall, when they have a better chance to get established. Summers here can be brutal to young trees and shrubs.

I picked these up in Kendall’s the other day, and figured we would sow them right in the ground just to keep something growing in the empty space. Minimize any erosion on a corner and provide color as well as dinner. Hopefully garlic chives in front of the chards will all survive the potential critter invasion. Or at least, if they invade there, they will stay out of my good heirloom tomatoes that will go behind the deer fence in the garden.

We were going to put in concord grapes with an arbor in a space where last year we took out bushes. Maybe it will get there but not counting on it with me being unable to assist. One new project at a time.

While out and about the other day, we spotted this display of daffodils. They always make me smile. Mine aren’t up yet but look to be almost ready to bloom.

I may not like that earlier switch over to daylight savings time, because it messes up my internal clock for a few weeks, but I can’t wait for spring to finally get here for good. I want to go out and see this wonder all around us.

Rushing Spring, and Counting Birds

I changed my background and header in anticipation of the hopefully soon arrival of spring. At the moment, the daffodils and tulips are pushing their way through the mulch and it won’t be too many weeks before they bloom.

There are tiny little signs of growth on the weeping cherry. I hope we don’t get a hard frost that will take away the beauty of my favorite season. The reason we don’t move south. I love spring and fall in Maryland.

Right now, though, it is the Great Backyard Bird Count weekend. I am checking out my feeders and seeing if anything new shows up. I did get the massive cedar waxwing visit last week, but so far today they have not shown up at the wild crab apple trees.

There are 12 of them in this picture, although I had to zoom in quite a bit to find all of them. They were really enjoying the berries,

and the water on the driveway

I know it is spring though once the hummingbirds return, and the juncos leave. It can’t get here soon enough.

Just Add Water …

… and once it dips below freezing, the parade of birds finds their way to our feeders and heated bird bath.

I looked out this morning in the sub freezing temps and found that my bluebirds were back and papa was on the bird bath. As I grabbed my camera, a new visitor never seen in our yard came along with friends. Papa bluebird wasn’t impressed.

After establishing himself as king of the bird bath, he proceeded to drink and leave. In the meantime, the cedar waxwings hung out in the burning bush next to the bird bath, the local bird hangout off my patio.

Once the coast was clear, they started in.

This was now their spa, with nice warm fresh water right next to an entire row of trees with berries, and coniferous trees for cover. Hopefully, they will hang around like the bluebirds are.

I was told repeatedly that water is the most important thing you can provide birds in the winter, particularly when the temps hit the teens. Today is a busy day off our patio. One more picture — take offs and landings anyone?

hocoblogs@@@