Ridgeview Valley Blog

Deep Creek Lake Local Meets Dancing With The Stars Celeb

I was reading the Deep Creek Blog and found the very cool post about Jennifer Christophel of the Balanced Body Studio here at Deep Creek Lake competing in the Ohio Star Ballroom Championships.  Check out the pics on the Deep Creek Blog of Jennifer and "Dancing With the Stars" pro Maksim Chmerkovskiy. "Dancing With the Stars" is one of the few shows I actually watch.  Jennifer offers an array of services at the Balanced Body Studio from Pilates to Ballroom Dancing to Spinning classes. And from what I hear the spinning and kick boxing are incredibly challenging.

Avalanche!

The Wisp Ski Resort, here in McHenry, less than five minutes away from Ridgeview Valley experienced a first of its kind event earlier this week, a snow avalanche.  The photo below shows where there is a big section of missing snow on the Face, an expert ski hill.  Fortunately, no one got hurt.  This probably happened because of the unusual weather circumstances: warm weather, suddenly changing to cold, followed by a significant snowstorm that dumped probably around 14 - 18 inches of snow; followed by a rainy day, plus the steepness of the slope.  It rained quite a bit, and its entirely possible that water saturated the snow, made it heavy and also got under the snow cover to make a slippery surface.  Anyway, it's pretty unique.

 

A Moment in Time - Accidental History

It's Saturday afternoon and I am cruising around my Google Alerts. I happened upon this blog about Appalachian History.  I am totally intrigued with the history surrounding Garrett County and for that matter all of the Appalachia since my Dad grew up in southeastern Kentucky, Pike County. This blog has tons of Appalachian stories from KY, MD, OH, WV just to name a few.  Both stories I already know of course having grown up in southern Garrett County in the Pleasant Valley area and marrying a northern boy from Sang Run.  The first story, Old Order Amish,  is about the settlement of the Old Order Amish community in Pleasant Valley, no I am not Amish, but my Grandma went to the Amish school. I have tons of friends that live in this community.  And the second, The Accidental Town, is the ever so popular story about the discovery of Accident, MD.  I really like this blog, I think I will subscribe.  Hope you enjoy the stories. 

Best of Show in Festival of Trees!

I couldn't think of any other title for this blog.  Tim & I went up to the Festival of Trees just to see our competition and to see the outcome of the voting.  Can you believe it we won Best of Show in the cakes and gingerbreads with our gingerbread house titled "A Moment in Time, 1921 on the Earl Harvey Farm."  Well all of the long hours and hard work paid off.  We are going back this evening for the Mistletoe Magic party and auction to see how much all of the entries bring. 

Deep Creek Lake Photographer Diplayed in Cumberland Art Gallery

I ran into my friend Marcia Warnick on Friday.  We were chit-chatting about the gingerbread and whether she was going to the Mistletoe Magic party and auction for the Festival of Trees and she said she had another event she was attending. So , Miss Nosy, who has know everything asked what she was doing.  Well her answer was very cool.  Marcia has been taking some photography classes and her instructor has encouraged them to submit their work to local galleries.  So she did, she sent two photos to the very sophisticated Saville Gallery in Cumberland.  As with most galleries when you submit a piece of work it does not gaurantee acceptance because the artwork has to go through an approval system, meaning the gallery is juried.  Galleries do this to in order to maintain a certain quality of work.  Congratulations to Marcia, both of her photographs were accepted at the Saville Gallery.  Her photos will be on display through the end of January.  You know artwork, especially photos make great Christmas gifts.  All work on display at the gallery is for sale.  Stop by and enjoy the talent.  Congratulations Marcia!

Fun Around Oakland

John Collins sent me some pics from their last trip up to the lake when they visited Simon Pearce, the train station and the Garrett County Historical Museum.

Glass Blowing at Simon Pearce at the Mtn. Lake Park Factory

Lisa shopping at Simon Pearce
 
John & Lisa at the Simon Pearce shop

John learning a thing or two about Deep Creek and Garrett County history.  No you can't bear hunt with that gun.

Lisa at the Train Station

Project Complete!

It's finally done!!  The gingerbread house is finally complete, delivered and probably being judged by now. I have been so engrossed in the final details of the project that I have not had the chance to update any photos.  So as an overview, Monday night Tim & I were up till 1:30 in the morning making wreaths, porches, patios, porch roofs etc only to be up and at it again Tuesday morning.  There are lots of cool details including handmade bushes, wreaths, chocolate doors, spearmint windows, an edible satellite dish, and icicles to name a few.  Everything is edible with the exception of the board it is sitting on, the aluminum foil covering the board and the ribbon around the board.  We finished the house around 8:00 last evening and I am pleased with the turn out.  I think all said and done we have close to 40 hours start to finish.  Take a look and don't forget to stop by the Festival of Trees this weekend and enjoy all of the beautiful decorations.  I had a sneak peek this morning and the trees are gorgeous. 

Water Fowl on Deep Creek Lake

Honestly, do we live in one of the most beautiful parts of the world or what.  Again, these fabulous photos are from Pete, taken out his dining room window of a Hooded Merganser and a Ring-Necked Duck.

Sunset on Notre Terre in Ridgeview Valley

Take a look at the spectacular sunsets we have here in Ridgeview Valley.  Nature is it's own canvas and we are truly blessed with the most spectacular displays that one can imagine.  This photo was taken earlier this fall by John & Lisa Collins on Notre Terre.  I get to experience moments like these every day.  You have to keep a camera next to you at all times.  Thanks John for sharing this moment.

  

Migrating Waterfowl on Deep Creek Lake

Pete has been playing around with the camera again, now experimenting with his telephoto lens.  Here is what he has to say and show today.

This morning I was playing with my camera attachments.  I have a very long inexpensive 650-1300 mm telephoto lens that I purchased on ebay some time ago, but never had any time with it.  I have it attached to a Pentax K10D camera and took a few pictures from our living-room onto the lake of some of the migrating water fowl. Here are some of the pictures I took at 12500 mm.  The focus is very difficult to attain, but the images are recognizable.  These are pictures of the Ring- Necked duck, the Ruddy duck, and the Pied-Billed grebe.  These ducks show up every winter for a few weeks.