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I haven't had a chance to update you in a while on the progress of the log home that is being built in the community. The owner, Bob Day, stopped by for a visit and then emailed me some photos today. The builders are really making great progress, Bob is hoping to be able to move in, in about 3 weeks. Enjoy the photos.
Rumors have been floating around that Gravelly Run Road is one of the first county roads to be re-paved in Garrett County this spring. Those rumors are looking like they are true, since the county has been out working all week. I saw them early this week surveying and measuring the road and later in the week they removed several large Pine trees along the edges of Gravelly Run I suspect in effort to widen portions of the road. Although I did not have my camera with me when they had a tree cut across the road and I had to wait for them to clean it up, I did get this shot of the remnants of a tree and the chips left behind from the wood chipper. I will keep you posted on the progress.
I heard the spring peepers last night, so we are well on our way to some warmer weather. Although, the wives tale told to me by Hubert Friend (104yrs old) says that when you hear the peepers for the first time then they have to look through ice 3 more times before warm weather is here to stay. They are calling for snow showers this evening, that would count as 1. This is probably my most favorite sound in nature, it's like nature is waking up from a long winter's nap. What is a spring peeper? Well you can read all about them on my trusty friend, Wikipedia. The spring peeper is actually a small wetland living frog who uses this beautiful call during their mating season starting in March and runs generally through June. For such a small critter, they sure do make a beautiful song. Last night I could even hear them inside of the house. Unusual for the first night, they usually start out soft and get louder as the weather warms. Here is a picture I found on the web of our tiny friend.
The Garrett County Board of REALTORS has organized an Easter Donation Drive to benefit the Dove Center of Garrett County. You can see below a list of items that are most needed. If you would like to participate in the Drive, please feel free to drop off items at Ridgeview Valley and I will make sure they are delivered to their final destination. Your support will be greatly appreciated.
I am always interested in learning anything about history, especially Garrett County history. I enjoy talking to all of the "Old Timers" and learning how things were done in their day. And a lot of times my husband and I will try it for ourselves. As I told you before we have been known to make a batch or two of maple syrup with all of the plentiful maple trees on his parents farm. Just so happens that the farm now known as Ridgeview Valley was once in its day a major producer of this sweet elixir. Well I found an article online today in The Frederick News-Post Online about producing maple syrup and it actually states in the article that in 1928 Garrett County was the maple capital of the U.S. according to the USDA. Today Maryland is not even in the top 10 list but in 2008 Maryland did produce 2400 gallons of maple syrup most of it coming from Garrett County. I found that really interesting. I know there are still a lot of old sugar shacks tucked away in the woods that you can see along the highway, I know of 2 or 3 right off the top of my head. Another interesting "Old Timers" tidbit, I was visiting with Earl Harvey on Sunday, Earl is the original owner of the farm before Ridgeview, and he ask me if anyone had stopped by to get any watercress. By the way, Earl is now 97 and moved to the farm in 1917 and yes the barn and house were already here and in great disrepair. He told me it was a rough place to move a young family and that the house had to be over 100 years old then. Anyway before I digress to far, of course no one has stopped by to inquire about any watercress, but it just so happened that my husband was by the other day and was poking around outside along the spring. He mentioned to me later that he thought we had run lettuce growing in the spring but he would have to ask his Mom if he had identified it correctly. Run Lettuce is the old name for wild watercress which apparently is not very plentiful in Garrett County anymore and only grows in very clean water. So I told Earl about Tim's findings and he said in fact that this watercress is run lettuce and to his knowledge is about the only left that he knows of. I don't know this to be fact, but I do know that it used to grow on my in-laws one farm in Accident and it is no longer to be found. My mother-in-law is quite excited about this find since she hasn't had it since she was a child. I don't know actually how rare this is, but none the less I'm excited about my find and anxious to try it on my next salad. They say it has a slight peppery taste. Maybe I will try it with some ramps and morel mushrooms, two other native edible plants found in and around Garrett County. Here's what it looks like. Please let me know if anyone has additional information on watercress.
