November Soup & Walk

What a beautiful fall day for our last soup ’n walk of the year! The day was sunny and temperature was in the 60s. There were 24 guests out of 28 who had signed up. Only a few had not been here before, and we always enjoy telling new and old friends about our Adkins Arboretum. Our theme was looking for the nuts, berries, and seeds that feed the wildlife.
We split into two groups. Nancy B. started hers at the regular entrance to the woods and I took the other half and looked out at the wetland’s variety of seeds and cones. We took a closer look at the red cedar and noted the blue berries on the female tree by the bridge and then headed to the other woods entrance by the sassafras trees. There are lots of red sumac berries at this entrance. We went past many Oriental bittersweet vines loaded with their yellow capsules over orange berries. Two of us had been to Sylvan’s talk on invasives, so we talked about keeping these seeds from spreading by using them indoors, if you must use them, and packaging them for disposal in black plastic so they will be buried in a landfill and no longer available for the birds to spread. Weed warriors are needed for our volunteer program.
Sassafras trees have berries only on the female trees, and we went by the female tree at the edge of the woods. These edge trees such as the sassafras and sweet gum have lovely color in the leaves that are still left on the trees. The sweet gum balls left on the trees are quite showy and are even showier as winter comes and the leaves drop. There are also quite a few tall tulip trees still showing yellow color at the skyline, and one can imagine lots of seed pods at the treetops.
The dogwood trees had been stripped of any berries much earlier and in the past week had lost their leaves. We still saw berries on the female holly trees along the way. Along this trail there were quite a bit of red leaves still showing on the blueberry and deerberry bushes, but the berries, if any, had been eaten much earlier. Maybe because of the hot summer and dry weather, many of the berries have been eaten already or were not produced this year.
Acorns were quite plentiful this year from both the white oak and the red and black oak families. White oak acorns take only one year to grow to maturity and have less tannic acid. Mature red oak acorns are often stored/planted by the squirrels for later use. Going past the pine forest, we could spot lots of pine cones for squirrels and birds, and when the pines ended at the birch allee we started to see lots of hickory and oak trees. Some of the golden pawpaw leaves were still on the trees. Not only is the fruit used by the critters, but the leaves are needed by the zebra swallowtail butterfly larva.
We joined Nancy’s group just before the Visitor’s Center, and the entire group hurried back to enjoy our soup, salad, bread, and dessert, which were made with some fruits, berries, nuts, and other fall vegetables that help us live well. So we enjoyed refreshing our minds and spirits in the woods and our bodies at the luncheon. Mickey B., Pat B., Michele W., and Lynn L. had everything ready for us. Other volunteers who helped were Janet H., Norma J. E., Shirley B., Nancy B., and Zaida W. with setup, cleanup, and help with the tours. Lynn L. and I brought the amaranth date nut bread. Ann R. was taking pictures. It felt wonderful to have everyone together to share the entire experience.
Thanks to all the staff that helped, as well as all the volunteers.

Soup & Walk on October 16

Photo by Melissa L. Andreycheck

Searching for fall colors was our theme today. Nature was very cooperative. The air was crisp with just enough wind and sunny in the mid 60’s. When we started out there were 28 guests. As we walked along the trail past the edge of the woods we saw lots of color. There were all different shades of red from black cherry, sassafras, dogwood, and the tops of the devil’s walking stick and stems of the pokeberry.

The red color develops in the leaves when the green chlorophyll disappears after the leaf scar develops and this stops water from getting into the leaf and sugars from leaving. This sugar, in some leaves combines with a phytochemical and becomes an anthocyanin. The shade of red depends on genes and the acidity of the soil. One of the dogwood leaves was lying across another dogwood leaf and I showed the part that was covered and still had the green color. One of the theories for the red color is that it helps protect the plant from the harmful rays of too much sunlight. Indeed it seems that much of the red color in the woods was where we could see the sunlight touching the leaves.

At the bridge someone asked what a leaf scar was. This prompted a discussion on the fact that trees do lose their leaves and other plants die to the ground when there is no longer the ability to turn sunlight into energy for the plant. The shorter daylight hours starts this process. It is also influenced by moisture and many leaves dropped early this year due to the drought. I picked up a tulip tree leaf and showed where the leaf scar was at the end of the petiole. Many ephemerals die back when the tree canopy keeps sunlight from reaching them.

Further along on Blockston Branch trail we saw some red strawberry bush (heart’s a bursting) berries left on the bush. This bush had protection from some branches of the ironwood tree and the deer had not touched it. The deer’s sensitive nose does not like the twiggy branches of the ironwood tree. On the ground we spotted a clump of red berries from a jack in the pulpit.

A golden yellow stand of pawpaws further on the trail was awash in sunlight and since the green chlorophyll had disappeared the yellow color which was there all along is now apparent. The yellow pigment captures and converts sunlight similar to chlorophyll and is a silent partner not visible until now.

We took the trail past the downed tree clump and observed the huge opening in the canopy. At this spot in the trail there is a large group of beech drops that are now in brown seed and were a lovely rose purple earlier. A teacher guest asked about this parasitic fungus on beech tree roots and said she brings this information back to her fifth graders. Newcomb’s Wildflower guide is a good manual for identification info. We need more in the gift shop because we could not find any later.

Further along, we saw some more red color in some very tall tupelo trees that again had sunlight glinting off their red leaves. At the exit we observed some very red shining leaves of the winged sumac with its crop of red berries.

We came back to a delicious colorful lunch and a lovely dining room with lovely bouquets made by Mickey B. She had seeds of hearts a bursting available at each table and many took them home for planting. The sumac, winterberries, chokeberries, and groundsel bush were part of her attractive arrangements.

Lynda said it so nicely. Our Soup & Walk is unique and special. We have such a dedicated group of volunteers who make this an event to remember. Many of our guests keep returning but we had some new ones as well. The guests ranged from North Carolina, Washington DC, north of Baltimore, Easton and from Delaware. Our volunteers were Pat B, Mickey B, Norma E, Lynn L, Michele W, Zaida W, Shirley B and Julianna P.

This whole process starts with a newsletter with menus developed for the monthly walking tour attractions. Reservations are taken and followed up by our friendly staff. Caterer and volunteers are notified. Tables, chairs and other equipment are put in place. Emails and phone calls are used for notifying and last minute changes. Baking desserts and breads takes place and collecting material for flower arrangements. Once the day arrives, it is very organized. Pat at the front desk, Mickey and others decorating the tables, setting out the name tags, guides taking a prewalk. Finally starting the tour begins, while others make sure the soup is hot and all the food arranged in lovely fashion on white covered tables. The five round tables with their white tablecloths and a centerpiece and the smell of food are so inviting as we return from our tour. We eat a delicious lunch and I get to talk about the menu and its connection to our walk and nutrition. Finally the clean up in our tiny kitchen where Lynn and Michele have developed quite a system. Others clear tables bring things to where ever they are needed and the extra food goes home. A small bonus for all the loyal helpers. Thank you all. It takes everyone to make this work.

T in the Trees Journaling Report Oct 2, 2010

Another very successful T in the Trees adventure! Our Theme had to be “Flowing Water” because this was very evident as we walked along Blockston Branch after the 6 inches or more of rain in the past 3 days. It was breezy and cool in the 60’s. Many times we stopped to marvel at the sight and sound of this precious water. The color was very coppery, evidence of water flowing through fallen and decaying leaves. Mention was made of the tannic acid color and that this chemical can carry minerals further along the banks and bottomlands, depositing them and enriching the soil in the process. At one bridge we could see the stream dividing and reforming in a ribbonlike pattern with ripples along the way.

We also crushed some leaves and smelled them. Some pearly or white everlasting in the meadow, and some paw paw leaves in the woods. We speculated on how insects or plants might use these chemicals. The zebra swallowtail butterfly needs the paw paw leaves to complete their life cycle. Someone also mentioned the monarch butterfly and milkweed and we talked about the spice bush butterfly which needs the spice bush or the sassafras tree.

Another idea came to me and we tested it. What if you were taking a blind or sight impaired person through the woods. Besides the sound of the water and the smell of the leaves, we felt the bark of the tulip tree and its interesting braiding pattern. Then we moved our hands down to the lichen areas and the mossy areas and felt the difference. Other bark such as the musclewood tree was another opportunity for a touching experience. Of course we talked about what the poison ivy vine looks like first.

One person had questions about the layers in the forest that someone remembered Ellie talking about. The downed tree gave us another chance to see what happens to this canopy over time. We could see streams of water at the bottom of the hill traversing the front side of this huge clump of downed trees. Someone said that it was so nice to have a guide point out many of these features and I thanked her. We docents do feel a growing need to help the public enjoy and understand more about nature.

Back at the visitors center we camped out in Ellie’s office (Thank you) and enjoyed our Tea and cookies. The five visitors enjoyed writing in the last of the wonderful journals. (Pat B will make more.) They shared ideas but did not read from their journals. They appreciated the special journals but suggested that a cheap notepad to write on while in the woods would be nice. (I will look into this). Copies of Teaching the Trees and Newcomb’s Wildflower guide and other items were purchased. Thanks to Lynn L and Michele W for coming up with this great idea to draw more people to our special arboretum. (We need better visibility on our Wed Page for this monthly event.)
I had a great time with these visitors from Easton and Cambridge. We had 2 staff on our walk for a total of seven. Julianna

Soup & Walk Sep 18, 2010

This was a perfect fall day with lots of sunshine, temps in the 80’s and cool nights. The tent was set up for the Magic in the Meadow which only added magic to our walk around the meadow. Nancy Beatty, our very knowledgeable docent, led the walk. We had 20 guests and 3 more volunteers on the walk. It was a large group but with the amplifier we were all able to hear Nancy’s explanations.

The theme was “See the sunny meadows with the golden brown and purple grasses and the many yellow and white flowers. We took the long loop going left from the visitor’s center and passing the children’s’ garden and the nursery on our walk and returning at the other end of the South meadow back to the visitors center. Opportunities to volunteer and the volunteer luncheon next Tues was talked about. Some said they would come.

The meadow sported some beautiful Indian grass, switch grass, big bluestem, purple top, little bluestem, purple love grass, and foxtail. All were interested in the differences in the grasses. Mention was made of some interest in using switch grass as a fuel source. Among the flowers we saw were the white pearly everlasting, yellow perennial sunflowers, yellow sundrops, and lots of different kinds of yellow goldenrod. The goldenrod was the most showy and the most prominent. The milkweed pods were in evidence as well as some busy milkweed bugs worthy of a camera shot.

Nancy was able to point out some of the invasives that we have to deal with such as the oriental bittersweet, bull and Canadian thistle. Ragweed, mares tail, and lespedeza are also nuisances.

The sumac has wonderful red berries which supplied vitamin C to the early colonists and their leaves have fed the lemurs at the Baltimore zoo. The winged or shiny sumac was very shiny in the sun and some had the red leaves of autumn. Speaking of red, many guests were impressed by the pokeweed and its lovely red stems. Nancy mentioned that she liked it and another in the group said she did too. It was carefully noted that you need a large area for this rather aggressive native plant. Some sassafras berries were showing but the showiest berries were the devil’s walking stick. Wild grapes looked luscious on the vines.

After an hour’s walk we entered the visitor’s center for a tasty lunch in a wonderfully decorated room by Mickey B. The menu had lots of grains even an ancient grain bread. We gave away samples of amaranth and quinoa to each table for someone to take home and bake some bread. There were also some hearts-a-burstin berries to take home and plant that came from my bush. The kale in the soup was a reminder that kale is a wonderful fall garden crop that can be planted now. Lastly the butternut pie baked by Shirley B and Zaida W was a big hit and a wonderful way to get kids to eat their vegetables. Everyone seemed to be having a great time and many plan to come again. One guest from Colorado said she could not but would buy the cookbook to try more of this kind of cooking.

The rest of the volunteers not mentioned above were Norma E, and Janet H, who along with the others helped with the setup and cleanup. This is a wonderful event and I enjoyed it immensely. It is only possible through the hard work of staff and volunteers and it is great to have this chance to show off our Adkins Arboretum.
Thanks everyone, Julianna

Bird Count

Bill and I spent the morning at Adkins Arboretum, helping Danny Poet with
> the Caroline County bird count. The number per species count for the
> warblers is down from last week but a good showing and great looks at all.
>
> Black Vulture 1
> Turkey Vulture 8
> N Harrier 1
> Cooper's Hawk 1
> Red-shouldered Hawk 1
> Mourning Dove 3
> Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1
> Ruby-throated Hummingbird 4
> Red-bellied Woodpecker 9
> Downy Woodpecker 1
> Hairy Woodpecker 1
> N Flicker 5
> Pileated Woodpecker 2
> E Wood-Pewee 5
> E Phoebe 3
> Great Crested Flycatcher 1
> White-eyed Vireo 2
> Red-eyed Vireo 6
> Blue Jay 13
> Am Crow 8
> Carolina Chickadee 24 (that's a lot!)
> Tufted Titmouse 10
> Red-breasted Nuthatch 2
> White-breasted Nuthatch 1
> Carolina Wren 3
> E Bluebird 2
> Gray Catbird 4
> N Mockingbird 2
> Cedar Waxwing 1
> Tennessee Warbler 2
> N Parula 7
> Chestnut-sided Warbler 5
> Magnolia Warbler 4
> Black-throated Green Warbler 1
> Blackpoll Warbler 1
> Black-and-white Warbler 5
> Am Redstart 2
> Connecticut Warbler 2
> Common Yellowthroat 7
> Scarlet Tanager 3
> Chipping Sparrow 3
> Field Sparrow 18
> N Cardinal 14
> Blue Grosbeak 9
> Indigo Bunting 4
> House Finch 4
> Am Goldfinch 6
>
> Karen Harris

July 3rd Guided Walk

Hello all, and Happy Fourth -

We took a group of eight folks out yesterday, including a 3 year-old and an infant in a baby carriage. Never too young to start learning, yes? We co-led the walk, and while our plan called for something different initially, we decided to change it a bit when the 3-year old turned up. Michele had the idea of doing a treasure hunt for sculptures (there's the grandmother effect!) so we started out across the main bridge, came back around across the members' bridge, then in front of the visitor center and into the woods to the Blockston Branch trail with the motivation to a) find the sculpture, and b) try to figure out what the artist was expressing in the particular work of art.

Since Michele had gone on the McCoys' tour of the sculptures, and then been through a second time, she could offer many details about the artists' perceptions, the challenges of installation, and also help people speculate about how natural conditions could change the sculptures over time.

We can truly say that everyone was fascinated with the search. The Arboretum seemed dry in places - very green in others. Definitely a time with few flowers in the woods except the lovely Summersweet - not yet in full bloom.

Pat Bowell, as always, was so welcoming to the visitors, made everyone feel at home, and even made coffee for the weary Arb. volunteers!! Thank you, Pat.

Hope everyone out there is having a good holiday weekend.
See you later.
Michele/Lynn

Soup and Walk -- June 19, 2010

Soup and Walk, June 19, 2010


Saturday was a hot day but the Soup and walk was planned to be in the cooler forest and stress ferns. How much cooler could we choose to be?
I got there early and docents were already setting up for our visitors. We were expecting a large group from Methodist Manor House from Seaford, DE plus others. That group arrived a little early and had plenty of time to check out the bookstore and the shop. Visiting with them I found some folks had been here before but most had not, also among the group were several retired teachers, a minister, and a nurse. Of course since I came from DE we had to compare notes on who knew who.
We gathered on the patio and walked to the entrance to the forest. One of the visitors asked about the history of the arboretum so we talked about Leon Andress and his desire to keep place from being flooded for a lake and saved for the trees.
At the first bridge we talked about the outstanding group of ferns, and we talked about what caused such a lush area. It had what ferns need to grow and flourish –water and shade Julie had picked a lady fern frond and a New York fern and we pointed out the things to look for to identify them.
Though it was a fern walk, folks asked about the paw – paw, I pointed out the fruit and mentioned that this is the farthest north it grows in the wild. Everyone seemed impressed with the huge leaves. One of the visitors broke out in the Picking Paw Paws song.
At the next bridge we talked about naming the parts of the fern, it was a fun exercise to see how many remembered the after I first pointed out the parts, the rachis, the rhizome, the pinna, pinule, spores and frond is made of the blade and stipe. I made a fiddlehead from a pipe cleaner to demonstrate one because there weren’t any in sight.
The cinnamon fern does not have the fertile frond right now but it is tall and impressive, after making note of the beads on the back of the frond and pointed out the wooly tufts at the base of the frond used by ground nesting birds to line their nests, which led to a discussion of uses of ferns in the environment.
Everyone was interested in the tall bracken fern with its three triangular shaped fronds and that it is found worldwide. We discussed the dangers that creatures including humans take when they eat ferns.
We checked out the netted chain fern and tried to compare one to the sensitive fern. It was getting warm even in the forest and most everyone seemed to be managing except one lady she had a portable fan and seemed warm but she said she was fine and wanted to continue on.
I knew the last three ferns were all together further up the trail so we did not stop for the ebony spleen wort. Up the trail past the downed log is a wonderful area of Christmas fern, a rattle snake fern and the ebony spleenwort. Wort an unusual word, means used as medicine so I explained the doctrine of signatures. I explained the rattlesnake fern is in the adder’s tongue family and looked carefully at that fern. One visitor disagreed about naming it rattlesnake and said it looked like a ballet dancer, we all could see that comparison too. The last fern was the Christmas fern they all loved the pinna shaped like a stocking, We discussed how many ferns have the spores on the back of the blade and pointed out the the fertile fronds on the Christmas fern and the ebony spleenwort.
As we walked out of the forest the visitor that was having trouble with the heat was having to stop more often and for longer so Shirley and Zaida went on with the rest of the group and Zaida went down to the nursery for the golf cart and brought it back to us. It was a welcome sight, because that lady needed to have a rest, air conditioning and some water even though she kept protesting she was ok. Michelle met her with a cool glass of water and we went into lunch. After lunch she said she was feeling better. I really am glad Zaida went after the golf cart. It was a relief to see her coming like the Lone Ranger to save the day. It is my opinion the golf cart should be up at the visitor’s center to be available in case it is needed when we are leading walks. All docents should know where the cart key is kept and how to drive it also.
Bev

Paintings by Elissa O'Loughlin on View at Adkins Arboretum

Elissa O’Loughlin is in love with color. When she paints a blue sky, there are countless shades of blue, and when she paints daffodils, their leaves are a multitude of greens, yellow, grays and earthy pinks. Her paintings are on view at Adkins Arboretum’s Visitor’s Center through May 28. A reception to meet the artist will be held on Saturday, April 24 from 3 to 5 p.m.

O’Loughlin paints small, exquisite landscapes and plant studies in gouache, an opaque watercolor medium especially suited to subtle color effects.

The show’s title, Notes & Essays—Eastern Shore Paintings, comes from the varied approaches evident in O’Loughlin’s paintings. Some, such as “Nor’easter #1” with its ominous sky swept with quick brushstrokes, are the “notes,” simply and swiftly painted to capture a fleeting moment. The “essays” are more detailed scenes portraying specific places.

In “Scarlet Clover at Moore’s Farm,” huge clouds billow in a deep blue sky above a house and barns. The buildings shelter against the deep greens of summer trees, where sunbeams highlight a row of cedars edging a sliver of red—a field of brilliant crimson clover.

O’Loughlin earned a BFA from Moore College of Art in Philadelphia, where she studied with the well-known landscape painter and teacher Ranulph Bye, but she put painting largely on hold to work in conservation. She has been a paper conservator since 1986 and has worked for Baltimore’s Walters Art Museum for the past decade.

Having daily contact with the works in the Walters collection has kept her mindful of the nuances of color that make the paintings of the Old Masters so rich and vibrant. Through her work as a conservator, she learned to make her own paints by grinding raw pigments.

“Mixing colors has always thrilled me,” she said. “And I’ve taught this in adult education classes at the Walters. The class is called ‘Make your Own Watercolors.’”

Most artists take the simple route, purchasing the standard colors available from paint manufacturers, but O’Loughlin finds commercially available paints too limiting.

“You’re trapping yourself in someone else’s color sense,” she explained. “Instead of looking like my art was all painted with one brand, I start with my own colors. It’s not what you get in a paint box. Now I have five different ultramarines and seven whites.”

Multiple shades of blue, from milky pale hues through cerulean, cobalt and Prussian, mingle with delicate light grays, pale pinks and near lavenders in the sky behind the rolling storm clouds in “Cloud Study #1.”

This is a show that’s full of the low-lying landscape and strong weather so characteristic of the Eastern Shore. Many of O’Loughlin’s scenes are painted close to her home in Galestown.

“I go out and drive, and I see paintings,” she said. “‘Nor’easter’ was really during the nor’easter we had last fall. I just sat in the car and watched it.”

O’Loughlin does her best to remember the particular colors she sees during storms and bursts of sunlight so that she can capture them in the studio. These moments of drama and subtlety are what bring her paintings alive.

“I enjoy the challenge of painting the Eastern Shore,” she explained. “And there’s a great plein-air tradition here that I’d like to think I’m part of.”

After the Storm...

In February 2010 the Eastern Shore was blanketed by snow following two blizzards. Along with the over 3 feet of snow, the area also experienced wind gusts of over 40 mph causing trees along the Arboretum's paths to be damaged. Arboretum employee Robert Jenner along with volunteer Doug Smith worked hard to clear the paths for visitors.

Photos by Ann Rohlfing

Nature and the Underground Railroad

On February 28 a group consisting of staff, volunteers, visitors (members and first time visitors) and board members gathered for an Underground Railroad themed guided walk led by historian Tony Cohen.

Many slaves did not have the luxury of owning shoes, which meant traveling by foot with nothing to protect their feet. When autumn approaches sweetgum balls begin to litter the forest floor. Comprised of numerous capsules, with a pair of spikes to each capsule, the sweetgum ball isn't as "sweet" as its name would imply.

Abolitionist Harriet Tubman used sweetgum balls, the fruit of the sweetgum tree (Liquidamber styraciflua) as a way to verify that slaves were ready to endure the natural obstacles that escaping would be certain to bring. Tubman would test runaway slaves by having them walk over sweetgum balls with their bare feet. Those that successfully walked over the sweetgum balls were deemed ready to continue on the Underground Railroad.

When arriving at a crossing, such as a bridge, slaves had to cross one by one while making as little noise as possible.

Escaping on the Underground Railroad required planning. If slaves were traveling through the woods plans were made to hid food along their route. Often time food was hidden in the cavities of trees similar to that of this Tulip Poplar located Blockston Branch Walk

Words from Our Visitors

"Wonderful Place!"-Chris and Laura, Rockville, Maryland

"Invigorating!"-Dana and Brian, Belcamp, Maryland

"Beautiful Day...great gift shop!"-Sharon and Mike, Centreville, Maryland

"Absolutely delightful!"-Mary and Goodwin, Chicago, Illinois

"The Arboretum in the blanket of snowfall is beautiful!"-Doris, Queenstown, Maryland

"Can't wait to come back in the Spring."-Bob, Stevensville, Maryland

"It's beautiful, even during the Winter! We'll be back."-Janet and Jarrell, Glen Burnie, Maryland

February Soup & Walk by Julianna Pax

This was certainly a memorable walk in the woods. We had just survived record back to back snowfalls during the previous week and there was still at least a foot of snow on the ground in most places. Enough had melted that a crust of ice covered much of it and the temperature was a mild high 30’s when we started out. Everyone seemed in good physical shape for a 1 mile walk that I told them it would feel like 5 miles. The bridges especially were places where it was nice to step in previous footprints. The snow gave a lovely crunching sound as we walked along and this contrasted nicely with the silence as we walked on shredded bark where the snow had completely melted. Blockston Branch entertained us with flowing water and waterfall sounds during this silence.

At the first bridge we did see quite a few skunk cabbage sprouts and we look forward to the next few weeks when the blooms may be evident. The theme for the walk was searching for the green and with the snow cover it was a little more daunting. The holly trees had green leaves but with the storms many branches had broken and we marveled at the ability of trees to heal themselves and even put up a new leader for top growth. Many young saplings along the trail had their heads turned over and were trapped in the frozen snow like a croquet hoop. It will be interesting to see how well the plant hormones in these branches will allow them to return to their upright position.

Green was also spotted on the green stems of the hearts a bursting and greenbriar. The hearts a bursting were well browsed by the deer and may have more blooms and berries than usual this spring to compensate for this pruning.

Searching for the green moss, we were able to spot some very near the water’s edge and also on a large white oak at the turn in the path. This oak had much greenery as the sun was able to find it easily with the leaves absent from the canopy. Many young beech trees and ironwood still had their pale tan leaves and these were lovely as we looked around. Maybe these overwintering leaves help protect the newly emerging buds from browsing deer, squirrel and other four legged critters.

More greenery was to be found on the upland trail with red cedar and loblolly and Virginia pines. Sometimes our feet would go through the snow and sometime it even supported a step. We stopped often to look around and catch our breath. Everyone seemed to enjoy the experience and we marveled at the challenge that this snow presented and the people who have come often remarked that this walk was different.

We carefully made our way back to some wonderful hot spicy soup, green salad, dill rye bread with spinach spread and chocolate dessert. There was plenty of food and many went back for a second bowl of soup etc. For the nutrition talk we learned about the green in foods often masks other colors and therefore are some of the healthier vegetables. Mickey B had done a great job decorating the dining area with all our helpers. Mary Jo K and Nancy B helped lead the walks by leading the second half of the group. We were ably assisted in all this with Zaida W, Pat B, Michelle W, and Jenny H at the front desk. Desserts were made by Mary Jo and Nancy. There were 19 paid guests and several were new to S & W. Many were very enthusiastic with their praise for the event and have already signed up for more.

Thanks to all who helped including Robert J, Cathy E, Ginna T, and any others who took reservations etc. Julianna

Adkins Arboretum 2010 Art Competition Exhibit on view through March 26—Discovering the Native Landscapes of Maryland's Eastern Shore

An invigorating mix of traditional landscapes and inventive ways of looking at the Eastern Shore is on view through March 26 in the 2010 Art Competition at Adkins Arboretum. The public is invited to a reception to meet the artists Sat., Feb. 27 from 3 to 5 p.m.

From the windswept, grassy sand dune in an oil painting by M. Joyce Zeigler to the sweeping vista of Don Hilderbrandt’s watercolor “Blackwater Refuge,” these artists celebrate the beauty of Delmarva’s familiar landscapes.

But this show also offers some real surprises. Dried grass and seedpods from black-eyed Susans form the bristles in “Natural Brooms: A Family Project” by Jason and Deanna Jacobs, and Marla McLean’s mixed media “Raindrops on Asphalt and Feathers on Sparrows” are painted and collaged onto vinyl record albums.

This year’s competition was juried by Carla Massoni, director of the Carla Massoni Gallery in Chestertown. She chose 23 works by 18 artists from a pool of 163 entries from the mid-Atlantic region. Massoni will speak about her choices at the Feb. 27 reception and present the annual Leon Andrus Awards, named for the founder of Adkins Arboretum.

Mindful of the show’s theme, Discovering the Native Landscapes of Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Massoni awarded first prize to Tom Bulat for his toned black and white photographs.

“First prize had to go to these,” she said, pointing to Bulat’s two finely crafted photos of quintessential Delmarva landscapes. In “Sun Worshipper,” every needle on a pine tree at the edge of a marshy cove seems to bristle with light and liveliness. In “Happy Hour,” a luminous cloud-filled sky towers over a broad, flat field where geese land, and a distant copse of trees shelters an old farmhouse and barn.

Massoni awarded second prize to Martha Spak’s collection of tiny paintings, “The Blue Crab Series.” Each of its 20 panels is a brilliantly colored vignette in which mischievous crabs swim like dancers in their watery environments.

In addition to the Leon Andrus Awards, Massoni chose two artists, Adam Auel and Frances Borchardt, to receive Juror’s Awards.

She was particularly interested in Auel’s sensitive treatment of space and texture in his two color photographs. Noting the soft, lush quality of the vivid green marsh in “Chincoteague Waterway,” she said, “For a photo, this is so painterly!”

Borchardt’s “West River Sunrise” caught Massoni’s eye because it’s so unusual. The artist inserted rows of rolled-up photographs of a sunrise into the compartments of a printer’s type box, making a kind of “sampling” of the bands of color created by apricot, pink and blue light reflected below the shoreline trees.

“I love what she did,” Massoni said. “She’s given us something new to think about. It asks me to look at it differently and think about the macro and the micro.”

She went on to comment, “One of the pleasures of jurying a show like this is in discussing the work and thinking about it and re-looking at it.”

This show is part of Adkins Arboretum’s ongoing exhibition series of work on natural themes by regional artists, supported in part by the Caroline County Council of Arts. It is on view through March 26 at the Arboretum Visitor’s Center located at 12610 Eveland Road near Tuckahoe State Park in Ridgely. Contact the Arboretum at 410-634-2847, ext. 0 or info@adkinsarboretum.org for gallery hours.

“Sun Worshipper” and “Happy Hour,” toned black and white photographs by Tom Bulat, earned first prize in Adkins Arboretum’s annual Art Competition, Discovering the Native Landscape of Maryland’s Eastern Shore. The show is on view through March 26.

Winter at the Arboretum

Photos by Richard & Ann Rohlfing

Kathy Carmean Named Adkins Arboretum Volunteer of the Year

In 1997, Ridgely resident Kathy Carmean was asked to serve on the board of trustees for a local organization she knew little about, and to which she had never paid a visit. Fortunately, she agreed. From gardening to events planning, from volunteering for programs to serving an unprecedented term as an Arboretum trustee, she has worked tirelessly for more than a decade as one of Adkins Arboretum’s premier ambassadors. In November, the Arboretum named Carmean its Volunteer of the Year for 2009.

As an Arboretum trustee—she is now the Arboretum’s first Trustee Emeritus—Carmean witnessed and helped bring about a marked transformation in an organization that would bear little resemblance to the Arboretum as it is known today. “The growth is amazing to me,” she says, recalling her introduction to a state-operated facility that offered minimal education or outreach programs. During her 12-year tenure, the Arboretum achieved nonprofit status; gained a 50-year lease from the state; developed an education curriculum and a thriving volunteer program; and launched a capital campaign to secure the Arboretum’s future and bolster its role as a community asset.

Carmean was involved every step of the way, from joining a Master Gardener training program to serving on countless Board committees, from attending meetings on the Arboretum’s behalf to volunteering for “tons” of programs. “That’s my love,” she says. “It’s my way of giving back. It’s something that interests me. I get a good feeling when I work with kids and adults. I love nature and I love promoting the Arboretum. It is a wonderful venue.”

“No one appreciates the contributions and potential of Adkins Arboretum for Caroline County as Kathy does,” says Executive Director Ellie Altman. “She has worked tirelessly on behalf of the Arboretum for more than a decade. I personally will always be indebted to her, not only for her friendship and support, but also for her bold vision for the Arboretum’s future.”

Likewise, Carmean extols the Arboretum’s leadership and broad array of programs and events. “I like to see things planned and accomplished,” she says. “The Arboretum is a quality, well-organized organization. Every program, every event is carried out well and gets better every year. I especially applaud the efforts to get children outdoors. Without the Arboretum, a lot of people wouldn’t have a place to bring their kids and expose them to nature. I think they do a wonderful job.”

Carmean will be honored at a volunteer luncheon on Jan. 28.

"Beautiful things inside and out."

Photograph by Ann Rohlfing