Month: April 2025

AROUND THE PARK AGAIN by Sharon Lee Tegler

Brought to you by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu & Tai Chi

and Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services

Easter weekend proved a marvelous time to open the Severna Park Farmer’s Market for the season. Skies were clear with the occasional cloud and the temperatures were just right for customers to stroll about in shirtsleeves. Entering the north end of the market at 11 am, we found a busy scene indeed. In addition to shoppers who’d come on their own looking for farm fresh products for Easter dinner, there were lots of families with children and pets soaking in the relaxed atmosphere.

Pups of all sizes and breeds love coming to the farmer’s market. A favorite stop for many is The Spoiled Dog Bakery where their owners might treat them to one of owner Dianell Ashe’s gourmet dog biscuits.

Canines and their masters were also drawn to the Morris Hill Farm tent where the smell of grilling bacon, sausages and pasture-raised eggs for the breakfast sandwiches they were selling was irresistible.

“This is the first time we’ve tried offering breakfast sandwiches. We’ve been so successful that we’ve completely run out,” Haberkorn said.

Breakfast was available at the Baltimore Waffle Company tent too. Greg Grabowski, who was making the Liege Style Belgian Sugar Waffles, noted that the company was back at the market for its third year and business was good.

The Severna Park Farmers Market is a place where you’re apt to bump into people you know. Saturday’s market was no exception. We first bumped into Elizabeth Melvin who leads the well-known Freedom Choir. She was excited to let us know that the choir is about to perform its Fifteenth Anniversary Spring Concert on Sunday, April 27 at 4 pm at Eastport United Methodist Church.

We next ran into Nancy Rando, who regularly shops at the farmers’ market. Rando also had lots of news to share. Among other things, she’ll be volunteering for the 23rd year at the Good Neighbors Group’s Earth Day Festival at Earleigh Heights Volunteer Fire Company on Sunday, April 27th from 11 am till 3 pm.

Longtime vendors like The Ville’s Dills and Pat’s Produce & Gourds have a feel for the seasonal flow of the market and generally bring less product to the early markets. Thus, they take up less space than usual. Pat Hochmuth, owner of Pat’s Produce, brought about half the number of tables he uses during peak growing season and gauged things about right. Three hours into the market, he’d sold out of most of the vegetable transplants and early-season greens that lined his tables earlier.

Zahradka Family Farm had its usual complement of tables but some empty spaces by 11 am. However, they did have some very healthy-looking lettuces, collards and kale left as well as a few remaining Easter flowers.

The Severna Park Farmer’s Market has long been a place where patrons can find useful information and tips from groups like the Anne Arundel County Master Gardeners and fun from homegrown bands like The Overtones who appear there frequently. Made up of musicians from around the greater Severna Park and Arnold area, The Overtones play a range of acoustic instruments including violins, guitars, mandolins and banjos along with saxophone and accordion. They perform old-fashioned folk music that is wonderful to hear. Listening to them kind of takes one back to a simpler time.

The run on products at both The Breadery and My Nana’s Kitchen on opening day bodes well for the market vendors throughout this season. My Nana’s Kitchen owner Anita Robertson also manages the market and had a friend helping her mind the counter while she saw to the needs of the vendors.

“The market was busy this morning,” Robertson said. “We couldn’t have asked for better weather. We were missing a few vendors who couldn’t make it for Easter weekend, but they’ll be here next week and we’ll have a full house.”

We did realize that a few regular vendors were missing. Nevertheless, there were so many vendors that we ran out of time before we could get to them all. We did manage to meet newbies Damian and Genine Ferragamo from Rosy Side Farm on the Eastern Shore who had tomato and pepper plants and herbs and will later carry summer flowers and vegetables.

We barely had time for a quick hello and goodbye for vendors Evie & Park and Astral Sugar. However, we took a few moments on our way out of the market to visit longtime Hip Mod Vintage vendor Amy Heath. And, wouldn’t you know it? In keeping with the Easter Weekend opening, she included a bejeweled bunny and a pair of silver bunnies in her product display. In addition to Heath’s own recycled rings, necklaces and bracelets, Amy was carrying some of her designer daughter Ellie Heath’s Three Blue Bunnies handsewn items including floral patterned carryalls and denim potholders and mug mats. (Denim fabric is increasingly hard to come by these days.)

Located on the southbound side of Ritchie Highway at Jones Station Road, the Severna Park Farmers Market is open every Saturday from 8 am till noon through October.

Quick Reminders for Saturday’s events

At least half a dozen events are taking place this Saturday in the Greater Severna Park and Arnold area, some of which we’ve announced in previous columns. Two daytime events open to the public are:

Park Hardware‘s second annual Spring Native Plant Sale this Saturday, April 26th, starting at 8 am.

Jing Ying Institute‘s “World Tai Chi Day Celebration” at the Severna Park Community Center this Saturday, April 26, from 10am to 11:30am. 

Good Neighbors Group’s 23rd annual Earth Day Festival this Sunday

The 23rd annual Good Neighbors Group Earth Day Festival is being held this Sunday, April 27 from 11 am to 3 pm at Earleigh Heights Volunteer Fire Company. This event is always interesting, informative and fun. Exhibitors include environmental organizations, animal welfare organizations, recycling and composting exhibitors, alternative energy specialists, and physical and mental wellness providers. GNG’s eco-marketplace will have lots of plants as well as handmade and up-cycled offerings. 

A ‘Good Neighbors Depot’ will be available to unload unwanted items with a mind toward sustainability – the perfect opportunity to recycle, upcycle and donate what you no longer need while helping others and the planet.

The Around The Park Again column is brought to you this week by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu and Tai Chi at 1195 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd. – For over two decades providing martial arts training that improves cardio-vascular health, strength and flexibility while reducing stress. Jing Ying is again bringing Tai Chi to the Severna Park Community Center. From health-defense to self-defense, Jing Ying provides fitness with a purpose for the whole family!

and by Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services at 815 Ritchie Hwy., Suite 206 – When you need someone to lean on, Lean On Dee. Their experienced team of personal care management specialists and friendly companions provide high quality consistent care.

AROUND THE PARK AGAIN by Sharon Lee Tegler

Brought to you by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu & Tai Chi

and Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services

Drivers passing by on Baltimore Annapolis Boulevard on Easter morning of 2014 must have been astonished to see masses of children gathered around a flower-covered cross on the lawn of Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church.

Eleven years have gone by but, hopefully, drivers passing by this Easter Sunday of 2025 will see a similar scene. The children who appear in the photos below are now in their teens or early twenties, but a younger generation will have an opportunity to place flowers on the very same Flower Cross and attend a Family Easter Service.

Woods’ Associate Pastor, the Rev. Nancy Lincoln-Reynolds, brought the reappearance of the Flower Cross to our attention. We met with her for details in the Terry Schoener Prayer Chapel where an alcove contains a cross of a different kind. (The room was created to honor the memory of the Rev. Dr. Terry Schoener who served as pastor of Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church for 27 years before retiring in 2006.)

“We’re inviting the community to come to our Family Easter Service and bring flowers to place on the cross which will be prepared as before and placed in a similar location on Woods’ front lawn,” she said.

According to Rev. Lincoln-Reynolds, this year’s Easter worship service for families is being organized by Director of Children’s Ministry Kat Green. Her inspiration to resurrect the Flower Cross on Easter, the Christian holiday that celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, is somehow very fitting at this particular moment in history.

“The Family Worship Service taking place this Easter Sunday, April 20th, will be a bit different from the one held in 2014 as it will be held in the church’s Fellowship Hall but will also be filled with the traditional elements of prayer, scripture, movement and music,” Lincoln-Reynolds added. “It will begin at 9:30 am and the procession to the Flower Cross on the lawn will occur following the service.”

The Flower Cross made its first appearance on the Woods Church lawn a little over a decade ago. Children who participated in that original event placed blossoms on the cross following a special Easter worship service for families at Holy Grounds Youth Center (now Boone Station Hall) next door. For the first time in decades, the former church was used for a religious serviced led by Woods’ youth pastor, the Rev. Nicholas Cheek.

Light streaming through the stained-glass windows of the 1920’s era chapel lent a warmth and intimacy to the space befitting a service planned with children in mind. The Easter observance featured traditional elements of prayer, scripture readings and meditations but was also lively with music and movement. Even the youngest children participated by singing and dancing to joyful hymns.

A lovely ballet was performed by Katie Lohff as Sarah Kent sang the hymn “Glorious Day”.

Poetry followed as well as a performance of “Jesus Messiah” by teens Megan Killpatrick, McKenna Lee, Rebecca Hyde and Lauren Loff.

“This is very reminiscent of what church would have been like back in the early days…home churches with entire families worshipping together,” said Rev. Cheek who was clearly pleased with the well-attended event.

Following the Easter celebration, the children selected blooms from buckets of carnations, tulips, daisies and lilies and began a procession toward the living flower cross. Looking ever so sweet in their Easter dresses, young Emma Wilson and sisters Ashley and Abigail Mears were the first children to arrive on the lawn in front of Woods Church and add Gerbera daisies to blooms placed by adults at an earlier service.

The cross was the idea of the late Elizabeth Wyble, a longtime congregation member, designer and garden expert. She’d wanted to create a living cross with fresh flowers that would remain in place through Easter season through Pentecost.

Wyble designed the 7-foot cross to be visible from Baltimore Annapolis Boulevard. On the Thursday before Easter, congregation volunteers installed the frame, covered it with floral foam wrapped with chicken wire and black plastic, added greenery and watered it.

Though the first flowers were placed by adults, it needed the youngster’s contributions to fully bloom.

Wyble’s lovely and meaningful creation was a great success. Families flocked to the Flower Cross.

In a matter of moments, the cross was filled with blooms and families began posing in front of the unique symbol of Easter as can be seen in the opening photo.

Lincoln-Reynolds noted that a listing of all this week’s Easter Services at Woods Church can be seen by visiting Facebook.

Back to the present moment, the Associate Pastor bubbled over with enthusiasm about the latest happenings at Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church. She was especially excited about having held the first of many Community Conversations conducted by Senior Pastor, the Rev. J.C. Austin. The objective of the event was to gather community residents, regardless of differences of opinion, political allegiance or religious affiliation to talk about some of the chaos being experienced in our changing world and how to create something good from it.

She was also pleased about the growth of the Woods Counseling & Care Center which she established in a building that formerly housed the YWCA. Jerry and Elizabeth Wyble undertook the renovation, interior decoration and landscaping of the building and were also the benefactors of a labyrinth on the grounds. Lincoln-Reynolds proudly noted that the Center now has six therapists on staff and is about to add a rabbi.

Severna Park Farmer’s Market opens this Saturday

The Severna Park Farmer’s Market returns to the Park and Ride on the corner of Ritchie Highway and Jones Station Road this Saturday, April 19th from 8 am till noon. The Easter weekend market will see the return of Ellie Heath’s Three Blue Bunnies for the 7th year and 19 additional vendors. Among them are longtime favorites Joyce’s Flowers & Herbs, Pat’s Produce and Gourds, Morris Hill Farm, The Ville’s Dills, and The Zahradka Family Farm.

World Tai Chi Day to be celebrated at Severna Park Community Center, April 26th

Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu & Tai Chi will once again be celebrating the annual “World Tai Chi Day” at the Severna Park Community Center on Saturday, April 26, from 10am to 11:30am. There will be demos of Tai Chi & Qigong and mini workshops. Learn more about better balance, reduced stress, improved joint health, & other benefits.

The World Tai Chi celebration will be held beneath the trees on the lawn between the Severna Park Community Center and Boone Station Hall or, if it rains, in the community center’s Andy Borland Gymnasium.

Park Hardware Native Plant Sale also happens on Saturday, April 26th

 Park Hardware is holding is second annual Spring Native Plant Sale on Saturday, April 26th, starting at 8 am. The sale is the perfect opportunity to stock up on beautiful native perennial plants from Providence of Maryland, a leading nonprofit dedicated to empowering adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Experts from the Anne Arundel County Bay-Wise Program will be on hand to share tips on creating a thriving, eco-friendly garden. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting out, they’ll help you become a better steward of nature in your own backyard.

Spring Girl’s Night Out at Homestead Gardens Severna Park on May 1st

Homestead Gardens Severna Park is holding its annual Spring Girl’s Night Out party on Thursday, May 1st from 5 to 8 pm. Bring your favorite gal pals for an evening of sipping, shopping, and sampling courtesy of the finest food and beverage purveyors in the community. Experience a delightful night of food, shopping, and fun…and, as a bonus, get 25% off your purchase.

The Around The Park Again column is brought to you this week by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu and Tai Chi at 1195 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd. – For over two decades providing martial arts training that improves cardio-vascular health, strength and flexibility while reducing stress. Jing Ying is again bringing Tai Chi to the Severna Park Community Center. From health-defense to self-defense, Jing Ying provides fitness with a purpose for the whole family!

and by Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services at 815 Ritchie Hwy., Suite 206 – When you need someone to lean on, Lean On Dee. Their experienced team of personal care management specialists and friendly companions provide high quality consistent care.

AROUND THE PARK AGAIN by Sharon Lee Tegler

Brought to you by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu and Tai Chi

and Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services

SPAN, Inc.’s Board members and directors’ original intention was to celebrate the organization’s 30th Anniversary in 2020. However, the COVID pandemic put their plans on hold for much longer than expected – five years to be exact.

Thus, it was with great joy that current directors Maia Grabau and Michele Sabean announced that SPAN’s 35th Anniversary would be celebrated, with not one, but with two events during the first week of April.

The anniversary celebrations began at 4 pm on Tuesday, April 1 with a Milestone Recognition Service in the sanctuary at Our Shepherd Lutheran Church followed by a reception on the lawn of the SPAN headquarters building behind it. The service started with opening remarks by SPAN, Inc. president Mike Monahan.

He welcomed everyone, especially the many longtime supporters in the audience including SPAN volunteers, donors, and board members.

Monahan was followed by keynote speaker Michele Sabean, SPAN’s Director of Development. Along with her written words in the event’s program, Sabean’s remarks traced SPAN’s beginnings and acknowledged all those whose contributions have made the organization such an enduring force for good.

She noted that the Severna Park Assistance Network (SPAN) was founded in 1990 by six local churches and opened its doors in April of that year with a mission to provide emergency assistance to families in crisis with dignity and compassion. She then sited just a few of many reasons area residents come to SPAN seeking assistance.

“People are struggling with devastating situations like job loss, an illness or the death of a partner,” the director said.

She added that, over 35 years, the organization has grown well beyond Severna Park and truly lived up to its name – Serving People Across Neighborhoods (SPAN). During that time, SPAN has assisted an estimated 100,000 individuals, offering critical support for food, utility bills, eviction prevention and medical needs. In 2024 alone, they provided aid to 4,097 people including 1,470 families, 58 percent of whom have children. The demand for services continues to grow, with financial aid distributed last year reaching 2.5 times higher than previous years.

Sabean said none of this would be possible without the dedication of SPAN volunteers and their families, donors, and community businesses along with former recipients of aid who come back to the organization to volunteer or make a donation.

Sabean’s remarks were followed by those of Maia Grabau, SPAN’s Director of Operations. Grabau cited specific cases where she’d taken calls or received visits from clients who were in severe financial and emotional distress. Her words took on added significance when she introduced two recent clients who were courageous enough to reveal the traumatic events that brought them to SPAN asking for help.

Neither woman was identified by name, but both emphasized that they’d found themselves in truly dire circumstances when they contacted SPAN. They thanked the organization for literally offering them a lifeline.

The woman in orange, in particular, experienced continuous setbacks over the past ten years.  She lost a son, and a couple years later, her teenage daughter was murdered.  She suffers with PTSD as a result and was unable to work for several years.  Later, she and her husband divorced, and he completely avoided paying child support for her children leaving her to bear the financial burden.

In December, her car broke down, and she needed over $2,000to fix it.  She had no money to do the repair, so she had to take Uber to her job 30 min away.  This expense put her further behind financially.  She then fell behind on her phone service payments, and her service was cut off.  As a result, she couldn’t call Uber for a ride or contact her workplace to let them know why she could not come in.  It was a downward spiral, and she was released from her job last week.  

Greater Severna Park & Arnold Chamber CEO Liz League spoke next and also officiated over the presentation of citations and awards to SPAN. In addition to the aforementioned citation presented by chamber member Tommy Sommers on behalf of Governor Moore’s office, there were several others including one from League on behalf of the chamber and one presented by Aysia Rodriguez from Maryland State Delegate Brian Chisholm’s office.

Following closing remarks by Monahan, attendees were invited to cross the lawn from the church to the porch of SPAN headquarters for an official chamber ribbon-cutting presided over by League and a reception.

Meanwhile, last minute touches were being added to the refreshment tables by 35th Anniversary Committee Co-Chairs Nanci Hulting and Lesley Wallace.

A beautifully decorated cake highlighting SPAN’s 35th Anniversary took center stage on one table in the nick of time as attendees flooded the lawn.

An invitation was extended to one and all to join supporters at the SPAN’s 35th Birthday Fest held Saturday, April 5th at Severna Park United Methodist Church on Benfield Road. As can be seen from the opening photo featuring SPAN volunteer Joanne Petrik and directors Maia Grabau and Michele Sabean, it was a colorful, well-attended and fun event with member churches providing and presiding over carnival games, live music and interesting displays.

The number of SPAN’s member churches has grown from the original six to 13. The originals were Our Shepherd Lutheran Church, St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church, St. Martins in-the-Field Episcopal Church, Severna Park United Methodist Church and Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church. They were joined by Asbury United Methodist Church, Baldwin Memorial United Methodist Church, Bay Area Community Church, Brooklyn Community United Methodist Church, Our Lady of the Fields Roman Catholic Church, St. Andrew by the Bay Roman Catholic Church, Severna Park Baptist Church and Trinity Bible Church. Quite a few were on hand.

Forever popular, ice cream in a multitude of flavors was available from Asbury United Methodist Church. Sabean couldn’t resist temptation and thoroughly enjoyed her cup of blueberry ice cream.

Greek Street and Sol Dog food trucks and an improvised food court provided sustenance for the crowd and a chance to socialize.

We saw several members of Cub Scout Pack 918 roaming the event. The pack is based at Our Shepherd Lutheran Church and had a booth and a Raingutter Regata game that involved sailing little boats down the gutters.

SPAN booths and volunteers were everywhere. At one booth, a flag waved in the breeze with photographs of people taken at SPAN, Inc. events down through the years. If you looked closely, you could see the photos.

Two local bands entertained the crowd. The first was Blame It On Lee and the second, seen below, was Controlled Chaos performing their repertoire of Classic Rock tunes.

As one of the original member churches, Severna Park United Methodist Church not only hosted the Birthday Fest but also had an Easter oriented booth complete with bubble machine. The booth was manned by church members Stephanie Lohss, Celine Wachter and Blaine Claar.

There was so much more to see, from St. Martin’s in-the-Field Church’s Face Painter to Our Lady of the Fields Coloring Station which, surprisingly drew adults as well as children.

One game that drew especially well was the Trinity Bible Church Youth Group Prize Wheel with two long tables of prizes behind it for players to select from. Everyone loved Trinity Music Director Zach Joines’ Mad Hatter attire complete with bunny ears.

The Birthday Fest offered much more to see and do. However, we wanted to offer some our own photographs of past directors from day we happened upon the SPAN scene in 2014 to the present.

Maria DeNardo was the organization’s Executive Director in 2013 and Jennifer Pumphrey the Associate Director. DeNardo is seen below welcoming guests to SPAN’s Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon at the Firemark Building in Millersville. The pumpkin centerpieces were gorgeous.

The event was particularly fun since SPAN volunteers were gifted Volunteer T-Shirts like those seen in the photo below.

By 2017, Jennifer Pumphrey had been named SPAN’s Director of Operations and, with DeNardo retired, was teamed with Ellen Kinsella as Director of Development. (Kinsella was in the audience during the 35th Anniversary Milestone Recognition Service.)

By early to mid-2021, Pumphrey was planning to move away from Maryland and Kinsella had decided to retire. In mid-May, Maia Grabau was installed as the new Director of Operations and Michele Sabean became Director of Development. Though Kinsella stayed behind for a week to acquaint them with operations, the pair had to hit the ground running.

With demand for services continuing to rise, Sabean and Grabau remain extremely busy yet managed, with help from the 35th Anniversary Committee, to pull off two very fine Anniversary events. For information about how to make a donation, ask for assistance, or follow upcoming events, visit SPAN Serving People Across Neighborhoods (spanhelps.org).

The Around The Park Again column is brought to you this week by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu and Tai Chi at 1195 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd. – For over two decades providing martial arts training that improves cardio-vascular health, strength and flexibility while reducing stress. Jing Ying is again bringing Tai Chi to the Severna Park Community Center. From health-defense to self-defense, Jing Ying provides fitness with a purpose for the whole family!

and by Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services at 815 Ritchie Hwy., Suite 206 – When you need someone to lean on, Lean On Dee. Their experienced team of personal care management specialists and friendly companions provide high quality consistent care.

AROUND THE PARK AGAIN by Sharon Lee Tegler

Brought to you by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu & Tai Chi

and Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services

The 2025 Green Expo at Homestead Gardens in Davidsonville kicked off at 10:30 am with a Piper leading a presentation of the colors by Scout Troop 454. A welcome from Davidsonville Area Civic Association (DACA) president Bruce Stein followed along with remarks from Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman and other political leaders.

Long afterward, attendees continued to stream up the sidewalks and into the garden center on their way to the Expo at the back of the property. Passing through the garden center’s interior and greenhouses full of gorgeous plants and flowers was a treat in itself.

The opportunity to check out offerings from two dozen exhibitors ranging from local businesses to agricultural, watershed and environmental organizations was a significant draw.

Families with children, however, were immediately drawn to the animals brought to the Expo by exhibitor Nanikala Carr’s Calvert County-based Not Your Farmer’s Daughter. A trio of fluffy Silkies, otherwise known as Chinese Silk chickens, drew many curious onlookers as they batted around a transparent balloon. However, it was gigantic bunnies Hoss and Mishka that were a particular hit with kids.

According to Carr, Hoss is a Continental Giant bunny. He is only 16 weeks old but already weighs 14 lbs. She said he should top out at 20 lbs. Darker hued Mishka is a Flemish Giant who, at a year-and-a-half old is full grown and quite friendly. In fact, children who wish to pet the bunnies are invited into their cages and Mishka really loves that.

Carr, best known as Nani, grew up in Alaska fishing and hunting. After moving to Maryland, she decided to do the next best thing and took to farming in a sustainable way. Having grown chickens for 15 years and now the mother of young kids, she established Not Your Farmers Daughter two years ago as a Petting Farm that offers its services for picture parties, special events, and educational visits to schools.

Starting the venture seemed a natural outgrowth of farming for Carr and was an easy transition. Adding horses and ponies, like those seen in the opening photo, was a natural. She quickly concluded that the business should offer riding lessons.

“What we have is more like a Pony Club for younger kids who are one to five or seven years old,” she said. “I’d been feeling that there is nothing much for children that age to do. So, offering this is a fun alternative. And, who knows? Our students might be future farmers or raise tiny horses.”

Carr next introduced us to goats Maribel and Ice who were decked out as a butterfly and a rustic farm goat complete with kerchief. Ice is the baby of Maribel. The pair is occasionally used for “goatscaping”. They are totally at ease wearing costumes – especially at Halloween – and both are fine with kids.

While the youngest attendees liked the animals, their parents were more interested in what the Green Expo tent, only half of which can be seen in the photo below, held. There were displays from two dozen exhibitors ranging from historic sites to local businesses and county government departments and agricultural agencies.

We’d encountered some exhibitors before like Homestead Gardens Landscaping, the Arundel Rivers Federation and the AA Watershed Stewards Academy, but were unfamiliar with others.

Melaleuca/EarthSense Solutions’ Barbara Gill was, of course well-known to many attendees as she has participated in the Green Expo multiple years. Gill is also an important voice in the Anne Arundel County’s business community as she is the founder of the Chesapeake Coffee Connections networking group.

New to us, and of particular interest, was an exhibit for the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center which Jim Oland and Nora Terres informed us is located on two adjoining campuses in Edgewater at 647 Contees Wharf Road.

The Woodlawn Campus includes the Woodlawn History Center exhibits in Woodlawn House, the oldest building in the Smithsonian’s collection that is still in its original location. Also located on the campus, along the Woodlawn History Trail, are Asher Cottage, the Sellman Tenant House, the Java Mansion Ruins, and a historic cemetery.

The adjoining Waterfront Campus is surrounded by the waters of Muddy Creek, Fox Creek and the Rhode River. It is home to the Reed Educaton Center and the Wet Laboratory, the Tobacco Barn and Experimental Gardens. There are several scenic trails, the Marsh Boardwalk and a Public Canoe/Kayak launch.

Equally interesting was the Historic London Town & Gardens exhibit manned by Director of Development Melanie Kincaid. She was handing out a schedule of upcoming events that includes a Garden Egg Hunt scheduled for Saturday, April 5 and the London Town In Bloom Gala which takes place on Friday, May 9.

Two organizations we’ve seen before as exhibitors were the Arundel Rivers Federation, with a spinning wheel game to attract attention to their projects throughout the South, Rhode and West River watersheds, and the Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary which attracted attention with their collection of skins, antlers, turtle shells and other objects found within the sanctuary.

We discovered, for the first time, a fine exhibit from the Anne Arundel County Farm Bureau whose representatives explained their many programs aimed at helping farmers and saving our farms. Hoping to attract new members, they handed out copies of The Old Line Farmer magazine (which were very interesting) along with an informative pamphlet.

There was so much more to see, from author Cindy Freland and her multitude of children’s books to area businesses like Red Carpet Remodeling with Maria Fairchild and Sherri Grove.

And we couldn’t possibly say goodbye without visiting Patuxent Riverkeeper Fred Tutman and Bartlet Tree Experts’ Arborist Riley Smith.

For information on upcoming spring events at Homestead Gardens in Davidsonville or Severna Park, visit Homestead Gardens – Garden Supplies, Nursery, and Landscaping.

SPAN’s 35th Anniversary Celebration continues this Saturday at Severna Park United Methodist Church

This Saturday, April 5 from 12 noon to 4 pm, SPAN’s 35th Birthday Fest will be held at Severna Park United Methodist Church on Benfield Road in the parking lot. The public is invited to enjoy a free community celebration with live music, carnival games hosted by SPAN’s member churches and community groups, and food trucks with food available for purchase. (In case of rain, the celebration will move indoors to the Fellowship Hall.)

The Around The Park Again column is brought to you this week by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu and Tai Chi at 1195 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd. – For over two decades providing martial arts training that improves cardio-vascular health, strength and flexibility while reducing stress. Jing Ying is again bringing Tai Chi to the Severna Park Community Center. From health-defense to self-defense, Jing Ying provides fitness with a purpose for the whole family!

and by Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services at 815 Ritchie Hwy., Suite 206 – When you need someone to lean on, Lean On Dee. Their experienced team of personal care management specialists and friendly companions provide high quality consistent care.