This is sort of part two of last week’s Harpers Ferry blog–this is the stretch of the C&O Canal we were trying to reach via the railroad bridge when our beagle categorically refused to go down the stairs. (There is no joy in having to carry a 40lb beagle down and back up several flights […]
Author: Jody Arneson
Harpers Ferry: Stepping Back in History
My husband and I probably spend a day or an afternoon at Harpers Ferry at least once a year, generally just walking around and then we’ll have lunch. Sometimes, such as on this most recent visit, we’ll bring a beagle or two. I’ve also taken my sons there multiple times — sometimes focusing more on […]
Going to the Birds in Bombay Hook
I try to get out to Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) at least once a year, camera(s) in hand. Despite the fact I’ve got a lovely camera — far too sophisticated and decked out for the likes of me — I still get camera envy when I see the professionals with their ultra-powerful zoom […]
Piedmont Wine Trail: Harvest Time!
Piedmont Wine Trail at Harvest Time! Fourth in the Maryland Winery series This week Lynn, aka “Day Tripper,” shares her experiences on an Anne Arundel Community College-sponsored wine tasting trip along the Piedmont Wine Trail. Here’s what she thought about her experiences at three Maryland wineries. — Daytrip Gal I’m now convinced harvest time is the […]
Ghostly Orbs: Evidence of Hauntings During Annapolis Ghost Walk?
Looking for something low key and romantic to do, I talked Hubby into joining me for the Annapolis Ghost Walk. Annapolis is a frequent destination for us — just 30 minutes away from Columbia, MD. The historic capital of Maryland’s harbor draws us on many a hot summer’s night, as nothing is more fun or […]
Leaf Peeping in Dolly Sods Wilderness
Sometimes the beauty of Dolly Sods Wilderness Area is subtle, sometimes breathtaking. Dolly Sods also serves as an abject lesson for us: it was the scene of one of the worst ecological disasters in the 20th century. Despite that, Dolly Sods has rebounded over the past century and now is truly one of the most […]
Red Heifer Winery: Furlough Special
Third in a series on Maryland vineyards and wineries. A friend and Federal colleague who knows of my interest in visiting local Maryland wineries shared a Facebook post from the Red Heifer Winery, a new Maryland winery that is about to celebrate it’s first anniversary! The post read: “Furloughs stink and wine makes everything better so… […]
Dejon and Boordy: Contrast of New and Old Vineyards
Second in a Series of Maryland Wineries The first time I went to a winery — just a couple of months ago, by the way — I felt a bit insecure. After all — I’m by no means knowledgeable about wine and I’d mistakenly believed that I needed to be more sophisticated about wines before […]
How ’bout dem apples?! The National Apple Harvest Festival
Pennsylvania has a long history of growing apples — and is the fourth largest producer in the U.S. Adams County, in south Pennsylvania, where the National Apple Harvest Festival takes place two weekends each year, apples are taken seriously!Apples are everywhere. In fact more than five million bushels of apples are harvested in this one […]
Mount Olivet Cemetery: More History than Ghosts
I’ve discovered that when I tell some people I just toured a cemetery and had a lot of fun, the expressions on their faces cause me to wonder whether they think I’m a creepy death-obsessed devil worshiper. Other people exclaim “Cool! Why didn’t you bring me along?” A couple weeks ago, my friend and I […]
Rediscovering a River: Kayaking on the Potomac
One of the reasons living in Maryland is so fun is the proximity to some great cities (Washington DC and Baltimore are in our backyard, Philadelphia is a couple hours away, and New York City is a mere 4 hours away); access to spectacular natural resources (Chesapeake Bay, Potomac River, Deep Creek Lake to name […]
Yoga in the Vines at Black Ankle Vineyards
Yoga in the Vines at Black Ankle Vineyard was a much different wine and yoga experience than Yoga in the Vineyard at Elk Run. The Elk Run experience was cozy and homey, while Black Ankle was more spacious (upscale?) and bucolic. Black Ankle also has been offering wine and yoga longer. One of the yoga […]
A Happy Visit: Longwood Gardens
He who plants a garden plants happiness, according to an old Chinese proverb. Both Pierre S. du Pont and his wife Lilian planted a lot of happiness, as they planned and developed their estate, Longwood Gardens. I felt so very spoiled walking through the gardens. From the visitors center we turned right, into the formal Idea […]
Catoctin Mountain Reverie
The plan: bring the boys to one of my favorite spots, Cunningham Falls, in Cunningham Falls State Park, not far from Thurmont, MD. Climb the falls, like I did when I was a kid, tell them the ghost story told to me when I was in 6th grade (for which I can find absolutely no […]
Segway into a Battlefield Tour: Gettysburg National Battlefield
I have been visiting Gettysburg periodically for as long as I can remember. I grew up in Frederick and drove through the battlefields (on route 34) to visit my aunts and uncles and cousins who lived just north of Gettysburg my entire childhood. Even as an adult, I found myself returning there every few years, […]