Trees

He has used a chain saw to carve intricate wooden sculptures for years, but when Mark Acton won a commission to hew two big new statues by the reservoir in Druid Hill Park, he wasn't sure he could pull it off. His material would be two tree stumps, each more than 12 feet tall and 20 feet around. Both were red oaks, which have especially tough wood. And when he first inspected them, he saw that each had lots of termite damage - the reason the city had cut them down. "'I thought, 'What in the world have I gotten myself into?

Europeans would have a laugh at our expense over what we consider an old structure. Nevertheless, Monkton's Stone Haven Farm, owned by Dan Saffer and his wife, JoAnne Duffy, had been standing for eight years when Handel's "Messiah" was first performed. The home's rugged stones braved winter two decades before the signing of the Declaration of Independence and years before Baltimore City became incorporated. By American standards, it's really quite old. A long narrow lane off a main road in northern Baltimore County leads to a circular stone wall, inside of which are a fountain, trees and myriad poinsettias.

When Henry Bromell won the Writers' Guild Award this year for scripting “The Good Soldier” episode of “Homeland,” he thanked Barry Levinson and Tom Fontana. Why, you might wonder, would this California screenwriter be thanking these two producers closely identified with Baltimore and New York, respectively, as he accepted an award for work on a series with which they had absolutely no connection? The answer goes to the heart of what's known in the television industry as “The Family Tree,” a group of a couple of dozen writers and producers who can trace their screenwriting roots or training back to a pair of seminal TV shows from the early 1980s, “St.

Robert and Wilma Muir, owners of Deer Creek Valley Tree Farm in Street, have once again provided a large white pine Christmas tree for display outside the Maryland Department of Agriculture headquarters in Annapolis. Maryland Agriculture Secretary Buddy Hance and Deputy Secretary Mary Ellen Setting, joined by Maryland Department of Agriculture staff, kicked off the state's Christmas tree promotion on Nov. 29 with an official lighting ceremony for the 16-foot tall white pine. The Muirs donated a 20-foot high white pine to MDA last Christmas season.

Several years ago, I discovered a huge hole within a specimen tree where a large limb joined the trunk. Since the hole was facing upward, too, it was constantly collecting rainwater that was rotting the tree. However, I plugged the hole and was able to save the limb and the tree with a homemade patch that's still in good shape. Here's how: I began rescuing our tree by scraping out as much of the rotten wood as was possible. Then with a paint brush, I disinfected the hole by saturating it with lime sulfur, a powerful, plant fungicide that should only be applied to green growth when woody plants are dormant.

Daniel Simons, managing partner of Hubbard Funeral Home, and his wife Heather will pick up 30 Christmas trees in North Carolina to give to the families of deployed Maryland National Guard veterans, in honor of their service. The Maryland National Guard Teen Council will help load the trees on the recipients' vehicles Dec. 8. A visit from Santa is expected and light refreshments will be served at the Wilkens Avenue funeral home.

Police in Anne Arundel County are investigating two fatal vehicle accidents since Monday, one in which a 22-year-old driver lost control of her vehicle and another in which a 77-year-old pedestrian was struck after stepping off a curb. Officers and paramedics responded to the intersection of Herald Harbor Road and Prescott Road in Crownsville about 12:35 p.m. Tuesday after receiving reports a vehicle had left the roadway, and found a Toyota RAV-4 crashed into a tree. The driver of the sport utility vehicle, Jennifer Nichole Tedore, 22, of Crownsville, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Wearing warm coats and gloves, fleece hats and reindeer antler headbands, the Neebe sisters of Catonsville came prepared for the cold Saturday during the 19th annual Catonsville Tree Lighting Ceremony. Lauren Neebe, 10, Kathryn Neebe, 6, and their parents, Deb and Mark, said they have never let a little cold weather stop them from attending the Nov. 24 event, which has become an annual family tradition since 1999. "It's just the town thing to do," Deb Neebe said, as she and her daughters patiently waited for the countdown to light the community's tree at the Catonsville Fire Department on Frederick Road.

Opening day at Ruhl's Christmas Tree Farm, Nov. 23, found the day mild and bright. While many were out enjoying Black Friday sales, Ruhl's collection of trees in Phoenix attracted residents from around the area in search of the perfect tree for holiday celebrations. The Sherman family of Glen Arm was the first to arrive down Ruhl's long, gravel driveway on "Green Friday. " With their two sons, Justin and Cody, home from Salisbury University, Robin and David Sherman decided it was a good time to get a tree before the boys returned to school.

For many people, finding the perfect Christmas tree and cutting it down is a family tradition, and one that puts them in the holiday mood. In Carroll County, local farms are happy to help spread that Christmas cheer, and bring in a little green as well. "Between now and Christmas, those are the busy times," said Wayne Thomas, owner of Thomas Tree Farms in Manchester. "It's an exciting time of the year. Most of the folks are in a pretty good mood, that's for sure. " Thomas Tree Farms actually opened the weekend before Thanksgiving, Thomas said, and he had quite a few families come to get their tree.