Vines

On July 16, 2008, RICHARD LEE VINES. On Monday, friends may call at the VAUGHN C. GREENE FUNERAL SERVICES, 5151 Baltimore National Pike from 4 to 8P.M. On Tuesday, Mr. Vines will lie in state at Sweet Hope Baptist Church, 3925 Dolfield Avenue, where the family will receive friends from 10:30 to 11 A.M., with services to follow. Inquiries to (410) 233-2400.

Just as they do every April, the fruit orchards at Larriland Farm have donned their spring finery. The plum trees at the pick-your-own place in western Howard County sport brilliant white blossoms, while the peach trees are decked out in bright pink. Thing is, it's still March. Spring came early to Maryland, thanks to a run of unusually warm weather that awakened flowers, trees, birds and bees weeks ahead of schedule across much of the eastern United States. Larriland's fruit trees are flowering about a month earlier than usual, according to Lynn Moore, president of the family-run fruit and produce farm in Woodbine.

On September 24, 2003, DOLORES M. VINES. On Sunday, friends may call at the Vaughn C. Greene Funeral Service, 4101 Edmondson Ave., from 2:00 to 8:00 P.M. On Monday, Mrs. Vines will lie instate at Sweet Hope Baptist Church, 3925 Dolfield Ave., where the family will receive friends from 10:30 to 11:00 A.M., with services to follow. Inquiries to Vaughn C. Greene Funeral Service, (410) 233-2400.

I saw this vine growing in my trees when its leaves turned bright yellow. Now it has pretty orange berries but it's strangling my trees! I'm afraid its weight will pull them down in a blizzard. It's the very devil to remove — I hacked away with a machete, brush hook, and shears for an hour and just made a dent. What is this villain? Any environmentally friendly ways to remove it? Pull it up and you'll see orange roots, too. The vine is Oriental Bittersweet Celastrus orbiculatus, an invasive non-native plant.

On May 16, 2009, LILLIAN ESTELLE VINES. Family and friends may visit the family owned and operated Howell Funeral Home, 3331 Brehms Lane on Friday, May 22, 2009, from 3 to 8 P.M. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, May 23, 2009 10 A.M. Wake, 11 A.M. funeral, at St. Paul Baptist Church, 3101 The Alameda. Interment Mount Zion Cemetery.

Vines give me the creeps. I don't trust them. Vines grow too fast and they always want to grab onto things. Mostly they stick to walls and trees, but who knows? I couldn't sleep if I thought vines were scrambling up the side of my house.My mother shares my concern. A 40-year veteran of the `f honeysuckle wars, her goal is to drive the stubborn vines from her yard. But the honeysuckle won't die. Two new plants appear for every one she digs up.To Mom, vines are the boogeymen of the botanical world.

Rapidly growing vines will smooth out the rough edges of the landscape. They can climb a wooden fence, trellis or masonry wall, covering these harsh architectural features with fresh green foliage and often a flush of flowers.Many gardeners have difficulty finding a suitable spot for vines, but all that's needed is an open vertical site. Very little ground space is necessary, and some vines including Confederate jasmine, mandevilla and bougainvillea will grow even in a container set near a wall.

Last year, I let a volunteer white morning glory grow in my garden. This year, I have vines curling and climbing over everything. How can I keep the plant in one spot? If you didn't plant the morning glory, it's probably bindweed (Convolvulus arvensi), which is a noxious guest that will never behave. Bindweed spreads by an extensive root system and seeds that can stay viable for 60 years. To kill it, exhaust the root system by pulling it every three weeks. You can also apply a systemic herbicide (absorbed into the plant's system)

From: Amador County, Calif. Price: $13 Serve with: Hearty stews, grilled red meat This feature usually avoids wines with limited distribution, but this was just too compelling a value to withhold. It's an intensely peppery, complex and well-balanced red wine with authentic old-vines character. The rich blackberrry fruit is enhanced with nuances of black pepper, chocolate and herbs. Despite a hefty 14.9 percent alcohol, the wine is all smoothness and no heat. It easily holds its own with zins at twice the price.

Hometown -- Baltimore Current members --Ryan Finnerin, vocals and guitar; Jason Butcher, drums; Micah Huerta, keyboards; Denny Finnerin, backing vocals; Neil Cotterill, guitar; Eric Bloodsworth, bass; Amy Cavanaugh, cello Founded in --2005 Style --folk rock Influenced by --Wilco, Spoon, Elliott Smith, the Beatles Notable --Ryan Finnerin composed, arranged and recorded the lion's share of the instrumentation on the debut album, Everyday Needles for...

The Iberian Peninsula is hot. So are its wines. They are delivering full-flavored libations at modest price points. And that is really something to cheer about these days. Ribera del Duero, Spain If the old caveat about a vine needing to suffer to produce great wine is to be given any credence, then there are surely great wines coming out of Ribera del Duero. Ribera del Duero experiences extreme temperature fluctuations as it rotates through the seasons. Summer days often crest the 100-degree mark, and winter days often dip below zero.

With less than two weeks to go before Opening Day, the Orioles have already suffered the first loss of the season. The score: Mother Nature 1, the ivy at Camden Yards 0. The ivy that grows up the wall beyond centerfield at Oriole Park, and contributes to its widely imitated retro feel, was attacked by a soil-borne pathogen and had to be pulled out earlier this month, said Nicole Sherry, the head groundskeeper. "It broke my heart to tear it down," Sherry said Tuesday. "I know how much it means to the fans, and it was sad to see it go. " Sherry hopes to replant this spring or fall, but for now, the "batter's eye" — the wall behind the pitcher in the hitter's line of sight — will instead bear a fresh coat of the park's signature "Camden Green" paint.

I picked up this dry white wine from the little-known macabeo grape at a local store on the strength of the reputation of its importer, Kysela Pere & Fils. I wasn't disappointed. It's a spectacular value — rich, minerally and gripping. Its complex flavors of pine, lime and tropical fruit go far beyond my expectations in a 10-buck wine. Supplies of the 2009 may be low, but the 2010 is expected soon. I'll be in line for a case of it. --Michael Dresser Wine Find: 2009 Yasa Old Vines Macabeo From: Calatayud, Spain Price: $10 Serve with: Broiled scallops; oysters

This lush, ripe, fruity Spanish red is simply a spectacular value that is well worth purchasing by the case. It offers exciting flavors of wild berries, blackberries, herbs and earth in a medium-bodied package. Drink it young for its exuberant fruit. Go ahead and make it your house red wine. It's that good. 2009 Picos del Montgo Old Vines Garnacha From: Carinena, Spain Price: $9 Serve with: Grilled red meat, ham

It's the time of year when glasses are often raised to toast the season, family, mistletoe and soon, the New Year. With so much to celebrate, there's no time to waste. UnCork York, the wine trail that meanders through York County, Pa., and nearby regions, is hosting Wine Just Off the Vine, to mark the end of the fall harvest. The three-day event begins Friday and includes about a dozen wineries and vineyards offering wine tours, tastings and dinner pairings and showcasing their newest releases.

Motorists zipping along the Jones Falls Expressway on their way into and out of the city may not have noticed, but there's an extreme greenery makeover under way there. It's not exactly scenic right now — just long brown swaths of dead vines, tree stumps and brush along each side of the highway. Killing off the existing vegetation, however, is the opening move in a months-long landscaping effort by the State Highway Administration to replace thickets of exotic, invasive vines with new grass and trees, many of them native to Maryland.

Howard County Master Gardeners and the Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks are seeking volunteers to remove invasive vines from trees in the grassland restoration areas of the Middle Patuxent Environmental Area, off Southwind Circle. The group will meet from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Tuesday. Bring water, gloves, pruners or loppers and dress for the weather. Information: 410-992-9889. Marriotts Ridge High to sell spirit wear The Booster Club at Marriotts Ridge High School will sell spirit wear at Sophomore Orientation, to be held from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, and freshman orientation, scheduled from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. Friday.

If you're a fan of no-holds-barred zinfandel, this is a sterling example of the breed - with true "old vines" character and intense blackberry, spice and black-pepper flavors. Made from vines older than 80 years old, it's not for the faint of palate. For all its power, its texture is smooth and there's no sign of alcoholic heat in the finish. Serve with - - pizza, pasta, red meat

From: Sonoma County, Calif. Price: $18 Serve with: Barbecued ribs, spicy pasta Not for the faint of palate, this well-made Gallo product is a big red wine with a heady alcohol level but even more fruit. It boasts lush, ripe flavors of blackberry, wild berries and chocolate — kind of like a vintage port without the sweetness. It's a real mouthful that stacks up well against more exalted names. — Michael Dresser 2008 Rancho Zabaco Sonoma Heritage Vines Zinfandel From: Sonoma County, Calif.

On January 31, 2010, ANNE ELAINE COOK - VINES. Due to inclement weather, services for Mrs. Vines will be held on Tuesday, February 9th at New Antioch Baptist Church, 5616 Old Court Road, where the family will receive friends from 10 to 11 a.m. with services to follow. Inquiries to (410)655-0015