elaketalk december 2013
DESCRIPTION
Lake Linganore Association's Official Monthly NewsletterTRANSCRIPT
Lake Linganore Association Community NewsThe Official Notification Publication of the Lake Linganore Association
December 2013LakeTalk
2 laketalk December-2013
LakeLinganoreLiving.com
2013 New Home Must-Havesto customize your formal rooms at Lake Linganore*
*Some features are optional upgrades. **Visit website to complete the referral. Must be submitted prior to initial visit. Prior sales excluded. Not applicable with realtor sales. $1,000 payment will be distributed at time of settlement. Considered taxable income and a 1099 will be issued. Prices, offers and included features subject to change without notice. Must use NVR Mortgage to receive any preferred buyer options or incentives. See Sales Representative for details. MHBR #56.
Get Everything You Want Without Leaving The Neighborhood, So Start Building Now!
Not only do you get to build your dream home in Lake Linganore at Eaglehead from the low $400’s, but you get to choose your neighbors too. Refer someone and receive $1,000 for YOU and $1,000 for THEM when they purchase a new home with us!**
Give us a call at 301.882.7643 or stop by our NEW Jefferson Square Model at 6746 Woodridge Road.
Directions: From Boyer’s Mill Rd. Take a left onto Eaglehead Dr. Continue straight on Eaglehead Dr. past The Audubon & Aspen Villages to a right on Woodridge Rd. Continue straight through the stop sign and veer right at the circle. The Model Home will be up the hill on the left.
1. Inviting Living Room for Entertaining2. Wall to Wall Windows3. Decorative Moulding in Both 4. Elegant Dining Room for Hosting 5. Tray Ceiling6. Both Open into the Foyer with
Framing Columns
Ryan Homes is proud to extend a 3% Co-Op Program in Lake Linganore at Eaglehead!
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3laketalk December-2013
featuresDecember
Advertisement guide
Design & Build2 Ryan Homes
Computer14 Ken Mowery Computer Repair
Electrical Services14 Ryan Electric
Financial Services14 PrimeLending
Heating, HVAC & Plumbing7 Dave's Mechanical Services21 Husch Air Technologies
Home Improvement2 S&K Roofing, Siding & Windows
Health & Beauty15 Mary Kay, Hilary Moore14 Reiki, The Healing Touch
Landscaping & Tree Service12 Beachy Companies18 Bush Creek Tree Service13 Tim's Lawn & Landscape Service
Realtors
21 Elke Thornton-Husch Re/Max RESULTS
10 Jill Coleman Remax Realty Centre
23 Jim Southam, Bach & Associates, Inc. with Questar
15 Liz Burrow Keller Williams Realty Centre
12 Lori Rogers Keller Williams Realty Centre
Self Storage12 New Market Mini Storage
4-5 Community Directory
6-7 GM's State of the Association
8 Meeting Calendar: December-January
9 Holiday Festival Trailblazer's Report
10 Notices & Reminders
11 Compliance Corner
12 Trading Post
13 Winter Weather Plan
14 FCPS: How to Check School Status
15 Financial Fitness for Your Mortgage
16-18 Promoting Healthy Trees: Tips & Best Practices
19 Pumpkins, Scarecrows & Desserts, OH MY!
20 Friends of The Lake Committee Report
21 Lake Rangers: Capture a Bear for The Winter
22-23 Finding the Perfect Christmas Tree
24-25 The Purrfect Ending
26 Green Homes Challenge!
27 Love Where You Live
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LLA StaffRobert Kimble
General Managerx111
Dawn VargasReceptionist
Brett HamiltonVillage Manager
Carla ScottECC Administrator
Gary JenkinsFinance Manager
Jordyn DowdCommunications Specialist
Kim HowellVillage Manager
Jennifer EdwardsOffice Coordinator
Anna ClementsEvents & Volunteer Coordinator
Doug KolbjornsenMaintenance Supervisor
Thomas SliferMaintenance Specialist
Patrick SmithMaintenance Specialist
Stephen HembreeProject Manager
Lake Linganore Association at Eaglehead6718 Coldstream Drive ◆ New Market, Maryland 21774 ph: 301.831.6400 ◆ fx: 301.831.3246 ◆ www.lakelinganore.org
All prospective contributors must submit their content by 9:00am on the 5th of every month. Please note that your submission will be printed in the subsequent issue (eg. March 5th submis-sions will print in April’s LakeTalk). Time and space constraints will determine the inclusion of submitted items. In high volume situations, submitted items will be honored on a ‘first come, first serve’ basis. All content received after the 5th of every month cannot be guaranteed space in LakeTalk. Late submissions will be published as time and space permits. The LLA Office is not required to publish all submissions and may use discretion when evaluating items for print.
Trading Post submissions will be accepted through the 10th of every month and must be 50 words or less.
Any questions or concerns may be directed to:
Jordyn DowdLakeTalk Editor
301.831.6400 x [email protected]
LakeTalk Submissions
LakeTalk
Lake Linganore Association Community News
The Official Notification Publication of the Lake Linganore Association
April 2013
LakeTalk
Lake Linganore at Eaglehead Community News
The Offiicial Notification Publication of the Lake Linganore Association
December 2012
Did you miss something?Go online and read past issues of LakeTalk! Go to: www.lakelinganore.org/laketalk/
Office HoursMonday - Friday 9am – 5pm
24 Hour Answering ServiceFor facility related emergencies after hours, please call 301-293-3802. This service is not to be used for medical or police emergencies. Call this number to report fallen trees blocking the roadway, pool related service issues, or other fa-cility related emergencies.
LLA Public Safety (non-emergency)301-213-3515 *Not a 24hr Service.
Non-Emergency Line (Fred.Co. Sheriff)301-600-2071
For Emergencies, Dial 911 Please do not call LLA Public Safety if you are witnessing a crime in progress. Always call 911 if you or someone else is in distress.
The Lake Linganore Association at Eaglehead is committed to providing the highest level of ser-vice to its members. The Association strives to achieve community awareness and understand-ing amongst all residents. The Association staff works to build transparency and simplify home ownership through community outreach.
LakeTalk is the official notification publication of the LLA. LakeTalk provides a forum for ur-gent announcements and fosters open dialogue related to community issues and ideas.
Our Mission
Want to Go Green?Start receiving e-LakeTalk!
Send an electronic delivery request to:[email protected]
Pool Hours: 4pm-8:30pm (School Year), 11am-8:30pm (Summer)Coldstream (closed Tuesdays) ◆ Summerfield (Closed Mondays) ◆ West Winds (closed Wednesdays)
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Community DirectoryVillage Chairs
Committee Chairs & Group Leaders
AspenBrian McMynne [[email protected]]
Aspen NorthJohn Peters [[email protected]]
Audubon NorthRobin Crawford [[email protected]]
Audubon CondosMelinda Dawson [[email protected]]
Audubon North TownhomesGary Timberlake [[email protected]]
BalmoralHilary Moore [[email protected]]Dennis Woofter
ColdstreamLisa Martinis [[email protected]]Pat Veon [[email protected]]
MeadowsCary Frey [[email protected]]Cindy Hoffman
NightingaleKatherine Hembree [[email protected]]
North ShoreKatie Mitchell [[email protected]]
PinehurstKay Riddle [[email protected]]
West WindsWest Winds BoD [[email protected]]
WoodridgeTrish Flora [[email protected]]
TrailblazersKatrinka Westendorf [[email protected]]Kathy Murtagh
Environmental Control CommitteeJohn Allemang [[email protected]]
Golf Cart CommitteeRyan Burroughs [[email protected]]Nick NilanScott Marko
Municipal Incorporation CommitteeJohn Allemang [[email protected]]
Strategic Planning CommitteeLiz Timberlake [[email protected]]
Tennis CommitteeJose Miletti [[email protected]]
Events CommitteeCindy Hoffmann [[email protected]]
Friends of the Lake CommitteeChristine Dagostino [[email protected]]
Lake DredgingBob Charles [[email protected]]
Water QualityNeal Spungen [[email protected]]
Eaglehead Community Preservation Corporation, (ECPC)MJ Minton [[email protected]]
LLA Finance CommitteeLinda Chrisler [[email protected]]
Lake Linganore Conservation SocietyCharlotte Dusold [[email protected]]
Contracts CommitteeDon Hoffmann [[email protected]]
Meet the Boardof Directors
Dana SchlichtingPresident
Glenn WeigleVice President
John AllemangTreasurer
Liz TimberlakeSecretary
Chris VermillionDirector
Phillip WagnerDirector
Mark DeBordDirector
BoD meetings are held the first Monday of the month. Meetings are held at 7 p.m. at the Lake Lin-ganore Association office. The meeting agenda is e-mailed to the community the morning of the meeting date or the Friday before.
Workshops are held every 3rd Monday of the month. This is a working session for the Board of Directors.
BoD Meetings
Email the Board of Directors at:
6 laketalk December-2013
GM's State of the AssociationAs the year comes to a close, we look back to reflect on all that has hap-pened in our lives, our community and worldwide. Every year families experience unexpected changes. Life has an uncanny way of providing incredible joy in one instant and the weight of a challenge in another. We aren’t often afforded the luxury of understanding why or how our lives have changed; rather we are thrust into the task of existing with the change, and growing from it.
Nationally we watched so many baffling situations and unfortunate tragedies unfold: the US Government shutdown, the Washington Navy Yard shootings, the Detroit bankruptcy, unprecedented tornado de-struction in Oklahoma, and the Boston Marathon Bombing. These are just a few, and certainly not the only catastrophes our nation faced in 2013.
Internationally we saw history being made with the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI and the ousting of Egypt’s President Mursi. Syria has devolved before our eyes and in recent months we have witnessed the crippling effect of natural disasters in the Philippines with Typhoon Haiyan. In a global community, our neighbor’s experiences have felt very close to home.
It is easy to be swept up in these national and international headlines. When we are hearing about all the blights in the world, it feels like we are losing control of the future. We must remind ourselves that in spite of the world’s unpredictability, we can identify challenges and work to make a difference in our own local communities.
2013 presented new challenges for Lake Linganore. We experienced the sinkhole on Eaglehead Drive and worked to repair the infrastructure and restore the roadway. We carried out an emergency response effort when a construction worker was injured and trapped in the Eaglehead Drive sinkhole. We had a large tree hit the Esplanade and bring down a 40 foot span. All of these challenges have been high impact on our community.
Through adversity, we can all gain perspective and clarity to move for-ward in a positive way. To coin a phrase from Steve Jobs “You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.” As the General Manager, I look back at where we’ve come from and where we are today and I can see that we have made many changes, all in the interest of improving the Membership’s way of life.
Over the last 12 months we have seen many improvements to our com-munity and have expanded our amenities. The Association paved Pine-hurst Drive and Twin Lakes, restored Summerfield Pool with new white coating, repaved and repaired Summerfield trails and performed Phase II of the Esplanade Five Year Plan of Restoration. We’ve also erected an “Events Tent” to bridge the gap between present day and a future com-munity center, we paved the Coldstream Beach Parking area and we had a comprehensive Reserve Study completed to plan for future main-tenance and enhancements. Many positive changes have taken place in 2013 to improve the way of life in Lake Linganore.
This year the Association introduced many new and exciting events for
our members. The Association successfully hosted a Summer Concert Series which was attended by hundreds of residents and brought four great local bands to Lake Linganore. Concert events coincided with the Farmer’s Market days and were a great summertime addition. The Event’s Committee held its annual Summer Festival and was able to re-cruit nearly 25 Teen Volunteers! Lastly, our Events Tent opened this fall and hosted several very successful events such as Oktoberfest, Fall Fes-tival & Bake-Off, two Football Doubleheaders, dances and a Halloween party. These events have already fostered a sense unity and community spirit in Lake Linganore and are just the beginning of what’s to come!
The success of LLA events in recent months only highlight the need for this Association to build a Community Center, a long overdue amenity that this community is longing for. During 2013 we leaped forward in this goal; with developer dialogue, commitments, and the historical signing of the LLA/Oakdale Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The MOU between the Association and Oakdale Investments will give the Association over six million dollars towards a community center, as well as the physical site for the building, which is valued at one million dollars.
Additionally, we have not forgotten that the Lake is in desperate need of a dredging program. To that end, we have moved a major step for-ward in our plans to dredge Lake Linganore. We have a tentative agree-ment with Frederick County and the City of Frederick to help fund the dredging of the lake. The city and county will pay 75% of the cost of this project. Early estimates could result in a savings to the Association of as much as six million dollars. The LLA/Oakdale MOU discussed previously, will result in the developer paying over three million dollars to the Association over the next 20+ years. The city and county have hired a consultant to estimate the cost of this project so they can budget for it. The Association has also engaged a consultant to act as a Project Manager to keep this project in motion.
To further sustain the maintenance of our vast infrastructure the As-sociation is exploring revenue-generating alternative energy oppor-tunities. Specifically, the Association has been speaking with various companies about the possibility of installing hydroelectricity at the dam. Although in the very early stages, the preliminary figures are very promising and could add millions to the Association in the way of much needed monies.
It has been a very active and productive 2013, and certainly a very costly 2013 to the Association. In a book written by Charles Dickens “A Tale of Two Cities” the opening phrase is, “it was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” We could easily say the same for our beloved Lake Linganore. Unforeseen costs to the Association resulted in over two million dollars of non-budgeted expenses (sinkhole repair, esplanade damage, CDA completion). Nevertheless, we have survived and we are moving forward bigger and better than ever.
Looking ahead to 2014, we will be focusing on several major projects. The Nightingale CDA will commence soon and will hopefully be com-pleted during 2014. We have hired a Project Manager in an effort to ef-fectively manage and move this project to completion during the com-ing year. During 2013 we learned that the combined CDA cost to the
by Bob Kimble
7laketalk December-2013
Association is considerably more than anticipated, but we nevertheless see the need to finalize the project and realize that the cost to the As-sociation will only grow if we do not complete it as quickly as possible.
The esplanade is being evaluated for repairs and will require many mon-etary and logistical resources. We are currently awaiting results from engineers so that we can gain an understanding of what needs to be done, so that we may put the project out to bid and fix the Esplanade.
In an effort to continue the necessary repairs to our infrastructure we have budgeted a half million dollars to include: road paving and re-pairs, Phase III of the Esplanade restoration, new white coating for West Winds Pool, and repaving of common area trails in West Winds and other key points along the vast trail system.
Our budgeting for 2014 includes an extension of events and recreational activities. We want to be certain that we continue the course we set dur-ing 2013 and bring much more enjoyment to Lake Linganore residents. We want to incorporate a variety of activities for both young children and teenagers. The 2014 Events Program will include activities like teen dances, yoga classes, football viewing parties, workshops and festivals, to name a few.
All of this is not possible however, if we do not get volunteers from our community. Volunteerism can take on many forms and we have op-portunities for residents to make commitments that suit their lifestyle. We need volunteers who can devote as little as one hour, or as much as a whole year to an event. The 2014 Events Program will provide a diverse array of activities for the community, and we need folks to support the events that they are most passionate about. If engagement is low, then we will not be able to fulfill the community’s desire for more activities. The only way we can continue to host successful events and provide variety, is to have consistent support of residents during the planning
and coordination phases of each event.
Many of the ‘committees’ that you hear “hosted an event” actually con-sist of a handful of hard working residents and/or LLA Staff. Many of our large scale events during weeknights and weekends are built on the backs of the same 8-10 people (LLA Staff & Resident Volunteers). The volunteers that we currently have are exceptional people and hard work-ers. They need the community’s help. We understand it’s unrealistic to expect every member to volunteer, especially since most of us would rather attend as a guest and enjoy the party! However, imagine if each of us devoted ourselves to one event in 2014–just one. If everyone could donate just a little of their time, our whole community could achieve so much more. Mother Teresa once said “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.” Enjoy this holiday season and please consider volunteering in our community in 2014-your time really will make a difference!
Photo taken by Mark Widrick
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Calendar
Page 1
MEETING DATE TIMEAnnual Budget Mtg. Monday, December 02, 2013 7:00:00 PMColdstream Tuesday, December 03, 2013 7:00:00 PMSPC Thursday, December 05, 2013 7:00:00 PMMIOC Saturday, December 07, 2013 9:00:00 AMLLCS Monday, December 09, 2013 7:00:00 PMLLA BoD Monday, December 09, 2013 7:00:00 PMPinehurst Tuesday, December 10, 2013 7:00:00 PMECPC Wednesday, December 11, 2013 5:00:00 PMcondo annual mtg Wednesday, December 11, 2013 7:30:00 PMMeadows Thursday, December 12, 2013 7:00:00 PMTrails Comm Saturday, December 14, 2013 9:00:00 AMBOD Workshop Monday, December 16, 2013 7:00:00 PMContracts Committee 7pm Tuesday, December 17, 2013 7:00:00 PMWW-BoD Wednesday, December 18, 2013 7:00:00 PMWW ECC Wednesday, December 18, 2013 5:30:00 PMLLA ECC Thursday, December 19, 2013 7:00:00 PMBOD & LLCS Monday, December 23, 2013 7:00:00 PMAspen Village Monday, December 23, 2013 7:00:00 PMLLA Finance Meeting-VM's office Tuesday, December 24, 2013 7:00:00 PM
MEETING DATE TIMESPC Thursday, January 02, 2014 7:00:00 PMMIOC Saturday, January 04, 2014 9:00:00 AMLLA BoD Monday, January 06, 2014 7:00:00 PMColdstream Tuesday, January 07, 2014 7:00:00 PMECPC Wednesday, January 08, 2014 5:00:00 PMMeadows Thursday, January 09, 2014 7:00:00 PMTrails Comm Saturday, January 11, 2014 9:00:00 AMLLCS Monday, January 13, 2014 7:00:00 PMPinehurst Tuesday, January 14, 2014 7:00:00 PMWW-BoD Wednesday, January 15, 2014 7:00:00 PMWW ECC Wednesday, January 15, 2014 5:30:00 PMLLA ECC Thursday, January 16, 2014 7:00:00 PMBOD Workshop Monday, January 20, 2014 7:00:00 PMContracts Committee 7pm Tuesday, January 21, 2014 7:00:00 PMVillage Chairs Meeting Wednesday, January 22, 2014 7:00:00 PMEvents Wednesday, January 22, 2014 7:00:00 PMBOD & LLCS Monday, January 27, 2014 7:00:00 PMAspen Village Monday, January 27, 2014 7:00:00 PMCondo BOD Tuesday, January 28, 2014 6:30:00 PMAudubon Condos Tuesday, January 28, 2014 7:00:00 PMLLA Finance Meeting-VM's office Tuesday, January 28, 2014 7:00:00 PM
Meeting Calendar: December - January
Quote of the Month“The greatest pleasure I know is to do a good action by stealth, and to have it found out by accident.” — Charles Lamb
9laketalk December-2013
Trailblazers Report: December 2013Katrinka Westendorf, Trailblazers Committee Co-chair, and Brett Hamilton, LLA Village Manager, met on site with Robert Wormald, the developer of Woodlands Pre-serve in West Winds, in early October. We discussed the location of the proposed trails in the Divot Court area (per the final plat plans, March 2012), walked the Div-ot Court area, and proceeded southward to the existing Westwinds Trail that runs parallel to Ben's Branch. We discussed the possibility of revising the original plans. Changes to the original plans are in discussions at this point. The development of the Woodlands Preserve area of West Winds is an ongoing project that will span the period of several years. As such, the finalization of the trail system will depend upon the timing and completion of the project's townhomes.
In late October, the Trailblazers Committee Co-chairs met with Coldstream Village Co-chairs to discuss adding an additional trail. The proposed trail(s) would connect the Coldstream Beach overflow parking area with Cold-
stream Beach to provide better access. We walked two possible path locations, discussed the pros and cons of each location and other possible routes, and made some suggestions. The Village Co-chairs will now go back to the Village Committee and Village Manager with a final recommendations.
For information about the Trailblazers Committee, email us at:
Contact the Chairs at:
Katrinka Westendorf: 301-865-3519 Kathy Murtagh: 301-865-3661
BoD Motions: November 4, 2013GOLF CART REGULATIONSMOTION: Director Vermillion moved to post the amended and proposed “Golf Cart Rules & Regulations” and the “Golf Cart Liability Waiver” on the LLA website to allow public comment prior to a vote on the same at the December Board of Directors meeting. Treasurer Allemang 2nd. Vote: 6-0 All in favor.
REVISION OF THE 1996 LLA ROAD STANDARDSMOTION: Treasurer Allemang moved to approve the draft of proposed revisions 10.4.13 to the June 3 1996 Road Stan-dards. Said revisions should be effective immediately and were already approved by the LLCS Board of Directors. VP Weigle 2nd. VOTE: 6-0 all in favor.
EXTEND THE SNOW REMOVAL CONTRACT 1 YEARMOTION: VP Weigle moved to approve Beachy Companies for an additional year for the snow removal contract under the same conditions and costs as that of the previous year’s bid. Treasure Allemang 2nd. Vote: 6-0 all in favor.
BB&T BANKING SERVICESMOTION: VP Weigle moved to approve a line of credit in accordance with the commitment letter dated November 4th, 2013 from BB&T Association Services as amended by the LLA Board of Directors. Said line shall not exceed $1.5 mil-lion. The purpose of the line of credit is to fund LLA cash flow needs. This line of credit should replace the existing $1.5 million line of credit currently with Bank One. Treasurer Allemang 2nd. Vote 6-0 All in favor.
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Nightingale CDA UpdateThe LLCS and LLA will be met with the new head of Frederick County Department of Permitting and Design Review, Gary Hessong, during the week of November 11, 2013. Discussion focused on the continuation of the original WRA designs, submitted on September 12, 2005 for Nightingale road and drainage plans, continued by an-other engineering firm as WRA quit the project. These plans were commented on by the county as late as 2008 and are the same de-signs designated as 95% complete, by WRA and Frederick County, that were used for the bid of Night-ingale, which was officially let in October of 2009.
Annual Budget Review The Annual Budget Review Meet-ing for the FY2015 Budget, will be held on the evening of Mon-day, December 2, 2013. The meet-ing time will be announced. The meeting will be held in the New Market Grange Hall (located at the intersection of South Alley and 7th Alley in New Market).
The Annual Assessment Rate will be discussed at this meeting. LLA Members are welcome to attend. There will an opportunity for Au-dience Q&A at the meeting.
Holiday Festival 2013!The Lake Linganore Holiday Festi-val will be held outside of the LLA Office Area at 6718 Coldstream Drive on Saturday, December 7th from 3:30-5:30
Santa will arrive by fire engine to visit with the kids. Come roast marshmallows, sip hot chocolate, and drop your Santa Letter off in the North Pole mailbox! Enjoy holiday music and visit with your Lake Linganore neighbors!
If you would like, bring a new un-wrapped toy to donate to Toys for Tots or a canned good for the local food pantry.
Yard Waste: Disposal Options The LLA yard waste service ends in November and will begin again in Spring 2014.
Frederick County offers free dis-posal sites. LLA residents are encouraged to take advantage of these county options.
Unbagged leaves, grass clippings, brush trimmings and limbs (no longer than 8’ long and 6” in diam-eter) can be left by residents at two County locations at no cost.
Reichs Ford Road Yard Waste Recycling Site
9031 Reichs Ford Road, FrederickHours: Mon-Sat 7:00 am-4:30 pm
Walkersville’s Heritage Farm Park9224 Devilbiss Bridge RoadResidential Drop Off OnlyApril 1 - October 31 (9am to 7pm)November 1 - March 31 (9am to 4pm)
Deterrent for Vultures Lake Linganore Association is home to many different bird spe-cies. Turkey Vultures are certainly no exception! Residences in Cold-stream and Nigtingale near the lake have been home to resident vultures for years.
Unfortunately these birds are messy neighbors. Vultures can be very destructive to property, espe-cially roofs. To encourage them to leave your home, Department of Natural Resources recommends shooting a starter pistol during early morning and early evening hours. Starter pistols shoot blanks, and do not pose a threat to the birds or the community.
The use of starter pistols to deter vultures from roosting on residen-tial property is not a new practice in Lake Linganore. Please be re-minded that loud shots may occur periodically around sunrise and sunset, as lakeside residents at-tempt to deter vultures from roost-ing on their property.
Notices & Reminders
11laketalk December-2013
Compliance Corner
Holiday Decorations
With the holiday season approaching; please remember to remove any holiday decorations within 10 days of the holiday.
Holiday Displays
Plastic and inflatable holiday displays, ornaments placed in trees and/or shrubs, or any other holi-day decorations may not remain displayed year-round and must be removed within 10 days after the holiday related to the display.
Exterior Lighting
Exterior lighting such as string lights, holiday lights, or other non-permanent lighting (such as lamp posts) may only be temporarily displayed for a holiday related event. These temporary lights may not remain displayed year-round and must be removed within 10 days after the holiday re-lated to the light display.
Maintenance of Gutters
Please remember to clear your gutters of any leaves that have fallen in the Fall months.
Prevent Unkempt Building and Grounds
It shall be the responsibility of each lot owner to prevent the development of any unclean, un-sightly or unkempt conditions of buildings or grounds on such lot which shall tend to substantially decrease the beauty of the neighborhood as a whole or in the specific area.
*All excerpts came directly from the Rules and Regulations that can be found on our website at: www.lakelinganore.org/governance
A list of common compliance issues that have either been reported to the Lake Linganore Home-owners Association or have been observed by staff while in the community. Please understand compliance is used to help maintain property values. If you have received a letter feel free to reach out to the Village Manger with any questions or concerns. Remember to check regulations regard-ing changes to the property with current ECC guidelines before beginning work.
*All excerpts came directly from the Rules and Regulations that can be found on our website at: www.lakelinganore.org
12 laketalk December-2013
Want to submit a post? Send 50 words or less to: [email protected]
ALL POSTS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY THE 10TH OF EVERY MONTH.
TradingPost
WANTED Looking for unwanted landscape blocks/stone for projects at my home. Will pickup and haul away. Contact: 240-405-7863
VACATION RENTAL Want to get away from the snow and ice?? Rent from owner - 2 bedroom condo in North Myrtle Beach, Cherry Grove area. Beau-tiful location, ocean front, still have month of February open. Only $800/month. Call Kathleen 301-865-4401
FOR SALE 20ft 1987 Sweetwater Party boat - new carpet, new seats, bimini top, 55lb electric motor + battaries (no trailer) - $1650, contact Don at 301 865-3421 and [email protected]
FOR SALE Credenza/Sideboard - 8' 9" wide, 2 ' 6 " high and 1' 8 3/4" deep. Light gray enamel finish, touch magnetic doors, adjustable shelves, open sec-tion at each end suitable for speakers. Open section is 1' 1 3/4" wide, 2'1" high and 1'8" deep. Asking $250.00 Call 301-865-5248
MATH TUTOR Experienced, certified Secondary Mathematics teacher who lives in Summerfield can tutor your child. I specialize in Algebra I, Geom-etry, and Algebra II, but will consider an opportunity to tutor for any K-12 math course. Please call Laura at (703) 475-7182 or [email protected]
FOR SALE Refrigerator, Kenmore Elite 25 cu. ft., black French doors with bottom freezer, very good condition/$350, obo. Contact Jay King at 301-865-3637 or at [email protected]
Patios & Walkways • Retaining & Decorative Walls • DecksTree Service • Stormwater Management • Mulching & Plant Installation
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BEACHYCOMPANIES
240.674.5257 ◆ Family Owned & Operated Since 2004
FOR SALE Antique 2-man crosscut saw/$35. Contact Jay King at 301-865-3637 or at [email protected]
FOR SALE Antique 1930's era Kalamazoo wood/coal cookstove with warm-ing shelf; light green with beige trim. $300/obo. Contact Jay King at 301-865-3637 or at [email protected]
FOR SALE "Holly Holiday" china, entertainment set including 8 of each of the following: teacups and saucers, dinner plates, and wine glasses $90/obo. Contact Jay King at 301-865-3637 or at [email protected]
REFERRAL Painter recommendation from Helen and Jim Maleady, from Woodridge - 301.865.5248. They would like to refer neighbors in need of painting to Mike Blanchard: 240.405.4409
LOCAL RESCUE Lab Rescue (http://www.lab-rescue.com/) is a top notch local Labrador rescue and they hold Adopt-A-Lab Events every month in MD & VA. The next Frederick area event will be held December 15th at the Urbana Pike Petsmart on December 15th from 10:30am - 12:30pm. To get involved, email: [email protected]
FOR SALE Shopsmith Mark V with attached band saw, many extras, $450. Also available DeWalt Model 925 PowerShop (radial saw) with DeWalt Base Cabinet, $300. Will sell both as a package, $650. Call 301-865-8535.
13laketalk December-2013
The LLA Winter Weather Plan is to be enacted any time there is the potential for a winter precipitation event including snow, sleet and/or freezing rain as pronounced by the National Weather Service.
The purpose of this plan is to ensure that roadways are clear of vehicle traffic and parked cars to allow for the safe passage of snow removal equipment and emergency service vehicles.
This plan will go into effect no more than eight hours prior to the forecasted weather event and will remain in effect no more than eight hours after precipita-tion has ceased.
Residents are asked to do the following in snow emergency situations:
• Do not park on the streets; park in your garage or driveway so that snow plows can do their job and emergency vehicles can get through, if needed.
• Please remove all basketball hoops, soccer nets, and other portable items that may be damaged by snow plows.
• Clear snow from your driveways, driveway culverts, sidewalks, parking ar-eas, heating compressors, mailboxes, nearby fire hydrants, storm drains and trash container areas.
• Report hazards and areas in need of maintenance to your Village Manager. In case of an emergency involving community roads and properties after office hours, call 301-293-3802. The information will immediately be re-ported to LLA officials.
• Four-wheel drive and snowmobile owners are asked to be available to assist neighbors with emergency medical access needs or other service assistance.
The following roads are deemed “Snow Emergency Routes.” Parking along these roads will be prohibited during a storm event once the Winter Weather Plan is effective. Vehicles parked along these roads during a storm event will be towed at the owner’s expense.
Snow Emergency Routes
ASPEN: Accipiter Dr.BALMORAL: Balmoral Ridge (includes mailbox area)COLDSTREAM: Coldstream Dr./Coolfont Crossing/Eaglehead Dr.MEADOWS: Fox Chase Rd./Fox Chase Crossing/Meadowlake Rd.NIGHTINGALE: Nightingale Ct.NORTH SHORE: North Shore WayWEST WINDS: SanAndrew Dr./Country Club Rd.WOODRIDGE: Woodridge Dr./Woodrise Rd.PINEHURST: Old Barn Rd./Pinehurst Dr./Rockridge Rd./Twin Lake Dr./Hem-lock Point Rd./Lakeridge Rd./East Lakeridge Rd./West Lakeridge Rd./Edge-wood Rd./Beach Dr.
Designated Parking Areas During Snow Events
PINEHURST: Hemlock Point Rd. at East Lakeridge Gravel Pulloff (7 Cars)MEADOWS: Eaglehead Dr Pulloff Across from Meadows mailboxes (4 Cars)COLDSTREAM: Pool Parking LotWEST WINDS: Pool Parking Lot
Winter Weather Plan
14 laketalk December-2013
In the Event of Bad Weather or an Emergency Situation…
Here's How to Check School StatusOccasionally inclement weather or other safety or health conditions require FCPS to cancel, de-lay or otherwise change school routines or schedules. Typically, cancellation and delay decisions are made by 5 a.m. that day and announced soon after. If weather becomes a factor after school is in session, a decision to close early is made, whenever possible, by 10 a.m. that day. Very rarely, FCPS may be required to take student safety precautions immediately, with little or no notice. Although we notify numerous regional news outlets, we encourage parents and guardians to use the following sources for the most accurate news.
Delay Schedule for Half-Day Pre-K* On days when school opens 2 hours late, pre-K* students attend 1½-hour sessions. Breakfast is served. Morning sessions start 2 hours late with the rest of the students at the school and dismiss 1 hour later than usual. Afternoon sessions start 1 hour later than usual and dismiss at the regular time. This provides pre-K* students with equitable instruc-tional time.
Delay Schedule for CTC On days when school opens 2 hours late, morning Career & Technol-ogy Center classes start 2 hours late and dismiss about 1 hour later than usual. The afternoon session starts 40 minutes later than usual and dismisses at the regular time.
Early Dismissal When schools close 2 hours early due to bad weather, morning pre-K* students remain at school for dismissal with full-day students. Lunches are served. Afternoon pre-K* and CTC programs are canceled; CTC students remain at their home schools. Flexible Evening High and Heather Ridge Twilight programs are canceled.
Evening Activities School- and FCPS-sponsored after-school/evening activities (sports, plays, Board of Ed meetings, etc.) and evening instructional programs (such as Flexible Evening HS & the Twilight Program) are generally canceled on days when school is canceled or closes early.
*PreK references in this document do not apply to charter schools.
Note: The 2013-14 school calendar shows June 11 as the last day of school for students. This includes 5 days allotted for snow or other emergencies. If we don’t use all 5 days, the year will be shortened by the number of unused days. If more days are required to meet the mini-mum 180 school days, make-up days will be added. The 2-hour early dismissal for students will occur the last day of school.
Additional info is online in Regulation 400-2: http://apps.fcps.org/dept/legal/400-02.pdf
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For the fastest, most reliable school status information, check:
15laketalk December-2013
by Liz Burrow, REALTOR®
You’ve met with a lender, received your pre-approval, found the home of your dreams and are now waiting to close. You’ve got all of your bases covered. But have you? Many home sales fall through due to the borrower’s financial circumstances changing between the time of pre-approval for the loan and the final underwriting.
Let me begin by saying that I am not a lender, so please refer to your mortgage expert if you have any questions. However, in my experi-ence, here are some common sense tips on how to ensure that your financial position remains healthy while you wait for the green light to go to closing.
Don't• Don’t change your employment status – even for promotion or a
higher salary; try to delay it until after your move. If you have no choice, make sure to discuss it with your lender.
• Don’t open any new accounts or cards – although it may be tempt-ing to accept an offer of credit at that store with the perfect furni-ture for your new living room, hold off until you have closed.
• Don’t close or consolidate any credit cards – this may change your debt to available credit ratio.
• Don’t make any major purchases or change your distribution of assets in any substantial way.
• Don’t deposit any large or unusual amounts which may raise a red flag to the underwriter.
Do• Ensure that you are current on all of your accounts – A late pay-
ment of as little as 30 days could drop your credit score by 30 – 70 points.
• Keep your debt to credit ratio in check; around 30% according to the FICO credit scoring model is ideal for outstanding debt to available credit.
• Maintain close contact with your loan processors. Consult them before making any "out of the ordinary" financial move.
In a nutshell; don’t change ANY of your normal financial practices during this period and everything should run smoothly. You can al-ways go furniture shopping AFTER you close!
Financial Fitness for Your Mortgage
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301-693-2828
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16 laketalk December-2013
Promoting HealtHy trees
Tips & Best Practicesby Lorna PatrickPhotography by Mark Widrick
Did you get your $25 OFF Coupon for a new tree from last month’s Lake Talk?! If not, it isn’t too late-the coupon is always available at: http://www.trees.maryland.gov/
Autumn is the best time to plant a new tree, but, once planted, how do you take care of it? We have the answers for you, so keep reading!
Lorna Patrick is a Linganore resident and Friends of the Lake Committee member.
Remove Stakes & Help Prevent Girdling
It is best to remove stakes after 2 years. If not removed, the wire will begin to girdle the tree. Girdling slowly chokes the tree, preventing it from growing and, eventually, caus-ing it to die.
Do Not Wrap Ropes or Cables around Trees
Speaking of girdling, using a tree to anchor your dock or boat is not cool! Over time you will strangle an otherwise healthy tree. Please use stakes to properly moor your dock or boat.
Girdled Tree: This cable is slowly strangling this tree. If not removed, the tree will die.
Rope Tied to Tree: This is not the way to secure your dock or boat!
17laketalk December-2013
Mulch Wisely, Not Wildly!
Mulching is one of the most beneficial things you can do for the health of a tree. Mulch can reduce water loss from the soil, reduce weed competition, and improve soil.
However, mulch must be applied prop-erly. If it is too deep or if the wrong ma-terial is used, it can actually cause harm to trees and other landscape plants.
Yes! Mulch wide, not deep. No! Mulch Volcanoes like this cause many problems
for trees.
• If mulch is piled against the stems or tree trunks, pull it back several inches so that the base of the trunk and the root crown is exposed.
• If mulch is already present, check the depth. Mulch should be 2 to 4 inches thick. Do not add mulch if there is a sufficient layer in place. Rake the old mulch to break up any matted layers and to refresh
the appearance. If the site has drainage problems, use less mulch.
• Use mulches made from natu-ral materials. Use mulches made from wood chips, pine needles, hardwood and softwood bark, co-coa hulls, leaves, compost mixes, and a variety of other products that come from plants. Avoid sour-smelling mulch.
• Some mulches, especially those containing cut grass, can affect soil pH. Continued use of these mulches over long periods can lead to micronutrient deficiencies or toxicities.
• Place mulch to the tree’s drip line or beyond. The drip line refers to the edge of the tree’s canopy.
Proper Mulching Techniques
* Adapted from: © 2007 International Society of Arboriculture. http://www.treesaregood.com/treecare/mulching.aspx
18 laketalk December-2013
Prune Prudently!
As beneficial as trees are, sometimes they can get a little suffocating. If trees on your property are crowding your personal space, think about pruning lower branches, rather than removing the entire tree. Pruning lower branches can create a more open feeling while maintain-ing the vital tree canopy. The following tips will help you safely prune limbs. However, if you aren’t comfortable doing it yourself, hire a certified arborist.
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1. Make a small wedge shaped cut on the underside of the branch, just on the branch side of the stem collar. This will break the bark at that point and prevent a tear from running along the bark and stem tissue.
1
2
3
Remove vines
Do you have trees on your property that look like this? Invasive vines, such as English Ivy and Oriental Bitter-sweet, weaken otherwise healthy trees. Eventually, the weight of these vines will bring a tree down. You should remove vines from trees on your property. Even better, be vigilant about not allowing them to grow up the tree, in the first place. For more information about these harm-ful vines, refer to the Plant Conservation Alliance’s Alien Plant Working Group Fact Sheets. http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fact.htm
2. Somewhat farther along the branch, starting at the top of the branch, cut all the way through the branch leaving a stub end.
3. Finally, make a third cut parallel to and just on the branch side of the of the stem collar to reduce the length of the stub as much as possible.
Proper Pruning Techniques *Reference: http://www.tree-pruning.com/how-to-prune.html
19laketalk December-2013
Pumpkins, Scarecrows, & Desserts, Oh My!Many Thanks To:
Alliance Planners and Boy Scout Troop 628 C.E. Rensberger & Family Builder with Liz Burrow
Elke Thornton-Husch, RE/MAX ResultsHusch Air Technologies
Jill Coleman, Realtor—RE/MAX Realty CentreNew Solutions Realty
Olde Town RestaurantOakdale Investments, LLC
Ryan Homes
Beachy CompaniesThe Goddard School
HiYa! KarateThe Pampered Chef—Janet Byrd
Silpada Designs Jewelry—Juanita PardStella & Dot
Thirty One Gift with Melissa Keyser
AFS—USABubble + Squeak, LLC
Critter Sitter of LinganoreHaines Hotel Services
Mary Kay—Donna BatchellerPaintball-Sportsland
Self Storage of New MarketThe Secret Life of an Unglamorous Mom (The S.L.U.M.)
Lots of fun was had by all at the Friends of the Lake Fall Festival & Bake-Off that was held on October 19 at our community’s fabulous event tent.
Kids and families enjoyed pumpkin decorating using upcycled materials, a scare-crow making relay race, face painting, pumpkin bowling, two moonbounces, spin art, and more! We were also treated to some delicious desserts made by members of our very own community.
Congratulations to our Bake-Off Winners!There were so many scrumptious desserts entered in the Bake-Off, it must have extremely difficult for our judges to decide the winners of the Bake-Off. Congratu-lations go out to all of our participants as well as our winners:
First Place: Lisa Hildebrandt For her "Light & Lemony Cake with Lemon Italian Buttercream Cupcakes"
Second Place: Madi Spencer For her "Crème Brûlée Cupcakes"
Third Place: JP Arnold For his "Chocolate Stout Cupcakes" topped with Candied Bacon
Peoples’ Choice Award: Skylar Kubiak For Skylar’s “Sugar & Spice & Everything Nice” Cupcakes
Thank you to our Sponsors!Friends of the Lake would sincerely like thank our Sponsors. Thanks to their thoughtfulness, generosity, and support, we were able to offer a variety of fun ac-tivities for our community. Our Sponsors’ generous donations provided 100% of the funds needed to hold the Festival. Your support not only made the Fall Festival & Bake-Off possible, but a success as well!
Thank you to our Volunteers!Friends of the Lake greatly appreciates all of the volunteers who came out to help at our Fall Festival. This event was a huge undertaking and we needed a lot of people to work the event. Because of our volunteers’ fun attitude and hard work through-out the afternoon the Fall Festival and Bake-Off ran smoothly. Thank you so much for sharing some of your time with us. We couldn't have done it without you!
20 laketalk December-2013
Friends oF the Lake (FoL)COMMITTEE [email protected]
Friends oF the Lake UpdateWhew! What a Year! When I so reluctantly accepted the role of group leader back in January, I never imagined we would be able to accom-plish what we have this year. With Brooke McGrath at my side as my (mostly silent) co-chair, as well as a handful of incredibly devoted friends and neighbors to lend a listening ear or helping hand when we needed it (and you know who you are!), we have been truly inspired to watch our community rally to embrace our efforts. From getting en-tire families and outdoor rookies out on the trails to speaking publicly about our community to the policy makers downtown, we have been setting the stage for many dynamic years of community outreach, en-gagement and education to come.
Brooke and I would love to remind those residents out there who have expressed gratitude for our efforts this year and have offered to help in the future that there has never been a better time to put your words into action than now! Every resident of our community can be a Friend of the Lake! From giving feedback about LakeQuest 2013 (or offering to create a quest for LakeQuest 2014!) to weighing in on the future vision for our community through Land Design, there are so many small ac-tions that residents of all ages can take that make a huge difference. In this season of giving and planning your resolutions for the New Year, consider that we would welcome your support and value your opin-ions. Reaching out couldn’t be easier. Just email us at [email protected].
LL Car Magnets and VinyL stiCkersLooking for a great Christmas gift or stocking stuffer? Why not con-sider supporting the efforts of Friends of the Lake by purchasing some Car Magnets or Vinyl stickers for your friends and neighbors? 100% of the proceeds from sales of the Magnets and Stickers go to support Friends of the Lake projects such as LakeQuest, the Great Lake Lin-ganore Backyard Campout, and Fall Fest. Stickers and Magnets are available for purchase during normal business hours at the LLA Office (9am to 5pm Monday through Friday). Car Magnets (5¾”x3¾” ) are $5 and Vinyl Stickers (4”x6”) are $3. It’s a small step that can make a big difference to our community!
LakeQUest 2013 FinaLeEvery team who participated in LakeQuest 2013 earned a ticket for every quest they completed. Tickets could be picked up at Fall Fest and teams could enter to win their choice of 12 prize packages at the LakeQuest Prize Patch. We would like to once again thank Oakdale Development for their generous contributions to rewarding our Lake-Quest teams with gear to help them continue to explore their natural
resources and enjoy the outdoors on their own. We had a great turnout at the Prize Patch and met many residents who hadn’t heard of LakeQuest, but were enthusiastic about signing up next year. We also chatted with many residents who signed up for Lake-Quest 2013 but just didn’t have time to complete as many quests as they would have liked.
Well for those of you who didn’t get the chance to complete all the quests or those who never got around to signing up, you can view all of the 2013 Quests, Bonus Quests, and Super Secret Bonus Quests online at www.lakelinganore.org/lakequest. We hope you enjoy them!
LakeQUest 2014LakeQuest 2014 is just around the corner and we are looking for indi-viduals who may be willing to help create a quest for the next season. We would like to launch LakeQuest 2014 in the early spring to give teams more time to take advantage of the beautiful weather before the sticky heat of summer descends on us. We can use all the help we can get to make our early self-imposed deadline happen! Fortunately the framework is in place for another great year, but we could still use plenty of creative juices to bring this exciting event to our community again next year. If you are interested in creating a quest , have an idea for a quest, or just know of a great location for a quest, please email us at [email protected].
Lake FriendLy LiVingWe are collaborating on a project for 2014 with Taylor Schuman, a Chesapeake Conservation Corps Volunteer, who is currently working at the Frederick County Office of Sustainability and Environmental Re-sources. Our goal is to develop a series of Village-Specific Lake Friend-ly Living educational materials that would provide homeowners (and lot owners) with simple and accessible ideas to implement on their own lots or within their own homes that would significantly contrib-ute to the health and sustainability of our lakes and natural resources. Since our Lake Linganore community was designed many years before stormwater standards were as stringent as they are now, the burden of preserving our lake as a useable (and marketable) recreational amenity rests on the shoulders of current homeowners as much as it does on future developers. We will most likely be trying to develop materials that could be included in the Association packet for new homeown-ers, distributed to existing homeowners, and made available at the LLA office. If you are interested in becoming involved with this project or providing input or insight on it, please email us at [email protected]. We could really use the help!
by Christine Dagostino
21laketalk December-2013
Lake RangersWhere Lake Linganore’s Littlest Ones & their Families Learn Togetherby Christine Dagostino
The woolly bear caterpillar isn't really a bear at all. This little guy is as tame as a teddy bear. Capture it for the winter and watch it spin its cocoon in the spring. Finally your "bear" will turn into a "tiger"-an Isabella Tiger Moth.
How to Capture a Bear 1. Find a brown and black banded woolly bear caterpillar in October
(check the lawn, garden, or even the road)
2. Put it in a clear plastic jar with a lid (be sure to punch holes in the lid)
3. Add a twig in the jar and include some fresh grass for your bear to eat. Note: Put fresh grass in everyday. Soon your bear will tire of perching on the twig and will go to sleep on the bottom.
4. Remove any remaining grass but leave the twig in the jar all winter long.
5. Find a place outside that is protected from bad weather (a covered porch is nice) and you will be able to watch it hibernate.
6. In the spring, when weeds start to turn green it is time to feed your bear. Feed it fresh grass every day. Soon it will spin its magic co-coon of silk.
7. In about a week it will become the Isabella Tiger moth. On a nice day, take the jar outside and set your "tiger" free.
Woolly Bear Caterpillar
Isabella Tiger Moth Cocoon(Woolly Bear Caterpillar)
Isabella Tiger Moth
22 laketalk December-2013
I shivered against the cold air, snuggling deeper into my fluffy coat, and rubbed my mitten-covered hands together. Tiny snow-flakes drifted from the soft grey sky, dusting the ground. Twas the day after Thanksgiving, and—as in years past—the day my family went Christmas tree hunting at the local tree farm. Armed with a cart and saw, we headed off down the windy dirt trail leading into the groves of evergreen trees. The merry bustle and buzz that had filled the air up by the big barn and parking lot slowly faded, until the only sound was the rattle of cart wheels and the chat-ter of families as they meandered down the various paths. We gazed at the sloping hills, carpeted with green trees. There were so many varieties…which one did we want this year? The Blue Spruce were good for hanging ornaments, but they were quite poky. The White Pine had soft and silky needles, which looked very pretty strewn with Christmas lights, but they couldn’t support our heavier ornaments. The Concolor fir was a new species, but one glance at the price sent us looking elsewhere. So we decided to check out the Douglas fir section, a popular variety with soft, light green needles and a sturdy build. Intent on finding the perfect tree for our home, I plunged into the fir forest. Just inside the grove, I paused for a moment, my breath forming white clouds in the air. A chill breeze sighed through the deep green needles as lacy snowflakes alighted on their tips. The air was muffled by the thick branches. I shuddered in delight. The per-fect tree was one of these, hidden within this cultivated forest, a gem among lesser trees, somewhere…I took one tentative step forward on the snowy ground, and then dashed down the row, dodging past the trees and running far ahead. Our tree would be deep within, and out of sight-I was certain. “Hey!” A call came from behind. “Come look at this one!” I skidded to a halt, spun around and raced back. Then again, the perfect tree could be anywhere. My mother was standing beside a tree, one hand touching its needles, looking over it appraisingly. “It’s got a good height. Nice strong branches.” She circled it once. “No holes.” A Christmas tree couldn’t have holes in it. My father got down on one knee and squinted at the tree trunk. “Looks straight,” he said.
I pursed my lips. “You can’t just pick the first one you see,” I pro-tested. It was our traditional joke. I pointed to the nominated tree. “The branches are lumpy.” And that was that—we moved on, trundling the still empty cart in front of us. Some trees were too tall for our ceiling; some were much too small to accommodate even a fraction of our decorations. A few were lopsided, crooked, or tattered…and though the vast majority of the trees were pretty and well-shaped, they lacked that perfection we were seeking. I ran ahead again, and ducked into one of the rows to my right. There, right in front of me, I discovered a beautiful fir tree. With a small intake of breath I ran to the tree, looking it over thor-oughly. Straight, full, beautiful color…could this be the perfect tree? I called at the top of my lungs into the snowy air, “I found one!” My family quickly gathered, and I proudly showed them my find. My father made his inspection, tapping at the trunk with the saw. He looked it up… and looked it down. “Hmm…” he said thoughtfully. Then I noticed something I had previously overlooked. With a sigh of disappointment I pointed to a chunk of missing branches at the bottom of the tree. “Not this one.” Our hunt continued until my sister discovered a tree she liked. It
by C. Roberson
23laketalk December-2013
was a modest tree, not too tall, not too stout—a nice tree. And as we looked it over—a homey tree, we thought. It was straight, with no holes, and no lumpy or missing branches. Its top was a little crooked, but nothing that a trim wouldn’t fix. We all examined it carefully, nodding and making small murmurs of approval. And then it was decided. We had found our perfect tree! We posed for a picture, my sister smiling especially proudly, and then began cutting down the tree. My turn came first. Crawling beneath the tree, with pine needles tickling my face, I fitted the saw blade to the trunk and pulled back. The teeth cut jaggedly through the first layer of bark. Next, my sister had a go at it; but the tree stood firm. It was my father who finished the job, smoothly sawing back and forth, back and forth, until the tree creaked, sagged and then fell to the ground with a “whomf,” like a great pine pillow. With a cheer, we loaded the tree onto the cart and victoriously hauled it back up the dirt trail, joining the crowd of successful tree-hunters at the front of the farm. The merry clamor rose around us as we pulled our tree into the check-out line, where machines and help-ers stood ready to shake, net and drill each family’s tree. The little kids shrieked with glee and clapped their hands as the trees were vibrated all over, casting off veils of loose needles. Their antics made us smile. It was beginning to feel a lot like Christmas! When our tree was netted and paid for, we lashed it to the top of our truck and headed home. As our fingers and toes slowly thawed, our thoughts were of fires and sweet smelling gingerbread and cups of spiced eggnog. But foremost in our minds was the thought of a peaceful night together, getting out the ornaments and lights and making our Christmas tree shine.
24 laketalk December-2013
We moved to Lake Linganore over Thanksgiving weekend in 2010. Unfortunately, my daughter’s cat, Marble was not able to make the move. Just a week before we moved, Marble went to kitty heaven where she could sleep all day and eat all kibble she wanted. Our daughter, Kelly-Maren (known to her friends as Kitty) was heart-broken.
That Christmas, Santa brought her a cat! Despite my objections to live animals as presents, Santa thought she could really use a pet to love. And this particular cat had seen her at Animal Control and very much wanted to be hers.
On Christmas morning, he jumped out of his box, went over to Kitty and started to purr. She named him Purr.
Now, you must understand that our Purr is wicked smart! Kitty taught him lots of tricks and featured him in many of her school projects. Our whole family grew to love Purr and we knew he was something special.
He was my dog-substitute, my daughter’s best friend, my son’s fort-building buddy and my husband’s computer companion.
Luckily, the first year we had him, he was very content to stay in-side. However, eventually he started to get antsy. Regardless of our best efforts, Purr would manage to escape and go outside. Purr’s routine quickly turned into a mad dash when my husband left for work. My husband's arms are always full of papers, a briefcase and miscellaneous stuff, so Purr knew he was an easy target for a prison break. Typically when Purr was finished exploring, he would paw at the back door, usually when the kiddos and I were eating break-fast. Later in the day Purr would join us outside, happy and content to lie in our driveway while the kids raced around on scooters.
On Wednesday, November 21, 2012 at 5:00pm Purr made his usual mad dash to flee our home. We were on our way to indoor soccer. He usually didn’t go out that late at night, but we weren’t really wor-ried. He always came back. But not this time-Even though he had never spent the night outside before, I wasn’t in full panic mode yet. It was Thanksgiving weekend. He was probably just trapped in someone’s garage (or so I thought). And then, he still wasn’t home. Now I was worried.
We did everything within our means to find Purr: putting up signs, walking door to door asking people if they have seen Purr, contact-ing pet rescue organizations, walking Lake Linganore trails calling and looking for Purr; I even called a pet detective. I know many members of the community were also out there helping us look for Purr-one particular Girl Scout troop handed out flyers for us!
As the months went by, so did our leads. Instead of going to ani-mal control once a week, I called once a month. Rather than walk miles and miles of trails, I walked my normal route, but we never completely gave up hope. I still slowed or stopped for possible stray cats, looked up at houses to see if I could glimpse Purr in a window.
Then on Sunday, November 3, 2013 as we were coming home from my son Scott's cross country meet, I saw a cat on the side of the road in downtown New Market. It was dark and he was in the parking lot of the Wheel Horse tractor store by New Market Elementary. I pulled the van over and called out "Purr." The cat turned, looked at me and started to walk toward me. I scooped him up and headed back to the van. Being the supreme klutz that I am, I tripped over some metal thingy and dropped the cat! The metal thing made such a thunderous noise that the cat took off. I ran back to the van, got the kids and a flashlight and we started our search again. Kitty found the cat, walked right up to him and carried him to the van (without tripping or dropping him!!). The entire ride home we were amazed, shocked, happy...a whole gamut of emotions. We kept looking at this cat saying "It has to be Purr". When we got home, we compared photos of Purr to this cat. It had to be him! Had to! But after a year??? Could this really be our Purr-Purr?
Monday morning I took him to our vet and had them scan for a microchip. The numbers matched up with Purr!!
After being gone for 348 days, Purr is home.
When we found him he was dirty, flea-infested, full of ticks, mats and burrs, but, otherwise, healthy. He was a good weight-so I imagine either people have been feeding him kibble or the mouse
by Nikki Parker
The Purrfect Ending
25laketalk December-2013 25laketalk November-2013
and bird population around here has significantly declined! I took a photo of Purr to the Wheel Horse tractor store and asked the work-ers if he was a familiar cat that they had been feeding, but they didn't recognize him. He has received a full physical exam since he's been home and he's quite the healthy survivor.
Despite the fleas, Purr has slept with Kitty every night and hasn't left her side. Sometimes he will begin pawing and crying at the front door to go outside-but we've been through that charade before. This holiday season Purr will have to be content exploring the cozy confines of our home, safe and sound!
26 laketalk December-201326 laketalk December-2013
Households interested in participating can register for the challenge at the newly launched website: www.frederickgreenchallenge.org
This interactive site allows participants to learn about actions they can take, earn points for actions taken, and track their progress towards certification in each Challenge. The site also estimates cost, energy, water, fuel, and carbon emissions savings achieved by the household’s actions. Certified households will be recognized by County officials and through recognition events and media venues. Other incentives for certified households include being entered into a drawing at an annual recognition event for several large prizes from our sponsors. Previous prizes have included a $2,000 gift certificate from Lancaster Craftsmen Builders for energy efficiency improvements, a certificated for home air sealing valued at $500 offered by Home Energy Team, gift certificates from Marriott, Terressentials, Home Depot, MOM’s Or-ganic Market, Common Market, Stadler Nurseries, and more!
The Green Homes Challenge also offers special time-limited programs as funding allows. For example, OSER recently wrapped up a Power Saver Retrofit Program in May 2013. Eighty-five Frederick County households received up to $1,600 worth of energy efficiency retrofits implemented by a professional contractor, with the homeowner in-vesting just $400. OSER also wrapped up the Solarize Frederick County initiative in September which aimed to increase solar electric and solar hot water system installations in Frederick County though volume purchasing (or leasing), incentive grants, and a streamlined process that simplified decision making and reduced installation time. Sixty-nine households took advantage of this program and installed 72 solar energy systems; cost reductions ranged from 54% to 88%.
In 2014, OSER will be offering a refrigerator replacement program for low-to-moderate income households to replace older inefficient
refrigerators with new Energy Star refrigerators at no cost. These re-frigerators use much less energy and should provide each homeowner with cost savings on their monthly energy bill.
Individuals or organizations interested in participating in the Green Homes Challenge, or prospective volunteers interested in leadership roles, may explore the program and its resources at www.frederickgre-enchallenge.org and contact Challenge Coordinator Suzanne Cliber at 301-600-7414 or by e-mail at [email protected]. The Green Homes Challenge can also be followed on Facebook (Frederick County Green Homes Challenge) and Twitter (GreenHomesFC).
TAKE THE FREDERICK COUNTY GREEN HOMES
CHALLENGE!The Frederick County Office of Sustainability and Environmental Resources (OSER) invites Frederick County homeowners to take the Green Homes Challenge! The Green Homes Challenge is a community initiative that helps residents reduce energy use and utility bills, adopt environ-mentally friendly practices, and use renewable energy. Three separate Challenges make up the overall Challenge and participants can start with whichever Challenge fits their interest, or they can work on all three at once:
Be a Power Saver Save Our Energy, Bank
Your Money!Educates households about the benefits of saving energy, promotes home energy
audits, and encourages energy saving home improvement planning.
Be a Green LeaderGreen Your Lifestyle, Protect
Our Resources! Helps residents adopt environmentally
friendly practices related to transportation and home operations.
Be a Renewable StarRenew Your Energy, Clear
Our Air! Promotes renewable energy options such as
purchasing green power and installing renew-able energy systems.
The Frederick County Office of Sustainability and Environmental Re-sources advances practical solutions for protecting the environment, con-serving energy and living sustainably in Frederick County. The Green Homes Challenge is supported by a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy. To learn more about sustainability programs, visit www.Sus-tainableFrederickCounty.org or e-mail at [email protected].
27laketalk December-2013
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inc.Building Relationships With Our
Customers Since 1994.
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Now Accepting 2014 Landscape Maintenance Agreements!
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MHIC# 81346Visa & Mastercard
AcceptedMembers of PLANET & FALCAN
Fall Clean-Ups!
Love Where You LiveA Photography Column
The photo featured above was taken by Jessica Hawes of the Meadows. On a late September day Jessica stumbled upon this quirky and beautiful caterpillar on a leaf on her front lawn.
Have a great photograph? Email it to the LakeTalk Editor at: [email protected]
Lake Linganore Association6718 Coldstream DriveNew Market, MD 21774
PRSRT STDAuto
U.S. PostagePAID
Frederick, MDPermit #2321
Annual Budget MeetingMonday, December 2, 2013
The Annual Budget Review Meeting for the FY2015 Budget, will be held on Monday, December 2, 2013. The meeting begins at 7pm in the New Market Grange Hall (located at the intersection of South Alley and 7th Alley in New Market).
The Annual Assessment Rate will be discussed at this meeting. LLA Members are welcome to attend. *There will an opportunity for Audience Q&A at the meeting.
You are invited to . . .
The Lake Linganore
Holiday Festival Santa will arrive by fire engine to visit with the kids. Come roast marshmallows, sip hot chocolate, and drop your Santa letter off in the North Pole Mailbox.
Outside of the LLA Office Area at 6718 Coldstream Drive on Saturday, December 7th from 3:30-5:30pm
If you would like, bring a new unwrapped toy to donate to Frederick County Toys for Tots and/or a canned good for a local food pantry. See you at the party!