Mid-Atlantic Gardening: Mid-Atlantic Musings - Page 2, 1 by stormyla

stormyla wrote:
Ronnie and Karen, I had a wonderful weekend in search of Eagles. However, due to conditions, I wasn't able to get any good Eagle shots. The Susquehanna had really swollen from all of the rains and melting snow and the waters were threatening the adjacent town of Port Deposit. The dam had to open 5 more floodgates than normal which created rapids and hugh mist and spray down below on the water and rocks. There were many eagles flying up above and around the trees on the banks, but none going anywhere near the water. It was very hard to see them in the trees from down below on the river bank.

We were there on Saturday at sun up. It was about 7 degrees out with a wind chill of -8. I think down on that river's edge it was even colder. Even though I had dressed appropriately, it was ultimately pretty unbearable. I did see one magnificent great Blue Heron rise out of it's nest on an island in the river and fly directly over me, but by that time, I had put the camera in the car as my fingers were too numb to operate it.
After seeing how long and patient you have to be to catch good sitings, I have even more appreciation of Linthicum's prowess. But I also know that he has a much better camera than I. And yes, I did read the manual on the way down!!
The Eagles stay there through the end of February.
Karen, if you want a weekend with the kids. I'd recommend that Super8 on route #40 outside of Havre de Grace. The rooms were clean and included coffee pot, microwave and small fridge. They serve pastry & hot beverages in the lobby for breakfast. There are a number of family style restaurants right nearby and a nicer restaurant just next store. Rooms cost about $75 with taxes a night. It's about a 15 minute drive to the dam and a 5 minute drive into the town of Havre de Grace.

Havre de Grace was a nice town to walk around and explore. There are 3 museams, A Maritime one, A decoy museam and a lock museam. There are lots of nice, but expensive, shops and antique stores to explore. The book store is fabulous with new and old books at great prices, but everything else they sell is outrageously priced. Lots of gardening, cook and wildlife books. There are many restaurants, including some right on the water and a few neat little old fashioned cafes. You can find a reasonably priced meal in town. There is a marvelous bakery that sells the best baked goods for less than supermarket prices. Don't miss the pies and pecan sticky buns.

The residential districts are beautiful and great to explore on foot. We hoofed around that entire town in deeper and deeper snow all day Saturday. Beautiful tree lined streets (old trees) with lovely old homes and nice gardens punctuated with lots of garden objects, which really stand out in the winter. There were lots of very mature flowering trees, so it would be nice to go there in the spring.

From Spring to Fall there is a nice outdoor farmers market. There are steam boats to ride and sailing adventures to be had. There are several very large and long boardwalk type of promenades and piers along the lagoons, where the bay had frozen. Lot's of good bird watching there.

Here is the light house.