Wine Festival at Rockfield Manor

If you're looking ahead for something to do in September, keep this in mind:

3rd Annual Harford County Wine Festival at Rockfield Manor

Rockfield Manor, Bel Air, MD will host the 3rd Annual Harford County Wine Festival on Saturday, September 13th from 12 to 7 pm and Sunday, September 14th from 12 to 5 pm. The event will take place at Rockfield Manor, 501 Churchville Rd., Bel Air.
The event will feature "Wines from Around the World", food, Pottery at the Barn, unique artists, crafters and silent auction. In addition, this year's festival will feature live music from Around the Block, known for their unique blend of rock, pop, and soul, on Saturday from 12-3 pm. The Kelly Bell Band will follow from 4-7 pm. Armed with an infectious groove and style, Bell and his band have held the title of “Best Blues Band in the Mid-Atlantic Region” for many years in a row. Their deeply rooted style is capable of stepping across several musical genres from one moment to the next. As many fans across the Eastern Seaboard can attest, their live show is a musical marathon second to none.
On Sunday from 12-5 pm, Nothin' ta Plunder will take the stage. Nothin' ta Plunder covers the full gamut of musical styles from the Beatles to Van Morrison. Rock, Rockabilly, Country, Blues and some Motown are thrown in for good measure.
Tickets are $25 for ages 21 and older, $10 for ages 13-20 and kids 12 and under are free. Tickets are available online at rockfieldmanor.com Advance tickets are also available at Bel Air Liquors, 116 S. Hickory Ave., Bel Air, MD. Each ticket valid for one day only. No pets or coolers allowed. No alcohol brought onto the premises. Proceeds benefit the Rockfield Foundation. Rain or shine. Sponsorship and exhibit opportunities are still available.
The Harford County Wine Festival is presented by the Rockfield Foundation, a non-profit organization charged with the promotion and general operation of Rockfield Manor, a multifaceted meeting, recreational and cultural venue offering continued service to the local community. Wine Festival sponsors include the Town of Bel Air, Harford County Executive's Office-Division of Agriculture, BB& T and Bel Air Liquors.
For more information call 410-638-4565 or rockfieldmanor.com

Country Kitchen/Cheap Gas

It appears that Country Kitchen is indeed closed. It's been a few weeks with no sign of cars/activities. Could this be where the Putt Putt's new restaurant is going? Could something good go there please? Here at TAA we are begging.
And please matress stores or storage facilities need not apply!
Also, if you have a BJ's membership, now is the time to fill up. Yesterday late afternoon (of course this might have changed by now) gas was $3.90 for members, 9 cents cheaper than at WaWa on Emmorton Road.

Change in Booster Seat Law

Just saw this and thought I'd pass it along. As of June 30, the Maryland booster seat laws will change. The new law requires that every child younger than 8 years old must ride in a booster seat or other appropriate child safety seat unless the child is 4 feet, 9 inches or taller, or weighs more than 65 pounds.
"Child safety seat” includes infant seats, convertible seats, forward-facing seats, booster seats,or other federally approved safety devices.
TAA's 6-year-old weighs around 40 pounds soaking wet so she's still in a booster seat, although she's itching to get out. Now we can say, "you can't get out, it's the law."
We lived in Pennsylvania when that state passed a similar law. I've never heard so much complaining about anything. The residents of Doylestown (i.e. well-heeled) decrying the law because of the "hardship" cost of a new booster seat. FYI -- you can get a booster at Target, Wal-Mart, Toys R Us, etc. for about $20.

Storm Remnants

Ever since TAA returned home last week to find tree carnage in the back yard, a creepy crow has been hanging around. We think it might be a juvenile who was possibly left homeless by the storm. In the photo, we just caught it taking a rest on one of the many limbs still waiting to be sawed by TAA's handyman who was at the Harford District's cub scout/boy scout day camp all week.
Here at TAA we believed the return of the bluebirds was a good omen. This, not so much.

Summer Reading Program at HCPL

Today's the first day you can sign up for the Harford County Public Library's summer reading program. Here's the info from the library:

Join Harford County Public Library's Summer Reading Program and Catch the Reading Bug!
Our Summer Reading Program is designed for kids of all ages - preschool, elementary, middle school and teens. It's easy and free to join. Register in person at any branch beginning June 16th and receive a backpack/tote bag (while supplies last) and valuable coupons. (Preschoolers will receive a pail and shovel set.)

READ 10 Books!

Read the books you like to read. Come to the library throughout the summer and participate in exciting programs and activities such as events presented by the Maryland Science Center and the Maryland Zoo at Baltimore, along with magicians, storytellers and more!

When you have read all your books, return your completed reading list and receive a certificate & a free book (while supplies last) and complete a fun activity. Last day to return your completed readling list is August 16th. (Read to Me, Please! for preschoolers and children not reading on their own have 25 books read to them.)

Assessing the Damage

While TAA was sunning on a North Wildwood beach, it appears that all heck was breaking loose here in Abingdon. We returned home to find our back yard greatly changed with numerous branches down and at least one of our trees probably doomed.
One of our largest branches was actually tossed by the wind into the middle of our neighbor's yard. It looks like lightning got some the wind didn't get. We are glad that our house survived and that we missed it!
A word of advice, some broken branches that are barely hanging on can be quite dangerous. One almost struck us in the midst of cleanup.
How was the storm in your neighborhood?

TAA Represents

As readers you can tell we're not working for daily newspapers anymore as it's taken us an entire week to report on the community meeting for the new Constant Friendship development adjacent to Target that was held June 5 at the Ramada. But here at TAA we did attend the meeting, which consisted of many concerned community members.
Not really.
Just your TAA correspondent.
So TAA received firsthand all the info. The four buildings are planned for service uses. One confirmed is a daycare center, another not-quite-yet confirmed addition is a ballet studio.
They are not planning on taking additional trees, as most of the area has already been cleared. The design of the buildings will be similar to those of the new buildings near WaWa on 924.
TAA voiced the traffic concerns and that the additional buildings would cause even more chaos. TAA also expressed happiness that it was not another storage facility (which developers did not seem amused by) but that it was going to be for local service people.
Also overhead at meeting, the lot near BJ's that was recently auctioned off was bought by a local hotel/motel developer, but that the Constant Friendship property is not going to be for a hotel/motel.
Developers also seemed to be in the dark about the work on the 24/Tollgate Road intersection that stopped unexpectedly. He said the state made him take down the large sign, cleared trees, and then left. It is still planned. But did the money run out?

Free Movies at Regal

If you're looking for something to do with the kids that's free this summer, Regal in Constant Friendship is having its free family film festival again this summer. If you want a seat for a more popular movie, get there early, as a lot of daycares bus in their kids. And dress warmly. Sometimes it can be very cold. I once sat through Clifford's Big Movie with two kids on my lap to keep warm.
They will also confiscate any snacks you take with you in an effort to make you buy $6 buckets of popcorn. I've seen them check purses and try to take sippy cups. Be warned! But at least the movies are free.

Here's the schedule. Some are G and some PG. They all start at 10 a.m.

06/17/2008-06/18/2008 Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (G)
Ice Age: The Meltdown (PG)
06/24/2008-06/25/2008 Pirates Who Don't Do Anything - Veggie Tales (G)
Evan Almighty (PG)
07/01/2008-07/02/2008 Everyone's Hero (G)
Bee Movie (PG)
07/08/2008-07/09/2008 Arctic Tale (G)
Shrek The Third (PG)
07/15/2008-07/16/2008 Running Free (G)
Hairspray (PG)
07/22/2008-07/23/2008 Clifford's Really Big Movie (G)
Alvin And The Chipmunks (PG)
07/29/2008-07/30/2008 Mr. Bean's Holiday (G)
Happy Feet (PG)
08/05/2008-08/06/2008 Charlotte's Web (G)
Water Horse: Legend Of The Deep (PG)
08/12/2008-08/13/2008 Wallace And Gromit (G)
Surf's Up (PG)

And We're Back

We at TAA apologize for taking an unexpected break from the blog. Thanks to our loyal reader(s) who asked what we were doing and asked us to write.
The break resulted from happy occasions (hurrah to a certain Edgewood High School graduate wandering around OC this week) and sad (a small victim of a 5th disease outbreak at Abingdon Elementary -- and yes -- you can have a high fever with it!)
We can't write much today, as TAA's full-time job is preventing it in part because TAA is finding it difficult working with "off-shored" new colleagues with a completely opposite schedule (you know, they're on Indian time).
We do have enough time to give a shout-out to Edgewood graduates and a nice graduation ceremony.
Also, congratulations to all the Harford Ballet Company for excellent performances on Saturday/Sunday, especially Shana O'Brian who choreographed a new piece to "Rhapsody in Blue." Really exciting to watch.
And special praise goes to TAA's own "bluebird" who performed outstandingly while having 5th disease. (She wasn't contagious! Don't worry!)
Don't forget the upcoming meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Ramada Conference Center to discuss the Constant Friendship zoning. We are hoping to attend, but because all of our plans in the last week have changed, we can't make any promises.
There also are some new comments on the Plumtree post. It looks like there are actually at least 3 parcels being discussed. Check it out.