Mid-Shore Life

by Cyndi Paxton Johnson

Everyone loves a Christmas tradition - and it's never too late to add one more! How about an off-shore adventure to Hunt Valley, MD (just north of Towson) to visit the extravagant Christmas display at Valley View Farms? A long-time favorite for families, Valley View Farms offers 150 uniquely decorated and themed Christmas trees - every member of the family can choose their favorite! Valley View FarmsSea Theme Tree: Cyndi and Kathryn enjoy a sea themed Christmas tree at Valley View Farms.

According to The Baltimore Sun now's the time to get great deals in Lancaster, PA! The deals include free meals or a second night hotel stay for just over $20. There was also talk of a coupon book to use at the nearby outlet stores!

If you haven't been to Amish Country - it's a great road trip! Everything Amish is closed on Sunday - so plan carefully. There are buggy trips, farm tours, home-style cooking, Amish furniture & baked goods and more! There are several outlet malls and the ever popular amusement park "Dutch Wonderland", one of my childhood haunts (don't fret - I'm sure they've updated since then!)Check out http://www.padutchcountry.com/

Take your camera (but don't photograph the Amish) and enjoy the hills and the scenery! If you're very brave - take your bike! Enjoy!

by Cyndi Paxton Johnson

Main Street, Abingdon, VA
Looking for a vacation that’s close to home yet offers you unparalleled relaxation, fantastic countryside views, great food, eclectic art and maybe a ghost or two? Historical Abingdon, Virginia may be your perfect getaway retreat!

Abingdon, VA
Close your eyes and imagine gently sloping hills, dotted with sheep, cows, goats and the occasional llama. A small stream gurgles at the base of the hills, running beside an historic mill that made flour for families as early as 1790. See yourself drinking that first cup of morning coffee on the porch of a restored cabin, reveling in the laughter of the birds. The early morning mist settles below the peaks of the mountains and the calves frolic on the adjacent hill, racing each other across the green valley.

Later, when you’ve drunk your fill of beauty, serenity and coffee, you meander the four miles to the town that was originally named Wolf Hills, after wolves attacked Daniel Boone’s dogs when he camped there on his first expedition to Kentucky in 1760. In 1778 the town was incorporated as Abingdon, after Martha Washington’s ancestral home in England. Today the town of Abingdon, Virginia offers us history, ghosts, theatre, music, art, shopping, dining, and the great outdoors – the perfect place to unwind, play, and rediscover the joy of living. I’m smiling as I type, remembering the three blissful days spent in the foothills of Appalachia.

Santa Tree

Homestead Growers/Gardens

By: John K Johnson

The Mid-Shore Homeschool Cooperative took a field trip last Monday to Homestead Growers, to see one of the largest independent, single-location garden centers in the United States. Homestead Growers is the wholesale, growing division of of Homestead Gardens. The wholesale division is not open to the public, but educational tours can be arranged.

This is one of the three growing areas for poinsettias at Homestead.