Meet Millie as she discovers Davidsonville Park on a stroll
After nine months of doglessness, we finally gave in and adopted a little Labrador retriever named Millie.
I say “little,” because she’s fairly small at the age of six months and probably won’t get bigger than medium-sized, and also because she’s mostly lab-ish but also a little bit something else that we haven’t figured out yet. Part beaver, by her proclivity for chewing stuff. But she’s a sweetheart.
Millie’s about 40 pounds, has expressive floppy ears, and her color changes with the sunlight like a starling, sometimes black, sometimes brown. Her breast is emblazoned with a white blotch in the shape of a cross. Her bright hazel eyes often have a quizzical look about them as though she’s amazed at all the exciting new concepts confronting her — like discovering the buzzy joys of chewing on old coffee filters snatched from the compost heap, digging up cat poop in the tulip bed, and the savory piquancy of the insole of a wading shoe steeped in Chesapeake brine.
We found her through an organization called “Operation Paws for Homes,” a nonprofit that rescues dogs and cats from overcrowded high-kill shelters in the Southern states. Millie, we believe, came from Mississippi.
Anyway, the last time we stuck her in her crate I thought I detected a bit of a Blanche DuBois-like whimper. We picked her up from her foster parents in Northern Virginia only about three weeks ago and she’s already made herself quite at home.
The cats, on the other hand, have taken up occupancy in the basement.
They got along fine with our Irish setter, Bonnie, before she passed away last spring, so we’re hoping they’ll get used to Millie as well. We shall see.
I’ve been taking her to the doggie park at Quiet Waters Park, where she seems to get along well with dogs of all sizes, and people, too — though she tends to gravitate toward women like her foster
folks. When there are enough pups to play with in the small-dog area, Millie is in her element, positively frolicking.
We’ve gone on some short walks, but I’ve been careful not to push her too far too fast. So my emotional support spouse, Louise and I took her to Davidsonville Park, where we figured we’d take an easy stroll. Millie’s good in the car — quiet and thoughtful. On the way, I wondered about how Davidsonville got its name.
When we got home, I consulted one of my favorite books, “The Placenames of Maryland, Their Origin and Meaning,” by Hamill Kenny, published by the Maryland Historical Society in 1984. It’s a delightful resource. I looked up “Davidsonville,” and here’s what I found:
“Near Birdsville, Anne Arundel County.”
That’s pretty terse, but the details are a fascinating glimpse into county history. According to Kenny, Thomas Davidson was postmaster in Davidsonville in 1824. The post office was most likely in the general store, which is still there today, serving as the Market/Deli on the corner of Central Avenue and Davidsonville Road. That intersection, it turns out, is what there is of beautiful downtown Davidsonville.
Thomas’ father, James, emigrated from England in 1775 and served in the famed Maryland Line under General Smallwood during the Revolutionary War. That’s where we got the sobriquet “Old Line State.” In the War of 1812, James was one of the “Old Defenders” who turned back the British army at North
Point as they marched to attack Baltimore while the Royal Navy bombarded Fort McHenry. James died in Davidsonville in 1841.
And who knew that Davidsonville was a registered Historic District? It consists of just 15 properties gathered around that intersection, including three churches, the Market/Deli and the 11 closest houses. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992, mainly because Davidsonville is among the best-preserved examples of a rural crossroads community remaining in the county.
It has managed to maintain its integrity since World War II despite increasingly intensive development pressure in the rest of the county. Curiously, the photographs of the buildings for the national register nomination are signed “P. Holland” on the back. No relation that I know of, but I wonder who that might be.
While the historic district is tiny, the actual environs of Davidsonville appear to be vast. Davidsonville Park, for instance, is a full four miles west of the crossroads. It’s mainly meant as an active recreation park, with three lighted ballfields, a playground, a restroom that’s open seasonally, about 1.5 miles of paved, ADA accessible pathway.
But we were there for the unpaved trails that traverse the ridge high above the bank of the Patuxent River. Millie is pretty good on the leash. She pulls a little too much for Louise’s taste, but she’s sensitive and responsive. And curious. She checked out various aromas along the dirt path, investigating where other critters have left their marks.
Along the way, we were surprised and delighted to hear the “who-cooks-foryou” call of an owl somewhere not far off in the woods, even though it was broad daylight, and then a far-off reply. I recorded the sound and posted it on the Maryland Birders’ Facebook page, where several “birdies” quickly identified it as a barred owl with the chirrup of a chickadee in the foreground.
The peepers were prolific in the trees and bushes surrounding a small pond. They’ve been almost deafening the past few days at the bald cypress swamp near the entrance of Quiet Waters Park. A sure sign of spring. We haven’t seen ospreys yet, but I’ve heard they’ve been starting to appear here and there.
From one prominent overlook, the surface of the Patuxent River gleamed in the light of the low afternoon sun, the water brimming the banks with its spring flood. The tulip poplars sported little buds in the highest branches, but the oaks still showed no sign of sprouting leaves.
The path led us from the far end of the playing fields to the stairs leading down the steep hillside to the riverbank below. There’s a cartop boat launch down there. The launch, however, is quite a walk from the parking lot, so you definitely need a cart or rollers. And you have to lower and raise your boat up and down a long, long track. It’s worth checking out before you commit to a cruise from there. And of course, wait until the water warms up.
We walked Millie back to the car, and along the way, she met up with several larger dogs, sniffed and got sniffed without being intimidated. We’re lucky to have found such a wonderful being to be part of our family.
I still hope to take a dog out for a date from the SPCA now and then, just because that’s so much fun and the SPCA does such great work, but Millie’s my main squeeze from now on. Uh, next to Louise, of course. (Louise edits all of my work.)
Incidentally, I’ve been asked to recommend walks for folks with some physical restrictions, and I’d recommend Davidsonville Park for that 1.5 miles of paved trail.
It winds along the woods and around some pretty little ponds. It’s fully ADA accessible. And so are the paved pathways in many of the Anne Arundel County Parks, not to mention the miles of trails. They’re a great way to get out into nature, whether you’re on a cane, a walker, a wheelchair, or just have gimpy knees.
When you get to be 60 years old, you can purchase a Lifetime Senior Citizen Pass for just $40 that will get you into the regional parks that charge admission, but there are miles of paved trails you can explore for free. There’s a handy “Park Finder” app at aacounty.org/departments/ recreation-parks/parks/.
Dear Readers: Every year during this time I step away from my column to work on other creative projects. I hope you enjoy these (edited) “Best Of ” Q&As from 10 years ago. Today’s topic is: unsocial media.
I’ll be back with fresh columns after next week.
Dear Amy: My daughter-in-law “Wendy” uses Facebook to complain about her job, her boss, how much she feels cheated by being a working mother, and even about the shortcomings of her new husband (my son), who apparently failed to buy her a lavish enough Mother’s Day present.
These posts create a kind of online persona that makes her seem vicious, and she really isn’t. But the really embarrassing part is that she is Facebook friends with everyone in my family, and, believe me, her posts are a topic of not-too-flattering gossip.
I have mentioned to my son a few times when her posts have become offensive, and he is trying to deal with it offline.
— Concerned Motherin-law
Dear Concerned: When your daughter-in-law posts her complaints, selfishness or negativity on the public bulletin board that is Facebook, she runs the risk of ruining her personal and professional reputation. And that’s her business.
When her whining veers into family territory, that’s your business.
A gentle and respectful “heads-up” (to her) is in order, and then you should back off, adjust your settings (both metaphorically and on Facebook) and stop reading her posts.
Dear Amy: My dad’s politics are at odds with the rest of the family.
He keeps sending us extreme and hateful articles. We keep asking him to stop, but when he drinks too much (which is almost every night) he will send us articles with messages like, “You won’t be so hard on me after you read this factual article” (which it isn’t).
I’ve asked him to stop sending me any political emails, but then he won’t talk to me for days.
Sometimes he won’t remember sending me anything (because of his drinking), and his feelings are hurt because he has no idea why I am so hard on him. I try to take the high road, but I also will not let him bully me. What can I do to keep him from upsetting me, outside of cutting him out of my life?
— Desperate Daughter
Dear Daughter: You think this is about offensive or unwanted email, but I think this is about your father’s drinking. You claim his drinking is excessive enough that he does things he doesn’t remember doing, then his feelings are hurt when you (or others) react to his actions.
You should automatically delete his messages to you, or have email from him sent directly to your “spam” folder for you to review periodically.
Has anybody in your family urged your father to get help to stop drinking? You can anticipate denial and/or belligerence when you do, which isn’t much different from how he
relates to you anyway.
Dear Amy: I’ve known a dear friend’s father and stepmother for many years. Recently my friend’s father “friended” me on Facebook. I was happy at first, but he writes diatribes to almost anything I post and has used (somewhat “coded”) obscene language.
It’s really weird and disturbing. I asked him not to use the language, and he seems to have backed off a bit, but he spends way too much time on Facebook and way too much time “challenging” me on political and religious stuff. How can I stop it?
— Facebooked
Dear Facebooked: You have attempted to influence this person to behave differently, but he is an adult, and he can do as he pleases. So can you.
You could “unfriend” or “block” him but if you feel this would cause additional unpleasantness, you could limit his access to your posts.
You two would still be Facebook friends, but if he doesn’t see your posts, he won’t have much to push against.
I don’t think there is any reason to involve your (actual) friend in this. If this man contacts you wondering why he isn’t seeing all of your updates, be honest and say his responses bothered you. Then accept the fact that he might not like this reaction.