Students in Silver Spring are learning how to dish some dirt--literally.  St. Francis International School has a working garden that's tended by the students, and it's helping to teach them many different lessons according to an article on the Gazette web site. The planting of seeds and tending to the growing flowers and vegetables are what get students interested.  From there, teachers tie in lessons such as why early civilizations sprang up near waterways. In deciding what to grow and sell to raise funds for a class trip, the eighth grade is learning math and economics. And of course there will be instruction in how to prepare wonderful dishes with the food they've grown. Currently the garden consists of eight beds that are four feet by four feet as well as some edible fruit trees and... 05/27/2011

This backyard backs to an alley in the McNeill's neighborhood of Silver Spring,   It was a cool thing to watch this small back yard space transfomed into such an abundant oasis, in a neighborhood that is just 2 blocks from the Downtown Silver Spring CBD.  This was really a bare small backyard just a few years ago.  Every inch of space has been used cleverly, (even part of the alley) for the landscape and plantings.  Even though there is a lot of space used for gardening, there is still a driveway to the garage and a large gazebo used for outdoor dining and fun. It is still early in the growing season and I love watching Edamarie's garden grow, fill in and florish through the spring, summer and into fall for the past couple years. Backyard Bounty is a local Silver Spring  Business that d... 05/26/2011

Memorial Day Weekend is right around the corner and the neighborhood pools in Silver Spring are gearing up to open for the summer season.  With school out and the mercury rising, a neighborhood swimming pool is the perfect place to while away those hot, humid summer days we have here in Silver Spring, Maryland. Community spirit, the roar of the crowd and the excitement of youthful competition all combine at a neighborhood swim meet. What better way to spend a summer evening than gathering around your local pool in a group effort to be part of an event that promotes fellowship and fun.  Swim Teams in Community Pools of Silver Spring , compete as division members of the Montgomery County Swim League (MCSL).  Being a member of a swim team in Silver Spring is a great way for kids to make fr... 05/25/2011

Looking for some things to do this week in and around Silver Spring, Maryland?  Check out some of these events! Wednesday, May 25, 2011 MyCity4Her Breakfast Boost Time:  9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Cost:  MyCity4Her affiliates, partners are complimentary thru 5/18; visitors, $10. Coffee and light breakfast refreshments included; complimentary parking. MyCity4Her's Breakfast Boost is intended to give women business owners and professionals an opportunity to network with other women while discussing business goals, news and other moderated topics. Where: Brick Bodies Reisterstown, 2 Chartley Drive, Reisterstown ~~ BNI Upcounty Entrepeuners Time:  7:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. The BNI Upcounty Entrepreneurs meet every Wednesday morning. We are currently looking for new members to join our networking gr... 05/23/2011

This event is interesting, family friendly, old fashioned and fun.  Take a short drive out to the "Silver Spring Countryside" for the Colesville Strawberry Festival, where residents have enjoyed this special event for over 25 years.  The Festival takes place at the Colesville Elementary School and Community Center at the intersection of Hobbs Drive and New Hampshire Avenue from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM rain or shine.You can pick up large quantities of Srawberries while enjoying assorted food, exhibits, games, antique cars, goods for sale, plant sales, a craft fair and entertainment by community groups.Parking is Free and all proceeds go C-4, The Colesville Council of Community Congregations.   05/20/2011

This Indonesian-themed event will take place on Ellsworth Drive in Downtown Silver Spring from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM.  Admission is FREE The festival will have a range of demonstrations and activities. Meant for all ages, children will have their own section where they can make arts and crafts including puppets. Food vendors will offer dishes such as many different versions of satay (meat skewers) and a lot of other Indonesian food. A fashion show by Batik Boutique will show of a line of brightly colored traditional clothing. Indonesian music will be heard throughout the day. House of Angklung, an all-bamboo orchestra, will play alongside more modern sounds. Dancers will accompany music from groups like Gamelan Wrhatnala USA. Started in Bali in 1965 by dancer composer and choreographer I ... 05/20/2011

Silver Spring has joined Bethesda as a location that offers pay-by-cell parking.  Wheaton and Montgomery Hills will be added by this summer. What is pay-by-cell parking?  It's the ability to use your cell phone to add time to a parking meter that is pay-by-cell ready, which is currently about 4,500 meters in Silver Spring according to the Gazette web site. Besides the advantage of not having to carry around change for the meter, there are other bonuses. One is that you'll get a text message when your meter is about to expire so you can add time via your cell phone from wherever you are.  No more running down to the curb to add time.  Another is that you can get your money back for unused time if you return to your car before your meter expires.  Both of these options can keep you from e... 05/20/2011

This is a large steak and cheese sub from Santucci's in Silver Spring.  Santucci's is a little Italian Deli in the Woodmoor Shopping Center on Colesville Road, Four Corners, Maryland.  This place has the best subs ever!  It's been here as far back as I can remember.  It's better than Quiznos, Subway, Jerrys or any other "chain" sub place around.  The flavor is homemade, NY italian deli meat, special seasonings, really good italian bread and attention to detail.  They take their subs seriously here and it shows.  05/18/2011

Aspen Hill Md- Townhouses This is a market report for resale Townhouses in the Silver Spring, Md. 20906 zip code, not including those in the gated senior citizen community of Rossmoor (LW).  At the time of this report on March 14, 2011 there are 41 such homes on the market for sale.  The current list price of these homes ranges from $79,900 to $415,000, with the average being $281,743.  The days on market with the current realtor ranges from less than a week to approaching 18 months (505 days),  with the average approaching 3 months (81 days). There are at the time of this report 44 homes in the report area under contract.  The last known list price of these homes ranged from $124,900 to $339,900, with the average being $227,318.  The days on market with the current realtor ranged from ... 05/14/2011

ASPEN HILL  - Detached Home This is a market report for resale detached and semi-detached homes in the Silver Spring, Md. 20906 zip code, not including those in the gated senior citizen community of Rossmoor (LW).  At the time of this report on March 14, 2011 there are 109 such homes on the market for sale.  The current list price of these homes ranges from $120,000 to $899,900, with the average being $388,765.  The days on market with the current realtor ranges from less than a week to over 3 years,  with the average being a little over 3 months (102 days). There are at the time of this report 73 homes in the report area under contract.  The last known list price of these homes ranged from $80,000 to $619,900, with the average being $288,385.  The days on market with the current realto... 05/14/2011

Azaleas are everywhere in Silver Spring and Takoma Park, Maryland.  Right now they are at their blooming best.   In the older mature neighborhoods close to Downtown Silver Spring, the azalea cover is like no other.   If you take a drive or walk during azalea season you'll see about 8 of every 10 homes with one or two or more of these shrubs gracing their landscapes.   The older sections of the neighborhood of Sligo Park Hills (sections 1 & 2) that run from Sligo creek up to Piney Branch Road might have the best displays, due to a resident that worked with the Director of the National Arboretum to hybridize azaleas.   Stuart Armstrong lived on Park Crest Drive in Sligo Park Hills from 1938 till his death in 1970.   Armstrong was  an avid amateur horticulturalist who served as president o... 05/09/2011

Looking for some things to do this weekend and next week in and around Silver Spring, Maryland?  Check out some of these events!Friday, May 6, 2011Government Contracting for Women-Owned EnterprisesTime:  9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.Cost:  FREE EventAre you thinking about doing business with the government?  Join a panel of experts to learn more about how to do business with the government, Topics will include:  the federal government’s new Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) set-aside program, Montgomery County’s Local Small Business Reserve Program, bank financing and certification programs.Where: Germantown Innovation Center at 20271 Goldenrod Lane, GermantownContact: Lori Gillen at lori@rockvillewbc.com or (301) 315-8096~~Women in Business 'Lunch & Learn'Time:  11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.Cost:  Me... 05/09/2011

People in the metro DC area who love food will be in luck on Sunday, May 15, says Gazette.net.  There will be two different food festivals happening that day, one a brand new event and the other an annual favorite.  Folks from Bethesda, Silver Spring and all of the metro area should plan to attend. The newcomer this year is Taste the World in Fenton Village, which starts in the parking lot by Highland Origin Coffee on Fenton Street.  Participants get a passport flier listing names and locations of the 21 participating restaurants in Fenton Village which they can visit for $5.00 tastings.  If you get your passport stamped by at least three of the restaurants, you can be entered into a raffle. The organizers of Taste the World hope to make everyone more aware of what Silver Spring has to ... 05/09/2011

12 First-Time Buyer Programs – #10: Rosedale Federal First Time Homebuyer ProgramBuying a home is not just about finding your dream home.  After all, if you don’t have financing, you can’t get that house!   Our goal is to help you not only find that dream home but to purchase that home once you find it.  Here are 12 Special Financing Programs for First-Time Buyers.#10 – Rosedale Federal First Time Homebuyer ProgramThe Rosedale Federal First Time Homebuyer Program is a program for first-time homebuyers with low-to-moderate incomes and buying a home in the eligible area. Rosedale Federal's CRA assessment area is primarily Baltimore and Harford counties and Baltimore City.The maximum sales price and loan amount is $175,000. No minimum loan amount; maximum loan is based on borrower's income... 05/04/2011

Looking for some things to do this weekend and next week in and around Silver Spring, Maryland?  Check out some of these events!Saturday, April 30, 2011Health ExpoTime:  8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.Cost:  FREE EventCommunity of Faith United Methodist Church and Greenridge Baptist Church of Clarksburg, MD are co-sponsoring a Health Expo. Lots of vendors on site.Where: Greenridge Baptist Church, 21925 Frederick RD, ClarksburgContact: Diane Herron - 301-421-5767 or Robert Tobin - 301-854-6582~~Earth Day 5KTime:  8:00 a.m.Cost:  $30Pacers Running Stores is sponsoring an Earth Day 5K to benefit the Nature Conservancy. Registration is open and on-line. Please see web site for details.Where: Wayne Ave & Sligo Creek Pkwy, Silver SpringContact: Race Director - Kathy Dalby - kathy@runpacers.com~~Marylan... 04/29/2011

The Oakwood Elementary School in Glen Burnie not only teaches math, reading and other basics.  It also teaches students how to be good people, says an article in the Maryland Gazette. As a result, Oakwood has been named one of 50 finalists for the National School of Character Award, sponsored by the national Character Education Partnership.  Finalists were chosen from 140 candidates across the country, and Oakwood is the only school in Maryland to be selected.  The school will be competing with 40 public schools, five charter schools, three private schools, and two school districts. In 2005, the school started a Character Education program, which teaches positive character traits to students through all elements of the curriculum. During the first four years of the program, trips to the... 04/29/2011

Whether you're buying a lovely old "fixer-upper" in Silver Spring or brand-new construction in Rock Creek Forest, you need a home inspection inside and out. Knowing what repairs need attention allows you to negotiate them into your offer, and the seller may then pay for some or all of the fixes. Or you can decide to keep looking. From the RealtyTimes website, here is some general information on inspections. A home inspection will vary with the kind of property you are buying.  According to the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), a standard inspection will cover the following areas: Heating and central air systems Interior plumbing Electrical systems Roof, attic, and visible insulation Walls, floors, ceilings Doors and windows Foundation and basement Structural components However... 04/29/2011

3306 Pendleton Drive, Silver Spring Active $ 369,900 Welcome to this two bedroom, one bath Rambler located on a quiet street in Hammond Hill. Among its many features, please note the light filled rooms throughout – including a gorgeous living room with fireplace with walls of windows looking out to the back yard and patio. Centrally located, you are near the area’s schools, shopping, public transportation and much more! Layout: Front Porch Storage Foyer • coat closet with storage above Large Living Room with Wood Burning Fireplace • 22’5” x 13’7” • walls of windows overlooking private back yard & trees • outside entrance • hardwood flooring Kitchen • gas range • double sink • microwave • adequate counter space • garbage disposal • ceiling fan with light • Hotpoint refrigerator • pantry ... 04/29/2011

3303 Pendleton Drive Silver Spring Active $ 375,000 Welcome to this gorgeous three bedroom, one and a half bath sous terrain house situated on a quiet cul-de-sac in Hammond Hill. Enjoy the many walls of windows throughout this home that overlook the private and mature trees and plantings. The main level offers three large bedrooms (one currently being used as a family room) and a full bath. The walk out lower level is filled with light offering an expansive living/dining room with fireplace with great views out to the private back deck and yard, as well as a kitchen, powder room and storage/utility room. Centrally located, you will find yourself close to the area’s schools, shopping, public transportation and much more! Level One: Covered Brick Entryway Large Open Foyer Bedroom # 1/Fami... 04/29/2011

The Riggs - Thompson House was built in 1858 by George Washington Riggs.  The house was used as a country estate and working farm that was known for it's "fine blooded" cattle.  The estate was originally sited on over 140 acres facing what is now Georgia Avenue.  Imagine a property that originally stretched from Georgia Avenue in the front, to past Sligo Creek in the back and from Colesville Road to present day Bonifant Street on the sides.   The house was accessed by a long drive from Georgia Avenue (then called Westminster Road).  The driveway is now the present day Pershing Drive.  The original GW Riggs house was brick, built in the Second Empire Style with a handsome mansard roof.   At this time the area was known as Sligo, it was not known as Silver Spring yet.  The Riggs family so... 04/28/2011