Written By: Mike Tumbarello
Since February is the month with Valentine’s Day in it, I thought I would write about “love” in this month’s Cover Story. But unlike the love we normally associate with Valentine’s Day – love of another individual – I thought I would touch on love of “place.”
In this case, I wanted to specifically get readers thinking about their attraction to and love for the Deep Creek Lake area of Western Maryland. If you read Deep Creek Times, you likely are a resident, second homeowner or visitor in the area. We find many of our readers have a true “love and devotion” for Deep Creek, including its many natural wonders, its destinations, its peaceful, real-world beauty, its adventure activities, its serenity, and its people and its varied communities that dot the mountain landscape.
I will list my favorite things about the Deep Creek Lake area that make me love living and working here and writing about it in Deep Creek Times. I will also list a piece from way back in 2010 that was written by an author I do not know on a site I am not a reader of…. But when searching the Internet for thoughts for this article, I came across this piece on what appears to be a site on environmental causes and thought the feelings expressed by their readers were interesting and worth sharing.
First, why I love the Deep Creek Lake area:
- The natural beauty
- The lack of congestion
- The variety and number of things to do
- The people and institutions
- The safety and serenity I find here
- The simplicity and integrity I often find
- The chance to witness nature up-close and personal
- The wildlife
I pulled Sarah in to list her favorite things about living in the Deep Creek Lake area, too:
- The four distinct seasons
- The best road biking on the East Coast
- The large network of trails to hike
- The best “swimming hole” at Swallow Falls State Park
- The small-town, quiet feeling; the street-lights flashing after 10pm
- The water: in all its forms — the abundance of lakes, streams, sparkling ice, and snowfall
- The deep, starry night sky
- The community of non-profits, small mom and pops, and large businesses working to “do good”
- The close-knit folks who will do anything to lend a hand
(recently, I had an acquaintance drive by my house, see me unloading a truckload of bricks and stop to help…. he and I unloaded every last one of them!) - The friends who become family
What do you love about the lake area and why you visit or make it your home?
Here’s the link to the article I told you about, written by Sarah Goodyear of Grist and titled “Why You Love the Places You live, in Your Own Words.” It includes short pieces from a diverse number of people on why they love their home city.
https://grist.org/article/2010-12-01-our-readers-tell-us-why-they-love-the-places-they-live/
Enjoy and I hope you all find and have love this month and forever!
Mike