Most of us harbor a secret dream, to wow audiences with our musical ability either through singing or playing an instrument.  Who of us does not wail out songs in the shower, play that “air” guitar, or unconsciously tap, hum, or sing along to music?  (You’ve done it, jamming” in the car,  and suddenly you realize that everyone around you is watching?  Um hmm, me too!)  Music is an integral part of all our lives.  Music is used to help those that suffer from pain, to ease emotions, to excite, to transport us away from the everyday.  What a sad, dismal world it would be without music.

DCI Members enjoy music immensely.  Whether it is singing along to the radio, dancing, or playing an instrument, music is a prominent part of their lives.  Thanks to Kat Hagedorn, Service Coordinator, and Ms. Cloughfeather, CEO, Daily Companions has teamed up with Kimmon Waldruff of “The Rock Room” in Winchester for music exploration.

Kimmon has been involved in music since, well, forever!  In his high school days, he would team up with different friends that were budding musicians, pool their knowledge, hone their skills, and just have a rocking good time!  Later he played professionally, traveling and being immersed in the world of music.  Now he, as a music teacher, is excited about sharing that same sort of passion with DCI Members.

When asked about his music sessions with DCI Members, Kimmon answered enthusiastically.   “That passion for music really sustains a person all through their life.  The give and take, sharing what you know with others and learning from them is priceless.  I love that DCI Members are so open and expressive with music.  They are not afraid to take chances, they will just jump in and try any instrument, sing along, and let the experience just carry them away.  This experience has given me back all those feelings I had in high school, the thrill, the joy, the cohesiveness of experiencing music”.

Ms. Cloughfeather would like to extend an invitation to any Waiver Member that is interested in joining Daily Companion’s Fun Monday Community Day to call our office Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8am and 4pm for more information.

Love to fish?  Ever caught a big Rainbow or Golden Trout?  Where did it come from?

DCI Members traveled to the Albert Powell Trout Hatchery to get answers.  The Albert Powell Hatchery raises both rainbow and golden trout.  The hatchery receives about 450,000 eggs (that’s a lot!) from a private supplier.  The eggs are then hatched into “fingerlings” (small fish).  Some of the fingerlings are stocked directly into Maryland waters to enhance the trout population.  (A ha!  that’s where they come from!).  Some fingerlings are supplied to other state facilities where they are grown to catchable size.  And some are raised to adult size and used for put & take stocking and fishing rodeos.

So, if you have fished in Maryland waters and caught a lovely rainbow or golden trout you now know how the story began.  For more info be sure to visit the website for the hatchery and watch their video.  Who knows, maybe you would like to visit too.

What do you do when it is too hot to be outside but you have a hankering to be around animals? DCI Members were looking forward to the Berkeley County Fair but the intense heat precluded being outside. So we went in search of animals inside; the wild kind! A local pet store in Winchester proved to be just the ticket. First animal spotted were the different varieties of rabbits. Almost everyone wanted a cuddle with the rabbits! Wouldn’t you? Then our attention was caught by the loud squawking and incessant chatter of birds. Thomas was not too sure he wanted to get close enough to the parrot to have his picture taken but he braved it out. We all decided what color of budgie we liked best. Oh, look at all the fish! Tropical fish, tiny sting ray, tiny sharks, all colors of the rainbow. How beautiful. But wait, what’s this? SNAKES alive! Ms. Cathy is actually letting this small boa wrap around her! Yikes! Who will be brave enough to touch the snake? Almost everyone; and how proud of themselves they were. Watching all the animals eat reminded us that we were hungry too. Glory Days provided the substance needed to browse the Winchester Mall for bargains, and then back to DCI. Not the field trip we had planned but fun none the less.

We have three little peppers growing on our plants

Since I helped plant them, does that make me an aunt?

Marty has been very helpful at watering and such

I guess you could say he has that ‘Green Thumb’ touch.

Soon our three little peppers will have some brand new friends

Our tomatoes are now blooming – there’ll soon be Maters to no end!

And there are more peppers that are ready to come out

This is our first year of straw bale gardening, we have produce – so give us a shout!

Friday, June 24 saw DCI Members headed off to one of their most favorite activities, fishing! We would like to thank Frank Roach and his volunteers for hosting us and assisting with the rods & reels. Today many of the volunteers were full of “fish stories”. DCI Members decided to add their stories, and my, the tales got bigger & bigger! The air was full of the sounds of excitement and laughter as each Member hauled in fish after fish; and there were some whoppers! The weather was just right for strolling and just watching if you did not feel like fishing. Some DCI Members just enjoyed soaking up the sunshine. What a wonderful way to end the week, a fabulous fishing frenzy!

Friday, June 10 saw DCI Members exploring “the wild” as they visited Wilson’s Wild Animal Park. One can just imagine tropical foliage and the beat of drums in the distance! Giggles, lots of laughter, and excited chatter from DCI Members as they fed the animals, watched their antics, and discussed how these animals would live and survive in the wild. When asked about their favorite animal these were the answers:

Patricia: I liked the zebra because of his stripes!

Amanda: I loved the peacocks beautiful feathers.

Racey: The bears because they are big & furry.

Thomas: Watching the monkeys eat their bananas.

Matt: The tiger because he is big & strong.

The Staff mentioned that each display of animals interested DCI Members and again, this was voted one of their most favorite places to visit. Have you and your family explored Wilson’s Wild Animal Park?

Harpers Ferry and Bolivar are two tiny 19th century villages, side-by-side, which lie at the eastern-most point of West Virginia, bordered by the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers. Harpers Ferry National Historical Park surrounds both towns, providing visitors with tours, museums, hiking and biking trails — all within easy walking distance of the living history villages. Today, the majestic beauty of the two rivers and the cliffs surrounding Harpers Ferry draw visitors from all over the world. The Appalachian Trail goes right through the heart of town. Boutique shops offer a variety of beautiful items for our visitors and local eateries can satisfy the palate. Local outfitters can help with rafting, tubing or kayaking trips. As the eastern gateway to West Virginia, Harpers Ferry beckons visitors from near and far.  Journey back into history and to historical Harpers Ferry and Bolivar again and again….

This is how Harpers Ferry is described on the web; DCI Members just enjoy the many displays, museums, and shops. The view of the Potomac & Shenandoah Rivers is great for just sitting and watching, maybe drowsing a bit, or having your picture taken! The sight of the many visitors, hikers, and campers passing thru provides lots of people watching opportunities. We spotted a small bird of prey floating on the air currents above and guessed what he might have been hunting for. The train thundered by – who was on it, where were they going? Looking at the display of clothing that was current during the time period made DCI Members glad they did not have to dress that way. The gift store provided lots of laughs with the hand puppets, and plenty of books to look at. All in all, a very relaxing and enjoyable morning.