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The Oracle of the Cul de Sac



Once upon a time a wizard came to Columbia and caused a bit of a stir. I have lived here just long enough to have witnessed this and also to have forgotten the entire episode. A recent post on Bluesky jogged my memory.

Screenshot from Bluesky


Oh! I remember that. How could I forget? It was in Oakland Mills. It all began in 2014 when Oakland Mills residents Debbie and Roger Matherly came up with the idea to transform a dead tree in their front yard through the artistic talents of chainsaw artist Evelyn Mogren. Think of it as creative reuse. 

Really, it was creative reuse and it also ran afoul of the architectural guidelines of the Oakland Mills Community Association. It was both at the same time.

The homeowners appealed to the community for support. The Wizard even got his own Facebook account.



Truly a hyperlocal tempest in a teapot. It was resolved with a lot of grace by the Oakland Mills Village Board. And now, more than ten years on, folks like Kimberly Ann Keyes can visit it.

How it got written up in Hyperallergic by Brooklyn-based Benjamin Sutton is a mystery to me.

In Maryland Wizard Statue, Some See Salve for Recession Woes — but Not All Are Enchanted

I’m no longer on tik tok but luckily the poster had shared the video on Instagram as well. It’s part of an ongoing series entitled:  The Baltimore, MD and Washington, DC Area That Tourists Rarely See.

A visit to a statue of a wizard, Kimberly Ann Keyes

I’m not quite sure what I was expecting, but…it’s not a glossy, influencer-styled product. It feels like your friend from high school visited somewhere on vacation and sent you a video. 

I wonder if Keyes found the wizard via Roadside America? 

It is possible for something to be creative, appealing, and to contribute to a positive neighborhood sense and still be against rules on the books. It can be both at the same time. Maybe the people who established the rules on the books never anticipated something like this coming along. Maybe it’s an opportunity to improve the rules in light of new information and experiences. 

Somehow I feel that this issue is awfully relevant all over again. 

*****

Reminder:  Today is the last Clarksville Commons market of their regular season: 9 am - 1 pm.

FYI: Maryland Market Money tokens can be used at all the food vendors except the distillery. 

They are still offering $20 in MMM Bridge Benefits for anyone with $0 in their SNAP account, or the usual SNAP/FMNP matching (up to $20 per person per day) for those with funds in their account. 




Thanksgiving Market is next Saturday, Nov. 22, 9am-1pm

Holiday Market is Dec. 13, 9am-1pm




Village Green/Town² Comments 


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  1. Julia A. McCreadyNovember 15, 2025 at 4:45 AM

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