Rachel Carson Conservation Park, Brookeville, MD, 7/17/22

 Sunday morning outing to the Rachel Carson Conservation Park in rural Maryland just west of the Tridelphia water reservoir.  The walk started off with a moment of wonderment as we were greeted by the largest and most well kept pollinator meadow I had ever seen. 

"It's a monarch way station," said Jim.  Above, one of the many tall and erect milkweeds dotting the meadow. A map posted at the entrance showed Maryland on the eastern US monarch migration route. 

Entering the forest along the Rachel Carson Greenway trail.

 Raspberry bushes galore lined both sides of the trail.  

Jim declared them too sour but I lagged behind eating my fill.

About a mile in, the trail starts following the Hawlings River.

From  Greenway trail we inadvertently took a shortcut via Fern Valley trail to Hidden Pond trail, to arrive at this small, blackish and algae-covered pond.  Returned to the car via Fox Meadow Loop, traversing a large meadow unfortunately overrun by invasive vines like the multiflora rose. 

Distance: about 2.25 miles, elevation minimal.  

Hashawha Loop, Hashawha Environmental Appreciation Area, Westminster, MD, 7/3/22

 

Fourth of July weekend outing to a Carroll County park just five miles north of Westminster, MD, and only about 20 miles south of Hanover, PA,  Jim's home town.  "We used to play golf in Westminster," said Jim. And, as we drove by the turn off to Union Mills just past Westminster, Jim said, "That's were my father was born."

Above, the tiny but beautiful lake at the entrance of the park, surrounded by pickerelweed.  It was warm but not painfully hot and humid as we set out for a 2-mile loop with my daughter's family dog, Mylee.

Coaxing Mylee to cross a narrow metal bridge. 

Choptank Crab Fest, Suicide Bridge, Eastern Shore, MD, 6/9/22

 Jim registered his two sisters, brother, and me for a Howard County bus excursion to Maryland's Eastern Shore including a 3-hour cruise on the Chesapeake Choptank.

We boarded the riverboat (below) at Suicide Bridge, made infamous for its long history of attracting unhappy people intend on suicide. I'm not kidding. Apparently, the bridge was rebuilt several times and the name stuck.  Good for business I guess.

 

Watching the paddles turn was mesmerizing but even more impressive was the width of the Choptank, one of the many rivers flowing into the Chesapeake Bay. Notice how distant the shore is and we are in he middle of the river.

Jim's sister Suzie summary of our day on the Choptank:

"It was a beautiful day that brought back lots of memories that we shared as kids growing up on Walnut Street in Hanover, PA. Our father would drive to Chincoteague and bring back barrels of live hard shell crabs. Then, as kids we would sit around our kitchen table and help him devour the cooked crabs. I don't mention the fresh oysters he also bought. Those met a different fate. He shucked them in the basement as we all watched. Then mother made oyster stew."

Middle Patuxent Environmental Area, South Wind Trail, Columbia, MD, 5/30/22 and 6/19/22

 

On the trail with Mylee, the 17-year old Havanese on Memorial day, and again on Father's day with both Mylee and Suna, a 2-year old Havanese.  Located in northwestern Columbia, the Environmental Area is less than 15 minutes from our home and offers hardwood forest hiking, 

river walking 

and, right at the start, a beautiful meadow of milkweed. 

Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge, Delaware Bay, 5/12/22

 

Second day of trying to make the best of our 3-day beach stay. Temperatures rose a tad compared to yesterday and we ventured out to the Wildlife refuge located a few miles west of Lewes. Discovered numerous pleasant trails but no flocks of migrating birds. Of historical interest, the name "Prime Hook" is a legacy from the 1600s Dutch settlers who found abundant beach plums and called the area "Pruim Hoek." "Pruim" means plum and "hoek" is corner in Dutch.

Cape Henlopen State Park, Lewes, Delaware, 5/11/22

 

On a cool and overcast day in mid May, Jim and I spent three days exploring Lewes, DE, and vicinity.

Too cold and windy to go to the beach, we instead walk and enjoyed some of the park's many protected trails. The picture above was taken at the very northeast section of the park, a small peninsula jutting out in the sea.  I set out bravely to reach the beach but turned back soon, driven away by strong gales.

Brighton Dam Azalea Garden, Tridelphia Reservoir, MD, 5/5/22

 

1. 

On a cool and overcast spring day, Jim and I visited the Brighton Dam Azalea Garden with our friend Arlette.

The garden is not large but nevertheless holds a collection of 22,000 azalea bushes among the tulip poplars.

Dune and Beach Stroll, Koksijde, West Flanders, Belgium, 8/6/21

 Dune ramble 

with friend Catherine 

(who invited me for an overnight stay at her beach house) 

and 

ending at the Koksijde beach by the North Sea.

Only four days after my sister's leaving this earth, 

it was a particularly comforting and heartwarming occasion.

 Searocket (Cakile maritima) growing right on beach.

Flowering thistle with snails.