O is for Outdoors

April marks the 15th anniversary of my blog, so during the A-Z blogging challenge, I will be sharing previous posts from over 2,100 I have written.

Ward and I like to hike and just, in general, be outside. (Well, I'm more of a fair-weather outdoor enthusiast.) I often share here when we've had a nature outing. This post was in October 2023, when cold weather was encroaching on our pleasant days. 

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Outdoor Amble Ramble

Maine isn't the only place with cold and snow. We get our fair share here in Maryland.

I love being outdoors. Well, I love being outdoors in fair weather. Cold, not so much. But not everyone agrees with me. I watched America Outdoors with Baratunde Thurston on PBS the other night, where he visited Maine, and the theme was embracing the cold. He spent time with people doing various things outside - all in the cold. Looked crazy to me, but everyone was happy. My sister lives in Maine and has not entirely embraced the cold, but her husband, who grew up there, has. And her kids. I remember what a novelty it seemed when I heard they did snowshoeing in PE. And my grandnephew was in an outdoor preschool where they spent most of their time outdoors, no matter what the weather was. I guess it's all what you're used to. 

As we're moving into cold weather, I am inspired to be like Mainers and spend more time outside in the cold (she says from the warmth of her home). I know that Ward will be a very willing participant. When we're out together, I say I'm freezing, and he says it's invigorating, with a happy smile. And if truth be told, I find that annoying sometimes (always.) 

But it's good for us to spend time outdoors. You've probably heard reports on studies saying so. I recently read one by the Max Planck Institute that says spending time outdoors is not only good for your mood but also for your brain function. And it wouldn't hurt me to have a boost in both areas. :) But I'll start tomorrow. Today is cold and rainy. I think I will have to work up to it.

In the meantime, Ward and I walked at an Audubon Bird sanctuary a couple of days ago when the weather was beautiful. This is my favorite kind of outdoor activity. Here are a few pictures from our walk.

The sanctuary encompasses 129 acres of various habitats
of woodlands, meadows, wetlands, and streams.

It was a sunny, clear day.

The sanctuary used to be an old farm, and the first trail we took was an old farm road.

I'm always amazed that the redbud tree has such little flowers but such big seed pods.

An old farm pond.

More evidence of the farm.

We couldn't figure out what kind of tree had this interesting trunk growth.

They had some pretty serious deterrents with the birdhouses
 to keep out interlopers and predators.

Next time, we need to take Aunt Martha, our local bird expert, with us. Our untrained eyes didn't see any birds, although we did hear some. But it was a pleasant outing, all the same. And I can already feel my brain working better. :)

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Until next time...