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...

2023

 Happy New Year!

The clock keeps ticking, and the calendar keeps turning. Each day is unique, and each day is the same. Was January 1st any different than December 31st? Not really. But here I am and thinking about all of the possibilities for 2023. I think the symbolic gesture of ushering out the old and welcoming in the new is important. It gives hope for good things to come. And on a more practical level, the new year is a signal that it's time to get back to everyday business. The holidays are a busy time whether you celebrate in a big way or a little way, and I, for one, welcome the chance to get back to a regular routine. 

On that front, we got all the Christmas decorations taken down and put away, except for the inevitable few that escape detection until the boxes are already packed, I have found one small ornament that needs to be put away, and it will be a miracle if that's the only thing we have missed. 

We observed the changing of the calendar in the usual way-hoping we could sleep through the neighborhood fireworks. No such luck, but I didn't have to work the next day, so I guess it was okay. Earlier on New Year's Eve, I helped with a Noon Year's Eve party at the library for kids. There were stories, crafts, and a count down to noon with noise makers, flashlights, and bubble wrap to jump on. A good time was had by all, and I even wore sparkly clothes to the event. 

This part of the trail wasn't too bad.

The next day, the temperatures were warm, in the 50s F, so we went exploring. We made a list of all of the local parks we hadn't visited and set out to find them. If any had paved trails, we were going to walk them. I didn't want to go off the pavement because we had had rain, and I wanted to avoid mud. But you know how plans go. On the way to the first park on our list, we came upon another one that we stopped at instead. As it turns out, someone from the rec department was leading a hike that day and invited us to come along. At a certain point, we parted ways as we opted for the less muddy path, according to the guide. Well, it may have been less muddy, but it was muddy! Before heading home, we made it to one more park and had a nice paved walk around a pond. Later that evening, we heard on the news that taking a hike on New Year's Day is a thing. The first time in a long time that Ward and I have been on trend. 🙂

I haven't made any resolutions for the new year, but Ward and I are talking about projects that have been on the back burner for a while and about things we'd like to do sooner rather than later for fun. I plan to put our ideas on paper with timelines because I love me a list and a calendar. Maybe the one resolution I will make is to look at the lists after we have carefully made them. Might be more successful that way.  

Until next time...

One Trick Pony

Recently, I feel my posts are like a one-trick pony, meaning I only have one thing I post about - hikes. Well, this pony hasn't learned any new tricks, so here is another post about a hike. :)

Wally arranged for us to meet him last weekend for a hike he had scoped out for us to take together near where he lived. This was another let's-enjoy-the-outdoors-while-the-temps-are-good outing. Below are some highlights.

The name Soldiers Delight was supposedly named by soldiers from Virginia who camped in the area in the late 1600s. The site is very rocky, so I'm not sure what would have been so delightful about it.

The area is also called the Serpentine Barrens because of the serpentine rocks, which produce soil unsuitable for growing many plants and trees. The ones that can grow there are unique to the area, and it has been made into a Natural Environment Area.

Chromium was discovered here in 1827 and was mined until 1850. At one point, these mines produced almost all of the chromium in the world. There are still remnants of them scattered about the area.

Much of the trail was lined with a mass of tangled greenbrier. Luckily most of it had been cut away from the actual path.

Blackjack oak sprung up here and there among the greenbrier.

After our hike and visiting the nature center, we tried a new place for lunch. Then we parted ways. Wally went home to work, and we made our way home with a stop at Aldis. 

It was an enjoyable way to spend the afternoon.

Until next time...

Cameras and a Hike

Most of the leaves were down in the woods, where we took our hike.

I had Wednesday off, so after some chores around the house, Ward and I decided we needed to get out and enjoy the unusually warm November weather we were having. So we set off to find the other end of a trail we had been on a few months ago. 

The trail ended at a rec center, so we went there looking for the trailhead. As it turns out, the rec center was an early voting location and was quite busy. In fact, the parking lot was almost full. Signs were everywhere, with tables of literature and people trying to help you decide whom you should be voting for. When we drove up, we also noticed a TV camera and thought the local news was probably doing a human interest story about early voting. On our way into the rec center, where we hoped we could find out more about the trail, another person was set up with a camera. She asked us if we'd like to answer some questions about early voting and the issues that were important to us. I asked who she was with, and she named something that I didn't quite get, except it had Washington in the title. (BTW, our local news channels come from Washington, DC.) I said maybe on the way out.

All of the election frenzies were starting to get to me, so we went out another door, and lo and behold, there was another person with a camera. However, she wasn't so general with her questions because all she said was, "Do you want to save democracy?" Well, that told us that this was not a neutral newsgroup but a group with an agenda. Whether or not I agreed with their agenda, I was irate with the way they were trying to manipulate the situation while trying to appear neutral. 

We got out of the fray and into the fields looking for the trailhead. While we were looking around, it was good to see that parts of Theo's butterfly garden he built there as part of his Eagle Scout project, were still thriving. 

Anyway, we ended up getting in the car and driving to another spot where we found what we were looking for. We had a lovely hike while crunching dried leaves and taking in that wonderful smell of fall. It was a nice change from the chaos we had seen earlier, and we were able to connect to the other part of the trail that we had been on earlier. Mission accomplished.

Until next time...

(And speaking of the elections, if half of what the candidates are saying about each other is true, there's no one fit to be in office.)

This and That

or Another Miscellaneous Post

I first learned the word miscellaneous and how to spell it in third grade. My teacher, Mrs. Conley, had a job chart, and one of the categories was Miscellaneous. I learned to spell it from the chart, and I was very proud that I could spell such a long word. 

We pick two ripe figs and two overly ripe
figs with promises of more to come. 

After that trip down memory lane, back to the here and now. The first figs have finally ripened. I have had this fig tree for five years, getting it first as a seedling a few inches high in a yogurt cup. For the first couple of years, all it produced was a few leaves. For the next couple of years, we got a few figs. But this year, it has finally come into its own. It has quadrupled its size and has figs formed on most branches. We check the tree daily to see if any of the figs are ripe. Figs don't ripen after they are picked, so there is a small window between when they are ripe and when they are rotten. After harvesting the first ripe fig (so we thought), we found that we were too late on some others because we found them rotten on the ground. I'm sure they are making some kind of bug or critter happy down there. At some point, we should have a lot of figs ripe at once if all goes well. I think we will try drying them. If truth be told, no one here is that big fan of figs unless they are in Fig Newtons. They're too sweet. But I hate to see anything go to waste. 

The fig tree is still in a pot, so it will have to be transplanted this fall. Figuring out the right location still eludes us. Our winters are too cold for most figs unless they have a well-established root system. Then they can recover from the winter freezes. They do best close to the house on a south-facing wall. We'll figure out something. 

The fig tree has outgrown its space.

We are waiting for these to ripen.

As I've mentioned before, the pears are ripening. We've put some in the freezer, had some for snacking, and made a pear crisp. We have others we are ripening. Pears are just the opposite of figs. You harvest them before they are ripe. Pears ripen from the inside out, so if they seem ripe on the outside, they may have a rotten core. When I think about pears, I always think about this quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson, "There are only ten minutes in the life of a pear when it is perfect to eat." 

I finally planted a few things for the fall garden using leftover seeds from 2020. I have planted turnips, beets, and radishes, and a few of them have started to come up. Luckily, these vegetables are not nearly as finicky as pears and figs about when they are ready to eat. Sometimes you can leave turnips in the ground for months. In fact, they are supposed to get sweeter with a couple of frosts. 

Now to talk about more outdoor activity that doesn't involve food. Last weekend, Wally arranged an outing for us at a park halfway between our two houses. It was a new to us park, and we will definitely be returning. There were good hiking trails, picnicking areas, a nature center, and a lake, as well as tennis and basketball courts. Something for everyone, but we were primarily interested in the trails. 

Ward, Wally, and Theo hiking a new-to-us trail.

This didn't turn out to be quite as random as I thought it would since I seem to have an outdoor theme going. Of course, you can't talk about the outdoors without talking about the weather. It's still hot and muggy here, with not enough rain. I'm ready for some days in the 70s. 

Until next time...

Staycation, Day 2

Ward and I are taking a little staycation for an extended weekend. Today was our second day. 

We modified our plans slightly today because of the excessive heat we're having, meaning that we took an early morning hike in a park closer to home than originally planned. We hadn't been to this park in at least 5 years, so it was time to go back. The air was cool in the shade, and the surrounding forest was a lush green. We walked 3.5 miles and only started to feel the heat at the end. We headed back home, sweaty but content.

Then I wasn't sure I wanted to do the next thing we had planned: to visit the Union Mills Homestead because of the heat. We had stopped here a few years ago but got there just as they were closing. Another thing on our mini bucket list was to return when we could get a better look at things. However, I was worried about the heat of the afternoon, but Ward was encouraging, so off we went. As it turned out, there were two parts to the tour, both inside. The hot outdoor parts were where you looked around on your own, so we cut those parts short. 

We were lucky once again in that we were the only people there and had the tour guides all to ourselves. BTW, the attendance at museums is down all over. Seems that people would rather Google about something than visiting it. I just hope they can stay open because I like to visit them. Anyway, below are a few more details of our Friday.

An added bonus was the trail was paved. However, we didn't need to worry about muddy paths because it hadn't rained here in a while.

The trail was part of a stream-bottom county park. The county bought up most of the land around the streams and made them into parks to prevent development (and really the land was unsuitable for building.) We crossed over the creek many times during our walk.

Next up was the Union Valley Homestead, established in 1797. Six generations of the same family continuously lived in the house until the mid-1950s. Then it was inherited by two brothers, who happened to be history professors, who decided it would make a good museum.

One of the reasons they thought it would make a good museum was the number of records the family still had from the beginning. It was one of the most extensive collections of family papers in the US, just behind John Adams. Not to mention all the family furniture, artwork, appliances, utensils, etc. - all original, no reproductions.

No photos were allowed inside, so here's a picture of the other side of the house. Notice the different pink and gray parts of the house. That happened when a brother and sister lived at different ends of the house and couldn't agree on what color it should be.

After a very informative tour of the house, we moved to the grist mill. Our tour guide had worked at Colonial Williamsburg for 30 years before returning to his roots as a grist mill operator. He runs this one and does all the repairs to keep it running. 

It was fascinating to see all of the gears and other parts made from wood when today, metal is used for these things. Of course, Ward was very interested in the mechanical and woodworking aspects of the operation. I was curious to see what buckwheat grains looked like because I have only seen buckwheat after it was made into flour. Too bad I didn't get any pictures to show you, but they are triangular black seeds.

 

On the way home, we stopped at Dairy Queen and shared a Girl Scout Thin Mint Blizzard. We had a good time, and I'm glad Ward forced encouraged me to go.😊

Tune in tomorrow to see if Ward can convince me to leave the house to venture into the heat of the day to explore more things on our mini bucket list, a.k.a, what we've been meaning to get around to.

O is for Outdoors

 or Is It Out-of-Doors

Outdoors, out-of-doors, or outside. I never really thought about the differences among those words until now, when I was thinking about an O post. Upon further investigation, I figured out that outside is a noun while outdoors and out-of-doors are synonyms for adverbs of place. Makes sense when I think about the context in which they're used. Now the next question. If we say out-of-doors, why don't we say in-of-doors? The answer for that will just have to wait until another time. For now, here are a few pictures of a recent hike that I took with Ward and Wally out-of-doors.

The trail began along these rocks.

Then it went down a hill where we hiked along a river for a while.

And along railroad tracks. The trail went back up the hill before we went through the tunnel.

The woods were mostly gray, but we did see some color like this old forsythia hedge
at the edge of a clearing.

Yellow was the color of the day. Not only did we see the forsythia, we saw frequent clumps of this yellow wildflower,

And ever-tenacious dandelions popping up here and there.

Detours

 Yesterday was a warm day, with temperatures reaching into the 60s. I had the day off, and Ward took the afternoon off to enjoy the beautiful weather. I'm glad we got out when we did because today has been rainy, and snow is forecast for later in the week. Here are a few pictures from our afternoon.

First, we had lunch at a local park. This is on a hill overlooking a baseball field at the park. Next in the plan was to hike along a rail trail that connects the park to the older part of town and return the same way.

However, the trail looked crowded, so we decided to make our way through neighborhoods and return by the rail trail. We found a new-to-us neighborhood with lots of Victorian houses.

Looking at the old houses made for an interesting walk.

We entered town beside the old First National Bank building. Its plaque says that the bank was first established in 1905, and after two fires, they built this building in 1930, doing their best to make it fireproof.

Then we started back along the rail trail.

...and noticed this poison ivy sign. That was the first time I had seen a warning sign for the dreaded plant.

However, soon we came upon this truck that was blocking the trail. As it turns out, the trail was closed because work was being done on it. We guessed the other end must not go too far either, and maybe all of the people we saw had to turn around, also.

We walked on different streets on the way back and found this historic building. The original sign for the business is in the local history museum, which has been on my list to visit for some time. 

It was an interesting walk, and we got some good exercise as we climbed the neighborhood hills-just what we were looking for in our get-out-of-the-house afternoon.

Until next time...

Nature

We have had a string of lovely weather days recently with temperatures in the 60's along with no rain.  Ward and I were able to take advantage of one of those days by taking off early and going for hike at a state park not too far away. You may remember we did the same thing a couple of weeks ago. This time we were on another part of the same mountain we visited before but in a different park. There were a few people around but we didn't see anyone on the trail we chose. That may be because much of it was steep and rocky. That meant when we found an old logging road, we were very happy. 

Once again, it was a refreshing outing. Nature has a way of doing that. Below are a few pictures from our afternoon along with some quotes about nature.

All my life through, the new sights of Nature made me rejoice like a child. —Marie Curie

Looking at beauty in the world, is the first step of purifying the mind. —Amit Ray

I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order. —John Burroughs

Leave the road, take the trails. —Pythagoras