Tag Archives: allegany county

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Loop at 15-Mile Creek

A dang near perfect Spring day! I went out hiking this morning with the Trail Dames down by 15-Mile Creek in Little Orleans, Maryland.

15-Mile Creek meets the Potomac River

What a pleasure! We strolled down to the old Indigo Tunnel, on the C&O Canal alongside a sparkling Potomac River, taking in Bluebells, Redbud Trees, and a variety of other delights.

Indigo Tunnel

Then we looped back down on the Western Maryland Rail Trail, which took us further down the canal in the opposite direction. This was easy walking on a paved surface, which left us to ooooooo and ahhhhhh at all of Spring’s surprises! The Dogwood blossoms were spectacular. The Paw Paw blossoms made a close second!

Dogwood blossoms
PawPaw blossoms

There were also many wildflowers which I could not name…except for this one…

Red Columbine

The Columbine was growing all over the sheer rocky walls of the hillside. What a stunner!

I felt absolutely giddy walking down the trail today! Mother Nature brought her A-game and I am here for it. 😄

We gave our sincere gratitude by picking up trash along our five mile route. Love your Mother! Hike on!

Pack it out!
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Friday and Spring is Making a Move!

Started the week with a snowstorm and ended with a warm Spring day! Crazy and I am here for it 1000%! 😄

If you are getting hammered with snow or wildfires, I am truly sorry. For those of us in the mid-Atlantic, IT’S AFTER 8 PM AND STILL WARM!! GO OUTSIDE! 🌷

I made a swift exit after my last meeting earlier today to head to Rocky Gap State Park for a walk.

Glorious!

The redbud trees are almost in bloom, along with many other plants I cannot identify. It is always a pleasure to be present for the changing of the season. Everything will bloom, then go full green almost overnight. Don’t blink!

I hope you can get out this weekend. Oh hey…Take a bag and pick up trash along the way to celebrate Earth Day! Hike on!

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Afternoon Walking in the Woods Behind My House

Today was quite an exciting weather day here in western Maryland! A tornado warning had me trying to herd two cats into the bathroom until the warning expired. That was a ridiculous five minutes of my life that I am not getting back! 😂 They had already found their own hidey-holes…so I sat in the bathroom with the door open … in case they got bored and wanted to join me. 😄

They didn’t…warning expired…we had another band of some truly ferocious thunderstorms roll through and then the sun came out again. And it smelled delicious outside. So, I finished the day by walking in the woods behind my house.

Ahhhhhh…the scent of wet, fresh, mulchy, leafy forest after a good rain. Amazing! I walked slowly and with intention. Hoping to find …??? I have no idea really. And when I don’t know what I am looking for, well, I tend to find all kinds of things!

Like this pockmarked rock. This is a lot of eroded holes! I sent pics to my nephew, Izzy, the geologist, for further info. Super curious…and if he tells me it’s just an old piece of concrete…ugh…I’ll be crushed. 😕

I also found some Spring flowers and some kind of cool green grassy stuff growing up out of a mossy spot. I know you are applauding my detailed description and really don’t need the added pic…but here it is … just in case! 😄

Oh, and this little slug living his best mountain life!

Finally, I stopped to look out over the southeastern ridges. B-bye stormy skies! Enjoy the trip eastward!

I trudged back up the hill to my house, poured myself a cup of coffee, and found one of my cats is now, indeed, bored enough to sit on my lap. I am truly blessed! Hike on!

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Spring, Winter, Spring, Winter, …, Spring?

What’s in a name anyway? By calling it Spring are we hopeful to manifest that first lovely breeze that caresses us with oh, so much yummy warm love? Well, I think one of you has dropped the ball on the manifestation homework because it is still winter.

I never liked group projects… 😀

Today was not a good day to hike, but I went anyway. It was cold. It was windy. It was, at times, snowing…fast and furious. Did I question my sanity? To be honest, a little. But, oh, how exciting the world felt! It was intoxicating and I could not deny myself this opportunity to see Lake Habeeb in the drama of this windy, snowy day! Delayed gratification is not something I am really good at…so let’s go!

I parked by the Amphitheater and started the Lakeside Loop by heading towards the campground first. That side of the lake always seems to take for-e-ver to me with all the ins and outs of the lake. I figured by the time I passed the dam I would be looking forward to the straightaway that passes the Casino and Beach. I love the lake, but sometimes the lack of variety in the trail around the lake … not boring…just gets monotonous for me. Oh good lord, I sound like an ass…I am not really that hard to please!!! 😀

Oh gosh! It was such a fun hike! When I pulled into the parking area the wind was blowing snow so hard that my car was moving side to side! I decided to wait for the squall to pass spending some quality time eating my sandwich. The squall pushed on and I headed out under deep blue skies peeking out from behind gray low hanging clouds. The wind was brisk, stinging my cheeks with unforgiving iciness. I zipped up my coat ALL the way to the top and marched on!

In the campground area, bushes were greening up, creating a sweet Spring-like corridor. Periwinkle cascaded on either side and an occasional bunch of daffodils brightened up the dark shadows under the bramble.

Meanwhile, the wind picked up blowing back the hood of my coat (good thing I wore a winter hat)! Looking up, I found a few snowflakes drifting through the trees. Then, LITERALLY two seconds later, it was like someone dumped a bucket of snow … several thousand buckets, actually…from the west end to the east end of the lake! I could not even see to the middle of the lake, when I had been able to see all the across to the other side and beyond just a few moments before. It was wild! The snow stuck in my hair, blew into my eyes, and plastered my whole front side in no time! 😮

Just as quickly, it was gone. The sun came back out, the snow on my clothes disappeared, and on I went. That happened two more times while on the trail and it really was such a joy to stand there and let it take over. Of course, I was never in any danger…this was not a blizzard…just a passing squall. 🙂

Winter refusing to go out without a few more words, Spring refusing to give in to a very pushy, rude Winter. I think Spring is going to win eventually, but for now, in Allegany County, Maryland, it is still Winter! 😀 Hike on!