Memorial Day Weekend 2020: On the Cusp of Summer

May apple

Variegated Blue Bell

Jack in the pulpit

Vernal Pool

Columbine

Mountain Laurel

Well, Memorial Day Weekend is here, and we are on the cusp of summer. Its been a strange spring, in more ways than one. The unusually warm winter was followed by an usually cool spring. Temps held steady in the 50's and 60's for weeks, pretty cloudy overall too. Our last frost warning was in May which was also unusual. I've been trying to grow tomatoes and basil in pots, and nighttime temperatures kept dipping into the 30's several times after April 15th, so I had to bring all my plants inside often. Tomorrow, I believe, summer will finally be here as we have a week straight of temperatures finally in the 80's and upper 70's.

These days, I haven't been hiking much. As I mentioned before, there are still lots of people heading into my neighborhood woods, and the hiking trail there has become very popular during this pandemic. It's an interesting scene, the times I have gone in. There's a steady stream of hikers, families, mountain bikers, trail runners. People sitting on creek beaches, people fishing, people sitting on rocks in the creek reading books, children wading in the water. I've never seen this in my lifetime.

I tend to go in when the weather is crappy, or its raining. Then the numbers are down. At one point I was hiking the deer trail, away from the main route which worked great, until I found a deer tick embedded in my leg. I didn't want to catch lyme's disease on top of everything else going on, so I stopped doing that. Mostly I walk through the neighborhood now.

Otherwise, the woods have been coming to life. The summertime toad chorus just began yesterday. The wildflowers have been great, everything is greening real good now. The mountain laurel are just starting to pop, and this week will be their primetime. It looks like it will be quite a blooming show this year too. I plan on checking it out this week sometime...

Social Distancing

April is here, my favorite month of the year. I've been waiting for it since May of last year. It's when the forest fills with wildflowers and green plants, and the leaves start appearing on the trees, and the light becomes bright with a crystal like clarity.

Last week, Maryland's governor Larry Hogan issued a mandatory stay at home order for everyone, travel allowed only for the most necessary reasons due to COVID-19. I am fortunate to live in an area that buffers against the forest ever so slightly. I stopped going down there last week as it didn't seem safe anymore, as many people are going to the forest for different reasons. Now, like many others, I take my walks around the neighborhood, where proper social distancing can occur. Yesterday, on my neighborhood walk, I decided to slip into the forest briefly to take a look around. It's really hard to appreciate something when you no longer have it. Stepping into the forest for a few minutes felt like standing on top of Mount Whitney. I bee lined down to the creek and was greeted with abundant wildflowers. I was surprised to still see large numbers of hikers passing one another on the opposite side of the creek. Some hikers were wearing masks which was the first time I've ever seen that. There was a family sitting on a sandy stream embankment. In some ways it felt like a different time from long ago. I only walked around for about 15 minutes before I slipped back into the neighborhood to finish my walk...

Spring in Maryland 2020: We Live in Interesting Times

We live in interesting times. Spring has arrived here in Maryland. It's a strange paradox compared to what's happening in our world. With all of the news about COVID-19, shutdowns, stock market crashes, quarantines, social distancing, suddenly our reality has changed drastically. My school, and schools across the state closed their doors a couple weeks ago and will continue to do so until April 24th, and probably later. An overwhelming feeling of dread that I was feeling a couple weeks ago is slowly subsiding to a new normal, where the feeling comes and goes in waves now. Many of us are self quarantining, or social distancing, staying inside our homes and trying to make the best of it.

Some of my favorite local trails that have been a refuge, suddenly feel dangerous. With all of the shutdowns, more people are flocking to trails and forests for relief, for physical and mental health reasons, and perhaps out of boredom. I definitely can't blame them. I do the same. Personally, I still need my forest time, so I try to be strategic about it now and don't go as often. There are a couple of spots where I know I will see very few people, so that's where I go now. All of that being said, it's the best time of year in my opinion. Spring is here, wildflowers and cherry trees are blooming, the forest is greening, the sunlight is increasing in length and intensity, temperatures are rising. I think the forest is still a great place to go during these times, as long as we all follow social distancing protocol. In fact, the forest feels more important than ever right now. Anyhow, here are some pictures of spring around the area the last couple of months. Stay safe out there, and stay strong...