The Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), located 12 miles south of Cambridge, includes more than 28,000 acres of rich tidal marsh, mixed hardwood and loblolly pine forests, managed freshwater wetlands and farmland. The various habitats of Blackwater promote a diversity of wildlife that change in numbers and species with each season. We were there on […]
nature-focused
If Only We Could Dance with Wolves
I have to say, I think this is one of my favorite day trips so far this year! Since its founding 30 plus years ago, the Wolf Sanctuary of PA has provided wolves and wolf hybrids a way out of institutionalized lives and deaths. Today, Wolf Sanctuary of PA has renovated infrastructure, beautifully expanded living […]
In Search of …. Kayaking to Assateague Island to See the Ponies
Photo courtesy Assateague Explorer This day trip would take us on a kayaking trip from Chincoteague across Assateague Narrows to Assateague Island to see the wild ponies. We’d have to get up very early — Chincoteague is just over 3 hours away from where we live, near Baltimore, and I knew I’d have to get […]
Butterflies and Gardens: Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens
I wasn’t prepared for excitement and wonder I felt in the butterfly garden. And if I hadn’t suddenly realized that our staying in the garden longer was preventing some folks from entering, I would have stayed a lot longer! So even though butterflies are really just (creepy) bugs with gorgeous fairy wings, it was a […]
Visiting the Ponies at Assateague Island
Visiting Assateague Island isn’t just a summer day (or weekend) trip — the island offers a lot of interest for all seasons. When the ocean-dipping crowds depart, the island really comes alive for me. Cooler weather means pleasant walks along the island trails, and of course, no bugs! Map courtesy of AssateagueIsland.com Assateague Island is […]
Sugarloaf Mountain Sort of Day!
Recently, two friends and I headed over to Sugarloaf Mountain, to check out the park itself, visit the winery at its base, and then eat at a local restaurant. There were some surprises and yes, a disappointment. But more on that later. Late fall is a fine time to check out the place that was […]
Going to the Birds in Bombay Hook
I try to get out to Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) at least once a year, camera(s) in hand. Despite the fact I’ve got a lovely camera — far too sophisticated and decked out for the likes of me — I still get camera envy when I see the professionals with their ultra-powerful zoom […]
Leaf Peeping in Dolly Sods Wilderness
Sometimes the beauty of Dolly Sods Wilderness Area is subtle, sometimes breathtaking. Dolly Sods also serves as an abject lesson for us: it was the scene of one of the worst ecological disasters in the 20th century. Despite that, Dolly Sods has rebounded over the past century and now is truly one of the most […]
Catoctin Mountain Reverie
The plan: bring the boys to one of my favorite spots, Cunningham Falls, in Cunningham Falls State Park, not far from Thurmont, MD. Climb the falls, like I did when I was a kid, tell them the ghost story told to me when I was in 6th grade (for which I can find absolutely no […]
Falling for Water Falls: Ohiopyle State Park (PA)
The waters of the Youghiogheny River are the center of the Ohiopyle State Park, in the Laurel Highlands area of Pennsylvania. The Ohiopyle Falls are gorgeous, and I knew from a previous visit that I wanted my sons to see Cucumber Falls, which feed into the Yough itself. I decided to drag the kids and […]