Busting Out

It was only a temporary relief from the worries of our lives, but it was well worth it.  It was a reminder that there is a whole different world that exists out there beyond human beings and their existential concerns.  It was a stark reminder that the world, and life, will go on even without us.  (Thankfully, this time, there seems to be no obvious damage to the other things in nature because of what is happening to us.  We are the only ones getting hurt.  Hopefully it remains that way.)

For the first time in months,  we were able to return to the C&O Canal towpath for our weekend walk.  Hopefully we can get back to our old routine from now on.  I had not realized how much I missed the place – the undisturbed surroundings, now beginning to turn green with the coming of Spring; the non-stop chatter and music of the birds; the flowers of Spring; the peace; nature itself.

Your earthly cares fade away when you are out there.  In spite of the cloudy and somewhat dreary conditions, it was a morning for rejuvenation.

This is the entrance to the trail at Sycamore Landing.I was fortunate to see a bald eagle.  Two of these birds flew across the road that led to the boat landing as I was walking down to the river at Edwards Ferry.  This particular one landed on one of the trees close by.  I managed to approach it quietly through the woods.  It was difficult to find a good place to take its picture because of the branches of the trees in-between.  The eagle kept its sight on me, and at some point decided that it had had enough of my nosiness.The trail was wide enough for people to cross each other safely.These racemes are a sign every year of the coming of Spring to the towpath.I kept looking around the trail, and into the woods, for interesting things big and small.The wet leaves.The Dutchman’s Breeches.The woodpecker.  We saw different kinds of woodpeckers, and so many of them!  They stand out because of their colors.
The Mayapple plants.  The flowers actually appear under the leaves later in Spring.These are purple dead-nettles, an invasive plant.