WALNEY POND WALK CONTINUED....

 The tree is across the road from where we parked our car.  We were getting ready to leave and for a short spell, followed this lovely dog enjoying a walk with its family.  She was very well behaved, though her eyes were looking across the pond, maybe seeing those 'swans' or....perhaps the turtles peeked her interest.Interestingly, the sign's illustration shows a Canada goose on what looks like a nest.  The turtles, however, were making good use of Wildlife Island.In the following photo you can see the beaver lodge.  It all looks very quiet.  I wondered if the beavers vacated along with the geese?  Come to think of it, I haven't seen any chewed-on trees for quite a while and there was no activity near the lodge.  Could be the time of day of course.  Perhaps they were asleep?  There is a bridge where the trail continues on to the visitor center I mentioned.  It crosses a small stream.  In years' past we have  hopped over those blocks, when son was young and we were more limber.Gregg and I have walked the trail many times, but not today.  However, we cross the bridge, usually standing at the half-way point for a few minutes to look at the water in both directions.

Look at the root system on that old tree.

It is amazing to me that it hasn't fallen over and made its own bridge.  No doubt it gets checked regularly.

There's a well-trodden path that takes you down one side of the stream, but only a short way.  

The root system from all the trees can be a bit hazardous sticking out of the ground like this.  You really have to watch where you are putting your feet.

There have been benches added, and there are also picnic tables which have been there for many years.

This sign is just before you get to the bridge.  "Wipe your feet!  Please brush your shoes before entering and leaving this area."   We have seen these signs in other parks and nature reserves.  It is hard to read but on the left it says, "Tiny seeds can hide in the soles of your shoes.  Wiping your shoes on the brush at the base of this sign helps prevent seeds from entering or leaving this natural area."  Below that, "Wavy-leaved basket grass is an invasive species from Asia that is spreading throughout Virginia and Maryland. This plant spreads sticky seeds in summer and fall that easily attach to your shoes, socks and pant leg.  It can invade mature forests and blanket the ground in only a few years."  

On the left it reads, "Plant Invaders from Afar. Non-native invasive plants thrive from outside their area of origin and harm the local environment.  These highly aggressive species often spread uncontrollably in natural areas.  Their rapid growth can choke forests, suppressing native plants such as wildflowers, and damaging wildlife habitat." It then shows images of Garlic Mustard with this info. "Garlic Mustard is native to Europe and Asia.  Settlers brought it to the United States to use as medicine and for food.  It is considered an invasive species.  Garlic Mustard contains compounds that make it taste bad to herbivores.  Garlic Mustard also produces chemicals that alter the soil.  The small, dark seeds can germinate for up to five years and are easily spread."  

Coming to these places is always an environmental education.  Can we stem the tide?  I hope so!

Just as we get to our car, Gregg sees a Red-winged Blackbird hopping around in the grass.

It flew up into a tree.

Their red epaulettes with that touch of yellow makes them a very striking bird...

 and its call is very distinctive.  If you would like to hear it, click here.  

A fitting end to our walk.  

Thank you for coming with us to Walney Pond.  I have enjoyed sharing it with you.  

Have a great week! 

     

CONTINUING OUR WALK ALONG THE POTOMAC RIVER

It was a beautiful day as you can see by the sky.

We are looking at National Harbor across the Potomac River.

We have had a few storms passing through these last few months.  A branch had broken off this tree...

and landed on the old picnic table.

Another photo of one of the pair of ducks included in yesterday's post...

and also the Osprey tending its nest. Gregg took these photos from a different angle showing the bridge in the background.

and a collage of both our photos.  The Osprey was once known as the fish hawk as they live on fish that it catches by snatching them in a shallow dive from the surface of the water.  Fish is their main diet but they also have been known to eat a wide variety of other prey, including birds, reptiles and crustaceans.  Ospreys are one of the world's most widely distributed bird, and can be found through much of North America, Northern Europe and Asia, and around the coast of Australia.  I found these facts and many more at this website.

There is no trail by this part of the river.  We walked along the grass to a marina which we explored for half-an-hour.

Always fun being around boats, and it's been a while since we did this.

We have known people with them.  In fact, when we lived in the area all those years ago, a friend introduced us to a relative who had invited us all for a weekend ride on his boat.  Our friend steered and I will never forget being stopped by the river police because he was driving too fast.  I was wide-eyed when I saw and heard the sirens of that police boat. 

 He was told by the officer that our speed was causing a wake that affected yachts participating in a race some distance away, was given a warning and not a ticket.  Our friend's reasoning was that he wanted to put distance between us and that race.  His heart was in the right place, and that was the first and only time I have been or will ever be stopped on the Potomac for speeding!  

And on we walked along the river where all these memories came flooding back... 

as they seem to do these days.

Reagan National Airport isn't too far away and the plane was coming in to land.

This large building with the high rise was across the river at the National Harbor.  The last time we were there it had not been built.  It is the MGM National Harbor Casino and Resort.  I read that it has 23 stories, 308-rooms and a 135,000-square-foot casino floor, a 3,000-seat theater, seven restaurants, a spa, plus other retain and event spaces, and let's not forget the 4,800-car parking garage. 

Below you can see the Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge.  We have taken that many times on our trips into Maryland. You can read about it here for more information.  In part it read that it was named for the 28th President of the United States, Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924), a native of Staunton, Virginia.  While he was president, Wilson reportedly spent an average of two hours a day riding in his automobile to relax.  President Wilson was an advocate of automobile and highway improvements in the United States.  You can read more at the link I provided.

We were now on our way home.  (There is a marsh wildlife preserve nearby but we decided to leave that for a future walk.)  We passed by Mount Vernon and saw the tavern (Mount Vernon Inn Restaurant) we have visited often over the years.  We have lived in this area for 32 years.  You can see one of those visits if you click here.  There is also another link within that post, from yet another visit when a relative was visiting us.  It is lovely inside and the meals have been excellent.  When you go to the gift shop and to the tavern, you don't have to pay for the ticket that allows you to go into George Washington's home, and also the grounds which has a very pretty garden.  We have been there many times when taking relatives and friends over the years, and I daresay we will be taking others on future visits.  But I do enjoy going to the tavern and gift shop, especially when looking for those birthday and Christmas presents.

And that's it for today's post.  I hope you have enjoyed seeing a little more of our area.

Thanks for visiting and take good care of yourselves.

FREDERICK, MARYLAND

I posted a similar photo shown above in my previous post, but in this one there are two extra people on the left.  One of them is staring at something on the wall and my attention was drawn to the object that took her attention.

A Duck!  It took me a few moments to realize that it was another painting, and when we finally walked around to the other side, I got a closer look.  These artists are very talented.

Here's one of the real ones swimming up and down.

Here are those painted bricks I talked about in my other post.  If you missed that one you can find it here.

The stories behind the symbols are on this page of the website.  I didn't take photos of every symbol on the bridge, and could not match up a few to what I read on their page.  However, I have posted what I did find.

Neverending Knot

"This knot reminds me of the spirit of the community for many reasons: because it represents a continuum, it closes the loop, it is like a hand-off from one to the other.  It is like a spiral, always overlapping, yet it never ends.  It is a symbol of energy."

~Thomas Sterner ~ also Alicyn Cratty  

I didn't get the following information about the coins on the above website, just a general search on Google.

The Lincoln Cent 

The Lincoln cent, sometimes called the Lincoln penny, is a one-cent coin that has been struck by the United States Mint since 1909.  The obverse, or heads side, was designed by Victor David Brenner, as was the original reverse.

The Indian Nickel

The Buffalo nickel or Indian Head nickel, is a copper-nickel five-cent piece that was struck by the United States Mint from 1913 to 1938.  It was designed by sculptor James Earl Fraser.  As part of a drive to beautify the coinage, five denominations of US coins had received new designs between 1907 and 1909.

The actual time it took Mr. Cochran and his ten assistants to paint all these amazing works of art was a total of five years. The ivy fascinated me.  I learned that one of William Cochran's assistants took six months to paint those ivy leaves alone.   

Passing by one of the columns I almost missed the sunflower.

Here are more of the symbols.

This one of people entwined comes from an actual design adapted from The Book of Kells.

Begging Bowl

Sheaf of Wheat

Children playing, climbing trees.

Heart

Hand helping another

Chameleon
"The Chameleon has the ability to alter to suit its needs.  A community should be able to change in order to suit the needs of the people involved."  Julie O, 16, High School Student.

"The spirit of community is a sense of sharing and intimacy among those with common challenges.  Enclosed is the logo for the Frederick County Commission for Women.  The thistle - sometimes tender, sometimes prickly - grows undaunted all over the country."  Sandra West, Myersville

A few more symbols to end this part of my post.

Another view of a bridge with the decorative clock that you may have seen here.   

There were a couple of policeman patrolling the area on their Segways.  This is one of them in front of the very nice building that is the local library.  Must go in there next time.  If anyone is unfamiliar with a Segway, you can see one here.  There are different types these days.  There are Segway tours offered in Washington DC, and I daresay in many other cities around the world.  I would be interested to find out how popular they are.  A few years back when they were first being sold, we saw a man park his outside our local coffee shop.  I haven't seen any around here since, only when visiting DC.  It was fun to watch people in groups go by, and though they look like an enjoyable way to get around, I have my doubts that I could balance on one successfully.  I can be pretty klutzy truth be told.

At this time of year when there are hardly any people on the Riverwalk, it is an ideal place to run with your four-legged friend.

We walked over these metal grids with an oak leaf design.  I guessed that they covered a draining system down to the water, and its 'tiles' could be removed for easy access.  You can see my feet just in view.  I make no apologies for my scruffy shoes.  I take scruffy above style any day when it comes to comfortable footwear, at this stage of my life.  In my youth I remember spending a large part of my weekly wages on a pair of green satin, five inch stiletto heels with a pointed toe (winkle pickers was the term for them), and actually could walk in them quite well.  I loved them but they were a chiropodist's dream!  This was a few years before I met Gregg.  I wish I had kept them.  I would have had them in a glass case on a shelf somewhere.   Maybe just as well and I have no memory of where they went.  

And that is the last of my photos from our trip to Frederick.  I am looking forward to going back in the warmer months, as I have seen photos of the water lilies and other flowers on the Riverwalk.  Gregg also wants to go to Gettysburg, which isn't too far away.  It has been several years since we went to Gettysburg.