Saturday, July 27, 2013

Shenandoah

     The dogs and I hiked around the the north end of Shenandoah National Park yesterday.
     
      We met a park ranger pulling invasive Canada Thistle and Common Mullein on the Fox Hollow trail.

     We watched, what I think were, turkey vultures walk around the Snead farm barn. They eventually settled in the empty window frames.

     We (Bow mostly) stared at the Shenandoah valley near the six mile marker on the Dickey Ridge trail.


     Afterward we encountered a black bear and her cub (a distance away). Unfortunately I was not fast enough to get a picture.
     It was a perfect hiking day. It was sunny, but not hot. A slight breeze kept mosquitoes and other insects away. The forest smelled of warm wood and mineral dust. The fields smelled like milkweed and bergamot. The dogs kept urging us forward. They have been sleeping ever since.

4 comments:

  1. This is such a beautiful, beautiful post, Meg.
    I love the photo of the turkey vulture looking out from its perch in the window frame, and love that they settled in the empty frames.
    Love the descriptions of the smells--of the forest, and of the fields.
    Love that Bow stared into the valley, & love those photos.
    Glad you had such a marvelous hiking day!
    Love you.

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  2. Gorgeous pictures! I gauge any good day by how tired kids and/or pets are at the end of it.

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