Tag Archives: nature

Why I don’t have a green thumb

Posted on March 13, 2014 by John M

I never seem to be able to do much with my back yard. It’s shady, being adjacent to a vacant, wooded lot that thankfully cannot be developed, and underneath the thin topsoil is marine clay interspersed with stones the size of … Continue reading →

Posted in Photography | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Why I don’t have a green thumb

Disappointment

Posted on March 10, 2014 by John M

I’m kind of disappointed with the past weekend’s hikes. Plans almost always fall short of expectations during execution, and these were no exception. You just can’t make chicken salad out of chicken sh*t, as this fellow I used to work … Continue reading →

Posted in Hiking, Photography | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Wonderland

Posted on March 3, 2014 by John M

As the weeks go by, the “wonder” part of “winter wonderland” seems to be wondering just how much longer before winter eases its grip on us. Not just yet, anyway. Last weekend we went on a 6-mile hike along the Billy Goat … Continue reading →

Posted in Hiking, Photography | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Across the Potomac

Posted on January 26, 2014 by John M

Winter is a great time of year to do urban hikes. Not only is it easier to find spots for warm-up breaks during the hike, but there’s a better chance the roads and sidewalks will be cleared in an urban … Continue reading →

Posted in Hiking, Photography | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Catching up

Posted on January 21, 2014 by John M

The past couple of weeks I have been so busy hiking and planning hikes that I haven’t had any time to post! So here’s a stab at catching up a bit. The weekend of January 11th and 12th featured hikes in Reston and … Continue reading →

Posted in Hiking, Photography | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Contrasts

Posted on December 30, 2013 by John M

This past weekend presented a study in contrasts. Saturday was sunny, clear and warm, and a big group of hikers turned out for a moderate to strenuous hike over rocky, hilly terrain, while Sunday was overcast, rainy and cold, and only a few … Continue reading →

Posted in Hiking, Photography | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Contrasts

Carderock

Posted on December 22, 2013 by John M

A wonderful 6-mile hike on an unexpectedly warm, sunny Saturday on the Billy Goat Trail, sections B and C, starting from Carderock Recreation Area along the C&O Canal. (Google map here.) Section A is the most popular (and strenuous) part of … Continue reading →

Posted in Hiking, Photography | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Lunch bunch

Posted on December 15, 2013 by John M

A winter afternoon at Huntley Meadows. Despite the cold, everyone was out having lunch.

Posted in Photography | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Pimmit Run: Forts Ethan Allen and Marcy

Posted on December 9, 2013 by John M

On Saturday we went hiking on Pimmit Run, which flows into the Potomac River near the Chain Bridge crosses the river from Virginia into the District of Columbia. The hike started at the Madison Community Center, which is located where Fort Ethan … Continue reading →

Posted in Hiking, History, Photography | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Pimmit Run: Forts Ethan Allen and Marcy

Open and shut

Posted on December 1, 2013 by John M

Two hikes this weekend, on Friday and Saturday, yielded looks at the Potomac River in two contrasting states: one open and unfettered, at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, and the other partially shut in and put to work, at Riley’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Hiking, Photography | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments