Why did the toad cross the road?

I decided to take a quick evening stroll down my street and saw something different in my path.  All along the way I saw many leaves and twigs scattered around the sidewalk and road. Then I saw a lump in the path that was out of the ordinary.  I stepped closer to the lump and it hopped! It was a toad.

I was able to get a picture of the toad. It is the green lumpy thing near the center of the image. When I first saw it in the sidewalk its green coloring stood out more compared to the white cement. On the mud it is a little more camouflaged, but still easy enough to see.

I am glad I took the evening stroll.  It's good to have some fresh air and get outside after being stuck inside from all of the raining over the last couple days. The surprise toad was a nice bonus.  Take a chance and go for a stroll what will you find, Meet Me Outdoors.

Look what I found - Jellyfish!

I am trying to get back into walking during my lunch break. I was walking along Baltimore's Inner Harbor and decided to take a look and see what is in the water. I first saw a few ducks then farther down I noticed something different. For a short moment I thought it was a plastic bag, then I saw it move.  It was a jellyfish. 

Last time I saw a jellyfish in a harbor was when I was in Boston when there was a large group of them. 

I only saw three of them when I was on my walk today. Two were near each other and one was farther down the way.  I recently learned that a group of jellyfish is called a smack.   

It was definitely a surprise to see something other than ducks in the harbor.  In doing some research I found jellywatch.org that is a citizen-science site where people can add their sightings. It also is full of interesting information about jellyfish. Learning new things every day, Meet Me Outdoors.

The Garden Needs Some (a lot of) Work

I was checking on the garden at the Sunday school after being away for the summer.  My friend was nice enough to take a picture of me while I was standing in the garden.  I was standing on tiptoe so she could see me better. I am not well camouflaged in my bright pink shirt.

Yes, most of what you are seeing is weeds. There are some baby fruit trees in the mix that are surrounded by fencing, but mostly weeds in there.  At this time I don't think I feel safe letting the children into the garden, mostly because anyone shorter than me... will be lost. I was having a hard time finding a place to stand having to step on plants to make my own path. 

One idea was to let the children just pick the flowers around the edges of the garden and we can work our way into it. Knowing the nature of children they will not say at the edges and likely would get lost in the field. 

I could take a weed hacker and cut it down to size, most likely would let landscapers do that.  A greener option is to rent goats and let them eat the weeds leaving me with a lovely garden and some natural fertilizer.  Not sure I have the budget for that.  Strap some tennis rackets to my feet and trudge out a path like I am snowshoeing... not so easy.

If I figure out a way to hack out a maze path in the garden like the corn mazes that are popular in the autumn, that would be awesome.  If anything I might see if there is a good corn maze in my area and trek out to one with some friends.  Find a corn maze near you and join the adventure, Meet Me Outdoors

Swallow Falls Canyon Trail

The adventure of the day was to walk around Swallow Falls. It is a state park in the Deep Creek area of Western Maryland not far from where I am staying.  There is a small entry fee that goes toward preservation of the park.

There are two different waterfalls in the area and are connected by a looped path.  The group of us decided to start with Swallow Falls. The trek to the falls is simple, with some steps that lead you down to the falls. We knew we were almost at the waterfall as the sound of rushing water grew.  When we reached the falls we could see it was a popular spot. Lots of people were observing the falls and taking pictures or wading through water to feel the water flow over them. Since we didn't bring a towel or change of clothes we decided to watch and take pictures.

This first set of falls were relatively shallow but still a good drop.  The first picture only shows the top section of the falls from where I was standing, left of the frame is maybe a 20-30 feet drop and right of frame is the river that leads to it.  As we all know I don't like to get too close to the edge, but it was fun scrambling up some of the rocks along the water.

These are my friends going on an adventure between the rocks and trees. They were climbing around and then started to do funny faces when had my camera aimed at them.  Throughout the forest there are a lot of fallen trees. According to signage, the hurricane winds knocked many of the trees over.

We then trotted off to find the next waterfall, I spotted a really cool looking flower along the trial. Just as I pulled my phone out to take a picture the butterfly landed.  It moved around a few times drinking nectar from the flower as I took its picture.  Do you recognize it from a previous post? It is very similar to the one I found in the garden back home.  Can you spot the honey bee? Both the butterfly and the bee are pollinators.

After some winding paths we finally made it to the second waterfall called Muddy Creek Falls. According to the state park's website it is 53 feet tall.  The pictures to the left and below don't show the scale well but it is much taller than the first waterfall we walked by.  To the left of the falls there was a staircase that leads up to the top of the falls.  At the top there is a platform and a paved path to make it handicap accessible. 

 
 Over all it was a great time.  If you are ever in the area I'd recommend checking it out for yourself.  I look forward toward my next adventure as the week continues.  Go check out what your local state parks have to offer they might surprise you, Meet Me Outdoors.

So Many Stars!

I am vacationing with some friends in western Maryland near Deep Creek Lake.  After dinner it was dark out so I decided to go see what the night sky looks like.  We are staying in a semi-wooded area far from the city, to see the stars you have to look between the branches of the trees surrounding the house. Being from a city suburb with lots of street lights, the only stars you could see the brightest of the bright. The crazy amount of stars one can see in the middle of nowhere never stops to amaze me.  I even dragged my friends out to show them and point out what stars and constellations I could identify between the branches. We just kept saying "there are so many stars!" Then we would turn around and see even more stars. It is dark enough to see the faint Milky Way stretch across the sky.

My work in a planetarium allows me to show visitors a digital projection of the night sky and all of the thousands of stars and I hear how awed they are by the view.  Nothing beats seeing the real thing, it is even better. Take a trip away from the bright city lights, Meet Me Outdoors.

Out by the Water at Kent Island, Eastern Shore, MD

Went out to the Eastern Shore, MD and saw a pretty sunset and some really cool wildlife.  There was an osprey nest, a heron, and ducks. (Yes, more ducks...) 

It was really peaceful by the water.  I could see out toward the Chesapeake Bay with Baltimore beyond the horizon.  It was a great evening with my family eating out on the deck watching the sunset and seeing the animals.

The osprey nest had been made on a post that was put out especially for them. They build the nest though.  My family was passing around binoculars to see them better from the deck.  Apparently the baby osprey are nearly fledged and ready to fly off soon so it was nice to see them still in the nest.

When we saw the heron I wanted to get a closer look so I quietly walked down to the dock and tried to get a few pictures. At first it just stood where it was, but it eventually flew off, I caught it on my camera but since it was dusk the lighting was low.  It blended in well along the shore line after landed farther away from the dock, but I could see it in the distance. Of course the camera on my phone doesn't do well in the dark. I will try to add more pictures when I can. Enjoy summer, Meet Me Outdoors.

Ducklings of MSC follow up

I went out look for the ducklings today but found an empty nest.  I didn't see the mallard ducklings and mommy mallard out on the water but I did see a gaggle of geese.  

I will keep up the search for the ducklings. Until then, I am including the Maryland Science Center's Instagram picture of the mother duck and her baby ducks.  You can see that they are well camouflaged in the nest in the corner. You can see little duckling heads to the left of the mommy mallard's beak.

For those who know me well might also find another picture of me at the MSC's Instagram page demonstrating the need for Sun protection especially in the summer time. Using UV meters I was testing how much suncreen helps block the UV radiation from the Sun compared to the control.  Hint: Look for the person wearing a big floppy hat and sunglasses.

Keep exploring, Meet Me Outdoors.

Ducklings of MSC

Rumors have been going around the Maryland Science Center about ducklings hatching nearby.  When I left work today I saw a crowd of staffers looking towards a small cornered section of the outside wall. As you can see in the picture the mother duck, a mallard, is sitting on her nest. I  heard that four (4) duckings have hatched so far and must be taking shelter behind the mother.  Because it has been hot out, one staffer put a tub of water so they can cool off while waiting for the last of the hatchlings to emerge.  The one white shell you see off by the bucket of water is likely from one of the already hatched ducklings. If you look under the mother duck you can see one more egg waiting to hatch.

 

I will try tomorrow to see if I can catch the ducklings out from the nest. The mother duck and ducklings have coloring that helps them blend in with the ground and nest area making them well camouflaged. Likely once all have hatched they will all go to the harbor water for their first swimming lessons. 

Remember to take care when near wild animals.  This area is sectioned off so the mother duck isn't disturbed by people. Look around and see what new things you find, Meet Me Outdoors.

Baltimore Harbor

Lately I have been taking walks during my lunch break in the Federal Hill and Baltimore Inner Harbor area near my work. One of my routes takes me along the water and I like to look to see what animals are around. Usually I see a lot of ducks but sometimes is see something new.

Today, I looked over the edge of the harbor walkway and saw a turtle.  It was sunning itself on one of the stones. You can see it in the picture centered at the bottom. 

Besides the turtle, I did see a bunch of ducks bobbing up and down in the water looking for food.

If you take the same routes every day, try looking around. There may be something new that you walked by and missed. Meet Me Outdoors.

Robert E Lee Park Walk

I went on a walk today with a friend at the Robert E Lee Park which is north of Baltimore.  I walked there before with a hiking meetup group a few years ago.  That time it was just following a group with someone who knew the trails well. This time I did my best to follow the trails stayed on the path but there were a few places where the path crossed with another or veered off in to some direction.  I used my walking app that maps where I walk with GPS and was able to see where we were going and where we needed to be. So we made a big loop but not exactly the trail that we were aiming for.  

 The first critter we saw was a snake as you see it on the bridge stone.  Of course when my friend went to get a closer picture she scared the snake and it slithered off. The park is dog friendly so in a lot of mud spots of the path we saw paw prints from dogs.  Other tracks are people's shoes and bike tires. Sometimes I saw deer prints in the mud patches. We even saw a deer off in the woods but it ran off out of sight. The last picture was an attempt to catch a frog in action. It was a teeny tiny frog.  It was so small I was amazed I even caught sight of it in the first place it is pretty well camouflaged. It was about the size of my thumb nail. To find it in the picture look on the stick, just to the right of the light. It kept hopping away from one side of the path to the other.

In all we did 4 miles of walking. It was hot out so afterward we made sure to get something to drink to rehydrate. It was good to walk get fresh air while exploring the trails.  Robert E. Lee Park is just up the road from where I live, so it was good to see try the local trails. Find a local park near you to explore, Meet Me Outdoors

 

A Lovely Sunny Day | Zachary Levi and Bert From Sesame Street | Mashable

Gotta love Sesame Street! This is a perfect example of why one should leave the computer and go explore outside.




I hope it inspires you to get outside.  I am sure to get out this weekend, as it is not going to rain.

Grab a sunhat and leave the tech behind, Meet Me Outdoors.

Ready for Spring - Tomato Plants - update

Back in February I planted some tomato seeds with the kindergarten class at Sunday school. We transplanted them a few weeks ago and you can see how well they are growing. 

Kindergarteners' tomato plants

The ones in the kindergarten are doing really well. They have a tray under them and are watered 2-3 times a week.  They are due for another transplant soon. Next week the kids will get to take them home and can plant them in their gardens or into a bigger container for those who don't have garden space. 

Tomato plants need to be acclimated to the outdoors before they are planted, this is known as hardening.  The idea is to start them in the shade and each day you can bring them more into the sun, and for longer periods of time.  In the readings and advice I have gotten from various websites about growing tomatoes and from the garden center tomatoes when transplanted to the outside or to larger pots can be buried deeper than the previous container. That means you can bury more of the stem, up to almost the top leaves of the plant. Tomatoes will grow roots along the stem and this makes it a stronger plant. 

Preschoolers' tomato plants

The preschool class only meets every other week so I bring the plants home. There were a few stunted plants that needed to heal and set roots. These will likely need more time before transplanting.  Maybe after spring break we will plant them. Sing to your plants and watch them grow, Meet Me Outdoors.

Little Purple Flowers - Mystery Solved

Almost a year ago has gone by since my neighbor's kid pointed out to me that the little purple flowers had disappeared from around the yard. The flowers came back again this year and I remembered to take a few pictures.  I used the pictures to help identify the flowers using a dichotomous key.  I narrowed it down to crocuses. The name was familiar from hearing it around the office as first sign of spring.  So now the mystery is solved.

Late winter, crocuses are of the first to bloom. While they do come in different colors, it seems that someone scattered only purple ones in our area and they come back each year. Best part is that even when there is snow they may bloom, are still there when the snow melts again.  Go out and enjoy the first signs of spring, Meet Me Outdoors.

Animals at Night

Tonight as I was walking from my car to my house I saw five deer. I saw the first one crossing the street, one trotting down the sidewalk away from me and three others a few houses down the road. It got me thinking about other animals I have seen at night when walking from my car to my house over the past month or so.

My first odd animal encounter was maybe a month ago when a fox ran right by me going around my car then up the road.  I watched as it crossed the road to the median then into the brush.  I then heard a squeak from the bush and out ran two foxes and they chased each other down the street.  I have seen one of the foxes since then crossing the street on a later night.

My next animal was with a bunny.  I saw it hop up my driveway and into my backyard a few weeks ago. Another day I saw one hop across the path I was walking to my door. It stopped behind a plant and posed for a picture... Ok, so maybe not posed per se but it did freeze in its position as I took the picture.  One adaptation of rabbits is they stand motionless and hope the predator doesn't see them. They also have coloring that helps them blend in with their surroundings.  (Bonus points go to whoever can find the bunny in the picture.)

In looking for activities to do with my nature class that I teach on the weekends I found something called "fox walking". Fox walking is a barefoot walking technique that helps you focus not on the ground but on your surroundings.  I read that for every deer you see, you likely passed ten others.  I was sure this time to look not just at the first deer I saw tonight, but to see if there were others. Sure enough when I surveyed the area I saw the other four deer.  Look around you next time you are outside and don't let animal encounters go unnoticed, Meet Me Outdoors.

I am ready for spring!

I decided to have my Sunday school kindergarten class do some seed starting for early preparation for spring.  It has been 2 weeks and we can already see growth. What is great about keeping the plants in the classroom instead of having them take the plants home right away is we can extend the learning from one week to the next.  We planted cherry tomato seeds in a simple seed starting greenhouse kit.

One week after planting the seeds we were able to measure the sprouts.  With the group gathered around the table I had each student pick a sprout to measure with the ruler.  Since they were kindergarteners and just starting to learn to read numbers we looked for which number the leaves on the top of the sprout were closest to.  Most were 1-2 inches tall, a few were 3 inches tall.  

Once the plants start to sprout they should be under a lamp so they get enough light and have warmth to grow.  I took the plants home over the week so I can be sure they are watered and have enough light. As you can see from the pics they are growing quite nicely. 

The little plants make it feel like spring will be here soon, even though we just got almost a foot of snow outside. If it hadn't just started raining I would have gone out to build a snow-person or fort.  Stay warm everyone!  Think spring, have fun in the snow, Meet Me Outdoors.