Day 219 - Bluebells at Worthington Manor

(Click any photo to enlarge.)

Bluebells from Underneath

Along the trail

I'd been waiting for this day for a year.  For some reason, last year during bluebell season, I was unable to walk the trail at Worthington Manor, part of the Monocacy Battlefield site, to find the bluebells along the Ford Loop that runs along the Monocacy River.

However this year, I watched the chatter going back and forth on my photography club email lists about the readiness of the blooms at Worthington and at Bull Run, and so I decided that today was the day to go and see.

Russ and Gary left behind

One of my favorites

I met friends Gary and Russ at the site, and we headed down the trail.  The two men had not met before, and when they launched into a discussion of thermal heating systems, I told them I was forging ahead.  I had a feeling they would have plenty of guy stuff to talk about, and I was anxious to get to the blooms.

The first part of the trail yielded tiny white and pink flowers known as Spring Beauty, and occasionally tiny yellow flowers.  Farther along the trail, when it was closer to the river, I found clumps of bluebells.  Some were still tight buds, but I estimate that about 1/4 of the bluebells were actually in bloom.  By the end of the week, there should be plenty of full display.

Dogtooth Violet

Hurricane Debris

Unfortunately, there was still a lot of hurricane damage--lots of downed trees and branches, although the trail was clear.  Debris clung up high on many of the branches of the trees, showing how high the water actually rose during the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.  I was happy to see that the bluebells survived the floodwater damage, although I am sure some were affected.

Near the end of the wooded section of the trail, before it dumped back out into the fields by the cattle pasture, I found yellow dogtooth violets, also known as trout lily.

Against a fallen tree

Clumps of buds soon to burst

Once I got on the lane that led back to the farmhouse, I called Gary and Russ and told them I would be sitting on the steps of the farmhouse, waiting for them to finish their walk.  When they finally joined me, they told me of spring peepers they took photos of, as well as the bluebells.

It was a great day to go wildflower hunting at Worthington.  I especially hope that my friend Joan and her daughter Katie enjoy the photos. 

River View

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Visit my photography show, "My Maryland," at the public library in Urbana, Maryland, on the lower level of the building.  It is there until the end of April.

Hurricane Sandy Relief: Donate to the Red Cross, and I will mail you a 5 x 7 print from any of the photos I have posted on my blog OR any photo on my website.

Forward to me via email a receipt for donating to the Red Cross. Tell me whether the photo is from the blog or the website, and Include its title along with a mailing address. The name on the receipt to the Red Cross must match the name of the mailing recipient. Send the receipt and the photo request to camscamerashots@gmail.com.

Click on any photo to enlarge it.

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Visit my web site: camscamerashots.zenfolio.com
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Email:  cam.miller@comcast.net

Cam's rules for the Daily Photo Walk:

1. walk every day
2. the walk must be in addition to any other planned activity for the day
3. post a photo every day
4. use whatever camera is easy and convenient for walking comfortably; always have a backup camera at the ready in case of mishaps (I use the Nikon Coolpix P7700)
5. no weather excuses
6. walk only where it is safe to do so