Day 316 - Beating the Heat at Worthington

(Click any photo to enlarge.)

***Scroll down to see my offer for Red Cross donations.***

Farmhouse with Apple Tree

Woodland Mushroom

This week, my walks are going to be about beating the heat.  My own advice to myself is to either walk very early in the morning, walk in the evening, or walk where it is shady.  While I might do a little of each of these this week, with predicted highs in the upper 90's and heat indices in the mid 100's, today I chose the shady route.

I drove to Worthington Manor, part of the Monocacy Battlefields, where I have walked several times before.  However, there are two very shady walking trails at Worthington:  the Ford Loop (1.6 miles) and the Brooks Hill Loop (1.9).  I chose the Ford Loop today, which parallels the Monocacy River.

Machinery and Hay Bales

The trail was very different than when I last walked it in May, looking for bluebells.  Vegetation has almost overgrown the trail, leaving a narrow brown bare dirt trail to follow.  I saw and heard bluebirds, robins, woodpeckers, crows, sparrows, and a turkey vulture.  Even a train came by, blowing its whistle.  It was a very solitary, quiet walk, otherwise.  However, the mosquitoes quickly learned that I was around, so I had to break out the repellant and give myself a liberal application.

The Lonely Bull

As I exited the woods, the trail continued alongside the cattle pastures.  Cows were pretty far away in one of the fields to my right, but in the pasture to my left, one solitary bull was bellowing out a mournful sound; I wonder if he was the "bad boy," left in solitary confinement.

Muddy Mama!

When I rounded the bend to return to the farmhouse, a group of cows were standing in muddy puddles, huddled under the only available shade.  The mud-covered bovines actually did look a little cooler than the group I passed earlier.

The little ones were giving me the eye!

Keep cool yourselves today.  While I don't advise mud wallowing, if you can, at least stay in the shade and keep hydrated.  Summer heat is definitely settling in for a spell.

Save the date!  Monday, September 2, will be the last day of my year long photo walk project, and I'm planning a big celebration walk with anyone who wants to join me!  September 2 is also Labor Day, so many of you will have the day off.  The walk will be in downtown Frederick, around 9 a.m., followed by a brunch.  More details will be posted on my blog as they get confirmed.  But mark your calendars, grab your cameras, put on your walking shoes, and join me for my final Daily Photo Walk.  Let's jam the streets of Frederick with photo walkers! 

Click on any photo to enlarge it.

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Forward me by email any receipt for an online donation made to the Red Cross for disaster relief, and I will send you a 5x7 print of your choice from any of my daily photo walks or from my website.  Offer good until September 2, 2013.

Visit my web site: camscamerashots.zenfolio.com
Follow me on Twitter: @camscamerashots
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