I just thought I'd share my morning walk. It was too impressive.
I got to Valley Forge National Park about 7:40 this morning and headed up my favorite trail. The air was crisp and cool, only about 50 degrees but the brilliant sun made up for that. The first quarter mile or so is rather steep and affords magnificent views of valleys in 3 directions. As I worked my way up the ridge the full green of the trees beautifully compliments the cloudless blue sky. On the winding trail I spied several birds and enjoyed their constant songs as the traffic sounds on the road below faded away. I don't understand why I see so many walkers and joggers with headphones on. To me, that defeats the purpose and one of the senses of the early morning walk. Of course off in the distance were several small herds of deer. As I rounded a curve in the trail, I happened upon 3 deer so close to the walkway, I could count their long eyelashes. They stood silently but watchful as I passed by before resuming their grazing. In a more wooded area off to the left of the path I caught three more deer engaged in what appeared to be an early morning lesson. One was on her hind legs pulling tender young leaves from a tree as the other two looked on, possibly taking notes on the new trick they were being shown. As I reached my turn-around point I paused to take in the panorama. From my high vantage point the low rolling hills with clumps of brush and trees spread before me like a rumpled blanket. I noticed several deer clustered in small loose groups. Then some quick movement caught my eye. A doe with her still-fits-under-the-belly-baby was making her way across the knee-high grass. As the doe moved forward, the fawn leaped and hopped keeping her mother in sight with each high bound. The fawn was barely visible when she stood still, so tall was the surrounding grass. As I watched, the doe charged purposefully toward a more dense clump of brush then backed off and charged again. The branches rustled, then parted and a fox with a huge bushy tail darted away from the doe and her young fawn! The fox eventually slunk away disappearing into the dense underbrush. The doe had flushed out a hiding fox! I was amazed. It was like watching the Animal Planet channel in real life! I love these walks in the park. I never know what I will see.
I got to Valley Forge National Park about 7:40 this morning and headed up my favorite trail. The air was crisp and cool, only about 50 degrees but the brilliant sun made up for that. The first quarter mile or so is rather steep and affords magnificent views of valleys in 3 directions. As I worked my way up the ridge the full green of the trees beautifully compliments the cloudless blue sky. On the winding trail I spied several birds and enjoyed their constant songs as the traffic sounds on the road below faded away. I don't understand why I see so many walkers and joggers with headphones on. To me, that defeats the purpose and one of the senses of the early morning walk. Of course off in the distance were several small herds of deer. As I rounded a curve in the trail, I happened upon 3 deer so close to the walkway, I could count their long eyelashes. They stood silently but watchful as I passed by before resuming their grazing. In a more wooded area off to the left of the path I caught three more deer engaged in what appeared to be an early morning lesson. One was on her hind legs pulling tender young leaves from a tree as the other two looked on, possibly taking notes on the new trick they were being shown. As I reached my turn-around point I paused to take in the panorama. From my high vantage point the low rolling hills with clumps of brush and trees spread before me like a rumpled blanket. I noticed several deer clustered in small loose groups. Then some quick movement caught my eye. A doe with her still-fits-under-the-belly-baby was making her way across the knee-high grass. As the doe moved forward, the fawn leaped and hopped keeping her mother in sight with each high bound. The fawn was barely visible when she stood still, so tall was the surrounding grass. As I watched, the doe charged purposefully toward a more dense clump of brush then backed off and charged again. The branches rustled, then parted and a fox with a huge bushy tail darted away from the doe and her young fawn! The fox eventually slunk away disappearing into the dense underbrush. The doe had flushed out a hiding fox! I was amazed. It was like watching the Animal Planet channel in real life! I love these walks in the park. I never know what I will see.