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Tag Archives: Potomac River
River Walk
Since recovering from pneumonia, I’ve been getting my strength back with various exercises and walking. On Sunday, one of the few sunny days we’ve had in ages, my friend Carolyn and I took a walk down to the Key Bridge … Continue reading
Posted in Community, Local Pleasures
Tagged art installations, Georgetown waterfront, Potomac River
31 Comments
Quick Escapes: A Closer Walk in the Woods
I had another Saturday jam-packed with errands, laundry, cleaning and grocery shopping vaguely planned in my weekend-fogged brain when I got a call from my friend Paul wanting to get out into the gorgeous day. What a great idea! We … Continue reading
Posted in Local Pleasures
Tagged forest, marsh, Potomac River, quick escapes, Theodore Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt Island, wildlife refuge
35 Comments
Winter Gardening: the Requirement Is Mild Weather
During the winters of 2011-2012 and 2012-2013, I extolled winter gardening and early planting. This year, we’ve had consistent winter cold and quantities of frozen precipitation, so the garden and I have rested. I doubt much that I planted last … Continue reading
Posted in Local Pleasures
Tagged polar vortex, Potomac River, Theodore Roosevelt Island, Winter gardening
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The River Beckons
Yes, I spent time in the garden this weekend—planting the beans and the basil seed, pulling weeds and harvesting, but I also got out on my bicycle. I had let it get a little late, what with sunset around 8:30, … Continue reading
Mason Neck Sparkles in Winter
Normally, my local pleasures are within a 10 mile radius, but I ventured outside that recently to go to Mason Neck, a great place for kayaking in warmer weather. There is a National Wildlife Refuge here as well as a … Continue reading
Posted in Local Pleasures
Tagged Bird life, ducks, eagles, kayaking, Marshland, Mason Neck Wildlife Refuge, Potomac River, swans, winter bird watching
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We All Have a River
I have been thinking about Norman Maclean’s memoir of his family and Montana, A River Runs Through It. In its last and often quoted lines, Maclean describes how a particular act, fly fishing, and a particular place, the Big Blackfoot … Continue reading
Posted in Local Pleasures
Tagged A river runs through it, Big Blackfoot River, canoe, kayak, Lake Como, Little River, Norman Maclean, Potomac River, sail
3 Comments
River and Marsh
Over Columbus Day weekend, my sailing buddy and I, thwarted by lack of wind, decided to kayak in Alexandria’s Dyke Marsh. We rented kayaks at Belle Haven Marina, one of my favorite places to rent kayaks and sailboats. I hadn’t … Continue reading
Posted in Local Pleasures, Uncategorized
Tagged Belle Haven Marina, Bird life, cattails, Dyke Marsh, Eagle, Egret, kayaking, kingfisher, Marsh birds, marsh plants, Osprey, Potomac River, water plants, wild rice
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River in the City
When I need a dose of the river and don’t want to drive anywhere, I walk down to Theodore Roosevelt Island over the bridge that spans the George Washington Memorial Parkway near Rosslyn. It never fails to refocus my mind. In … Continue reading
Posted in Local Pleasures
Tagged Bird life, birds, cormorant, kayaking, kingfisher, pileated woodpecker, Potomac River, raccoons, spike buck, Theodore Roosevelt Island, turtles
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Taking to the Bike Trail
I used to come home from work in the summer, grab something quick to eat, and head straight out for the bike trail. With increased code orange air quality days, I had to reduce my riding schedule and a soul-sucking … Continue reading
