Looking at the weather forecast for the center of the country yesterday, we made a decision to delay our departure date from the East Coast to start homeward. At that time it looked like the center of the US, through which we would have to travel, would be an area of possible severe weather, high wind and even snow. I don't know how exactly it will all play out, but here we are.
And, I will add, glad of it. Yesterday and today have been just knock-your-sox-off beautiful days here. It was in the mid 70s yesterday, and reached the mid 80s today, and all the trees just couldn't wait to put on their show. The flowering trees are in full bloom.
Yesterday we had a delightful run on nearby Paint Branch River trail, a wind through the woods to the University of Maryland campus. Really a lovely run on the path right beside what is more of a creek than a river, through an area teeming with birds and frogs.
Today we decided to drive over to a launch site on the Patuxent River to go kayaking. It was GREAT! We launched at a point about 40 miles upstream from the mouth of the river which is at the Chesapeake Bay. So at our launch point it was not very wide - a curving, gentle meander of a river. We saw so many ospreys! Perches had been constructed along the river for them to sit for fishing. We didn't think these low perches were for nests, but we weren't sure. We saw geese, anhingas, herons, egrets and kingfishers. The river is full of fish and we knew that because they frequently jumped right in front of our kayak! A fisherman I spoke with at the launch point said he caught perch, carp, catfish, "spotteds" and some others I can't remember. His cooler was already full by noon.
Then we decided to drive down to Historic St Mary's City, way down on the tip of the peninsula between the outflow of the Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay. Long drive but worth it. This was the first capital of Maryland where archeological excavations have revealed the locations of the mid 1600s buildings. A few of the buildings have been outlined and/or rebuilt as they are believed to have looked. We had only about an hour to look around and absorb what we could as it was already 3:00 and they closed everything at 4:00.
I snapped some photos. Here is the reconstructed state house of 1676. The capital was actually established in 1634 and served as the state capital for 61 years, until the capital was moved to Annapolis in 1695. The town was then abandoned, and all the buildings crumbled and bricks and stones were carried away by locals for other purposes.
This was Homeschool Day, so these children were participating.
The inside.
Early colonists came over from England on the Ark, accompanied by a supply ship, the Dove. A replica of the Dove has been constructed which visitors can walk through. The Dove at the dock on the Potomac River.
George Calvert and his decedents established the colony. They were Catholic but an early decision was made to establish religious freedom. There was to be no official established religion in Maryland, either Catholic or Protestant. This belief was tested several times. The crown's appointed governor, Lord Baltimore, moved the capital at a time of Protestant animosity and it was then that the town was largely abandoned. In 1704 the principle was again tested when Catholic Churches and schools were closed in accordance with "An Act to Prevent the Growth of Popery within this Province". Today Maryland prides itself on being at the forefront of the development of religious freedom.
This is Farthing's Ordinary, a shop.
This is a reconstructed inn that was popular in colonial times. It provided private beds surrounded by curtains, and good food. There was also a coffee house, a novel concept of the day.
We started our 80 mile drive back. On the way we had dinner at a crab shack on the Chesapeake. No outdoor seating was ready yet, but our view out the window was great, and the crab cakes were superb!
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