The winter doldrums are upon us. For many, the time after the holidays and before spring is a bleak period of endurance, isolation, and waiting. With temperatures regularly below freezing, there would seem to be little incentive to venture outdoors for anything other than that required dash from your building to the car.
Is it any coincidence that the time of year when we feel most depressed is also when we spend the least amount of time outside? Scientists long ago made the connection between exposure to sunlight increasing serotonin levels in the brain, which in turn makes you happy. In a very real sense, time spent outside is a natural anti-depressant.
I recently became a dog owner, which means I’m out walking Angus several times a day, regardless of the weather. While this may seem like a chore, it’s been one of the greatest (and most unexpected) rewards of dog ownership. I’ve seen more sunrises in the past month than I’d seen in the past 5 years. And while I’m usually bleary-eyed and grumpy on my way out the door, I always return with some new memory that made the experience worthwhile.
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Whether it’s the early morning’s amber reflection on the breast of a goose gliding overhead, the way the fog rising from the Chester River can make Queen Anne’s County an abstraction, or the satisfying crunch as your feet blaze a fresh trail through the snow, nature offers no shortage of wonders just because the temperature has dropped. Once the cold spell snapped, sheets of ice washed to shore, the tide stacking them on top of one another like a giant deck of playing cards. The wind and sun have created frozen sculptures, startling for their intricacy, that wouldn’t be out of place in any modern art museum.
This column will be an exploration of the roadways, waterways, fields, trails, beaches, forests, and swamps of Kent County (and occasionally beyond). We are fortunate to live amidst an abundance of natural wonders. Whether my account of these locations serves as an introduction or a reminder, I hope to encourage you to get out and explore more often. It is my goal for this column to act as your Angus, laying its head in your lap, looking you in the eyes, and imploring you to bundle up, venture out, and reintroduce yourself to the world.
George says
Try Turner’s Creek Park just outside Kennedyville! Plenty of trails and plenty of open space to explore. There are beaches, forest, cliffs with gorgeous views and a Geocache or two! Also, two nice trails located in Toal Park just north of Galena.
We too have a dog (greyhound) and we frequent these spots and others! We have a real treasure of outdoor places to explore on the Eastern Shore!
Patty H says
As a dog walker in Kent County DE, I heartily echo your enthusiasm for the personal trainer/naturalist aspect of owning a dog. They are always cheerful, and always want to go with you. Besides the bay beaches & parks near Dover, our favorite place to go is Alapocas Run park in Wilmington. There is a trail that leads down to the Brandywine River. It is rocky, tree-filled and magnificent. I let my dog run free in the woods, as we hardly ever encounter other people. My teenage son loves the old mill buildings on the river, and the rocky cliffs. Our spirits are always raised after an outing here. I found this place through the book “Doggin’ Delaware” by Doug Gelbert.
Wendy Costa says
This article motivates me to take a walk. It seems to me that what really unites people who live on the Eastern Shore is their awareness of living in an extremely beautiful place.
Gren Whitman says
Your photographs are gorgeous! In your rambles hither and yon, don’t forget Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge. Winter is a special time on the Refuge, with thousands of waterfowl to observe, and no insects. There are numerous points from which to spot waterfowl — Boxes Point, end of Duck Inn Trail, Bogles Wharf, the observation blind adjacent to headquarters, the Butterfly Trail Overlook, Tubby Cover observation tower and blind, and the bridge onto the island all have extensive water viiews. The view of Chesapeake Bay from the Overlook is vast and dramatic. Eagles seem to be abundent this winter, as are the usual songbirds — take your Peterson or Sibley field guide to check your observations. A NOTE OF CAUTION: Keep your dog on the leash, please.