This is My Forties

My Mother's Day week was fabulous.  I saw 2 of my favorite wetland areas with all my favorite people and we got to check off more of our Maryland herps (reptiles and amphibians).  I also got to go to another park with Josh and Brennan earlier in the week.  That's 3 parks in one week!  I had basically stopped going to parks, which was probably a bad idea.  No one usually wants to come with and I am not a solo traveler.  Never have been. I don't know why I love swamps so much.  Maybe it's because they only seem dead, but they're actually some of the most "alive" places on the planet.  So much goes on there.  Anyway... I also hosted a couple people from school and their Moms for an end of semester BBQ, which is a big deal for me since I normally get so anxious about social gatherings, especially hosting them and meeting new people.  Not this time!  And I only obsessed over everything I said and did afterwards for a few hours i...

This is the first time in my life that I've lived so close to the beach!  We live a short trip down the highway to the Chesapeake Bay and I've found plenty of stops along the way to enjoy.  The more public beaches like Calvert Cliffs and Flag Ponds are always great, but sometimes can get a bit crowded for this introvert's taste.  Flag Ponds Nature Park is by far the best beach experience near us.  The beach area is so huge it never really feels crowded.  The walk to the beach from the parking lot is short.  The facilities are well-maintained and conveniently located.  There is a little pond that's jellyfish free that the kids can still play in (little boys who enjoy mud and dirt especially love it).  We bring all our company out to this beach when they come to visit.  In June we've already brought my brother and his family and our friend Rudy, not to mention the few trips we've taken with the neighbors there as well... it's a fabulous pl...