Last week’s rains filled the Monocacy to its banks, which prevented exploration for a few days, but as the water receded to more average levels, we were treated to another sort of fun: mud. Lots and lots of it. The kind that sucks off your boots and ends up in your hair. While the boys modeled it into facades that seemed to lead into the riverbanks (and which reminded us of something out of Tolkien, like the Mines of Moria, but for muskrats), I discovered a veritable treasure-trove of tracks and footprints.
They reveal the life along the river that I rarely see; the creatures that come out when I’m not there. Honestly, evidence of the white-tailed deer is everywhere, in the form of scat that my younger dog takes too much pleasure in rolling herself in (and then pouts for days over the subsequent bath), and the squirrels are rarely too shy to show themselves, either. Raccoons, however, are more secretive (being nocturnal), and herons, although visible, prefer not to let me get too close. The Monocacy is host to other animals as well: opossums (one of which made it into my house), shrews, moles, voles, mice, chipmunks, groundhogs (whose holes are another obsession for my younger dog), weasels, minks, and otters, just to name a few mammals. We’re there, too, of course, sometimes leaving a little more than footprints
At least yesterday I found a piece of trash that I could use to collect the other pieces of trash. That’s always helpful. If you look on the bright side.
TRASH ON THE MONOCACY 
Love the mud! Hours of fun for the boys I’m sure!
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Definitely!
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lovely…keep up the good work buddy
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Wow! That’s so interesting. This must really be a great thing to be doing. Have you tried videoing the place? There could be some great footage as you know there is wildlife there. Thanks for the great post.
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That would be my son’s dream! He did manage to capture on video what looked an awful lot like an otter a few months ago.
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Wow! Your so lucky to have access to a place like that. So close to nature!
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I love it that you love your river enough to care for it, and that you are guiding your children in this tradition of care. That is remarkable. Can you imagine the beauty if everyone took the time to care for the places they love?
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I feel sometimes that I need to do it for those who cannot, for whatever reason. In the end, it seems as if I do so little, really, so it is nice to get some encouragement!
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I’m so glad your children get to play in the mud – an essential part of childhood. Wonderful to see evidence of so much wildlife.
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When I was younger, I would play in the “dirtpile” with the neighborhood kids. They are some of my best memories, so I try to keep that in mind when I’m struggling with mud-coated jackets and pants
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You’re doing them a big favour.
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Nice work
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Thank you!
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The way you provide the description with your photographs is simple amazing. Lovely work ❤
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Thank you! I’ve come to realize that the photos help me when I’m looking at a blank page. I wish that I had realized it sooner!
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Incredible-Love the photos and descriptions; particularly like the shots of footprints.
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Thank you!
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https://myllanthology.wordpress.com/
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