Listicle April 17, 2025

Outdoors, outdoors, outdoors.

The neighbor's magnolia all dressed up. Credit A O'Brien

1. Fave time of year: now. Spring in all her finest, with the magnolias, daffodils, tulips, forsythias, dandelions, violets, cherry trees and FINALLY it stays light past 7 pm. Hallelujah.

2. Fave ephemeral wildflower: trillium. For some reason, I've read a lot about this wildflower but have never seen it myself UNTIL this past weekend on a short backpacking trip along the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail (LHHT) in SW Pennsylvania. Very excited to finally see some with my own two eyes:

   
   

   

   Trillium in SW PA. Credit: A O'Brien

3. Fave April accomplishment: 50 mile equine endurance ride. Maple and I rode the distance two weeks ago and successfully completed. This ride was held at Fair Hill International, a huge equestrian park near Elkton, MD with massive rolling hills and views for miles. Great venue, great ride, great pony, sore body.

   
   

   

   Between two ears: miles and miles and miles of green grass. Credit: A O'Brien

4. Fave hiking shelter: Adirondack-style with fireplace. These are the huts used along the LHHT. They fit 5 to 6 people but more importantly, each has its own fireplace. Very handy when the temps dip overnight. The only debate: who tends the fire between1 and 5 am?

   
   

   

   Adirondack style shelter Credit: A O'Brien

5. Fave insects in the sunshine: honeybees. April is a very busy time in the Maryland beekeeper's calendar. Queens are hatching, bees are swarming, nectar is starting to flow and honey is in the making. We had a good bee sesh a few weeks ago. Confirmed all queens from last year are still alive and doing well.

   
   

   

   A queen bee marked with green. Credit: A O'Brien