
From Algonkian Regional Park, looking upstream along the Potomac and at Tenfoot Island (directly across the river).
I woke up this morning feeling a little bit disappointed by the wet dreariness of this weekend, since I’d been hoping to get started on my early spring gardening projects. However, gardening in the drizzle didn’t sound particularly appealing, so I decided to take the pup out for a walk at Algonkian Regional Park.
As we started ambling in the woods along the banks of the Potomac, I was struck by the serenity and beauty of the Potomac River. The greys and browns no longer seemed dreary, but rather peaceful and calm. Â So glad that we decided to get out and about this morning!
Then of course, I started looking at the trees. I promise that this entire blog won’t be about tree galls and cavities, but I just couldn’t resist this maple tree gall. From the front, it reminded me of a monster, (or maybe a ruffed dragon head), and from the back, it looked like a bit like a bear cub trying to climb up the tree. It’s easy to see how so many cultures and stories have envisioned spirits in the trees, from the dryads of ancient Greek mythology, to J.R.R. Tolkein’s Ents.

The other side of the same maple gall. Doesn’t this kind of look like a bear cub? (just a little bit?)

A wooden dragon head peaking around the tree….or a maple gall, depending on how you want to look at it.
Very cool gall and nice pics.
I see the bear!