Nature - Written by Karen

Back to Nature

March 2026 hike to Ardmore Point

About 20 hikers joined in this 3-mile circuit on the Ardardan Estate in Cardross, Dumbarton.

It's located five miles from Dumbarton Castle, on the north bank of the River Clyde, where the River Leven flows into the estuary.

Cardross is now a large commuter village for Glasgow; this is where Robert the Bruce lived his final years.

We all met in the adorable Ardardan Garden tearoom and had coffee and scones; after our walk, we returned for a hearty Scottish lunch.

We had lovely weather, a bit blowy, you can see the clouds scuttling across the sky; the puffy cottony ones were located just past the headland in a protected area of the estuary.

It was low tide; the wall of mudflats is known for oystercatchers, curlews and sandpipers.

I heard that grey seals are often seen basking on the rocks.

In the photo with the horses, we caught a glimpse of the Arrochar Alps.

Clouds billowing over vineyard — Billowing clouds dance over the vineyard

a large black newfoundland dog meets a tiny spaniel puppy — One of the many delights along our walks are the dogs we meet.

a bay horse grazes in a pasture on the Ardardan Estate — A field of horses graze on the peninsula with views of the Arrochar Alps as their backdrop

A wooly sheep fisheyes the camera, the clouds above are thick like his coat — This is ewe. I love how the wooly clouds resemble her coat.

Low tide of the Clyde — Once we rounded the headland, this protected part of the estuary was a sanctuary for puffy clouds that had been chased into this section

Vibrant pink Camellia blooms in early March — A vivacious Camellia urges spring along on this blustery March morning

Fall 2025 - Glasgow, Scotland

Autumn scene with colorful trees and a greenhouse under a cloudy sky.

I strolled through the Glasgow Botanic Gardens and discovered the Kibble Palace has nothing to do with domestic animal food.

A historic church tower under a cloudy sky in an urban setting.

Wandering through the necropolis, high above Glasgow, a church plunges its steeple into a downcast sky.

Historic building illuminated at night with purple-lit tower.

Ok, if you want to be technical about it, this isn't exactly a nature shot, but the Glasgow University backlit at night is stunning. I didn't want you to miss it.

Summer 2025

Early on the 4th of July, I ventured onto our front porch, before the heat chased me back inside.

I sat in a rocking chair and soaked up the beauty of these hydrangeas. These are one of my favorite flowers.

We have showy clusters in our English garden, at our front door, outside my writing room windows, growing up along the stone fireplace, and in our overgrown garden that we refer to as the Serengeti.

(We had a miniature panther that enjoyed skulking through the shrubby wilderness).

Violet-purple hydrangea in foreground, with a blurred pasture in background

Spring 2025

It's currently spring in Maryland and it is such a gorgeous time of year.

The images below were taken from March 29th to April 23, 2025 on my LITTERacy walks (where I pick up trash) through Monkton or along the NCR trail.

This season is quite short, most Marylanders understand that in the blink of an eye we will go from crisp mornings to steamy afternoons laden with humidity and bad hair days for everyone. Even baldies.