Walking Stuart's Hill Trail

While in Manassas this past week we drove by the Bull Run National Battlefield park headquarters off route 29 and I remembered that I wanted to try a new trail for a walk sometime while visiting. It was middle of the heat time so we went on home and rested and got refreshed with some cold water and a brief nap. Then I hopped back in the car and drove to the head of the Stuart's Signal Hill Trail for a hike. Camera in my bag and a bottle of ice water and I was ready for an adventure. I grew up around the monuments and markers of the battles of Manassas one and two but this is located in an entirely new section of the park. First look at the parking lot and there were only 3 vehicles there so not many visitors in this area. Turns out it was the day after the anniversary of the day that was so important to this trail 1863 Aug. 28th they sent signals from the hill top to Stonewall Jackson from General Lee. I wasn't very interested in the battles but the nature that is preserved because of it is a delight. This summer the rains have been many and the heat has been unusually low which has allowed some very green grasses to sprout in what is normally a dry dusty forest floor. It was so refreshing to see. The sky was magnificent as I walked out of the woods through a field of shoulder high grasses. There I caught sight of the first wild turkey I have seen in the area. It was way at the other side of the field on the trail cut out of the tall grass. I had just seen two turkey vultures in a field by the road on my way to this trail and wondered at first if it was a vulture. It didn't fly away it ran into the grass after I got one fuzzy photograph. I had to come home to see it blown up if it was really a turkey. Then when I got to the end of the field I found a small turkey feather laying on the trail where I had seen the bird! Clearly a molting turkey was what I saw... and there were other turkey feathers along the same stretch of the trail. Then back into the woods and on to a stream where there were white tail deer. They took off before I got my camera up and ready. Then a ground hog on another stretch of field and several birds including a hawk. Wild flowers I have never seen before and some I like that were in full bloom that we all know like thistle. Three mile walk and done in about hour and fifteen minutes stopping along the way to catch these photographs. It is an easy trail to walk and has a few hills and lots of red cedar forest and open fields to visit, also several ruins of plantation homes that were part of the battle and it's aftermath. I enjoyed this walk for the green and the seeming health of the woodlands. Other trails have massive damage to the old trees from a storm or two that passed years ago and that for me is always distressing to see. I will be going on this walk again.
So here are my pictures of the Stuart's Hill Walking Trail.

view across Brawner house from signal hill

Stuart's Signal Hill trail has several options. 

entering the woods from the top of signal hill. 

Turkey on the trail. 

Turkey on the trail across the field. (blown up)

Looking back across the field from the turkey's location...

a striped beige moth posed for a portrait in the tall grass field

wildflower in the field grass I have never seen

this wildflower was about a foot tall and the flowers the size of a quarter 

lovely lichen on a stressed red cedar 

Sun lighting the way into another forest

small foot bridges cross several streams on the trail

mushrooms growing on the dirt trail in the forest 

here you can see where the moisture has sprouted green grass in the forest 

dry creek bed must have seen water recently to grow that grass

my favorite tiny ferns are common in the woods

it was here that I saw the little brown furry ground hog eating grass on the trial

When I got to the end of the trail at the Lewis house site I could hear the traffic from Route 66, a six lane highway that passes by this part of the fields, in the distance. I also saw a second turkey at the trails end which took off running. I pointed my camera but it was a lot closer to me than the previous turkey before it noticed I was there. Maybe that traffic noise gave me cover to get so close. Both the turkey's seemed to be alone which made me wonder if they were nesting this late in the summer. They lay their eggs in loose nests built in tall grass which was plentiful in this part of the park.

signs of former farm in the field 

thistle 

heading back the sun through the trees was beautiful

notice how clear the trails are?

golden grasses shown on the way back 

If you go to the park be sure to stop in the main visitor's center on Sudley Road to pay for a park visitor's pass and get your trail map. This trail is a several miles from the main visitors center & the Stonewall Jackson Statue. It's closer to Gainesville than Manassas. Like my Mom says it's great to see so much of the farm land is still there when you travel around the area after years of 50 years of development, bigger roads, more houses, people, endless shopping centers, gas stations, trucks and cars, etc... Nature is still there. Take some time to enjoy it any chance you can and help keep our parks open to all and in good repair. We all need open grassy fields and green forests.

after the cherry blossoms

Each year I remind myself that the Asian vine called wisteria blooms the week after all the cherry blossoms fall while the trees leaf out to fresh green. It's a wonderful sight and can surprise you.  I was out for a walk near Dupont Circle a few years ago, walking along Q. Street NW by the Argentine Embassy when I was overwhelmed the most amazing perfume. I remember looking around and wondering who was wearing such a strong perfume. Sniffing and walking then I passed by a very tall southern magnolia tree and smelled the perfume much stronger. I paused and took a a spin around looking to see if I was missing someone or something and there it was above me a the tree covered in the blooms of a giant wisteria! It was so sweet and fine but only showed on the west face of the tree then. Now you can see it on both sides. So the other day when Melinda and I were walking and she exclaimed how lovely! "What's that called" she asked, "we can't grow those in Wisconsin..." I told her about this wisteria on Q. St. and the equally amazing vines that grow on the long low walls of the National Gallery of Art's West Building down on the mall.

 After that discussion with Melinda, I realized I had to go back and see this display we didn't get time to visit Friday. I also found a second smaller vine growing high over a narrow entrance to a row house on R. Street in the same block between 19th St. and NH Ave. NW It makes such a lovely display and even these tiny row house gardens have room for a big flowering vine if you just make a place for it to grow up to the light.

This is just one of the many moments this week that were a joy for me. I also had the honor to meet two Gee's Bend, Alabama quilters and see and touch their amazing quilts. I went to Manassas for a night with Mom and together we took in a spectacular display garden of tulips in Haymarket, Virginia. I hot linked my photo sets to the quilts and tulips if you want to go see them on my flickr page. I hope your spring is not all gloomy after so many terrifically tragic events in the news I realize each day it is important to live life in the moment.

Progress and a visit home

 After a few hours of blind stitching the edges of the Williamsburg Fences quilt all it needed was a label to complete the project.  I dug up a square of green fabric and did a crude embroidery lettering to put on the back. I chose red thread because  the stripe on the reverse has a tiny red stripe between the greens.
I went out to Manassas for a few days. I used this quilt while I was visiting my Mom. It was chilly at night watching TV. I am happy with the results and might make another only bigger next time. I still have a lot to learn about machine and hand quilting.

edges finished and the label applied for Williamsburg Fences lap quilt 

 Then I set to work finishing up triangular side pieces for the blue and white diamond plate quilt. I found a nice baby blue polka dot fabric to run along between the diamond blocks to give it a grid and make it a little bigger so now I think it will fit a double bed when completed with a boarder. .

peek at the diamond plate block quilt top

 I planted a couple dozen tulips and hyacinths in the Japanese red maple bed then added some chrysanthemums to the bed where begonias were looking sad. The daylily pots are there to keep the leaf blowers from wrecking the new mums.

Mom's spring bulbs planted with some chrysanthemums 

 Keith sent home a big bunch of purple lisianthus which were green when he got them and they bloomed out to fully perfect flowers. They fit nicely in the pot from "olde town Manassas"

purple lisianthus 

purple lisianthus in the dinning room with the rooster motif

Time to think about getting back to the Oranges and put some more effort into my Seminole stripes and strips since the leaves outside are full of sunshine and inspiration as the autumn colors begin to show their full color here in DC!