oh, that is why it is called Great Falls Park

Samuel doesn't do heat well so today I took off without him. There is a path at the Great Falls/C&O Park that dogs aren't allowed on so I took it. I can't even tell you how many times Samuel has tried to turn down that way. Now I know that all the best falls are visible from that path. 

After, I took a path that was too rigorous for Samuel. It was lovely to listen to the water, both intense falls and little trickling streams. I watched a little worm dance in the air and the light. I saw dragonflies zip around. Naturally, I saw a deer eating. There is a building that is also a bridge and people have left graffiti by wiping away dirt on the building - like when people write "wash me" on a car. I saw a man preparing to write something, I thought it was funny so I took his picture and he turned around just as I was doing so. He loved the picture. 

There was one lookout spot where many people were close together, so even though we were outdoors I put on my mask. It was so lovely to take it off once I left. 

The silliest thing I saw today was a tiny Preying Mantis on my doorknob but I didn't have a macro lens on so it isn't in focus.

Thank you so much for the kind words for the gladiola yesterday. I am so glad you liked it. 

One of our idioms is "itchy feet." I think someone once described my grandfather as having itchy feet. It means they want to travel or do something different. Yesterday I had itchy feet. I want to go! I wonder if the impetus for humans leaving Africa was not just looking for food, but partially because some people just wanted to go explore. 

Another odd thought I've been having lately - someone on a podcast asked why UFOs keep buzzing around and no one lands and talks to us. Why do we go to zoos and to parks to see animals? They are interesting, but we'd never try to have a real conversation with one. 

Even those who dismiss the idea of UFOs agree that with all the solar systems and all the planets that it is unlikely we're the only intelligent life ever. I wonder if other planets have plagues. Probably.  https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/13/science/virosphere-evolution.html