[This is my 5th installment in a 6-part series for a photo trekking class I took with Barbara Southworth through the Smithsonian Associates Residence Program.]

On Sunday, my photo trekking group ventured to Cedarville State Forest near Brandywine, Maryland. It’s a little known place, but it was gorgeous! We almost didn’t go. It had rained all night and the weather forecast was for thunderstorms in the morning and throughout the day. Many of the hikers bailed, but those of us who persevered were quite rewarded!

Wild azalea after a rainstorm

Cedarville is a forest with some swamps and bogs. Because it had just rained, everything was lush and green. All of the leaves were dripping with the rain.
 

After what must have been an hour of hiking and shooting . . . and mostly shooting . . . I think we only traveled perhaps 100 yards. Barbara laughed that we were the easily amused group.

One of the first things that we saw that really fascinated me was a tree partially eaten by what I imagine must have been a very large beaver.
 

There was a lot to see in the swamp. I almost missed this frog:
 

I particularly liked the swamp. For a short while there was a mist rising from the water. I tried to capture what I saw in the following:
 

The light kept changing quickly. The following photos were taken only moments apart:
 

I love the color green and I like water. I really liked this ivy covered bridge. Could we fit more green in a single picture?
 

Cedarville might have been my favorite hike so far. I really enjoyed it.

Trees in a swamp