WALKIN', WRITIN', WIT & WHIMSY

Ice is NOT nice, whether you’re a heron or a human!

Posted on April 12, 2026 by Linda Schaub

Were you glued to the 2026 Winter Olympics? I watched some highlights of the various skating events, but quite honestly, since Winter is NOT my favorite season and I detest snow and ice, I bided my time until it was safe to get out with the camera to at least try to enjoy my least-favorite season. That day finally arrived on February 12^th, the first of three days when I visited some of my favorite local parks, then a wintry mix forced me back into hibernation and my countdown until Spring’s arrival began anew.

Along the edge.

Perhaps you are wondering about the featured image which is none other than Harry the Heron, Council Point Park’s resident Great Blue Heron. Harry was meandering along the very edge of an icy ledge at the Ecorse Creek. Through the years, most of my photos of this feathered fellow have him standing like a sentry on the shoreline, or peering into the water for fish. Occasionally Harry is pictured wading in the Creek looking for lunch.

Well, here is the backstory about “Harry the Ice Walker”.

Harry was walking on the other side of the Creek in an effort to escape little ol’ me, who had arrived earlier, camera in hand and was clicking away as he stood by himself on the ice, pondering life and why he didn’t live in a warmer clime.

If you squint you can see Harry on the ice, far away from me. I was nowhere near him. The dark blob next to Harry was a snoozing duck.

I zoomed in to get a closer look at Harry.

Ruffled feathers (literally and figuratively) would be the least of his worries.

Well Harry caught sight of me, the pesky photographer, so he bolted, which is not unusual, but when Harry vamooses, it is accompanied by a screech that could wake the dead. But not this time as Harry silently flew across the Creek.

Unfortunately, he did not land gracefully, but instead made a misstep and slipped into the icy-cold water, scattering ducks as they moved away quickly, some paddling furiously, while others flew up. Lots of quacking ensued, thanks to Harry’s mishap.

Harry does not look happy here, his breeding feathers drenched and dripping.

No doubt miffed at me bigtime, Harry hopped onto the icy ledge, dripping wet and looking scrawnier than his already-scrawny self, with his ornamental head breeding feathers (a/k/a occipital plumes) askew.

Now sure-footed as he stood on the icy ledge, Harry quickly assessed the situation, then turned the other way to avoid the ducks, lots of ducks, all Mallards, milling about.

Harry shook his feathers vigorously, fluffing them up …

… then took a long look around …

… then stood there motionless, the gears in his head clicking as he determined his next step.

He swiveled his head to stare me down and, if looks could kill, I’d worry my days were limited as you see in this shot.

The bedraggled-looking Harry decided to leave, to find another spot where he could be alone, but his wings weren’t quite dry.

He gave his feathers another vigorous shake …

… but sadly, it was not like the sun would dry those feathers since the temps were hovering around the freezing mark at that time.

There was one last look at the Mallards (which Harry considered not only shorter, but lesser beings) …

… and he attempted a last-ditch effort to fly away, preparing to lift off.

Sigh – if only they made Yaktrax for herons ….

Flying was still not an option, so Harry’s solution was to simply walk on the ice, thus escaping the mayhem of the Mallards and hopefully thwarting further attempts by the shutter-happy photographer to capture his misery.

He walked very slowly along the icy ledge, taking tiny steps, much like Yours Truly, when there is ice around the house. One step in front of the other – the orthopedic docs even suggest you walk like a penguin, upright with small steps to keep your balance.

Here he is, setting out on his icy journey …

… soon he hit his stride, picking up speed.

Harry, the hapless heron, surprised me with his next move!

Although this gangly Great Blue Heron walked very precariously on the ice, all the while searching for a perfect perching spot, he finally decided it was easier to just wade in the icy Creek enroute to his destination.

Nope, he did NOT make a misstep, nor did he simply slide off the edge – he just plopped down, perhaps weary, or perhaps to save face.

So there you have it in a nutshell – a walk taken by Harry the Heron as witnessed on the walk taken by Yours Truly. Pictures that really tell the tale better than I do.

As a side note, this is not the first time I’ve written about Harry’s escapades on ice. In fact, once, back in the Winter of 2019, I saw him strolling across the Creek, but that time the Ecorse Creek was frozen solid, with a shiny surface of glare ice as you can see in this photo.

That ice sparkled and shimmered like diamonds in the early morning light and thankfully I had my camera handy and captured Harry’s wee stroll. I was actually nervous whether he’d make it across the Creek or not and whew … he did so without incident! I felt like I should be cheering him on. The post was entitled “Slip-Slidin’ Away” and also wrapped up my year-end walking goal. That post and Harry’s fancy footwork may be found by just clicking here.

I am joining Terri’s Monthly Color Challenge: Diamonds and Quartz and Pepper’s One Step at a Time.

Posted in nature, walk, walking, birds, #Monthly Color Challenge, #One step at a time | Tagged nature, walking, walk, Winter, birds, #Sunday Stills Color Challenge, #One step at a time | 9 Comments

Definition of a “sitting duck” right? #Wordless Wednesday #Mallard drake squared – reflection perfection!

Posted on April 8, 2026 by Linda Schaub

Wordless Wednesday – allow your photo(s) to tell the story.

Posted in #WildlifeWednesday, #Wordless Wednesday, birds, nature | Tagged #WildlifeWednesday, #Wordless Wednesday, birds, Mallard Duck, nature | 32 Comments

To all you Hunny Bunnies out there …

Posted on April 5, 2026 by Linda Schaub

A WEE EASTER TAIL, ER … TALE.

I was meandering along a woodsy trail, just me, myself and I.

And all was right with the world, until someone called out “hi!”

My head swiveled ‘round – was my mind playing tricks on me?

Wary now, I stood very still, but there was no one I could see.

“Keep calm” I told myself, then got my whistle and pepper spray.

Armed to the teeth, I was ready to face whatever came my way.

So cautiously, I took baby steps, all the while looking to and fro.

But, then I saw the shadow in the woods – is this a friend or foe?

I gasped and told myself “Linda – stay cool and collect and do not freeze!”

And just then a very handsome bunny bounded out from the trees.

My fears were unfounded: the gent bowed and offered me his paw.

I’ll admit to y’all I forgot my manners and just gawked at him in awe.

He handed me a foil-wrapped treat and said “I’m THE Easter Bunny.”

I knew that this sweet, meet-n- greet would be blogworthy and funny.

So, did I ask for two-step authentication; was he really Peter Cottontail?

Maybe he’d show me how he hops down this path i.e. The Bunny Trail?

I believed in Santa Claus AND the Easter Bunny once, admittedly eons ago.

Now here we were, chattin’ it up along a trail – yep, he was no ordinary Joe.

What a delightful encounter, a fun-filled Easter morn thanks to serendipity.

All too soon he said “toodle-oo” and then I was bummed we didn’t get a selfie.

He turned around … “when you bite into the bunny – is it ears first or the bum?”

I said “ear’s lookin’ at ya kid” and then blew a kiss to my newest furry chum.

So, what is YOUR preference? 🙂

I hope you enjoyed this little bunny tale. No holiday would be complete without a Jacquie Lawson e-card from me, so click here and enjoy!

Like this Easter card, I’ve been drawing and painting too – see below.

Terri does not have a Sunday Stills Challenge this week.

HOPPY EASTER EVERYONE!

P.S. – Yes, I wasn’t camera ready to capture the bunny shadow in the woods, so alas, I had to resort to WordPress AI to get it done. 🙂

Posted in Easter, holiday, nature, walk, walking | Tagged Cottontail Bunny, Easter, holiday, nature, Peter Cottontail, walk, walking | 55 Comments

Is that a Canada Goose, a canoe, or a torpedo? #Wordless Wednesday #April Fool’s Day – yes, you silly goose … of course it’s a goose!

Posted on April 1, 2026 by Linda Schaub

Wordless Wednesday – allow your photo(s) to tell the story.

Posted in #WildlifeWednesday, #Wordless Wednesday, birds, nature | Tagged #WildlifeWednesday, #Wordless Wednesday, birds, Canada Goose, nature | 34 Comments

Ribbits and Rabbits!

Posted on March 29, 2026 by Linda Schaub

It was serendipity that I discovered Council Point Park in April 2013 and it remained my happy place until May 8, 2024 when one shoreline of my favorite nature nook was decimated shortly after I left for home. The purpose of the “project” was to widen the Ecorse Creek in an effort to prevent flooding, amongst other things. The sheer devastation could not have come at a worse time, nesting season. It broke my heart to see fallen trees with squirrel and bird nests, some still crudely fastened onto branches, leaving many of the Park’ s inhabitants suddenly homeless and their offspring deceased.

I’ve whined enough about the devastation and could wax poetic about the many miles and hours spent tootling along the perimeter path. It was there where I first interacted with the “wildlife” a term I use loosely as the Park wildlife would be an occasional groundhog, or raccoon, the three types of squirrels and, of course, my Peanut pal Parker, a very cheeky, fuzzy fellow with a furry tail.

There were also ducks, geese, swans, herons, woodpeckers and songbirds that I’ve interacted with over the years. Two very harsh Winters have reduced the ranks of the squirrels and the shoreline is still raggedy, although the exploding Milkweed pods nestled along the now-weedy banks give me hope that Monarchs may grace us with their presence someday.

Though I will never stop going to Council Point Park, I have expanded my horizons and now enjoy frequenting larger parks, however, it’s always good to return to your roots, er … routes sometimes, where my walking regimen began in 2011, i.e. in the ‘hood.

Whimsy at Winchester and Wilson Avenues.

I’ve blogged about this home several times, having visited it in different seasons.

The homeowners are animal lovers – so how do I know that?

There are multiple bird feeders …

… and birdbaths too – here is one of them.

There is a nesting box that looks like a cathedral – Winchester Cathedral perhaps?

In the middle of Winter I’ve seen dilapidated, snow-topped pumpkins lined up on the property, gnaw marks evident, proof they were providing sustenance for hungry critters when food is scarce. The flowers and ornamental grasses, long gone to seed, are always left waving in the Winter breeze, providing seed and nesting materials for birds, or even a safe haven for insects.

For all these reasons, the property proudly displays this sign that deems it a National Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife Habitat. Once upon a time my backyard had this sign too.

I keep returning here because the home’s rock gardens and yard art appeal to my whimsical side. In Spring, it is a flower lover’s delight once the perky Daffodils pop up …

… then, after the Daffs’ demise, the Tulips reign.

Because of our wacky, roller-coaster weather, those were Spring blooms from earlier posts – it’s too early for Spring 2026 blooms like these yet.

Yard art, plus some fun and funky “critters”.

On this late August visit to …

… after still another Park meander was thwarted by the pesky grass cutters, all those Spring-y fleurs were long gone, but there were other photo ops to be had, despite a dark cloud that suddenly loomed overhead. “Best be quick” I told myself.

Speaking of grass cutting, ivy groundcover has replaced the lawn. Embedded amongst the ivy are four Canada Geese. Here are two of them.

They always bring back memories of “Mickey” and “Minnie”, the two Canada Geese that ruled my backyard in my early gardening days, before the butterfly bushes and butterfly gardens overtook most of the yard. My neighbor Marge took these photos of them 20 years ago when she got her first digital camera.

Tucked amongst a dozen garden flags …

… are the frogs and bunnies … yep, the “ribbits” and “rabbits” which are the topic of this post.

The frogs pop up everywhere – here are some of them …

… and these are a few curious bunnies.

If ever there was a bunny crossing, 875 Winchester Avenue is it.

One Summer the homeowner planted Flowering Kale that enticed the bunnies to nibble away. Those plants were still flourishing in early Winter.

I always leave here with a peaceful feeling.

It’s not just this sign …

… nor this angelic miss …

… or even these fresh-faced youngsters in the garden area.

The melodic wind chimes stirring in a gentle breeze are welcoming …

… as is this sign.

Did you say “Ohm” when you saw the frog meditating in a lotus yoga position in the featured image? Of course you did.

On this weekday morning, I heard piped-in classical music coming from a speaker somewhere in the yard. Even though this genre of music is not my thing, it made me want to linger longer, but for the ever-darkening sky. I know the strains of classical music were kinder to my ears than the loud mowers would have been.

Suddenly the sky opened up and the first raindrops splashed down quickly. I stopped to take one more photo, while shielding the camera with my other hand …

… then hurriedly shoved the camera into its case, then into my fanny pack and pulled out an emergency garbage bag to wrap around the fanny pack to walk home. The camera was protected, but sunny skies when I left the house meant I toted along zero rain gear for myself. Ugh!

Even though the yard doodad told me to laugh …

… laughter in the rain isn’t really funny, to me anyway, even though I’m not made of sugar. 🙂

Unlike this tall and gangly feathered friend, there was nowhere for me to duck for cover.

So it was RIBBITS and RABBITS and RAIN, but no RAINBOWS, which might have made that soggy leg of my walk more tolerable.

Terri’s Sunday Stills Challenge this week is: “Your Favorite Places” and it is hosted by Cathy whose blog is “Between the Lines” as Terri is on vacation.

Posted in #Sunday Stills Challenge, Easter, Flowers, holiday, nature, walk, walking | Tagged Easter, Flowers, holiday, nature, walk, walking | 53 Comments

Early Spring Wildflowers #Wordless Wednesday #Along a woodsy trail: #1-Trout Lilies, #2-Wild Violets, #3-Lungworts, #4-Forget-me-Nots

Posted on March 25, 2026 by Linda Schaub

Wordless Wednesday – allow your photo(s) to tell the story.

Posted in #Wordless Wednesday, Flowers, nature, Spring | Tagged #Wordless Wednesday, Flowers, nature | 54 Comments

Bear with me …

Posted on March 22, 2026 by Linda Schaub

… as I rewind to still another 5K event, the last to report on from 2025. I am a wee bit late telling you about this 5K walk, but not because I was hibernating. 🙂

The 28^th Annual Smokey Bear Run/Walk 5K and 10K event was held on Saturday, September 20^th at Bass Lake, California. Happily, this event is open to virtual participants. I did my first Smokey Bear event in 2024 as it commemorated Smokey Bear’s 80^th birthday. Did you know that Smokey Bear, the iconic brown bear whose deep voice proclaims “only you can prevent forest fires” heads up the longest-running public service advertising campaign in U.S. history? I remember learning about Smokey Bear as a youngster in Canada as well.

I originally intended to do a once-and-done virtual event in 2024 because of the hoopla about Smokey’s birthday and also because I had collected teddy bears for years. Bass Lake and the event site is picturesque – too bad it is 2,450 miles (3,942 km) away.

After seeing videos and photos of the devastating 2025 California wildfires that raged from January 7^th to 31st in Los Angeles and San Diego, I decided to participate every year going forward.

I did my virtual walk at Elizabeth Park, like last year.

You can read about my 2024 Smokey Bear walk here.

I figured at least some of this park’s many Oak tree leaves would have turned golden by now, but, even two days before Fall’s official arrival on September 22^nd the trees were just beginning to get their “glow-on”. The lack of vibrant leaf color was attributed to Southeast Michigan being in moderate drought most of last Summer. The leaves hung on forever, refusing to wiggle free from the trees. While that may seem like a plus, i.e. enjoying the jewel-toned leaf colors a little longer, all the leaves did not produce their usual vibrant hues and when gusty winds prevailed, the dull-colored leaves finally dropped to the ground into a brown, crumpled-up mess. I’ll be sharing some photos from late Fall in future posts and you’ll see what I mean.

But first, here’s what I saw on that September morn.

By now, you can probably identify, if not name, my favorite spots at Elizabeth Park.

There are a trio of bridges that cross the Canal. Two are identical to the big bridge, just a smaller version. The big bridge will soon be the primo place for high school prom pictures.

This photo of the big bridge was shot from the vehicle bridge …

… and this photo was taken from the Canal shoreline.

You can see the marks left from the higher water level in the above photos and this one below as well.

After climbing the series of steps to get to the top of the big bridge …

… you can see Windsor, Ontario and even the new Gordie Howe Bridge. On a Summer weekend, you can look down at the water and see anglers lining the shoreline and the Canal is filled with kayakers, paddleboarders and ducks.

These are some of the ducks I saw that day, a few on the tail end of molting and looking frowsy …

… and some were snoozing like these Hybrid Mallards.

A pretty Pekin duck was content to simply sunbathe …

… and these two ducks were in the Canal looking for brunch.

The geese feel they own the Canal and sometimes will gather in one place blocking the kayakers and paddleboarders. Geese drama – gotta love it!

The reflections were stunning that morning.

On the Boardwalk, we’ll be having some …

… photo ops. if we’re lucky.

While the main bridge is picturesque and perfect for picture-taking, so is the Boardwalk, no matter the season.

There are seagulls aplenty, although the gulls aren’t apt to perch if there are too many people with pooches, as is often the case on a weekend. This sleepy-eyed Ring-billed Gull stared at me …

… but apparently I wasn’t worth a second look. It swiveled its head away in a dismissive fashion, as if to say “you can move along – nothing to see here!”

Once I even encountered a groundhog, which popped out of its burrow, looking for a handout. I saw a guy pushing a stroller with a little girl coming toward me and alerted them to be careful of this critter and they said “that groundhog is just looking for treats!” For a while I packed a granola bar for it, but it never popped out again.

A pale sun emerged making it suddenly warmish and someone had ditched one of their layers on this park bench.

As I strolled on the Boardwalk that day, there was a subtle change to the leaves.

A rogue red Maple leaf had fluttered down to the walkway …

… and a brittle brown Oak leaf had tucked itself into the weeds.

The Goldenrod was still thriving, probably all that Summer sunshine and hot weather had made it flourish.

I gave this Thornapple shrub wide berth.

I’ll bet you’d get ants crawling up and into your pants if you sat on this park bench, just sayin’.

The waves were lapping up against the boulders and I spotted this plant matter draped on a fallen tree. I wondered why an opportunistic goose, swan or duck wasn’t feasting on it – maybe they left it there for a snack for later?

After strolling the Boardwalk, I climbed up the hill onto the walk a/k/a Elizabeth Drive that encircles this island park. It’s a one-way street and drivers must share it with pedestrians, bicyclists and geese … lots of geese.

I kept walking and soon was back at the Canal on the opposite side of the vehicle bridge. The Canal is where most of the waterfowl gather, including the geese, but the geese also like to cross the road all day, back-and-forth, pondering which side of the road they prefer, or wondering where their friends are. Of course, we drivers yield to the geese, even though there is no goose crossing sign, just a duck crossing sign, which I guess is needed since ducks are shorter!

I have been following the Smokey Bear Run/Walk on Facebook for several years. Like in 2024, there were many free photos of the event/participants taken by a professional photographer on his site, plus a few photos on Facebook as well – here are a couple of photos.

I’m ready for the 2026 5K charity events I always participate in. I’ve already signed up for Fish & Loaves (to help fund their food pantry) and Running to Honor (to help fund awareness of veteran suicide) and I’ll be signing up for the 2026 Smokey Bear event once the info is available.

See ya around Smokey!

P.S. – I snagged this photo of my shaggy friend and me from WordPress AI.

Terri’s Sunday Stills Challenge is “Early” – I’ll be posting some early Spring 2025 Wildflowers along Lakeside Trail for this week’s Wordless Wednesday.

Posted in 5K events, nature, walk, walking | Tagged 5K events, 5K Walk, ducks, nature, walk, walking | 86 Comments

Be quick with a quip and caption this pic! #Wordless Wednesday #Celebrating six years of continuous WW posts!

Posted on March 18, 2026 by Linda Schaub

Wordless Wednesday – allow your photo(s) to tell the story.

Posted in #WildlifeWednesday, #Wordless Wednesday, birds, nature | Tagged #WildlifeWednesday, #Wordless Wednesday, birds, nature, Ring-billed Seagull | 62 Comments

Mixin’ and minglin’ on the cusp of Fall …

Posted on March 15, 2026 by Linda Schaub

After lingering with the seagulls at Bishop Park, it was time to move on to the next leg of my journey, so I continued, on foot, along Biddle Avenue, enroute to BASF Waterfront Park, one mile away.

Along this main street in the heart of the City of Wyandotte, there were still lots of beautiful flowers, just eleven days before calendar Fall would begin. Every Summer, most of the shops add curb appeal to their respective businesses with barrels, planters or hanging baskets brimming with blooms.

But these proprietors cannot compete with the gorgeous hanging baskets and cement planters maintained by the City of Wyandotte, like the above “pretty in pink” baskets and planters dripping in blossoms, still looking good, even after our wicked-hot Summer. I’ve often seen water tank trucks, with City workers keeping the plants hydrated, but I wonder who is in charge of deadheading those plants?

Here’s a couple of close-ups, a riot of color from these perky Petunias.

I smiled at this sign at Joe’s Hamburgers, an eatery featuring sliders – certainly a Summertime vibe. 🙂

BASF Waterfront Park.

There was really not much to see here in this picturesque park along the Detroit River, once a heavy industrial site. Just like at Bishop Park, I was the only person meandering about.

It’s a great place to catch a glimpse of the new Gordie Howe International Bridge (along with a nice puff of pollution nearby). The bridge cables are silver and it was still a bit misty in the distance.

If Canada geese are your “thing” this is a fun spot to visit in Spring to watch the geese and their goslings. There are always geese grazing or strutting around this park.

In the Summer you can watch the Wyandotte Boat Club rowers practicing for, or participating in, the annual Summertime regattas. There was no practice today as the rowers were either back in school or working.

I noticed this new sign (since my last visit). It was near the Boat Club and Memorial Garden, honoring a Wyandotte Police Department (“WPD”) officer, family man and dog lover. I looked up his obituary notice and he was a police officer for 25 years, a member of the Wyandotte Boat Club and active in raising funds for Special Olympics.

I walked over to the shoreline. To the right, a Ring-billed Gull perched on the boulders …

… and to the left, this gull was gazing out to sea … er, the Detroit River.

This was a sight I’d never seen before, seagulls on the Boat Club’s rowing launch area. They were taking advantage of the off-season’s lack of activity and gathered there, along with a Double-crested Cormorant.

But what was everyone looking at? I couldn’t figure out what held their interest.

Then, the Cormorant, undaunted by the fact that it was the only one of its species at that launch area, proceeded to flap/dry its wings. The gulls were unfazed.

From my vantage point, the Cormorant might have been the band leader for band participants who were not paying attention.

Photo op pickin’s were slim at this venue, so I pondered whether I should go to Elizabeth Park, just five miles down the road, when, on a whim I decided to cross busy Biddle Avenue to visit the City’s collection of “carved critters”. I’d often driven past them, but never taken a closer look, so now seemed like the perfect time.

Pelicans and eagles and bears – oh my!

The way I see it, if you don’t cross paths with the “real deal” White Pelicans, Bald Eagles and Brown Bears, you should improvise, right?

These carved wooden animal and bird statues are situated in the heart of Downtown. Some were purchased by the Downtown Development Authority and some were created by a chainsaw artist named Lonnie Glines (Timber Art) who is featured at Wyandotte’s Fire and Flannel Fest every September. He comes to work his magic on tree trunks, transforming them into identifiable creatures. He also performs at various festivals throughout the Summer. Below are a Canada Goose, a Red Fox, a Bald Eagle, a Great Blue Heron, a Turtle and some Fish (which Google tells me are Northern Pike).

And nearby, I found the Three Bears (but no Goldilocks).

One of the bears unfortunately had a crack or two, which I wondered about – was this weather related? I had to do some artful photography as I found a few gnaw marks, likely some squirrels up to their usual mischief.

It was here at City Hall square where the planter filled with purple Verbena had a bee buzzing about where I got my first photo of a bee in flight, the photos which were on a recent Wordless Wednesday post.

There were more carved creatures near the City’s iconic totem pole, like this Pelican … yes, I hope one day to find White Pelicans which do migrate through Southeast Michigan. It’s just a matter of pinning down those Pelicans.

But I needed to look no further for now, as here was a White Pelican.

Chances of seeing a Bull Moose up close and personal may never happen, so here was the next best thing.

The Gray Wolf let out a silent howl.

And there was even an Osprey, looking mean and apparently sans a fish dinner.

After perusing and photographing all the carved critters, along with the totem pole (those photos to be shared in a future post), I decided to call it a day.

Terri’s Monthly Color Challenge is Jade Green, Peridot. I may just have 50 shades of green in this post, but, if not, I will link this post to The Flower Hour on Tuesday. Since Terri is on vacation, blogger Susanne at Cats and Trails and Garden Tales is hosting this week.