Well, my first mistake was thinking that I’d wait until the sun was high in the sky and maybe it might be a little warmer. Not so much, because when I left the house at 9:30 this morning the temps were at the freezing mark, the wind chill hovered in the teens and the winds were howling at over 20 mph. I almost changed my mind and came back inside, but I figured the weather was dry and it took me fifteen minutes to get dressed so I was staying outside. I was at the first bend in the road at Council Point Park when the snow squalls started with a vengeance and the wind was so blustery it made it difficult to walk straight in the wide-open spaces. It is only November for goodness sake!

I had packed up some peanuts and bread tidbits to take to the Park and chuckled to myself that I am starting to look a little eccentric of late, as I arrive daily, toting my bag filled with critter treats. As I walked along, some inquisitive squirrels came toward me and I gave them a few bonus peanuts as I felt badly for them foraging for food in this cold weather, and because I heard the media reporting that scientific research was touting the terrific benefits of eating nuts. I know I love peanut butter. The Park squirrels are much leaner than their chubby residential neighborhood counter-parts who glean their treats by raiding homeowners’ feeders or suet holders, or are simply living the good life with lots of peanut or walnut handouts. Location, location, location. I had 1/3 of a loaf of bread and broke it up before I left, intending to give it all to the ducks, but my heart went out to a few grumpy-looking robins searching for worms in the frozen ground, and a handful of sparrows who were sitting huddled together to keep warm, the wind ruffling their feathers, and looking downright miserable. I know how they felt. With all my layers, my exposed face stung from the cold wind and I was shivering under my parka. Time to revisit the cedar closet for more warmer clothes.

I went to the concrete ledge to share my bread with the ducks and found about 50 of them grouped together and quacking noisily. I stood there for awhile, idly tossing bread to them as they came closer and closer until were almost right at my feet at the water’s edge. Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I saw something large and white in the distance in the water. I assumed it was just a plastic grocery bag that was caught on a toppled tree branch and blowing in the breeze, and I just kept feeding the ducks until the bread was finished. I turned away to climb back onto the path when it was my good fortune to see the most-beautiful and regal-looking swan I have ever seen in my life. It was huge, pure-white, with an orange bill and as it glided along in the murky Ecorse Creek, oblivious to me, it was occasionally dipping its slender neck and head underwater. I was just mesmerized by its size and beauty. I pointed it out to a couple of walkers who were strolling the path not far behind me, and they also stopped and marveled at this wondrous water fowl. This was on my first go-around of the Park and the second tour I passed the alcove where I saw the swan, but this time it was gone. I was curious if it had taken flight or just glided downstream and I lost sight of it. When I got online I Googled to get some information on it and determined it was a mute swan and one of the heaviest birds to fly, so evidently it did fly away. I hope to see it again. I often see Canada Geese, but I think they have already migrated as I’ve not seen any in about a month.

My five-mile trip yielded some good exercise in the great outdoors, and I arrived home, smelling of fresh air, sporting red cheeks and feeling lucky and blessed to have glimpsed such a stunning sight as that graceful swan. It made my day and I remembered this quote I tucked away awhile back:

Remember when you were little and you thought, everything was amazing? It still is.
~Anonymous