It was a gorgeous Winter day, despite the dismal sky and blah landscape. So what if there was no sunshine?  At least there was zero snow or ice, moderate temps, and no need to hurry back as it is the weekend.

What more could one want?

The weatherman said we were above freezing, so I slid a packet of peanuts into my pocket “just in case” my feet would lead me around the perimeter path at Council Point Park. When I shut the screen door, I glanced at my neighbor Marge’s big thermometer … yes it was hovering above 32 degrees, so that clinched it.  I figured I’d at least wander down to the Park, and, if the perimeter path was icy in the least, I’d leave and head along River Drive to Emmons Boulevard instead.

Once at the Park, I immediately saw that most of the snow was gone from the grassy areas and the path was clear and dry, with only a handful of other walkers, and they were on the opposite loop when I arrived. I pulled out my bag of peanuts just as the first squirrel shimmied down a tree and meandered over to see me.  I stopped and tossed a few peanuts his way and he came bounding right over to my feet, eager to partake in his favorite treat.  I left a few more peanuts for him, then resumed walking, but, when I turned around a few minutes later, I saw some of his pals had joined him to share his cache of treats.

Quickly I realized I was overdressed. Yesterday was windy and frigid, and, despite hearing the forecast of mid-30s before I stepped out, I still dressed in two layers of everything.   Bad decision.

Evidently, a few more squirrels had witnessed peanut-tendering session #1, so they raced across the grass inside the oval pathway to greet me as I passed the pavilion. They were the usual cute beggars, as they sat up on their haunches, with front paws poised in the air,  pleading for a peanut or two, that each squirrel reckoned had their name on it.  Really …who could resist that cute face and pose?

All too soon, the bag of peanuts was empty and I had walked both loops and was ready to head home.

But my posse of peanut pals were not quite ready to bid me adieu, and followed close at my heels.  I pulled the large empty Ziploc bag from my pocket and turned it inside out to emphasize “empty”, to no avail.  That stream of squirrels trailed behind me in true Pied Piper of Hamelin fashion.  I jollied along with the crowd for a bit, then quickly veered off the path and spied a quick getaway, by dipping behind a huge fir tree.  The group either lost sight of me, or forgot about me, so I then left the Park grounds.

Whew! I thought they’d follow me all the way home and I’d soon be claiming them as dependents.

Note to self: next time you go to Council Point Park, take two Ziploc bags of peanuts ,and, next time at Meijer, get a couple more bags of peanuts for your pals at the Park.

Today’s journey marks sixty miles walked thus far in 2017.

And, today also marks the fourth anniversary of beginning this blog. I set up the blog and my first post appeared on a cold and snowy Winter day.  Today, I went back and re-read that post, and, of course I was whining about the weather and not being able to take a walk.

Well, here we are four years and 875 posts later, and, with the exception of today, I’m still usually moaning and groaning about the Winter weather … I guess some things never change, do they?

[Image by BYKST from Pixabay]