Blue Light Special.

Posted on April 13, 2018 by Linda Schaub

FINAL PARK

If you recall Wednesday’s post, at the conclusion of that walk I had dealt with snow showers and even a sleety mix by the time I arrived back home.  My fingers were frozen from taking pictures of that Great Blue Heron on his fishing expedition in the 32-degree temps.

Thursday morning I awoke to rain.  It finally cleared up around 9:00 a.m., but it was too late to walk and still get to work timely.  So I decided to walk at the end of the work day instead.

Weather-wise, it was worth the wait because yesterday’s unusually warm weather was an anomaly, especially after the cold Spring we’ve endured thus far.  I left the house around 5:30 p.m. and it was 76 degrees!  I had to ponder a few minutes what to wear, having dressed on autopilot for the last five or six months, donning about nine articles of clothing every day.  Hmmm.  Well, I could eliminate the squall coat, hat, gloves and polar fleece vest, even the turtleneck sweater … the possibilities were endless and I had to scramble about to retrieve something suitable to wear, since 90% of my warm weather clothes were still tucked away here, there and everywhere … I mean, the annual Spring warm-up is usually a little more gradual, right?

I got myself together and out the door and arrived at the Park a short time later.  I don’t think anyone cooked dinner last night, but instead stopped for fast food or grabbed some food to cook on the grills that are scattered around the grounds.  It was a hub bub of activity with kids on the playground, their pent-up energy carried over from way too many days spent cooped up in the house.  There were walkers, rollerbladers and bikers all along the perimeter path.

It was, in essence, a whole new Council Point Park being presented to me.

The peace and serenity of the morning jaunt, was replaced by talking, laughter and the squeals of children – yet, it was good to be outside with the sun in your face, a soft and warm breeze stirring your hair again.

The angle of the sun was all wrong … well, just different from what I am accustomed to.

And there was no one there I knew – human or otherwise.

In fact, my trek was devoid of any of the usual wildlife; not a single interaction was to be had, even though, in my rush to get out the door, since I had no coat pockets, I just carried a store bag where I stuffed some Ziploc bags of peanuts and safflower seeds for the usual pals on the path.

But they went unopened because …

… not a single squirrel came to greet me with a look that suggests “what took you so long to get here?”

Not even Parker.

FINAL SQUIRREL

Nor were my newest friends, the cardinals, lurking about in a tree looking to snatch a peanut from the trail when a squirrel was looking the other way.

CARDINALBIG

The ducks were not around and neither were the geese.  No swans either.  Some seagulls were circling like vultures, hoping to grab the dregs of someone’s dinner.

It was a totally different experience and not my usual walk in the Park.

My trip reminded me of a Kmart “Blue Light Special” … a hastily planned event in which humans converge to enjoy an unexpected deal and ultimately come away richer.

I appreciated the chance to escape at the end of the day, but I’m not sure that I’m richer for the experience.

Yes, I gleaned the steps from that five-mile walk to add to my tally of miles walked for 2018, but somehow the special ambiance was missing.  I’ll try to recapture that feeling this morning … just 41 degrees when I depart, so … if I see a heron catching a fish, or squirrels and cardinals jockeying for peanuts, I’ll capture that image, without frozen fingers and with a big smile on my face.

About Linda Schaub

This is my first blog and I enjoy writing each post immensely. I started a walking regimen in 2011 and in 2013 I decided to create a blog as a means of memorializing the people, places and things seen on my daily walks. I have always enjoyed people watching, so my blog is peppered with folks I meet or reflections of characters I have known through the years. Often something piques my interest, or evokes a pleasant memory from my memory bank, so this becomes a “slice o’ life” blog post. I respect and appreciate nature and my interactions with Mother Nature’s gifts is also a common theme. Sometimes the most-ordinary items become fodder for points to ponder over and touch upon. I retired in March 2024 after a career in the legal field. I was a legal secretary for almost 45 years, primarily working in downtown Detroit, then working from my home. I graduated from Wayne State University with a degree in Mass Communications (print journalism) in 1978, though I’ve never worked in that field. I would like to think this blog is the writer in me finally emerging!! Walking and writing have met, shaken hands and the creative juices are flowing in Walkin’, Writin’, Wit & Whimsy. I hope you think so too. - Linda Schaub
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39 Responses to Blue Light Special.

  1. shewritesblogsss says:
    April 13, 2018 at 10:16 am

    Good to know you have finally got warmer temperatures to enjoy 🙂 waiting for many more pictures 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  2. John says:
    April 13, 2018 at 11:49 am

    Sure, the weather is completely nuts!😁 Beautiful pictures.😊

    Liked by 1 person

    • lindasschaub says:
      April 13, 2018 at 5:06 pm

      It sure is John – it seems like the weather worldwide is nuts. Glad you liked the pictures … I could not find a bluer sky to go with the title, which is a common American expression for anyone who has ever shopped at Kmart where the store will put up a blue light (looks like a police car light) and advertise a bargain and everyone flocks there because the sale only last about 15 minutes. Most of the Kmart stores here in Michigan have gone out of business … maybe too many Blue Light specials! I love the cardinals and they aren’t too thrilled with the safflower seeds; they like scamming the peanuts from the squirrels instead!

      Liked by 1 person

  3. The Count Gustaf says:
    April 13, 2018 at 2:02 pm

    Lovely my dear !

    Liked by 1 person

  4. Ann Marie stevens says:
    April 13, 2018 at 3:55 pm

    Miss Linda…………………..I like your blog title: Blue Light special.” cute pic of Mr. Parker and handsome Mr. Cardinal!

    Liked by 1 person

    • lindasschaub says:
      April 13, 2018 at 4:51 pm

      Ann Marie – I was thinking this morning while I was eating breakfast that yesterday’s weather was like a “Blue Light Special” and so I decided to write about it this morning. I never walk in the evening and I never write in the morning, so I did a turnaround of my usual habits. I got the Parker picture and Mr. Cardinal earlier this week as well as that blue sky photo so it all tied in together nicely. Glad you liked them!

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  5. Anne Mehrling says:
    April 13, 2018 at 8:07 pm

    Same venue; different story! That was fun.

    Liked by 1 person

    • lindasschaub says:
      April 14, 2018 at 3:07 pm

      It was surprising Anne … a couple of times on a crisp Fall day, I’ve done morning errands, then gone down to the Park to enjoy a walk, but never the end of the day and on a warm evening. It was like people came out of the woodwork, and as if it was a totally different venue. No squirrels – are they scared to come out when so many people are around? I don’t know but it had a different feel to it. Glad you liked this post. I hope I didn’t alienate anyone calling it a “Blue Light Special” and all the Kmart stores are closing here in Michigan, don’t know about the rest of the country.

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  6. Tom's Nature-up-close Photography and Mindfulness Blog says:
    April 13, 2018 at 9:33 pm

    Do a lot while you are younger. The incoming rains have inflamed the bursitis in my ankle

    Liked by 1 person

    • lindasschaub says:
      April 14, 2018 at 9:40 am

      Tom – I “liked” your comment, not for the pain in your ankle, but the fact that today is my birthday. I turned 62. Lately, I have begun to feel my age, despite my long walks and enjoying excellent health. It is raining cats and dogs, maybe more critters than that … I’m not sure because it is teeming raining right now. A friend of mine (Ann Marie, who has Digger the African Grey parrot) stopped at my house at 7:00 a.m., in the pouring rain, and left me a bag. In it was a huge cupcake she had baked and she gave me a “blessing jar” … I had never heard of a blessing jar and it had an explanation about how it worked. I told Ann Marie I was blessed to know her as well as blessed for my good health. I can sympathize with your bursitis … my mom was hit by a car at age 11 in 1937. She spent the next four years in Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children. Over the course of her lifetime, she had over forty orthopedic operations. She was in constant pain, and, like you, she was in more pain with damp or humid weather like we have today. She would predict the weather by how her bones felt a day or two before. I am glad I did my traveling in my youth. I traveled a lot, by myself (in tour groups) in my 20s and early 30s as my mom said, just like you, “do a lot while you are younger” and also while you feel up to it. We have rain today, tomorrow and likely Monday as well. In the northern suburbs, it likely will turn into freezing rain. In the Upper Peninsula, they might get a foot of snow!

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  7. Frances Roxas says:
    April 13, 2018 at 11:03 pm

    Finally, you had a warm weather for a walk Linda. I hope you get more of those so you can enjoy walking around and taking pictures of nature. In my side of the world, I’m seriously hoping it doesn’t get too warm or my migraine will act up again =)

    Liked by 1 person

    • lindasschaub says:
      April 14, 2018 at 3:12 pm

      I enjoyed that brief warm-up Frances and the weather folks said “get out and enjoy every minute of it because it will fade away fast” … they were right. It cooled off last night and we have a weekend of rain. It has been a torrential rain since early this morning, maybe turning to freezing rain tonight. Meanwhile I will tap my foot and wait for another walk at the Park. I hope your weather will also moderate and thus send that migraine away for good for you.

      Liked by 1 person

      • Frances Roxas says:
        April 15, 2018 at 12:03 am

        I’m glad you enjoyed that brief warm-up Linda. As for me, my migraine was bad yesterday because it was really warm and I was idle. I realize my migraine seems to attack when I am not busying myself over something. I had to take Ibuprofen for the pain. Today though, I will make myself super busy (useful) and I’m also hoping that the weather cooperates. Hope you have a great day!

        Liked by 1 person

      • lindasschaub says:
        April 15, 2018 at 9:13 pm

        Hope you are feeling better by now Frances. We had a crummy weather day – it has been non-stop rain since Saturday morning and we had freezing rain this morning. It was beautiful when it coated the trees with ice, but lost of damage when big trees covered in about 1/4 to 1/2 inch of ice lost large branches, or that ice was too heavy for the power lines and they came down. Many people with no power. I was lucky this time. I think the rain is finally going to stop overnight and chance of snow (one inch) tomorrow. Crazy weather! Take care.

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  8. Ellie P. says:
    April 14, 2018 at 1:30 pm

    76 degrees!!!! Argghhhh! <– the cry of an envious Montrealer!

    Liked by 1 person

  9. Tofino Photography says:
    April 17, 2018 at 8:18 pm

    & ask Parker if there was feed feast going on elsewhere?

    Liked by 1 person

    • lindasschaub says:
      April 17, 2018 at 9:43 pm

      I wondered if he and the other squirrels may have been scamming french fries as I saw so many fast food bags around the Park. And I thought he was loyal to me!

      Truly, I didn’t see any critters that evening, so I wonder if they are more plentiful in the morning when it is so quiet and peaceful and they stay up in their nests in the evening?

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      • Tofino Photography says:
        April 17, 2018 at 9:53 pm

        I suggest a little research be conducted by yourself Linda! You seem like the sociable sort.When you talk to someone else who is feeding them,ask them when they see the most activity…& where? Collect as much data as possible, analyze & speculate.

        Liked by 1 person

      • lindasschaub says:
        April 17, 2018 at 10:46 pm

        I will do that Wayne. I’ve been to the Park a few times in the late morning on a weekend when I had errands in the morning. There are three men who feed the squirrels that I know of, and they all arrive shortly after me. I’ll ask around if those gentleman arrive later sometimes and notice anyone else feeding them.

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  10. ortensia says:
    April 20, 2018 at 2:28 pm

    I’m browsing around your blog and I love it😍

    Liked by 1 person

    • lindasschaub says:
      April 20, 2018 at 6:30 pm

      Thank you so much for saying that. I really enjoy writing these posts, and hope now that maybe Winter is finally out of the way, the trees will leaf out, the grass will green up, and it will be prettier than the blah landscape that has been around since early November. A girl can hope anyway … (even if I don’t exactly qualify as a “girl” these days). Thanks for your comment – it made my day!

      Liked by 1 person

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