Sunny … yet sad.
After a few days of dreary and drizzly weather, today was a real winner.
In the past 16 years, it seems as if it has rained on this day, or been gray and gloomy, so I have associated that dismal-looking sky, or rain, with our mood and sadness we feel on each successive September 11th anniversary.
But, today dawned just as sunny and bright as on that fateful day. I vividly recall walking down the driveway that morning, enroute to the bus stop and thinking that I needed to cut the lawn after dinner. Little did I know I’d be home from work much earlier than usual to tackle that chore. Our law office closed an hour after the first attack, and, we had a client emergency, so my boss and I were the only ones left in the office finishing up some documents. He drove me home, taking only surface streets, and I arrived around noon. I still remember what we were working on, even what I wore to work that day – all silly and trivial things, but I think we’re always going to remember the specifics of that morning’s events, not to mention the horrors we saw on TV and in the newspaper, for as long as we live.
Is it soup yet?
This morning, while eating breakfast, I heard the weather report and it was only 56 degrees out. I had the furnace on since yesterday and it felt good, but, even though it was a little chilly outside, I sure was not prepared to don a sweat suit just yet, so I layered up in three t-shirts and swapped the shorts for capris – that worked perfectly. Unfortunately, we’re getting warmer and more humid weather as each day progresses, so no use dragging out a lot of heavy clothes yet.
While walking down to the Park in the chilly air, and anticipating whether the baby snapping turtles had emerged from their hidey hole, I got to thinking about the popular Lipton’s soup commercial from the early 70s, which featured the tag line “is it soup yet?” The kids were sitting at the dinner table waiting for Mom to bring them their bowl of Lipton’s chicken noodle soup and when it was ready, Mom would announce “it’s soup!”
I was thinking that that commercial and its theme could be applicable for the chilly air which left goosebumps on my exposed arms and calves, but, also since that commercial is all about the anticipation of waiting on something special. It is, after all, 90 days today since Mama turtle dug the nest and laid the eggs on June 13th. This would be the last day in the suggested window for the hatching time of those little nippers.
Parker did not meet me at the parking lot entrance and I cut through the lot, then stepped onto the trail with no sign of him. It seemed that squirrels came running from every corner of the first loop of the perimeter path – they were hungry, as I’m sure no walkers were down at the Park yesterday during the all-day rain, and, I guess my furry friends can only eat so many pinecones and mulberries. I stopped and talked to each of them, fed them peanuts, then moseyed on. Leaves were scattered everywhere on the path, giving the morning a real Fall-like feel. The air was crisp, the sky was blue – one could not ask for a prettier day, after we have contended with oppressive heat, endless rain and just plain ornery weather most of the Summer.
I moved onto the second walking loop, eager to see if it was indeed “soup yet” and whether the snapping turtles had hatched. Nope, there was the hole, just as smooth on top as before, with the dirt still damp from at least 24 straight hours of rain. No need to take the camera out of the case as no turtles were breaking out and running for their lives to the nearest creek. Perhaps tomorrow it will happen, and, just as the old adage goes: good things come to those who wait.
Kids … what are you going to do with them?
Waiting was the name of the game for little Parker too, because I was still carrying my Ziploc bag of peanuts as I exited the parking lot at Council Point Park. Well, I didn’t have to wait, or wonder, anymore about Parker. He had apparently missed me walking down Pagel Avenue, so he ran across the street, out of that nearby neighborhood to see me. I cringed as he raced across busy River Drive to meet me. I bent down to talk to him, as if he might understand my warning that it was better not to run across the street, and he should either live in the Park, or the ‘hood, and stay away from the busy roads. I don’t like to be a “helicopter mom” and I am sure it falls on deaf ears, but I did my very best to suggest a permanent address going forward: Council Point Park or Pagel Avenue.
Linda Schaub
WALKIN', WRITIN', WIT & WHIMSY 
I admire your persistence in waiting for the turtles. Hopefully you’ll get to see them soon. I always cringe when little animals run across the road. I hope Parker heeds your warning!
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I am hoping nothing went wrong but I don’t see that anyone tampered with the nest. There are soccer and baseball fields and playground equipment in this Park, so kids around. If I had not watched that turtle, along with about a dozen walkers, you would not know it was there. We have memorial trees in the Park and she made the nest next to a memorial tree with a plaque of “Hamilton” for a last name, so I can keep track of it easily. One of the walkers saw another turtle on the other side a week later and watched her making a nest, laying the eggs – she pointed out the location, but nothing to associate it with, just grass. I understand if it is cold they overwinter in the nest, but I’m sure they have incubated properly in all this heat we’ve had. I cringe too and the squirrels run out in the middle of the road then pause to decide whether to run to the other side or run back and that is what makes me worry.
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Try to come a different way or helicopter in! Do NOT feed him if he crosses the street!
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I’m thinking of coming into the middle of the Park off a side street instead of the traditional way thus forcing him to look for me. But there are other walkers who feed the squirrels and most of them drive – only two of us walk to the Park, so he would be watching the entrance. I always carry his peanuts away from the parking lot, trying to force him to follow me back into the Park. He is a little stubborn. I hate to withhold food, but I figured making him follow me back in is the way to go. You would not believe this … I can feed him and after doing my walk on the pathway, he catches up with me as I leave the Park or in the neighborhood going home. He is persistent. I am really worried about him getting run over – will try a different tact this morning. 🙂
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Miss Linda………………………..okay………….what’s a “Helicopter Mom”?…………………………..I enjoyed you telling about your conversation with little Mr. Parker!
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Hi Ann Marie – “Helicopter Mom” is just a phrase to describe a mother who is always hovering around her child, afraid to let them do anything because they worry something will happen to them. I worry that Parker is going to come running to see me for peanuts one morning and he will be killed on River Drive as I cross from Pagel. You know how busy it is in the morning as people go along there to get to Southfield Road or coming from Southfield to go to Emmons, etc. And Emmons has been under construction the last six weeks so more traffic than usual.
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Helicopter mom for Parker! Yes!
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Yes, I felt I had to step in and speak with my furry friend – I do worry he’ll run out to meet me and a car comes along … I had thought about sneaking into the Park another way before, and someone else (Tom) has mentioned it … but would he find me? I’ll try that this morning …. it is a little foggy this morning so maybe he won’t find me.
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Good luck with hiding from a perky squirrel!
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The fog had burned off when I got there – Parker found me, and at least 10 or 12 of his friends as well. They were running all over the place this morning – full of energy after the sun came out and it was only about 58 degrees. I took some pictures of them being rambunctious and I hope they come out. Parker followed me out of the Park again.
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Exuberant squirrels! That must have been a fun sight.
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Yes, I hope the pictures captures their antics. I’ll upload the pictures to Shutterfly tomorrow morning and see how they turned out … they were bundles of energy this morning. 🙂
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Every day I keep waiting for you to discover the turtles. I hope they are still alive. I am so envious of your daily nature walks. It’s amazing how much you see!
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I am glad you are enjoying those walks too Diane and I try to make it seem like people are tagging along. I will look again today – we have a little fog this morning, so have to wait a bit before leaving. I hope they are still alive too – fingers crossed!
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🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻
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No turtle sightings this morning either – the dirt is still intact.
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I’m praying for those turtles! Will they stay in the water if they make it there?
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Me too Kate. It is still the same this morning and I saw a hole nearby and going to see if maybe a snake could have gotten into that hole by researching later today/tonight. I am just going by what the nature guide said about how snakes use a crayfish burrow and take it over. This might have been a hole that a squirrel dug too. I took a picture of it and will upload the pictures later today/tomorrow morning and see if it tells me anything. The turtles will stay all Winter at the creek. There are snapping turtles and painted turtles at this creek (creek is 20 feet from the nest – I measured it with my feet the day the turtle dug the nest). They will overwinter by burying deep under the creek bed and stay there until it is warm outside, then they come out again to the surface … pretty amazing!
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It seems that 9/11 changed the world as we knew it. It will never be the same. I am so happy the turtles are doing fine! 💖💞🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢
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Yes, nothing will ever be the same as that day. When the second plane hit and everyone knew it was not just a tragic accident. Those poor families and so many of their loved one’s bodies were never recovered and now behind a wall, as yet unidentified or just ashes. The horror of watching people leaping out the window or the towers coming down – may we never witness anything like that again.
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Turtle Power! Maybe Parker can help dig them up but he just might eat one …..so maybe not!
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Ha ha – turtles have still not hatched and yesterday I noticed a hole near the nest. It was about two inches in diameter and so I was thinking later about what the guide said on the nature trek a few weeks ago about the snakes using the crayfish burrows (chimneys) to go into the ground. The hole is about the same size. I don’t know if a snake can make a hole and I don’t think this Creek would have crayfish. At Lake Erie Metropark, the path we were walking on is built over two marshy areas … the guide called it a dike. This Creek is 20 feet away. I measured it with my feet after I saw the turtle/nest as I know the baby turtles will make a beeline to the water after hatching. I’ve never seen a snake at the Park, but it doesn’t mean there are not snakes and what if the snakes got into the turtle nest, though the nest looks the same on top – flat surface, no dirt moved. It is only one day past the 80-90 day time frame. I’m going to research later to see if a snake could do that. I took a picture of the holes but won’t upload them til tomorrow morning … working on a project today and may be here later. I hate to think that happened. Meanwhile Parker and his friends were all over the place this morning and I took pictures of some of them racing down the pathway to greet me. The cool air had them very energetic. I hope the pictures turned out well – it was sunny once the fog burned off, though misty when I first arrived there.
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let us know when they make a break for it! Maybe their waiting until it’s safe from the big ugly orange man?
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I am glad Parker came to meet you bless him and arrived safely🙂. Let’s hope the Turtles make an appearance
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I hope so too Zena – I did not see them again this morning either – the nest is undisturbed. Fingers crossed they are just comfortable in there and hate to leave. 🙂
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I’m hoping with all my might that little Parker stays safe!!
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Me too Ellie … I am so worried he’ll go running across the street after me when I leave the Park, or even arrive there. I look all around me before I cross the street and sometimes he just appears out of nowhere!
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😬😬😬
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I’ve tried leaving a different way, even getting off the trail before the end … little bugger will run along River Drive to meet me. 🙂
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Cuz you’re the FOOD lady! You also probably talk to him and give him attention he otherwise doesn’t get. What boy can resist? 😂 Looks like you’re “stuck” with him!
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That made me smile, but, just when I think I should stop feeding him so he doesn’t take chances, I then decide it doesn’t really matter as there are three retired men who feed the squirrels at Council Point Park, so withholding peanuts ultimately does no good – they’ll find another sucker. 🙂
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