Overheard at Council Point Park today: “Those squirrels eat better than I do!”
Hmm. This gentlemen was strolling along the perimeter path. He was not watching me feeding my little buddies, but happened to come along after I had just left some peanuts for a bunch of them. Of course, the squirrels are like Pavlov’s dog sometimes, and, if they see another human with a friendly face, they conclude this person might be packin’ peanuts, so maybe it is worth sidling up to them as they might be a potential benefactor. It doesn’t matter if they are already eating peanuts either …with the squirrels, it is all about working the crowd.
This walker evidently didn’t buy into that idea and repeated his statement again: “those squirrels eat better than I do!”
It was very quiet in the Park and his voice carried, so I heard those words clearly. Actually, I was way ahead of him on the path, and well within earshot, so I snickered to myself, and didn’t own up to who distributed the goodies, nor was I going to.
I continued walking on the second loop, and, unbelievably if I didn’t hear him utter the same words the next go around. Only this time he was fat shaming the poor squirrels as well! I must share this story with the regular walkers tomorrow … I was later than usual and none of them were around when I arrived. I suspect this fellow is a “newbie” at the Park and I don’t know if he was jealous, or just incredulous, of the squirrels and their goodies. His protestations did make me laugh however.
This squirrel looked a little ticked off that someone would insinuate they are too well fed.
Now, if this gentleman took issue with the geese, I would really “get it” because look what they did to me this afternoon. There was a large gaggle of them as I walked by, minding my own business and one hissed at me. I couldn’t get the camera turned on quick enough to capture the look of disdain and the wagging pink tongue, so instead I looked over and said “Happy New Year to you too Bud” and kept on walking.
But a little further ahead, there was a potential roadblock as two geese were snoozing in the middle of the path. If I moved to the right, I’d be close to the Creek bank. If I moved over to the left, there were lots of geese (likely with similar attitudes) grazing. So, I took a picture of the pair of geese that were fast asleep, then waited a few minutes, while enjoying the scenery, to see what would transpire. This was the scenario:
The goose in the last picture was not only mad at me, but terrorized one of its brethren.
I eventually just moved through the throng where I got a stony stare from one of those geese who couldn’t hiss at me because his mouth was full of grass.
I told him he lost his credibility a little with grass hanging out of his mouth … kind of like the spinach-in-your-teeth faux pas we humans must endure sometimes.
So that was my first day of the new year. I did get six miles walked because I drove to the Park and the last mile it started to rain a little, but I stayed the course. I had already put in a good amount of steps and was ready to head home anyway, so no harm, no fowl, er … foul.
Linda Schaub
WALKIN', WRITIN', WIT & WHIMSY 
Geese are so beautiful! Gorgeous pictures!
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Thanks Diane – I was able to get quite close to them … they parked their feathery behinds right in front of where I was to walk as you can see from the slideshow. You daren’t try to go around them, as they hiss, especially if they have goslings – those goslings are grown up months ago, and probably part of the “crowd”. 🙂
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I’m surprised they haven’t come after you…😂🤣😂🤣
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You’re off to a good start! I’m behind on my reading on here, but did you make a walking goal for 2019?
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I have had a hard time keeping up too as I wrote so many posts over the past two weeks (my boss was gone so I had extra time to myself) … I got to 1,162 miles and instead of just going one more mile over in 2019, a fellow blogger suggested I get to 2,000 kilometers (I actually have more people that follow me that are on the metric system than our measurement system) so 2,000 kilometers or 1,242 miles it is. I am aiming big … this will be 80 more miles than this year. Hopefully since I am going to walk in the rain sometimes (not torrential rain, just nice everyday rain), I’ll be able to get it done – our weather was truly abysmal this year!
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You’ll get it done!
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I think so too – I’ll give it my best shot!
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I could not wait to tell you my story from today, Linda. You know my hubby is retired now. My son asked us to pick up his boys from school today. The little one gets out at noon and the older one at 3:00. We had some time to kill after lunch, so hubby suggested we all go to the park that the little one likes to visit. There were some squirrels there, scampering around. They seemed somewhat tame. We had some Cheetos left over from lunch and hubby knelt down and held out a Cheeto to one of the squirrels. I have a picture of it taking the Cheeto our of Bill’s hand! It was so cool! Our grandson loved it. Of course, I immediately thought of you and your squirrel buddies!
You are well on your way for your audacious 2019 walking goal!
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That is such a sweet story Laurie and it just made you feel good how they have no fears, they are going up to Bill and enjoying the human interaction. How fun. Yes, you can see the joy that nature brings, just in the interaction with a squirrel at the park. Your grandsons are lucky that you have instilled that joy of nature in them – they loved making the peanut butter/pine cone treats for the birds. It’s funny, I had three bloggers tell me today that they love the squirrel stories because they make them smile – I know they brighten my day with their antics and I feel sometimes like they are like having a pet.
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Dear Miss 6-Miler…………………..that is a great way to start off the new year………………………………6 miles already under your belt……………………..
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Yes, it was great walking weather Ann Marie – this morning not so much – icy on the pathway again. Had to walk on the grass again.
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The pictures you took are incredible! I’d probably have been terrified to walk through those geese.
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Thank you Eliza – they were not too bad this time, but they will get really feisty when they have their goslings with them. All the walkers just go onto the grass and make a huge detour to avoid having them hiss or chase after us with their wings stretched out like you saw in the picture. They will run after you too, but nothing like the swans if they become agitated … I was just taking a photo of this pair of swans and next thing I knew the bigger one climbed out of the water, up the bank and came after me! I had no idea they were that big: https://lindaschaubblog.net/2018/03/04/brr-burrs-and-birds/
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Oh gosh I never knew that about swans. Your pictures of them are awesome! I’ve often taken pictures of them, sometimes they’ve actually had a whole group in a line (you know the mother duckling picture with one in front and one in the back with littles in a straightish line).
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I never knew about them being mean either Eliza – I wanted to badly to see the ducks and the ducklings or swans and their cygnets last year and we had such rainy, crummy weather that I never got out most weekends … I did see the goslings at this Park though. I also saw a swan swimming through the ice – I am 5′ 9″ tall and this swan, when standing up, was nearly as tall as me (this one didn’t chase after me, he was too exhausted from pushing through the ice … I sure hope I see some ducklings and cygnets with their moms this year … if Mother Nature cooperates): https://lindaschaubblog.net/2018/03/18/the-ice-cutter/
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A minute, swans are that big?????????
I’m glad I know to be careful now – thanks!!
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You’re welcome Eliza – I had no idea they were that big til the first one climbed out of the water then chased me, then I saw this one up close!
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6 miles, again…I’m so jealous – but am incredibly thankful you share your adventures. Great shots again! Geese are funny creatures, and so are strange men in the park complaining about comparing their food intake with squirrels…the things you see while strolling through the park amaze me! Happy Trails to you!
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Ha ha – yes, I would have said something to be funny, but he was gone the last time around. Those shots were taken with the small camera, as will be the photos I use in tonight’s post which I have still got to do.
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lol that squirrel really does have that look of “you talkin’ about me?!” . Too funny. And yes no harm, no fowl 😉
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He does have that look, doesn’t he? You are the only one who picked up on that pun Mackenzie!
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🙂
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Well done. You are off to a great start. ❤
I chuckled at the thought of a goose with the grass hanging out of its mouth and trying to hide bless it. Love the idea of the squirrels working the crowd too 😁
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Thanks Zena – I was going great guns and then a few days of undesirable weather have hit – Winter has decided it is time to return and act like Winter should. (Well, that’s too bad.) Yes, that goose lost all its credibility with the grass hanging out of its mouth. Those squirrels learned how to work the crowd from their mamas and they make me smile too. I think I could fill a blog post per week with all the silly antics that make me smile down there at that Park!
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