… or so I thought.
I was excited to head out this morning. The moon and stars seemed to be in alignment … no snow, ice, bitter cold, freezing rain or wind to contend with … a win-win situation, or so it would seem.
I walked out the door and there were a few flurries alighting on my nose, then my coat sleeve. I didn’t think much about those snowflakes, as all the weather forecasters said the next snow event would be Sunday afternoon.
I decided to walk to Council Point Park in case it was icy there, so I at least got two miles to and from the Park, and whatever else I could glean on the perimeter path feeding the squirrels. Though it was clear as a bell, I still wore my lug-soled hiking boots – who knew what condition the path would be in?
By the time I arrived at the Park, the snowflakes were really twinkling down, so much so that I flipped my hood up. That wasn’t good as it blocked my peripheral vision – how was I going to thwart any more squirrels crashing into each other in their zeal for peanuts?
I scurried under the pavilion and got the camera out, intending to only use it under the roof, that is, if I could lure the squirrels to see me in a spot where it was dry and snow-free. It worked for a couple of my furry pals, who either took their peanut to the tree …
… or climbed to the picnic table, where you’ll note the lovely frozen Creek in the background.
It stopped snowing, so I left the pavilion to dole out peanuts and make my apologies for my long absence to any squirrels who crossed my path.
The Creek was frozen over in some spots, and solid ice in others. Looking down through the bare branches I could see the frozen banks, yet water flowed freely down the center of the Creek.
Around the bend, a wooden dock was solidly embedded in the ice.
The geese were honking their heads off this morning. I could hear them just as soon as I stepped onto the perimeter path. But it wasn’t the usual “hey we’re coming in for a landing, so move away!” I don’t know what the problem was, but they were arguing with one other and the voices and noises escalated and carried down the Creek’s narrow passageway. Yes, you read that right. When they are agitated with one another, their honking reaches a crescendo and the arguing parties all honk at the same time and sometimes doing a back-and-forth between one another. It’s so loud you can’t hear yourself think. I stepped over to the Creek banks and stood there watching them.
Since the bushes and trees are bare, it’s kind of hard to try to hide behind them so the geese don’t see me and paddle away, but this bunch was so engrossed in their honking, they were oblivious to me.
Every so often one goose would chase another one from behind, and its long neck would stretch out horizontally, aiming at its feathered backside and then stabbing it with its bill. That incited a mini-riot wherein the targeted goose would rise out of the water and flap its wings.
They were making such a commotion that the other geese stopped to watch.
Even the ducks were in awe at this uncouth behavior.
I made my way around the entire loop without so much as a twinkling snowflake, and then the snowflakes started up again. The header photo shows the snow twinkling down on the bench.
As you know I’ve highlighted a few of the memorial trees in the Park and I have similarly written a post on a memorial tree planted for Erica Megan Sharick, who passed away at just 21 years old.
In the Springtime, the tree is full of white blossoms with yellow tulips underneath. Click here to see Erica’s tree in the Springtime.
Today I noticed there was something new under Erica’s tree, no doubt placed there for the recent Valentine’s Day holiday.
Snow was already starting to stick on the memorial stone.
Just a hint of a breeze stirred the gossamer angel and it began to twirl around.
Fly high and sleep with the angels Erica.
The snow flurries picked up in intensity, blowing horizontally for a time and the massive flakes began to glom together making it slick on the path. It sure is hard to get traction in my walking regimen if there is no traction on the paths that I must travel on foot. I decided to cut my walk short and head home.
I put the camera away and with my head bent down, hurried to the pavilion area where I dumped out the rest of my peanuts on the picnic tables. I noticed someone had left four painted rocks on four different tabletops. I took photos of them, then when I got online, posted that I had found them on the “Downriver Rocks” Facebook site, a site where painted rock creators and collectors convene.
Walking home, the snow was swirling and collecting on the sidewalks and streets. Despite wearing hiking boots, I slid a few times. I paused under cover of a large fir tree to take a photo of the newly bare wood left by a branch that must’ve broken off during our recent windstorm.
I also stopped to take pictures of these Snowdrops … the first new growth in 2018. Well these flowers were aptly named as I noticed snow had settled down among the tender shoots.
Seeing the Snowdrops, I wondered if Spring is all that far off? “Bring on Spring soon” I muttered as I peeled off my snow-encrusted clothes.
Linda Schaub
WALKIN', WRITIN', WIT & WHIMSY 
Linda,
Great adventure with snow and snowdrops, if I may say so. Happy you got your walk- even happier that you got home safe. One of my biggest fears of life is to slide and fall on a moss covered path, after rains- for rains are all we get in our parts. Many have landed in very unbecoming positions on moss and some have hurt themselves pretty bad. Snow must be 10 times worse ( ice, I mean).
Are any of those squirrels Parker ? But they all seem wind blown and beautifully brown- doesn’t look like they are losing any fur or fat for Spring yet.
Keep safe, keep walking.
Susie
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Hi Susie – I should have said Parker was the first picture on the picnic table – forgive me. He was running all over the pavilion and I was trying to get the camera, my gloves on, feed him, drop nuts on the floor … it was snowing like crazy but not sticking when I first got there and took the picture. The snow is coming again, 1-3 inches today. Not looking forward to it as it will make a big mess and it got cleared up (except for yesterday) … I have some snow that did not melt from yesterday. But worst of all – we are getting another freezing rain event Tuesday into Wednesday. That is not good … I’ve lost track how many this year. I am going to make the best of today, but only straying to my regular park as the snow may come sooner and I have to give the car a little run … between the snow and ice, who knows when we’ll get out again?
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Oh Linda, I feel for you. To be locked in is not good. Wish you had a dog or cat to keep you company.
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That geese story is interesting. I really wonder what the problem was. I’m glad you were able to get out and walk safely. I haven’t been to the farm for a while because it is covered in ice and my husband says it is not worth the risk of falling. He even had to stop taking our old dog because he kept slipping on the ice and if he breaks a bone we will have to put him down. We really need a good warm up.
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Thanks Ruth – in the 5 1/2 years since I began walking there, I’ve heard commotions by the geese, but not like that … and not just one or two of them fighting but many of them fighting. I wish I could have gotten closer. I took some pictures of the ice near the Creek bank, but omitted them as it didn’t look as bad in the pictures as it did in real life. We are getting 1-3 inches of fresh snow and that comes later this morning/early afternoon, depending on what station or weather authority you follow. I’m sticking close to home. And another ice storm this Tuesday night into Wednesday means you and your older dog might not get to the farm in a little while yet. Have a good day Ruth.
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Yay for snowdrops! Great news! I always love the first blooms even if they are just popping up a bit.
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Me too Kate. I drove to the Park the last couple of weekends, so when I walked yesterday, I purposely looked as they are usually up earlier than his crocuses. I searched last year and found they were up higher and blooming last February 24th: https://lindaschaubblog.net/2018/02/24/numb-and-number/
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Snowdrops! How exciting – we are all so craving spring. That is early though especially with all the horrible weather we have been having. Maybe those few sunny days brought them out? And happy to see Parker is still fat and fluffy.
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Isn’t it wonderful to see them. I drove to the Park last weekend and didn’t walk all week so I made a point to look at that house – every year they come up early. I searched my blog and on February 24, 2018 they were already tall and blooming! And that was despite all that snow last year. Yes, Parker and his pals are all fat and fluffy and the wind was blowing the fluffy tail around. I was there today as well – had to leave a few more peanuts as I won’t be there all week, unless it melts the ice that’s coming Tuesday night.
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Any snowdrops here would be buried under 6 inches of ton. We had snow last night which was NOT forecast, so had to have the snow shovellers here (fed them the rest of the sticky toffee pudding), but now the sun is out and it’s melting….it feels more spring like although it certainly doesn’t look it!
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We had three inches of snow, and we now await the ice event tomorrow night … the weatherman had the audacity to say “folks – we are getting another winter storm Saturday into Sunday.” Sigh. P.S. – The sticky toffee pudding would be incentive for me!
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It was too sweet, and I very seldom say that, or maybe it was just that I wasn’t in the mood for sweet – I’m craving chocolate!
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You have to make some more brownies Joan! I used to like butterscotch pudding growing up … I thought it was better than chocolate pudding. My mom would make the cooked variety with milk and you had to wait to eat it until it got the “skin” on top. Then a dollop of “Dream Whip” (remember that before Cool Whip or the canned whipping cream), but she would never eat it – she’d say “it’s way too sweet.” I buy the Kozy Shack rice pudding sometimes – my mom used to make alot of puddings in the Winter, more fruit salads or just fruit in the warmer months. She would make rice pudding from scratch with raisins and nutmeg and cinnamon. That was a stick-to-your ribs dessert. She made “fish eyes and glue” too, with the big pearls. All those nice Winter comfort foods to eat with your macaroni and cheese.
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I loved that “cooked” butterscotch pudding even though I didn’t like the skin – we made it all the time, the Jello brand, but they discontinued it , and now all you can find is the instant. I am trying to resist making brownies again as I am getting NO exercise lately. My mom made rice pudding too, and the stuff you buy is no comparison. What is “fish eyes and glue” – I’ve never heard of it?
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I know – no one cooks pudding from scratch anymore and the instant is okay, but it has s chalky taste to me (maybe it is me?) If I had brownies in the same room, I could not resist them. My mom got into a kick for a few years where she made brownies and peanut butter cookies once a week – they went in the oven at same temp, I’d come home from work and “look what I made today” … the trouble was my mom did not have a sweet tooth like me. No the Kozy Shack is just okay, but no comparison to that rice pudding – you could stick your spoon in it and it would stand straight up. Fish eyes and glue is tapioca pudding … my mom told me when they had it at the Hospital for Sick Children (where she was from 1937-1941 after her car accident and resulting osteomyelitis), it was a regular treat for the patients. It is the same as regular tapioca pudding but it has the huge pearls and they look like eyes. The “pearls” of tapioca are the size of peas. She called tapioca that all the time – I guess it was not a common phrase. Ha ha – I Googled to see if I could find a definition and my blog post on “fish eyes and glue” came up 🙂
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That was cute…..I left a comment. I don’t think I’ve ever even eaten tapioca pudding. I’m sure the hospital had it on the menu when I worked there, because it sounds like hospital food.
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Thanks Joan – I just replied. I sure was bemoaning how I could mess up tapioca pudding, but those huge fish eyes in that pudding all congealed with the mixture – I guess I did it. Yes it was given to them as it was bland and wouldn’t upset their stomachs.
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Oooh, those poor little snow flowers! We are getting some flurries here now and I type. My grandsons found painted rocks in the park in town last summer. They liked them so much, I went and bought some paint so they could make some of their own. Now we just have to wait for the weather to warm up a little bit so they can go to the park and hide them.
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I always look for those flowers at the same house this time of year. It has a huge tree, and the homeowner plants crocuses and snow drops beneath the tree, I remember taking a picture of them last year and searched my blog and they were much higher when I took the photo on February 24th. And we had a lot of snow last year, but no Polar Vortex. The rock craze started here in 2016 and they have a Facebook site dedicated to it – I usually leave the rocks there at the Park (or other parks) but take a picture and post to their site that I found them …. today the rocks were still there so I posted to take your kids there before the snow flies and the creator got a chuckle out of that. We have a woman who is an actual artist, and she creates some stunning images on the rocks – she does knockoffs of famous paintings too; her Degas ballerinas were just amazing. She buys plain Christmas bulbs and paints pictures of family members or pets and sells them. Very creative. You’ll have some fun hiding those rocks. The youngest kids have the most fun with it, especially in Summer.
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That was interesting about the intensity of the fighting among the geese. I’ll be particularly interested in your weather for the next two weeks. A favorite niece is working in Detroit for this period and will fly home two weeks from today. She won’t have much free time, so the weather will likely not impact her.
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I thought it was interesting about the geese too Anne. I have seen geese have the occasional squabble, but this was downright nasty and it was like a brawl, with everyone involved. On top of it, it was not just one or two, but many of them “goosing” the other one. Lots of hissing and wing flapping. Today I was there, and there were no geese in the water, and they were grazing on the grass in the middle of the walking loop, quiet and content. I wanted to feel their foreheads. When does your niece arrive? We were supposed to have snow this morning and it arrived around 6:00 p.m. We get 1-3 inches tonight. Freezing rain Tuesday into Wednesday morning. Milder Thursday – hopefully all the ice melts with that milder (37 degrees) weather. Good thing she will be inside.
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She arrived Saturday. She’ll be very busy, so I don’t expect to hear from her.
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Glad she got to Detroit before this bad weather arrived – good planning on her part. Is she staying in downtown Detroit?
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I have no idea where she stays when in Detroit. Are there good places to stay downtown?
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Yes there are several Anne and they range in price. They are in the heart of the downtown area. We always have the auto show press preview days every January … they just had the last one and now they will be held in June, starting in 2021. They were changed as we always seemed to have snow or bitter cold and the journalists complained about the weather. But so many journalist from the foreign press came to town, they could not accommodate them all and had to have shuttles to hotels in the suburbs. Hopefully she is near where she is working these two weeks.
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Miss Linda………………I enjoyed looking at the same area at the park from the past spring time……….it made me feel a little bit warmer………………………………………….and look at those snowdrops!…………………….when did they pop up.?…………..last week when we had that un-natural 50 degree weather??
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Yes, it makes you feel warmer and perkier Ann Marie, especially after looking outside tonight. Once the snow machine got going, there was no stopping it! The snowdrops were amazing! It had to have been that one warm day – last year, same house, on February 24th, they were already in full bloom. A breath of fresh air! I think the flowers and trees are going to be really confused this year. One year Marge’s magolias bloomed three times in one growing season!
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What a beautiful angel for Erica. How sad to lose someone so young! We have ice tonight and more tomorrow. Hopefully the roads are clear by the time I pick up my client. Be careful out there Linda!
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Thanks Diane – I hated seeing the snow return … we are just snow tonight (1-3 inches) and ice Tuesday night into Wednesday. I never remember a Winter so full of ice storms. You be safe as well Diane – no rest for us for Presidents Day unfortunately.
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Oh, my goodness…the open water, the geese squawking, the flowers popping up through the ground…Spring can’t be far behind all of the snow flurries – you’ve given me hope! And the squirrels looked happy to see you too!
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We need hope after this Winter don’t we?
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Yes, we do!
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Love that beautiful little angel and the squirrel is quite possibly the fattest I’ve ever seen!
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Yes, Pam – it is so delicate. They had a sleeping angel that was placed near the memorial plaque and one day I walked by and it was broken in two pieces. If it was resin, that does break easily as I’ve had garden ornaments that hit something the wrong way and just shattered. Perhaps vandalism – not sure. Soon thereafter they had the angel and those matching gossamer butterflies tied to the tree branches. It is beautiful in the Spring as you can see with the flowering tree and yellow tulips. The squirrels have “rolls” of fat don’t they? In the late Fall, they often waddle down the pathway. 🙂
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Yes, waddlers!
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I don’t know why but the geese situation is cracking me up- too funny!!!
Aw that is a beautiful Angel figurine ❤ So delicate and serene.
I bet it’s exciting to see those shoots popping up! It will be spring before you know it 🙂
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I know – the geese were fighting … I’ve never heard such a noise before and I’ve seen a couple of them fighting but this was like a brawl – no holds barred! Yes, the angel is a nice touch at Erica’s tree … the butterflies are a nice touch too and look nicer when the tree is in bloom in the Spring … everything looks harsh and desolate right now. I was watching under that tree as I’d not walked by there in a while since I’ve only walked on weekends, and took the car to the Park. I looked in my post from last year and on February 24th, the Snowdrops were quite high and in bloom. A sign of life – a sign of Spring … we so need it Mackenzie.
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I hear lots of people saying there are snowdrops out so yippee spring is on the way. It will make it much easier for your walks. 🙂 What a lovely valentines message at the memorial place.
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Yes, it was so nice to see them Zena. I looked back in last year’s post around this time to see the snowdrops growth and a year ago today they were already pretty tall and in bloom. They looked like lily of the valley there were so many blooms. I had a neighbor who planted a few lily of the valley and they crept all over the place … they sure were pretty when in bloom though. Anything in bloom is preferable to this desolate-looking landscape we have now.
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Let’s hope the countdown to seeing things bloom won’t be too long ❤
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It will life our spirits Zena, that’s for sure.
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