Finally, after eight days of rain, Easter Sunday dawned, just as it should, with bright sunshine. I was chomping at the bit to bop down the bunny trail at my favorite Park.
But first, treats awaited me …
Before I left, I hopped online to send an Easter greeting to everybunny and discovered a text from my good friend Ann Marie. She had dropped off an eggstra-special treat for me at 7:08 a.m. This is the second Sunday in a row Ann Marie has stopped at my house in the early morn. Last Sunday it was birthday cupcakes. Today I discovered dyed eggs sitting in a bed of Easter grass in a bag bearing a bunny picture that Ann Marie had drawn. I also got a big chocolate bunny which will be my treat tonight. I feel very spoiled and special and I’m thanking my friend once again in this post.
It was great to be back at my favorite nature nook …
I arrived at Council Point Park, the first time I had walked there in over a week. I drove down one morning and before I got out of the car, big splats of rain landed on the windshield and a fine drizzle began, so I headed for home.
I was amazed how lush and green the grass had become over the course of the week – well, three days of intense rain helped out in that regard. The Park had a green glow as leaves appeared ready to unfurl, giving the bare trees just a smidge of color.
So, what did I find along the bunny trail, er … walking path this morning?
Blue sky, a butterfly, birds and buds …
As I set out this morning, I told myself that whatever images I saw today would remain on the camera’s memory card for a few days until I got caught up, not only with everyone’s posts here on WordPress, but on other social media sites as well.
However, as I walked, the sun streaming down, feeling the warm air, I couldn’t help myself … I was snapping pics here, there and everywhere and knew I wanted to share them today.
It’s only April and yesterday our high temp was 40 degrees F (4 C)!
He wanted to sneak down to snatch a peanut, so he checked if the coast was clear to the left …
trilling his sweet notes as I walked along the trail.
and everyone else should stay out of his way while he did so!
Check out that sharp beak!
but it will be a while until they open.
Since no trek to Council Point Park is complete without squirrel shots …
I sure would have enjoyed tacking on a few more miles, but I didn’t want to overdo it, since I only walked twice this week, just minimal amounts in the neighborhood. By the time I arrived at the last loop, my furry and feathered pals were MIA. Unbelievably, not a single squirrel came to greet me, most likely having returned to their respective nests to spend Easter with their family.
during our recent brutal Winter and for the chilly and rainy Spring we’ve endured thus far.
I know they enjoyed their peanuts, just look at the faces on these munchkins while they’re munching their peanuts. They look as happy and content as we did when we enjoyed our Easter meal, don’t they?
That is him up top having two helpings of peanuts at the same time.
I, too, was content, happy to enjoy this Easter Sunday stroll.
Linda Schaub
WALKIN', WRITIN', WIT & WHIMSY 
You had lots of good things to share today.
I’ve seen red-winged blackbirds in the pasture, but today I saw one several times on the deck. It was lovely to get such a close view.
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Yes I did and I really intended to forego the post and catch up here … I am sorely behind, but it was such a nice day, it was a pity to hold onto the story and the photos. Those red-winged blackbirds are really beautiful with their striking colors on each wing like epaulets. But they pick on other birds, swooping down on geese or trying to get eggs or hatchlings of out nest. They are mean! Glad you enjoyed the close-up view. Happy Easter to you, John and David. I need to respond to comments – I saw that you bought David Peeps.
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Did you try the Google Doodle today Anne? It was not as fun as the piano doodle, but you should give it a whirl.
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No, I missed it.
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They may have it under Google Doodles – it was a game, the more clicks, the more eggs and bunnies came tumbling down in the space around the word “Google”.
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Thank you. If we’re home today, we’ll look for it. Thank you.
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It was funnier doing it yourself – now it is gone as Google celebrates Earth Day. Here it is on YouTube (with some annoying music to accompany it):
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It sure was a beautiful day. When we were at the farm today I saw a dragon fly then as I was telling my husband about seeing it a butterfly, I think it was like the one in your picture, fluttered by.
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It sure was Ruth – we deserved it didn’t we? I’m amazed about something as delicate as a dragon fly too. Where were these delicate creatures hiding – it was so cold and rainy yesterday. I did a double take.
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I am looking forward to tomorrow as well. Both the dragon fly and butterfly took me by surprise. My husband said maybe spring really is here. 🙂
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Yes, tomorrow will be even warmer and better than today – wish tomorrow as Sunday. I definitely felt like we turned a corner today!
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Thank you hope yu had a Blessed Resuraction Day
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Thank you Patrizia – I did. I hope it was a good day for you as well.
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What beautiful sky. I know why you couldn’t wait to share those Easter pictures. Did you miss seeing the squirrels yesterday then? Because I read in the post that they were MIA ?
The cardinal and the blackbird are beautiful.
When you said, “pass Muster”, I remembered that this week my university is celebrating Aggie Muster meaning its like remembering those that passed last year. Is Muster like a “roll call”?
Susie
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Thanks Susie – now you know why. No, the squirrels were all around for the first few times I walked around and I guess they ate enough peanuts to fill up after no one being around for a while, so they went back up the tree to their nests. But the were around at the beginning. That was Parker and Midnight the black squirrel. I took more pictures but it was very sunny and I had some shadows so I left those pictures out. You are right, that is a military term “to pass muster” but in this case, I was meaning the same way as in “passing inspection” or “passing approval” … the cardinal looked at me like he wasn’t sure I was not going to leap over there and grab him. Here I was talking to him, telling him I wasn’t going to hurt him and he finally flew down.
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What a nice friend Ann Marie is and Happy “belated” Birthday!
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Thank you Diane – she is very special, more on the chocolate treat tonight. Stay tuned!
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I’m happy the Easter bunny left a treat bag at your house! And happy belated birthday too! It was a gorgeous day here too, walked for the first time in two weeks and admired everyone’s hyacinths and daffodils and even saw some orange tulips, while smelling people’s Easter Sunday dinners wafting out of open windows. Spring is sprung. Nice to see people outside sitting on their verandas and porches, and walking, I swear every dog in the neighbourhood was being walked. Otherwise a quiet day here, ham and scalloped potatoes, and a small Lindt chocolate bunny, but no peeps.
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Thank you Joni – it was beautiful here yesterday and this morning also – wish it was Sunday today.
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Happy belated Birthday, Linda! I’m glad you got in a nice walk today. Looks like all your favorite friends came to see you! Red-winged blackbirds are beautiful. In some places here on the West-coast we have yellow-headed blackbirds. Those are nice too!
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Thanks Sabine – it was a gorgeous day and I’m headed out soon … running behind this morning unfortunately as I stayed up too late last night trying to catch up here … I would love to see a yellow-headed blackbird, that sounds beautiful. He was pretty vocal and that sharp beak – wow!
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Wonderful shots, Linda! 🙂
Redwing-blackbirds usually “chew me out” when i am photographing in “their” area. I love getting scolded at, and when i give them the standard visible bird-cues for “affection,” they usually stop with the scolding.
Parker is starting to look like the Buddha! 🙂
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Glad you enjoyed this Tom. I had such a wonderful walk – bright and sunny and critter filled, after 8 days of rain. Those red-winged blackbirds are a force to be reckoned with. I liked the way he flew to the ground and just sat there to intimidate anyone else. You’re right – Buddha is the perfect description for Parker!
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Spring may take a while to get to Michigan, but it looks like it has finally arrived! Yay! So glad to read about your Easter treats. Not going to ration out that chocolate bunny, huh? did you eat it all at one sitting? 🙂
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And today as well – the leaves are starting to unfurl. Just a gorgeous day – we have a great week of weather coming up. Tuesday morning is a minor blip, but every other day is good. I did save the bunny because it was cute, but I now have a follow-up post you’ll read next time your grandson is napping. 🙂 I was mortified to discover it was not a bunny, but a squirrel! What a cute idea too!
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I am kind of anxious to get home to see what my yard looks like. Unfortunately, I missed my late-blooming purple tulips. They were on the verge of blooming when we left. I am anxious to read your follow up post! 🙂
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Well that’s a bummer Laurie and you know those tulips bloom in a day or two and the beauty is gone. I will likely do the post today. I stopped at the home with the yellow and purple pansies in the front yard and there was shade there unfortunately, but I got a few picture of his yard and the flowering weeping cherry tree – absolutely gorgeous! You mentioned you are on Twitter – I am following the journey of Mike Posner who is from Michigan and walking from New Jersey to California and began his journey on April 22nd … how fun! He has been walking around 13 miles the first few days and is in PA today. I’m going to write about him in an upcoming post. The hashtag is #WalkAcrossAmerica but he is Tweeting from @MikePosner
(there are other WalkAcrossAmerica sites from the past). I mention it even though you are in Colorado and not near Allentown. He has been going to parks and doing impromptu “concerts” … just a few songs and acoustic guitar and is giving a concert there tonight … all free and people know beforehand so are gathering to see him. He is a Grammy award winner. I am not familiar with his music, following for the walking aspect.
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That is so cool, Linda. Thank you for sharing the Twitter info. I will give it a look. I guess I will miss him while he is in PA.
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I thought it was cool too Laurie. I’m a little confused though because yesterday he announced he had his first 100 miles in and it appeared he has been on the road 10 days. My earlier read of his journey had him starting this past Monday the 22nd. Nevertheless, he has walked 100 of 2960 miles as of yesterday. Very inspiring! I like the idea of the little impromptu concerts too.
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I’m sure everybunny was so happy to hear from you 🙂 And with eggstra-special treats too?! Woohoo! The Red Winged blackbird has to be a pretty rare bird to see! It is beautiful. As always- love the squirrel shots! Glad you had such a lovely Easter stroll, Linda!
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Thanks Mackenzie – it was a beautiful day and today as well. You know in the Midwest states that you wait and wait for these first beautiful days. I strolled in the neighborhood on the way home to get some shots of some colorful flowers … we just may have finally turned a corner!
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YAYYY! I am so happy to hear 🙂
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Miss linda…………………………..those were some awesome close-up pictures of the birds in their trees………………………..this is what’s enjoyable about spring-time……………………………thank you
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I’m glad you enjoyed them Ann Marie – the Red-Winged Blackbird was very close to me the other day so I was lucky to get some shots of it.
I had a beautiful walk on Easter Sunday – warm, sunny and critter-filled. I took some photos yesterday on my way home of the neighborhood flowers. I’ve not looked at them yet – hopefully they turned out okay and I’ll use them later this week.
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I could feel the happiness in your steps – great photos, and I adore the one of Parker’s not ready for bikini shot! LOL!
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Thanks Shelley – it was a great walk, a long-anticipated walk after all that rain. Yes, Parker is still quite chubby isn’t he? Another blogger said he looked like Buddha!
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Yay!!! I’m so happy to hear you’ve been able to get long walks in. I’m surprised Parker is so chubby already. Don’t they normally get fairly thin over the winter? Yes, he does look like Buddha, too, LOL!
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They get an extra layer of fat and fur for Winter, but I would think with better weather and more scampering around, he’d lose that fat and look less Buddha like!
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Ah, that makes sense. LOL – he is a chubby one, Dessy thinks he looks very handsome, though.
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Ha ha – they both have that fur thing going for them … your comment makes me think of this cartoon. I follow this blogger and yesterday Yvette’s post had this cartoon at the tail end of the post. Those “New Yorker” cartoons have always been great. https://wordpress.com/read/blogs/28505188/posts/14142
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LOL – yes, they do, and so do we! And that is a funny cartoon!!
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Glad you got a kick out of it Shelley!
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Lovely pictures of your walk! I guess I’m just a city girl but I had never seen a squirrel nest before (and didn’t know they made nests). I bet Parker was happy to see you and your bag of peanuts. That’s one spoiled squirrel!
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Hi Janis – it was just picture perfect for Easter Sunday, such a welcome treat after all this rain and gloomy weather we’ve had. The squirrels build these massive nests and you can’t see them when the trees are leafed out, but when the branches are bare, bird nests and squirrel’s nests are exposed. They sleep up there curled up together to keep warm … good thing as we had a brutally cold Winter. Parker is spoiled and a tad chunky still – if we ever get nice weather again (a little snow tomorrow night, no – not a typo), perhaps he, like me, will get out and about more!
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Oh what a lovely surprise gift your friend gave you. Sounds like a beautiful day in nature you had at last. ❤
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Yes, it was a special treat and I seized that day to savor the sun and go on a long walk. We’ve had wacky weather all Spring so it made it all the more enjoyable.
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Wonderful photos, eveyone is enjoying there peanuts, and I can hear the red wings song just from the photo.
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Glad you liked this Sandra – thank you for going back to look at old Easter posts. Unfortunately, I posted my Easter cookie post and it did not go to Reader – I am thinking since you have it in your favorites, you usually check and knew I was writing it, but here you go. It is long but I had some fun with it and some fairly close-ups of the squirrels enjoying their cookies. In the case of the black squirrels, it is almost as big as their head. 🙂
You know, I remembered the peeps post, but not this one so I went back – yes, it was a beautiful Easter Sunday and blue skies for the first time in a while. They had the Easter egg hunt in the park near where I live and it was raining so hard no one showed up – that was on Palm Sunday and already the 2nd or third day of rain. The squirrels were chowing down on peanuts and I love when I can get a Cardinal or a Jay to come to the pathway, The Red-Winged Blackbird scams peanuts too – his beak is as lethal as a Blue Jay’s beak.
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I checked a couple times yesterday to see your post. I am heading over there this morning to read it. I was out playing with the dog in the back yard yesterday, taking action photos of her fetching her toy. Trying some new settings on the camera, did that before the rain settled in. I havn’t seen to many squirrels in my backyard lately. Even the song birds seem to be hiding somewhere, lots of sparrows eating my bird seed is about it.
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It did not post until 18 hours after I initially posted it – before I left I did an Easter post, showing Parker in bunny ears, just to include the actual internet blog site link. They hopefully will find out the problem but it is happening too much.
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