… and AROUND munchkins.
The March of Dimes was always a favorite charity of my mom’s. I don’t know the reason because I was born a healthy baby, albeit small … 4 pounds, 11 ounces, something that this 5 foot, 9 inch tall current Me finds difficult to fathom that I was ever that tiny. Evidently the baby formula my parents were recommended by Dr. Hamlin made me big and strong, kind of how you boost bloom growth in the garden with Miracle-Gro, only this magic elixir was for babies. 🙂
Mom also liked The Salvation Army and I once was a bell ringer for them from Thanksgiving weekend through December. But I digress.
The annual March for Babies 5K event through the March of Dimes organization never holds their big fundraiser near me and this year was no different. It was held in Pontiac, Michigan, 54 miles from my home. But that was fine because, for now, I’ll keep doing my charity 5K walks virtually if that option is available.
I decided to make the March of Dimes March for Babies one of my 2023 5K events. I have participated in four walks this year, but only written about one so far. I admit that the reason for hooking up with the March for Babies might seem a wee bit self-serving … after all, it was a celebration of sorts for me since it was 50 years ago, while in my senior year in high school, that I participated in my very first 5K, the “March of Dimes 17-Mile Walk-a-thon 1973” on Belle Isle, Detroit, Michigan. I was just one of many participants and I completed not just 3.2 miles (the equivalent of a 5 kilometers), but 17 miles – ahh … youth!
So this year I decided to do the March for Babies again, but with a twist. I would do it, on my own, without joining a team and sponsor myself and, just like that “Order of the Battered Boot” certificate I received five decades ago …
… I chose my favorite nature nook, Council Point Park, a place that is as comfortable to me as an old pair of walking shoes.
Having walked at this venue for a decade now, I knew Springtime is “baby time” in this park, or any other nature setting. I knew those sweet goslings and their moms (and dads too) would be a perfect touch for doing my fundraising meander for the March of Dimes’ munchkins.
I know the past few months I have regaled you (and hopefully not bored you) with lots of pics of Canada Geese with their goslings. But, I am really partial to these goslings you will see below as they were so very tiny, the first of many goslings that I would see along Council Point Park’s perimeter path this year.
So on Sunday, May 7th, with camera in hand, I began my walk. I knew I must be prepared to sidestep the family by giving them wide berth along the perimeter path, otherwise my penalty for getting in their way is the equivalent of getting my hand slapped goose style, i.e. Papa Goose glaring at me, then hissing with that bright pink tongue, followed by some serious wing-flapping. And, if I was not deterred by those histrionics, then he might charge in my direction. Hey, I’m no fool. I know the rules and have obeyed them since I began walking here.
Every picture tells a story says Rod Stewart and Linda Schaub.
I didn’t have far to go, ten minutes on the perimeter path and there they were. Papa guarding his offspring fiercely. I don’t blame him – his babies were cute and I told him so as I inched closer and closer to his brood without crossing that line and invading their personal space. Mama, having a little sit-down and a grass and dandelion break, glanced up and decided to let Papa take care of business with the tall intruder.
So with minimal words and lots of photos, please come and meander with munchkins with me.
Sweetness abounds!
I will admit that goslings don’t have cherub faces, or ten little fingers and toes, but, tell me this cutie pie gosling, snacking on a dandelion isn’t sweet. I know I already used the photo for a Wordless Wednesday post, but it was my favorite shot of the day so I know you’ll indulge me.
I guess snacking and tootling after Mom and Dad left these babies tired …
I got as close as I dared and whispered “will you pose for me?“
They obliged (and no plying with peanuts was necessary.)
A blended family – what?!
Something interesting about this family: clearly, there were four tiny goslings, but also tucked into this group was one older gosling. It is easy to see the size difference. There were no other goslings in the Park so I was a bit stymied. Did Mama lay one egg a few weeks before the others? Is that possible? Have a look.
Papa accommodated me for photos, then he marched his babies down the grassy slope to the Creek for a quick paddle and with his look back at me I figured I had overstayed my welcome.
So that ended my gawking at goslings that day. Besides … Parker, impatient with my fixation on my feathered friends, firmly stepped on my shoes with his front paws demanding my attention and peanuts.
No finisher’s medal was enclosed with my swag packet, but I did get two tee-shirts, one for being a walker and one for being a donor (I matched the amount of my registration fee).
My next 5K would be for Fish & Loaves Food Pantry on Sunday, June 4th at historic Heritage Park.
Linda Schaub
WALKIN', WRITIN', WIT & WHIMSY 
Enjoyed this post, reading about your long walk for charity.
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Thank you Ann – I thought it would be fun to try do something for March of Dimes. I also did a new 5K yesterday as well for “Running to Honor” a 5K run/walk to benefit veterans.
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A charity walk and babies too!
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The best of both worlds!
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The Order of the Battered Boot! That’s so fun. Your photos of the ducklings are delightful, kind of leaning into your whimsy here, aren’t ‘ya?
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I thought it was fun too Ally … just right up my alley. Those babies are cute, even if they grow up mean and ornery but their sweetness and goodness now makes makes for a whimsical post. 🙂
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Geese are well known to adopt a lost or orphaned chick.
Great shots Linda!
I’ve had shoes like that before!
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Thanks Wayne – I am glad you liked the shots. They were so cute and I got as close as I could to them … so close the downy feathers showed up. Interesting that geese adopt a lost or orphaned chick … it was so much bigger than the others and I had not seen any goslings before that at the Park, but they keep them well hidden; even the nest is hidden. I scan the shoreline and banks of the Creek every Spring – no nest sightings. Very secretive! My walking shoes are comfy – no break-in period necessary and I keep the old ones for out in the yard as they are still comfortable, just the heels eventually wear down.
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old shoes are great for painting, walking along a rocky beach and swimming in and all around general dirty work!
You wear a brand new pair back into the bush and they’ll self destruct!
Most animals are very secretive about their nests and I don’t blame them!
You remind me of a female version of Forest Gump with all his walking. As long as nobody follows you, your safe!
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Yes, my walking shoes have a very thick sole and are virtually indestructible. I always have an extra new pair waiting in the wings in case they discontinue the brand – fingers crossed they never do that as I’ve used this brand for a dozen years now.
Compared to the geese who built their nest on a tiny island, these geese must be on the other side of the Creek where the bushes on this side don’t permit me to see across and I can’t go to the other side as it’s private property. We once had a swan’s nest near the shoreline – another walker told me about it but when he went to show me, it was gone (apparently collapsed into the water). The goslings appear each Spring like magic!
You give me an idea Wayne – I have to add all the years of miles together and how many miles I need to walk before I catch up with Forrest Gump … this is what I read: (Forrest Gump set out “for no particular reason” when he began a journey that would last three years, two months, 14 days and 16 hours. In that time Gump ran 15,248 miles, or so we’re told, and crossed the United States nearly five times.)
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I assume you’ve kept every pair of walking shoes? Contact the company that makes them and explain what you do. They may give you free swag for promoting their equipment?
I’ll call you “Ferny Gump”!
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I think I only have two old pair now – one I keep in the car in case my shoes get muddy on a trail so I don’t mess up the car and one I keep for out in the yard. Unbelievably, I contacted Easy Spirit several years ago … I was going to put on a new pair of shoes, took pics of old shoes next to new shoes and sent it to them … I said the old shoes had 1,000 miles on them, maybe more. They never wrote back. I assume they thought I wanted coupons, or free stuff. I did not. Maybe I should try again? They turned me off with the attitude, but I continue to buy the shoes as they are durable and comfortable.
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people assuming the worse case scenario……..how odd??
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Yes, because I was touting their product and showing the two pair of shoes for comparison and that was not my intention.
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These are the style:
https://easyspirit.com/collections/punter-athletic-shoes
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they say they are all about “Connections” but their actions betray their true intent.
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Yes, I agree with you on that Wayne – I thought they might like to know how many miles I walked and the shoes are still in good condition, which would be a ringing endorsement for their product. I never contacted them again.
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That’s my kind of charity walk! I wonder if the larger gosling was adopted?
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I agree Janis – it’s a good cause. I reached out to March of Dimes to ask if I could walk in the event virtually since it would commemorate 50 years since I did the first walk and they said “yes” so I was in! It’s fun marching around these sweet babies who are now grown up and mean as their parents.
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Yes those babies are cute but I got stuck on the thought of your 17-mile walk from fifty years ago. 17 miles! (also, “50 years ago!” Thanks, I feel old) That must’ve been at least four or five hours of one foot after the other. Might as well have been a marathon. Well done!
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Yes, fifty years ago – thank you! I don’t know how I did it Dave and I know I didn’t have walking shoes at the time, just ordinary sneakers. There was a big crowd for that event and Bob Seger was the “leader” of the pack so to speak and he led us on that marathon walk. I don’t recall now if he finished or not. I thought of reaching out to him (he still lives here in Ann Arbor, Michigan) and asking if he had any photos of the original walk in his/agent’s archives for this post, as there was nothing online, even in the March of Dimes Michigan office; a nice, helpful young man told me their archives didn’t go back *that far* (and that statement made me feel old). In 1976 I took a coworker to Toronto for a week’s vacation. She had never been there and we stayed at my grandmother’s house for the week while sightseeing. We took a Greyhound bus over as we planned to use public transit to get everywhere. The only trouble was the Toronto Transit Authority went on strike the day we got there – in Toronto you don’t need a car – you ride and/or transfer from bus/subway/streetcar, or there is the “Go-train” to the suburbs – all were on strike. We walked everywhere – the strike lasted an entire week!
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Wow – you were a tiny baby that was ready to thrive and grow taller than your parents 🥰 That was so nice of you to register for yourself and sponsor yourself. I’m partial to your gosling photos so I think they were a fun addition to this post versus showing us a crowd of people walking. 😉Congrats on completing another virtual 5k!!
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Yes, hard to believe Shelley … I had to stay at the hospital in an incubator a few weeks til I was big enough to come home. That was some magic formula! I agree, goslings are much cuter than a crowd of people walking. Those babis were at the cute phase, sweet and downy, not mean and ornery. Thank you! I did another virtual 5K yesterday, “Running to Honor” which I learned about when I did the Memorial Day post about Sgt. Craig Frank … there was a City street named for him and the street signs were paid for by this organization. I did the same thing and sponsored myself, matching the registration fee.
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I’m glad you grew and survived the first weeks of your life.
I love their yellow fluffy stage the most too.
Wow – you’re on a great track of virtual 5Ks! Nice job!
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The “newborn” goslings are the sweetest … so cute. I really liked the one with the dandlion in its mouth.
Thank you – as you know from prior posts, I ended up way taller than my parents. Pretty amazing how tiny I was isn’t it Shelley? My mom said the special formula was expensive and I know my parents weren’t rich, so it was somewhat of a hardship. But it worked like Miracle-Gro Bloom Booster. 😉
I have to get crackin’ writing about the third virtual 5K for Fish & Loaves Food Pantry. I’m trying to vary my posts so they don’t all run together and appear to be the same. This may be it for the goslings shots.
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Yes, the dandelion shot is my favorite too.
I knew you were taller than your parents, but I must’ve forgotten about the special Miracle-Gro formula. As parents, we do what we need to do to help our offspring survive. And you did that and are still thriving!
I look forward to round 3!! The goslings will be a fun surprise to see in the middle of winter 😉
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I know that every time I turned around I saw goslings this year … I wanted the smallest ones for this post, so this worked out well. I thought if I did one more post of goslings I may look like I have no imagination. 🙂 As to the squirrels, I give them a rest til Fall.
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🥰🤗😊
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Congratulations on completing your virtual 5k and for supporting such a worthy cause! You were multitasking on your walk. I don’t think I knew you began your walking regimen 50 years ago. That’s dedication!!! and 17 miles, whew! That must have taken a while to complete.
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Thank you Laurie and I did another virtual 5K yesterday for “Running to Honor” an organization dedicated to helping veterans, which I learned about when I wrote the post about Sgt. Craig Frank back on Memorial Day. So the race organizer wrote that 671 participated in yesterday’s event, in person and virtually. They offered virtual participation. That first walk for charity did take a long time … I did not return home until late afternoon and I would not start a walking regimen until 2011!
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Such great photos Linda. They are so cute!!!
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Thanks Ruth! I don’t think they were more than a day or two old. Very sweet babies, all downy and soft!
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I agree that the older gosling must have been adopted into the family. Boy, you really were a tiny baby!
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It was almost three times as big as the others Eileen – I’ve never seen that before at this park. It may happen in larger parks, but this one, the families will congregate together, but they go their separate ways. Yes, it’s hard to believe I was that tiny and that I spent the first two weeks of my life in the hospital in an incubator.
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That’s a very fun walk and good doings for a charity, Linda! The older chick looks like a nanny for the new born chicks. That’s cute. Who do you tell the mama from the papa? Looking forward to the next post.
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Yes, it was fun Teri – those were the first of several families at Council Point Park. When I go to Elizabeth Park, there are many families of geese … they have a lot of geese there and everywhere you look in the Spring, the goslings in the various families are different sizes, depending on which hatched first … the smallest are always the cutest though. You would not believe how much they grow in one or two weeks’ time. Since I walk there so often, I watch them go from yellow and fuzzy to gray with long bodies and big feet. They really look alike but the female is a bit smaller, but the biggest difference is the females are generally quieter than the males … the males are honking, hissing, sometimes fighting (territorial stuff).
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Adorable little goslings! I loved the picture of the two snuggled up together sleeping. ♡ Interesting about the one bigger than the others. With that look, Papa seemed to be saying “I hope you’re satisfied now and will leave us be!” Congratulations on your participation in the March for Babies! Your dedication is amazing! I chuckled about the “Order of the Battered Boot.”
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They are so sweet at this age Barbara. I don’t think they were very old and the bigger one, although older, still had most of its yellow down. I really don’t understand what happened there, but it stayed alongside the others. I like the look on Papa’s face … the ganders are famous for their side-eye glances and I was just standing there, but he wanted me to know who was boss I guess. 🙂 I still have two more virtual 5K events to write about. I am trying to space them out and intersperse them with long nature walks so every post is different and not just nature walks. How are the fawns?
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That’s one thing you can say about Canada geese — they are excellent protective fathers! The fawns seem to be doing well. I keep seeing them in the neighborhood and once they even crossed the street in front of our car. Of course we stopped to let them pass, as all the neighbors seem to do around here.
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Yes, those Geese are excellent protective fathers. They guard those goslings even when they are full-sized. Today the geese returned to Council Point Park. They were all lined up along the parking lot when I got there this morning. There were probably 30 of them as they have been gone for almost two months. They molt and lose all their flight feathers, then paddle with their goslings down to the Detroit River, about two miles away and they stay there in the water until they can fly again. The goslings are as big as the parents and have all their adult plumage. It must be wonderful seeing the fawns walking around the neighborhood – I would enjoy it as you do Barbara.
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Congratulations on you walk! Cute babies, the goslings are so sweet. You were a small baby! 4 pounds is little, I thought my son was little at 6 pounds!
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Thanks Susan – it was fun doing the 5K virtually with these little cutie pies. I like the goslings when they are small and sweet like this before they get an attitude like their parents, although one gosling kind of gave me a look of disdain while I took its picture. 🙂 I spent the first two weeks of my life in an incubator until I gained a little weight and my parents could bring me home. Then I grew and grew, much taller than my parents!
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Lol look of disdain! Cheeky little fella.
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Only you could take dedicated walks and turn it into thoughtful fundraising. I was watching a nature show on TV and they showed a case where one baby was bigger than all the rest. They had a camera on the nest and they found the large baby was always fed first and got more food. Maybe that’s the case here too?
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Thank you Diane – that is kind of you to say that. I did another fundraiser last Sunday. It was a virtual 5K for an organization called “Running to Honor” and I learned about it when I wrote my Memorial Day post about the young serviceman (Craig Frank) from my City who was killed in Iraq in 2004. There is a portion of a highway in this City named for Sgt. Frank and the money raised for the sign was from this group. They do things to honor the memory of military men who died … this year’s focus was on military suicides (22 military personnel commit suicide daily in the U.S.). So, since the 5K could be done live or virtually, I signed up to do it virtually and, like the March of Dimes, I matched my registration fee for my donation as I wasn’t going to solicit funds. That is interesting why one of the babies got larger than the others … this large gosling appeared to be part of this family, never straying from the rest of them. My neighbor Marge had a dove build a nest on her deck in an old planter one Spring. She noticed there were two eggs in the nest – the male and female took turns incubating the eggs, so she noticed two eggs. Then, before the eggs hatched, one egg was pushed out and over the shallow planter and onto the deck … Marge then saw it was pushed off the deck into the garden. She knew it couldn’t be accidental, but that perhaps the hatchling had died – no heartbeat inside the egg? Pretty amazing isn’t it??
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Well done for doing this worthwhile walk, Linda. I loved the description of the little family you met on the way ❤️.
I have fallen behind on reading your posts, so I’m looking forward to catching up on them.
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Thank you Zena! This is my favorite place to walk, so I thought it would be fun to mix it up a little with the Park’s newest arrivals. They are the cutest when only a few days old. It is good to see you back here and I appreciate you stopping by. I know you have a hectic schedule, so I hope you and Munch will enjoy your “down time” this Summer.
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I had to look it up – The March of Dimes goes back to 1938, and has to be one of the oldest charities out there that is still active. I guess somewhere along the line they switched their emphasis from polio to infant health.
Good on you for walking and donating. And a good job tying the babies the charity is benefiting to the babies you found in the park.
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Thank you JP – it’s a worthwhile charity and I decided to make these feathered babies the subject of this charity walk as who can resist these goslings (before they get an attitude anyway)? You are right how it has morphed into “The March for Babies” along the way. Your reference to polio now makes me think that could have been the reason for my mom’s interest in this organization. You may recall the Mother’s Day post I did a few years ago where I told how my mom was hit by a car at age 11 and spent the next four years in the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. My grandparents were not rich and she did not have her own room, but was placed into a ward with many children, most who had polio. She had a close friend with polio from those hospital years and my mom kept in touch with her until her passing.
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