(Around here, anyway.)
Despite the fact that we’ve had above-normal temps most of the past week, even reaching the 70s Friday and Saturday, surprisingly, Mother Nature has not dipped her paintbrush into the green paint just yet.
Meanwhile, Chicagoans were dying the Chicago River green and Detroiters were painting shamrocks on the sidewalks in Corktown for today’s Saint Patrick’s Day parade, so there’s something green to cheer about. And, then there is green beer, if you’re so inclined.
So what’s a Blogger to do when Terri’s Color Challenge this week is “green” – hmm?
Well, this blogger went back to photos from a walk taken in early May 2024.
And, unlike those folks using dye and paint, I assure you there are no green tints on these photos, even if the featured image appears suspiciously bright green. It was just a sunny day when the grass was a lush emerald green, polka-dotted by dandelions … it’s the Spring-y day we Michiganders and most Midwesterners dream about in the Winter months.
I don’t have as many photos from that walk to use in this post because coincidentally, I was photographing trees in blossom at the Botanical Gardens in advance of Terri’s June Color Challenge: Pastels. That post, entitled “Pretty in Pink. #Wordless Wednesday #Springtime at the Botanical Gardens” can be found by clicking here.
Spring was all aglow around Heritage Park.
The historical area had their usual “Celebrate Spring” banners on all the lamp posts.
The leaves had unfurled – there was new growth everywhere, even soft green needles on the evergreens.
The turtles were sunbathing on their favorite ramp, the sun glinting off their green shells.
Near the Little Red Schoolhouse, a Double-crested Cormorant was perched amidst gorgeous reflections of red and green from the schoolhouse and grass respectively.
But he soon flew off that pedestal when the fountains in Coan Lake were turned on.
There was a field trip in progress at the Petting Farm and lots of oohs and aahs at the Alpacas in the barnyard.
For me, it was all about the babies that day.
I’d already been to this park multiple times checking out Mama Goose to get some photos of her nesting, then with those sweet goslings.
Of course, I wondered how the little darlings were coming along – well, you can see for yourself below. These cute pics of Mama’s offspring will tide you over until the 2025 batch of goslings comes along.
You’ve heard of herding cats? Well, I was smiling as I watched Mama chasing those babies to round ‘em up. With her head down, those goslings knew she meant business and they marched forward, in step with her. 🙂
They plop down suddenly, then are upright again seconds later to waddle around on oversized feet for their tiny bodies, so you can see why Mama needed a rest. She settled herself down for a small nap, having gathered her wee ones around her. But then Mama likely saw me, or my shadow, looming large and was on guard once again. But, isn’t the gander, er … “Papa” supposed to be guarding his family – where the heck was he?
Papa Goose, a/k/a “The Town Crier”.
Papa Goose was up on the roof of Maggie’s Sweet Shop telling the world about his goslings, much like a human father might be showing pictures on his phone or handing out cigars. Do fathers still hand out cigars for new babies?
The anticipated births were eggstra special too!
In the Springtime it’s all about the babies, right? You probably remember seeing this lamp post in past blog posts. It seems to be a popular place to raise your young if you’re a Sparrow. And, when birds, Robins especially, like to take liberties and build nests in the most inopportune places, (for homeowners anyway), obviously Heritage Park doesn’t care that Mama Sparrow builds a nest, sits on her eggs, then feeds her young inside the lamp post. A few years ago, I watched her going in/out to get food and bringing it back for her nestlings. This is not the only lamp post that is brimming with nest fixin’s for future baby birdies.
Enroute to the Botanical Gardens to check out the blooming trees, I passed the Petting Farm.
I follow a Facebook site called “Heritage Park Photo of the Day” and Dave Gorgon takes a photo almost daily of happenings at Heritage Park. A few days earlier, Dave posted a photo of a Mallard drake protecting his Missus as she was sitting on a nest. He suggested if you saw the pair to give them some distance. I went to check them out, knowing the pair would complement this topic of Spring babies.
The Petting Farm had posted this sign about giving them privacy …
… so I did, by merely zooming in on them, noting how protective the male was of his mate by positioning himself front-and-center. A Mallard hen will sit on a nest, incubating the eggs for about 28 days.
The next time I was at Heritage Park and I stopped to see if the nest was still there and unfortunately one of the eggs had not hatched.
So it was all about baby time on this trip and I hoped for one last shot of babies … baby Barn Swallows that live 18-23 days in a nest tucked in the rafters of the covered bridge and sometimes return even after fledging.
No nestlings that day, but I always look up whenever I cross Coan Lake using that bridge.
As mentioned above, I’m joining Terri’s Monthly Color Challenge: Shades of Green.
Linda Schaub
WALKIN', WRITIN', WIT & WHIMSY 
I love seeing your green memories of last May, Linda! I just love the shot of the cormorant with the reflection of the red school house! The ducklings and goslings are framed so prettily in the gorgeous green! Let’s hope green comes your way sooner than later! Happy St Patrick’s Day! ☘️💚
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Thanks Terri! I knew just what walk/pics to use to create this post with the green theme. It was a gorgeous day with the trees and grass seemingly newly minted green. Happy St. Patrick’s Day back at you!
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At least there wasn’t any snow this weekend! You’ve captured a lot of green and of course, my favorite, babies!
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Yes, thank goodness no snow! It was gorgeous on Thursday and Friday and I got a sunburn from walking the shoreline. Over the Winter I forgot that even UV #1 mid-day near the water might be a good reason to wear a hat. Those goslings were so sweet, especially the one pecking its sibling. Glad you liked them Kate!
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So prettily in the gorgeous green! Let’s hope green comes your way sooner than later! Wonderful your Greenery photography. I Love all photos. Nice capturing the turtles , Lamp & School. I enjoy your Greenery photography.
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Thank you Raj! I am excited to see some green around here, but it will be awhile yet. We may have a little snow on Thursday, nothing measurable, but just in time for the first day of Spring.
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Welcome,Linda! Iam so happy coming Spring & a little Snow. But beautiful around Greenery.v
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Lots of spring to be seen Linda
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Yes, for sure Brian. I hope Spring comes soon to Michigan as we’ve been on a roller coaster ride for a while now, even with a touch of snow Thursday to welcome Spring. The day the leaves all unfurl and everything is suddenly green is heady indeed!
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No late snow falls is preferred
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Same here Brian. I follow a retired meteorologist/climatologist on Twitter and someone asked him today about putting away the snowblower and he said this: “I remind you that Detroit’s biggest recorded snowfall was April 6, 1886…we got 2 feet of snow that day!” (2 ft = 60 centimeters) No thank you!
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That’s a wow
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That’s for sure – I hope history does NOT repeat itself!
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Who says it has to be the ‘green of the day’? Lovely pictures here.
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Thank you Anne! I am anxiously awaiting the beauty of Spring (even though weather forecasters are now predicting some snowflakes to arrive Thursday).
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Happy St. Patrick’s Day, Linda! 🍀🍀🍀 Thank you for bringing us so many green memories to enjoy today, including the brilliant green on the mallard’s neck! The goslings are adorable surrounded by all that green green grass! 💚🌿💚
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Back at you Barbara (even though I’m a trifle late with my St. Patrick’s Day wishes). Having lived in Connecticut all those years, you know how wonderful it is when everything seems to turn green the same day, just like it is here. I should have noted that Mallard’s neck. He was like a statue guarding his Missus. Those goslings were so cute, playing in the green green grass, especially the one pecking its sibling on the forehead. 🙂
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A salutary job of unfurling the green for St. Patrick’s day!
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Well thank you JP and back at you! I’d say top o’ the morning to you, but darkness has set in already. I hope you enjoyed the festive day!
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Happy St Paddy’s Day. A lovely GREEN post to celebrate, also a good reminder that spring will be here soon. ☘️
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Thank you Ally and back at you! It’s nice to see how our respective landscapes will look once we lose all the blah and Spring sets in. (Never mind that we will be very cold and snow showers are forecast for the first Day of Spring.)
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It always surprises me that people in America dye their waterways green for St. Patrick’s Day. Even over here in Ireland, we don’t do that! lol
Though there is a St. Patrick’s Day parade in our town (not in all Irish towns). And it passes close to our house, so we get a good view from the windows without having to stand cheek to jowl with everyone being jostled.
lol I did like how papa goose had taken himself away from the babies, to get a little “quiet time”.
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Now that is funny that in Ireland, there is no frivolity like dying the river and some people here even dye their hair green for the day. Ari, you are lucky to get a front-row seat to the parade without the crowd. I have a friend who lives in a small town and their 4th of July parade goes down the only street in town, aptly named Main Street. She says the same thing about beating the crowds.
Yes, papa goose had enough of the babies – time to escape the family, though it wasn’t difficult to find where he was hiding. 🙂
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I love spring and to see all the young animals, birds, ducks. It’s a beautiful day here, it’s 4 Celsius and just sunny and bright outside. We just went for a walk and our snow is 95% gone. Of course all the rain we had yesterday took it all away.
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My favorite season is Autumn, but I love Spring too Susan. There is nothing like Spring when everything turns green and trees erupt into blossom. Then a big wind blows those Magnolia blossoms all over the lawn. We had a couple of beautiful days Thursday and Friday and will have nice weather tomorrow, then cold weather again and a wintry mix for the first day of Spring. Our snow and the ice too are finally gone – hopefully for good.
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Oh that’s my favourite season too, Autumn is the best, followed by spring. Winter doesn’t make the list lol
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Autumn in your favorite spot, Algonquin Park, with all those colors – I can certainly see why. Soon you’ll be headed there. Summer is too hot sometimes, even though I said I wouldn’t complain after this awful Winter. I guess I have to admit I am a Winter hater too. 🙂
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I cannot wait to go to Algonquin, hopefully we can get a campsite, they are hard to get, especially now.
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More Canadians are vacationing in Canada rather than camping over here, or maybe due to inflation, so it’s difficult to get a campsite now? I was amazed a few years ago, when a fellow blogger from Michigan wanted to visit Yellowstone and said there was an 18-month waiting list. I had no idea!
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Yes more Canadians are staying in Canada for holidays now. Also since Covid camping has become more popular
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I thought that might be why. Camping became big here after COVID, but if I remember correctly boats were even a bigger draw. Boat stores could not keep them in stock, the bigger the better, so families would go away for the day on them, especially the pontoon boats.
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The sparrow nest reminds me of the one we had last year in our windmill. There is a box below where the blades are, and a sparrow built its nest there. I’m actually surprised that last year was the first time they did.
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This was the most elaborate of all the sparrow nests I saw in the lamp posts that day. She brought in a lot of nesting materials to ensure her babies were not going to freeze. Sparrows build nests in my blinds and Robins build in the coach lamp elbow. They must be desperate and even if it’s unconventional, they build anyway! I hope your cork nest finds some occupants soon Ruth!
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I’d say you found some lovely greens to share, Linda. Hopefully this year’s will be popping out soon!
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Thank you Eilene! I hope this year’s green will arrive soon – we had such gorgeous early Spring weather last week, now we have the chance for a wintry mix on the first day of Spring!
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Beautiful greens all-way-round, Linda!
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Thank you – it was a “fresh everything” Spring day.
Something to look forward to Donna!
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You even found green on those turtlebacks – nice!
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Thank you Dave – I aim to please!
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I have never seen a Goose on a roof ! love it.
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Glad to give you a smile Andy! I’ve seen the geese fly up on the roof of the church at Heritage Park too. I guess the view is better up there than at ground level. 🙂
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IT gave me a big smile.
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I’m glad to hear it Andy, because it was pretty funny to see in person too and it was squawking its head off most of the time it was up there as well.
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It’s nice to have photos to look back on when Mother Nature isn’t cooperating.
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Yes, for us it has been a very long Winter. We had those two nice days, March 13th and 14th, where temps were in the 60s and it seemed like we were turning a corner, but now we have strong gusty winds and a wintry mix tonight. So these pictures remind me that Summer does exist.
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