WALKIN', WRITIN', WIT & WHIMSY

With the upcoming observance of one of the saddest days in our nation, I decided to head to Young Patriot’s Park in Riverview.  I’ve passed it many times, but never pulled in, nor walked the Park’s perimeter path.

So, I decided today would be the day.

Young Patriot’s Park isn’t the nature nook that Council Point Park or Heritage Park are, but instead it is both picturesque and patriotic and a change of pace from my usual stomping grounds.  You’d think that the beautiful fountain in the middle of a manmade lake might invite geese and ducks galore, but I only saw one female mallard preening herself contentedly at the water’s edge.

The patriotic portion of the Park was very nice, from the Fallen Soldier statue honoring brave service personnel who lost their lives in various conflicts, to the path of memorial bricks.

Even the MIAs and POWs are honored at Young Patriot’s Park.

To get my five miles walked, I completed that circular path many times, in fact, so many that I lost count, but I think it was a dozen times.  Just a few walkers dotted the pathway, including those walking their pooches.  The City’s administrative offices and first responders are located nearby.

I have to admit that after the initial trip around, I was a little bored and the other walkers seemed lost in thought ,or had not had their coffee yet, so none were in the mood for any chatter, even a “good morning” or “hey”.  No critter interaction made for a quiet and efficient trip this morning, and I was thankful that Mother Nature neither rained on my parade, nor had me shivering along the pathway while getting those many miles logged in.

A Fall preview is in play these days, with glimpses of Fall colors which have begun to appear along the perimeter path at Council Point Park.

Less than a week ago, we flipped our calendar page to September.  That coolish weather we’ve experienced so much over the past few weeks seems to be causing more and more crumpled leaves to litter the asphalt walking path, and, at the Park, what leaves are left are mostly green, though some of the trees, and even the larger weeds, are already sporting their Fall jewel-toned hues with leaves tinged with red or yellow.

It is not just the pretty leaves which add a touch of color at the Park.  The wild chokecherries have finally ripened and that tree, which was kind of blah all Summer, is now laden with bright-red fruit.

Even the goldenrod has reached its peak and those tall weeds actually look bright and cheery along the trail.

Yes, Fall seems to have settled right in, much earlier than we wanted it to, or the calendar date says it is so.  After a week of piling on more and more layers, I went back to gloves again this morning, since, when I stepped outside, it was only 50 degrees.  I think this Fall-like weather is here to stay.

The weather is always a topic of conversation at the Park and this morning was no exception.  Hoodies were pulled over heads and hands were pulled up beyond the cuffs of sleeves.  “Good mornings!” were exchanged between walkers through lips that were numb.

I kept my jacket zipped up to stay warm.  I was carrying the bag of peanuts in my jacket pocket and fumbling to put back on my gloves, having just fed a squirrel, when suddenly I saw a long and furry ringed tail disappearing into a bush.  That quick glimpse told me there was no mistaking that tail belonged to a raccoon.

I shook my head “no” as if to dispel that thought, but I stopped and kept my eyes trained on the bush for another “sighting” anyway, and, sure enough, within a few minutes a little furry face with its black “mask” suddenly popped out from between the leaves of the bush where it had scurried as I approached.  It peered at me, then disappeared into the dense bushes near the water.

So, I was NOT wrong the first time – it WAS a raccoon.  It wasn’t very big and he (or she) never came out of hiding, so I finally moved on.  It was just as well, as the camera was in its case and buried under my jacket, so it was not easily accessible.  I’ll look again tomorrow for this little guy and see if he or she is available for a photo opportunity.

When I first began walking at Council Point Park, I arrived there one morning to find the walkers all aflutter because the animal control officer had just left with a big raccoon in tow.  I was sorry that I had not arrived there just a few minutes earlier to see that cute little critter.

One of my favorite books when I was a youngster was “Rascal” by Sterling North  After I read it (and re-read it several times), I remembering begging my parents to let me have a raccoon for a pet.  Of course, living in the city made that impossible, but I could dream it about at least.  Years after the book’s release, I saw the movie “Rascal” and, though I was older by then and no longer coveted a raccoon for a pet, I still got a kick out of Rascal’s antics and his cute mask-like face.

I’ve never seen a raccoon in “real life” though.  That is, until this morning.

Just like that raccoon, I did some scurrying of my own at the Park.  “Brisk” and “breezy” were the best descriptions of the weather.  My round trip to Council Point Park and three loops walked yielded another five miles to my tally.

I wonder just how many readers of my blog would recognize this song title from the 60s?   (Or, … would want to admit they remember this tune by the family group the Cowsills?)

This particular song title was on my mind as I got home from walking and started peeling off all my wet clothing.

Actually, my walk started out sunny and dry.

As soon as I hit the streets, it was evident that everyone was back to the old grind again, having enjoyed that last getaway weekend of Summer.  Now, there will be no more long weekends until Thanksgiving, unless you’re lucky enough to be off for Columbus Day.   Yup, school is in session once again, and with that event comes the a.m. hustle and bustle.  There were more vehicles on the road, a group of schoolkids trudging along Fort Street and a few yellow busses rolling along, with plumes of diesel fumes still filling the air, long after they turned the corner.

I headed down to Council Point Park and the usual crowd was already in motion on the perimeter path.  There was a new addition to the morning mix, however, this heron that is pictured above.  The cement precipice that juts out over a storm drain at the Ecorse Creek must be the new hangout for herons, because it is on this ledge that I keep seeing the green heron.

When I first encountered this guy, he was standing there, still as a statue, either contemplating life or studying the graffiti on the wall.

After I took the above picture of him from the perimeter path, he didn’t flinch in my presence, so I stepped down closer toward him, but then he promptly turned and marched away on those long, stilt-like legs, as he sought to put some distance between us, yet remain at his lookout point.

Well, of course he piqued my interest, and I was greedy to get a close-up shot of him, because, even by zooming in on him, I knew I could do better.  So, I inched my way a little closer and he stood there motionless as he posed for me.

But, though I made no sudden moves, suddenly he was spooked and took flight, propelling himself off the cement ledge with giant wings.  I tried to capture an image of his departure, but it was just a blur, as this heron was too quick for me as he hightailed it to parts unknown.

A few years ago,  I saw a big heron at Council Point Park.  He was perched in a very tall, dead tree.  His gray plumage blended right into the tree, which had lost its bark and was quite weathered looking.  It was the first sighting of a heron for me, and he held that same pose as I went another whole trip around the perimeter path, not moving a muscle, nor batting an eyelash.   It was a perfect photo opportunity.

This morning, Mr. Sun, just like the heron, was also quite conflicted about whether to stay put or go away.  Though it was sunny when I departed on my walk, once I arrived at Council Point Park, Ol’ Man Sol kept slipping in and out of the clouds.  I walked three loops, and waivered on whether to do a fourth, then decided to head for home, another 3/4s of a mile away.  As I walked up Pagel Avenue, I noticed the sky had suddenly become a hue that resembled an eggplant with blackish-gray streaks.  I had no worries about rain or storms, since no rain was expected until this afternoon.  But, I was a block from home, and the sky suddenly opened up with massive raindrops which plopped down on me.  I stretched my sweatshirt over my fanny pack to protect the camera as there was no time to wrap it with the Ziploc bags I usually carry just in case of sudden bad weather.  Then, I broke into a sprint to get home.

By the time I reached my driveway, it was a torrential downpour.

By the time I got undressed, grumbling all the while about Mother’s Nature’s bad timing as I peeled off each article of wet clothing, the pounding rain ceased and I saw a faint ray of sun on the wall.

We’ve been lucky to have glorious weather weekends throughout August and this holiday weekend as well, except for the blip early yesterday morning and the storm later today.  I feel kind of guilty enjoying our pleasant weather here in Michigan with the people in Texas dealing with all the devastation and heartache from Hurricane Harvey.

Well, it’s already the tail end of the long holiday weekend.  Did you catch a break, or was it no rest for the weary for you this weekend?  I took last weekend off for myself without any household or yard chores getting in the way, so it was time to catch up a little this weekend.  I got some R&R and did some household projects as well.

Yesterday, I worked on re-seaming some wallpaper where it was loosening, then I caulked all the inside window areas which were developing little cracks around them.  The package on the squeeze caulking tube said “strong fumes” so I did use a paper mask over my nose and mouth, but the smell lingered in the house long after I finished the job.  Hoping to counteract that smell, I opened a couple of Renuzit “After the Rain” cone air fresheners and put them out.  About an hour later, I wasn’t sure which smelled worst … the strong silicone caulking odor or the overpowering tropical scent.  I was glad to escape outdoors this morning to get some much-needed fresh air.

I  headed down to Council Point Park early and took the car for a spin.  My original plan was to park the car in the lot, then hustle around those loops quickly to see if I could indeed do five miles in under one hour.  Ever since I heard Governor Snyder walked the five-mile span of the Mackinac Bridge in under one hour for the Annual Labor Day Bridge Walk, I made that a goal of mine as well.  So, this morning I woke up fully intending to get ‘er done, even if it took me 59 ½ minutes.

But, on the early morning news, there was a story about this walk across the Big Mac Bridge, reminding everyone that the bridge will not be open to traffic during the walk.  The spokesman said it takes an ordinary walker 90 minutes from the time they leave their car to get across to the other side.  So, the moniker of “ordinary walker” works for me.  Besides, I am not fond of power walking as it doesn’t give you time to take in the sights, enjoy the day and just BREATHE.  You then feel a little guilty for stopping to feed the squirrels or take a picture as it slows your momentum.  So, today I just walked a little slower, breathed a little deeper and enjoyed the sights at my favorite nature nook, because not only is it Labor Day, but it is National Wildlife Day as well.

(Image of Rosie the Riveter from Pixabay/Public Domain Pictures)

Finally it was a tad warmer and less windy today.  I ditched the jacket and gloves, but kept the sweat suit and tee-shirt, and, like the Three Bears’ porridge, that outfit was just right.  I figured  Council Point Park might be soggy from our early morning rain, so I decided the destination for my Sunday stroll was the River’s Edge Marina in Ecorse.  I believe it was my first time there all Summer, and, after all these chillier days, and more to come next week, I’m sure boaters are thinking it is soon time to shrink wrap and put a bow on this boating season.

So, I had some stale bread and crumbled it up and set off.  I got to the railroad tracks, no trains in sight from either side …

… so I confidently crossed and found myself soon at the corner of Emmons Boulevard and Biddle Avenue.  I shaded my eyes and looked at the horizon and Detroit River, but there were no pleasure boats out and just a few seagulls gliding in a flawless blue sky.

I headed to the marina and stood on the small footbridge, then tossed out my bread tidbits where they landed onto the surface of the water.  I then checked out the scenery.  No activity in the boating area … the boaters were all sleeping in this morning I guess.

The seagulls, however, were not sleeping in.  They had good eyesight, so within five minutes of my landing at the small cement bridge overlooking the marina, and my bread toss, they had honed in on those floating bread bits and swooped in for their breakfast.  Of course, twice as many gulls showed up as there were bread bits.  The gulls were soon gone, but, as I stood there watching a train going by in the scenic panorama, a flock of them circled around again, taking another pass, in the event I was more generous this time.  There was no bread left for them, but they didn’t know that, so they swooped and dive-bombed incessantly.

Finally they all scattered to the wind except for one hanger on …

I took a few pictures of the marina, then headed home.  The seagulls were still overhead patrolling the marina, and, I am sure that there was not this much activity in our fair skies with the Navy’s Blue Angels at the “Thunder Over Michigan” event this weekend, as was at the River’s Edge Marina.

Look up in the sky, it’s a bird, it’s a plane … no, it is NOT Superman,  just the seagulls.

Brrrrrr.  The house was cold when I awoke, so once again I questioned the wisdom of my having the whole-house insulation job to keep this home warmer in Winter.  It was only 72 degrees inside all day yesterday and my fingers were so cold I had a hard time typing. This morning, the thermostat read 70 degrees and it was 20 degrees colder outside. Maybe it will make an impact when the furnace is cranking out the heat come Winter? Hopefully so.

I resisted the urge to turn on the heat this morning, and, I know that if I still had Buddy, that furnace would have been on in August already, a new first in the Schaub household. My boss is at the family cabin in Georgian Bay, Canada and when he called me last night, he said he didn’t go swimming, but instead chopped a lot of wood that afternoon and they were huddled around the fireplace to keep warm.

For my walk on this first day of the long holiday weekend, I added a tee-shirt and jacket as I figured the sweat suit wasn’t warm enough – good thing because it was quite breezy down at Council Point Park and just warming up a tad as I left there.   I also wore gloves because I hate when my hands feel numb, especially if I’m using the camera, or if I’m trying to open the bag of peanuts to feed the squirrels, who are always impatient as they wait for me to open that Ziploc bag and dole out their treats to them.  “Mind your manners” I want to tell them sometimes.

A few flocks of geese were overhead and descended onto the grassy areas of the Park, just like yesterday, but today they kept to themselves, grazing in the soccer fields far away from the walking trails.  I wanted to get a picture of the geese flying in V-formation, but this was the best I could come up with.  I think this flock of geese needs a choreographer or should return to flying school as they were all over the map as you see in the above picture.

After leaving Council Point Park, the sun was stronger and it felt good so I took off my jacket.  It was such a pretty day and I hated to go home, especially as I knew some household chores awaited me, so I lollygagged a little.  I walked along River Drive all the way to Lions Park and went around that Park’s perimeter path.  It was desolate there with no humans or critters, and, after I left I walked home via Emmons Boulevard.

There was even more harvest decor since I walked along that street Wednesday when it was so foggy.  More mums have appeared in porch pots and are decorating stair steps in many homes along the Boulevard.  There were Autumn-type wreaths and yard flags.  All this harvest decor is no doubt inspired by these chilly temps and the fact that coffee houses like Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts began featuring their Fall pumpkin spice hot drinks yesterday.

The first Halloween decorations are up as well.  I know this particular homeowner usually puts out his spooky decor early, so I purposely looked for it today.

The smell of breakfast wafted through an open window and I may even have detected biscuits as well.  The aroma sure made me hungry and I began hankering for breakfast from Kate’s Kitchen.  My mom and I went there often when we visited a country store called “The Grape Vine” and, though the lines were long, it was worth the wait.  The fresh biscuits and gravy and their omelets and hash browns were a favorite treat for me.

After all that walking, I started to wind down a few blocks before home, and took a rest by chatting with our mail carrier Jenny.  I’ve mentioned before that Jenny’s route is eleven miles and I often tell her I marvel at that daily distance she walks, in the heat and humidity, or the ice and snow in the dead of Winter.  She always smiles when I tell her that.  I told Jenny that today I felt like I had pounded eleven miles of pavement myself, but it was likely only about six. When I got home, I checked the pedometer, and, as you see below, it was nearly 5 1/2 miles.

That long walk made me hungry and yearning for a warm drink, so I sure was grateful to wrap my fingers around a warm cup of coffee, all the while wishing I was sipping a foamy pumpkin spice latte.  A sandwich and a yogurt had to suffice for food, a far cry from the tasty fare at the kitchen table on Emmons Boulevard

The chill in the air this morning made it feel more like an October day than the first of September.  I’m loving this weather for walking as it gives me a real spring in my step, but I have to admit this morning really was downright cold – not just chilly, but cold.

I arrived at Council Point Park just as a flock of geese were descending from the sky and I watched them settle onto the grassy entrance to the perimeter path.  There they were, like they owned the place, as they grazed for a few minutes, then goose-stepped over the grass right across the perimeter path, forcing walkers to sidestep them as they mixed and mingled with their brethren.

As they gathered in a gaggle I wondered if their soft down feathers were keeping them toasty.  I know my hands sure weren’t toasty, and I kept tucking them up my sweatshirt sleeves.  I wasn’t the only walker doing that either – who knew you’d need woolen gloves to keep your fingers from getting numb on the first day of September?  Of course, there were a few brave souls with short sleeves but they were few and far between.  Surprisingly, the squirrels were a no-show, deciding not to venture from their warm and cozy nests, even for peanuts.

These chilly weather stats are not the only numbers that are newsworthy.  Today, I reached 600 miles walked so far in 2017.  This milestone fulfills a personal goal of mine because it was Labor Day weekend six years ago that I began this walking regimen.   So, I decided I would make 600 miles walked my goal for Labor Day weekend.  That initial walk in 2011 was on a sweltering humid day and I went one City block and that was all.  I began increasing that daily trek by a few more blocks every time I walked … this morning I walked 5 ½ miles.

So, onward and upward to the final goal of 755 miles at year end.  While I have four months to complete those remaining miles, we are also headed to shorter days – today, the sun did not even rise until 6:59.  Then there are going to be the inevitable rainy, and even snowy days.

Like I said, this cooler air has me more energized, so I’m geared to achieve that final goal … onward and upward!

On Sunday, when the weatherman gave the forecast for the week, he said the first three days would be “nothing special” as we’d deal with rain on Monday and Tuesday, and most likely Wednesday as well.

Of course I groaned as I saw rain wreaking havoc with three walking days in a row.

But Monday, though the clouds were dark ribbons of gray laced through a bleak-looking sky, the raincoat and umbrella I toted along went unused.  Monday afternoon sure was a different story with torrential rain that pelted the roof and carried over to Tuesday morning and throughout the day.  Today, thankfully Mother Nature turned off the shower, but oh … that fog.

I heard the foghorns bellowing down on the River in Wyandotte long before I ventured outside.  But, ever the optimist, and looking to salvage a walk from this foggy Wednesday, I went out anyway, hoping I could find my way back home again.

So, to quote the singer Meatloaf “two out of three ain’t bad” and only yesterday was a lost cause.

This morning, I travelled lightly because I left the camera and peanuts at home, knowing that I would not venture down to the Park.  Between the thick bushes and trees that line the Ecorse Creek, and the dense fog, I thought it was a little unsafe.  Call me a scaredy cat, but that fog was intimidating, especially when you couldn’t see much more than three houses in front of you.

Thus, my destination was Emmons Boulevard, my usual “Plan B” walking route.

The fog was so thick as I walked past Ford Park that the trees looked like huge pillars as their green treetops were hidden in the mist.  The neighborhood lawns were slick from dew and the moisture highlighted every wispy spider web that had been spun between the tall blades of grass, or on top of prickly barberry bushes.

After I turned down the Boulevard, which is lined with trees, I couldn’t help but notice all the intricate spider webs that were visible since they had dew drops hanging from each point.  Sometimes these gossamer webs were incomplete, a long silky strand here and there, hanging from Point A to Point B.  I’d try to go around those sticky threads, or I even tried batting the air, much like a cat bats a fly, to keep from walking into a web.  All the while, I was fearful that the spider was attached to that wayward thread and would swing over to greet me.  If someone was watching my actions from a window, I’d have lost my credibility for sure, as they might have thought I was gesturing to an imaginary friend.

When I was two blocks away from the railroad tracks, the gates must have gone down as the clang-clanging suddenly was deafening.  I could see nothing, but the train kept sounding its horn incessantly as it neared the Emmons crossing.  I kept walking, and, even as close as one block away, the fog was too thick to see the train as it whizzed by, even though I clearly heard the wheels on the tracks.  There would be no trek to the marina today, because no way was I going to cross the tracks in that pea soup.  It will be an adventure for another time, maybe this weekend.

Once I neared the tracks, I spun around and headed for home and walked on the other side of the street.  I saw my first harvest decoration, a cream-colored pumpkin on a homeowner’s lawn.  Well, why not?  Meijer is already advertising their chrysanthemums.  The weather feels Fallish, so might as well embrace the next season and haul out the harvest décor.

I neared the footbridge and suddenly the air smelled of fresh pine needles.  There is a row of tall pine trees planted at the corner house.  The dew and sap were dripping ever so slowly from those long soft needles.  I breathed in deeply, the fragrant scent lingering in the moist air long after I had walked away and finally exhaled.

As I passed over the footbridge and glanced on either side, I discovered only one duck and something stirring in the water.  Whose lips were breaking the surface while gasping for air?   A fish?  A turtle?  It was hard to tell with that ever-present mist settling over the Creek.

I kept walking and, as I got closer to home, the fog was slowly starting to dissipate.

Another four miles added to my tally, and I sure was glad I didn’t allow the fog to become a “mist” opportunity to walk.

(Image from Schuetz-mediendesign on Pixabay)

… or maybe not.

Admire these delicate creatures all you want, but today you had to bring along a donation to do so, that is, if you were visiting Felty Farms, a haven for butterflies.  The donation was your choice of any item from Verne Felty’s wish list to help out local animal shelters.

So, for the price of a six-pack of paper towels, I enjoyed an afternoon with lovers of nature and beauty, and, I’m sure PAWS Clinic, Lucky Day Animal Rescue, NBS Animal Rescue and Wonderland Rabbit Rescue put that donation to good use.

There is no doubt that there is delight in discovering a beautiful butterfly that has alighted on a flower in your garden.  You can’t help but marvel at the beauty of such a delicate creature as a Monarch or Swallowtail, but even the little Cabbage Whites can make you smile as they hover and dance about the garden on a sunny day.

I read about an event called an “open butterfly garden” in the local paper and it piqued my interest, so I decided to visit this home on Windermere Circle in Southgate this afternoon.

I knew this would be something special as I walked toward the house and saw the exquisite landscaping out front.

“Felty Farms” is the name given to Verne Felty’s humongous backyard garden in which her many perennials are planted for the sole purpose of attracting butterflies.

From the very moment I entered the yard, I was mesmerized by this paradise.

Where perennials don’t grow, there are whimsical containers brimming with annuals and imaginative yard art is nestled between plants or popping up in every available space.  Several pathways constructed of wooden planks or soft mulch took visitors around the various areas of the yard where there was a Monarch Waystation, a segregated area where milkweed, the lifeblood of the Monarch butterfly was planted, and a very sophisticated scarecrow reigns over the garden as well.

Purple blooms from butterfly bushes lure butterflies and bees, and when a dainty Red Admiral butterfly alighted onto a bloom to sip that sweet nectar, at least ten people pulled out their phones or cameras and stood poised, waiting for that delicate creature to spread its wings so we could collectively take in the full beauty with our naked eye as well as the camera lens.

After we clicked away, we were additionally rewarded for our patience when that Red Admiral Butterfly stretched for us and soon even more oohs and ahhs and cameras clicking was heard.

The butterflies seemingly would have been the main attraction in this gorgeous yard, but they were a bit scarce today as it was overcast.  Butterflies love the sunshine, and like to sun themselves on a flat rock.  Perhaps the crowd scared the bulk of them away as well.

But the bees were not intimidated by this gathering of garden lovers.  They were busying themselves inside the butterfly bush blooms trying to sip the sweet nectar.  When people began waving their arms as the bees hovered close by, we were told that these were Carpenter Bees and they were harmless.

I was certainly not the only person infatuated with the Koi fish pond with its huge inhabitants.  I’ve only seen pictures of these beauties and the Koi fish were the hit of this event for old and young alike.  A waterfall splashed down into the pool which was filled with pond lilies and surrounded by colorful annuals and lush greenery.  Some children were bending down close to admire the fish, so they were given some fish food to dole out.  Everyone gathered around as the Koi fish grouped in one corner, eager to devour their lunch.

Around and around I went, ensuring I didn’t miss a single flowering plant or creative garden treasure tucked amongst those blooms.

My last stop was climbing the wooden steps to the deck to see Elvira, a 7-year old Shih Tzu, who was spotlighted on the news, after this severely abused dog was rescued by NBS Animal Rescue, where she is still recovering from her injuries almost one year later.

I enjoyed strolling through this butterfly garden and came away with the same peaceful feeling from this paradise that I had when I walked through Council Point Park earlier on a quiet Sunday morning.

We were blessed with still another picture-perfect day here in Southeast Michigan, so my destination was Heritage Park in Taylor.  I have passed that Park’s entrance hundreds of times through the years, when I traveled up Northline Road to Southland Mall, but it was my first visit there.

I knew this Park would hold much appeal for me, the nature lover and walker.  Plus, I was looking forward to visiting the historical village area where you have the opportunity to travel back in time, by checking out the historical homes and walking across a covered wooden bridge.

On such a beautiful Saturday, I expected there might be big crowds, so I arrived shortly after the Park opened at 8:00 a.m.  I parked as far away as possible, hoping to maximize my steps for my excursion.

I decided to take a tour of the historical buildings and just enjoy the scenery first, then take pictures later.

The centerpiece of Heritage Park and its historical buildings is beautiful Coan Lake, which is a large manmade pond.

Surrounding this picturesque pond are several buildings of historical significance to the City of Taylor, as well as a beautiful gazebo.

There was the proverbial little red schoolhouse, which looked just as you might have pictured from your grandparents’ description of the one-room building where they learned the three Rs.  Its size reminded me of the tiny Walnut Grove schoolhouse featured in the TV series  “Little House on the Prairie”.

There was an exact replica of an old water mill which was interesting, especially since you could get right up close to the big wheel that operated the mill.

An old red caboose a/k/a “Fitz’s Caboose” and boxcar sit on some railroad tracks.  That caboose evoked a few fond memories of the many times we would need to cross the railroad tracks when we travelled to and from my grandmother’s house in Toronto.  Though my parents would no doubt stew over the long wait while the train rambled on and on as it rumbled over the tracks, my mom would say “Linda:  the end of the choo-choo train is near, so wave to the engineer on the caboose and he’ll wave back to you!”  Lots of fun times when you’re a kid and waving to the caboose engineer and often he did wave back; this seems like a lifetime ago.

A rustic log cabin has the notoriety of being the oldest house in Taylor – it is over 150 years old and still used for meetings throughout the year.

There were other old houses, some which have become a small museum, or a sweet shop, another is a souvenir store, and there is an old church with a wishing well out front.

The historical area of Heritage Park reminded me a little of Upper Canada Village where I visited with my parents when I was young.  That Canadian tourist attraction is  similar to Greenfield Village, where you are able to walk around and visit homes filled with old-time relics or artifacts, with people dressed in clothing reflecting those time periods.

There were so many sights to see that on the second go-around, this time holding the camera, I discovered I had missed a whole area where there was a tall yellow historical house next to where the Goodwill Garden is located.

The Goodwill Garden is a community effort where different people have small plots of land and tend to flowers and vegetables.  All the produce grown there is donated to local food banks and other charitable organizations.  The flowers in and around the Goodwill Garden area were gorgeous, and, as far as the eye can see, it was plot after plot of rich earth, filled with colorful blooms and veggies.

Years ago, when I visited Frankfurt, Germany with my parents, I first heard about the concept of having your own garden plot if you lived in the city.  It was common for Frankfurt city dwellers to own plots of land in a rural area where they could grow their own fruits and veggies and/or have a flower garden.  Those large areas of land were divided into long strips, all individual plots, and people bought a plot, then plopped a small potting shed and a table and chairs there.  It was an outlet for fresh air and exercise, plus an endless supply of fresh produce all Summer.

After leaving the historical village area, I headed over to the covered wooden bridge.  In my travels, I have never seen a covered bridge so I took several shots of it, from different angles, then walked over the wooden planks, gazing into the water at all the ducks – probably a hundred of them, gathered in the water by the bridge.

The entire grounds are so picturesque, especially Coan Lake, which features several fountains and catch-and-release fishing.  There were several men fishing near the covered bridge.  Again, the water was filled with mallards, mostly females.  I wished I had brought bread for them as you could get so close to the edge of the water.  Both the gazebo and a small pier gave an excellent view of the water and the collection of ducks, and even geese that grazed nearby.

After my extensive tour of the lake and village, I then went on the walking path which took me around the entire Park – whew!  Luckily I had picked a cool day for this trip as I’d already covered well over three miles before I even started on the walking trail.

My last stop was to visit the Taylor Conservatory and Botanical Garden which is located on the fringe of Heritage Park near Pardee Road.

But, it was not open to the public today, as signs indicated a private event (wedding) would be taking place.  But, I was able to get up close and peer inside.

Likewise, I looked around the grounds of the petting farm but did not go inside any of the barns.  The barnyard had some pigs and a couple of chickens strutting around, plus a pair of ducks that were enjoying their own blue plastic kid’s swimming pool.

I think I will head to Heritage Park more often; perhaps I’ll make a stop there once the colors change.  There were already leaves starting to gather at the base of the trees in the wooded areas of the walking trail, and, as I walked past them, I could detect that faintly musty smell of decaying leaves – it is just a matter of time now, before they will be fluttering to the ground.

I loved meandering through this place full of mallards and memories.  It was an enjoyable, and even exhausting, trip as my pedometer read 6 ¼ miles by the time I finally reached my car and gratefully sank down into the seat.