WALKIN', WRITIN', WIT & WHIMSY

Another gorgeous morning!  On cold Winter days, we will remember these moments and wish we could bottle up days like today.  I believe Summer should be defined, not by those blistering hot and humid days, or scary severe weather events, but instead, by picture-perfect blue skies, puffy clouds and sunbeams.

I’ve encountered a few more creative chalk artists displaying their talents on the pavement I pound during my back-and-forth daily trip to Council Point Park.  These sidewalk squares are so full of life that how can one not feel a little lighter in step when faced with this cheery message?

I know that seeing this sidewalk scene just put me in a better frame of mind.  Sunshine, in any form, brightens the day and stirs the soul.

Upon my arrival at Council Point Park, I waved good morning to a few fellow walkers, then was alone in my thoughts as I enjoyed the sounds of the Park “wildlife” … well, the term “wildlife” may be stretching it a wee bit.  I’ve yet to see the big bullfrogs that belong to those croaking noises on a still morning.  Their belching is enough to make you jump out of your skin sometimes, like this morning.  I was day-dreaming just a little, when a big bullfrog’s voice reverberated as I walked parallel to the Creek.  Then, a big splash with water droplets had me assuming it was the turtles escaping once they saw this big, bad human, but it was a muskrat.  Shortly after the splash, he resurfaced to come up for air, and, with his water-soaked, bristly fur slicked back, and those beady eyes, he had a rather menacing look.  I didn’t drag out the camera since suddenly I heard a thwack and he slipped back into the water, swimming slightly below the surface, a long thick tail trailing behind.

Muskats don’t make my morning brighter, but the birds sure do, especially when they are plentiful and birdsong fills the air.  The trees are full of birds and their sweet song is pleasurable to my ears.

My parents rented a cottage at Rush Lake in Northern Michigan for back-to-back Summers in August 1967 and 1968.  The first year, the owners of the property warned that the black flies were usually so bad you could not sit out after dusk, and suggested we bring along some board games, a deck of cards and a few good books.  The TV reception was spotty there as well.  While sequestered in the cottage after dark every night, we heard a lot of wildlife noises.  Boisterous moose calls were the nightly norm, as were the eerie and mournful calls by the loons.  The loons’ voices sounded like a wolf howling at the moon and stirred your senses and made you feel as if you were one with nature.

I’ll leave you with this quote by the philosopher George Santayana:  “The earth has its music for those who will listen.”

Friday’s soggy start wiped out my morning walk.  The sun eventually put in an appearance, right around the time I logged in at work, then we got another dose of stormy weather around dinnertime.

Oh well … there will be nicer, and more-temperate, days to get my steps done … like today.

Now, this morning was just glorious, and I wanted to linger at the Park, rather than scurry home to have a snack and get hydrated before traipsing back down into the basement.

I began my day with a few stretches, hoping to thwart that stiffness that resulted from last weekend’s marathon session of decluttering downstairs.

From the pictures featured in this blog post, it appears that I was not the only one incorporating some exercise into the a.m. routine.  On the second loop of my tour around Council Point Park, I heard a rustling noise near the top of this tree, so I glanced upward.  Obviously, my inquisitive peanut pal saw me coming, thus he had to hustle to get down to ground level before I walked on by.

After I looked up, first a staring contest ensued.

Through the branches, I saw a pair of dark eyes, and, at first this squirrel was very still and quiet, except for that twitching tail.

I pulled out the Ziploc bag of peanuts, shook it, then told him to take his time, and he did just that.  I watched him carefully navigating his way down the tall tree, gripping the bark, or precariously dancing along some skinny branches, and deftly grasping onto other twiggy shoots with his sharp claws.

Sigh … all the stretches in the world would still not leave me as nimble as my furry little friend.

A couple of times he glanced my way as if to say “I’m gettin’ there, just gimme a few more minutes, okay?”

He finally joined me on terra firma and I spread out five peanuts for him to enjoy.  Like many of his brethren, he hesitated a second, figured he’d take some to go, then return for the rest later.  I watched as he picked up two peanuts, clasped them firmly between his sharp front teeth, then raced away to hide them.

I know that peanutty treat did double duty … it made his day and it gave me a photo op to share with you as well.

Boy, it would be great to be Gumby, that tall character who always seemed to be limber and bendable.  Somehow I have lost that flexibility and range of motion that I just took for granted when I was younger.

I do remember long sessions of yard work leaving me feeling a bit stiff and sore in the past, but the bending, stooping and hauling this past long weekend, left me, once again, feeling like a Mack truck sped over me, and then backed up for good measure.

So, this morning, before I headed out the door, I started doing some stretches.  My muscles screamed “what the *&^% are you doing to us?”  I said “shush, I’m gettin’ geared up for the weekend!”

Oh, to have the Gumby-esque flexibility of my youth, an era when I enjoyed Gumby and Pokey on the tube.

Youth … how sweet it is.

As to feeling flexible, (as opposed to feeling like a limp dishrag), it’s all about baby steps … a little bending here, a few stretches there … hey, walking may be great overall exercise, but it sure doesn’t keep you limber.

And, so it goes … back in the saddle as to the job.  I must confess, it sure felt nice to sit down all day and be a princess pecking away at the keyboard and pounding the pavement on my morning walk.  I am such a creature of habit and I do like my regular routine.

As to walking, today I passed 400 miles walked in 2017.  I must catch up on those valuable steps lost in the blur that was the month of June.

Onward and upward.

[Image of Gumby and Pokey by Erika Wittlieb from Pixabay]

It’s the last leg of the long holiday; for some it was a four-day weekend, and for others just today.  And sadly, the next long holiday will signal the unofficial end to Summer.  At any rate, it was an occasion to enjoy our independence from the daily ritual and celebrate this Independence Day.

For me, it was more time spent toiling in the basement, but I’m making progress, even though I don’t have as many bags of stuff, stuff and more stuff to drag to the curb for next garbage day.  Personally, I will be glad to return to my normal daily routine, sitting at the table pecking away, just to give myself a break from the basement chores … until next weekend, anyway.

This morning, the streets were littered with spent firecrackers, especially near the former Mixter School, where the asphalt parking lot must have been the site for many fireworks launches.  I went to bed later than usual last night, and, no, it was not because of my mid-day nap, but my internet went out for a few hours last evening, so hopefully none of you were waiting with bated breath for a July 3rd post, as it didn’t happen until close to midnight. 🙂 Last night, the skies and my ears were battered by fireworks zooming through the air, in colorful twizzles and even some fizzles, eventually plopping their spent cardboard wrappers onto the ground.  That light show ended just around the time I turned off the computer, at about 11:59 p.m., the local curfew for shooting off firecrackers.

Despite the late hour, I got an early start today, and headed to my favorite nature nook, where I reveled in the Park’s peace and quiet.  On the first loop, I heard the bellow of bullfrogs as their deep croaking noises echoed between the banks of the Ecorse Creek.  I heard a few splashes from time to time and peered between the bushes and bulrushes, but saw no activity.  I figured it was the frogs jumping off the lily pads which are plentiful and grace the surface of the murky water.

But, as I kept walking, the plunges were more plentiful … well, what in the world was that splashing noise?

I knew I had to investigate.

Lo and behold, I discovered a new and different log filled with turtles, and, they were very large and noisily belly flopping (er, shell flopping?) right off that log and into the water.  I decided I had to take a picture of them, as they were lined up like swimmers awaiting their turn at the diving board, but this log, unlike the other turtle-laden log, was not out in the open, thus it was difficult to get a good view of them.

Just then, another walker saw me and asked what I was looking at and I told him.  He pointed at the cement precipice and suggested I go there for a better view.  We both retraced our steps, and, just as we approached that cement landing, we saw two very large turtles, that had been sunning themselves along the ledge, suddenly push off and into the water, one right after the other, as a multitude of water droplets sprayed up.

Those two turtles fled the scene post-haste after taking the plunge and we could see them propelling themselves through the water, in an attempt to get back to their log and away from these humans who had intruded their domain.

So, it was plop, plop, fizz, fizz this morning at the Park.  These two terrapins were similar to a pair of mischievous young lads who might execute the perfect cannon ball into the deep waters of their favorite local swimming hole on a hot Summer day.

I really like this yard ornament that I pass every day on my walk, so I decided this tea-stained and weathered-looking garden flag would grace this Fourth of July 2017 post.

Happy Independence Day one and all!

Today began with a soggy start and a couple of big boomers to boot … and they weren’t firecrackers either.

There were two downpours before dawn, the latter, a torrential rain pounding on the patio roof. Well, I felt like I might be left “holding the bag” –  well, eighteen of them to be exact, the number of garbage bags stuffed to capacity from my downstairs rampage on cleanup and clutter control.

I sure didn’t relish the thought of traipsing up and down the stairs with eighteen bags, plus miscellaneous and sundry other items, while dealing with the pouring rain, so I waited it out, rather impatiently I might add. Then, it was like a tropical rain forest when I stepped outside, extremely hot and humid.  That task took me over an hour to complete, lugging one bag or item at a time, up the stairs, and out front to the garbage.  Exhausted, I rested in the car, while parked in the garage, with the A/C vents on full, and directed toward my face to cool me off.  Then, I set out to Council Point Park, with considerably less bounce in my step than when I hauled the first bag out of the basement at 8:30 a.m.

The Park likewise had a tropical feel to it – extremely moist and the weeping trees were bending low to the ground with sopping wet leaves. The perimeter path was still streaked with damp spots and big puddles.

My head was bent down so I didn’t step into any of those big puddles, and, also because I was scoping out four rocks set out in the 7:00 o’clock hour by my friend Ann Marie for “National Drop A Rock Day”, an event wherein a painted rock, decorated with the single word “Peace” is hidden for others to find, keep and/or re-hide. I found two of Ann Marie’s turquoise-colored Peace rocks, but left them there for others to discover and enjoy.  My blog post photo today is actually a rock that was painted by a member of the Downriver Rocks! Facebook group, which I’ve mentioned in earlier blog posts.

I met three nice women walkers on the path this morning and we chatted it up for the entire two loops, then carried our conversation another half hour or so in the parking lot afterward.

I strapped on my pedometer before I began my hauling extravaganza and my walk, so I had over 11,000 steps which is about 5 ½ miles today.

By the time I returned home, I was hot and hungry and decided to get hydrated, grab a sandwich, then get cleaned up and head downstairs to the cool basement to work some more. But, before I went downstairs, I felt sleepy, and my bed beckoned me to have a nap.  This was the first time I’ve taken a nap mid-day ever, but my early wake-up time, the neighborhood firecrackers until midnight and this morning’s extra effort in the heat and humidity, left me too pooped to participate.  That power nap rejuvenated me, and when I got up, I was ready to take on the day once again!

When I was a little nipper, and poking along as kids often do, Mom would become impatient and admonish me by saying “now Linda, don’t dilly-dally along!”

Well, this morning at the Park, I dilly-dallied on purpose.  So there!

I figured that Day #2 of #4 of the basement adventure could wait a wee bit longer, as well as those pesky weeds, and even those bushes in the backyard with their unruly new growth that threatens to reach out and grab me on the leg as I walk by.

In fact, I was happy to remain upright and not stooped over for any of these chores that were on today’s agenda, so … I lingered longer than I should have, looking for turtles on the log, but none were to be found.  Were the tiny fish biting today???  I shaded my eyes, but couldn’t see them, although there were many bubbles on the Creek surface.  Of course, the geese and ducks are still gone who knows where.

I was supremely content to enjoy this Sunday stroll with the ambiance of the songbirds, who were just as busy tweeting as the President – actually the backyard birds were tweeting long before daybreak.

On this morning’s walk, the squirrels didn’t disappoint, and there was a good turnout by my fuzzy friends.  Perhaps they had a whiff of those fresh peanuts which were filled to the top of the Ziploc bag that I had fastened to my fanny back.  It swung to and fro with each step I took.

This one squirrel saw me from his vantage point and picked his way along the top of this blue metal bench.  So, what is wrong with this picture?  Isn’t it supposed to be the person that sits on the bench and tosses out peanuts to the hungry squirrels?  This squirrel was wary at first, but, after a minute or so, he decided I was approachable and a peanut treat was worth the risk, so he inched closer to me.  He paused there, eyeballing me as if I might permit him to stay on his perch and perhaps feed him right there.  I stepped closer to the Park bench and said “you are young; it is me who should be sitting on that bench and watching you pounding the pavement along the perimeter path and not the other way around!”

He continued to eye me warily, then quickly hopped down after I spread some peanuts on the path for him.  I guess he figured that he might as well humor his benefactor as there will be goodies galore if you just mind your manners.

I fed him and continued my way … alas, there were no more hungry mouths to feed.  I looked around one last time and all the squirrels were busy feasting on their peanuts.  I rattled the Ziploc bag and several looked up as if to say “no, we’re good for now – you can go!”

Today is a big day if you are a Canadian … not only is it Canada Day, but it is the day to celebrate the sesquicentennial, or 150th anniversary of Canada’s confederation.

This is the official image commemorating the event.  The  emblem’s thirteen diamonds represent the provinces and territories, and the red diamonds are the initial four provinces at confederation time.  I am sure that the Canadian children already learned all about the sesquicentennial before school closed for the Summer.  I know we had big doses of both British and Canadian history as young pupils back in the E.A. Orr Elementary School days.

When I was still living in Canada, there was much hoopla when our country got its very own flag on February 15, 1965, then the Union Jack was no longer flying on every flagpole.

There will be events throughout Canada to mark this occasion, and, it will be much like when the USA celebrated its Bicentennial back in 1976.  You  might recall the special coins minted that year, and, I remember collecting those quarters from each of the 50 states in 1976 – did you do this too?  I was working at the diner that Summer and  many of our customers asked that we save Bicentennial quarters so they could complete their collection, sometimes for themselves, or their kids or grand kids.

Today was a big celebration for this Canadian gal as well, as I passed over that halfway mark for miles walked this year.  As you know, every year, I try to pass the prior year’s walking miles … last year I walked 754 miles, so, for 2017, I will need to walk 755 miles. My mini-goal each year is to reach half of those miles at the midpoint of the year.  This morning I did just that at 377 miles, and, now I must strive to stride toward that ultimate goal.

[Image of official emblem of Canada 150 from Wikipedia]

The chalk artists were at it again – but this time, it was along the perimeter path at Council Point Park, not on the City sidewalks in the ‘hood.

Yesterday, I took photos of these bursts of creativity mingled with a little wisdom, because this morning’s anticipated rain would render them watery pastel dribbles by the next time I returned to the Park.

As I walked along the trail, the first messages were just scrawls identifying who was there, kind of a modern twist on “Kilroy was here” …

… and then, the drawings got a little more creative, and even insightful.

The sunshine, which is shown above, was the first drawing, and then there were two more, all guaranteed to keep you grounded.

I took out the camera as I knew these little nuggets would be the subject of my next blog post.

A few words of wisdom while you’re walking is the perfect way to start your day.

Well, I don’t know about you, but I have really enjoyed this recent spate of cooler, September-like weather, especially, since we all know that these cooler temps are not a precursor to Fall and Winter – not yet anyway. The fact that the longer days and warmer weather will languish for another ten weeks or more, makes the cooler mornings even more delightful.

It seems that the month of June has slipped right through my fingers. Those several rainy mornings, the siege of contractors and their messy aftermath, plus errands to “fix” the chaos and clutter in the basement and garage, have sorely interrupted my walking regimen.

Thankfully, the end was finally in sight yesterday when I got the A/C fixed in my car, plus I received an “Atta girl” from the mechanics when they noted how much I’ve driven the car since I last had in the shop. I grinned, then grimaced and said I was neck-in-neck with my walking miles right now and I had to fix that quickly and make miles on two feet, not four tires.

The shop vac and filters, cleaning supplies aplenty, plus a few quarts of cement and wall paint have been assembled and ready to put into action when I tackle the basement, once I return from walking on Saturday morning.

Having dispensed with everything and everyone on the to-do list, I was ready to get back into the walking regimen on a regular basis … and pronto. I actually started back in earnest last Saturday, but today was the first day without a mental checklist of things to do and I could focus on just enjoying the walk.

I slipped on a light coat to thwart the goosebumps, then stepped out early to head down to Council Point Park to enjoy the cool air, and the peaceful setting along the perimeter path.

A songbird or two called out to me; their pleasant trilling was a treat to my ears.

The plentiful pond lilies floated lazily atop the murky Creek water. Every so often a small fish would pop up for air, tiny bubbles appearing on the calm water, and it would disturb those lily pads momentarily.  But absent were my larger feathered friends, so there was no reason to grab the camera for a photo opportunity since the turtles weren’t sunning themselves and the squirrels once again were nowhere to be found.

So, there might have been goosebumps at the Park but no geese … so, what’s the deal?

On my recent trips to the Park, there was not a single goose to be found. I figured the DNR had sprayed the grass with goose deterrent to keep the gaggles of geese, who often graze there, at bay. But, over the weekend I heard a rep from the DNR on WWJ.  The subject of the story was complaints about the geese feasting on their lawns or gathering near waterfront properties.  She stated the geese sightings are scarce since geese molt in June and early July.  They have lost their flight feathers, thus they cannot fly.

So, where do all those geese go until they get all their feathers back?

They’re not walking around in the Park, nor are they gliding down the middle of the Creek.

Another one of life’s great mysteries I guess.

I’m sharing a picture of a goose that got in my face a few weeks ago at Council Point Park.

Going forward, it sounds as though Mother Nature might be as cantankerous as this gander was, since she is sending another heat wave our way – ugh.

Soon those goosebumps, just like the geese, will be long gone.

While it may not be as exciting as “getting your kicks on Route 66”, today all the local car enthusiasts either took to the streets, or their camp chairs, to soak up the sun and ambiance while the classic and vintage vehicles rolled down M-85.

Yup, today was the annual “Cruisin’ Downriver” event.

Downriver residents have learned something in these 18 years since “Cruisin’ Downriver” began. If you have to drive anywhere, ensure you stay clear of Fort Street, once the cruise begins at approximately 10:00 a.m.  However, while 10:00 a.m. Saturday is the “official start time”, actually the cruisers have been out since Thursday night.  Last night they revved up their engines, burned rubber and whooped it up ’til the sun went down – maybe even longer.

I had an errand before I went on my walk, so I was out of the house by 8:00 a.m., and, as I pulled onto Fort Street, some cruisers were already up and at it.

This picture above isn’t Yours Truly tooling around in my Buick, just in case you were wondering. I was not so chic and glam in my tee-shirt and pants, and, I had not donned cat-eye shades nor a chiffon headscarf either.  I hurried home and had my own buggy tucked into the garage before I could become part of this annual traffic jam, which was much worse this year since Fort Street is the primary detour for the River Rouge Bridge project.

So, where else can you and several hundred thousand “friends” watch the El Caminos, those classic ponies a/k/a Mustangs, the occasional Model T, modern vehicles, plus all the huge semis that are diverted from I-75, all rolling along, neck-in-neck, down M-85, the official name for Fort Street? The cruisers travel through the cities of  Lincoln Park, Southgate, Wyandotte, and Riverview.

From my driveway, I could see the parade of vehicles going along Fort Street, but did not join the car buffs, opting instead to head to Council Point Park. I was way overdue for a trip to the Park, having only garnered steps from running up and down the stairs with the handyman, or traipsing around running errands; other days I was housebound, hampered by rain for several mornings.

Since I arrived later than usual, and saw no familiar faces from the “early crowd” (including squirrels), I finished off my loops in record time. I saw a soccer game in progress as I was crossing the parking lot … I didn’t stay to watch though as the sun was high and it was getting mighty hot by then.

A pair of small planes pulling square banners about automobiles, kept circling overhead and they continued their relentless circular journey the entire time I was walking. When I got home, they were still circling, and, as of this writing, I still hear them buzzing nearby.  The hum of the planes, and the drone of the cars on Fort Street sounds like a gigantic swarm of bees.

My walking has taken a big hit during the month of June, and today I was dismayed to discover I’ve driven two more miles than I’ve walked thus far in 2017.

My mantra going forward: Must drive less; must walk more!!

[Image by Jill111 from Pixabay]