The Locket.

Posted on February 14, 2022 by Linda Schaub

My annual Valentine’s Day post is usually brimming with images of spoiled-rotten squirrels scurrying around and devouring heart-shaped treats, but this year I decided I’d do something different.

I’ve mentioned before that my late mother’s birthday was Valentine’s Day – she would have turned 96 years old today. I want to share this story as I remember Mom with much love.

Many years ago, prior to meeting and marrying my father, Mom had a good friend named Harry. As I understand it, Harry was not a suitor, (a rather archaic term for a man who pursues a romantic relationship with a woman with the expectation of marriage), nor was he a gentleman caller, the likes of the gents mentioned in the play The Glass Menagerie – Harry and my mom were just good friends.

Harry’s passion.

Everyone has a passion … for a person, or a hobby and Harry’s passion was art. He loved to draw and paint. The two images you see in this post were created by Harry. This painting of Mom in a business suit was given to her when she completed her curriculum at Shaw Business College in Toronto.

The other painting is the header image of Mom wearing a blouse, which color surely would have rivaled her blue eyes. She is wearing the locket that will be the subject of today’s post.

Harry had a heart of gold and he gave Mom a heart of silver.

Mom was lucky to have Harry in her life. She told me he doted on her, was kind and thoughtful and sometimes gave her presents, like the sterling silver, heart-shaped locket she is wearing in the photo up top. It was a present for her 20th birthday. Truthfully, I’ve often wished Harry would have become her husband – perhaps she would have had an easier life than that with my father, but of course my musings are silly because I wouldn’t be here then.

A local high-end jewelry store runs a radio advertisement for their jewelry exchange. The ad asks “do you have heirloom jewelry which is outdated and you don’t like – well we can take it off your hands for you.” Well, being a sentimental sort, this ad makes me a little sad. I had two treasured pieces of jewelry given to me by my mother and I lost both of them.

The first was this pretty silver locket and I remember that day like it was yesterday.

Mom gave it to me on Valentine’s Day when I was a young girl. She asked me if I would like to wear it to school for Valentine’s Day, and, if I liked it, it would become mine. “Do you like it Linda?” she asked. “Oh yes – I love it Mommy!” was my instant reply. The locket was beautifully crafted, with engraved etchings on the case. Inside was powder blue satin with a plastic insert on one side in which to place a photo, but the locket was empty. Mom slipped the chain over my head and even double-checked the clasp to ensure it was fastened securely. As you see in the photo, the locket was on a fairly long chain, which links were delicate and ornate. I got to school and showed my friends and while in class, I fiddled with the locket, opening and closing that heart, plus twiddling and twisting the chain. Sadly, while walking home from school that afternoon, perhaps my coat or scarf had become entangled with the jewelry, which caused the chain to break and fall into the snow. My father and my friends retraced my steps home and we checked the hallways at school to no avail.

If I were my mom, I would have been angry and never given me a piece of jewelry again, but when I was a little older, (and hopefully more sensible), Mom gifted me with another piece of jewelry, a small and delicate gold ring with her amethyst birthstone.

At least I had that ring longer than a few hours, but, not long afterward, I was at the movie theater with my parents and in twisting and playing with the ring, it slipped off my finger, and, though we searched between seat cushions and scoured the floor, the ring was lost forever. That time my mom was angry at me and said “I have no more jewelry pieces to give you now Linda.”

I was crushed, but also remorseful for being so reckless and irresponsible.

Years later I lost a hatpin my grandmother gave me to secure my hat to walk to St. Helen’s church for Midnight Mass and I wrote about that incident a few years ago. If you’d like to read that post, you can find it by clicking here.

All these years later, those incidents bother me, but the loss of Mom’s heart-shaped locket especially tugs at my heartstrings every February 14th.

Posted in Memories, Valentine's Day | Tagged , , , | 74 Comments

It was the heart of Winter …

Posted on February 11, 2022 by Linda Schaub

… on a cold and snowy Saturday when I began this blog – February 11, 2013 to be exact.

The title of that first post was the same as the title for my blog: “Walkin’, Writin’, Wit & Whimsy” and I felt compelled for some reason to have a second title, i.e. “LINDA’S BIG ADVENTURE: ENTERING “THE BLOGOSPHERE.”

Shakespeare said it best: “Brevity is the soul of wit” and I get it … I can be witty, but long-winded too, just like that very first blog post.

Even the title of my blog is long and I used to think I should have used a short and succinct title that has a nice ring to it, maybe “Walk and Talk” – or maybe not. I actually like walking alone as it gives me time to think or just let my mind be a blank sometimes, until a squirrel runs over and looks up at me with pleading eyes. Yep, I see you kiddo, so I’ll just put my thoughts on “pause” for a few minutes.

As to the short blog title, on occasion, I’d be out walking and taking pictures and in the course of doing that, someone may happen by and we may begin chit-chatting. I’d mention my blog and they’d ask for the title as they simultaneously whipped out their smartphone. So, I’d start reciting the title, giving them the entire name first, pausing to stress there’s an ampersand and to be sure to drop the “g” on the first two words – by then they usually lost interest. So, I finally ordered some cards from Vistaprint to hand out.

That worked out pretty well if the person has good eyesight. The business card is cute, but some of the words are smaller than a font used in the White Pages. I know that comparison may leave some of you youngsters scratching your head.

Because the Walkin’ and Writin’ parts are easier to fulfill, I sometimes feel the need to bolster the Wit and Whimsy portions. I’m having lots of fun doing those categories.

Sigh … sometimes I just can’t help myself.

One of my 2022 New Year’s resolutions was to use up all the blog photos I’ve taken in 2021, then start anew. This was an effort to be more timely in posting about treks I’ve taken. But, even though my picture files are groaning with images from at least five treks last year, plus photo fodder for countless Wordless Wednesday posts, I cast that resolution aside, sauntered out the door, camera in hand, multiple times already in this young year because I felt the need to take pictures of the snowy and icy landscapes and to show you my shivering pals at Council Point Park who wish I would bring cocoa and cookies along with the usual fare and occasional treats more befitting them. Then I also found some fun pics in a Wintertime stroll around the ‘hood. When I first began my blog, some fellow bloggers lived in warm climates and had never seen snow in person – or, it was a rarity. Now, thanks to climate change, almost all of you, even in warmer climes, find ice and snow to be the new normal.

So, I broke that resolution, but hey – I’ve broken every other 2022 New Year’s resolution and, in record time, I might add. Maybe next year, I will round up a few of my favorite posts of the past decade. This is one of those favorite posts. Parker is the cutest critter at the Park, the subject of many “A Girl and her Squirrel” posts and sometimes a spoiled brat. You’ll be reading about that bad behavior in an upcoming post.

‘Tis the season for sharin’ the love.

This is my all-time favorite picture of Parker from that particular post back in 2020 and since we are on the cusp of Valentine’s Day, I’ll use the occasion to share it again. He looked so cute I wanted to scoop him up and take him home with me.

Today, on my blogiversary, it is Post #1,693. I know I have lots to say and future posts are already bubbling around in my brain, so I hope you stick around for a long time. I enjoy interacting with all of you and for my fellow bloggers, I hope you are enjoying your blogging experience as much as I enjoy mine.

Posted in nature, walk, walking | Tagged , , , | 78 Comments

Go ahead-indulge!!!  #Wordless Wednesday  

Posted on February 9, 2022 by Linda Schaub

#Wordless Wednesday – allow your photo(s) to tell the story.

Posted in #Wordless Wednesday | Tagged , , | 29 Comments

Hail, Hail, the Gang’s All Here!

Posted on February 7, 2022 by Linda Schaub

Just a handful of days ‘til the Big Game! That’s right … the Puppy Bowl! Query: is there another Big Game? Just askin’ (and just kiddin’).

Right place, right time.

Saturday, January 22nd found me strolling along the circular road at beautiful Elizabeth Park. I was moving quickly, intending to stray over to the boardwalk to get a few shots of the icy Detroit River, then hightail it home. It was brutally cold that morning and I had already visited Council Point Park where I took photos of my furry friends using their fluffy tails to keep warm, plus a forlorn feline chomping on frozen fish.

The hottest ticket in town.

It was pure serendipity that I chose to walk counter-clockwise on the road that encircles Elizabeth Park. As luck would have it, I secured an invitation to the Waterfowl Corn Bowl! Even better, I didn’t have to pay an outrageous price for this event, nor did I need to wait in line, or go online, to score a primo, front-row seat. Now YOU are lucky to be privy to this event as you scroll through this post.

So grab a tub of popCORN (unbuttered and unsalted please) …

… because this is guaranteed to be way more interesting than watching the cutie-pie participants in the Puppy Bowl, or even that prime-time event played with hulking humans a/k/a The Big Game.

Who knew Your Roving Reporter would suddenly become a sideline reporter for this feathery fracas? Hmm – how would I remember the details of stats and points as I had not brought along a pencil and a notepad?

It was Team Quack versus Team Honk. There was no tailgating to be had – after all, I was the only spectator. My head swiveled around and I noticed any and all referees were MIA; there were no robot refs either. Hmm – who would deal with any flagrant fowls, er … fouls? As the game got underway, I wondered what team would triumph and win the coveted LomBIRDi trophy in this clash of wriggling bodies.

Game Day: Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words.

Team Quack players were chillin’ before game time.
“Whoa – we gotta go!“
Team Honk players finished warm-ups and were resting.
Slowly the Honks took to the field.
The first toss and it was every waterfowl for themselves.
A few committed fowls, er …fouls and were promptly ejected.
Yep, this is what a bunch of benched Quacks look like.
The Quacks huddled, then stumbled and bumbled a bit.
“We’re falling behind – we need to get fueled up fast!“
“The Honks win!” (So says the squirrelly Ref who finally showed up.)
The Quacks were sore losers and beat a hasty retreat.
The Honks had a celebration snack and the Quacks’ coach joined them.
Coach Canuck said “I’m glad you didn’t let those Quacks run all over you!“
Coach Canuck suggested EVERYONE hit the showers.
Co-ed and co-species showers – well, what’s a little more mayhem??
One Honk remained – he was part of the clean-up crew.
Coach said “you can skip the Gatorade bath ‘cuz I’m outta here and please –
no TOMfoolery with that LomBIRDi Trophy!”

Postscript: This entire event took ten minutes tops. Of course you think I was the instigator of this mayhem and muddle of Mallards and Canada Geese. Nope. The tub of corn was mine though … I bought it for the Park pals who thought it was meh and didn’t munch on it much.

I was ready to head to the boardwalk, when a van pulled over to the side of the road, a man hopped out and waterfowl soon began converging nearby. I stayed to watch. The man was throwing corn to the Mallards and Canada Geese. A lot of corn. A white poodle sat in the passenger seat watching his master dole out scoop after scoop of corn. Then abruptly those treats ceased as the man got into the van, patted his dog on the head, gave me a wave and drove off. I didn’t even get a chance to interview him!

This was the scene he left behind. I stayed there to ensure nobody ran into the road and got hurt.

Eat hearty! If you squint, you’ll see the Squirrelly Ref waiting in the wings for corn.

The Big Game is this Sunday as you are probably aware. Here in Michigan, most people are rooting for former Detroit Lions Quarterback Matthew Stafford, who asked to be traded to the RAMS last year as he wanted to play in the Super Bowl one day, which likely would not have happened if he remained a Lion.

Posted in nature, walk, walking | Tagged , , , , | 67 Comments

First drizzle, then snizzle – now my footsteps will fizzle!  #Wordless Wednesday #What will the Groundhog say?

Posted on February 2, 2022 by Linda Schaub

#Wordless Wednesday – allow your photo(s) to tell the story.

Posted in #Wordless Wednesday, walk, walking, Winter | Tagged , , , , | 45 Comments

Saturday in the Park …

Posted on January 31, 2022 by Linda Schaub

.. I WISH it was the Fourth of July! (Then again, when it is the Fourth of July, I’ll be whining it’s too hot!) I tweaked a lyric from an old tune by the band Chicago after my original blog title fizzled out and my Saturday, January 22nd agenda did not happen from the get-go.

The long-range forecast for SE Michigan was we should get slammed with snow around mid-February – well that prediction suited me just fine as we’re that much closer to Spring by then. I may complain about the cold weather, but at least it doesn’t impact driving or walking.

So, on the 22nd, I planned an excursion to visit all the Detroit River shoreline parks. That trek would give a nice photographic overview of the icy venues along the riverfront, I’d get a long walk done and be able to warm up while driving to each venue. An added bonus would be the car would get a good run before that evening’s predicted wintry mix. Even before I left, I already had a title for the post bubbling around in my brain: “Dilly-Dallying along the Detroit River” – but, once I stepped outside, I knew I would not be languishing on many boardwalks thanks to Mother Nature and her darned Alberta Clipper.

Lotsa layers and close to the vest.

Though it was a tad warmer than the previous Saturday, the wind chill/real feel of 6F (-14C) was the exact same. This time there was a stiff wind as well. It was gray and gloomy, with the promise of a ray or two of “ineffective sunshine” as the weatherman termed it. I had on multiple layers, so hopefully I’d stay toasty, especially my fingers and toes which often send me scurrying to the car to warm up.

I took an extra camera battery and kept it zipped up inside my polar fleece vest. For my digital compact camera, I need to replace the batteries every two years. I always have two and rotate them, so I’m using these old batteries while the weather is so cold and saving the new batteries for Spring. When I took the icy pics at the Detroit River for my “Frozen Foray” post, the brutal temps were problematic for the camera. I pushed the button to shut it off and retract the lens, but the lens would not retract. To fix the problem, I had to go to the car and wait for the car to heat up to shut off the camera and put it in its pouch.

The bitter cold wasn’t a crushing blow to my original agenda – it was Winter after all; I’d just pare the park venues down a little. But first I would make a pit stop at Council Point Park to feed my furry and feathered friends and warn them icy and dicey conditions might keep me away.

The Peanut Lady is in the house.

I was packing peanuts, sunflower seeds, suet and a seed bell. I was going to wait until February to hand out their special treats, but I relented due to the bitter cold. I still had more suet, walnuts and hazelnuts in my stash for the critters come February. Besides, there is always Amazon, or my friend Phil at Wild Birds Unlimited if the cold weather persists and I exhaust my supply. While I don’t feed every single inhabitant at this venue, the regulars know my arrival time, so they are the lookout for me.

I laid out goodies on the picnic table, where a few squirrels were eating the corn that they initially turned their snouts up at. They raced over to see what The Peanut Lady had brought. The suet is never a go-to treat, so they let it sit there, nibbling on the sunflower seeds instead.

I only intended to walk around, dispense treats, then get going …

But then I saw this squirrel, whose image you see in the header, as he used a fallen log to cross the frozen Creek. With all the precision of an Olympic gymnast tiptoeing along the balance beam, he/she then scrambled up the Creek bank and over to the picnic table. I barely got the camera out quickly enough to capture the last part of the crossing.

Since the camera was out after I hurriedly shucked off the mittens and slipped on the gloves I use for picture-taking, I decided to take some more photos and yes, I reminded myself there would be no standing on the cement ledge to get any fish-eating-duck shots on this trek (or any other for that matter). The City had salted and plowed the path, so it was clear and easy walking. A light layer of snow was on the grass and along the edges. Most of the Creek was frozen – what a bleak morning.

I took a few pictures of the squirrels in the Safe Haven Tree. Its wayward branches do not make for good photos, but you get an idea of how cold my furry friends were – notice their tails wrapped across their bodies to keep them warm.

I stopped along the way near where I used to feed the squirrels and birds at the fallen log and tree stump and laid down some peanuts and sunflower seeds and soon a few furry friends emerged from their hidey holes to eat.

My fingers felt as if they were frozen solid … blowing on them wouldn’t help as I’d have to pull down the mask to accomplish this task. Sigh. So, I put the camera away, intending to finish up on the perimeter path loop and head to the car.

Well, the camera didn’t remain tucked away for long ….

Wait! What is out on the ice?

I saw a flash of orange on the ice … at first I thought it might be a Fox Squirrel, but though they bulk up for the Winter months, they are never THAT big. I was excited – was it a fox? I understand that there have been deer, coyote and fox sightings in this venue when the Creek freezes over, but I’ve never been lucky enough to glimpse any of those animals … perhaps now? Was this my reward for staying at my favorite nature nook this morning? I hurried over to the Creek banks to get a better look, even though my view was partially obstructed by brush.

The mystery critter was a cat and it was wearing a disgruntled look (who could blame it) as it was crouched on the ice looking very miserable. You’ve heard the expression “cool cat” but this frozen fellow had long ago surpassed being cool. I got as close as I safely could to the Creek bank and got this shot. Notice the frozen shad near the cat.

My interest was piqued – where did it come from? I made a mental note to check the Facebook neighborhood forum to see if anyone was missing an orange cat. There was another walker and we chitchatted about the cold and when I looked over, the cat was busy eating, no doubt dead shad, as some of the conglomeration of shad you saw in last Monday’s post, had shifted downstream after a day of high winds.

So this kitty was content … food-wise anyway. Later that evening when I finally got online, I checked the Facebook sites for missing cats – there were none and I’ve not seen it since.

Okay … I couldn’t help myself.

I had to glance over to see if the alcove was still a happenin’ place for the shad-lovin’ ducks. Yes it was. I only took a handful of pictures this time. Surprisingly, despite the bone-chilling temps, ducks were bobbing around in a small area of open water, delighting in what fellow blogger Heather quipped was an all-you-can-eat buffet.

With frozen fingers, I finally left the Park and was on my way, enjoying the heated seats; I blasted the heat very high to thaw out. I made it to the next destination, but on the way home, those predicted snow flurries came early, as fat flakes quickly pasted themselves onto the car window and Fort Street, making for a slippery trip home. We ended up getting a few inches of a wintry mix Saturday night and again Sunday night, so there was no walk for me until later in the week.

Posted in nature, walk, walking, Winter | Tagged , , , | 64 Comments

Baby, it’s cold outside!!!  #Wordless Wednesday #Brrr

Posted on January 26, 2022 by Linda Schaub

#Wordless Wednesday – allow your photo(s) to tell the story.

Posted in #Wordless Wednesday, Seasons, Winter | Tagged , , , | 18 Comments

Hmm – something’s fishy!!

Posted on January 24, 2022 by Linda Schaub

(And it’s not even the Lenten season yet.)

Just one week ago today, I wrote about my Winter walks in wacky weather. One of the highlights in that post were the images I captured of Mallard ducks feasting on the dead fish, (a/k/a Gizzard Shad), that had surfaced in the Ecorse Creek after a freeze/thaw cycle. We’ve had some roller coaster weather here in Southeast Michigan during the last month, beginning with brutal temps, followed by a few warmer-than-normal days, sometimes a mere 24 hours later, before we returned to the Deep Freeze again.

So, whatever is going on weather-wise in 2022, with global warming/climate change as the likely culprit, the annual “shad die-off” is NOT an abnormal event, nor is it happening due to climate change, but it has occurred much earlier in this Winter season.

According to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, the annual shad die-off is a natural phenomenon that is found in rivers and creeks and nothing to be alarmed about. In fact, there is usually an annual news story with photos as a public service announcement. In the past, the Michigan DNR has suggested you contact them if you see more than 50 shad. You can read about the Gizzard Shad die-off in this news article.

Suffice it to say, the multitude of dead shad and nearby Mallards fascinated me, so these new images will be the subject of today’s post.

Wall-to wall-fish.

Last weekend was bitter cold and I shared some photos taken at Dingell Park at the Detroit Riverfront, which is just 1½ miles away from Council Point Park. So, if a deep body of water with a swift current such as the Detroit River, would be that frozen, you can bet the small Ecorse Creek at Council Point Park would similarly be frozen over. And, in case you were wondering about the fate of the many turtles at this venue in this cold weather, they have been hibernating beneath the mud since October and won’t emerge until March or April when the temps warm up.

As to last week’s post … some of you were amused by the ducks wrangling and devouring (or at least trying to) the dead shad and still others were astounded to learn that ducks were omnivores, not just herbivores.

The very morning that post published, I went to Council Point Park. It was still bitter cold and surprisingly the water in a small alcove near the sewer drain had warmed up enough to thaw the ice, once again exposing dead shad. There were hundreds of shad bodies – more than I’ve ever seen at one time and the Mallards were standing nearby on the ice – were they guarding their food source?

While I usually take my camera along when I walk, because it was bitter cold and a work day, I decided to forego any pictures. I wanted to give the car a brief run, thus skipping the walk in the ‘hood, intending to double up on my steps along the perimeter path instead. So, I cursed myself for not having the camera handy as this scene would be a great way to illustrate one of the largest “fish kills” I’ve seen in the nine years I’ve been walking at this venue.

At the risk of using teen lingo, yes – the scene was “gross” but, the fish were perfectly preserved and there was no fishy smell.

So, I jumped in the car, drove home, retrieved the camera and returned about 15 minutes later.

Lady – curb your enthusiasm … it’s just fish and we’re fish-eating ducks!

So I hustled over to the ledge and whew … the scene was the same as when I left it, with about 25 to 30 Mallards sitting on the ice gazing at a small alcove that was jam-packed with frozen fish. I took these shots so you could see just how many fish were there in the foreground. The ducks were on a ridge of ice and behind them the Creek was still frozen and speckled with splotches of snow.

Next, I edged nearer to the ledge in an effort to get some up-close pictures of the Mallards.

Then, greedy for even more close-ups, this time for the shad, I stepped down onto the actual cement ledge that overlooks a sewer drain. Here’s what the ledge looks like.

And here are close-ups of the shad …

… then I noticed some bubbles in the water and realized some live shad were flip-flopping around with their fallen brethren. Yikes!

It was all good until I heard a cracking sound – no, the cement ledge was not breaking, but the piece of ice with the weight of all the ducks cracked – this sudden noise spooked the ducks.

One duck, startled, prepared to take flight …

The other ducks were similarly spooked, panicked and went airborne and headed in my direction. Yes I DUCKed, but there was a moment of fear that they’d fly into me and knock me into the water as I was precariously close to the edge. That would have been a fine kettle of fish had I landed in the icy cold Creek, especially since I don’t know how to swim! (Note to self – going forward, no matter how great you think the shot will be, don’t get so close to the water!)

In the end, neither the camera nor me were any worse for the wear since Your Roving Reporter apparently posed a greater threat than the crack in the ice. The Mallards did a hasty about-face and returned to their icy perch.

A few more of the Mallards decided to plunge into the shad-laden water and grab a snack …

… giving a twist to the old mobster expression of “swimming with the fishes.”

Shadapalooza.

What better name to call this occurrence? My final photo of the morning was this lone, red angler’s bobber that gave a pop of color to the wall-to-wall fish.

Posted in nature, walk, walking, Winter | Tagged , , , , | 72 Comments

Frozen Foray!  #Wordless Wednesday  #Shiver on the River #Primo spot for eagles  

Posted on January 19, 2022 by Linda Schaub

#Wordless Wednesday – allow your photo(s) to tell the story.

Posted in #Wordless Wednesday, nature, Seasons, walk, walking, Winter | Tagged , , , , , | 65 Comments

Winter walks in wacky weather.

Posted on January 17, 2022 by Linda Schaub
Grateful for short hops in the ‘hood or the Park when Winter is at its worst.

I love alliteration and this blog post title pretty much sums up Southeast Michigan’s not-so-wonderful weather since the beginning of the year. I am mindful that Mother Nature’s mood swings are wreaking havoc nationwide and I am grateful we didn’t receive this latest Winter wallop. Right now, it is Sunday afternoon and while writing this post, the furnace is chugging away as we experience our third Polar air mass in 2022.

I did walk this past weekend and admit it was uncomfortably cold, despite donning multiple layers of clothing. I was at Council Point Park both days. Saturday I slipped down to Dingell Park when the temperature was 12 F (-11 C), with a real feel of 6 F (-14 C). Bundled up or not, boy that north wind was a killer. I’ll have some photos of my brrrrrrisk walk near the frozen Detroit River in this week’s Wordless Wednesday post.

We’ve had a roller-coaster ride weather-wise, so the freeze-thaw cycle has been off the charts; soon potholes will be popping up everywhere. We started out with a wintry mix in the early morning of January 2nd and, though the snow was pretty and pristine, we were left with a coating of ice. My street was treacherous. I ventured out to the street one morning and decided it too icy, so I came back into the house. I didn’t walk for an entire week.

When I finally made it to Council Point Park the following Saturday, the 8th, we had frigid temps, but I decided to brave the ice and cold at mid-day. It took me 20 minutes to get dressed for what would be a two-mile round trip walk to the Park and a one-mile perimeter path/loop. Hefting my bag of squirrel and bird treats, in lug-soled boots, I picked my way around my icy street, then when I arrived at the cross-street, much to my chagrin, I discovered it was totally ice-free. Wending my way down Pagel Avenue was wonderful, as it was also clear to the cement. The Park’s parking lot and perimeter path had similarly been plowed and salted. Oops! I felt terrible that I’d not ventured farther than the end of my driveway in a solid week, but with Omicron stats surging here in Michigan, I was not going to risk taking a tumble on the ice and breaking a bone.

I decided to lavish treats on my furry and feathered friends to make up for my absence, so I brought hazelnuts and walnuts, along with the usual fare of peanuts and sunflower seeds. I’m reserving the remaining suet and birdseed bell in case we get another Arctic blast in February.

I was greeted like a long-lost friend as the squirrels scurried over to see me. I sweet-talked them a little as I spread out their treats at each of the three spots. Sweet-talkin’ USUALLY never hurts anyone, but those puffs of warm breath under my N95 mask caused my glasses to fog up (despite the anti-fogging spray application). Soon tiny rivulets of water were traveling down the lenses and making a glaze on them, so I’m not sure I could tell Rex the Woodpecker from a Cardinal or Blue Jay. The ever-charming Parker could always step on my toes or tug at my sweatpants if my glasses were too fogged up to see him. I decided against removing my mask and thankfully, I made it home in one piece, despite seeing about 50% at best.

From “freezy” to “breezy” in 24 hours.

That evening we had freezing rain – oh joy … well, there goes the walking again. Very early Sunday morning, the 9th, it was a crystalline landscape. The traffic reporter cautioned listeners about treacherous driving, while the weatherman assured us “by mid-day it should be balmy.” Sure enough, by noon, the sun was out, the ice was gone and I knew I could shed at least six articles of clothing for that mid-day walk as it was 37 F (2 C).

It was easy navigating to the Park, but once I was there the wind picked up. The gusty wind was buffeting me and I flipped my coat hood up to secure my hat from going airborne and headed home posthaste. Once home I learned the wind gusts were 24 mph (39 kph). Yikes! That night we plunged into the Deep Freeze for another two days.

But … good things come to those who wait.

The very next day, Wednesday, the 12th, it was 25 degrees warmer than the day before! So I seized that opportunity to get five miles walked at the Park and strolling around the ‘hood.

Not all portions of the Ecorse Creek were frozen as you see below. You will see some geese were swimming, others standing on ice.

While walking on the path, I heard the ice cracking. There was an ice floe where a trio of Mallards were huddled together, their bright-orange feet in contrast to the ice.

Around the bend, near the cement ledge over the sewer drain, a quick glimpse toward the water told me why at least two dozen Mallards were noisily congregating.

They were there to score breakfast.

A not-so-ducky event.

The seagulls had been buzzing around overhead and screeching their heads off just before the holidays. I also saw them sitting on the surface of the water like this many times.

From nearly nine years of walking at this venue, I knew the shad were running. Shad are small feeder fish and the seagulls, ducks and geese converge at the Creek and Detroit River to eat them.

The frigid weather caused the Creek to ice over and without oxygen, the shad did not survive. Shad bodies littered the shoreline, their lifeless eyes staring upward. Even more dead shad were bobbing on the Creek’s surface, much to the delight of the ducks. Ewwwww!

Through the years I’ve watched the waterfowl wrangling these shad, dead or alive. I’ve come to the conclusion it takes some dexterity to maneuver a shad into a beak and down the hatch and I’ve done a few picture-laden posts about it in the past. In this instance, there were plenty of dead fish, so there was no fighting.

As you see below, Mrs. Mallard clearly had the prowess to snag the biggest fish.

Mr. Mallard didn’t do too badly either, though it looks like he was getting some hints from the Missus.

I added this wee bit of whimsy to my walk in the ‘hood.

I’ve always been fascinated with this home and its touches of whimsy. You see they have a Certified Wildlife Habitat sign. I similarly had a sign in my yard when I provided food, water and shelter in a sanctuary for the birds and butterflies; this was before back-to-back Polar Vortexes ravaged my backyard garden. So, I wondered if this is why the pumpkins were lined up at the edge of the property? You can see the critters have been gnawing on them before snow coated the tops and recesses of these orange orbs.

I was amazed to see the Flowering Kale were still thriving, some still in their pots. Were they also left there for the miscellaneous and sundry critters to chomp on? Maybe the next time I’m considering hardy flowers to plant, these would be a good choice.

The homeowners obviously love birds, from the line-up of bird feeders …

… to this peaceful sign in the garden.

I’ve taken photos at this home in Spring when multiple gardens erupt with pale pink tulips and at the height of Summer when yard art peeks out between the perennials. These concrete critters embedded in the ivy groundcover look no worse for the wear from our wacky weather.

This guy reminds me of warmer days.

How I wish it was a hot August day and I was at the Park watching a line of Painted Turtles plop off the log, one by one, after they catch sight of me. I have remarked to a few fellow bloggers this past week that I vow not to moan and groan about August’s heat and humidity, as those whiny words haunt me on a frigid day in Winter.

This was my last stop and it lightened my mood as I knew the next day we’d be back to frigid mode, once again with an anticipated wintry mix ushering in black ice – ugh! I guess I’ll just keep creepin’ along like this guy through the gray and gloomy days that so define this season.

Posted in nature, Seasons, walk, walking, Winter | Tagged , , , , | 72 Comments