WALKIN', WRITIN', WIT & WHIMSY

Seize the Day!

Posted on August 14, 2021 by Linda Schaub

Today I am channeling my late friend Marge Aubin, as I begin a limited series of posts about impromptu getaways made during the month of June. Frustrated by Mother Nature’s endless hot and sticky temps, plus incessant rain causing buggy hikes on soggy trails that I experienced every weekend throughout May and early June, I seized the opportunity, on seven weekday mornings, to head to my favorite weekend venues. The sun was up earlier, so why not seize the (week)day and get out to enjoy the welcome Canadian air mass of cool and dry conditions that settled in for three or four days, two weeks in a row? As you know, I usually do my bigger excursions on weekends when I don’t have to keep glancing at my watch, but I decided it was this way or no way. I just flip-flopped and relegated my weekend jaunts to Council Point Park instead. I also thought I could be productive at the house if I was not traipsing around and getting home mid-day exhausted from the heat. This Summer is winning no prizes in my humble opinion and I know many of my fellow bloggers have the same mindset.

It was four years ago today since Marge passed away after battling COPD for several years. She was the person who encouraged me to start a blog about walking, after suggesting, (more like insisting), that since I “report” to her on my daily walks, why not blog about them? Then it was Marge who told me never to leave the house without my camera. She would be shocked to see just how many photos I take and use in my posts these days, so I thank her every day for her wisdom.

Marge’s mantra was “Seize the Day!”

For many years, every day, rain or shine, ice or snow, Marge went to the Detroit River to watch the sun rise. She left well before the crack of dawn, parking her car right next to her side door, slipping out of the house in near-darkness, with only the glow of the sensor light for her to lock up the house and jump into her car. She did not go straight to the River though – she had a routine. She stopped at McDonald’s and got coffee and oatmeal, sometimes a breakfast sandwich. Then she drove straight to the River, parked and waited for each new day to begin. She always had her digital compact camera with her and later, when she was home, she often sent me an e-mail or Facebook message with that day’s sunrise shot. After the day had dawned and her breakfast was finished, Marge stayed and watched the morning unfold, the fishermen arrive, the seagulls hovering overhead and then she returned home.

I really want to be like my friend and creep out the door under cover of darkness, but that’s a wee bit out of my comfort level … there is crime, there are possums (okay … one) and in August, those icky-sticky spider webs that are spun overnight and make you claw and paw the air when you run into them – ugh!

On my first “Seize the (Week)Day” I went to Dingell Park.

So I compromised … I would NOT leave the house under cloak of darkness, but I would leave while the sun was still rising, then aim to be at the River shortly thereafter. Bishop Park in Wyandotte was a favorite early morning haunt for Marge and is a little over five miles/eight kilometers away. But on this day, I chose Dingell Park, half the mileage and a mere six minutes from my home.

The sun was still rising and that is the picture you see above. Here are a few more shots taken at the pavilion overlook.

I stayed there about a half-hour, walked the boardwalk, chatted it up with a fisherman or two, then watched a pensive seagull contemplating life. I thought of my friend Marge as she told me she said her prayers at the Riverfront and did all her heavy thinking while at this peaceful venue.

There were no seagull shenanigans that morning, which was a disappointment, so from there I returned to the car, then rolled down Biddle Avenue to Bishop Park, where I wanted to capture some fish fly photos. Believe me, they aren’t as cute as that fawn, nor my furry friends at the Park, but they’ll make a cameo appearance in an upcoming post.

In these seven early morning jaunts, I covered a lot of territory. I left early enough to enjoy the cool breezes at the River multiple times, or to meander amongst the Mallards at Heritage Park. I wandered around the wildflowers at the Southgate Nature Center. I took a ton of photos. I’m going to intersperse those excursions with other park venues over the next few months. It will be something different, because, say what you will, but 2021 is just as different and strange as 2020 was, as the pandemic lingers, climate change rips apart old records for heat, flooding, wildfires and continues to wreak havoc on nature and wildlife all around the globe. Stay tuned.

Posted in nature, walk, walking | Tagged Detroit River, nature, Seize the (Week)Day!, walk, walking | 55 Comments

Lovely lotuses; lotus beds. #Wordless Wednesday

Posted on August 11, 2021 by Linda Schaub

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

Posted in #Wordless Wednesday, nature, walk, walking | Tagged #Wordless Wednesday, Flowers, nature, walk, walking | 61 Comments

Roving along Cove Point.

Posted on August 9, 2021 by Linda Schaub

Over Fourth of July weekend, I had a heart-to-heart chat with myself after spending an entire rainy day wading through my computer’s photo folder. I had amassed a ton of photos taken on weekends and daily jaunts in May and June. My two, most-trusted meteorologists predicted a steamy and stormy remainder of the Summer. I knew I had plenty of photos for blog posts to carry me through mid-September, when hopefully the weather would settle down. So, I decided for July and August, I’d walk only at Council Point Park, bulking up extra steps in the time not spent driving to larger park venues. An added bonus would be I’d be home earlier to hunker down for some much-needed housekeeping chores.

Well, it sounded good in my mind, and, of course, I always had my digital compact camera strapped to my fanny pack just in case a photo opportunity and blog post happened my way. One such ~~incident~~ ~~intrusion~~ fun and meaningful event marring my good intentions was the duckling rescue, which, albeit on a work day, took my focus away from working in the house. Why? Because it rained on a Saturday morning, I didn’t walk and it was way more fun to go through my photos, write the post and share it here than do housework. So much for good intentions.

Similarly, on the morning of July 31st, I put blinders on to my household chores and headed to Lake Erie Metropark instead. Quite honestly, I felt I needed the break to clear my head, from not only a busy week at work, but also a volatile and worrisome weather week, which began with severe weather the previous Saturday. Four tornadoes hit Michigan on the 24th, none in my proximity, but I sat on pins and needles as the severe weather ravaged as it headed southeast at 35 miles per hour. My weather alarm went off four times that evening, each with a prediction of impending doom. Luckily, I remained unscathed, but just a handful of days later, a similar weather scenario erupted, with a forecast of tornadic or derecho conditions, hail and flooding, all to arrive at 3:00 a.m. Thursday. I went to bed with the flashlight under my pillow and much trepidation, fully expecting to be dashing to the basement in the wee hours of Thursday morning after another weather alert was sounded. But, nothing happened … in the entire state of Michigan, despite all the severe weather warnings! All weather stations and their meteorologists proclaimed we had dodged a bullet and blamed quirky weather models for the alarmist prediction. Whew!

So, when Saturday, July 31st dawned clear and bright, not a chance of bad weather to mar the day, I gratefully headed out. The car needed a long run and I needed to be sprung from my self-imposed commitments, so I sallied forth. My sunglasses served as blinders to dust bunnies and disorganization.

It was time to roam at Lake Erie Metropark.

There are 13 Metroparks in Michigan; this is my favorite and it is a 30-mile roundtrip from my house. There are nearly three miles of nature trails in this 1,607-acre park. I generally write about the northeast portion of this venue, since I enjoy hiking through its wooded areas, across the canal overlooks, alongside the marshes and visiting the small boat launch site, where migrating raptors pass over every September through November.

But, ever-mindful of the overabundance of ticks, the presence of the sometimes-deadly Asian Tiger Mosquito in my county, plus possible flooded trails due to the 20 inches of rain received in the past six weeks, I opted to change my routine and roam the length of Cove Point, a picturesque path that runs parallel to the Lake Erie shoreline. It would give me a chance to peek at the Water Lotus beds to see if they were near peak yet. Last year I made multiple trips to this venue before finally seeing blooms.

So, I spent three hours strolling along the Cove Point paved path, while enjoying the cool breeze off Lake Erie. Happily, there were no crowds and I came home with a treasure trove of photos.

As to the Water Lotus beds, some flowers were in bloom, but not quite peak yet. I’ll include those photos for Wordless Wednesday as this post is already picture laden.

The wooden overlook where I had a bird’s eye view of the lotus beds was swarming with Barn Swallows. They swooped and dived, skimming over the green surface of this lagoon which is already covered with algae bloom as you see in the below photos, taken from opposite sides of the platform.

The natural beauty of Cove Point’s boulders.

Huge boulders line the entire length of this route, all the way to the south end of the park where the paved pathway ends at the Marina.

Kindly volunteers have built and erected wooden Bluebird nesting boxes along this route. This is one of them.

I saw very few wildflowers, but I liked this one growing between the boulders.

As I neared the Marina, I could see the tall masts of the sailboats through the trees.

I made a quick detour to the observation deck, to see the endless vista of Lake Erie and have a glimpse of Ontario. Very few pleasure boats were out and I saw no freighters on the horizon.

As I entered the Marina, I saw the boat used for interpretive cruises. I wondered what happened to E/V Clinton, an identical-looking boat I rode on the two interpretive cruises I’ve taken in the past. Was it simply renamed? A Google search yielded no results.

All was still in the harbor area which surprised me … a simply gorgeous day, and not one person readying their boats for a day on the water? Here are a few more scenes from the Marina.

Time to head back …

The sun was bright and it was getting warmish. I had a long journey back to the car, mostly without shade. I turned around and in the marsh I saw this fallen tree, long bleached by the sun’s rays and went to get a closer look. Was it left there for aesthetic purposes?

And, then my focus turned to a deer, standing in murky marsh water up to its knees.

We made eye contact and I wanted its picture, because, as longtime followers of this blog know, deer and owls are elusive to me and I really would like to get some photos of each. I didn’t move a muscle, yet a split second later, the deer bolted from the water and disappeared into a thin line of bushes along the Marina’s parking lot. Suddenly, a head and a large pair of ears appeared in a small opening and we scoped one another out through cover of the bushes.

We were maybe 20 feet apart, but I daren’t get any closer for fear of spooking this beautiful creature. I decided I would wait as long as it took. But the wait was short-lived, as a car pulled up, a door opened, someone coughed, then slammed the door shut. My deer buddy bolted, but with no clear path through the bushes, it returned to the marsh water, bounding through the muck and mire with loud splashes, then it returned to land once again down the road, but too far away for me to try and catch up.

As I rounded the bend, I glanced over at the marsh, hoping for one more glimpse of my deer buddy, but no such luck.

This time I was heading back to the car for sure.

Following this deer-sighting debacle, I was now ready to leave, retracing my route … and then some.

Along the way, I heard a heron overhead, screeching at no one in particular. It landed on this rocky platform …

… and wasted no time scoping out the water hopeful to soon be scooping out a fish.

I was surprised to see Poplar tree leaves littering the pathway. The weatherman said the trees will turn color and drop earlier this year due to drought conditions in the Spring, then an abundance of rain in the Summer. He added that the trees are stressed just like humans.

I finally reached the car, but decided to get a photo of the Cove Point road sign, so I walked another quarter of a mile to the main road to get that shot.

I stopped at the fishing overlook to see if any waterfowl were there – nothing! I wondered aloud “where were the egrets and swans?”

Weary and warmish, I reached the car. It was time to head home. I may have pushed the housework aside, but a slew of weeds awaited me and there was no convenient excuse for pulling them on such a beautiful day. I knew appearances matter outside the house, even if I was forgiving to my transgressions inside.

As I rolled out of the parking space and onto the main road, I saw a flash of brown in the bushes … yes, those same bushes I had just passed ten minutes before. Whenever I’ve seen deer in clear view, I was driving and pulling over on the side of the road within the park is discouraged, so I was forced to move along. But, there was a parking lot near the fishing site, so I was all in. I swear that I parked, hopped out of the car and pulled the camera out of the pouch in a heartbeat.

Mama deer loped off across the field, into the marsh and out of my sight. But her fawn had its own agenda. It posed while gracefully grazing and alternatively staring at me with those big brown eyes. I cooed softly and clicked my tongue, while calling it a host of enDEERments. Lucky for me, the fawn was content to stay in the limelight, literally, with lots of lime-green Water Lotuses in the marsh behind it. I couldn’t wait to share those photos and they were the subject of last week’s Wordless Wednesday.

Here is one more photo …

I was ecstatic and I know I floated home. 🙂

Posted in nature, walk, walking | Tagged Lake Erie Metropark, nature, walk, walking | 70 Comments

Bashful Bambi. #Wordless Wednesday #Nice meetin’ ya kid.

Posted on August 4, 2021 by Linda Schaub

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

Posted in #WildlifeWednesday, #Wordless Wednesday, nature, walk, walking | Tagged #Wildlife Wednesday, #Wordless Wednesday, nature, This made my day, walk, walking | 96 Comments

National Trails Day 2021 – Part II

Posted on August 2, 2021 by Linda Schaub

This is Part II of my morning meanders taken June 5th, National Trails Day. You can read Part I here if you missed it.

The power of suggestion … it’s real!

Because I am always obsessed about the weather for my walking agenda, (and in general), I follow several meteorologists and weather sites online, plus listen faithfully to an all-news radio station. In the 6:00 a.m. newscast on June 5th, it was suggested to “go take a hike today for National Trails Day” – then, while scrolling through my Twitter feed, I saw this Tweet by the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge:

So, off I went, notwithstanding the already-stifling temps, in order to garner steps, collect blog fodder and hopefully not melt in the process.

I arrived at the Trenton Gateway portion of the Refuge mid-morning, on the heels of my four-mile meander at the marshes of Lake Erie Metropark. Whew – just as the weather folks predicted, it was “air you could wear” and soon tiny beads of sweat were forming on my brow, as it was a bit of a hike from the parking lot to the start of the trail in the hot sun with no shade. This visit I skipped a stop at the Korneffel Fishing Pier; instead I aimed to concentrate on the Monguagon Delta, perhaps for another up-close glimpse of a heron, then hike through the Old Growth Forest where a deer or an owl would help fulfill my “Critter Photo Bucket List” and also make my day.

It was my first time back to this venue in 2021. I was eager to see how “green” it looked since my previous visits were when the leaf colors were on the wane and the last time was after a dusting of snow. I had high hopes of seeing a colorful array of wildflowers in the wetland areas, especially the prolific blooming Wild Hibiscus or Swamp Rose, which flowers and their abudance had been teased on the venue’s website.

Well this happy wanderer saw NO colorful wildflowers, just a skittish Killdeer walking about, an anxious turtle sunning itself and a Egret enjoying a fish breakfast. Unbelievably, there was no human interaction as I was the only one on the trails and the walkway in the Delta.

Enroute to the Old Growth Forest, I stopped to see the progress of the Visitor Center which was still closed due to COVID at that time, but has since opened. I paused to take some photos of the beach glass that has been embedded at the Center. The mosaic is designed to capture the sun’s rays onto the glass, creating a wavy, ripple effect to resemble the waters of the Detroit River. It’s one of the highlights of the Center and my photos really don’t do it justice.

This turtle blissfully sunned itself on a rock, aah, finally a critter posing for me. I grabbed the camera and got one shot before it heard the shutter click, freaked out and plopped into the water. Guess I do better interacting with squirrels who are eager to provide a pose in exchange for some peanuts.

On the trail at the 300-year old Old Growth Forest.

The long-awaited opening of the Trenton Gateway of the Refuge was in October 2020. With all the years of preparation to ready this newest wildlife venue, I was surprised to see recent photos on their Facebook site of how a torrential rainstorm had wreaked havoc in the wooded area; it was advised to stay away or hike carefully. Large portions of the walkways in the Forest were submerged and the Vernal pools looked like small lakes.

I saw no evidence of water damage and there were NO critters in the woodsy area, unless you want to count these on this cute sign.

There are Eastern Fox Snakes at the Refuge’s Forest area, so most of the time, I avert my eyes to the ground and tread carefully – just sayin’.

I retraced my steps and headed straight for the Monguagon Boardwalk in the Delta by the same name.

Do I dare cross the length of the Monguagon Boardwalk this time?

It was a little windy which gave some cause to pause as the Monguagon Boardwalk across the Delta stretched before me.

As you can see, there is no railing and that makes me a little nervous. Just as I was wavering, in the distance a Great Egret plunged into the Delta and began walking around on its stilt-like legs in search of breakfast. Well, Mr. Egret’s appearance solidified my decision to traipse across, albeit carefully, grab a few shots, then scurry back to land.

I saw some pond lilies as I tread along the walkway and thought it was a tad early for them, but maybe I was confusing them with the exquisite Water Lotuses at Lake Erie Metropark which peak late Summer.

I crept closer to the Egret, as it scanned the water scoping out fish and it was so engrossed in its fishing expedition, it didn’t see me right away. Then Mr. Egret saw me, freaked out and flew away.

It landed on the other side of the Delta … so much for that.

I turned around to begin my perilous journey back (for me anyway), but soon stopped short because the lure of a tasty fish breakfast was just too great to pass up and the Egret returned, plunged into the water and the quest for fish began anew. It was successful as you can see below.

It was all good, me taking pictures, him/her munching on small fish, then I saw something splashing around in the water … “not this again I thought” as it had been just an hour or so before when I wasted my time at the marshy area at Lake Erie Metropark, waiting patiently for a brown something to emerge from the murky waters, after a series of ripples and splashes caught my attention.

Same as before, something loomed large and the water was clear enough that I could see it crisscrossing the Delta. Occasionally it splish-splashed in that split second when it came up for air. I got a little nervous, not only for the camera getting wet from a big splash, but yikes, ever the worrier, I imagined it jumping out of the water, onto the walkway and me recoiling in horror and falling into the Delta.

Just then, whatever sea creature was beneath the walkway had obviously tickled the tootsies of the Egret, who dropped its fish and took off, taking to the skies and getting the heck out of Dodge.

The “sea creature” next leaped out of the water, likely startled by the quick exit of the Egret. I could see it was a huge Carp and, as it swam near the walkway, I got this photo of it, then just like Mr. Great Egret, I got the heck out of Dodge!

As I walked to the car, a Killdeer crossed my path, obviously in a hurry to get somewhere. I wonder who got more steps on this National Trails Day, the Killdeer with its long legs and swift strides … or me, with equally long legs and swift strides? Have you ever seen a Killdeer walking? They sure are on the move!!

I walked six miles altogether after a short hop to Council Point Park to tender peanuts to my furry and feathered friends, I wearily put the car in the garage, glad to be home.

Posted in nature, walk, walking | Tagged Egret, Humbug Marsh, walk, walking | 64 Comments

Bart the Baritone Bullfrog in Frogbit. #Wordless Wednesday

Posted on July 28, 2021 by Linda Schaub

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

Posted in #WildlifeWednesday, #Wordless Wednesday, nature, walk, walking | Tagged #WildlifeWednesday, #Wordless Wednesday, nature, walk, walking | 55 Comments

National Trails Day 2021 – Part I

Posted on July 26, 2021 by Linda Schaub

Saturday, June 5th was designated as “National Trails Day” so of course I had to do my part to celebrate! I walked six miles on my two morning meanders, first at Lake Erie Metropark, then later that morning at Humbug Marsh. Today’s post will focus on Lake Erie Metropark.

It was the first time back to this venue since early Spring when I saw the beautiful reflections on the water, the Canada goose sitting on the nest and the gander defending her honor. You may recall I showed you some photos of a few trees felled by destructive beavers. So I hoped this walk would be as enjoyable and picturesque as last time.

In early June, all of Michigan was classified as being in moderate drought. That classification was wiped out shortly thereafter as a result of multiple, all-day rains, then later in the month, some torrential downpours so severe that flash flooding in homes and expressways occurred. Unbelievably, over one thousand vehicles were left abandoned and bobbing around on the interstate after 6.8 inches of rain fell in 24 hours. You most likely saw those “once-in-500-years-rain event” photos of the Detroit area that made the national news.

A brief marsh meander, then onto the trails.

It was very muggy and humid so I left early in the morning. I take the same route each time I visit this park. I began my walk near the boathouse where I stopped to say “hi” and visit with Luc, the resident eagle.

Then I strolled over to the boathouse, just a few yards away.

The boathouse sits on a wooden overlook in the marsh. I mused that the boathouse was the same putrid green color as the murky marsh, which was filled with pond lilies, the invasive aquatic plant Frogbit and slime … lots of slime. Ugh.

Everything was very still as I gazed out across the murky-looking marsh, trying to decide if the scene warranted a photo or not, when suddenly I heard a booming voice. I nearly flew out of my skin to discover a huge bullfrog, immersed in Frogbit right beneath the overlook. Now THAT warranted taking a photo or two or ten and I’ll feature Mr. Bullfrog in my upcoming Wordless Wednesday post.

Photo-wise, pickin’s were kind of slim at the marsh.

A Great Blue Heron waded, intermittently watching the water intently for its breakfast.

That heron was spooked by the camera clicks, or maybe just skittish from seeing me and it soon took off, landed, then regally posed on an abandoned Canada goose nest.

A Mama mallard raced through the thick and sludgy-looking marsh, her ducklings paddling as fast as they could to keep up with her. There were a lot of twists and turns as she led the procession and I worried she might lose one or two as they traversed the murky water.

The fuzz was flying off the Poplar trees – it was everywhere. In this photo, the fuzz had glommed onto a sticky spider web. It covered the marsh in some areas.

There was nothing more to see, so I left and headed for the trail, fingers crossed that the Cherry Island Trail was not flooded.

All you need is one good rain, notwithstanding the aforementioned drought-like conditions and that trail is awash in mud and pools of water spilling onto the trail which runs parallel to the Lake Erie shoreline.

Once enroute to the boat launch area, I was all eyes and ears.

Fellow walker Arnie, from Council Point Park, told me he was riding his bike on the trail earlier in the week and saw a doe, a Bald Eagle and a large contingent of Great Egrets, so I was hopeful.

I stepped onto the overlook where there was more Poplar fuzz.

The marsh was dried up and the reeds, deprived of water, looked like straw. The scene looked like it might in late Winter/early Spring.

As I walked along, the only sign of life were many Red-Winged Blackbirds flitting from stalk to stalk, perching precariously on the dry reeds. This one flew to a tree, so I quickly got a photo.

Down at the boat launch area, there were no seagulls or fishermen – not even a boat. I wouldn’t think the heat would be the reason for the no-show, but it was strange nonetheless.

Poplar fuzz had accumulated along the grassy area making it look like snow.

A dragonfly zoomed by and landed at my feet, so I took that as a sign it wanted its picture taken.

I saw a young man on a mountain bike headed toward the Cherry Island Trail and just as I neared that trail, he quickly turned around and came back. I said “just as I suspected” and he said “yep, not going to risk getting my tires stuck in that muck and mire.” So much for that … the rain we’d had days before messed up the trail.

I returned on the same route I took and was disappointed that I had no deer sightings and where were those Egrets Arnie mentioned? Oh yes, a turtle was hanging out on a log.

A little marsh madness.

I walked along the trail, still looking around, when suddenly there was a huge splash in the marsh to my right. I hurried over and decided that the ripples in the water meant a critter, rather than a carp, was beneath the water, so I decided to stay and check it out. Something dark passed under the water’s surface. Hmm.

Lots of bubbles and splashes, but nothing emerged.

After twenty minutes, I figured Nessie wasn’t there, nor was any critter in the mood to give me a photo op, so I moved on. A couple of fishermen came around the bend and one, noting the camera, asked if I got any great shots and I said “not really, but a doe or a fawn would make my day.” The fisherman smiled and said “well, you just missed a doe, not a minute ago – it crossed right in front of us!”

I walked back to the car, checked the pedometer and had walked almost four miles. I thought about driving across the park to Cove Point, but decided to head to Humbug Marsh instead. That second walk on National Trails Day will be next Monday’s post.

Posted in nature, walk, walking | Tagged National Trails Day, nature, walk, walking | 52 Comments

Feelin’ just ducky … update to duckling rescue.

Posted on July 24, 2021 by Linda Schaub

This post, just as short and sweet as a duckling, will update you on the aftermath of my recent post about the duckling rescue on July 15th. Click here if you missed it. Many of you wanted to know how that last duckling fared after its rescue. You will recall, Mama waddled off with her seven ducklings and another duckling was rescued from the sewer after Mama and her brood were long gone. A search in the neighbors’ backyards to reunite Mama with her duckling was not successful, thus Gabrielle became foster mother to the remaining duckling. This last duckling is now residing at Michigan Duck Rescue and Sanctuary. I have been in touch with Matt at the Sanctuary several times this week. I asked Matt why Mama Duck would not notice she was short a duckling and he told me she is assured her ducklings are trailing behind her, but does not know how many ducklings there are. This last rescued duckling is a female and will have plenty of new duckling kin to socialize with. Matt has been rescuing waterfowl since 2006 and has a barn and pond in Brighton, Michigan where these rescued, abandoned or wounded waterfowl will live out their days thanks to Matt, his wife and a contingent of volunteers who help with rescues and delivery of waterfowl to the Sanctuary. These photos are from Matt’s website. The Sanctuary is 5.4 acres and the pond is one acre, illuminated at night and has surveillance cameras. I’d say these are lucky ducks, wouldn’t you?

Posted in nature, walk, walking | Tagged Ducklings, ducks, nature, walk, walking | 34 Comments

Sun-kissed starbursts. #Wordless Wednesday #Tiger Lilies

Posted on July 21, 2021 by Linda Schaub

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

Posted in #Wordless Wednesday, nature, walk, walking | Tagged #Wordless Wednesday, nature, Tiger Lilies, walk, walking | 25 Comments

A few thoughts about the upcoming Olympics.

Posted on July 20, 2021 by Linda Schaub

First, I am taking liberties with my self-imposed intention of only publishing two posts per week because, after all, the Olympics only happens once every four years, (give or take a year).

We all know that the Games of the XXXII Olympiad, just like so many other sports events, were tainted by the COVID pandemic. After rescheduling the Olympic Games, COVID protocol will be enforced, so there will be no spectators allowed and when the medals are presented, they’ll just hand them on a tray to the winner to put around their own neck. Yep, COVID has taken a lot of the pizazz out of this event.

To be honest, I’m not a big sports fan. Back in the day I liked watching the professional figure skaters at the Winter Olympics, especially in the era of the “two Brians” (Brian Orser and Brian Boitano) and Scott Hamilton or Kristi Yamaguchi and Nancy Kerrigan. My parents never watched sports live or on TV and I had no siblings that might have participated in athletics in school. I was exposed to a little wrestling and hockey when we’d go to Toronto to visit my grandparents when I was a little nipper. We’d arrive and there they sat, eyes glued to the B&W television, engrossed in a sports event at Toronto’s Maple Leaf Gardens. Sometimes greats like Bruno Sammartino and Andre the Giant were on the wrestling card, or, like good, hockey-loving Canadians, they’d be rootin’ for their Leafs playing at the same venue.

As for sports, I’ve never played any, unless I can count walking as a sport? I know I fail bigtime for swimming. I never learned to swim, so if I tried to do so, I might look like this flailing Ring-Billed Seagull.

I don’t think the Olympics has a category for this, do you?

I’ve been collecting some funny shots of Canada Geese this Summer and when organizing my photos recently, I decided they might make a blog-worthy Olympics post. Sadly, I don’t have any photos of geese wearing bathing caps for these swimming events.

The Olympics begin July 23rd and by now Canada Geese Olympic hopefuls from all over the world have gathered.