Bountiful harvest.

Posted on November 25, 2019 by Linda Schaub

Sweets for the sweets (I’m included here too) …

It is a time for sharing the love and the food, or, in this case, the apples. Another Fall ritual, just like the mini pumpkins, is that I dispense apples to my furry friends. Michigan is a big apple producer (900 million pounds, give or take a million), so once Fall rolls along, apples are fairly cheap at Meijer. It is then I take advantage of the sales and get a bag for me … and a bag for my friends.

While walking around the produce section, I decided to get a second treat for myself, after reading a detailed description of a harvest dinner attended by fellow blogger Joni. One of the treats set beside each person’s plate was a huge candy apple. I have never had a candy apple, as my parents drilled into my head at an early age, that candy = cavities and I was only allowed to have the occasional hard candy. What my parents never knew is that my grandmother always buried wrapped Laura Secord candy treats in her apron pocket and they were thrust into my hand when my parents weren’t looking. So a candy apple treat, with its colorful candy that encased the apple, was a definite no-no for me. But I’ve had plenty of caramel apples, before and after having braces on my teeth. My mindset when I saw the display of caramel apples next to the healthful apples was “why not?” Then, if you are going to have caramel apples, might as well kick it up a notch and get the variety with chocolate chips and peanuts on them if you’re going to splurge on calories. Just brush your teeth afterward … old habits never die.

It was a gorgeous day for late October and I stopped to take a photo of the trees which, coincidentally, were the exact same color as those Rome apples.

Although I was wearing my “Peanut Lady” hat, I toted along the bag of apples. I was eager to offload the apples first – they were heavy. I left a few here on the picnic table for the squirrels and the birds. As an enticement, there had to be a few peanuts. I did this on a weekday morning, so I did not have time to stick around for three hours to get cute poses munching on apples. I do have some cute photos from last year of the squirrels smiling while enjoying their apples – you can click here if you’d like to view that post. Guess they liked the Jonathan apples better. 🙂

The view of the peak colors at the Park was worth a shot to show off those pretty leaves.

I supposed the squirrels and birds would have glommed onto an apple pie more readily – how thoughtless of me not to bring one! When we first moved here from Canada, I remember going to a restaurant with my parents and my mom glanced at the dessert selection. She said “apple pie à la mode … fancy that, these Americans don’t put cheese on their pie?” She was aghast. Apple pie with a slice of Black Diamond cheddar cheese was the only way I ever ate apple pie that Mom baked … and warm pie and melted cheese. Wow! I like my apples with a chunk of cheddar alongside them. (No, I did not bring along cheddar wedges for the Park furry and feathered pals.)

Hmm – if a thought bubble appeared over this sparrow’s head it would read “I hope Linda brought birdseed for us too and quits catering only to the squirrels, blue jays and cardinals.”

Well they checked the apples out … would they pass muster?

It appears there was some dissension in the ranks. Looks like somebody was about to get outta Dodge! The picture is kind of dark as it is under the pavilion roof, but you get the gist of the angry sparrow and one about to take flight – the others are nonchalant.

I continued on my good will journey, dispensing apples and taking a load off my arm, which had the tote bag with the remaining apples swinging on it … try carrying a tote bag with apples, a Ziploc bag with peanuts and the camera … I need another hand to get it all done with ease.

Aah – the special, custom-made memorial plaque, shows a tribute to a nature lover, like myself, thus a perfect spot to place these treats.

It wasn’t long before a squirrel came over to investigate and give the apple the sniff test.

Obviously he or she preferred peanuts, and though the apple may have some worth, peanuts rule in this Park.

I had a multitude of squirrel and Park photos taken so far this Fall and my picture folders were groaning with photos, separated into future posts, and I have finally reached the end of my Autumn Park photos. While I will always carry along the camera, I likely won’t be dragging it out as often on my walks, though I hope to capture more antics of my furry and feathered pals in the snow in the coming months, likely on weekends, when I have more time.

As we near our Thanksgiving holiday, I hope that your harvest is bountiful, your table will be laden with holiday fare and you’ll be surrounded by those you love.

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Tranquil Trek.

Posted on November 23, 2019 by Linda Schaub

It was the proverbial calm before the storm, the day before our Veterans Day record-setting snow event. All the local meteorologists had been predicting the Arctic chill and several inches of snow for days. But, in the end, their models and predictions were way out of whack, as we would get 8.8 inches/22 cms of snow before the sun got up on Tuesday morning.

I knew I would not make it back to my favorite nature nook for many days due to the snowfall, then the brutal cold which would inevitably bring ice. Yes, I know the drill, it is the same every Winter … wait, we were nowhere close to the calendar date of Winter, but as that saying goes, Mother Nature didn’t get the memo.

I took a brand-new bag of peanuts with me as I had to compensate for my future absences. I doled them out along the way to squirrels, jays and cardinals, a few of which you’ll see later in this post.

It was still a little early on that Sunday morning, as I knew that later on I would have many leaves to rake and bag before the onslaught of snow that would arrive in less than twenty-four hours. Nevertheless, I spent almost three hours at the Park – it was just THEM and ME.

It was perhaps the most tranquil trek I’ve ever experienced at Council Point Park. It was so quiet, I could hear the crack as peanut shells were split open and fell away, landing on the pathway. Even the Blue Jay was not the usual town crier to announce that nuts had arrived and to get here ASAP. This is because I had spread plenty for everyone, encouraging them to “eat up, as you may not see the whites of my eyes for a little while.” Perhaps they understood, because no peanuts were carted off or buried, but simply enjoyed right on the spot.

‘Round and ‘round the pathway I went, multiple times, making sure no one was left out and I even dribbled a few peanuts along the picnic tables in the pavilion area for those squirrels who might have slept in. It was then I saw it – the new graffiti on the picnic table, which I featured up top and two more images are below:

There is lots of graffiti in the Park … it is a fact of life these days. In fact, I strategically placed the peanuts over a few words I did not want to show up in the picture above. I usually try not to capture the images in my photos, but sometimes the graffiti makes the contrast of colorful writing versus a nature setting just a little more interesting, so I allow those colorful scribbles and scrawls to be part of the picture:

While you could ooh and aah and wax poetic about the beauty in nature, sometimes the photos need no words either.

Join me on my tranquil trek – I believe you know the cast of characters already, except this little gray squirrel who stepped over to nosh on some nuts with the others:

The ducks were unusually quiet, not a quack from their corner:

The geese paddled about near the mallards or grazed silently:

They decided to take a walk but the leader was a bit conflicted which way to go:

Even Harry the Heron was subdued, as he studied the water for fish and even permitted a few photo ops without making that awful screeching noise and disappearing down the passageway:

You know I can’t help myself – I’ve included a few nut-lovin’ pals:

All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful:
The Lord God made them all.
Hymns for Little Children, ~Cecil F. Alexander, 1848

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Stubby a/k/a Chubby.

Posted on November 21, 2019 by Linda Schaub

One week from today is Thanksgiving and you know you’ll have that bird on the brain up until that day.

You’ll get up with the chickens, because that plump Butterball turkey has been thawing out. You’ve consulted the instructions a few times, since that turkey isn’t going to be cooking itself.

And then there are the sides and the desserts to prepare – a lot of work for people to just wipe their mouths and then go shopping (if they are so inclined). Did you know the average American will consume 3,000 calories for Thanksgiving dinner alone? Gulp!

Better hunt for the fat pants – you’re gonna need ‘em.

A season of gobbling began with Halloween, then on to Turkey Day.

Now begins a season of indulgence … treats at home, work – everywhere you turn, there are treats to behold. What should you resist? What should you eat? Decisions, decisions – perhaps you’re still on a sugar high from all the leftover Halloween candy. We had such horrid weather Halloween night that not too many kids, nor parents, were traipsing around the neighborhood for a few measly Snickers bars or mini packets of M&Ms. Well, you didn’t want them to go stale, right?

There is fast food to be gobbled up after shop-’til-you-drop days on Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday – a burger and fries scarfed down while scrolling endlessly through Amazon’s list of sales.

Don’t gobble ’til you wobble or you’ll look like my furry friend above.

You remember Stubby – I first introduced you to him in June of 2018. The day I “met” this little guy, I wondered about that bobbed tail – now it has a shock of white on the end of it. A few days later I had just left a few peanuts on the path by the pavilion area and he lunged to eat those treats, just as a Cooper’s Hawk saw this squirrel as his meal ticket. To my horror, I made Stubby a sitting duck and the hawk aimed right for Stubby, who, evidently had eyes at the back of his head, (just like your mom or your elementary school teachers), and he made a run for it … he didn’t even stop to take a peanut “to go” … he ran under one of the picnic tables in the pavilion and the Cooper’s Hawk, a bit red-faced, made a U-turn and went back to sit on the fence and sulk. I took its photo, albeit blurry – that big bird was no doubt angry, but Stubby’s life was saved. It’s easy to find Stubby, for obvious reasons … he, like Parker, is always front and center when I arrive at the Park.

Lest you think that Stubby got his new moniker of “Chubby” from me feeding him treats like the adult-sized “Nutter Butters”:

… well that would be a misnomer, because those peanutty biscuits were my contribution to the birds, those sparrows that sit and watch my every move, wondering “when will Linda will bring treats for us?”

Well, just like the squirrels are piggy at your backyard feeder, Stubby made it a point to misappropriate the Nutter Butters for himself. Poor birdies. It looks like Stubby had second thoughts about stuffing his face with that Nutter Butter, but eventually threw caution to the wind and ate it in front of the sparrows. That’s not cool Stubby.

Stubby may look roly-poly now, but it is not all my doing! Mother Nature has helped out by providing Stubby, just like the other chubby squirrels, with an added layer of fat and thicker fur, to thwart the Winter cold. I am not only picking on Stubby; here are some of his brethren:

Can you pinch an inch of fat? Looks like this pudgy peanut pal can:

So as we near closer to a day of turkey with the trimmings and slices of pumpkin pie with generous dollops of whipped cream, kindly remember your jeans and how painful tight pants can be when you can’t breathe in ’em. Or maybe just print out a picture of this guy below?

[Butterball pictures courtesy of Pinterest]

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Sunday sojourn at Council Point Park.

Posted on November 19, 2019 by Linda Schaub

Sunday morning I stayed home, finishing up my post about having a Plan B in place. In between writing, loading photos and proofreading, I kept bopping over to the online weather site to see how many degrees above freezing it was. I was being prudent about the ice which was still in our street and on City sidewalks. Yay – finally it was “go time” so …

… I published my post and suited up, hopefully for a long walk at Council Point Park. Due to the fractious weather, I’d been absent for a solid week from my favorite nature nook.

Even though it was much milder than it had been in many days, I was toting along a few things to ensure I would not be slippin’ and slidin’ once I reached my destination. Into a large tote bag, I tucked a pair of heavy-duty ice cleats (a/k/a “crampons”), my flip-top finger gloves and peanuts (of course). Just for good measure, I donned my hiking boots with the thick treads – only then, I figured I was good to go.

I wasn’t going to take the car as I really wanted to get a long walk in, and, after getting past my street, which was still slick with ice, the more I walked along, the more confident I became. Finally, there were long patches of bare cement allowing me to take my regular, long strides instead of just baby steps. As mentioned, just a handful of days before, my driveway and sidewalks were treacherous with glare ice.

As I walked down Pagel Avenue, I was keenly aware of the impact that snow had made on the neighborhood. Pumpkins, now with freezer burn, were covered with snow. Scarecrows, some listing to one side, had bedraggled-looking “hair” where snow had settled into straw braids or pigtails. Snow had also collected in the upturned brims of some scarecrows’ felt hats. The sun was slowly melting that snow, so leaves, buried in the frozen crystals for nearly a week and now uncovered, had a faintly musty smell. Some trees were still full of leaves, vibrant in the sun, where others had dropped their leaves in colorful piles on the whitened ground. The sun had melted mounds of snow that had collected in birdbaths and now sloshed over the sides. A starling took advantage of that icy, clear water and was splashing around. Brrrrr. Icicles were dripping down on the City-issued plastic garbage and recycle cans, making a drumming noise as I walked past each house in the ‘hood and melted snow was gurgling loudly as it found its way to the sewer grate.

What a pleasant surprise!

After wending my way through the neighborhood and giving wide berth to the muddy construction area encompassing a few blocks, I finally arrived at the Park. I began my trudge across the large parking lot which had been plowed and heavily salted. When I got to the pavilion area, I was happy to find no snow on the path as far as I could see! Evidently the City took care of plowing the path for the walkers. There was a bicyclist coming off the first looped path and I said “I’m so surprised to see they plowed it for us!” and he smiled back and shouted “me too!”

So … no initiation of my ice cleats this time and the sun was out in full force, so I was going to be toting them along on my arm. I soon realized I didn’t need the insulated gloves or heavy parka either.

Belatedly I looked down at the path and shook my head. After a week of wearing high boots and a pair of my mom’s heavy wool pants tucked into them, and, because I was in such a hurry to get out, I forgot those petite-sized pants were going to look even shorter with these hiking boots. Oops!

I set out on the path and saw so many trees here still had leaves .

Just the occasional soft icy patches were still in place, not enough to deter a walk, or a bike ride – this was mostly where the Creek runs parallel to the walking path.

Peanut bliss and furry pals along the way.

I didn’t have to search too long for my peanut pals … they came scrambling down to ground level and I got a few pictures of them. Here are some shots of Parker and Midnight and an unknown furry friend, who evidently cannot read the signs that state no domestic animals are allowed in the Park.

What else did I see on my Sunday stroll?

Though the bulk of the snow had melted, the white landscape seemed to enhance the natural beauty on and along the trail.

This memorial park bench is not for sitting – it has been warped for years.
Last Tuesday and Wednesday were brutally cold, so it was no surprise that the Ecorse Creek was still frozen over. No ducks, geese or herons were around as they had forgotten their ice skates.
This huge leaf looks kind of forlorn in the snow doesn’t it?
These red maples were still full of leaves in stark contrast to this middle tree which was totally bare.
Does anyone know what type of bush has seeds like this? Another walker showed them to me and I said I would ask around. A reverse Google search did not yield the answer.

A good time was had by all – mission accomplished!

It was time to leave … my mission was accomplished. I counted noses and fed my furry friends – the Blue Jays were subdued and did not try to steal peanuts from the squirrels. The squirrels ate their treats and didn’t bother to bury them, likely because they were unsuccessful digging up anything from the frozen ground and 8.8 inches/22 cms of snow last week. After a five-mile jaunt at the Park, I still had another mile to walk to get home. These Canada Geese soared overhead as I was leaving. I racked up seven miles (11 km) on my pedometer altogether before I wrapped my hands around a mug of coffee – it was a good day! As of this morning, I still have 97 more miles (156 km) to meet my goal and 43 more days to get it done.

P.S. – I want to give a shout out to Hampton Farms. These are the only brand of peanuts I buy for my Park and porch furry and feathered friends. They are “people peanuts” and I buy the variety that are jumbo and unsalted. I sent a few photos of the squirrels chowing down on their peanuts and they offered to send me some peanuts. I declined, because I sent the photos for fun and it was not necessary, but they sent them anyway with this nice note. Thank you again!!

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Always have a Plan B!

Posted on November 17, 2019 by Linda Schaub

Fall sure was fleeting; in fact it seems that if you blinked you missed it, thanks to a bully named Winter that intruded mightily. It seems like just yesterday I was melting away in the hot and humid temps …

… and just like (snapping fingers) we plunged into the deep freeze. Check out my neighbor’s thermometer earlier this week, and …

… his icicles. Yikes! Those are lethal. Also note the squirrels’ nests in the bare trees a few backyards away.

Happily we hit the freezing mark yesterday and will creep up to 36F/0C today – woo hoo!

I am a notorious weather worrier, no matter the season, and I like to plan ahead. Since I’m no fan of Winter driving, having taken the bus for decades when I worked in downtown Detroit thus never honed my Winter driving skills, I try to take care of all my errands before the snow flies. It’s unlikely you’ll see me slippin’ and slidin’ in my buggy on a Winter day as it is tucked inside the garage. I am more likely to venture out on two feet than four wheels.

Also, as long-time followers are aware, I am like the squirrels who gather their nut treasures to sock away for the long Winter ahead, as I spend several days every October, scurrying around gathering pantry items to have on hand until Spring’s arrival – yes, that many months in advance. It is an annual chore, but unless I’ve forgotten anything, I just pick up refrigerated food and some produce on good weather days until April. My mom did this ritual for years too. That doesn’t mean I will embrace the Winter – that is far from the truth. I despise this season and am not happy that this snow and brutal cold have left walking conditions icy and dicey.

But, all was not lost as I have a Plan B because I have many more miles to meet my goal and this is no time to be a slacker – four days off this week was a long enough respite. More on my Plan B later.

Be prepared!

Not to toot my own horn, but ever since I was young, I was always thinking ahead, even before “forward thinking” became vogue. Perhaps that was a quality instilled in me by Mom, or maybe those years I was a Brownie. Yep, I was a card-carrying Brownie until my membership was cut short after we moved here from Canada in July 1966. This photo was taken in the Spring of ’66 – I was a Sprite, which was our Brownie pack Circle Group emblem.

Because I am a “saver” and not a “thrower” I still have my Brownie record and membership card that I carried in my pouch on my belt as part of the uniform – those treasures were embedded in a scrapbook of childhood memories that my mom collected for me. No I didn’t save the uniform, nor that spiffy beret where my Sprite emblem was sewn on.

Check out the motto on the card, which I have enlarged and highlighted below.

Planning ahead doesn’t ALWAYS work out so great though.

On a beautiful October day I was packing peanuts and my camera and headed off for a long trek at Council Point Park. As I pulled into the parking lot, so did the truck with the crew of grass cutters. Well that was a bummer, as the bold and brazen squirrels and usually fearless jays disappeared into their respective nests once the roar of the lawn cutting machines invaded their territory.

Well, that was a boring walk as I dodged those men in their machines and had zero interaction with the Council Point Park critters; so how was I going to let them know I was thinking of them? The squirrels were still intense with burying their nuts for Winter, so I made “droppings” around the Park, where the lawn cutters would not go near and they still got their treats, to be enjoyed after I left.

And for good measure, I left a passel of nuts on the picnic tables in the pavilion area.

The Call of the Wild.

At the beginning of October, Grady the Gray Squirrel appeared out of the blue. He is a savvy squirrel who might have rebuffed me in the Summertime, but as the days grew shorter and cooler, he remembered his ol’ benefactor from last Winter and started showing up when I returned from my walks, sitting on haunches near the porch and swishing his tail furiously. I was willing to give Grady and his friends a peanut or two on the porch – I delighted in seeing the cardinals, jays, and black and gray squirrels gather on my porch throughout last Winter. Then, you may recall, a large Fox Squirrel came along and was piggy, sitting on the peanuts and chasing the other squirrels away and into the street. So, I decided to give this venture another try. Over a few days I got Grady to follow me into the backyard to feed him there. It worked – he was a quick learner as you read in this recent post.

Fast forward a few weeks and I was out in the backyard and very dismayed to find scat all around the grass. I do not have a dog and I do have a fenced-in yard, so when I got inside, I sent a message to my neighbor:

“I may not have ever had a cat, nor do I have a cat now, so why do I have cat poop all over my backyard? I have a fence, so unless a dog climbed the fence, it is a cat – why can’t it poop in the garden like other cats (not that I want that either)!? No words!”

His response was immediate: “yes, we have two cats going between our yards, and a raccoon – a big one!” Whereupon he proceeded to describe the size of its derriere.

“Wait … what?!” I fired back at the speed of sound.

It seems that as of October 30th, the date of our messages, there were two black cats roaming about, and not just for Halloween … plus a huge raccoon. We don’t live in a rural area either.

That didn’t make my day. I next Googled “do raccoons eat peanuts?” Grady finished them off right away, but I had to cover my bases. Yes, they like peanuts. Well, that figured, so I had to re-educate Grady that breakfast would now be served on the front porch like last year. That little squirrel caught on quickly, as did the jays, cardinals and sparrows. The sparrows?

The furry and feathered critters fight for first dibs as soon as soon as the peanuts hit the porch and cement ledge. We don’t need a dinner bell at this house.

Of course a rogue Fox Squirrel interjected himself into the scenario, just like last year:

When this Fox Squirrel is not monopolizing the treats, he, like Grady, his much-smaller counterpart, awaits The Peanut Lady to open the door and tender peanuts. Then they each scramble down from their respective trees where they were peering out of their nests. I watch the scenario from the living room through the screen door, either by zooming in with the camera, or sometimes with the binoculars. The gentle tweet of the male and female Northern Cardinals in the barberry bush tells me they, too, are in standby mode. They will fly onto the cement ledge and hop along daintily to reach the peanuts. The Blue Jay, high up in the maple tree, now stripped bare of its leaves, is revealed as he anxiously awaits me to line up the peanuts on the cement ledge for an easy-peasy fly-by. The screech of the Jay alerts friends and family where he is and peanut delivery is imminent so get here ASAP!

There is a gentle twitter as sparrows line up on the ledge, their tiny brown bodies angled to zoom down onto the porch. Surprisingly the sparrows, are in tune with this routine too. While I stood there shivering on the city sidewalk, trying to get some outside shots of the munch bunch, I saw a sparrow fly down from the ledge and grab a petite peanut in the shell from the porch. First he analyzed his capabilities versus this peanut in the shell …

… “Me too” is what he decided and picked one out just his size and off he went. That’ll feed him and the wife and kids too. Who knew sparrows could crack open peanuts and eat ’em? Unless of course he returned to the nest and his mate said “really Sam – you need a nutcracker for that!”

Unfortunately, this time the bigger birds stayed at bay, reluctant to gather while I stood there with the camera in tow and with freezing fingers I might add. Oh, we watched each other warily, but they waited for me to go into the house … my job was done there and they were eager to dispense with me. I get no respect sometimes, but there will be other photo ops as time marches on. This week’s premature brutal cold and record snowfall sounded the death knell for foraging by my little friends for awhile, and likely until next Spring in my opinion.

I have invoked Plan B for walking.

The past two days I headed a few blocks over to Memorial Park to walk. There is no pathway, it is merely walking laps around the equivalent of three City blocks. The snow has melted a bit due to the sun, so I am not tromping through 8.8 inches/22.3 cms of snow. However, ice still plagues the parking lot, so I am only walking on the grass for now.

The park is divided into two sections, one where the memorial area and bandshell are located (one city block) …

… and the other side of the cross street, which is a small playground and a large grassy area encompassing two city blocks.

It is a little boring, but works to rack up the steps – I did three miles Friday; four miles Saturday. The squirrels at Memorial Park see me, freak out a little and head up the nearest tree because, with the exception of special events like concerts, parades and Cruisin’ Downriver in the Spring and Summer, they don’t see many humans and likely see me as an intrusion in their territory and lives. Maybe I ought to take peanuts? Nope, I’m not starting that routine in a third venue! I will head back to Council Point Park as soon as the ice melts, hopefully today.

[Snoopy’s Plan B courtesy of Pinterest]

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Friday Frivolity.

Posted on November 15, 2019 by Linda Schaub

After a wacky week of weather, today everyone collectively cheers “TGIF!” I am sure the drivers who dealt with three or four white-knuckled and treacherous commutes, in as many days, are glad to just stay hunkered down at home for the weekend.

Finally, the brutal Arctic Blast has subsided and the snow machine has stopped which is all good.

But glancing out the window, or merely stepping outside to trudge to the garage to start the car, or knock those spindly icicles to the ground, I must remind myself the season is Fall, not Winter. I am a wee bit conflicted as I see snow everywhere, yet the leaves are still fluttering to the ground, littering up that not-so-pristine snow. It is a sight to behold, like gigantic polka-dots or a connect-the-dots game gone wild! Will the snow melt to rake up those lingering leaves before our last yard waste pickup Thanksgiving week?

Strip tease, er … Strip trees!!

Mother Nature wreaked havoc on our Autumn with incessant winds, cutting short the time for leaf peepin’ and admiration. Those trees did a strip tease of sorts, shaking off those vibrant-colored leaves, letting them drop slowly, eventually ending up bare and shivering in the cold.

I watched over the course of about ten days’ time as the trees, which wore cloaks of gorgeous Fall colors …

… quickly dropped their leaves onto the ground.

At first it was a few leaves scattered here and there …

… and then at a fast and furious pace.

I loathed the locust tree we had for many years. It dropped little leaves and stringy things all over the driveway and sidewalk – everything got tracked into the house. Seeing this locust tree brings it all back to me. 🙂

This maple WAS so exquisite … going, going, gone.

When all was said and done, many of the dazzling trees were bare …

… and the squirrels’ nests were suddenly exposed and big enough to show up on Google maps.

It’s all part of this annual trek as we inch from Fall toward Winter. Speaking of treks, I’m hoping to visit this very spot, Council Point Park, on the weekend, if the ice has melted in the ‘hood.

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Trading poses for peanuts.

Posted on November 13, 2019 by Linda Schaub

What the heck happened here the last few days? The weather has been abysmal and that is being kind! There have been records smashed and lots of tidbits to talk about regarding the Veterans Day snow event and now the deep freeze. There are fun facts and figures to toss out, like right now we are colder than Fairbanks, Alaska, and, as I write this post, the temps and “real feel” are the same: 8 degrees F (-13 C). Brrrrrr. In an effort to be clever, halfway through Monday’s snow event, the weather folks quipped “I think this snow is an over-achiever and we are not done yet!” In my city, we ended up with 8.8 inches of snow in 24 hours’ time.

Just the day before, I was walking in two different parks, checking out what remained of the Fall foliage (those leaves that had not yet been whisked to the ground in one of many wind events during the past few weeks), and, I was clicking away with the camera, with gloves cast aside. As I meandered along, I was tendering peanuts to squirrels and jays who were eager to claim them …

… now this. Well the walking is on hiatus for now, likely until Friday when the temps warm up a little and there is hopefully no ice on the streets or sidewalks. Yesterday, there was ice beneath all the snow – just great. The Park pathway does not get plowed or brushed off, so I’ll try to venture down there to take some peanuts to my furry and feathered friends if I am able on the weekend during the day. The squirrels are likely in a tailspin, as the snow is too deep and the ground too cold to retrieve the nut goodies they diligently buried there the past three or four months.

In the meantime, however, I have taken loads of photos this Fall season as I subscribe to the theory of “seizing the day” … I got out to my favorite nature nook as much as possible these past few weeks, and, unbelievably, I still have some late Summer photos from other parks to share. Autumn is my favorite season (or was …), so I will be posting more Fall shots, even as the snow flurries fly (more snow tonight) and as we inch toward the holiday season.

“The “Peanut Lady” and “Midnight” had a photo session.

In the tail end of October, we had a gorgeous week of weather. I couldn’t keep up with all the images that I was collecting in the camera. I just kept clicking away … at the Park, on the way home; it was lots of fun and I savored each moment, each step that I took, because yes, I live in Michigan and in Canada before that, so I know all about those harsh Winter days and a season that is way too long.

As you know, I’ve named a few of the squirrels in the ‘hood and around the Park – at Council Point Park you’ve met Parker and Stubby and I’ve featured Midnight before. I just love the expressions on this little squirrel, and often I get home and when I see the images on the screen, I just have to smile, so I hope these pics and captions will give you a smile too.

“This is the tree where I live … the leaves are pretty, but I am obviously the star of this show!”
“Here I am, ready for my photo shoot, but where is Linda?”
“Still chillin’ and waiting for The Peanut Lady to barter my poses for peanuts.”
“Although I look good at any angle, here is my profile.”
“C’mon already – my tummy is rumbling!
P.S. – I am skeptical that this photo shoot will yield a lot of peanuts.”
“Our photo shoot is done; that wasn’t so bad.
I am a star now, just like Parker. My mama always told me to aim big or go home!”
“Thank goodness for The Peanut Lady – hope she doesn’t forget us once the snow flies!”

[Holly Hobbie photo courtesy of Pinterest]

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Mother Nature shakes things up!

Posted on November 11, 2019 by Linda Schaub

Someone trounced on Mother Nature’s toes … big time! You know who you are, so please apologize. We cannot blame this snow event on Old Man Winter, because, as you know, Winter does not arrive for another 40 days … on the calendar anyway. Besides, last week I saw a Tweet that said it may not be politically correct to blame bad Winter weather on Old Man Winter, because Winter should not have a gender. Yes, I was shaking my head too.

So you’ll pardon my pun, when I say this is how it shakes out for Southeast Michigan and countless cities across the nation today.

Mother Nature has her snow machine cranked up, doesn’t she?

When seasons collide.

Last week I posted pictures of the pretty snow on the pumpkins and leaves –it was easy to ooh and aah over those frosty crystals plopped on the brilliant red leaves because …

… happily, that snow melted a few hours later and we had a clear, but very chilly Friday and Saturday and today was gorgeous and felt tropical after the weekend’s cold and blustery weather. So, I savored every step I took, knowing today’s 3-5 inch snow event and the Arctic Blast that arrives tomorrow, might mess up walking for awhile. Sunday I put seven miles on the pedometer between walking at two different parks and raking leaves. I still need to walk 115 miles/185 kilometers to reach my year-end goal.

There simply is no rhyme or reason to this season.

We went from lawn mowing, to leaf blowing and snow blowing in the course of a few days’ time. Yesterday, while I scrambled to rake leaves in advance of the impending snow, I heard the drone of lawn mowers and leaf blowers … or perhaps it was homeowners tuning up their snow blowers?

I want to stand here and shake my fist at Mother Nature, though I know it would not do me a bit of good, except letting off a little steam and that would only fog up my eyeglasses.

Thus, the walking will come to a grinding halt today, probably the next few days, but there will be minimal worries about the flurries – for the short term anyway, because I will shovel the sidewalks, driveway and porch, secure in the knowledge that my pedometer is tallying up each step that I will take.

My furry and feathered friends at Council Point Park are stomping their feet too … I hope they don’t know about my “secret” porch pals, who, like their Park counterparts, have been getting extra peanuts to tide them over while the snow messes up everyone’s routine. Anyone want to help me set up a pneumatic tube that goes from my house to Council Point Park? It’s just one mile away. I know Parker could monitor it and retrieve peanuts at the other end … he’s a smart little squirrel.

Back in the day, the seasons slowly morphed into one another, gentle and easy. We had time to get acclimated to the colder weather, as we would first add a fuzzy headband to cover our ears, then move on to a wool cap (toque for my Canadian friends). Gradually a scarf was introduced into the mix. Light gloves became polar fleece mittens and so on and so forth. Guess those days are long gone.

I will now publish this post, drag out the boots, dust off my shovel, suit up and head out – so far Mother Nature has not inflicted too much damage out there; it looks like later today is when the most snow arrives, so how many days ‘til Spring?

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“When the Frost is on the Punkin” * …

Posted on November 8, 2019 by Linda Schaub

… it’s usually just frost and not snow! Well, they warned us the snow was coming overnight, or in the early morning, and this time the weather folks got it right! Yesterday’s snow event lasted about 15 minutes, with flakes flyin’ furiously, just enough to whiten the grass and leaves.

That pesky snow sugar-coated my Burning Bushes which haven’t even turned completely red yet – that’s real nervy Mother Nature!

Although I must admit the snowy Dwarf Spruce and Eunonymous both looked a little festive …

This wintry precip put down a snowy layer of “hair” on all the pumpkins which grace this porch and garden, much to my delight since I aimed to use this famous poem title for a post.

These pumpkins have also been delighting the neighborhood squirrels. I’ve come home from walking several times since Halloween to see a squirrel’s tail swishing back and forth behind one pumpkin, or paws inside another pumpkin, eating its way through the face. I’ve not been quick enough, or lucky enough, to get a shot of that though, but I’m hoping to have the camera ready the day I see a squirrel poking its head out of a pumpkin’s face and looking me right in the eye.

The weather here has been beyond crisp; it’s been downright cold, at the freezing mark and then a “real-feel” in the teens. Mother Nature teed up this blast of pre-Winter conditions, with a Canadian air mass headed our way the beginning of next week. They’re already calling it a mini Polar Vortex – well thanks Canada!

Last Sunday I was meandering along the perimeter path at my favorite nature nook, doling out peanuts and apples to any takers (there were very few) and I began dwelling on our impending Winter, that calendar date still many weeks away. I walked with my head down as the wind was gusting and it was cold as a pale sun was tucked behind the clouds. Ugh – the weather was nothing special. Winter USED TO BE when the wind howled outside, snowflakes were twinkling to the ground and you hunkered down and stayed indoors wearing fuzzy slippers, and a bulky cardigan – that scenario didn’t usually happen until December or January – not in early November! As I meandered, my mind wandered and I found myself wishing I was sipping a big mug of hot cocoa laden with fat puffy marshmallows, or eating comfort foods like shepherd’s pie, baked mac-n-cheese, or one of the hearty soups that my mom would have simmering on the stove in the heart of Winter. Heck, even a simple dish of Campbell’s Tomato Soup and a grilled cheese sandwich would have been wonderful to come home to after my walk on this blustery day. No, I was going home to put the yard to bed, do outside chores and rake leaves.

The whole time I was raking, I was thinking about that creamy tomato soup, which my mom made with Carnation milk to make it thick and creamy, and an ooey-gooey grilled cheese sandwich, cheese oozing out past the crust and in the corners of my mouth too. I decided I should buy the fixin’s to make this treat for myself the very next day.

So I popped into the grocery store, but being the untalented cook that I am, I decided to cut corners:

Yes, it tasted like the “real deal” if you stop to savor each chip slowly …

… otherwise it was a tasty, milder version of BBQ chips.

I gave it a fair taste test, polishing off half the bag at one sitting. I didn’t want to make a hasty judgment of course. 🙂

No worries, I also got the proper fixin’s to indulge properly – after all, how old am I and how difficult can this be anyway? It’s an easy enough assignment, right? So, next week, when the weather dips way way down, and the two to four inches of snow arrives, I’ll be in a nostalgic nirvana state of mind, burning my tongue on my Campbell’s Tomato Soup and dabbing melty cheese from the corners of my mouth.

* To read the poem “When the Frost is on the Punkin” by James Whitcomb Riley, please click here. And, if you want an earworm for the rest of your Friday, here’s the poem set to music, just a click away.

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Bye bye birdies … (and Fall too it seems).

Posted on November 7, 2019 by Linda Schaub

I’m glad I took this little jaunt to Heritage Park to view the Fall foliage the weekend before last. I knew waiting until “peak color week” in early November wasn’t going to fly because of the predictions for incessant rain and windy days on the horizon. Even mediocre Fall foliage is not a spoiler at this venue, because there are always a few feathered friends’ images to capture at Coan Lake, which is in the middle of the historic village.

You all know about my affinity for seagulls and I wondered if this was my seagull friend, Jonathan, from Belanger Park, as he posed nicely and made sure to show me all his best sides – he was a bit of a ham. While it could be Jonathan, I tried not to read too much into our photo session. 🙂

I had to have a goose fix because the Canada Geese made their return to Council Point Park in late September, then promptly disappeared again. So, I was lucky enough to see my feathered friends goose-stepping around Coan Lake …

… as well as giving me the side-eye and shooting me a look of disdain for daring to take a photo without asking first.

Although the geese featured in the header image took flight shortly after I arrived, they weren’t necessarily migrating to warmer climes. Here in Southeast Michigan, our Canada Geese hang out in the Mitten State throughout the Winter. You may see great Vs in the sky which are likely geese from colder parts of Michigan who are just passin’ through, or “local” geese taking a notion to fly to another park.

The ducks were their usual spunky selves, strutting around the grounds, or giving me coy looks, as well as even paddling and diving in the icy-cold water, while I watched, a cold shiver traveling through my body.

This Mama Mallard was on the move …

… I know how she feels walking on the wet leaves this time of year.

She eventually caught up with her friend/mate as you see below. Or perhaps he caught up with her?

As mentioned above, the reason I hustled up to Heritage Park was to see some colorful trees and this venue never disappoints, even though it had just rained a few hours before and the sun was a pale imitation of itself. Here are some of my favorite Fall foliage shots, albeit not at peak color:

We’re quite frosty these days, with a little wintry precip to boot. All too soon, I’ll be posting photos of an iced-over Coan Lake with a contingent of ducks huddled together to keep warm and seagulls and geese riding companionably together on mini ice floes. Can we please skip right to April or May?

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