WALKIN', WRITIN', WIT & WHIMSY

Color my world.

Posted on July 27, 2025 by Linda Schaub

Nearly every Summer morning since I began my walking regimen in 2011 and, especially after discovering Council Point Park in 2013, you’d find me on the move, camera in one hand, peanuts in the other, while capturing all the images that Summer has to offer. Those nature walks and photos were what I longed for during the cold and snowy Winter months.

The Summer of 2024 was hot and humid, but, newly retired with all the time in the world, I went out as much as possible, walking on many trails, making memories and packing images galore onto the photo card.

But this year is different … and not in a good way at all.

First, I’ve not been to Council Point Park since Memorial Day, May 26^th, when I visited with one squirrel, zero birds and a few fellow walkers who asked me “where are the squirrels?” Well I didn’t have an answer for them, though it did and still does weigh heavy on my mind. We decided that not only was the ambiance lacking at this nature nook, but our furry friends were as well. Huge concrete sewer pipes were deposited around the walking loop, heavy machinery filled the parking lot and it was noisy. I occasionally do a drive-by to see if the project is finished … it is not as of this writing.

So, I made the difficult decision to distance myself from Council Point Park until the work was completed. I will resume walking there in the Fall, when hopefully, more than one squirrel will be clamoring for peanuts. Meanwhile, a 10-pound bag of sunflower seeds and a dozen bags of peanuts sit gathering dust here at the house.

Pounding the pavement in the ‘hood hearkens back to my roots, when my walking regimen took me on the same routes daily. There was no joy in that journey, but yes, I got the steps/miles in. Long excursions have been few this Spring and Summer of 2025. Yes, I scurried to my favorite local parks in search of “babies” which was fun. Up until then, my most memorable walk in 2025 had been photographing waterfowl on the ice floes down at the Detroit River on March 13th. I shucked off most of my clothing when it got very warm, but happily I returned home with a treasure trove of photos; unhappily my face and bare arms got sunburned.

“It’s not the heat, it’s the humidity!” (Or so they say.)

I have been collecting memes to share sometime about how Michiganders are melting away in this Summer of 2025, with dew points often off the charts. We are, of course, not the only humans whining about the heat. I “get” it. In fact, I’m sorry I whined for months about the wickedly windy days because now the ever-present searing heat, sultry humidity and constant predictions of severe weather are my present whine. We’ve had a few bad storms come to fruition, but yes, I worry equally about the PREDICTED storms as I do the actual storms. Then there was the wildfire smoke and particulate matter in the air which could damage the camera lens and/or my lungs.

I’ve found a way to muddle through these bad weather days.

Because July is World Watercolor Month, a social media event now in its 10^th year, it is only fitting that I share some of my paintings I’ve done the past three months.

I am taking online classes with Julia Bausenhardt, a German artist who specializes in nature art.

To date, I have finished 37 paintings, but I’ll just share my favorites in slideshows and singly below.

First, I embarked on a four-week course in sketching and painting botanicals:

I followed that course with sketching and painting garden flowers:

I’ve painted lots of flowers so far. 🙂

Next was a course in sketching and painting butterflies:

Currently, I am immersed in learning how to sketch and paint birds.

Here are some of those sketches, along with the finished paintings:

My next painting will be a beautiful Blue Jay; the pencil sketch of it does not do it justice.

As to the featured image, it is a White-breasted Nuthatch. I am undecided whether to paint it or leave it as is. Julia did her sketch in fountain pen, but ultimately finished that watercolor painting using black, bluish-gray and white.

For my drawing I used a fine-line marker, but toyed with the idea of using my mom’s fountain pen, a gift she received from a friend when she completed Shaw Business College in Toronto in the late 1940s. I opened the pen to see if I could buy some ink to fill it. I remembered seeing Mom filling the pen from a bottle of black ink to use for correspondence through the years, but unfortunately the ink reservoir was stuck and I couldn’t twist it to remove it … alas, the fine-line marker worked well.

It’s been fun and a hobby I promised myself I would start when I retired. I first took a charcoal sketching class as a teenager in the late 60s.

These are the courses taken or in progress to date:

Some paintings, like this Flax and Snail …

… or this Skipper on a Thistle …

… or especially this Blue Hairstreak …

… admittedly are a tad whimsical, but they fit right in with my blog title, right?

I hope you think so too.

Terri has no Sunday Stills Challenge this week.

Posted in #Sunday Stills Challenge, nature, Watercolor painting, | Tagged #Sunday Stills Challenge, #World Watercolor Month, nature | 149 Comments

Mad Mallard #Wordless Wednesday #Ruffled feathers? #Missing feathers (due to molting)

Posted on July 23, 2025 by Linda Schaub

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

Posted in #WildlifeWednesday, #Wordless Wednesday, birds, nature | Tagged #WildlifeWednesday, #Wordless Wednesday, birds, Mallards, nature | 33 Comments

It was a feather in my cap …

Posted on July 20, 2025 by Linda Schaub

… that I decided to go to Heritage Park on July 16^th.

I had an agenda of “wants” that included tiny ducklings, grown-up goslings and baby Barn Swallows. I knew that of these three “wants” the Barn Swallows would be the most difficult images to capture. The adults are constantly on the move, swooping here, there and everywhere to gather insects for themselves or their brood, or snagging mud and various plant materials to construct their cup-shaped nests, mostly beneath wooden structures, like overlooks, or in the rafters of covered bridges like the one at Heritage Park.

You’ll recall in my recent post about ducklings that while awaiting Mama Mallard and her offspring to emerge from beneath the covered bridge where they were expertly evading my shutter-happy self, I swiveled my head up to peer at the rafters for Swallow babies.

Hmm, it was a messy mishmash overhead!

Barn Swallows are beautiful creatures, with their peach-colored tummies and iridescent cobalt-blue bodies. I’ve been lucky to capture images of them at Lake Erie Metropark as they favor a dead tree to congregate and chatter to one another.

But here at Heritage Park, it’s not as simple. Sometimes I’m lucky to see a Barn Swallow catching its breath on the boulders near the bridge …

… or sitting on the wooden overlook by the Little Red Schoolhouse, in between their constant swoops and dives for bugs or nesting materials.

Back in 2020, I saw these cute baby Barn Swallows …

… but unfortunately, there were no babies this time.

Because it is dark under the bridge roof, my photos are never crystal clear, but it is interesting to see how these fine-feathered friends craft their nests. I took pictures, with great expectations since the camera’s red, low-light icon kept flashing.

There appeared to be an adult in one nest, but, due to the low light, plus me squinting a little, I still wasn’t even sure it was a bird inside the nest due to the messy feathers around where it sat, but later, when I sorted through my pictures, I saw a tail and confirmed yes, it was a Mama-to-be Barn Swallow.

Even though I was on the bridge walkway, far from any nest, an adult Barn Swallow parked itself up high, monitoring my movements, eyes trained on the nest on the other side. Each time the flash lit up the area, it seems it similarly flashed me an irritated look.

Near the nest, was another Swallow – was it protecting the nesting Mama-to-be or bringing her snacks while she silently incubated her eggs? It sure was messy in that corner and I was glad I had a hat on, though I didn’t really want white polka-dots on my hat either. 🙂

Believe me, the Missus sitting on the nest was safe and secure, way out of my reach, even if I was inclined to touch that mud-and-feathers, likely lice-infested and poop-ridden nest. But the adults positioned themselves as guardians of the gates, so I muttered that I was “just passin’ through, then I will be on my way.”

I noticed another messy-looking nest in the light fixture, but this one belonged to another type of bird – probably a Sparrow. They are fond of building nests in the pole lights around the park.

Postscript: Barn Swallows encounter #2.

It seems I’ve set a trend here of visiting Mamas on nests, then returning later in search of babies. This was the case once again as I returned to Heritage Park on July 4^th, 18 days later, grateful that the park’s Summer Festival had wrapped up and I could do my usual slow meander around Coan Lake and to the Taylor Botanical Gardens.

It was a blazing hot day and I arrived later than usual, having visited Emily Frank Gardens before driving here to Heritage Park. I usually visit much earlier in the day.

The sun, already high in the sky, looked as bright yellow as this Coreopsis plant that I saw in the perennial garden, while I was multi-tasking, looking for butterflies. The sun seemed like it must have a blazing red interior like this plant.

After stopping for a fun photo op with a Great Blue Heron and a Double-crested Cormorant, getting “grown-up” pics of MY goslings and ducklings, I stepped under the covered bridge once again.

I was reminded of the realtor’s expression: “location, location, location!”

All I can say is the living conditions of my fine-feathered friends was deplorable!

I had to assume that the Barn Swallow chicks had fledged in the 18 days since I’d last visited on June 16th and, when I hopped onto the “All About Birds” site that night – yes, that time frame confirmed it.

Well I might have been back sooner but for the Taylor Summer Festival the weekend before.

The bridge floor was a hot mess … nest pieces strewn about with feathers everywhere. Ugh! I hope it happened post-fledging!

On closer inspection I concluded this fallen nest belonged to the other inhabitants. It really should have been cleaned up by park maintenance before kids got their fingers into it.

I saw no Barn Swallow babies and all the adult Swallows that had previously “patrolled” the covered bridge while scoping out intruders were gone.

Mission accomplished – maybe they’ll have another brood this Summer. I’m keeping my eyes peeled as I remain on “Baby Patrol”.

I am joining Terri’s Sunday Stills Photo Challenge: Feathers.

Posted in #Sunday Stills Challenge, birds, nature, walk, walking | Tagged Babies, birds, nature, walk, walking | 50 Comments

Anyone got some soap on a rope and a towel so I can get a shower? #Wordless Wednesday #Help out a heron in a heat wave!

Posted on July 16, 2025 by Linda Schaub

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

Posted in #WildlifeWednesday, #Wordless Wednesday, birds | Tagged #Feelin' hot, #WildlifeWednesday, #Wordless Wednesday, birds, Feelin' hot-hot-hot! | 61 Comments

Boppin’ by the big red barn.

Posted on July 13, 2025 by Linda Schaub

Every season I stop at the Trenton Cultural Center to see what is happening at Emily Frank Gardens, but I’m a more frequent visitor this time of year. The Gardens encompass just a small area of this venue, which is located on a street corner and tucked into a residential district.

For some visitors, like me, the Gardens are guaranteed to stir their senses.

I like hearing the faint buzz of a bee as it nestles into the Bee Balm.

And, I like seeing a beautiful butterfly flitting about, or even an Eight-Spotted Moth taking a breather on a leaf.

There is the peaceful serenity of the Koi fishpond to take in and, if you’re lucky and you hit peak time for the lavender, you’ll have a few appreciative sniffs of the lavender plants (in the background) …

…. which are as sweet smelling as this dew-spattered rose, their respective scents permeating the moist morning air.

The above photos were taken on my recent Independence Day visit.

Of course it is tempting to only write about the beauty of the Gardens, but there is a big red barn on the property that deserves to be mentioned too.

All about a big ol’ red barn.

I’ve been visiting this venue, originally known as the Emily Frank Farm, for three years now, after learning about and meeting the local plein air painting group and then spinning out a post or two about them. I hope someday to join this group as they gather every Saturday, from Spring through Fall, to paint at all my favorite venues. It is through this group that I first learned about Emily Frank Gardens, the site of one of their annual excursions. The group members set up their easels, paints and palettes to capture the essence of the venue; usually the red wooden barn is the focal point of their paintings.

The barn, which hosts seasonal events throughout the year, has a vintage flair outside the front.

Behind the barn are rows and rows of veggies which, since 2009, the Garden Angels, (a moniker the volunteers have dubbed for themselves), have planted, tended, harvested, then distributed to local food pantries and senior citizen organizations.

The barn’s sides are a mixed bag, i.e. one side has various flower beds and the other is known as the Hide & Seek Children’s Garden, a whimsical way for youngsters to pass the time while their folks eyeball the fleurs.

My initial impression in 2022 was it was a bit kitschy.

On that first foray to the Cultural Center campus, my impression of the Hide & Seek Children’s Garden and the whimsical wall behind the Garden was one of puzzlement. Was it supposed to look kitschy? Does it serve a purpose? Am I over-thinking the Hide & Seek Children’s Garden because I’ve never had children? And yes, perhaps the word “kitschy” is a little harsh, so how about “creative” as in Detroit artist Tyree Guyton’s Heidelberg Project. Once I showcased some of that Children’s Garden play area in this Wordless Wednesday post.

Well, my initial impression was not even close to what this whimsical wall and play area was really about and, it would be another year before I learned the reason the Hide & Seek Children’s Garden was created in 2012 and that was due to the death of Jean Pendell, its creator.

Who was Jean Pendell?

I follow many of the parks and places I frequent on Facebook and Emily Frank Gardens is no exception. In August 2023, a year after my first visit, I learned the dozen or so “Garden Angels” were mourning the sudden passing of Jean. She was a volunteer, just like they were, only she had created this magical garden for children after discovering one on Mackinac Island. Jean was a former art teacher in the Trenton school system and thought she could bring those skills to life beyond the classroom in this little area next to the barn.

Here is a photo of Jean in the Children’s Garden that the Trenton Michigan Gardeners Facebook Page posted on August 3rd, a few days after her death.

Jean’s fellow gardeners maintained the Hide & Seek Children’s Garden just as she left it when she was on site earlier in the day that she passed away, so when I took these photos in the Summer of 2024, this slideshow below shows the whimsical nature was still intact.

Sadly, sometimes good things must come to an end.

When I visited a few weeks ago on July 4th, I noticed that the Hide & Seek Children’s Garden seemed a little subdued, relegated to mostly flowers, with a few child-sized tables and chairs and a bench; some of the whimsical wall items appear to have been taken down.

Jean’s family and friends gathered and a plaque to honor her was placed in front of the Hide & Seek Children’s Garden on the anniversary of her death. A video of that event was posted on Facebook.

While the former extreme whimsical nature was lacking, the patriotic flair was not, as you see bunting and flags were everywhere, perfect for the holiday.

Even the iron fence around this venue was festooned with red, white and blue wreaths.

I’m glad I visited this magical space in its heyday.

I am joining Terri’s Monthly Color Challenge this week which is Red, White, & Blue (Single, or a combination)

Posted in #Monthly Color Challenge, #Sunday Stills Challenge, 4th of July | Tagged #Sunday Stills Monthly Color Challenge, 4th of July, Children's Garden at Emily Frank Gardens, Emily Frank Gardens | 74 Comments

How the heck do I get down? #Wordless Wednesday #Mama said there’ll be days like this!

Posted on July 9, 2025 by Linda Schaub

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

Posted in #WildlifeWednesday, #Wordless Wednesday, nature, Uncategorized | Tagged #WildlifeWednesday, #Wordless Wednesday, nature, Raccoon that is scared of heights! | 51 Comments

I was seeking sweet ducklings and …

Posted on July 6, 2025 by Linda Schaub

… the adventure went swimmingly!

This walk took place on June 16^th, the day after my “Gosling-palooza” post. I’d already been on multiple “missions” to find and photograph goslings, so I was ready to give that quest a rest. Since “baby duckling time” is usually around Father’s Day, I hustled to Heritage Park in search of some of those sweet feathered babies.

I had a few items on my “want list” on this soon-to-be Summer morning. I wanted to check on the goslings that I’d chronicled since Mama was incubating them. I knew I’d recognize the family as there was a discernible runt, a gosling much smaller than its siblings and yes, I still owe you a tale about that Mama Goose and her offspring.

I was also on the hunt for baby Barn Swallows for a future post, so I made a point to look in the rafters of the covered bridge for eyes peering at me over their nest. I hoped I could tick off each “want” on my list, then head for home by high noon as it was another blazing hot day.

Fluff and feathers.

The Cottonwood fluff was a’flyin’ due to the many Poplar trees scattered around the park. Fluff lined the asphalt pathway …

… and drifted lazily in the slight breeze, settling onto the grass and the surface of Coan Lake as you see by all the white dots in this photo.

As I neared Coan Lake, I shaded my eyes and squinted a bit to find any Mama Mallards with their ducklings. In the past I’ve seen several families of ducklings swimming behind their respective Mamas in a neat queue all on the same day. Quickly my eyes alighted on the one and only Mama Mallard with her three ducklings. They were so tiny that if you blinked you’d miss them.

These sweet babies were all over the map instead of trailing obediently behind Mama. Why you ask? The ducklings were distracted by the Cottonwood fluff as seen below.

I had to smile as I watched each duckling lift up its body and briefly go airborne, those wide webbed feet paddling furiously to keep it afloat, while trying to catch one of those prized pieces of fluff. More often than not, the duckling fell backward into the water without nabbing that fluff, sometimes ending up with it plastered to their bill.

Look at this guy (or gal) … such a little soul stirring up such a large wake.

Mama had her eye on her ducklings as well as casting a side-eye toward me. Interestingly, unlike the Canada Goose gander which watches over his mate and his brood, I have never seen the Mallard drake take such an active interest to guard his ducklings – this was the case here. I guess Mama’s got it all handled, huh? Here’s that proud Mama.

This duckling was eager to swim by Mama’s side, tired of messing with the Cottonwood fluff, but …

… its siblings strayed over to the seawall because the fluff, once it landed on the surface of Coan Lake, drifted toward the edges of this manmade pond and glommed together.

That was a bummer for me as the ducklings were so tiny, that even as I cautiously peered over the edge, the babies were often clustered against the seawall and, although it was hot, I didn’t care to join them for a swim.

Mama was uneasy about me as I hovered nearby, despite me speaking in a calm voice while assuring her I meant no harm to her or her babies. Eventually she sounded an “alarm quack” intended to summon her offspring to her side, but kids will be kids, even if they are the feathered variety and the two ducklings at the seawall didn’t heed the call.

Growing irritated with the ducklings’ shenanigans, she quacked a little louder and this time the pair zoomed over to Mama. I struggled to get photos as they moved so quickly. I guess they knew she meant business! 🙂

Mama guided her brood over to the turtle ramp. She went up the ramp, expecting them to follow, but they would have none of that and stayed afloat still playing with the fluff. Mama waddled back down the ramp into the water, then they all disappeared beneath the covered bridge to hang out, a move designed to show the lady with the camera a thing or two!

Patience is a virtue sometimes.

Tapping my foot, while scoping out Barn Swallow babies in the rafters, I waited 15 minutes for the four to emerge on the other side of the bridge. Mama guided her little darlings right into the greenish, goo-covered water near the old Sawmill. Evidently the turtles were happy to climb onto the rocks to escape the slimy water.

The fountain on this side of the bridge was too far away to help disperse the green goo.

The algae was so thick that I pictured the ducklings’ downy feathers stuck together from the mucky water rendering them unable to paddle. The scene looked like an Impressionist painting gone terribly wrong, with water so murky that I’m surprised I could get any reflections … but I did, albeit not the greatest.

The duck family, seemingly oblivious to the muck and mire, paddled around …

… sticking closer to Mama than they did earlier. Perhaps they were intimidated by the funky-looking mess?

I decided to call it done with the ducky crowd, but first, I stopped near the shoreline as I saw something embedded in the grass.

I bent closer and zoomed in. It appeared this Mallard nest was recently abandoned and a few pieces of the eggshells were still inside; likely it belonged to my feathered friends who are the subject of this post.

I was done as it was heating up, so I headed to the car, happy for the outing and a photo card filled with fun and babies!

P.S. – I returned 18 days later, on the 4th of July, to find the same family, but there were no other new Mallard families unfortunately. The babies now looked like mirror images of Mama – gone were the fuzzy little ducklings I had oohed and aahed over earlier.

I am sure the one duckling here is saying: “Hey Mama – the lady who pestered us when we were babies is back!”

I know it is the same family as I walked the entire campus of Heritage Park where the waterfowl hang out (mostly around Coan Lake) and these were the only Mama and ducklings. Yes, sadly it appears that one of the trio did not make it – nature is cruel sometimes.

Terri’s Sunday Stills Photo Challenge today is: In the Swim.

Posted in birds, nature, walk, walking | Tagged Mallard Ducks, nature, walk, walking | 83 Comments

Spent Allium or Sparklers? #Wordless Wednesday

Posted on July 2, 2025 by Linda Schaub

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

Posted in #Wordless Wednesday, Flowers, holiday, nature | Tagged #Wordless Wednesday, 4th of July, Flowers, nature | 61 Comments

Hittin’ the trail to help the hungry.

Posted on June 29, 2025 by Linda Schaub

Since 2018 I have participated in the annual Happy Soles 5K to raise money for Fish & Loaves, a local food pantry. In 2018 and 2019 I walked the 5K on-site, but since then, due to COVID, I have opted to participate virtually.

Fish & Loaves Community Food Pantry is a non-profit, faith-based organization which provides assistance to families and individuals. In 2024 this food pantry distributed 3.4 million pounds of food helping 100,000+ individuals. This Fish & Loaves 2025 Happy Soles 5K raised over $36,000 according to the event organizers.

The 2025 event marked the 16^th annual Happy Soles 5K. The event always begins at the pavilion, a/k/a Sheridan Center. From there, participants wend their way around the nearby neighborhood, through the woods across from the playing field where the Junior World Series is held every August, along the path through the historical village and finally they return to Sheridan Center to hopefully cross the finish line.

The event was held on June 1st as you see from the swag in the featured image and race site info below. Since I’ve done the event virtually, I usually go to Heritage Park the day before or after to take photos to accompany the event post. This year I went on June 2^nd. For those of you keeping track of my many submissions for a tee-shirt tagline – there was no contest this year; they used the same “Moving Against Hunger” tagline as in 2024.

Stepping out sans solemates … er, soulmates.

You may not be familiar with every venue I visit and “report on” but I know you all recognize the covered bridge …

… and of course that cute Little Red Schoolhouse.

You might even say “hey, that’s the Old Log Cabin!”

I decided to stop near the Old Log Cabin to check out the perennial garden maintained by the Taylor Garden Club.

These geese and ducks didn’t even stop grazing as I approached the garden – that shows you how interesting I am to them.

I hoped to see a bounty of butterflies like last year when the Bee Balm and Coneflowers bloomed profusely and yielded some pretty photographs of Tiger Swallowtails flitting about, but, my hopes were dashed when I discovered those flowers hadn’t even bloomed yet. Here’s what it looked like last year. Up close there were bees and butterflies galore as you can see in this post.

In fact, I couldn’t even scare up a bee on these beautiful and vibrant yellow plants which would have looked perfect with some bumble bees nestled down into the pollen and complementing their bright color.

This is an Evening Primrose …

… and these tallish yellow blooms are a new plant to me; they were identified by a sign in the garden and Google Images as Yellow Loosestrife.

This colorful Tiger Lily, near a future Sunflower yielded no butterflies either…

… even when I zoomed in.

I paused at the Wild Geranium with a few tiny bugs resting on a petal…

… then I decided to head to the Botanical Gardens in search of a better flora and fauna experience.

So did I fare better photo-wise at the Botanical Gardens?

Well, kinda sorta.

Speaking of creatures, I am a creature of habit. I’ve been visiting this venue for about a decade, maybe longer. Each time I go to the Gardens, I have a routine. After meandering around the historical area, I cut across the “village” grounds, past the 125-year-old Sell/Schoenscheck House, now a photography studio which needs a new sign.

Then I walk along busy Pardee Road. It’s not a long walk, but since I’m not only here for photo ops, but to rack up some steps as well, I’ve always traveled this same route.

Follow the leader in the “forest”.

Well, before I headed toward Pardee Road, out of the corner of my eye I spied a trio of escapees from the Petting Farm: a Pekin duck and his pals, two large domestic ducks.

They were grazing near the Old Saw Mill when they saw me and turned around and headed toward a wooded area. Feeling like a member of the paparazzi (and because critter photo ops had been scarce that morning), I trailed after them. Even though I was a fair distance behind the group, they sped up, waddling very quickly while trying to dodge this pest with her camera. I guess I need to tote along a little corn as a posing enticement next time I visit this venue.

My photos were not so great as they scurried around each bend and turn on the trail and the canopy of trees gave me some shade, but made it dim in the woods as well.

They were joined by another domestic duck at the “Rock Lounge” (a group of large boulders placed in a circle in the middle of the woods … think Stonehenge, only shorter). 🙂

The four ducks evidently were having a ducky outing away from the farm.

In my peripheral vision I noticed this envelope stuck in a tree branch and even pondered removing and reading it, but decided it did not have my name on it, so I just kept walking. Hmm – honesty and too many years of watching “Candid Camera” back in the day I guess.

But of course, I had to get a photo of it, right?

After that minor distraction I realized I had lost sight of the four ducks, which, by now, were feeling mighty smug after artfully dodging me.

But wait – I saw another feathered friend who, like myself, was meandering along, only it was picking, pecking and scratching at the ground. We had a strange staredown for a moment, but in the end it was way more charitable than the ducks and posed nicely here.

Soon I realized the end of my woodsy walk was at the Botanical Gardens. So, I now have a shortcut thanks to my feathered friends, all five which by now had ditched me like a hot potato.

Like the perennial garden by the Old Log Cabin, it was still fairly early in the blooming season so the garden areas really weren’t showy and ready for primetime either, so I didn’t even stop to take photos.

Returning from the Botanical Gardens the old way I noted the Taylor Historical Museum had a smattering of patriotic decor.

The Township Hall similarly had bunting strung along the railings.

There were not enough veggies nor blooms to take photos of at the Community Gardens either – maybe next month.

The cockeyed birdhouses look the same every Spring – too many parents and offspring packing it in on one side only. The pair of birdhouses have looked like this for years.

As I walked to the car, I passed this Mallard who had just awakened from a nap (you’ll recall another shot of him dozing off in last week’s post).

I admit to having had more exciting walks at Heritage Park and the Gardens where I’ve come home with a camera card full of photos, but this was not one of those times. I would, however, return to this venue exactly two weeks later to find a treasure trove of birdies and babies, so stay tuned.

I walked to the car, sank down in the seat and turned on the air after a very warm morning, just a preview of coming attractions for one of Michigan’s hottest Junes on record.

I am joining Terri’s Sunday Stills Photo Challenge: Patriotic – Show us your country’s flag, images of flags.