Make hay while the sun shines.

Posted on January 18, 2019 by Linda Schaub

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There’s a ton of phrases we use that encourage us not to procrastinate … some you might have heard from your parents when you were a kid, like “do I have to light a firecracker under you – get moving!”  No, you didn’t hear that one?  Maybe I was just pokey when I was a kid.

Well how about “you’d better get while the gettin’s good”?  Or even “seize the day” … just to make something happen.

Well, because I’m a Winter Weenie, I knew that eventually Winter would ravage us with its snow and ice and brutal temps – yup, I have lived in a four-season climate my entire life, and, while the last six weeks of snow-free bliss have been enjoyable, it was bound to end sooner or later.

So, I ensured I went to as many of my favorite park venues as possible, and, I’ve been force-feeding Parker peanuts every time I was at Council Point Park, while anticipating the ice and snow.  My favorite nature nook will soon be snow-covered and the paths are not plowed or brushed off.  So we walkers will rely on the sun to melt the snow and ice, or we walk alongside the perimeter path.  It works for us, but sometimes confuses the squirrels!

As I write this post, Michigan is part of the big Midwestern snow storm that will cross our area in the wee hours of Saturday morning.  The forecasts have a wide discrepancy of anywhere from three to eight inches of blowing and drifting snow.  Ugh.

So, now I am grateful for all my weekend meanderings to gain steps, glean photos and gather some memories to spin into blog posts.  This is it … the remaining photos I have left to pair with a narrative, so hopefully I’m back to my walking regimen fairly soon.

Lake Erie Metropark.

This trek was taken on the first Sunday in January, and I was eager to use my new Metropark pass.  I stopped at this locale after the quick trip to the marshlands at Point Mouillee.

The day was crisp and the sun was shining brilliantly, and forget the fact that you’re walking the shore at Lake Erie, with the breeze blowing, and the waves crashing against the rocks along Cove Point, nearly every walker or bicyclist I passed called out “wow, what a beautiful day!”

So, I seized the day and got a few pictures along the way.  (I had way more but pared them down considerably.)

I started at Cove Point …

… and worked my way along the Lake Erie shoreline.

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I like those big boulders, and if you squint with your naked eye, you not only see Canada, but the wind turbines lined alone their shoreline as well.

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I saw a group of ducks rocking back and forth in the choppy water and thought I’d zoom in on them, but they heard my heavy walking shoes as I scuffed through the crinkly leaves near the shoreline, and in a heartbeat they vamoosed.

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The winds were calm, but the waves were pretty wicked and came crashing over and over again on those boulders, repeatedly sending spray everywhere.

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The grass on either side of the paved walking and biking path was saturated with water, so much so, that, at a glance, you’d think it was a full-size pond, but it was just the low-lying areas.

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Tell that to the ducks, who believed it was their own personal pond, and they paddled back and forth, diving and bobbing along.  I wanted to tell them that their efforts were fruitless as there was only grass beneath that fake lake, though they persisted in looking for breakfast anyway.

 

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Aren’t these mallards beautiful with the water glistening on their feathers and dripping off their bills?

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mallard pair

I walked the entire coastline at Cove Point and that took me to the lookout area.

Here is a better way to view Canada and the wind turbines, especially if you use their coin-operated viewing machine.

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But I chose to view that shoreline with my naked eye, and, while I was gazing at my homeland, I heard a humming noise and wondered aloud “what in the world was that?”  There is a guy at Council Point Park who often brings his drone to the Park.  It hovers around overhead and makes a distinct low, humming noise.  So, I associated that noise with a drone and was looking in the air to locate it, only to discover a pair of Tundra Swans right overhead.  If my head hadn’t been swiveling around, I’d have seen them and gotten a better shot but this will have to do.  It was my first sighting of Tundra Swans, with their black bills and sleek bodies.  Once they passed out of my range of vision, the noise ceased, so I realized it was indeed the swans making the humming noise, not a drone.

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Think Summer!

I next walked to the marina area.  I’d not been there since I took the “Eagle’s Eye Nature Cruise” on the  E/V Clinton back on a sultry day last August.

The harbor, with row after row of sailboats, was deserted and looked like a little like a ghost town.

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There was nowhere else to go, so I turned around and retraced my steps along that three-mile Lake Erie shoreline, but once I arrived at my car, that brilliant sky and scenic venue held me hostage.  I decided to stay a little longer, so I ventured to a part of this park where I’d not been before.

There is an area for kids and beyond that is their highly touted wave pool.  I figured I might as well continue walking and check out what else I’ve been missing.  Though I’ve been to this park many times, I keep gravitating to the same lagoons and marshland areas, or trekking along the Cherry Island Trail, knowing full well there are many other areas to explore in this 1,600-acre park.

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I walked around and checked out the recreational area of Lake Erie Metropark, then headed back to the paved pathway to explore some more.

 

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A flurry of white in the dull marshy area caught my eye, so I put some speed in my feet and hurried that-a-way.  There were about a dozen Mute Swans frolicking in the chilly water – these two spent more time upside down while diving for lunch, than right side up, and were good for a giggle and a couple of pictures as well.

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I finally decided it was time to head back to the car and decided this sign was perfect to end this blog post, and, when I raised the camera to focus on the sign, I noticed the former wasp nest embedded in the metal pole below the sign.

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The inhabitants of that wasp nest are long gone, and, just like us, waiting on Spring which is now a mere 61 days away!

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Huddling at Heritage Park.

Posted on January 17, 2019 by Linda Schaub

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Sports teams do it.

CEOs and THEIR teams do it.

And the mallards at Heritage Park do it as well.

Huddling.

But, unlike athletes and businessmen and women, the ducks don’t huddle together for strategic purposes, but merely to stay warm.

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It was a frigid morning last Saturday when I stopped off at Heritage Park after visiting the Southgate Nature Center.

You might recall that the last time I was at this venue, the ducks were lined up in front of the covered bridge.  This over-sized pond, a/k/a Coan Lake, is varying depths, so the deeper parts do not freeze through, and the shallower areas are frozen.  The mallards alternate between huddling together on the ice, or paddling around in this man-made lake.

I walked up the path, and wended my way through the historical village, past the old church, the clock that stopped permanently at 7:40 and the wishing well.  Soon I was at Coan Lake.  It wasn’t as if it was difficult to locate these water fowl – most of them had migrated over by the Little Red Schoolhouse or they had congregated in front of the wooden overlook.

The Little Red Schoolhouse.

My favorite historical building in the village at Heritage Park was so picturesque with the ducks lined along the half ice, half water in the pond.  And, despite the gray day, the bright-red reflection on the water was stunning.

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It was about 10:30 and after a quick glance around I discovered I was the only one there, but no worries, as it is quite open and airy in this park.  I’ll bet there were a hundred ducks scattered around Coan Lake.

At the water pump in front of the schoolhouse, as cold it was, a mallard slumbered on, and as I approached the pump to take a picture, two more ducks scrambled up closer to him, so they could be in a picture too.

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How I wished I had something to toss out to them – I am sure with limited areas free from ice, these dabbling ducks weren’t diving into the water for anything to eat anytime soon.

I walked around the perimeter of the schoolhouse.  You can look into the windows and see the old-fashioned desks and I did take a picture, intending to include it in this post, but my red coat’s reflection in the window marred that photo, so regrettably I had to leave it out – next time I’ll be smarter and stand off to the side.  A child’s boat filled one of the schoolhouse windows.

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I also noticed some kind soul had added a suet feeder to the small tree adjacent to that one-room schoolhouse.  I stayed there a few minutes, hoping some birds would come along to enjoy a nibble or two, but I think those birds remained hunkered down in their nests with their brethren to stay warm.

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The rest of the village.

It seemed there were ducks huddled together at every turn I took, as I made my way around the seawall at Coan Lake, near the gazebo, the old Mill and the covered bridge.

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There was a large group of ducks visible beyond the wooden walkway and I hesitated to walk out on that overlook and disturb them, so I stood back and took photos of the ducks through the wooden slats in the railing.  But even that close, my presence got the masses a little stirred up and they awoke from their half-frozen slumber and began paddling as far away from me as possible.

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I was sorry to see the mass exodus, but they would huddle somewhere else where they would patiently await the sun, or at least some warmer temps – unfortunately Winter’s ravages have returned with a vengeance, so they might want to consider booking a trip to a warmer climate?

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Harry the Heron is hungry.

Posted on January 14, 2019 by Linda Schaub

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That’s because his favorite fishing hole is frozen over.  Here’s Harry’s dilemma:  does he search for thin ice and peck a hole into the surface of the ice-covered Creek to dip his long beak in and hopefully catch a fish?  Or … does he fly one mile East to the Detroit River where the current is swift and there is no ice?  A few weeks ago, he and his seagull buddies were feasting on shad.  Too bad those tiny fish could not be buried in hidey holes like the squirrels do with their peanuts and other treats they forage, because pickin’s are slim now.

The weather was even colder this morning … frigid in fact.  It was just 16 degrees (-8C).  Jack Frost had painted some designs on house and car windows and it was evident when the sun’s rays hit it just right … the second sunny day in a row and it made you kind of forget about the frosty temps.  Just like the plumes of smoke erupting from chimneys, I watched the trail of vapor from my own mouth as I walked along.

Grady was up and at ‘em this morning.  I put the peanuts on the porch and then went to finish getting dressed.  I got outside just on time to see him scurrying away and the little nut pile had gone down substantially.  He was apparently by himself this morning, having decided that the early bird does get the worm – you go Grady!!  I did, however, interrupt his nut-gathering-and-munching  agenda, when I suddenly appeared from around the corner of the house and went to open the garage door to run the car.  He took one look at me, then he ran up into the neighbor’s tree.  I told him I didn’t realize I looked so scary and furthermore not to be a “fraidy cat” since I was not going to hurt him.  After dispensing my wisdom, I disappeared into the garage and from the car’s rear-view mirror, I watched him approach … slowly, deliberately, then he picked up speed to grab a peanut and then he ran away again.  I’ll need to ramp up the assertiveness training for this cutie pie in the weeks ahead.

All the photos in this post are from Sunday’s stroll.  The scene was the same this morning – the Creek was still frozen over and the ducks congregated under a tree, huddling together on an old log to keep warm.  Since I first started walking at Council Point Park, the ducks would go under the sewer drain which is beneath the cement ledge you see when I take pictures of the heron fishing from there.  The water did not freeze under the drain and provided some respite from the bitter cold.  But, due to all the rain we had this year, the water level is too high to accommodate the mallards – they’d be hitting their heads, so there is no shelter for them now.

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The ice on the surface of the Creek looks like a cracked mirror in some places, or smooth as glass in others.

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The reflection of the trees on the ice made it quite picturesque.

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We keep the cold a few more days and by the end of the week, snow may be arriving just in time for the weekend.  Well, maybe that snowstorm will fall apart – fingers crossed!

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Pink cheeks, peanuts and … imposters!

Posted on January 13, 2019 by Linda Schaub

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Today was just a glorious day and I know the folks who live in perpetually warm climates would find it hard to fathom how 23 degrees, with a real feel of 11 degrees (-11 Celsius), could be glorious, but the sun, coupled with the lack of snow and ice, made for a perfect Winter day.  My favorite meteorologist keeps saying that we may be enjoying our spate of snow-free days now, but it will eventually impact the boaters because the lake levels will drop.  Well he had to go and be a party pooper, didn’t he?

I came home with pink cheeks, though I am certain the cold stained my cheeks a bright pink maybe five minutes after arriving at Council Point Park.  Two different walkers asked why my face wasn’t covered?  They were wearing full face masks and I saw another woman with a muffler wrapped around her mouth.  I just never thought about it, and I do have a face mask from my bus-riding days, but my main concern was keeping my fingers from freezing and also my legs warm.  Because I am tall, I buy sweat pants in men’s sizes so I don’t look like I’m waitin’ for the floods.  They don’t fit tight to my legs, so on cold mornings like today, the wind rustles up those pant legs – brrr!  When layering up for three hours outdoors in frigid weather,  I don tights before venturing out.

P.S. – I was smiling most of the time at the Park today, so … if a smile froze in place, that was okay too!

For a while, I’ve suspected there was an imposter in the crowd …

… and today I caught him red-handed, er … red-pawed!

I have been mentioning that the other squirrels were pretty savvy about learning how Parker gets extra treats just for running up to see me, or following me around the Park and I “get” that.  In fact, I often see them trying the same tricks … the “woe is me, I need peanuts” look …

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or, standing up on their haunches with the “do I smell peanuts?” pose, which is sure to melt my heart, or that of any of the other walkers who regularly feed them.

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We are not dumb bunnies – we see what antics will help glean more peanuts.

Today I decided to drive to the Park since it was so cold.  I was thinking that short trip would benefit the car, not me, and I’d just make one entire trip around the park (two miles) to compensate for driving, rather than walking.

I pulled up and hopped out of the car.  Immediately Parker came bounding over to see me.  He had been nosing around under a pine tree and made a bee line for the car.

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I said “wait, I’m coming over there because I don’t want you running back and forth across the Park entrance – there’s too many cars!”  So, I walked over there to see him, but that rascal ran up into the tree, as you see in the header photo.  That was odd I thought, as I’d never seen him up in this tree before?  Hmm.

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While he was trying to dig into the frozen turf, I sweetened the pot a little by throwing some Nutter Butter minis into his pile.

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He sniffed, but acted a little odd and then he ran away again.  I said “suit yourself” and I left.

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I walked through the parking lot, with a northeast wind slapping me in the face, and my two sets of gloves were doing nothing to help my frozen fingers, which I had exposed while digging around for treats and the camera to take shots of Parker (or whom I had thought was Parker).

So, will the real Parker please stand up?

As I headed across the parking lot, head bent down, like I was crossing a frozen tundra, I felt a presence and saw a squirrel out of the corner of my eye.  He came over to see me, his eyes honing in on the bag of peanuts which he spied propped up in my pocket … this was the Parker I know and love, so who was that imposter I handed all the extra treats to?

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I sweet talked him, but kept that little nugget to myself, that I had not immediately recognized my furry friend.  In fact, later on, when viewing the photos, I saw that especially dark nose on the first squirrel and realized I should have known right away.

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So Parker has his ways of getting my attention, either standing on his haunches, or looking me straight in the eye, or this little dance that he does when he sees me … he hops around my feet, or steps on the toes of my walking shoes or boots.  Sometimes I am talking to someone, or taking a picture, or I just wasn’t fast enough to give him the peanuts he wants.  Usually, when I see him scampering over to see me, I pull out the peanuts and the camera and have it ready.  So, this time, he was not going to wait around for small talk – he was hungry and not afraid to show me just how hungry he was as you’ll see in the below slideshow.

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As Parker attempted to scale up my sweatpants, I was glad I had the extra layer beneath them.  He got his treats and I left him in hog heaven and continued on my walk.

Despite the cold, squirrels were coming out of the woodwork! 

Everywhere I looked, squirrels were running along the trail, or I heard claws gripping bark as they left their cozy nests to come to ground level for peanuts.  It also just had to be because it was such a sunny day.  There were a multitude of squirrels with a myriad of personalities.  I know all the squirrels look alike, (most of the time anyway as I have discovered), and, out of this passel of peanut pals, these were my favorite shots of them, like this squirrel coming headfirst down the tree – was he yawning or did he make a misstep and was saying OMG?

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The entire Park came alive with the sun’s rays today.  The sky was a brilliant blue and the Creek, frozen over, looked like the surface was glass, especially where there were reflections from the trees that line the Creek banks.  I took a few pictures of the icy conditions around the Park and will share them in a separate post … I now have quite a stack of photos and a trio of tales to be woven together for future posts.

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Saturday morning meanderings.

Posted on January 12, 2019 by Linda Schaub

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This morning I decided to expand my horizons a little and try a different venue.

I know the nature lovers out there are saying “well, this doesn’t look like Linda’s usual shtick” … but don’t let the appearance of this wall festooned with graffiti fool you.

A fellow blogger who lives fairly close to me offered a few suggestions for nature locales around our area.  So, when my new cyber pal/fellow blogger, Pril, asked me if I’d ever been to the Southgate Nature Center, I was mystified that it even existed – a nature area the next city over?  So, my fingers flew over the keyboard to Google where I discovered this little nature nook a mere 5 ½ miles from my house, tucked next to Southgate Anderson High School.  Why have I never heard of it and does Ann Marie, my friend and fellow walker who lives in Southgate know about it?

So, I made this my first pit stop on this morning’s meander then topped that trek off with a trip to Heritage Park.

I arrived there around 9:30, and almost missed it, as it is set back from the high school a bit.  Luckily the sign for the nature center was big enough, because I have the worst sense of direction, and despite glancing at the map again before I left, I figured I’d just remember the cross streets without a hitch.

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I set out on a paved path …

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… which soon became a little more rustic as it incorporated a small trail that led directly into a field of bulrushes, burrs and phragmites, the latter which were waving back and forth in the stiff breeze.  The walk was reminiscent of my trip to Pointe Mouillee last week.  My foray into these tall reeds reminded me of those huge corn mazes you can go through at harvest time, i.e. you can’t see where you are going ahead and just hope for the best.

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It was nippy for picture-taking, and my fingers were feeling frosty, even with the flip-top mitts.  That’s because the wind-chill made it feel like 23 degrees F (-5 Celsius) and the gray and gloomy sky did not yield any sun rays today, so I felt an occasional shiver as I walked along.  But, despite that cold, I was thinking warm thoughts when I saw the many milkweed plants and their pods full of fluff and seeds.

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Milkweed is the host plant for monarch butterflies, and there were many of these plants around, so I’ll bet this place is a haven for monarch butterflies once the warmer months arrive.

This old rotting wooden stump looked kind of interesting and I am sure it has been the subject of many photos as people pass it on the pathway.

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I continued on my way, sometimes treading on a wooden pathway and other times walking along a paved path.

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There was much ice in the sunken areas of grass and gullies, evidence of our recent rains which all looked to be frozen solid.

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The monotones of a gray sky and pale-colored reeds made it very desolate in this marshy area.  At a glance the phragmites looked a little like wheat.

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I was careful not to brush up against the teasel which was growing everywhere; these were several feet taller than me and silhouetted against the gray sky.

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I arrived at a long wooden footbridge which spanned across a creek.

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I had not seen a sign of any wildlife thus far on my trek, but soon heard the unmistakable call of a blue jay and also a cardinal.  I was unable to locate the blue jay, but I watched a male cardinal flitting from tree to tree.  I dug in my pocket for peanuts (like the pedometer, they are a staple whenever I leave the house) and I held it between two fingers, trying to entice that beautiful red bird to come down to the wooden bridge.  He flew away, so perhaps I had spooked him, so I decided to leave my calling card on the top railing, then I moseyed along.

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Halfway across the bridge, I turned around to see if the cardinal had swooped down to land on the railing to retrieve his peanut and noticed the graffiti which I featured at the top of this post.  Whoa!  Here I was in the middle of a blah-colored marshland and these colorful images took up an entire wall which was as wide as the creek.  You can see a wire grate at the bottom of the wall, so I guess this is how the wall was decorated.  Amazingly, without a hint of sun, the colorful images made a stunning reflection on the surface of the creek.  There were a few ducks paddling around as well.

I crossed to the other side of the footbridge and found this mini-waterfall.  The water was gurgling and spilling over and reminded me of a brook as it gushed over the man-made stones.

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I kept on the pathway, and along the way, I had to dodge icy areas where the pathway was sunken down and it had filled with ice and leaves.

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I stayed on the pathway until the very end where I found busy Pennsylvania Road.  Cars were whizzing by and there was a huge church there, so it looked like the end of the road for me and time to retrace my steps and head back.

I finally saw a few people so I didn’t feel so alone, because, I have to admit for a time, once again, I wondered about wandering around amongst the tall reeds, although this was hardly the middle of nowhere like last week, but there were a few places that were off the beaten path.

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As I crossed the wooden footbridge, I noticed that my peanut was gone … see, I did have eyes watching my every move, just as I suspected.  I should have left a few more for the cardinal for an afternoon snack.

There was a whole lot of honking going on as approximately 25 Canada geese announced their arrival.  They flew overhead in almost-perfect V formation, though that perfect form quickly fell apart as you’ll see below.

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I passed the marshy area and took one last look before heading to the car.

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Just like Council Point Park, which is embedded inside a residential area and in the middle of a city, you step away from a natural area to a residential neighborhood in minutes.

I am glad that I stopped by the Southgate Nature Center.  My second destination on my morning agenda was Heritage Park, which was three miles away.  The ducks were huddled together in groups on one side of Coan Lake and I felt badly for them.  I will write about that visit in a separate post.  I walked six miles today and made it a point to walk that amount, as I wanted to mark 50 miles (80 kilometers) walked to date in 2019 as of today … onward and upward!

 

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Friday Frivolity.

Posted on January 11, 2019 by Linda Schaub

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Oh, those gray days and Winter doldrums have set in for most of us.  The multiple holiday festivities are in the rear view mirror and the harsh reality is that it’s only January, and at least three long months of Winter stretch before us.

“Metro Detroit weather whiplash: Brace for big drop in temperature!”

That headline leapt out at me when I saw it earlier this week … really Mother Nature?  Why now, after you’ve been teasing us with Spring-like weather for weeks?  Who stepped on your toes?

I was enjoying our uncharacteristically beautiful December and early January weather … it made up for an ugly November, where we endured cold temps, some freezing rain and ice, and intermittent slick and snowy mornings.  That followed a colder-than-usual and rainy October, which has always been my favorite month – not in 2018 though.

Just when I decided Mother Nature had redeemed herself somewhat, so I was prepared to give her an “Atta Girl” … well, let’s just say we plunged back into Winter bigtime.  All that is missing is the next snow event, which the meteorologists dangle like a carrot in front of us.  The snow haters are grateful for the ease of getting around without snow-slickened streets and the snow lovers have been spending their weekends further north where they can indulge in all the skiing and snowmobiling they want.

But all good things must come to an end …

… including the nice weather.  It’s been a dreary week, which started Monday morning when I stayed inside based on the weather predictions.  I was clueless that no freezing rain materialized outside my house,  or on the street, until I went to the front door to feed Grady and his former nemesis, who show up like clockwork for peanuts.

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These furry fellows fared better than me, because they still got their treat, but it was too late to recoup my loss and head out to walk, and still be back for work timely.

Grady has been hanging around for almost two months now, and, as you know, the bigger Fox squirrel started bullying him a few weeks ago.  He stole his peanuts right from under his nose, even chasing Grady up my neighbor’s tree, where he sat quivering and looking at me like “help …do something Linda!”  I felt sorry for little Grady, having been the victim of bullying myself, many decades ago after we moved here from Canada.  So, I raised my voice and told the other squirrel to go away … “raised my voice” is being polite, because I yelled at him, and he scurried off.

I’d like to think these two have reconciled their differences, since they now show up together, and there are an equal number of peanuts for both of them, so they “play nice” all the time.  I’ll get a shot of them together when it gets warmer.  The screen door was all fogged up from the cold the last two mornings.

Sigh … if I ruled the world, everyone would get along.

Kids will be kids … furry or otherwise.

It reminds me of my parents, who were angry that I let my best friend, Linda Crosby, take my toys and tricycle, and she beat me up first to get them.  My parents were so exasperated with me that they said the next time she hit me first, I was to beat her up and I’d be rewarded one dime for my efforts.

So I did just that.

I also went running across the lawn and into the house, hollering at the top of my lungs “Mommy, Daddy – I beat up Linda Crosby, can I have my dime?”

My parents were likely horrified, (not only because I said “can I” instead of “may I”), but it looked like they were encouraging violence in their young daughter.

The things you’ll do for one thin dime, but I guess I tucked it away with my tooth fairy money, and Linda Crosby and I remained friends, even after this little dust-up.

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Well, I digressed …

Tuesday Mother Nature offered up 50-degree temps in the morning and it rained at dawn.  If you were lucky enough to be out and about, you hardly needed a coat, nor gloves, and I stayed in the ‘hood since rain still threatened, and it was likewise on Wednesday.  It’s easier to be a fleet foot and get home dry when you are just around the corner from home.

Thursday morning was devoted to errands – not fun, but my boss was out at a meeting, so better to get it done before the snow flies, or you need to fight the weekend crowds.  I actually racked up two miles dashing around.  I know this because my pedometer is a permanent fixture when I dress to go outside.

It’s been a long five days – the first full week of work for most of us.  For me, the first full work week in almost a month, and it was a toughie – you know, all the stuff that got shoved aside to do after the holidays.

A get-out-of-jail-free card for me.

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But finally, there was a ray of hope …  (besides the fact that it’s Friday).

Yesterday’s blustery winds that whipped around while I was in and out of the car all morning, had mercifully disappeared, and, in its place were calmer winds.  The fact that it was 17 degrees, well …  I just bundled up before stepping out.

Best of all, the sun was back!  Instead of the gray and gloomy skies above, a hint of blue and a ray or two of sun poked out from those clouds when I headed out.  I even detected a spring in my step as I hustled down to Council Point Park for the first time since Sunday afternoon.

I saw the gang and tendered peanuts and made my apologies.  I didn’t tell my furry friends that I’d been doling out peanuts to my “porch squirrels” lest I make them jealous.  Thank goodness, the squirrels are not like your dog, who is suspicious and gets an attitude when you are out petting other dogs and come home with their scent on your hands, or worse yet … on your pants, where the “other dog” might have brushed up against your legs.  You know your pet finds that highly unacceptable, but the squirrels … well, they love you for yourself and your peanuts too, of course.

Oh yes, I saw a handful of walkers already on the trail, those brave souls who, like me, just scorn the cold and show up until the paths are too icy and dicey to tread safely.  It seems the regular walkers have dwindled, as most have returned to their treadmills or they’re getting their steps in at Southland Mall, followed by a steaming hot Starbucks brew, paired with a decadent Cheese Danish or Cranberry Bliss® Bar, treats (which coincidentally just cancelled out the calories lost by all those steps around the dimly-lit mall).

I did a quick trip around the perimeter path – what a difference a few rays of sun made.  I saw the drakes’ iridescent teal heads.

mallards

A hint of sun illuminated the dead tree branches and even the berries on the dead bushes looked brighter.

berries

My shadow, not worth recording for posterity, (or at least for this post), was there, albeit a bit pale.   That’s okay, the nature aspect of the trail was all good.

geese

squirrel1

squirrel

squirrel2

I laughed out loud at a squirrel waiting politely for the geese to cross the path – if he swerved too far to his left, he’d be near the geese lined up to get to the Creek.  To his right, a gaggle of geese simply glared at him.  What’s a squirrel to do?

geese and squirrel

I know the feeling because I’ve waited patiently at a “geese crossing” myself many times.   I’ve been aiming to get four geese lined up across the path so it looks like the Beatles crossing Abbey Road.

beatles abbey road cover

One day I’ll get those geese lined up perfectly, have my camera ready and get that shot!

I must get my pictures from last Sunday’s trek to Lake Erie Metropark together.  I have a lot to go through and pick out the worthy ones to share in my next blog post.

I’ll leave you with this quote which I saw a while ago and tucked away – I feel it summarizes this post perfectly, don’t you?

quote

 

[Images from Pinterest (Beatles and Monopoly card) and Greenpeace.org (quote)]

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So, am I any wiser in 2019?

Posted on January 7, 2019 by Linda Schaub

owl from joe

Did I gain any more smarts than I had on the last day of the old year, which was already one week ago today?  The jury is still out on that question as of the 7th day of this newly minted year.

“Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on ME.”

There is an old adage that goes like this: “fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.”  A few Summers ago when I was whining about the weatherman making still another wrong prediction, my friend and neighbor, Marge Aubin, said “I don’t understand you Linda – can’t you just look out the window and see for yourself whether you should stay home or walk?”

Well, of course that logical statement made perfect sense.  But, as an avid walker, who was up daily at the crack of dawn to get out and walk, especially during Michigan’s hot and steamiest months, if bad weather was forecast, and a walk was definitely not going to happen, I’d set the alarm later and enjoy the extra slumber time.  I follow several well-respected meteorologists, and if they all say bad weather, I figure it will be bad weather.  However, after I missed several walks after taking the weather folks’ predictions as gospel, I decided to take Marge’s advice.  The next time an early morning thunderstorm was predicted, I just sloughed off that dismal forecast, got up as usual, had breakfast, and, once it was light, I set out very confidently, with no umbrella and no raincoat.  As I walked down to Council Point Park, I chastised myself saying “Marge was right … just look at all the walks you’ve wasted listening to these weather folks – I hope you are smarter now.”  However, halfway through my walk, the sunny sky opened up and a big downpour and rumbles of thunder ensued.  I got drenched, so instead of telling Marge when I arrived home, dried off and was sitting in front of the computer “thanks for your advice”, instead I sent a snarky “I told you so” e-mail to her.  (It’s a wonder we stayed friends sometimes because we both spoke our mind to one another.)  Marge’s response was quick and equally snarky:   “these things happen sometimes Linda, I am not God, and neither is the weatherman and you are not made of sugar!”  It seems to me Mom used that expression as well.  Sigh.

So, I was reminded of that little episode this morning.  I got up very late … for me.  I am a weather worrier and when ALL forecasts pointed to a sleet/freezing rain-filled morning, I set my alarm clock three hours later  than usual.  I knew that late start would be a treat, and even justified, since I was still busy blogging and catching up on comments and posts at nearly 1:00 a.m.  I am really not a night owl, believe me, though my late hours here on WordPress might seem to the contrary.  So, I got up, had some coffee, meandered a little online, then remembered – OMG, I forgot to feed Grady, the little gray squirrel.  Soon he (or the Fox squirrel who scams Grady’s peanuts) will be knocking on the door  asking why I am tardy with their breakfast!  So, off I raced to the front door where I saw through the peephole that it was already light.  I prepared to snake my arm into the frozen precip to drop some peanuts onto the porch.  Instead … just picture this … I opened the door, it was clear as a bell, albeit windy!  So, I lost a walking day and I will lament loudly over my blind faith to the weather folks still again.  This was the absolute  last time, and mark my words, that if I come up four miles short at year end, I will blame myself for deciding to rest on my laurels and languish in bed this morning.

It’s a normal work week.

 I hope I have it together on whatever day it is today.  My brain is still trying to process what day of the week it is.  My boss left for a holiday in Mexico on December 20th.  He was gone for eight days, then it was the weekend before New Year’s.  We’ve been so busy the last few years, that often when he was gone, even for a short trip, there was always work for me to do – this time, I only needed to check voicemail and e-mail remotely, and I was online all the time anyway, so that was easy to do.  I really needed that break.  Then last week was short due to the New Year’s holiday.  With all the time off, I certainly should could have been a little more productive here at the house, but I chose to take advantage of the nice December weather to walk extra miles and write more blog posts … hey, if that is what makes you happy, I say go for it.  Dust – well pfft … dust is like weeds … put on some blinders and get out and enjoy your day.  So, now we have an entire work week to get through and maybe I’ll be able to remember what day it is, because the calendar, as well as the weather thus far in 2019 have me stymied for sure.

Who is this feathered fellow gracing today’s blog post you ask?

So, yesterday’s trek to the boonies in search of a snowy owl gave the car a good run and I capped that quest off by a long walk at Lake Erie Metropark.  But, as you know, no snowy owl was to be found.  This morning, a fellow blogger named Pril gave me some insight to other options to enjoy Pointe Mouillee and also informed me there are Great Horned Owls at Elizabeth Park, another favorite venue of mine.  Whooooo knew?

Many posts in my blog are about the squirrels at the Park.  But I also write about some of the people I encounter while on the trail.  Back on October 30th I met Joe at Council Point Park.  Joe had his camera with him and was taking photos of a gorgeous tree ablaze in color at the entranceway to the Park.  I waited until he finished his shot and told him I had also taken the same shot earlier because “a big wind might come along, and the leaves would be scattered on the ground tomorrow.”  We chitchatted about living in the neighborhood, our love of nature, and photos we’d taken at the Park through the years.  I pointed to my feet and suggested he take a picture of Parker who was clamoring for peanuts while I was talking.  I fed Parker a few more peanuts and Joe took some photos of him.  Later that day, he subscribed to my blog and sent me photos of Parker, Harry the heron and the tree with its burnt-orange leaves taken earlier that day.  This morning, sensing my disappointment in capturing an image of the elusive snowy owl, Joe e-mailed the above picture – he told me he found this little owl, just a mile from our neighborhood, at the local Department of Public Works site.  This is not a woodsy or natural locale – it is on busy Southfield Road where City trucks zoom in and out of the service yard all day.  Go figure!  Joe said he spotted the owl and went home and got his camera and returned to find him still there.  Obviously, here was an owl who was agreeable to a photo op.

So isn’t that a hoot?

Whooooo knew owls were lurking in Lincoln Park?  Well, I am suddenly smarter than when I woke up today.

[Image provided by Joe Mosolits]

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Owl be seeing you …

Posted on January 6, 2019 by Linda Schaub

header

… or maybe not.

Well, I was bound and determined to drive all the way out to Pointe Mouillee in South Rockwood, just because I wanted to see that beautiful snowy owl.  Its images around this marshy region were captured by a local photographer, then posted on the Detroit Audubon’s Facebook site.

The car needed a run anyway, and, after yesterday’s freezing fog and black ice, today was the day I intended to look for this beautiful bird.

I went to Pointe Mouillee this past August, and, because I’ve been following the Detroit Audubon’s Facebook site over the last year, I’ve learned that not only are there migrating birds of prey and waterfowl at this locale, but also there are snowy owls, white pelicans, some songbirds that I’ve never seen around my neighborhood and even a cute little mink.  I know duck hunting season is over, so I had no worries about stray bullets.  So, I made Pointe Mouillee and Lake Erie Metropark my primary destinations on this beautiful Sunday.

I looked at a map on Friday afternoon – it looked pretty easy to find, just 5.4 miles past Lake Erie Metropark.  I saw three major streets along the way – should I jot them down?  “No, that should be easy to find, and I’ll remember it from last time” is what I told myself.  Unfortunately, a lot more info has been stuffed into my brain since August, and, after I drove past the sprawling grounds of Lake Erie Metropark, I noted the odometer reading and kept driving – 5.4  miles.  Well, I didn’t recognize anything, but it was a nice rural road, I was game for adventure, and had 3/4s of a tank of gas.  I noticed the Fermi 2 Nuclear Plant belching steam into the blue sky and thought it looked bigger than I remembered it from before – was it this close last time?  Hmmm.  Soon I could see a big church and it turned out I was about to enter the city of Newport.  What in the world?  Newport, Michigan is a nice town, but not on today’s agenda.  (I know my friend Ann Marie is reading this post and smiling, maybe even laughing, at me getting lost – she gave me the directions the last time and I was fine, so go figure.)  I think Google Maps messed up on the mileage estimate – bigtime!

So I turned around and headed back.

I found the sign for Pointe Mouillee – not a very big sign, but I had made a mental note the last trip, that the next time I returned, my marker would be a homeowner’s post-style mailbox that had a largemouth bass instead of the traditional style box.  Of course – after I saw it, I remembered that distinctive mailbox which looked like this:

Then I had to drive a few more miles down Campau Road, a really rural and narrow street, full of ruts and potholes, plus a series of little crossover bridges enroute to get to Pointe Mouillee.  Just like my prior trip, all that was there was the State Game Area Headquarters and that is where the Huron River splits and forms this little island in the middle of nowhere.

Well, I didn’t go all this way without having a look-see.  Last Summer there were way more people around as they had their boats and trailers and were fishing.  Now it was really deserted, even the lookout point and pier were empty.

overlook

boat launch

The marsh looked the same as in the Summer, only everything was dried up and the tall reeds and phragmites were waving in the stiff wind.

marsh

pm

pm1

dead trees

The flag snapped with each gusty puff of air, still at half-mast following the death of former President George H.W. Bush.

flag

There was a freighter and if I’d had my binoculars I could have read the name.

freighter

I saw Fermi 2, which just came online again Thursday.  Its steamy cloud was billowing throughout the sky.

fermi 2

There were no birders, no birds and no humans.  I felt a little uneasy, out in the boonies, two or three miles from the main drag, and not a soul around.  I decided it was a little too isolated for comfort, so I took a short tour, got a few pictures and headed back to the car.  In August, the Detroit Audubon has an organized hike with their group – that might be the way to go.

I next headed to Lake Erie Metropark and spent about three hours there – I’ll write about that trip in an upcoming post as I took a lot of photos.  It was a sunny and brisk walk along the coastline of Cove Point where the waves were crashing against the huge boulders.  I walked to the desolate-looking marina, then did several more miles to retrace my steps back to the car.  Then, I took a different route than I usually do, just to sightsee, all the while hoping I did not lose my way inside the Park – yikes!  After walking 5 ½ miles I decided against heading to the Cherry Island Trail, and opted instead to stop at Council Point Park and walk one loop, hoping to see a few squirrels since I missed them two mornings in a row and tomorrow we have freezing rain on tap, so no walk.  A few of my chubby friends came running over to see me.  So, my last mile was walked there.  By the time I got home, my oatmeal was in my toes!

So, my eyes are heavy as I am typing this post … a 50-mile drive, a 6 ½-mile walk, and  I’ve already done 30 miles (or 48 kilometers) in 2019!

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Topsy-Turvy.

Posted on January 5, 2019 by Linda Schaub

temperature

Today was not the usual jaunt for me – it was kind of backwards, actually.

I follow the Detroit Audubon Society on Facebook, and earlier this week, a local photographer posted a series of shots of a snowy owl he saw at Pointe Mouillee.  Several people besides me were oohing and aahing over those pictures.

Since beautiful weekend weather was predicted, I planned to go to the marshland area this morning and see if I could see this beautiful snowy owl – I’ve never seen an owl, let alone a snowy owl.  So I looked at the map as I’d only been there once before and I was all set to go, but then last night, the weatherman had concerns about overnight/early morning freezing fog and black ice, especially along Lake Erie … exactly my destination.  Those conditions were expected to last through mid-day to early afternoon.

So that essentially tabled my morning jaunt and I figured I was not going anywhere, by car, or on foot, where I would be dealing with black ice.  The past few days at Council Point Park have been dicey with huge patches of glare ice formed on the perimeter path.

So, I decided to wait it out for my walk … by 2:00 p.m., I was good to go.

Today was like a breath of fresh air.

Since it was much later than my usual gallivantin’ time, I just headed to Council Point Park, my favorite stomping grounds.  Enroute, I unzipped my coat, and stuffed my gloves in my pocket – it was 55 degrees after all.  I could have left the hat at home, as well as the bag of peanuts – no squirrel experience today, as not a single squirrel came down to visit or nosh on some nuts.  They must’ve been in bed for the night!

What I did see on this gloriously mild and sunny January afternoon was reminiscent of that first warm day in late March or early April … motorcycles zoomed by, music blared from cars with the windows rolled down, and homeowners’ front doors and windows were open, welcoming in the fresh air.

Even Santa Claus and his reindeer collapsed from the warm air and a garden gnome mooned me when I walked by.

santa and reindeer collapsed

gnome mooning

Further making it seem like Spring was seeing someone in shorts and a couple of guys were kicking around a soccer ball at the Park.

shorts in sun

soccer

Today is National Bird Day. 

Though I didn’t get to see and take photos of a snowy owl, I knew there were birds to see and enjoy and Council Point Park didn’t disappoint:

I saw the heron across the Creek.  No fishing for Harry today; he was just standing there, almost statue-like, enjoying the warm day.

heron in tree

There were Canada Geese who plopped down into the Ecorse Creek, still in their V-formation from the sky.

canada geese

How graceful they were and they stayed together a minute or so, then began to disband.

canada geese1

A beautiful mallard duck gave me a couple of once overs …

ducky1

ducky0

… then that drake decided I was a threat, turned his back to me and gave me “the side eye” as he sped away.

ducky2

The seagulls are still out chasing the shad bait fish – at least the Creek wasn’t frozen over.

seagulls and shad

And I saw a sweet little woodpecker way up high drilling away.  I never saw his face, though I stood beneath the tree, poised with the camera, waiting for him (or her) to look my way, but no luck.

woody the woodpecker

Well, all that bird activity was there for the enjoying in the first loop.  When I stepped over to the cement landing to watch the seagulls and ducks, I noticed my shadow as I approached the landing.  So, I had a little fun taking photos of my shadow as the sun was at a different angle than in the morning … talk about a Long Tall Sally!

long tall sally a

From afar the landing looked like above, and up close you get a better idea of the graffiti.

long tall sally with grafitti

long tall sally rip

“Don’t let the sun go down on me” is what I wanted to say as I took my last shadow selfies.

long tall sally phragmites

long tall sally tree

I walked two full trips around Council Point Park – then headed home.

Since I rarely wear a watch on the weekends, I thought I’d head over to Memorial Park and check out the marquis to see what time it was and the current temperature  – oh my … this is Michigan for goodness sake!

The sun was dropping slowly in the sky.

sunset

So, what turned out to be no-go morning, morphed into an enjoyable January day. We got up to 55 degrees today after starting out with ice this morning – that’s why our state’s slogan is “Pure Michigan!”

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Peace at the Park.

Posted on January 3, 2019 by Linda Schaub

parker in mulch

On the first day of this newly minted year, I arrived at Council Point Park, just a little later than usual.  That’s because firecrackers in the ‘hood were going off ‘til the wee hours of the morn, so I figured I could indulge myself and sleep in later.

I decided to drive and pulled into the parking lot to discover I was the only one there – the other walkers either took the day off, or arrived much earlier than me.  (The gentleman who proclaimed the squirrels were too well fed arrived about an hour later.)

To access the perimeter path to the first loop, I must pass through the pavilion area.  This is where I put all the seed treats on the picnic table under the pavilion roof.  As I approached that area, two things immediately caught my eye:  1)  Parker was scrambling over to meet me, and 2)  the memorial tree for Brian Skinner looked very different.

closeup.jpg

I went over to look at that tree, with Parker trailing at my heels like a faithful dog.

You’ll recall the day after Thanksgiving I did a post about Brian Skinner’s memorial tree and the red and white wreaths that adorned it.  Here it is to refresh your memory:

Unlike many of the other memorial trees at the Park, this one is tended to all year around by Brian’s loved ones.  It is weeded, mulched and decorated for all the seasons or holidays.  I noticed immediately that one of the wreaths had been replaced by a new wooden plaque with a picture of Brian.  I perused the plaque carefully.

plaque

I saw some heartfelt words …

plaque close up

… and a collection of what looked to be some things that defined Brian.

Brian Skinner Tribute
Detroit Red Wings
Old Glory
Detroit Tigers
Freemasonry
Boy Scouts

Seeing the plaque, and reading the tribute verse, made me a little sad on this first day of 2019.  The heartache for those left behind was obvious.  Brian was a Mason, a Boy Scout leader, an avid sports fan and he loved his country.  I decided then and there to have a few minutes to reflect on this man who was taken at age 41, and then take a few pictures of this tree to share with you.

But first … some peanuts for Parker, who had stood at my side, patiently awaiting his treats, and, amazingly, whether it was because it was just him and I at this venue, and not a single soul – furry or otherwise – close by, he never danced around, climbed on my shoes, or looked up at me with pleading eyes.  He was content to sit there quietly at my side, as if he, too, was part of this reverent occasion.

Peace and tranquility sprinkled with a few peanuts.

I scattered a half-dozen of peanuts on the nearby path.   Parker went and got one, and stayed, so unlike his usual self that scurries off to bury one or two.

parker

Next Parker headed over to the mulch area beneath the tree, where he munched and watched me as I took some photos.

whole tree and plaque

I must also mention that there has been a hairbrush laying in the mulch beneath the tree for a few weeks now.

parker in mulch1

At first, I thought someone just dropped it, and it remained there, but obviously a family member had returned to take away one wreath and replace it with this plaque, yet they did not discard the hairbrush – perhaps it was Brian’s?  I understand from other walkers that they have seen family members gather around the tree, perhaps those loved ones mentioned in the tribute verse, and one walker told me he had been a Boy Scout leader, as had Brian, and the two had taken their scouts camping many years ago in this very Park.

Parker slipped away from beneath the tree, but still within my peripheral vision, and he took another peanut and jumped up on the adjacent blue metal Park bench seat portion where he continued to watch me.

bottom

He was just a stone’s throw away the entire time I was taking pictures.

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Check out the fuzzy tail trailing out the back of the park bench.

proximity of bench

top

While I took a few more pictures, Parker continued watching me with rapt attention.

top2

At times, he never moved a muscle.

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Should I feel his forehead?  Where is the little squirrel who is usually a bundle of energy?  Parker seemed content to sit nearby, and, when I was done taking the pictures of Brian Skinner’s tree and plaque, I was reluctant to leave.

So we both stayed there a little longer – after all, what was our hurry to go anywhere on this peaceful morning, each alone in our thoughts?  The serenity was finally broken when I decided we should probably move on and head down the perimeter path.  Parker once again walked alongside me until we spotted the rest of his pals and then bedlam arose, with furry bodies scurrying every which way – you all know that familiar scenario by now.

I thought of Brian Skinner today as I walked past his memorial tree – today was the 17th anniversary of his untimely passing.

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