WALKIN', WRITIN', WIT & WHIMSY

Play misty for me.

Posted on September 15, 2018 by Linda Schaub

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The morning was murky, with a fine mist which permeated the air which was already thick and heavy. Today is the halfway mark for September, and unbelievably, it was 97% humidity and 70 degrees at 8:15 a.m. It was overcast, so the sun would not make me overly hot on my morning walk, but that dull-looking sky would not be great for picture taking either.

I decided to head to Heritage Park as it never disappoints, no matter the weather.

The backdrop of trees that frames the Park and seems to stretch for miles, looked like dark blotches in the very misty setting. I noticed that the water-powered mill’s wheel was illuminated and turning slowly, and, with that misty background, I knew immediately this was destined to be the main image for today’s post.

I decided to head to Coan Lake first, as I recalled the gentleman who arrives at the same time daily with his bag of cracked corn to feed the mallards. Well, I missed that man … but barely. The mallards were still scrambling about, enjoying the remains of their treat. Other ducks were lazily preening, or sleeping in groups around this man-made pond.

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Every visit to Coan Lake brings a sense of calm and peace. That beautiful bridge cast a reflection on the water, even with the gray sky. Barn swallows dipped and dived from beneath the bridge roof, and I stepped over to see if there were still nests and little ones inside, but I could find none.

bridge in mist

It sure was a mixed bag of waterfowl today.

The Canada geese were carrying on, squawking and raising a ruckus – it was as if they could not stand the tranquil setting, so they set about creating a little noise to liven things up a bit.

The many mallards satisfied my hankering to see a few ducks, because there must have been at least 150 or more of them, divided equally between the water and land.

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duck on rock

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Seagulls also were mixing and mingling with their feathered brethren.

I’ve been to Heritage Park about a dozen times in the last year, and the usual ducks, geese and seagulls are always around, but today there were two newcomers … well, for me anyway.

I’m curious about these guys – are they Cormorants?

My attention was drawn next to two birds with exceptionally large wingspans, wide webbed feet and unusual-looking beaks.

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I was mesmerized by their actions and it seemed to me that they were putting on a display for anyone who cared to watch them.

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The pair hogged the cement platform that rises out of the water. From that perch, they alternately preened, stared into space, or appeared to be airing out their wings in the moist and humid air.

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airing armpits with ducks

I spent at least a half-hour at the water’s edge, plus took about 30 photos of them to ensure I got a good enough image to identify the pair, which I believe are Cormorants.

Well hello Mr. Heron!

You’ve followed my tales about the elusive Great Blue Heron at Council Point Park. He catches sight of me and bolts, no matter how hard I try to sneak up on him. I’ve gotten a few fairly good shots of this heron, when he was daydreaming and didn’t see me approaching. Today, after picking my way through the very dewy grass, full of feathers and goose poop, I was about to head back to the path that winds through the historic area of Heritage Park, when I saw a Great Blue Heron. This was the first heron at Heritage Park for me. He blended right into the retaining wall of Coan Lake. I took some pictures, but his gray body morphed right into the cement wall.

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I stood there patiently, without moving a muscle, to see if he might pick a better location. Fifteen minutes passed and, finally, he began walking slowly on those spindly legs toward the middle of the lake. Excellent! Perhaps I could observe him there and get a better picture.

He began stalking something in the water. Coan Lake is stocked with fish, and people fish for sport, as it is “catch and release” only, although I assume herons don’t necessarily abide by the catch-and-release rule. He jerked his head and plunged it into the water, but came back up empty-handed, er … empty-beaked.

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I got a few shots in, then I was greedy for some close-ups, so I inched forward, being careful not to slip into the “drink” as I was precariously close to the water’s edge. Behind cover of a tree, I got to see him in silhouette.

silhouette

silhouette better

Just then a mosquito or some other pest, landed on my ankle and began to drink thirstily, and I had to swat it. My movement caused the heron to bolt, but he left gracefully, without the horrid squawking noise that usually accompanies a heron’s takeoff.

With all this waterfowl activity, I was reluctant to head over to the walking path that encircles Heritage Park. I didn’t want to miss anything, and besides … that heron never got his fish – I knew he’d be back.

Well he stayed on land this time, perhaps he was tired of having wet feet.

on land

I walked along the path that goes through the village area once again, keeping my camera close at hand in case any Kodak moments arose. I chatted with a couple of people who came over to ask me about the pair of birds and what they were. I told them I was curious too and had taken enough pictures that surely I could identify them once I saw their image on the computer screen, but I believed they were Cormorants based on a bird flying overhead at the nature walk two weeks ago. We also discussed the heron as they’d not seen him before either. Suddenly, the woman raised her arm and pointed – “look over there, the heron has landed.”

Of course you know I followed it, hoping for a picture of that heron by itself, with an uncluttered background.

Suddenly, the sun pierced through that veil of gray, and just like that, it got uncomfortably warm. I know I should have gone earlier since I knew it was going to be hot and humid, but the morning mist held me back. Once the sun made an appearance, a warm glow bathed the entire Park … how many sunbeams does it take to light up Heritage Park I wonder?

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Whenever I see the heron at Council Point Park, it is by itself, a solitary figure, either standing knee deep fishing in the cold Creek water, or standing statue-like on the cement precipice. This heron was socializing – walking with great strides amongst the gulls, geese and ducks.

mix and mingle

And then he grew weary of the crowd and went airborne again to be by himself at the Little Red Schoolhouse, a mere grayish streak after he landed near the old-time schoolyard.

solitary figure

I finished up on the path and decided to head home as I had a few errands to do along the way.

As I was about ready to head out, I watched a flock of geese take off – they didn’t go far, circling high above Heritage Park in V-formation, then, one by one, they plopped into the water with a big splash, and fanfare to announce their arrival.

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I stopped near the Park’s historic West Mound Church, where a woman and three kids were clustered around the wishing well – were they making wishes and tossing coins in there? I went over to investigate and say “hi” to them. I learned the children had discovered two painted rocks in Heritage Park and they were re-hiding them. I asked to see the remaining rock and the young girl displayed it for me.

JOY

Joy in the journey …

I asked if I could take a picture of the rock before she hid it because the words were just a perfect way to describe my morning meander with the mallards and their fine-feathered friends.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged ducks, geese, Gulls, Heron, nature, Peace, Summer, walk, walking | 42 Comments

Sleuthin’.

Posted on September 14, 2018 by Linda Schaub

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Well, despite Parker’s antics that I described in detail yesterday, I did not don a disguise after all. Instead, the high dew points and humidity made me subtract clothing – I shed two layers and I was still warm. Slowly, these past two days, we’ve inched back to the uncomfortably warm weather again, but I won’t whine about it since Florence trumps ALL weather at this time.

I do my best thinking while walking back and forth to the Park, and, except for watching out for cars and uneven pavement, most days I just let my mind be a blank canvas as I walk along and enjoy the sights along the way. As you know, once I’m down at the Park, my furry pals pre-empt any woolgathering on my part.

Today was no different. I did my three loops, and, at the tail end of the trail, fellow walker Mike called out to me: “Hey, you missed the chicken hawk – it was back near the beginning of the trail, same as before.” I sighed and told Mike I’ve been scanning the skies ever since the big hawk swooped down on Stubby back in early August, just minutes after I fed him. Luckily, Stubby ran under the picnic table in the pavilion and escaped. I know I will rethink putting small apples out for my little buddies when they are cheap and plentiful, as I usually do each Fall, because I don’t want the squirrels being sitting ducks for the hawks – perhaps I’ll hide them under the picnic tables. In the second loop I saw Stubby and Midnight, then Parker again before I left the Park, so, in counting noses, I know those three were present and accounted for. I worry about all the squirrels getting nabbed by a hawk. I can’t really I.D. most of the squirrels – there are way too many of them, and, finally the youngsters are coming around and are not so timid as before, probably taking their cue from the adult squirrels who are similarly in hunting-and-gathering-mode.

It dawned on me enroute to the Park, that perhaps that hole I saw adjacent to the turtle nest might have been the escape route for the hatchlings. I’ve been following the larger parks on Facebook this Summer to check out local nature events. Last night, a post by Crosswinds Marsh Wetland Interpretive Preserve about turtle hatchlings made me stop and ponder that post, then take a screenshot of it.

crosswinds info

I wondered if these baby snapping turtles, just the size of a quarter, did indeed climb out of that small hole, and not the big nest area hole, to make a beeline to the nearby Creek? Brilliant! Why didn’t I think of that before?

So, I went past this morning, peered into the hole to get an idea how deep it was, but I couldn’t tell and didn’t want to disturb anything. I decided to reach out to Crosswinds and see if that might have been their exit route. When I got online, I sent a picture of the nest as well as the adjacent hole and an enlargement of the small hole. I said I wrote a blog about walking and many people were anticipating the “birth” and growing anxious.

Nest showing hole

Hole by nest

Soon I received a nice reply from Jennifer, which I’m going to share, because it was full of facts and since so many of you have been interested in the turtle hatchlings.

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When I thanked Jennifer, I told her I knew those eggs had to be incubated properly due to our very hot Summer, so she responded to me with this turtle tidbit:

“Yes, with this hot Summer, there were probably a lot of female turtles coming out of that nest! Most turtles have temperature dependent sex determination – hotter incubation produces females (usually those eggs at the top of the nest) and cooler incubation produces males (usually the eggs at the bottom).”

So the takeaway here is “girls rule!”

Perhaps there are still turtle eggs in the nest, so, I will keep my eyes peeled for these hatchlings. I’d better still watch where I step or put up a sign “Turtle Crossing” … just imagine these quarter-sized critters streaking across the perimeter path!

P.S. – The header picture for this post is a card I got from my friend Carol several years ago. I liked the verse and the picture and have it in a small frame where I can see it every day.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged nature, Summer, Turtles, walk, walking | 30 Comments

Acting Squirrelly.

Posted on September 13, 2018 by Linda Schaub

Admittedly Parker is a squirrel, but there are some days when the moniker of “squirrelly” really fits him.

Today’s post features pictures I took of my favorite Park pal yesterday. The sun was out in full force – what a great shadow day! He and his brethren were all lined up along the perimeter path as I did my morning meander. Today was rain-free, but a very gray day.

My worries about my little buddy following me out of the Park and into the neighborhood are not unfounded. For three days in a row, he has found me both inside and outside of the Park. While I am flattered that he loves me for myself, my cache of peanuts and/or the extra attention I pay to him, today he was just beyond squirrelly.

I’ve been pushing myself to get my daily five miles walked as we zoom through September – that means a round trip from home to the Park and three loops … two loops in the woodsy area where most of the critter activity is and one loop on the other side of the Park.

I saw Parker at the start of the pathway. He hurried over.

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I tossed him a few peanuts to enjoy, knowing he’d likely catch up with me again.

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The other squirrels wanted part of this action too. Check out the fancy footwork … almost as fast as a racehorse coming down the track.

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My goodies and me were being checked out at all angles.

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Next, I headed to the second loop, on the other side, which is boring, but that’s where the turtle nest is. (I’m sorry to say, that as of this morning, no hatchlings yet.)

I was ready to leave the perimeter path for home, when I stopped to chat with another walker as she approached her car. I always look around for my little buddy before I leave the parking lot and cross the street to head home. “Good” I thought, “no Parker, so no worries he’ll tag along at my heels behind me and go out into the busy street.”

However, not one minute later, a pickup truck rolled up to the stop sign and he waved me to go ahead. I thanked him and then that driver rolled down the window and with a big smile on his face, he said “looks like someone followed you out of the Park!” So, there was Parker, right at my heels, crossing River Drive with me. I smiled and patted the Ziploc bag of peanuts I had clipped to the side of my fanny pack and called out “it will be his second treat today, so don’t let the sad eyes fool you!”

So, Parker and I went to “our rock” in the neighborhood across from the Park, so I could dole out more peanuts while he waited beside my feet. Knowing his M.O., he’d grab one or two and streak back across the street to the Park to bury them, only this time, he climbed onto the rock that sits on the homeowner’s property.

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I got the peanuts ready, he ran down, grabbed one, then scrambled back up the rock and turned his back on me to eat it. Hmmm – not good manners.

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I went to leave, and he grabbed another peanut and beat it across the street.

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But, did he cross the street, like the proverbial chicken? No, he ran to the middle of the street and parked himself there to eat a peanut. I called out “are you crazy – get over to the other side!” I had to run to the middle of the street myself and chase him to the grass in the Park. He looked at me. Was this a ploy for more peanuts? Well, it worked. The sucker that I am, handed over more peanuts, depositing them on the grass, and said “please stay put!” I know he waited until I walked away, then hustled back to the rock and got the rest of them.

Tomorrow I will wear a disguise.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged nature, Squirrels, Summer, walk, walking | 35 Comments

Tuesday Musings.

Posted on September 11, 2018 by Linda Schaub

Sunny … yet sad.

After a few days of dreary and drizzly weather, today was a real winner.

In the past 16 years, it seems as if it has rained on this day, or been gray and gloomy, so I have associated that dismal-looking sky, or rain, with our mood and sadness we feel on each successive September 11^th anniversary.

But, today dawned just as sunny and bright as on that fateful day. I vividly recall walking down the driveway that morning, enroute to the bus stop and thinking that I needed to cut the lawn after dinner. Little did I know I’d be home from work much earlier than usual to tackle that chore. Our law office closed an hour after the first attack, and, we had a client emergency, so my boss and I were the only ones left in the office finishing up some documents. He drove me home, taking only surface streets, and I arrived around noon. I still remember what we were working on, even what I wore to work that day – all silly and trivial things, but I think we’re always going to remember the specifics of that morning’s events, not to mention the horrors we saw on TV and in the newspaper, for as long as we live.

Is it soup yet?

This morning, while eating breakfast, I heard the weather report and it was only 56 degrees out. I had the furnace on since yesterday and it felt good, but, even though it was a little chilly outside, I sure was not prepared to don a sweat suit just yet, so I layered up in three t-shirts and swapped the shorts for capris – that worked perfectly. Unfortunately, we’re getting warmer and more humid weather as each day progresses, so no use dragging out a lot of heavy clothes yet.

While walking down to the Park in the chilly air, and anticipating whether the baby snapping turtles had emerged from their hidey hole, I got to thinking about the popular Lipton’s soup commercial from the early 70s, which featured the tag line “is it soup yet?” The kids were sitting at the dinner table waiting for Mom to bring them their bowl of Lipton’s chicken noodle soup and when it was ready, Mom would announce “it’s soup!”

I was thinking that that commercial and its theme could be applicable for the chilly air which left goosebumps on my exposed arms and calves, but, also since that commercial is all about the anticipation of waiting on something special. It is, after all, 90 days today since Mama turtle dug the nest and laid the eggs on June 13^th. This would be the last day in the suggested window for the hatching time of those little nippers.

Parker did not meet me at the parking lot entrance and I cut through the lot, then stepped onto the trail with no sign of him. It seemed that squirrels came running from every corner of the first loop of the perimeter path – they were hungry, as I’m sure no walkers were down at the Park yesterday during the all-day rain, and, I guess my furry friends can only eat so many pinecones and mulberries. I stopped and talked to each of them, fed them peanuts, then moseyed on. Leaves were scattered everywhere on the path, giving the morning a real Fall-like feel. The air was crisp, the sky was blue – one could not ask for a prettier day, after we have contended with oppressive heat, endless rain and just plain ornery weather most of the Summer.

I moved onto the second walking loop, eager to see if it was indeed “soup yet” and whether the snapping turtles had hatched. Nope, there was the hole, just as smooth on top as before, with the dirt still damp from at least 24 straight hours of rain. No need to take the camera out of the case as no turtles were breaking out and running for their lives to the nearest creek. Perhaps tomorrow it will happen, and, just as the old adage goes: good things come to those who wait.

Kids … what are you going to do with them?

Waiting was the name of the game for little Parker too, because I was still carrying my Ziploc bag of peanuts as I exited the parking lot at Council Point Park. Well, I didn’t have to wait, or wonder, anymore about Parker. He had apparently missed me walking down Pagel Avenue, so he ran across the street, out of that nearby neighborhood to see me. I cringed as he raced across busy River Drive to meet me. I bent down to talk to him, as if he might understand my warning that it was better not to run across the street, and he should either live in the Park, or the ‘hood, and stay away from the busy roads. I don’t like to be a “helicopter mom” and I am sure it falls on deaf ears, but I did my very best to suggest a permanent address going forward: Council Point Park or Pagel Avenue.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged nature, Park, September 11th, Summer, Turtles, walk, walking | 31 Comments

Flora and Fawna.

Posted on September 8, 2018 by Linda Schaub

Well, I was ready to head out fairly early with three options for my morning meander. I peeked out the door to see if it really was as cloudy as the weatherman said … yup, another gray and gloomy day. At least no rain was predicted, but it was blustery and only 60 degrees.

I mentally ticked off today’s excursion possibilities: the “Old Car Festival” at The Henry Ford, which I had planned to attend since I went to the Model A event last month. It would be fun with all the vintage cars, old-time food and ragtime dancing in the street, all geared to mimic days of yesteryear. Elizabeth Park and Heritage Park were also options, but with a gloomy and sunless sky, it would not be a stellar day for picture-taking at any venue.

All Summer, I’ve been hankering to go to “Saturdays in the Park” where six miles of Hines Park is closed to vehicular traffic.

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I have lived in Michigan 52 years, yet I’ve never been to this popular park, which features a long trail that encompasses 15 miles over six cities. For me, the closest way to access Hines Park was in Dearborn Heights, so this drive was about a 25-mile round trip for me. Luckily I found a great place to park because they had already set up the blockades within the Park.

road closed

I began on a pathway that ran parallel to Hines Drive. As I walked along I thought “well it could be a little bit warmer” and then I wanted to slap myself, after complaining about the heat and humidity all Summer. But truly, that blustery wind was whipping around and the sunless sky made it feel like a late September/early October day. Almost everyone was wearing hoodies with the hood flipped up. Yikes! I was in short-sleeves and shorts and probably could have layered up a tad more.

There were plenty of people enjoying full access to Hines Drive without fear of a vehicle running them down. I saw walkers, joggers and even a contingent of teens who were rollerblading along the smooth pavement. I must have seen 100 or more bicyclists, even a few on recumbent bikes.

bicyclist

I meandered along, glancing here, there and everywhere for something interesting to include in today’s blog post. The woods was rather dense in places.

dense

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I heard some blue jays screeching noisily at one another and I was prepared to toss out a few peanuts for them, or to any squirrels, but no one paid me a visit.

There were a lot of trees down in this Park, but not the result of recent storms, and, in some cases, it didn’t appear they had been uprooted, but just toppled down and left there for effect – it didn’t look all bad, and the way they had rotted away was rather interesting as well.

small tree head

Up close, some of this rotted wood made me wonder if a woodpecker or two had had a go at it, or it simply rotted away from the weather?

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This fallen tree was so perfectly sliced, I wondered if someone cut it down and forget to haul it away? I was trying to count its rings, but it was difficult to do so, because of the dark-colored edges.

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I kept trying to catch a glimpse of the water between the trees and brush and I noticed even more fallen and submerged trees crisscrossing the water. I walked about ½ mile further and saw a bridge where I could cross and get a bird’s eye view. I thought the trees forming an arch across the water looked interesting.

If you look closely, you can see the water rippling in the breeze.

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As you can see, this sign is a mileage marker, but someone added a little impromptu artwork to it … is this the twiggy equivalent of those cairns, or stacked rock piles, that you see along some hiking trails?

twiggy artwork

I saw many leaves down along the path, no doubt the result of that drought-like weather we had all of July, and the hot weather we’ve endured all Summer.

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In my blog post headline, I mentioned “flora” … so, here you have it, probably the only colorful blooms I saw at Hines Park. It was a huge group of Goldenrod which was covered with bees. I had to be careful as there must’ve been a bee or two per bloom and I wanted a photo of them, but I didn’t want to bend over too close in case they buzzed up my shorts!

So that was the flora part of my trek; the fauna part … well, that was a whole other story. My “Kodak Moment of the Day” was a pair of deer I saw near the bushes, across Hines Drive, and rather far from the trail I was walking along. Knowing deer are more fleet of foot than me, I took their photo from across Hines Drive and hoped for the best. They watched me and posed nicely, even gave me a profile view, then, with at least three decent shots under my belt …

all eyes forward

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… I decided to cross the street and get a closer look at them.

Well, you see how that worked out.

Oops! This bicyclist not only photobombed my deer shot, but it spooked that doe and her fawn, and they leapt into the woods, flashing their white tails. I walked over to the edge of the brush where they had been grazing but they had vamoosed in record time.

I stayed on the trail that ran parallel to Hines Drive until I reached 2½ miles on the pedometer, then I made the return trip to head back to the car. I got a great cardio and legs workout as it was frequently hilly, so all that up-and-down trekking was good for me, since most of the trails I walk are flat. You can see the steep incline in these photos below.

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I stopped at Council Point Park before heading home and added another 1½ miles to my total, by searching for hungry squirrels and checking on the status of the turtles. Hungry squirrels I found – Parker was not around, but a few of the youngsters bravely came over to visit me. The baby snapping turtles have not emerged yet … if they were smart, they would stay put until it warms up again next week.

So 6½ miles added to my walking tally, a deer sighting and I’ll sleep well tonight.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Deer, nature, Summer, Trail, walk, walking | 60 Comments

I was on “cloud nine” this morning because …

Posted on September 7, 2018 by Linda Schaub

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… finally, the rain and heat took a hike. I hurried out of the house as soon as it was light outside.

But, I opened the door to a mottled-looking sky and immediately thought “not this again” as it sure looked like it would pour any minute. The song “Should I Stay or Should I Go?” rambled through my brain. It sure didn’t look too inviting with a sky that seemed to be a bit conflicted, as it was half gray and half blue.

SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO

I ventured out anyway, even foregoing the umbrella and putting my faith in the weatherman. The clouds were crisscrossing the sky as my feet followed that familiar trek to Council Point Park.

STRANGE SKIES

As I walked along, the odd-looking sun you see up top, made a valiant effort to peek through the clouds. I guess Ol’ Sol was absent today. On Wednesday, several school districts cancelled classes as it they had no A/C in the classrooms, so the kids were excused on the second full day of school. I wonder how they classify this “off day” from school? In Winter, you have a “snow day” or, if it is brutally cold with wind chills below zero, the schools also close. So would this be a “heat day”? A yellow school bus chugged by, its diesel smoke leaving soft gray puffs in the already dull-looking morning. It was carrying a load of kids whose faces were either sleepy or bored.

As I wended my way through the ‘hood, it dawned on me what else has been amiss on my daily jaunts. I’ve seen only a few chalk art drawings and that was months ago. The past few years, I was always capturing images of the whimsical artwork on sidewalks and driveways and featuring it in my blog posts. I suspect we’ve had rain so much, the kids decided not to waste their time doodling in pastel chalks or the newfangled spray chalk, to create a drawing that will be running down the sewer grate before anyone gets to admire it fully. Also, incredibly I only saw one of the decorated rocks this year at any of the parks I’ve frequented, so perhaps the painted rock craze is over.

It is a week today since I was at the Park and there was some road construction on the street I usually take, which forced me to zig-zag all over Pagel Avenue. I really don’t know why they ripped it up since it was under construction a good eighteen months over 2016 and into 2017. I’ll bet those folks are mad, as they finally got their landscaping looking good again, only to have it torn apart. I saw the street filling up from a small stream of water as a hose was draining from a homeowner’s backyard – someone decided no more pool time in 2018. A few birds fluttered around the hose as the water slowly trickled out. Just another sign that Fall is on the way … that draining hose, and the sadly mangled or deflated pool toys poking out of the garbage cans on garbage collection day.

Once I arrived at the Park, I hoped I did not have to re-introduce myself to Parker in case he forgot me, but no worries. You should believe that expression that “absence makes the heart go fonder” because just as I crossed River Drive and entered the parking lot, there was my little fella, racing toward me. Yes, I wanted to bend down and pat him on the head, like he was a faithful dog, but I resisted. I lavished peanuts on him, and, just like before, he is in “hunting and gathering mode” and decided to plan for the Winter ahead, so he grabbed two peanuts “to go” before I got to sweet talk him. I watched his paws flipping the dirt aside, busily digging a hole, but he didn’t return to me, nor his pile of peanuts, so I continued on my journey.

I walked the first loop, passing out peanuts on the left and the right-hand sides of the path, providing breakfast and who knows … maybe a mid-Winter snack as well. Then I headed to the second walking loop. I wanted to check out the snapping turtle’s nest to see if the babies had hatched. It was still intact though I noted a few fissures on the surface.

turtle nest.jpg

You’ll recall the huge snapping turtle dug a nest and laid her eggs back on June 13^th. When I researched how long it would take for the eggs to hatch, I discovered those turtles will break out of their leathery shells and hit the ground running after 80-90 days. So you don’t have to pull out your calculator, those turtle babies should hatch between September 1^st and 11^th. I’m sure all this heat has baked them in their underground nest, so they had excellent conditions for the incubation period. I would love to walk by and see all those baby turtles scrambling across the pathway to the Creek, just about 20 feet away, but unfortunately it may happen overnight.

I was in the middle of the second loop, about to round the corner, when I saw a dark object in my peripheral vision – hmmm, a wild turkey perhaps? People have been spotting those gobblers and posting their pictures of them on the local Facebook crime site. Those turkeys may not be dangerous, but more of an oddity around here. Well, this brown object ran like greased lightning but this was no turkey, it was a woodchuck. Yes, they look nothing alike and yes, I have new glasses … go figure. But, I took off after it, traipsing across the grass, then belatedly hoping I’d kicked up no loose ticks or chiggers in my quest for a photo for today’s post. Fancy that – me a paparazzi on the tail of a woodchuck. But, this critter was not in a mood for posing, or any interaction, because, in the blink of an eye, he disappeared either into a burrow or the bushes. Maybe next time.

It’s already Friday and whenever we have a long weekend, it always takes me a day or two to re-adjust my mind to what day it really is. Well, Friday works for me, and the weather outlook for this weekend is just so-so. Saturday promises no rain, but no sun either, and we’ll have a rainy Sunday, with those raindrops lingering into Monday morning. Sigh.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Clouds, nature, Turtles, walk, walking | 92 Comments

I’d like a redo of Summer please.

Posted on September 6, 2018 by Linda Schaub

Summer has really gotten on my nerves and I wish we could just rewind to Memorial Day weekend and give it another go. I’ve spared you my most-recent weather whining and instead grumbled to myself, or to other Summer 2018 malcontents, who similarly whined about their hot, humid or rainy weather woes.

I wanted to write a post on Labor Day about a longtime bucket list item of mine, doing the five-mile walk across the Mackinac Bridge, but a succession of storms on Monday had me shutting down my computer repeatedly, so I finally just gave up, unplugged and went to bed. I’ll hold that thought ‘til Labor Day 2019 if you don’t mind.

But I’ve been here … just not writing about my morning trips. Heck, I figured you didn’t want to hear about how I am lurking in the frozen food aisles, amongst the Klondike bars and the Totino’s pizza rolls. Once in a while, I’d sidle past the canned peas or creep around the Halloween candy just to keep the trek fresh and interesting.

While the grocery store has provided an outlet to escape the oppressive heat and humidity, this morning I decided to return to Council Point Park … it was only 68 degrees, and I was more than ready for a meet-and-greet with the furry darlings, and besides, I have to monitor whether the baby snapping turtles have emerged from their nest yet – according to my calculations, it should happen this week.

But a trip to the Park didn’t happen AGAIN. I was laden down with peanuts, and to err on the side of caution, carrying my big umbrella. I only made it to the end of the driveway when the rain started. I turned and stomped back into the house, foiled again by Mother Nature.

So … what do I do?

Perhaps I could write an editorial to The New York Times to air my grievances? We know the power of the press works for some people.

I doubt there is a customer service number for Mother Nature. I can’t ask Siri, but Google could certainly help me out … Google knows everything.

The all-wise-and-wonderful Google provided me 586,000,000 results … these are names of companies or products. (P.S. – Hey Mother Nature, you’d better check on these folks that they are not using your name without permission.)

Alas, Mother Nature has no toll-free number or an e-mail address, not even a “contact me” page. She wants to dodge the snide remarks or criticisms … she is a smart cookie isn’t she? But occasionally, there might be some praise, unless that goes solely to the weather folks?

So instead, I took out my aggressions on the keyboard, pounding those keys as I zipped off this post. I mustn’t press down too hard on the keys because the letters, numbers and characters are already wearing off in some places.

We’ll try again tomorrow, and in the meantime, I’ll just trot off to work … that doesn’t require waiting on the bus in inclement weather, no umbrellas turned inside out or a snow-encrusted face when I walk in the door. It won’t even be a bad hair day. Nope, these days it simply means clicking open another tab and sitting here in my bunny slippers.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged nature, Rain, Summer, walk, walking | 42 Comments

Trail mix.

Posted on September 2, 2018 by Linda Schaub

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I really look forward to my weekend excursions, when I can expand my horizons to explore a little more, take extra pictures, and I don’t have to be watching the clock to be back home for work. So, yesterday I did a different type of morning meander. Instead of walking solo, I decided to take a pair of organized nature walks through Lake Erie Metropark. This is only my fourth time to visit this very large park and I thought it would be fun to explore the woodsy trails as opposed to walking along the Lake Erie shoreline and taking in the sights from there.

When I made the reservation for the “Coffee Club” I was told this group meets once a month and it is fun, informal and these same folks had been gathering for coffee and donuts, then setting out on a nature walk for about twenty years. So, how cool is that … all these walkers and nature lovers – yup, it sounded right up my alley.

I left earlier than usual and the sun had just risen, a fiery ball of fire in the morning sky. If only we could have skipped the heat and humidity, it would have been perfect, but at least it didn’t rain … well the rain event came later, thankfully.

I turned off West Jefferson into the sprawling Lake Erie Metropark grounds. There were at least two dozen Canada geese and some goslings grazing by the road. It was such a peaceful sight. As I traveled the long and winding road to get to the Marshlands Museum, in the still-dim light I saw a doe about thirty feet ahead of me. How I wished I could have whipped out the camera and got its picture, but it paused for just a second, then loped away and disappeared into the nearby brush. So, that little bit of nature nirvana made my day. I don’t think I’ve seen deer in the wild, since we visited Algonquin Park when I was a youngster. I would later learn that the deer was not scampering across the road to provide me a potential photo op, but instead many people are feeding them corn, so the deer contingent hopes that the next carload of visitors to the Park may be providing them breakfast. (Actually, feeding any of the Park’s critters is forbidden here.)

So here are some tidbits from the trail …

Trek number one.

As mentioned above, the “Coffee Club” members meet monthly for coffee and donuts at the Marshlands Museum. Once fortified with a treat and some java, off they go on a nature hike. One of the Park guides leads the pack and is full of tidbits about the flora and fauna along the way. Though I was the new kid on the block, the rest of the group welcomed me into the fold and we chatted amicably as we started out on the trail.

Our guide was Paul, who has worked at the Park for a quarter of a century, and he not only filled our heads and eyes with info along the trail, but entertained us as well. Paul had just returned from a hiking vacation in the Bruce Peninsula at Georgian Bay, Canada. Coincidentally, this is where my boss is this weekend, in a cabin near Wiarton. Many years ago I visited Georgian Bay at a family friend’s cottage in Collingwood and it’s a beautiful area.

Our first stop was to pause by a raised garden bed just outside the Marshlands Museum, where we watched a Monarch butterfly caterpillar inching along a leaf. Then we headed to the actual nature trail. There are multiple nature trails at Lake Erie Metropark and this one is named the Cherry Island Trail. Thankfully, there was a bit of a breeze since the humidity was 95% and the temperature 75 degrees when I left the house.

I have always liked Black-Eyed Susans and here was a large patch of them.

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The abundance of yellow continued as we went forward, only this time it was Goldenrod. Paul explained that most people blame their Summertime allergies on Goldenrod, when it is really Ragweed, a very common and ordinary-looking weed, which causes all our red-eye and sniffling miseries.

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In the background you see tall reeds with frothy-looking tips and they lined this paved path.

They are an invasive plant that is known as Phragmites and some are ten feet tall or more. You can see how high they are near this lotus pond.

Just before we turned into a woodsy area with a grassy walking trail, Paul showed us a crayfish burrow or “chimney”, which was essentially a dirt mound with a hole about two inches in diameter where the crayfish pops into and it leads right to the marshy water. Snakes sometimes misappropriate these burrows for themselves … it was empty though, as it had sustained some damage, so no crayfish or snakes found here.

first walking trail

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There was some beautiful birdsong by a bird I’ve never heard before. I looked up in the trees but I couldn’t see any birds up there.

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This trail was woodsy and peaceful and our next stop was to visit the lotus beds on either side of the pathway. Paul referred to this area as a dike because the pathway comes between the two areas of the marsh.

One side of the path provided a primo, up-close view of those beautiful lotuses that I told you about last month in my post “Lovely Lotuses” https://lindaschaubblog.net/2018/08/04/lovely-lotuses/

Even though the peak season for lotuses has already passed, they were still blooming, with many buds yet to open. Paul advised that these delicate lotus blooms only last two days after they open.

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They sure were beautiful. I hope the photograph captures the size of the leaves here – they look as large as an elephant’s ear.

As we walked across a wooden bridge over the marsh, my head was swiveling back and forth – what do I look at first? On the left was a marshy body of water, and on the right, I was watching a kayaker and some mallards navigating the thick algae bloom along the Lake Erie/Detroit River shoreline. Suddenly, a group member cried out “look at the egret!” Well, there he was, sitting in the tree, a bright-white slash in the nondescript background. I zoomed in on him with the camera, but he was clear across the marsh. He didn’t seem to mind this passel of people gawking at him while he alternately preened, then gave us a profile from the left, then the right.

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There were several opportunities to cross wooden bridges which rose above the many marshy areas. Barn swallows flitted everywhere and we were told that they were nesting beneath these bridges.

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There were also long stretches where we walked through woodsy areas that ran parallel to the water and that shade was a welcome respite from the hot sun.

Here are some more pictures of the scenic trail.

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At Council Point Park, there are pond lilies. Their leaves are very large and rest upon the surface of the Ecorse Creek. They have blooms, but they are smaller than a lotus bloom and sit right on the lily pad. I often scan those pond lilies for frogs as I hear them croaking in the still of the morning, but I’ve yet to see one. But, as our group crossed a wooden walkway, we peered into the water that is covered with different types of pond lilies, and we were lucky enough to see the proverbial frog sitting on a large lily pad. He made no sounds and blended right into the leaves. Can you see him?

far away big frog.jpg

Here’s a close-up …

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There were also tiny frogs sitting on smaller water lilies, only these are an invasive type of lily pad, coincidentally called European frog-bit. I swear there was a tiny frog here when I took this picture, but I can’t find him now.

frog bit.jpg

We walked and chatted while absorbing facts, but all too soon our trek was over and we were back at the Marshlands Museum. I returned to the raised garden to find that caterpillar and get its picture, but he evidently was munching away and hidden under some leaves. I did find a horned caterpillar and there was a beautiful butterfly hovering over the flowers. I thought it was a Monarch, but was told by a group member it was a Viceroy, which resembles a Monarch. It’s the first time I’ve seen this species of butterfly. Unfortunately, getting a butterfly to pose is not as easy as tossing a few peanuts out to one of my squirrel pals. These were my best out of about fifteen shots.

viceroy2

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I wished I could have nudged him (or her), with the unfortunate tear in one wing, to go over to a greener and prettier leaf than this one.

viceroy4

Trek number two.

I enjoyed myself so much on the “Coffee Club” nature hike, I decided that I’d go on another interpretive walk. This trek focused on “Pesky Plants” and there were only two of us, along with our guide Kevin. Once again we started out on the Cherry Island Trail on a paved path, where we saw buckthorn which has overtaken much of the wooded area. As its name suggests, it is thorny and reminded me of a Pyracantha bush I have. It is difficult to prune due to its thorny nature and will grow out of control if you don’t keep it tamed. We saw the Phragmites invasive reeds then turned onto the natural pathway and the wooded area. Kevin pointed out a frilly white weed/wildflower which I recognized as Queen Anne’s Lace. What I didn’t know is that this plant could be “beheaded” and those frilly blooms battered and fried up to make it taste like an elephant ear pastry. Who knew?

We alternately passed over several marsh overlooks as we wove our way along the trail. Occasionally we’d walk on the gravel roads which were found in more shaded areas (thankfully), then we’d be back into the full sun again. By now it was 11:00 a.m. and getting steamy. The egret had tired of entertaining the Marsh visitors, but, in its wake, we saw what Kevin identified as a Cormorant, a large dark-brown bird with a huge wingspan that flew over our heads. We also saw a pair of Common Terns, but they, too, zipped by quickly before I had to chance to take their photo.

It was an enjoyable morning and yielded a wealth of pictures and info to sock away in my brain for future trips to Lake Erie Metropark.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Butterflies, frogs, Lake Erie, Lake Erie Metropark, marshlands, nature, Summer, walk, walking | 66 Comments

It’s been feeling Fallish …

Posted on August 31, 2018 by Linda Schaub

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… for a couple of days anyway. It’s not like the frost is on the pumpkin, or anything quite that dramatic, but the pumpkin goodies are on the store shelves and Starbucks is offering up its pumpkin latte, which tells you there’s a hint of Autumn in the air. The porch pots, brimming with jewel-colored chrysanthemums, were on display at Meijer when I was there earlier in the week. To me, when mums kick the flowering annuals to the curb, it always signifies that Autumn is near.

College football starts today, thus the annual rivalry between Michigan’s foremost teams begins anew. While strolling through the ‘hood, I passed ornamental cement geese wearing hoodies emblazoned with “U of M” or “MSU” and collegiate garden flags were flapping in the breeze.

Thursday morning it was almost twenty degrees cooler and much less humid than twenty-four hours before. It was actually chilly and very overcast. I almost declared it officially “sweater weather” but this delightful respite once again will not stick around long – heat and humidity return Saturday morning as Summer rages on.

As I walked to Council Point Park these last two days, I couldn’t help noticing the many leaves littering the lawns and sidewalks, all courtesy of that nearly month-long drought we had in July. The tall oaks are spilling acorns onto the sidewalks and the squirrels are industrious, scrambling to get them and stuffing their cheeks until they look like they have the mumps. It is also amusing to see them clutching onto pinecones and nibbling delicately at those wood-like “petals” … perhaps the chillier air has put them into hunting-and-gathering mode, as they scurry to and fro across my path, foraging for food while the goin’ is good. Those squirrels remember all too well our wicked Winter of 2017-2018, when Mother Nature cranked up the snow machine on December 9^th and she was having so much fun, she forgot to press the “stop” button until April!

I checked out the horse chestnut tree, but it looks the same with its pendulous, fruit-like chestnuts on nearly every branch. I am eager to see what they look like when they ripen.

When I returned to Council Point Park yesterday, after an absence of only three days, my favorite squirrel, Parker, came racing over to see me. Yup, I wanted to scoop him up and say I was sorry I’d not been by due to the heat. He pranced and danced around my feet, then stood on his haunches, eagerly awaiting his treat, so I lavished peanuts on him. He grabbed two in his front teeth and headed across the parking lot to the spot he always goes to hide them. All I saw next was a furry tail sticking straight up in the air.

I stepped onto the walking trail, then chatted with a few other walkers about the weather, always a common topic, then doled out peanuts along the way to my other furry pals. On the second loop, I put away the camera as not much happens on that side. But, I was premature in tucking it away. There was a black squirrel on the path ahead of me, but I didn’t pay much attention to it. As I’ve mentioned countless times, the black squirrels in the neighborhood, and at the Park, are notorious for either rebuffing your efforts to give them peanuts, or, they bolt as soon as they see the whites of your eyes.

However, as I neared this cute little creature, he came over to see me on his own accord.

CHECKING ME OUT

No coaxing, or cajoling, nor tossing out peanuts.

I wanted to feel his forehead.

Timid at first, he hung out around the tips of my shoes, like we were best buds or longstanding pals, like Parker and me. So, where was that skittish personality I’ve encountered with all the black squirrels in the past? It sure wasn’t evident.

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I bent down and tossed out a few peanuts onto the path.

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The Park was full of walkers yesterday and today, all of us enjoying the cool and refreshing air after the relentless heat and humidity we’ve endured all Summer. They saw me stopped on the trail and moseyed over to see what I was doing.

Well, what I was doing was sweet talkin’ this little guy and bending down closer to his level to give him more peanuts. After an initial reluctance, where once he dashed into the bushes, he soon ventured out again and stayed put to enjoy his treat. Slowly, I retrieved the camera so I wouldn’t spook him and could get his picture. More walkers marveled at this little black squirrel sitting there so contentedly, especially Mike who feeds the squirrels and he said “I’ve never seen one of those black squirrels take peanuts, or even come up close to any of us.”

I stayed there with him, clicking off a lot of shots, but it was quite gray yesterday and the trees and bushes shaded the pathway. In fact, I had a few shots of him where he looked slightly demonic with bright-red eyes. I wonder if he is older, judging from those pesky white hairs intermingled with the jet-black fur in his tail.

I stayed near him while the others moved on, but more walkers passed by, and also marveled at this little guy, posing so nicely and enjoying the companionship of his benefactor. So, will this little guy be competition for Parker? I finally left when he scurried off to bury some nuts – maybe he thought I wasn’t passing this way again?

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This morning I doubled up on my peanut offerings before leaving the house. Parker never disappoints and was quick to come bounding over as soon as I walked into the parking lot, but Midnight, the moniker I gave to my newest little buddy, was a no show today. There will be many more morning walks at the Park, and hopefully more photo ops of him.

Today I passed the 700-miles-walked goal I set for myself for August 31st. It was touch and go for a while with all this rain, but I still have another 350 miles to go for my year-end goal. I will have to really push myself in September and early October … sun up is noticeably later every day and after mid-October there is the threat of black ice on those frosty mornings. It really slickens up on the asphalt path, so sometimes I just stay in the neighborhood to maximize my miles as the sidewalk is more porous and not slick.

Tomorrow, as I push toward this goal, I’ll christen my new walking shoes …

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… since my current ones were starting to crack just a little. I’m sure they have at least 1,000 miles or more on them and I’ll keep them for a spare pair.

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I took the new shoes out of the box this morning to take the picture. They sure looked heavy and clunky looking, and seeing them made me recall getting new back-to-school shoes every year. After a Summer of running around in flip flops or sneakers, my mom would say “you’d better wear your new school shoes around the house and get used to them, or you’ll get blisters when you walk to school!” So, I’d tromp around the house in my Mary Janes, and, when I got older, my penny loafers. It didn’t seem to help – I’d always get blisters on my heels anyway.

I’ll venture out tomorrow in these new shoes, onward and upward … no barefoot in the Park for this gal.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Black Squirrels, Fall, nature, Squirrels, Summer, walk, walking | 67 Comments

Tuesday Musings.

Posted on August 28, 2018 by Linda Schaub

close up planner page

It’s a “pools and Popsicles” kind of day with sultry temps that soared to a “real feel” in the mid-90s. I keep reminding myself that back in the Wintertime I promised I would not whine about the weather once those Dog Days of August arrived. Well, those Dog Days have done passed us by; we enjoyed a three-day coolish respite, followed by a return of this oppressive weather.

When I left for my walk this morning, I stepped outside to 77 degrees, a dew point of 70 and humidity of 75%. I thought I might melt into a puddle on the ground. I wore my lightest clothing and felt that lightweight shirt clinging to my body before the screen door shut. I decided rather than sizzle like a slice of bacon, I’d just hop in the car and go to the grocery store and walk there. I’m trying so hard to make my year-end goal, but also fulfill a mini goal of 700 miles by month end, so I know I have to hustle to do so. Walking laps at Meijer seemed like a logical choice, as long as I didn’t stop to chitchat with too many of the friendly clerks that work there.

I didn’t do a single blog post last weekend to refrain from whining about the weather. I had pre-registered for a 5K slated for Saturday morning at 10:00 a.m. I didn’t have to drive far, so only needed to pick up my T-shirt and number. All the weather folks had promised foul weather for Saturday, but since they are sometimes/often wrong, I decided to take a chance and go anyway. However, I opened the screen door to hear a long rumble of thunder. “Hmmm – not good” I thought. The sky was dark and ugly looking. I decided to at least run my car in the garage while I was outside … in less than five minutes, big splats of rain had me scurrying into the house. I barely shut the door when a torrential downpour and heavy storm erupted. Whew! Good thing I didn’t leave earlier. It was the third 5K I registered for and did not walk in this year and Saturday’s ugly weather kept me hunkered indoors the rest of the day.

Sunday, I awoke to fog. I planned to attend an afternoon butterfly garden walk in a nearby city. The homeowner’s backyard is filled with perennials and is a monarch waystation, so it is a haven for butterflies. To attend the butterfly garden event, you simply donate a few items for dogs and cats which are given to a local animal shelter. Not wanting to lose valuable walking steps, I went to Council Point Park where I eked out four miles. I left the camera at home since the air was so thick you could cut it with a knife. I was pretty “done in” at the end of my walk, and since it was so overcast, it meant less butterflies, so I decided to pass on the butterfly event.

I’ve walked at Meijer on hot Summer days in the past. It is a large grocery store, so there’s plenty of room to walk and without driving too far out of my way (just three miles round trip). Laps around the air-conditioned grocery store sure beat a steamy trudge on the perimeter path at Council Point Park, at least until this heat wave abates. They say storms tomorrow will bring in cooler weather – aah.

After trekking through the store parking lot, I decided to hang out at the frozen section until I cooled off and then begin walking laps around the store. There were at least a half-dozen people checking out the variety of cold confections, their faces pressed up against the glass doors, so to be sociable, I peered inside too. My eyes honed right in on the Popsicle section because it was deserted – everyone was checking out the array of ice-cream treats and novelties. Long gone are the twin Popsicles I remember from my youth – in fact the Popsicles I perused today are either the sensible, sugar-free or juice variety, or fancy Popsicles with a lot of razzmatazz. Those many newfangled Popsicle treat names that I saw escape my heat-riddled brain right now, but Fruit Pops and Firecracker Pops stick in my mind for some reason.

One thing I know is these skinny, single-serving Popsicles are nothing like the side-by-side Twin Pops with two wooden sticks I remember from my youth.

Perhaps you remember them too?

As people grabbed their frozen treats and scurried off to transport them before they melted in a pool in their car, I checked out the never-ending shelves of scrumptious icy delights. I couldn’t find the orange Creamsicle Push-Ups I remember from my youth, but I saw some perpetual favorites of days long gone, like Klondike bars, Fudgesicles and Drumsticks (a trio of my personal favorites). Then I saw the ice-cream sandwiches, in a 2018 version that was kicked up a notch or two from the $0.10 variety I remember eating as an occasional treat at Huff Junior High. Today’s deluxe-looking ice-cream sandwiches sure aren’t the soggy brown chocolate wafers with a thin layer of vanilla ice-cream where you’d peel off the wrapper and half the chocolate came off with it. The modern version are chocolate-chip cookies, stuffed with a generous wedge of ice-cream then dotted with chocolate chips. I’d think I died and went to Heaven if I tried those.

When we moved to the States in 1966, I can remember racing out to the Good Humor Ice Cream truck after hearing his endless song cycling for what seemed like hours, before he even reached our neighborhood. Along with the other kids on the block, we’d check out his wares. He probably was a mite impatient with us as we clutched our loose change in our sweaty little hands while we pondered what ice-cream delight to buy. No matter what treat we ended up with, nothing beat sharing a double-stick Popsicle with your best friend when you were a kid.

After I cooled off in the frozen section at Meijer, I set off on my trek around the store. In some places, the air conditioning was not cranked as high, and I found myself tromping back time and time again to the frozen and refrigerated sections of the store … not to buy anything today, but just to cool off.

Along the way, I reflected on pools and popsicles and my long-lost pal Linda Crosby.

Most people who love the extreme heat either own a cottage by a lake, or they have a pool. I had a pool once too. If you were a little kid in the late 50s/early 60s, you probably also had one of those inflatable, yellow, two-ring, vinyl swimming pools with an orange-colored liner bottom. I don’t recall my parents using a bicycle pump to inflate that pool, but instead taking turns, while getting quite red in the face, trying to blow that pool up at the beginning of the Summer. They would be sticking their finger over the valve plug in between trying to catch their breath, while two little girls danced around, eager to hop in. We’d have to wait a little longer until the sun warmed the water a bit since it was ice-cold coming from the hose. That little pool would get emptied and rinsed out every night and hung on the clothesline until our next “pool party” and sometimes it sprung a leak which was not patchable, so a new pool had to be bought and blown up again.

I shared my swimming pool with my best friend in the world, Linda Crosby. In that pool, we also shared secrets and grape popsicles. We were inseparable in those days, not just because we had the same first name, but we also lived next door to one another.

LINDA AND LINDA

My mother would be checking on us from the window to ensure we did not “cook” out there and she’d come out periodically with cups of juice or icy treats, usually Twin Pops. Mom would call us to the door, having broken the twin Popsicle in the kitchen. That was quite an art to separate a double Popsicle without it breaking apart, and it was a task not to be undertaken in the heat of the day outdoors, as it would likely land right onto your toes, and what parts of the Popsicle you DID salvage, usually ended up running down your chin. Mom would hand each of us our half then say “now eat it over the grass because you know your father will be mad if there are purple stains on the cement.”

So, there we were, six decades ago, circa 1958, lovin’ Summer in our sunbonnets, suckin’ on a grape Popsicle and chillin’ in the wading pool. It didn’t get any better than that back in the day.

In looking at this picture, I guess it was better to have a grape, Popsicle-stained chest than purple drip marks on your sun suit or bathing suit? I wish Mom was sitting here right now so I could ask why she chose to make me a topless bathing beauty? 🙂

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P.S. – I have another picture to share, also of the two Lindas on a Summer day, but the following Summer. At least we both had our clothes on, sluggin’ down some juice after playing with our beach balls – I guess we must have outgrown that little pool.

LINDA AND LINDA OUTSIDE OF POOL