WALKIN', WRITIN', WIT & WHIMSY

Warm fuzzies and flyin’ fuzzies.

Posted on June 11, 2018 by Linda Schaub

warm fuzzies

The expression “warm fuzzies” is often used to describe a happy feeling. Who doesn’t melt when they see a cute and cuddly image of puppies or kittens, or even the goslings while they were still in their cute-as-a-button phase?

Speaking of “warm fuzzies” … isn’t this a sweet bunny shyly peeking at me through the grass? He was not scared, even as I edged closer to him to take his picture. Perhaps it was because he was a baby and didn’t know to be scared of this hulking human, or, maybe the Park’s tender blades of grass were too tempting for him to bolt.

This morning the sun was out (finally) and the wind was gusting at 15 mph from the east, bringing some cool and refreshing air. There’s nothing like a brisk breeze to air out your brain and clear away those cobwebs, especially on a Monday morning, and, as I wended my way down to the Park, it sure felt like that fresh air was whooshing straight through, from ear to ear.

Those hefty gusts of wind also unleashed a ton of cottonwood seeds that made it look like it was snowing out, especially at Council Point Park. The cottonwood trees are done pollinating, so for the next two weeks they will scatter their fluffy white seeds everywhere. The featherweight fuzzy pieces will go airborne and can travel as far as five miles away from the actual tree. If the fuzz does not find its way to your clothes or hair, it often lines the edges of sidewalks or pathways by clinging to the blades of grass

cotton at side of path1

cotton at side of the path

If you look closely at the photos, the fuzzy baby bunny is nestled amongst the pieces of fuzzy cottonwood that drifted onto the grass he is munching on.

shy bunny

That fuzz is detrimental to your air conditioning unit because if the A/C is running, the fuzz gravitates to the grille area, making the unit work harder. I’ve not even turned on the outside tap, nor taken the hose out yet due to all the rain, so spraying the fuzz off the grille will be on my list of chores this weekend.

When the cottonwood seeds glom onto the surface of the Ecorse Creek, it looks like someone dumped a bag of cotton balls into the murky water. Light as a feather, those fluffy seeds will continue to stay afloat unless a swift current sends those white polka dots down to the Detroit River. Here are a few samples of how the water looks these days.

cotton on the water.jpg

cotton through the bushes

goose and cotton in the water

So, the fuzz was flyin’ everywhere in the gusty breeze and there was no escaping it. I came home littered with fuzzy bits in my hair, stuck to my shirt … and probably in my ears where that gusty wind had just refreshed and rebooted my brain enroute to the Park.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Bunnies, Cottonwood trees, Park, Spring, walk, walking | 27 Comments

All this rain is a pain.

Posted on June 10, 2018 by Linda Schaub

HEADER

I could write reams about all the rain we’ve endured the past two months. We’ve had rain nearly every weekend since mid-April. That’s not counting the weekdays – there’s been plenty of rain then as well! Even our Memorial Day holiday was spoiled by showers on Saturday, but we also dealt with that stinkin’ hot, 90-plus degree weather. Overall, this Spring has been quite forgettable and not my cup of tea at all.

Yesterday, Mother Nature once again spoiled my plans by throwing some rain and storms into the Saturday mix. I had planned on participating in a 5K race/walk, but, when I was ready to leave the house, it was raining, and an all-day rain and some storms were predicted, so I backed out. Likewise, I was looking forward to a vintage vehicle event, a gathering of Model A cars, and that event got scratched late Friday due to the impending soggy Saturday weather. Enough already with the rain!

This morning I left the house at 7:10 a.m., and one glance at the sky told me those dark and brooding clouds likely would spell doom for today’s 5K race/walk slated for 8:00 a.m. at historical Heritage Park. I was proven wrong, because luckily the rain held off during the race (yay), but once the after-race/walk festivities were finished, the rain began in earnest. Great … the weather folks predicted NO rain until late today. “Wrong again” I sneered as I walked quickly to the car, thinking of the few errands that would take me in/out of the rain before I finally got home.

As I mentioned above, I participated in Fish & Loaves 9th Annual Happy Soles 5K Run/Walk held today at historical Heritage Park in Taylor, Michigan, along with 225 other runners and walkers. The trek is considered a certified “flat and fast course” which began at this Park’s open-air pavilion, and took participants outside the Park, through several neighborhoods, then through a lovely wooded area, and ended up at our starting point.

The event raised money for the Fish & Loaves Community Food Pantry, a faith-based, non-profit, volunteer-operated organization based in the city of Taylor, Michigan, which assists in giving food and adequate nutrition to Taylor residents, as well as those in need in six surrounding cities.

After we picked up our race packets and donned our tee-shirts and bib numbers, we assembled for the start of the race as the speakers blasted a song called “All About That Pace” which was a parody of Meghan Trainor’s “All About That Bass” song that was popular a few years ago. We were all straining at the bit to start, especially the runner named “Captain America” who was front and center, and, likely a wee bit chilly in the overcast and sunless sky and 62-degree temps.

We were informed of the race route and water stations, a woman sang the national anthem, and we were off at 8:03 a.m.

I was not trying to set any records here, just enjoying the walk and I had my camera handy to capture some of the sights along the way for this blog post.

The runners were already way ahead of the contingent of walkers as we first trekked along a busy street, then the route took us through a few nice neighborhoods, where several dogs were going just a little crazy at the large crowd that passed by their turf. Much barking ensued as owners, still in bathrobes, came out to retrieve their pooches and shoo them back into the house until the hubbub died down.

In one neighborhood, we were alerted that we had just crossed the mile #1 mark.

Soon we were out of the residential area and headed toward the walking trail at Heritage Park, a path I’ve been on several times before. This was our mile #2 marker.

But, instead of following the tried-and-true pathway, orange cones steered us off the beaten trail and into a wooded area.

I’ve seen the trail leading into this woodsy portion of Heritage Park before, but never ventured there myself, and I doubt I would go alone when I return next time due to its dense wooded area. Here are some photos from this delightful part of the route. I was intrigued by the huge trees that had fallen in this forest or were damaged somehow, and, combined with the tall trees, they gave a nice ambiance to this woodsy setting.

We hiked quite a piece along this trail, still a little muddy in places from Saturday’s rainfall, but enjoying occasional glimpses of sunshine, when suddenly we heard loud music as we approached our first refreshment station. One walker exclaimed “civilization!” after hearing the music.

We had volunteers cheering us on as we were now ready to head down the home stretch, having passed the railroad car and walked the perimeter of beautiful Coan Lake.

Here we would find ourselves at mile marker #3.

For the last leg of our journey, we ended up where we began, at the Sheridan Open Air Pavilion where we would cross the finish line.

Our time was registered here from the computer chip in our bib number. I snapped a photo of the time as I approached the finish line, meaning I did my 5K in exactly one hour. The first 300 people to finish the race received a medal which I featured at the top of this blog post.

As I mentioned above, I was at the 5K more for the enjoyment and picture-taking, as well as adding some more miles to my yearly tally, and the food pantry is a very good cause. So my stats were not stellar at all. I had some errands and my pedometer was right around the five-mile mark by the time I got home today.

All in all, a good day despite that pesky rain, and I’m a happy soul from the Happy Soles 5K Run/Walk.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged 5K Walk, nature, Rain, Spring, walk, walking | 35 Comments

A hole in one …

Posted on June 8, 2018 by Linda Schaub

… homeowner’s front lawn was scrutinized by your roving reporter a week or so ago. Just like I followed the doin’s at the robin’s nest, I’ve been scoping out this cavernous hole every time I walk by. Without trespassing on the property, I’ve peered into this hole from afar, zooming in with the camera to see if there was any life in there, but I’m no further ahead.

From the get-go I figured it belonged to Mama bunny and a litter of babies (also known as “kits” which is short for kittens) and I supposed that little family lived at the end of the dark hole. I Googled “images of rabbit burrows” to determine if a rabbit burrow looked like this – sure enough I was right.

The next day, the realization that my Google research went to waste occurred when I glanced at the burrow and a huge rabbit was sitting nearby in the front yard.

MAMA BUNNYFINAL

MAMA BUNNYFINAL1

So the question arose: were her babies in the burrow already, or was she preparing for their birth? She didn’t clue me in at all, and, just as soon as I stepped in a little closer to take her photo, of course that fleet-footed bunny bolted. Pouf … she was gone after flashing her powder puff tail at me.

I’ve continued to steal a glance every time I pass by, hoping to catch sight of some cute baby bunnies to share here but no luck let.

Meanwhile, I was quick like a bunny this morning. I walked my five miles and was back home in record time, likely since the pale sun and coolish weather gave me the energy to keep hopping along the trail much like the Energizer Bunny.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Bunnies, nature, Spring, walk, walking | 29 Comments

Tuesday Musings.

Posted on June 5, 2018 by Linda Schaub

Tuesday Musings.jpg

We’ve all heard the expression “the early bird catches the worm” and those are wise words to live by.

Most of the time anyway.

This morning I awoke at 3:00 a.m. to the pitter patter of rain on the patio roof. It began slowly, evolving into a pounding rain for about ten minutes and slackened off. Then the thunder began, a few rumbles here and there, then everything was silent. Good – no walk missed this morning because there have been enough of those rainy mornings this Spring. By the time I headed out, the ground was soggy, the pavement still damp but a faint sun was making a valiant effort to poke through the clouds.

This incessant rain has been a boon for the birds, the robins in particular. Mother Nature’s showers have topped off birdbaths or provided puddles on the street, and, if you’ve ever watched a bird splish-splashing around in a birdbath, you know what I mean … it is nirvana to our fine feathered friends.

Near-daily rain and storms have really put a damper on this Spring. I know it has certainly messed up my plans several times already. But the robins are loving the wet weather and there is much peckin’ and grinnin’ goin’ on. Robins love worms and it is a common sight after a big rain to watch a robin tugging on a long juicy worm, clasping it in its beak and holding on while the worm similarly holds on tight in the damp earth. Unfortunately for the worm, the robin usually wins this tug of war, and soon you see that red-breasted bird slurping down the worm, just like when you were a kid and sucked in those spaghetti noodles until your mother’s disapproving look made you stop.

This morning’s early rain brought out the earthworms, and I saw several of them slithering across the sidewalk enroute to the Park. I thought “better get to the other side as you are a sitting duck for the robins” as I watched them make their slow journey across the still-damp pavement.

Once I arrived at the Park, I noticed many robins dotted the saturated grass looking for breakfast. I recently learned that robins have an extraordinary sense of hearing and can hear worms, so this is why you often see a robin hopping on the ground and cocking its head. It is listening to hear if any worms are in the soil beneath the ground.

And, what about once that juicy worm is found? I stopped to watch, certainly not because I am a macabre person, but a robin brought a worm onto the path where I was walking, and it was near the tree where the baby robins just fledged. I thought I’d see if she fed the babies – yes, I’m always looking for a photo op.

I believe it was “our” Mama Robin and she was fixing breakfast for her brood.

Why you might have loved the wiggle and jiggle of Jell-O when you were a kid, I guess wiggling worms are not a good idea for robin chicks.

Follow along below as I’ve described what Mama Robin did. First, she had to kill that wiggly worm, which she did by spearing it with her bright-yellow beak, then she clamped down on the near-lifeless worm and proceeded to slice and dice it. Ouch! Soon it was in two pieces, but it still had a little wiggle goin’ on, then finally it was good to go.

Boy, I’d love me a worm, but this one is for the kids’ breakfast.

I’ll just slice and dice this baby up!

Whatcha looking at – you’re not getting any of this worm, so go away!

Oops! It’s not ready yet because it’s still movin’!

I’ll just chomp on it a little more … it looks like the other half is good to go.

OK, this worm is a goner, catch you later … I’m off to feed one of the kids.

Your mom had it easy, she just made you oatmeal, or opened up a box of Froot Loops and breakfast was served.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged humor, nature, Rain, Robin, robins, Spring, walk, walking, Worm, Worms | 15 Comments

Tiptoe through the tombstones with me.

Posted on June 3, 2018 by Linda Schaub

In Saturday’s post, I wrote about my morning meanderings, which included stops at three different parks, as well as historic Oakwood Cemetery, the latter which I’m going to focus on today.

I already had goosebumps from the chilly morning air before I stopped at this landmark built in 1869, and located at the corner of Biddle and Ford Avenues in Wyandotte. Every time I go to Bishop Park, I pass this cemetery, which, for many years, has been rumored to be haunted. While it wasn’t scary roaming around in the daylight hours checking out the tombstones and gnarly looking trees, I was the only one there, so I decided to be prudent and not explore the back acreage as it was quite far from the main drag. The morning was still gray and gloomy as well, the perfect atmosphere to visit this historical site.

I last visited this cemetery in the late 1960s. I was a teenager then and took a Summer art class sponsored by the City of Lincoln Park. The person who taught the class was an artist and her passion was drawing with charcoal pencils. So every Wednesday, weather permitting, the City’s Parks and Recreation bus took us to a different local place of interest. We each brought a blanket and clutching our sketchbooks and charcoal pencils, we’d plunk down on the ground and draw to our heart’s desire, while our teacher peered over our shoulder and offered commentary on our work. It was a fun class and we often ventured to Wyandotte as Lincoln Park had no real places of historical interest.

One Wednesday the bus dropped us off and our small group trooped through Oakwood Cemetery. It felt a little awkward being there, all of us having been raised to understand a cemetery was a place of solemnity and reverence, so we quietly paused at different tombstones or markers to decide which one we would choose as our subject for that week’s assignment. When we were done with our sketch, our teacher asked us to rip a sheet from our sketchbook and lay it against a tombstone, then use our pencil to make a charcoal impression of the engraved inscription. I remember thinking that was a little weird, plus the tombstone inscriptions had eroded and were almost smooth, but, like the other members of the class, I complied.

So fast forward about five decades …

The years fell away and I was mindful of that many decades-ago art class assignment as I began to amble through Oakwood Cemetery, and once again viewed the many tombstones in all shapes and sizes.

A wrought-iron fence surrounds the property, and the heavy gates were propped open since the sign states the cemetery is open from dawn until dusk.

First, I was fascinated by the collection of gnarly and twisted trees, some of them leaning all the way to the ground.

gnarly trees.jpg

Along the wrought-iron fence, one such tree had this beautiful pink rosebush, likely many decades old, and it rambled up the fence.

roses at tree.jpg

Several contingents of graves were segregated in various spots around the cemetery and festooned with small flags, likely in honor of Memorial Day, and also because this is the final resting place for many veterans. Today I researched to discover some information on the war dead at Oakwood Cemetery, and learned there are 45 veterans buried there, many from the Civil War. One veteran named John Clark died February 22, 1827. Clark, a captain in the New York Militia, fought and was wounded in the War of 1812. It is John Clark’s family that established this cemetery back in 1869.

veterans plot

I was reminded just how desolate and unloved this historical place really is by the nearly foot-high grass which was so dense in places, you could not even see many of the low gravestones. There are volunteers who do tend to the property, since no one claims ownership and the City of Wyandotte treats it as a historical site, but the unkempt appearance tells me that sadly, it has been awhile since anyone ventured here.

high grass.jpg

BASF’s chemical plant looms large in the background, somehow looking out of place with this old cemetery.

basf

I was reluctant to traipse through that overgrown grass as I worried about ticks or even mosquitoes, since we have an abundance of each this year thanks to the unrelenting rain in May and last week’s extreme heat. The news media is full of warnings to be mindful of stagnant water and overgrown grass to avoid bites from these pests.

There was a gravel-covered path which appeared to be used by vehicles entering the cemetery, but those ruts were muddy and full of water, so going down this path wasn’t a good option.

ruts

Since I was there to explore and take a few photos, I had no choice but to cut through the high grass, or turn around and go back and return another day.

These are some of the larger, unique or very old tombstones I saw.

1901

old stone

There was a brisk northeast breeze stirring the huge wind chimes on this tree and it seemed eerie to me.

I spent about an hour at Oakwood Cemetery and likely won’t return again, but it satisfied my curiosity and was an interesting lookback to an era long before my time. If you want to read more about the history and/or urban legends of Oakwood Cemetery, here is a link:

Rain once again spoiled my walk this morning. I had intended to participate in an anti-bullying walk at Heritage Park which was slated for 1:00 p.m. But the weather forecast for this afternoon was iffy and I didn’t want to drive that ten-mile round trip only for it to pour or storm, so I did not go. In April, we had snow instead of April rain showers, and I thought once May was done, the rain would be as well … evidently not.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Cemetery, Spring, Veterans, walk, walking | 33 Comments

Meandering on a Saturday morn.

Posted on June 2, 2018 by Linda Schaub

BOARDWALK SHORELINE

I was up bright and early this morning. It was too bad the sun did not follow the same schedule. In fact, Ol’ Sol did not bother to shine until about 4:00 p.m. today.

At least the oppressive heat is gone for a while and chilly air is in its place. What a contrast to this past week, when I was in sleeveless tops and shorts. Before I left, I heard the weather report and looked online at the Weather Channel. I layered up because the weatherman said “maybe wear a light jacket this morning” but, just before I left I decided I’d rather be chilly than too warm, so I removed the tee-shirt and just wore a heavy, long-sleeved shirt and pants.

By the time I walked the boardwalk once, I knew that leaving that tee-shirt behind was a big mistake, because a northeast wind was humming along at 12 mph and the sky was dark and cloudy and sunless. I shivered and wished I had that extra layer back on my body.

I was not the only one who was feeling that chilly air. The fishermen were lined up along the pier that juts out into the Detroit River and they were bundled up in jackets or hoodies pulled up snug over their head. Weren’t we just sweating a mere 24 hours ago?

FISHERMAN IN HOODIES

You could see how choppy the water was as it lapped against the shoreline. I guess the gulls had goosebumps and stayed away from the pier and boardwalk because I saw no seagulls, just a bunch of starlings who kept landing on the water and buzzing around the fishermen. On my many trips to Bishop Park, I’ve never seen so many starlings hanging around the pier.

SMALL BOAT.jpg

I saw a three-dimensional decorated rock on the base of one of the post lamps but left it there for someone else to find or keep.

3D ROCK BIG.jpg

3D ROCK

I walked the boardwalk twice and decided it was time to head to Dingell Park, not that it was any warmer there. I got into the car and put the heat on to warm up.

Enroute to Dingell Park I pulled off Biddle Avenue to pay a visit to Oakwood Cemetery, a fixture in Wyandotte since 1869. I spent about a half-hour there taking in all the sights, from old trees to tombstones, in this historic landmark. I’ve decided to do a separate post tomorrow on this portion of my journey.

At Dingell Park, the sky had lightened up a tad, but it was still windy and rather dismal out. A few fisherman were lined up along the boardwalk, and, as I strolled along I peered into their buckets to see how many fish they had and wished them “good morning” through chilly lips.

I went to the pavilion, always a haven for ducks and geese, plus those pesky seagulls once they see you with food. I threw out some stale bread for any takers, and soon I had some ducks and geese in the alcove circling around and waiting for more yeasty tidbits. The seagulls must have been sleeping in at this venue also.

GEESE AND GRASS

I always wish I have more treats to offer them as they gobble it up quickly, then look at me expectantly for more handouts. A shrug of the shoulders and a shake of my head “no” is incomprehensible to them, so they usually continue swimming in circles in the alcove near the pavilion.

DUCK BIG

GOOSE BIG

My final pit stop in my morning meanderings was at my favorite nature nook, Council Point Park. I was later than my usual time. I saw only one walker I knew and there were just a few walkers.

I saw this guy looking for treasures.

GUY HUNTING TREASURE

I didn’t ask him if he had any luck since he was wearing earbuds and moving to the music, so likely he didn’t even know I was there.

The grass is very long at Council Point Park, and the squirrels can’t just run through it. Instead they have to jump through the tall blades of grass or clover.

SQUIRREL IN GRASS.jpg

SQUIRREL IN CLOVER.jpg

I fed a couple of squirrels and both of them took one of their peanuts and dug a hole to hide it right away. Hmm – did this chilly morning make them think Fall was on the way and it was nut-gathering time?

SQUIRREL BURYING NUTS.jpg

Goose family #3 was grazing on grass, just one parent and three goslings. As I neared them, they gravitated over to the perimeter path and would have been in my way, so I got off the path and traipsed through the wet grass (while gritting my teeth at them for being so obstinate). As I walked past the geese, the big one started hissing at me for no apparent reason. I kept walking and a squirrel came out on the path, so I stopped to feed it. The geese were still far away, but I noticed the middle gosling had a little attitude going with his head down and staring at me.

GEESE ON THE PATH

It looked like the goslings were perfecting that goose strut.

GEESE PERFECTING THE STRUT.jpg

Then, all of a sudden I heard a “smacking” sound and turned around, and the big goose (likely a gander) was running after me, his wide-webbed feet smacking the asphalt path with every step he took. I’ve seen ducks waddle or walk fast, but not a goose, and he was gaining speed so I dipped behind a bush and he lost track of me. Whew! I don’t know what caused this crazed action, but I finished my trek without returning to the first loop where all the critters are, and walked my remaining three miles at Council Point Park on the boring side instead.

It was not a picture-perfect day, but I still got nearly five miles on the pedometer and my car odometer shows I am at nearly 5,000 miles on my car!

ODOMETER FINAL.jpg

Oh … did I mention my car will be nine years old this September?

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged ducks, geese, humor, nature, Park, Spring, Squirrels, walk, walking, Water | 30 Comments

Bye Bye Birdie(s).

Posted on June 1, 2018 by Linda Schaub

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It is time to bid the robin babies at Council Point Park a fond adieu.

This last month I’ve had a flurry of blog posts about babies – robins, goslings and even ducklings. The last group of robin chicks I’ve been monitoring has fledged, so all that is left now is an empty nest. My little feathered friends are nowhere to be found as they are now out and about in the Park.

I want to share some of the photos from the last few days.

Wednesday morning when I passed underneath their tree, I looked up to find two robin chicks sitting outside the nest. They looked a little woeful as they gazed toward the Creek, no doubt looking for Mama Robin to return with their breakfast. I wondered where the third chick was.

TWO CHICKS BESIDE THE NEST.jpg

TWO CHICKS WAITING ON MAMA

On the next time around the walking loop, once again I looked up and found the same pair of chicks, but this time they were gazing upward at that third chick that had flown, or hopped, from the nest onto a nearby branch. I grabbed the camera again because this little guy was wobbling back and forth, so I figured it was his “first fledge” and he was a little unsteady and unsure of himself.

SEE ME UP HIGH

Meanwhile, the remaining chicks near the nest had shifted their gaze upward to their brother (or sister) with a look of awe.

TWO CHICKS LOOKING UP AT THEIR BROTHER.jpg

He peeped a few times and Mama Robin flew over to watch him and peeped back at him. I don’t understand “bird speak” but suddenly he hopped down to her branch and seemed more stable at this point.

With the camera in hand, I decided to linger to see if the pair of chicks would be inspired to take the big step, but they stayed put, perhaps afraid to venture out of that safe haven, or maybe sensing rebuke by Mama Robin for doing so.

On the third and final loop on the walking path, I noticed only one chick remained by the nest, waiting on breakfast or flying lessons, whichever came first.

ME MYSELF AND I

The following morning, that familiar ritual of glancing up into the tree to scope out the doin’s in the nest was decidedly different. After four weeks of monitoring Mama Robin, first sitting on the nest incubating the eggs, then keeping her hatchlings warm (it was still quite chilly the beginning of May), followed by watching those scrawny hatchlings evolve into cute chicks, and now fledglings, this time my glimpse of the nest netted a big zero, because the nest was totally empty.

THE EMPTY NEST

But, I was rewarded with a peek at the trio of fledglings, all present and accounted for and perched on various branches. Just like their one brave sibling the day before, they all were still a little unsteady on their feet, perhaps owing to their lack of tail for balance, shortened wings, plus the fact that Mama Robin obviously never suggested to her brood that they pick a twiggy perch that could support their weight so they did not have to sit sideways while the branch sagged a little beneath them.

UNSTEADY ON FEET

UNSTEADY ON FEET1.jpg

LOOKING LIKE LOST LAMB

My favorite photo of these two days is the one I chose as the header image for this post. To me, the fledgling was wearing a look of “woe is me” as he balanced precariously on a lightweight branch. I want to put a thought bubble over his head that says “now I am out in the world, what the heck do I do next?” I love those disheveled downy feathers on his head and that disgruntled look rivals the image of either the “Mad Bluebird” or “Grumpy Cat”.

Mama Robin was spearheading this fledging campaign but even though her brood is now “fully fledged” she was still mothering them.

MAMA UNDERNEATH BABY.jpg

I watched as she brought food, and, just as she arrived and alighted onto the branch where her youngster was perched, he opened wide for that morsel of food that Mama had brought for him.

You can kick ‘em out of the nest, but they still come home for some of Mama’s food … in this case, she does not do laundry too. (Smile)

MAMA BRINGING FOOD FOR BABY

OPEN WIDE.jpg

I have enjoyed watching nature up close with this Spring’s baby boom. With the robins fledged and departed from that tree, all that remains for me now is watching the goslings as they progress toward adulthood. I wanted to see the swans with their cygnets riding on their back, and, Mike, one of the walkers who often visits the riverfront at Dingell Park, said he has not seen any, and he even asked the fishermen to keep their eyes peeled for them. My visits to that venue were few and far between due to our many rainy weekends throughout May. I guess I will have to wait for next Spring now.

Several people at the Park have asked if I’ve seen any baby squirrels and I’ve told them “no” but that question prompted me to research a little about my furry friends and their young. I’ve Googled for images of baby fox squirrels to get an idea of characteristics, coloring and the size of the babies, which are known as “kits” or “kittens”. I learned that mating season is December to February and also from May until June and that the babies are born blind and dependent on their mothers for the first two or three months of their life. When proper introductions to squirrel kin and their young’uns are made, I’ll be sure to include them in this blog.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged birds, humor, nature, Park, robins, Spring, walk, walking | 35 Comments

Here’s a riddle for you …

Posted on May 31, 2018 by Linda Schaub

HEADER-GOOSE CROSSING THE ROAD.jpg

Why did the chicken goose cross the road perimeter path?

To get to the other side, of course, but, also to torment the walkers who must obediently wait while each goose, including goslings, takes its good ol’ sweet time goose stepping across the pathway. You daren’t try to rush forward when you see them coming, or you will be subjected to histrionics such as hissing, or wing flapping, not to mention being chased by said waterfowl. The moral of the story is: you’re a silly goose if you dare to cross this bunch!

Indeed, we walkers are a sad lot, because we must adhere to the rules that the geese at Council Point Park impose on us. But, we are quick learners because we don’t want to be goosed by a goose – just try and cross their path, especially when the goslings are in tow, and you might turn around to find the gander of the goose brigade, head down, and in attack mode, ready to bite you in the butt!

I do enjoy watching the geese parading around the Park, but, Canada geese are often ornery and sometimes get way too big for their britches. In a nearby city, the authorities have taken matters into their own hands and resorted to hiring “goose busters” to chase the geese away from parks and golf courses, and especially the beaches, where excessive goose droppings cause E. coli issues for the lakes. The goose busters are border collies, a breed of dog that excels in herding animals and they have been taught to keep the geese at bay. The dogs don’t hurt the geese, but instead bark and chase them down, thus discouraging the waterfowl to graze and make messes. Here is the story, along with pictures of the goose busters if you would like to read more about them: http://www.thenewsherald.com/news/metropark-unleashes-dogs-to-control-canada-geese-population-in-harrison/article_c117a79c-91ab-5a75-9934-c363c2a5fcb5.html

The downside is, if you chase the geese away, they have to go somewhere else to graze – so, what’s a goose to do? What better place could he pick than the beautifully manicured field at Comerica Park where the Tigers and Angels were playing baseball last night? The game was in a rain delay when a Canada goose came in for a landing on that very field. A groundskeeper took off after it, but the poor goose was scared and ran all over, including running the bases, occasionally attempting to fly, but barely lifting off the ground. When it finally got into flight mode, up it went, but still terrified from its ordeal, the goose flew head first into the cement video scoreboard and then dropped down one level into a horrified crowd. Fortunately, a local veterinarian who was attending the game, quickly scooped up that traumatized feather baby, tucked him under her arm, whisked him out of the stadium, then released him into the bushes outside the ballpark. The game resumed, the Tigers won and soon #RallyGoose was trending on Twitter. The goose even had its own Twitter handle: Tigers Rally Goose. When the game was over, the veterinarian checked on the goose, which had not moved from the bushes, so the vet took him home with her where he spent the night in the basement in a dog kennel. This morning the goose was checked out at Michigan State University Veterinary Medical Center, where x-rays revealed no broken bones or major injuries and it will be released to a wetland sanctuary in the Lansing, Michigan area in a few days. The veterinarian who helped to save the goose, threw out the first pitch before today’s baseball game. So the story ended on a happy note; hopefully Tigers Rally Goose can connect up with his family. If you want to read more or see the video of the goose on the loose, just click here: https://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2018/05/31/detroit-tigers-goose-comerica-park/658793002/

Council Point Park deals with the swelling Canada Geese population by spraying a grape concentrate mixture on the grassy fields around the Park. once the goslings are old enough to fly, which is approximately ten weeks after they hatch. The mixture does not harm the geese, but they don’t like the taste, so they will go elsewhere to graze. Soon the Canada geese will molt and lose their flying feathers, so wherever they go during that time period is a mystery, but they will return again in late Summer/early Fall.

In the meantime, we walkers will just grin and bear it as to the geese and their belligerent ways. We grit our teeth as we step around the poop-strewn pathway and we have to walk through the dew-laden grass and get our feet wet since the geese decide to cross the pathway that is there for the humans.

Today, once again, it felt tropical outside, the result of rain last night and in the early morn. It was already 75 degrees F (23 C) and 80% humidity when I left the house – it was 80 degrees when I returned home. Thank goodness for the breeze because it made it more bearable.

As I walked through the neighborhoods, I noticed large puddles and sopping wet grass. At the Park, the pathway was dry, but the grass, in need of cutting, was very wet. I had just started on the trail and glanced ahead as the geese appeared. They had finished traipsing through the soccer field, and were headed to the pathway and poking along, taking their sweet time.

Soon wet goose footprints appeared on the pathway …

GOOSE PRINTS BIG.jpg

GOOSE PRINTS SMALL

… as well as the human footprints of a brave soul who decided to forego wet feet, yet obediently stayed on the very edge of the perimeter path, still yielding to the geese.

HUMAN FOOTPRINTS.jpg

What I really wanted to do was get a photo of four geese, around the same size, following one another while crossing the path, similar to the Beatles walking across Abbey Road, the cover shot on their album by the same name. But that was not to be.

STROLLING ACROSS PATHWAY.jpg

There are three families of Canada geese currently at Council Point Park. The smallest ones are still at that cute-and-fuzzy stage.

LIGHT MUNCHKINS.jpg

Still another pair of geese has goslings that are still small enough to be cute, though just entering that gangly awkward stage.

MEDIUM OLD GOSLINGS

The oldest goslings at the Park now have their more permanent plumage, and …

OLD GOSLING.jpg

… as a result, some are downright homely.

OLD AND UGLY GOSLING.jpg

Okay, I said it … but, we all have those pictures in the family album where we are all arms and legs, wearing big-framed glasses or braces on our teeth, or, fresh off a “bang trim” by Mom or Dad who were scissor-happy. But those goslings, just like you and me, are just as precious to their parents, as you were your parents’ pride and joy back in the day, no matter your appearance.

Here’s one of me for Throwback Thursday – not sure about that style with the hoop dress fad and however did I sit in the car? And I think the bobby pins created a hairdo that was not a good look at all, especially for an eight-year-old girl!

OLD PIC OF LS.jpg

Since it is the last day of the month, here are my walking mileage stats: 354 miles walked so far in 2018. I had hoped to have walked at least 400 miles by now, but our May was one for the record books as to rainfall. I was willing, but Mother Nature did not cooperate. So, to reach my goal of 1,051 (one mile more than I walked in 2017), I have 697 more miles to go and seven months to accomplish this feat with my feet.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged geese, Goslings, humor, nature, Park, Spring, walk, walking | 32 Comments

Feathers and Fisticuffs.

Posted on May 29, 2018 by Linda Schaub

After the over-long, cold and snowy Winter and chilly Spring, I know I did state on the record that I would not complain about any Summer heat wave. Alas, I have broken that promise several times over.

The weather the last four or five days has been downright oppressive. When I stepped out of the house for my walk, it was 73 degrees with high humidity once again. It felt more like the Dog Days of August. Whew!

Tomorrow, not surprisingly, the atmosphere is unstable due to the dregs of Tropical Storm Alberto and our intense heat, and we’re looking at torrential rainstorms and the threat of severe weather; even the word “tornado” is being bandied about.

I returned to Council Point Park today and had not been there since last Friday due to Saturday’s rain and exploring other venues the rest of the long holiday. There were a few walkers on the path, and even a few runners, huffing and puffing along when they whizzed past me. I did not intend to move that fast, I was just there for to get three loops done, and with my walk to and from the Park, thus garner another five miles toward my final goal.

I believe this heat and humidity has similarly affected the critters at Council Point Park, because the squirrels did not come over for our morning meet-and-greet ritual until my third time around that loop … hmmm, so what’s up with these slackers? But, when about a half-dozen of them finally spied me, they soon were scampering over to get some peanuts dropped at their feet, like they were princes.

Soon thereafter, a cardinal alighted on a low branch, eager to scam a peanut that the squirrels might have missed. But the squirrels were quick to take two peanuts at a time today, and the cardinal made three swoops, but came away empty-handed, er … beaked.

The geese were in a fractious mood this morning. I walked past several groups of them grazing near the perimeter path and there was no reaction on their part as I ambled by. But, on the third time around, when I was feeding the squirrels, (along with the cardinal and red-winged blackbird, who insist on interjecting themselves into this feeding frenzy), a goose family planted themselves on the pathway. The gander guided his family down the path in my direction. Just like yesterday, the “lead” goose took the initiative to goosestep over my way, head down, even though I had long since passed him and his mate and offspring. I ignored him as he advanced, ever closer, and then I was treated to the pink tongue and hissing and some wing flapping. It came out of the blue and I was miffed, so I moved on, because something had set him off and I didn’t want to tangle with him.

At the Park today, I checked on the status of my little robin family. This is the third robin family that I’ve followed in the month of May. You’ll recall that I’ve been monitoring this Mama Robin sitting on the nest and I was unsure if she was incubating the eggs, or protecting her babies with her body.

I monitored that nest every time I walked at the Park, though the branch where this twiggy home tweet home nest was built, was a tad taller than me, necessitating my needing to stand on tiptoes if I wanted to catch a glimpse of what was going on inside the nest, (and, that was only if Mama was out foraging for food for the youngsters).

At the tail end of last week, I discovered the hatch had indeed occurred, and I was treated to the sight of several tiny beaks pointing toward the sky as the babies awaited Mama Robin’s return with grubs and worms.

First, I must provide a brief backstory here so you know why I have entitled this blog post “Feathers and Fisticuffs”.

There is a bully bird in the Park, and more than once I have caught him chasing Mama Robin off the nest. He came over and swooped dangerously close to Mama, then she retaliated with a flurry of her wings and some loud chattering, to which that red-winged blackbird responded in kind. They even continued their argument on another branch, facing off against one another, each one puffed up in fighting stance. I’ve come upon this confrontation twice, and the second time I managed to get photos of the fight, though admittedly, they are not close-up because the fracas began and ended in less than a minute and my camera was in its pouch at the onset of the fray.

robin

RWB

Last Friday when these photos were taken, once again I neared the tree where the nest is located and saw the chicks but no Mama near the brood. This was because she and the red-winged blackbird were duking it out again. They were noisy and much wing fluttering had ensued. Another robin appeared on the scene and there were two robins and the ornery red-winged blackbird, each puffed up and each very vocal. I decided to referee and threw some peanuts onto the ground, whereupon the red-winged blackbird, decided peanuts were preferable to misappropriating a robin chick and he flew to the ground to feast on them.

Whew! I felt like I saved the day.

Meanwhile, the chicks were cheeping and peeping for their Mama and she had just undergone a harrowing experience, but, being the ever-protective mom, she hurried over to the nest, checked on her chicks, then flew off, returning a few minutes later with food for the brood. Evidently, Mama Robin felt confident the pesky red-winged blackbird had fled the scene, clasping not one, but two peanuts in its sharp beak, and he would not return.

The sun was filtering through the trees and illuminating the chicks in the nest, making their still undeveloped features look almost translucent.

THREE BEAKS WITH SUN COMING THRU.jpg

Below are a few photos of Mama Robin getting food, then feeding her young – I know you’ll enjoy them as much as I did watching them.

I stood and watched Mama Robin fly off to find some food. When she returned, first, she’d land on a branch, then proceed to the nest with a mouthful of wiggly worm or squirming bug.

MAMA WITH SOME FOOD1

MAMA WITH SOME FOOD

Once at the nest, she’d drop that morsel into one eagerly awaiting mouth, then fly off to find food for the next hungry chick.

MAMA WITH A CATERPILLAR IN MOUTH

MAMA FEEDING BABIES

I’m glad these sweet chicks did not meet their fate due to the bully red-winged blackbird. Mama made sure to nip that in the bud!

MOM ON NEST WITH ONE BABY.jpg

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged nature, Park, robins, walk, walking | 30 Comments

Those lazy-hazy-crazy days of Summer are happenin’.

Posted on May 28, 2018 by Linda Schaub

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Today’s weather was just like Nat King Cole crooned about back in the day … yes, those lazy-hazy-crazy days of Summer. If you’ve never heard the song, here it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOV96BCAvZc

It doesn’t matter that we’ve not turned the calendar page over to June and Summer is still three weeks away. This scorcher today had all the ingredients of a mid-Summer day.

I got up and out the door early to beat that oppressive heat the weather folks were predicting, and, when I left the house around 7:30 a.m., the thermometer hovered at 70 degrees, with 85% humidity and a 65% dew point reading. There was not even a breeze.

I drove ten miles to Elizabeth Park, thinking it might be cooler along the boardwalk, and, besides, I was still in search of those elusive ducklings.

It was a little hazy when I arrived, and, if I thought I would be the only one with the bright idea to be early and stake out a spot by the water, I was very mistaken. As I pulled up, I had to drive halfway along the loop that encircles the entire Elizabeth Park, just to find a parking spot.

I soon discovered that the cars did not belong to the usual crowd of walkers, runners and bicyclists; instead the cars were filled with people who lined the boardwalk and pier area, fishing poles in hand and sturdy buckets nearby, for a morning of fishing. Well, I totally forgot – the silver bass are running in the Detroit River these days!

fisherman all

Young and old, men and women, and even children … they not only ranged in age, but also the type of fishing equipment used as well. Some folks had a simple rod and reel and others had fancier set-ups, which made a clicking noise on the gears when they cast out. While some people stood patiently at the pier, rod in hand, others fastened their fishing pole on the rail, then sat and enjoyed a cold drink with an eye trained on any movement on that pole. More than once I found myself zig-zagging and side-stepping along the boardwalk, when a fisherman raised his arm backward to cast that line with great gusto. Yikes! I didn’t want to get snagged and end up in the Detroit River as overgrown bass bait!

This guy had the perfect sun protection, a head umbrella to shield him from the sun’s rays that were bouncing off the water.

hat

As I ambled along the boardwalk and passed all the ambitious fishermen and women, I watched a young guy land a silver bass. I usually take my people pictures on the sly, but I wanted a photo of him with his fish, so I politely asked if I could take his picture. “Yes” he said and posed for me.

guy with fish

“And, are you throwing your fish back in the water, or having him for dinner tonight?” I asked. “I’m keeping him” was the answer, and the fish was soon dropped into a bucket with the rest of his silver bass booty.

fish bucket.jpg

The boardwalk was a hoppin’ place, but other folks seemed content to get away from the crowd, so they fished right along the shoreline.

It was hot on the boardwalk, so I sought shade in the tree-lined portion of Elizabeth Park.

First, I stopped to take a photo of the picturesque bridge with its curved walkway and ornate wrought-iron railings. The bridge’s reflection was almost a mirror image, despite the fact that the sky was hazy.

I had packed treats for the critters – oyster crackers for the ducks and peanuts for the squirrels. The last time I was at Elizabeth Park, I didn’t take peanuts, and I think every squirrel in the Park hit me up for treats and I had nothing to offer them.

I walked down by the water where the ducks usually congregate. No ducks were on shore, but there was one beautiful Pekin duck traveling down the center of the water wearing a big smile. This duck just quacked me up when I saw it. I’ll bet you smiled too, when you saw its picture at the top of this post.

I wandered around, climbing up the bridge, looking for kayakers and there were none, so I chitchatted with a few other walkers about the weather.

By then, the Pekin duck had come ashore and he brought a pal, a mallard hybrid.

Weren’t they lucky ducks because I waited until they waddled over to the sidewalk, then lavished oyster crackers on them which they nibbled on.

pekin white.jpg

mallard hybrid.jpg

I even forgot myself and tossed a few crackers to the goose family that monopolized the pathway.

geese before attitude.jpg

I quickly realized that was a big mistake when the gander did not mind his manners, lowered his head and started marching toward me. I beat a hasty retreat.

geese

Next, I headed to the path that encircles the entire Park and was grateful for the shade. I walked the entire perimeter of Elizabeth Park, from start …

elizabeth park sign

… to finish.

My favorite spot along the way is the makeshift feeding station someone has set up for the critters. You may recall the last time I was here, it was still cold, and someone had set up multiple bird feeders and suet holders hung from a small tree. Nearby, a couple of boules had been broken up and placed on top of a wooden picnic table.

I spread the remaining oyster crackers on the picnic table, along with about a dozen peanuts, then stood back under the shade of a big tree. Within minutes, there was activity at the table. My offerings attracted a grateful crowd of squirrels and birds, even a woodpecker.

whole table.jpg

I waited and watched the scene continue to unfold as more woodland creatures came for treats.

black squirrel

squirrel on side.jpg

A blue jay zipped over and stole a peanut before I had a chance to record its image, and, just like last time, I saw a woodpecker alight on the picnic table’s surface and he grabbed a peanut to go. Another walker came by just as the woodpecker departed and asked “was that a Flicker because I wish I had a photo of it?” (I think it was a red-bellied woodpecker.)

I know from now on when I come to Elizabeth Park, it is a must to visit this spot with goodies in hand. The peace and tranquility of the critters coming together is worth the price of some peanuts and oyster crackers.

I usually work in the yard over Memorial Day weekend. The weather has not cooperated – first rain and a storm, then oppressive heat, and truthfully, I just didn’t feel like wielding a hedge trimmer in 90-plus degrees. Whipping the weeds and taming the bushes can wait ‘til it cools down a bit. Instead, I took myself to the water’s edge and found peace on a holiday which is meaningful for the freedom we enjoy today.