Hey guys, it’s Penny here! Guess what? Mom and I had the best walk ever yesterday! I’d been asking for attention for awhile.

Mostly she told me to go lay down cause she was busy. So I gave her my big pathetic eyes and it worked!

Suddenly mom was packing me up into the back of the car and we were off to parks unknown!

We went to one of Katie’s parks. I had grand plans of taking you somewhere different, somewhere you’d never been before, but mom said I needed to check reality and until I got my own drivers license I was stuck with where she was willing to take me.

Whatever mom.

Anyway, this is a very hilly and fun park that I love to explore. And we had a beautiful day for it, so I was happy to be there.

We were looking for autumn color. At least that’s what mom said. I wasn’t at all sure I knew what autumn color was.

Eventually mom said I shouldn’t worry about it, that she’d find the color for me this year. But she, of course, reminded me that Katie was very good at finding beautiful things for her Walktobers and next year, when I was three, I’d be responsible for my own color search.

We’ll see mom. I’m sort of into good smells and not so much into pretty stuff. I’m a different girl, and sometimes mom forgets that.

Anyway, we walked up and down the hills into the deep woods. Mom even tried to turn around once, way before I was ready to go back and I told her no way!

So she smiled and said, “whatever you want, sweetie,” and we wandered further into the woods. Isn’t my (um, Katie’s) woods beautiful?

There wasn’t much color, but mom figured that’s because of the drought we’ve had. Most of our color is brown. I don’t really see a problem with that, cause most of my color is brown!

On our way back to the car I took mom on a little diversion. A path out into the marshland that’s closed all summer was open and I wanted to go down that path real bad.

It leads to a small lake which is part of the Shiawasee River (it’s only a stream here) and on the other side of that lake is the backside of our little town. Maybe someday mom will take me on a walk downtown. I know, it’s only got one block, but you never know…right?

Anyway, mom let me walk all by myself down that grassy path toward the lake. Then I figured out she wasn’t attached to me and I lost my confidence. I’m not quite ready to wonder too far from mom yet.

Mom says that’s a good thing.

So that was my unexpeted walk on a beautiful October Sunday afternoon. I’m calling it my official Walktober and I hope you enjoyed Katie’s park and our walk there.

We look forward to seeing all your Walktobers when mom puts together the recap post in November. In the meantime, link your posts to the Official Walktober Post just like me! You’ve still got plenty of time to get a Walktober in! Walk, skip, hop or drive somewhere, take a picture or two (or more!) and write up a post. We all want to see where you’ve been!

Talk later,

Your park explorer girl, Penny.