Last weekend I got to enjoy a walk in the park with my aunt. And here another weekend is approaching and I haven’t shared with you what we found.
I guess I better get cracking.
A perfect spring day spent out in the woods.
We went to Hudson Mills, a park over near Dexter Michigan, not so far from where she lives, but far enough away we don’t get there very often. It reminded me quite a lot of my favorite park, Kensington, and in fact it’s part of the same park system.
Such wonderful light falling through the new leaves.
There was a paved bike/walking path, and then lots of wooded nature trails to explore. We walked some of my aunt’s favorite trails, looking for evidence of spring, especially a particular dogwood tree she enjoys every year .
We found her dogwood in full bloom, shining in the morning light.
Luckily for us we had sunshine and slightly warm temperatures for our walk. Perfect. These are trails she knows well, and she knew just where to look for the early wildflowers too.
Spring beauty, so delicate with it’s pink stripes, was everywhere.
We walked in the dappled shade of newly leafed trees and watched the ground intently for surprises.
A trillium hides waiting to be discovered.
You could walk right past many of these wonderful bits of spring. But if you’re vigilant, you’ll see very special things.
My mom loved these jack-in-the-pulpit plants. Later in the season there will be red berries too.
It was so much fun when one or the other of us found something special and explained “Look!”
Wild geranium added color.
There was something to see no matter where we looked.
Tiny, deep purple, violets made us smile.
You could spend hours wandering these nature trails any time of the year and see beautiful things.
Purple is such a great color for spring!
We had such a good time walking in the woods together.
Walking just for the sheer joy of being out there.
And when we headed back to the car, we ran into a goose family with one little one trying to be grown up before he or she was old enough to care.
There’s an older widow living across the street. I swear her adult kids must think I’m the nosiest person around. Seems like any time one or another of them pulls in to check on their mom I’m out front.
Walking my dog in her ditch. Letting Katie sniff her mailbox. Wandering in my own yard or down my driveway.
What’s going on over there?
Yep. Always out there.
Other neighbors might think the same. For example I know that the newish neighbors next door got a sofa, loveseat and big plush chair delivered a couple days ago around 7 a.m. I was walking my dog across their lawn when the truck backed into their driveway. Katie insisted on watching the guys unload the truck.
The new furniture is beige.
What are YOU doing?
The people that live three houses away haven’t been there for a very long time. The adult son is still living there, and I wonder where his folks went. He and I wave as I’m walking the dog early mornings and he’s headed to work.
Got to keep an eye on everything around here.
Next door to him is a house that just sold. I saw a steady stream of cars head down their driveway the weekend it was put on the market. I figured it would sell fast; it’s on a lake and there’s no real estate inventory around here. About 5 days later I watched as a young man in a black jeep drove slowing past me as I was walking the dog, then back up and head down the driveway. An appraiser or maybe a home inspector. The house must have sold.
Bet they got full price, or more.
If you want to keep track of things you need to sit way up high.
I knew the people on the other side of me were back from an extended trip when I saw, as I was walking the dog, the husband put the garbage out. That’s how I know when they’re home or when they’re traveling, by the garbage cans waiting to be sniffed by a little sheltie-girl.
I watch another neighbor pull out each morning, towing his work trailer behind him. He doesn’t work every day, but I’m usually walking the road with a short fuzzy furball when he does. We wave.
So I’m thinking, when Katie crosses the bridge I’m not going to know anything about what’s happening in the neighborhood! No more sitting in the front yard watching everybody’s comings and goings. No more wandering slowly up to the third driveway and turning around to sniff our way home multiple times a day.
Always note what’s above too.
No more sticking our heads in places they don’t belong. Mrs. Kravitz will fade away.
Apologies to those of you too young to know who she is. You can google her.
Katie here. Even though I’m a princess and sometimes come off as being a bit….well…high maintenance, I know that I have a pretty good life. My folks and lots of other people make sure I get to have special times with friends and family.
Sharing my park with my friends.
And this past weekend I got to see my half sister, Payton, and show her (and her parents and her sister Tally the Gordon setter) my park! I was so excited to share Katie’s Park with my sister. And, like sisters do, we joined forces to make sure mama couldn’t get a decent picture of the two of us.
Discussing our strategy to foil mama.
That was part of the fun!
It was a perfect day for a walk, not too hot, and a bit of a breeze to cool those of us still wearing winter coats. The folks made sure we walked at a leisurely pace, though at the beginning I was raring to go!
This is Payton’s mom and dad and her sister Tally!
We stopped at the overlook deck halfway around the park to rest and enjoy the view. I told Payton all about finding a cracker there once and how I’ve been looking ever since for another one. Payton’s dad gave me a treat to make up for the lack of crackers.
“Make sure you remember not to let your mom get us together, Katie!”
I even shared my annual photoshoot in the yellow flowers with Payton! Mama takes my picture over at my park every year during the yellow flower season.
“OK, we can let her have ONE picture of the two of us!”
Payton’s like me – she doesn’t get why that’s so special, but mama is insistent and it’s easier to just let her get the picture than arguing with her.
Tally got her picture taken in the yellow flowers too.
Most of the time, though, we were able to foil mama’s attempts at getting a nice picture of the two of us together. She did manage to get several sweet pictures of Payton though!
She’s such a pretty girl.
I decided it wasn’t all that bad for her to be focused on someone besides me! That way I got to nap mostly uninterrupted under the picnic table.
“Geeze mother, can’t a girl get a break?”
We had a great time and I’m really glad Payton’s parents brought her over for a visit. We decided we’d get together again next fall when it’s cooler outside for another walk.
“Don’t stand still, out of focus pictures mess with mama the most!”
On a much sadder note, we learned yesterday that our friend Sophie got her wings on Friday. It’s a shock because we hadn’t heard that she was ill. She was one year younger than me, and still exploring her yard, swinging with her mom on her swing and supervising everything in the house.
Photo credit, Sophie’s mom.
We will miss her daily posts terribly. Mama has been giving me extra hugs and kisses on top of my head and her eyes are all leaky again. It’s hard to understand why some things happen, but we know that we’ll get to see her again, she’s just on the other side of the bridge. Please send good thoughts to her mom and dad who are very very sad right now.
Sophie on her porch swing this past week.Photo credit, Sophie’s mom.
Talk later, I have to get mom some tissue cause her eyes are damp again. I promise not to shred it immediately, I’ll do that later in honor of Sophie, who, just like me was an expert shredder!
I went for a walk at one of my favorite parks a couple days ago. It wasn’t a pretty day but at least it wasn’t raining. Or snowing.
Between winter and spring.
I went because I hadn’t been in awhile and because I was feeling sad about a friend of mine who is going through some tough stuff.
A place to rest and contemplate.
When I got to the park there was a warning at the gate about a prescribed burn. That’s when parts of the land are deliberately burned to ward off weeds and nonnative plants.
A scorched earth walk.
Much of the nature trail area was black, which accentuated the hills that I’m always trying to photograph. For that reason alone I didn’t mind walking along the scorched earth, or the smell that can sometimes be overwhelming.
Overlooking his park, wondering what happened.
As I walked I stopped often to take pictures. No surprise. It took me forever to walk the four miles, but it didn’t feel like forever.
Back in the woods spring is taking hold.
It felt wonderful. Spring is arriving, though slowly. Tiny wildflowers are popping up. More will follow.
So tiny you might miss the evidence of spring right under your feet.
I thought about my friend and hope he is able to come on a walk with me soon. He’d find hope in the woods, even the burned parts.
Sometimes it’s hard to let go.
Of course yesterday, listening to the Supreme Court news, I felt sadness overtaking me again. The world seems to be a darker shade of burned right now.
Nothing but darkness.
I’m trying to remember that deep in the woods hope is poking up from under last years debris.
Guess what? The weather changed! I know that everybody thinks they have the most crazy weather around, but I’m here to say nobody beats Michigan for crazy!
My backyard just this past Monday!
As you know, last Saturday I was with my mama and our friend at a Michigan state park. It was sunny but cold and windy. Perfect.
Me just last weekend!
Then on Monday it snowed! Yes, snow. Not just a little bit either. It snowed most of the day, big wet, sticky flakes of snow that piled up.
I hope the lady doesn’t forget to put out breakfast for us!
The birds didn’t know what to think of it all.
Waiting for our hummingbirds.
But I knew exactly what we should do — we should go out and explore! So I bugged my housekeeper mama and out we went!
Mama! This is crazy good!
We had so much fun! Mama said it wouldn’t last long so we should enjoy it while it was there. She said she’d try not to grumble about it too much.
It’s crazy, but it’s fun too! Never complain about another fun day spent together, mama!
Then we got a couple days of rain. I don’t mind rain, it just gives me an excuse to be lazy and nap all day. (Not that I need an excuse, I get to do whatever I want because I’m the only royal resident around here.)
Do not interrupt the royal nap, mother!
Thursday the sun came out and mama said we shouldn’t waste a sunny day either. Especially a sunny day that was still cool enough for me to enjoy it.
I’m camouflaged, bet you can’t see me!
So off we went to one of my parks and we walked in the woods for a long time.
I’m a happy girl when I’m in the woods with mama!
Mama had her stupid camera (of course) so she was lollygagging along taking pictures of not me. I don’t know why.
Signs of spring were everywhere.
I had to wait for her all the time. But that’s not unusual. When I think about it, I’m always waiting for my mama.
Will you come ON, mama?
Waiting to go outside. Waiting to go on a walk. Waiting for an adventure. Waiting for my supper.
I’m still waiting, mama!
Well. I don’t wait for supper very long because I tell her off if I have to wait for that! Anyway, we had a wonderful time in the woods, and there’s proof of spring popping out all over!
Spring is hiding in the woods, ready to surprise us if we look!
Mama says if we just wait a bit it will probably snow again, and I wouldn’t mind that at all, but daddy says enough is enough, he’s ready to get on his big riding mower and take a spin around the yard! And mama says it’s time to clean up the gardens.
She says we have a lot of work to do out there.
Hey mama! You brought treats…right??
I don’t know who this we is that she’s referring to. She’s probably hired help or something.
I’m watching you, mama!
Of course I’ll be out there to supervise. Royal responsibilities never end. Talk later, I need to get rested up for the upcoming royal weeding.
Change Is Hard 