It’s 60-something degree’s out and sunny today, not a cloud in the sky; certainly occasion to scoot over to the park for lunch hour. So glad that I did, because without having done so I would’ve missed the following:
1. Toddlers toddling the playground equipment
2. Babies giggling in swings
3. Momma’s pushing strollers with sleeping infants while getting some much needed exercise and “me time”
4. A giant Great Dane walking a giant man
5. Random black and white long haired calico cat who trotted with me a few steps each time I circled her near her hood
6. 2 women at least in their 60’s, walking 2 matching Pomeranians with stern and serious looks
7. 4 gaggles of geese
8. 2 sets of children trying to feed 4 gaggles of geese
9. 1 solitary and somewhat shadowy figure in the partially frozen over pond
10. And 2, yes 2 Snow Geese!
The laughter and delight of children inherently colors my mood yellow. Watching women pushing strollers in their jogging suits and on roller blades reminded me of a time when I did such things with my own baby in his own stroller. The dog walkers were full of a particular kind of hilarity today and the cat that kept trotting with me, surely to keep an eye on me as I passed, was so adorable I tried to reach out to her, but she wasn’t having it. She was clearly guarding something and was friendly enough, but didn’t want me to near so I just nodded to her on my 2nd and 3rd time around.
The geese, which seem to have over-run Colorado parks and recreational area’s this winter, tickle my giggle bone. They seem so gangly and awkward on land, like teenage boys, yet unbelievably graceful in water and air. Beautiful animals, I’d really like to touch the big plump ones but I had an unfortunate goose experience at age 5 or 6 and while I am not necessarily afraid of them, I do know that many of them are not to be trusted and I don’t go out of my way to interact with them, I’m perfectly content just to watch and listen. I do take a special glee in my presence being just enough to herd those little rascals off the sidewalk as I walk by, waddle waddle honk honk. Clearly, the various groups of children attempting to feed the geese also took a great deal off glee in herding the geese around the park because there was a lot of squealing, by the kids AND the geese. Shenanigans in its truest form.
The 2 Snow Geese aren’t something I’ve seen in Colorado before. I seem to remember them from Wisconsin as a child, but never here. Obviously a couple, they strode around like celebrities and the other geese seemed fascinated by them. The bigger of the two, I’m assuming the male, had such a manner, I couldn’t help but laugh. The well known “male strut” is recognizable across just about any species.
And finally, I am sure the shadowy figure in the water is our friend the marmot. Rhy and I discovered him two summers ago, quite by accident while throwing koi fish food to the catfish. We’d made quite a ruckus on the north side of the pond and there were so many fish trying to get to the koi food that it must’ve got that marmot curious about the goings on and it came out of from a little rock cove on the west side of the pond, steadily wading his way over to where we were….sort of ominously to be honest, we were like what the hell is that? Then, in a split second, he popped up and disappeared under the water and we both saw just enough of him to know what it was. To small to be a beaver, but looks a lot like one. We think there might be two of them because we’ve seen two shapes under the water before, but today only one was out. I’m curious about what he eats; a preliminary web search indicates they are primarily herbivores. If that’s the case, there is plenty o’ green crud in that pond for the little dude to feast on.
All of this AND there was a slight breeze moving the tree’s around. I swear I smelled spring in the air today. I really could get used to this.
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