Sun Day

I never imagined I would hear this uttered by one of my children:

"I'm an anthropomorphic European Dragon!" (Fishy, 6)

Strange child, LOL!

***

Today was a Gorgeous Spring Day with capital letters. It was sunny, warm and calm. We headed off to Kensington Park (The farther East you get in the USA, the more British the names get.) We specifically wanted to get some photos of where we'll be shooting some of our film footage, but there was plenty to enjoy on the way.

The lakes have completely thawed now and the swans were out en masse, causing Fishy to proclaim, "now THAT'S what I call Swan Lake!"



Today's objective lies along the Aspen trail.



As soon as we get out of the car (which John has parked at a steep sideways angle on a hill, causing me to have visions of it rolling down the hill and crushing me as I exit) we can smell it: Spring! Joyous Spring!! The sweet smells of drying grass and pine needles mix with that of moist, thawed earth and budding trees. Our route takes us past countless sparkling little rivulets running clear and cold through the marshy grasses. Deer tracks of all sizes cross and re-cross the trail, and near the larger streams, little raccon prints are pressed firmly into the rich, black mud.

It isn't long before the birds spot us. The unmistakable ruffling flutter of their wings all around our heads tells us that they're coming in for seeds, and we truly regret not having brought any. Sluggie, however, finds some scattered on the path, and soon the birds are eating from her hand. She gives another to Mollusc, who immediately gets a chickadee to come for it.



Farther along, we find a gentleman giving seeds to a grey squirrel who is sitting a mere 2 feet (or less) from him. (That's the man's sleeve in the lower left corner.)



Sluggie discovers, among other things, a fossilized snail shell. And of course everyone needs a good walking stick.



Fishy blazes new trails through the woods, trusty walking staff at his side

and comes upon a clearing where the cattails tower above him.


There are quite a few little footbriges on this trail. I think everyone knows that the sole purpose of bridges is to provide something to look under.

And under and around most of these bridges is where we find a number of funny, striped bulbs pushing up through the newly thawed mud. We soon learn from an older lady passing by that these are skunk cabbages. She tells us that they are "Nature's Easter Eggs," which I find delightful.

All around us downed trees beg to be walked along single-file

and rotting stumps demand to be climbed:

We find the Aspen Trail letterbox and look at the new entries. Someone has visited from Taiwan! We vow to bring our letterboxing kit next time.
The end of our hike takes us past the nature centre and the lake there, where huge, grey carp at least as long as my hand and forearm hang weightless in the murky water.

Every now and then one raises its pouty orange lips to mouth at the water's surface. And if we're looking at the right moment, we can see a fat, glistening body hurl itself up out of the water as it snatches at an insect.

The fish keep us occupied for quite a while

Mollusc hopes that one will nibble her fingers.

And The Prawn wants to know if they have teeth.

Finally, it's time to load up and head home. We'll be back soon!!

* * *

Supper was fabulous - barbecued chicken on the grill (YES! grilling weather) oven roasted potatoes with rosemary and garlic, and sweet corn. The kids played outside both before and after supper and are only just now coming in to shower and settle in for the night.

Even though it's not Wednesday (Flylady's Anti-Procrastination Day) I finally finished a project the Prawn and I have been working on. The B&W pics with the smoke haiku were taken while she was painting the frame and letter white. Today I got the fabric on the backboard and assembled it all. D is for Prawn, obviously. ;o)



I hope you all had a wonderful Sun Day, too. :o)