blackbird.jpg (30437 bytes)

2006-09-13 @ 12:06 a.m.
late summer afternoon


Ya wanna go for a walk? I love to walk. I got that from my Dad. We used to walk a lot when I was a kid. We�d go hiking around the hills in Marin County, taking in all the beautiful sights, like deer, raccoons, and the very tip top of the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance. It was a very special time with my Dad. We didn�t really need to talk a lot. We just enjoyed each other�s company and the beauty of the surroundings. The last time I hiked with him was five years ago this week down in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia. Even though he had Alzheimer�s Disease, he still had an active body and was happy to be taking a walk with his daughter.

I still walk on an almost daily basis. I walk about 15 miles a week during the summer. I usually walk either around the Village, out at the Parkway or over at the Canal. I just wanted to share a couple of pictures I took in the last week, when I was out walking. First is a picture of my beloved Blue Heron.


I took about eight shots of this bugger and this was the only one where you could kind of see him. Oh, if only I had a nice camera instead of the throwaways I use now. I used to be an avid photographer when I was in my twenties and had a nice camera with fancy lens, but I just used that camera to death. And rather ironically, the last time I used it, was my trip to Virginia to see my Dad for the last time five years ago. I shot a whole roll of him, knowing it would be our last time together and when I got home and developed the film, the camera had ate the film and there was nothing on it. Grrrrr!

Anyways, the next picture is some Goldenrod flowers against the water of the canal.



Something kind of weird happened to our canal over the summer. After a particularly violent rainstorm, our canal sprung a leak (its man-made) and about 85% of the water drained out of it. It looks rather bleak and desolate in parts and you can see where people dumped garbage and old tires, but its also interesting because you can see the plant life along the bottom of the creek as well as the fishes and turtles swimming around. You can also see all the rock walls along the edges.


The trail along the edge, however is very well maintained. There are always quite a few walkers and bike riders along the trail, although today I was the only person out there. Well, that is, except for the little garter snake I picked up. Yup. I�m a girl who picks up snakes! And I even took him for a walk with me. We chatted for a while. He pooped and peed on me, which I thought was fairly uncalled for considering I was providing free transportation down the canal. He was kinda cute though and I was wondering how Guardcat would respond to having a little brother and then realized she�d probably think it was a kitty hor�doerve or something, so I finally set him back in the grass and walked a little further.

Warning: Gratuitous wittykitty Foot Picture coming.



I just didn�t want you to totally fall in love with my toes and want to kiss them or anything.

Anyways, a little further down the path I heard a voice behind me. It was this old lady probably in her late 60�s. She said, �I bet you thought somebody was following you.� And I said, �I actually think that all the time.� Heh! Fortunately I don�t think she quite heard what I said. So we stopped and chatted for a whole. I really had to give the old gal some props. Here she�s like in her late 60�s and she�s way out on the canal. My mom can�t even walk to her car without clutching her chest. We talked about all the local walking spots and about how strange the canal looked after it was drained. But she was just a nice lady. The grandmother I never had.

It was finally time to head back. I wasn�t wearing my usual comfortable shoes, but rather some uncomfortable Nike sneakers my sister had sent me. They�re really cool looking and I had worn them to my appointment with �A� earlier in the day. Poor �A�. He got like the world�s worst hair cut. I almost didn�t recognize him. I always think of him as the hippie dude I met 11 years ago this month but suddenly all his adorable curls were gone. But he did promise to �grow it back, just for me.� Hmm, I wonder what that means?

Anyways, this was my view, walking back to the car. Incidently, when I got home I had yet another note from Harold the Geek sticking in my door. What time had he stopped by? 2:09 p.m. E.D.T. Oy!






7 comments so far << | >>

Older Entries
upsy, downsy, upsy, splat! - 2010-05-22
April sours bring May flowers? - 2010-05-01
when finding a head in the recycling bin is the highlight of your month - 2010-03-28
fifty two chances to be awesome...ok maybe - 2010-02-20
its sorta like "Grease" except there's no musical numbers and I'm really old - 2010-02-05

host

Lyrics by Lennon/McCartney. All angst copyright by awittykitty

>