Miscellaneous spring stuff

There's a big, beautiful great snowy egret on the lake. I couldn't find my camera this morning, but daughter N got one with her telephone. Anne-Katrin had e-mailed me to watch out for it, so I'm sure I have the right name for this bird. I can understand how I got confused - it has the same beautiful long, graceful neck as the cormorants.

22 crack bags going up the hill, along with innumerable beer cans and sweet cigar wrappers. I'm not the only one who enjoys the park in spring. I did quite a trash pick-up job!

Candleman is keeping his area quite tidy - only one candle/can there, and it's not lit. My little note requesting a clean up is still there, but the thank you note is gone! N thinks someone just came upon and thought it was nice. I hope Candleman doesn't take it the wrong way and think I no longer appreciate his efforts to keep the area nice looking.

Nothing spectacular today, just a lovely day with the dogs in the park.

More hands, Candleman, egrets

Candleman is completely cleaning up after himself and his ceremony (which I assume it is)! Instead of a trash pile, his little corner is now a charming outdoor alter, and I certainly hopes that it accomplishes what he wants and needs it to do.

Nice spotting of the egret mating pair, although the picture is a little fuzzy because of the zooming. I'm working on it.

And some more pictures of participants from yesterday's "Hands Around the Lake."

Candleman cleans up!

Very exciting! Candleman has very nicely cleaned up all the old cans and candles. There's one new one in a slightly different spot, closer to the water and further away from the path. I took a picture of the cleaned area, and replaced my request, along with a thank you note, in the new spot. B and N think he may be lighting the candles to speak to his ancestors, and wonder if he might think my notes are from his ancestors. Hmmm. Maybe Grandma IS speaking through me. How do I know where I get these ideas from. We imagine he has gone home and is furiously cleaning up his apartment. Can't hurt.

Lots of trash on the way up to Lookout Hill today - a result of St. Patrick's Day, I'm thinking. Picked up 3 bags full. Many beer cans and bottles, including one that was unopened. I thought we might take it home for someone, but was outvoted. Apparently Keystone Light is not considered a very good beer. N: "Any beer that comes in a 24 oz. can is not a good beer." So glad to have these experts to enlighten me. By the way, it's now in the trash can at the top of the hill, if anyone is really desperate. 5 crack bags, one of them GREEN!! For St. Pat's, I guess.

Beautiful dog day at the Nethermead. I'm trying to get some good photos, but have not had much success. I will keep at it. After all, I eventually did get photos of the flying birds, the swans posing in their heart-shape, and many other things I thought I'd never get. There was a quadruple-butt-sniff shot that I was laughing to hard at to take, and some great mid-air wrestling.

Saw Anne and Ed, who showed us the spot where the Parks Dept. bulldozed down the twig house that some homeless people at made. There's still a pile of bedding there. A gorgeous spot, I must say, sheltered by a large downed tree and overlooking both the lake and the Lullwater. I wouldn't object to them being there, but they were using buckets as toilets and dumping the contents into the lake. Yuck!

We found the perfect spot for a dog run in the Parade Grounds. Right across from the Tennis Courts, there's a part of the field that is natural grass, already about 80% fenced, and has a fire hydrant!! What could be more perfect!