Starting to freeze!!

Yesterday it was not freezing, and we went to the park especially early - saw the sunrise as we were walking, and there's a picture of it. It's the darker one.

Today, if finally feels like winter. Temperature in the 20's. I need to look for my warmer boots - sneakers are getting just too cold, even with the few minutes of running that I do. We decided to go and check out lakeside. There's a huge wooden fence surrounding it these days. Could this be to avoid comments such as I have made before about the project? I mean, if you can't see it, you can't comment. So we started to walk down the narrow path between the 1/2 mile of wooden fence and the mile or more os steel chain link fence. REALLY hope this stuff eventually gets recycled. The path started fine, then got narrower, with wooden pieces across the top getting lower and lower. Husband, who is 6'1" had to constantly stoop. then so did I, and I'm only 5'. A man driving a bulldozer called over to us that we couldn't go there. We weren't sure if he meant that we'd be physically unable or not allowed, but we were tired of stooping and came out. Turns out he meant unable. Near the end of the fence is a look-out hole, and the path comes to an end. Of course, the look-out is set up so that you really can't see anything. So there's an artist's rendition of what the completed project will supposedly look like. Well, the picture looks nice.

The lake is starting to freeze around the edges. JJ had a fine time trying to get a stick out of a frozen puddle. She kept at it for some time, then managed to break off a piece of it that was sticking out, and was very happy. I was impressed that she managed to get a "win" out of a fairly hopeless situation. Politicians should take note.

On the way home, we saw a couple of people in a truck doing things with the flags in the Parade Grounds. I asked if they were going to replace the bedraggled flag over the Police Building, the one that's been discussed in the Ditmas Park Blog. He pointed out the new flag, in it's new plastic bag, ready to be hung up. Good job! It was still too cold to wait and see it done - shall photograph it tomorrow.

Today's goose count: 48 +- 2

Today, we circled the entire lake to count how many geese there actually are. We counted 48, plus or minus 2, since I'm not exactly sure I didn't count a couple of them twice. They are in two groups, one sort of at each end of the big part of the Lake. None in the lullwater or by the Boathouse. And of course, as mentioned previously, none in the Parade Grounds. There are actually more ducks then geese these days. About 40 ducks by the Boathouse, and a similar number in the big lake. Plus, there are the six swans and a blue heron. No sign of cormorants or showy egrets today, but I think they come in from the Gateway area during the daytime to eat, and are in the Park all the time.

The ducks are busily pairing off - numerous couples swimming around the lake, especially the mallards. Well, with the mallards it's a lot easier to tell that they are couples - the males so colorful, the females so brown and speckled. Ah Spring! Lots of other birds, very noisy, chasing each other among the trees, including some red-winged blackbirds, robins, and others. Gosling practicing flight across the lake.

Not so easy to walk around the lake. The whole east end is fenced off for the Lakeside project, with huge dirt mounds inside the fences. We know dog named Puppy, whose owner has a friend who lives on the east side of the Park and is eagerly awaiting the completion of the Lakeside Project. Glad to know some one is, but in the meantime, it's years of ugly, difficult walking conditions. I certainly hope it's worth it, but I am always skeptical of too much stuff being built in the Park. To me, it's always the more nature the better.

More signs of spring: the porta-johns/porta-janes are back, looking fresh and perky. The Snack Bar in the Parade Grounds is open for the season. By the way, the coffee is excellent! Chock-full-of-nuts, always a reliable favorite, and freshly brewed.

Note the interesting little rock monument, and nearby floral offering.