Spring has Sprung!!

Gorgeous day and the first day of spring. It seemed like half of Brooklyn was out in the Park today. The road was so full of cyclists, runners, walkers, skaters, etc., that we kept to the woods. Since it was Saturday, we went all the way across to the Grand Army Plaza Greenmarket for our fabulous bacon and a couple of foccacios. Daffodils blooming on all the little hillsides. There was a turtle sunning itself on a log in the Lullwater. Three people fishing in different places,. They catch and release, but I hear rumors that there early morning fishers who keep and eat. Not Recommended!! Assorted horse-back riders. Dogs galore in all 3 meadows. There was a triathlon being held. Ber and I speculated as to what the third sport might be, since there is no swimming anywhere in Prospect Park. Traffic dodging? Taxi-hailing? Getting through yellow lights before they change? I finally asked one runner - a fairly slow one, I didn't want to interfere with anyone's winning time. Run, bike, run. Doesn't sound like three sports to me, but I guess they have to make do.

Since I am still suffering from the fall (bruised butt and strained hamstring), I was quite slow, and the c. 4 miles that we walked took its toll. Why does walking slowly with some sore muscles make you so much more tired than brisk movement? Makes no sense to me. But we did come back later than usual. Interesting to see what happens after 9 when the dogs go home. Long Meadow had several pick-up ball games - baseball and soccer. These aren't official fields, just a big, long (as the name indicates) meadow. Nethermead had a huge frisbee game going on. This is not just throwing frisbees, but looks to be a frisbee soccer game. Is this a new sport? Is it or will it be in the Olympics any time soon? Looked like fun, and was being played by men and women - no gender separation. Always a nice thing to see. Peninsula meadow became a huge green tot lot - at least a dozen parents with children, strollers, some balls and such, all engaging in that free play that is supposedly dying out across America. And I realized we no longer have to be concerned about the water-fowl going hungry. The lake was lined with family groups on blankets, tossing bread, crackers, apples, cereal, everything.

Looked like Paradise, but unfortunately there is some trouble in Paradise. Thursday or Friday morning there was a huge pile of animal intestines by the side of the lake. Someone sent me a picture of it, but I haven't figured out how to get it here yet. Parks Dept. was notified and sent someone to clean it up. There were things in the lake too, which turned out to be a bunch of chicken heads. Doesn't bode well for the cleanliness of the lake! Not that children go in much, but they put teir hands in, and dogs go in to swim, and of course water fowl and turtles live there. The thought of the bacteria that might live there is a little scary.

You wonder the Parks Dept. doesn't monitor these things more closely, especially since there are fines of $1000 and up for this kind of dumping - might help the city close the budget gap!

Another beautiful spring day!! Crocuses and hyacinths are blooming everywhere, and I saw my first daffodils of the season - so bright and cheery!! Hobbled to and around the park; figured it's best to keep moving, and the epsom salts bath last night helped. Skipped the steps, though. Last week at yoga I could forward fold and put my hands under my feet. Now I can barely reach my knees. Well, enough about my health issues. The second duck egg was broken open, and the yolk still inside. No signs of a third egg. Either mom has quit altogether or found a better hiding place. The turtles have found a better place to congregate, and are keeping out of the burned phragmite stand. Of course, we don't know if these are the same turtles. Ed tells us that he told the head of FIDO and a person at the Sean Casey Animal Shelter about the turtle rescue. The Sean Casey told him that 1) the turtles were hibernating [nonsense in this weather and location], and 2)came and took 3 turtles away for study. Since all the park animals are owned by N.Y. State, it is a crime to take them away - punishable by about a $4,000 fine. I do not believe this fine has been levied in living memory.

It is hard to figure what is happening in Prospect Park. The trash seems to get worse and worse (I am on a hiatus from collecting until the leg is better and I can bend down.) The police presence seems nil, except for the dog runs at 9:00 to make sure all dogs are put back on leash. The dog people, all come with their bags and are scrupulous about picking up after their dogs, so as not to lose the off-leash privilege. Apparently at Brooklyn Bridge Park, a relatively new and small park, is going to get 7 -8 full-time security people. Could it be because it is surrounded by the new multi-million dollar lofts now in the 19th century warehouses? Also, the Parks officials don't give straight answers. The phragmite fire is an example. According to one park ranger and the man in the bodega closest to that bit of the park, it was a huge fire, tons of smoke, and many fire engines came. The official park explanation, according to Ann Wong, was that it was a small fire that went out all by itself. Ignorant or lying?

No steps, ergo no crack bag count todayl