Today there was a dinner following church, and I ate what I thought was reasonable, but by the time we were part way home, my body was saying "WAY too much food." So I had Om dump me out, so I could walk the last few miles home and work some of that off.
On the way, I passed (in the opposite order) a lost opportunity, and also one that I finally found.
Here's the one that's lost:
Doesn't look like much, does it? Before they widened the road in 1990, this was the site of a small, but shady, roadside rest area. It's less than a mile from our house. I used to always think that I should pack up a picnic lunch and walk down there with the boys (they were little then, of course) and make the small outing into a fun event. But I never did it.
The boys are now grown (as you know), and the rest area is gone, crowded out by three more traffic lanes. It's certainly not an earth-shaking loss, but I'm always reminded that we miss out on many small joys just because we never get around to them.
On the other hand, here's the one that I found:
It doesn't look like much either. When the rest area disappeared, this intriguing space appeared. It's just a storm water collection area, AKA a wetland. It has no inflowing creek or outflow. And of all the goofy things, after they dug this shallow space of about two acres, they put a chain-link face around it. And they did a good job.
The fence is four feet high and the bottom edge is buried to some unknown depth. I always considered this a personal affront. I was studying to be a wetland specialist, and I couldn't access this wetland also less than a mile from my house. Can you see the fence? Look at the fence some more. The gate is open!
I have no idea if that is some sort of error, because it used to be locked, but I wasn't about to pass up this opportunity.
I started around the inside of the fence to the right. Pretty soon I scared up a resting deer. With only about three steps of head start it went over the fence as easily as you or I might step over a small log.
Shall I mention (as I have before) that dry feet are over-rated? However, I didn't really want to get in too deep, so I back-tracked and went around the other way. That was a better choice.
There is open water along the east and back sides, with raised bank between the water and the fence.
I found one spot on the bank where I could take my camp chair, sit and read and watch for any wildlife. That fence seems so ridiculous. Of course the deer and the birds can get in, and I suppose snakes, mice, etc. But I didn't find any holes or breaks where muskrat or rabbits could sneak through. I'm really curious about the wildlife there.
I did watch some birds today- maybe more on that another day.
And enjoyed the willows growing along the edges.
Didn't see any particularly exciting plants, but maybe the gate will still be open in the spring.
I'm glad I didn't pass up this small opportunity!
 | See Walkinshaw Wetland Scouting for the Scouts |
| if you like this blog, click the +1 | |
2 comments:
That does seem strange that someone would fence an area like that.
Love your new oak leaf background.
I hate that when I go to things like that and think I'm doing good and then all of a sudden it hits you that you ate too much. At least you had some good finds while you were walking it off. Strange about that fence
Post a Comment