A New Kind of St. Patrick’s Day Party

Our neighborhood St. Patrick’s Day dinner was cancelled. We’d only been homebound a few days, but that was enough to remind me that I must get outside and get moving if I am to maintain anything close to a sunny disposition. So I headed out for a park with paved trails to avoid the mud. But I drove slowly on the way, keeping my eye open for anything that might enchant me. Just a day before, two swans had trumpeted as they flew right over me – surely an invitation to follow them!

swan across field

A dot of white at the edge of a pond far across a field of corn stubble caught my eye and insisted I pull over. I hoped whoever owned the field wouldn’t mind as I trekked through the mud I’d thought to avoid. (Footnote- we are now friends!)  

swan and goose

The pictures I got were well worth the muddy boots. The swan was so busy preening and shaking her feathers that she didn’t seem to notice me.

geese in love

She put on such a show that I almost missed a loving moment between geese a few yards from her. I’m always thrilled to capture one of those!

swans resting

When I arrived at the park, Oh, my goodness! Swans! There must have been fifty. A resting spot on their migration. What a sight.

swans, geese, ducks

Lots of chatting with geese and ducks. What stories were told?

eagle

Above them, an eagle circled over her nest high in a tree. As Mom used to say, early spring may be gray, but you can see so much more before the leaves come out.

tree over water

I sat on a tree over open water – a perfect place to reflect. Summer really is coming!

swan feather

When the clouds thickened over the setting sun and the wind picked up, I started back toward the parking lot, but was stopped by a feather. Was it from a swan, or Mom?

Back in my car, classical music poured out to lift my spirits even higher as I came upon pastoral scenes.

horse and cow

Fuzzy friends nibbled on the first spring greens.

syruping

Elderly maples donated their sweet sap.

sleepy fields

Sleepy fields lay ready to spring to life.

I felt . . . exhilaration. I really hadn’t felt deprived of anything at home, but there was so much more out here – open space, crisp air, critters, and freedom. Places to stretch my legs, eyes, and mind.

swan hanging head

We can close our eyes and hang our heads. Or . . .

swan preens

We can preen some of those corners we’ve been meaning to get to, and . . .

swan spreads wings

find new ways and places to spread our wings.