Mom's Visit

   I finally posted a few photos from Mom's visit (okay, and some bragging about all the work she did to help me while she was here!!!). To see all posts, go to the "blog archive" pulldown menu on the right, select 3/11-3/18, and then 3/18-3/25, or...

Saturday

Sunday
Kit's visit

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday & Saturday

Antioch Park Sunset

   I took the dogs up to Antioch Park tonight, to take advantage of the incredible weather and to enjoy the blossoming trees before they give way... to the NINETY-degree temperatures coming on Monday! (What planet are we on, exactly? And just how unbearable is summer going to be, if March and April are tropical?)

charming dogwood

   A maintenance worker, still wearing all his gear, and his daughter stopped me soon after we began our walk. They recognized Shibas because they have their own red sesame at home, a 7-year-old male. They got all googly over my dogs and told me the story of how strongly their dog's drive to escape is. He jumped out of the window of a car moving at 70 mph on the highway—and survived! He blasted out one of his hips and it required intense surgery, but he got to keep his leg. And THAT is why my dogs aren't allowed to hang their heads out of my car windows.

the buds were extra intense in the late sunshine

commingling white- and redbuds

floral fireworks!

   Tons of people had the same idea, and while we made our way around and around the park, on every trail and around every lake—twice—we met many children who were delighted by the dogs. One adorable little girl shrieked, "I LOVE YOUR DOGS!" as we walkey past. Gregarious Taylor is always beloved, but even Aki was all warm and fuzzy. She approached kids and sat with them, allowing them to stroke her fur. Usually she lowers her head as the children approached her, as always, too quickly for her tastes, and with little hands overhead, which makes her recoil. She didn't tonight! Progress? Or just a good mood?
   While we stood and talked to a sweet and chatty little boy and listened to a man playing a flute and loaning his mandolin to a little girl who wanted to try. The boy told me about the dogs he used to have, a husky mix named Smokey and a chihuahua. But he said my dogs were the best. Suddenly, my eye caught something. We were right on the north side of the lake, and a cement drain was just below the embankment. It had just a trickle of water in it, but as I glanced down I saw a small creature shuffling along it. At first it looked like a tiny beaver (about the size of a small rabbit), but when I saw the tail I knew it was a muskrat. Although, I'm not certain how I knew that, as I had never seen one before.

Image source

   The boy and I watched it. It appeared wobbly and clumsy, and just before it traveled out of view, it stumbled and fell, got up and continued. Not a good sign. I stopped by the park office to report it, fearing that it might have rabies or distemper. They were closed, so I'll call tomorrow. Poor little guy. I'm afraid reporting it will be a death sentence if he's spotted again, but it would be kinder than suffering through an awful disease, and may protect other animals and people.

This appeared in the KC Star two days later!

   It was very sad, but I have to say that the sunset over the lake was enough to brighten my mood again. This path led right up to the lake, glowing like golden fire.

and the show got even better and better!

Autumn on Antioch

Dogs + Dogwoods

   I continued my Easter tradition this year: wake up early, drink coffee and read the paper as the sun rises, then take the dogs for a walk in Antioch Park. The park is beautiful in Spring, and though the cherry blossoms and magnolias have gone, the dogwoods are at their peak.

I had never noticed this memorial stone, just under the white dogwood in the arboretum.  (Until recent months, it's been under snow!) There's  a park named after Stoll South of here. I tried to research him online but couldn't find him. Only sites about the park turn up.

   And on the way home, I couldn't resist stopping at Panera to get a couple of treats. (Hey, it's a holiday and they were open! It was a sign.) Chocolate pastry & my favoritest food in the world, baked egg souffle with cheese, spinach and bacon!

   I stopped at the grocery store, too, to get the ingredients for homemade pizza, which I think is going to be my Easter dinner. Can't wait. Off to get a bunch of yardwork done, including filling in and seeding the swimming pool Aki has been digging in the backyard... have a great holiday!

   P.S. Speaking of Shibas, David sent this new photo of Swifty giving Scooter a kiss!

Spring Flowers

   This weekend I took the chance to get out with my camera and capture the season. Here are some of my favorite trees in my neighborhood: