A GUEST POST BY RITA SYKES
Spending a Spring day in the park is so rejuvenating with its promise of abundance. The forest is alive with small residents and flowering woodland that have withstood the darkness and frugality of winter. The cycle begins anew.
Angie would strain against her leash, anxious to be free to chase the little creatures, chipmunks and squirrels, scurrying about, now and then a deer would surprise us as it came bounding across the path a few yards in front of us and disappear in the forest.
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The trees are erupting into varying shades of green. The Hollies are shedding their old leaves as new ones appear giving the trees a fresh shiny new look adorned with clusters of tiny white flowers some tinged with pink.
The sun so bright and warm, beams down through the scantily clad trees and greets the new sprouts peeking up randomly through the rich soil seeking the sunlight.
The ground is covered in a fresh green carpet woven with pink Spring Beauty, White Star-of Bethlehem and Red Clover. The air is fresh, filled with the earthiness of the damp park floor.
The dogwoods swollen with buds are ready to show off their blossoms, there are hints of yellow from a random Forsythia bush revealing its presence.
The creek is rushing through and over rocks as Angie and I go to her favorite beach. She approaches cautiously, sniffing about ensuring that it’s safe to continue she eases into the shallow edge for a drink. After a pause, we continue our walk, listening to the birds calling, announcing their arrival and readiness for a mate.
Among this cacophony I see cardinals, blue jays, robins and of course sparrows, all eagerly seeking a mate. If we’re lucky we’ll see a family of wild geese, a mother and her fledglings, swimming gracefully in the creek. When that happens, even Angie becomes still as she watches them float by seemingly without effort.
Sometimes Angie would join me when I sat on a log listening to the sounds, inhaling the aroma of the awakening earth while experiencing the splendor of the park in the spring.
How I enjoyed those walks of nearly a year ago! I miss her. Angie passed away on May 11, 2019 at 13 years old.
Cynthia Reyes 