Signing Woman called me this morning to say, “Want to go for a walk before the rainy weather arrives?” She lives nearby, and her dog Border Collie gives us a great excuse to get outside for some fresh air all year around.
Twenty minutes later, we were walking around Pretty Colour Lakes. Signing Woman is a naturalist who holds the leash in one hand and binoculars in the other, and is always saying, “Did you hear that?” I am terrible at identifying birds by their calls, unless it’s something really obvious like a blue jay, so I’m not sure why she even bothers to ask me, but I always nod like I know what she’s talking about. Then while she’s staring at a bird or slowing down to look at scat, I spend my time taking photos.
The park was filled with local folks, many sitting by themselves, deep in thought. Really, it was a bit like being at a silent retreat. After a winter of being crowded into homes and buildings, jammed in with their families and coworkers, people appreciate the freedom that warm weather brings: the chance to sit by a lake and think.
