Good evening, as April draws to a frigid end here. The good news is it is still daylight at 8 PM despite dense cloud cover and spitting cold rain. Colder and windier than usual? Or just the way ''spring'' is here? I can't even remember, at this point. Mo and I of course must have our three or four daily walks. [We interact with no one.]
Pugs are lazy, snuggly creatures who will sleep 23 1/2 hours out of 24 if allowed. [The other half hour is spent eating or begging.]
So put on your masks, along with your winter layers, especially hat, gloves scarves [wool socks, legwarmers, and windpants], and keeping a mandated six foot spacing---come walk with us. The fresh air is always good, if you don't mind blue fingers and toes.
Many people have been tidying up their clamshell curbs and Mo inspects every single one.
The beach lane is especially dreary in the rain.
I do love dandelions, little sunshines in the grass.
Deeepest blue grape hyacinths, only the tiny bells are pretty.
One of my favorite trees, a very old pink crabapple. This area was first built up in the 1960s; I always imagine that this tree is maybe original, and now 60 years old.
The trunk is so thick and wide, the bark so interesting with its many colors and textures.
Far above on now removed branches, the frills of candy pink bloom, along with the bright red unfurling leaves.
One day we traveled all the way to the koi pond.
I was so pleased to see many of the koi were ''back''--had they been removed for the winter? Or do they shelter under the broad slate now set in the bottom of the pool? It seems the stone is raised and is quite large- 2 1/2' x 3 1/2' ?---and they did disappear and reappear as we watched. Many of the carp are quite large and I suppose, like the tree, quite old. I count 11 or 12 in the photos; there are usually 14, including two or three goldfish sized ones.
The pond was rebuilt last year, and is now quite glamorous, with two lighted elaborate waterfalls that interest the koi not at all.
Nearby we saw the feral kitties, Tuxie, Stripey and Newbie---on this doorstep. Photo blurry because they were far away.
I was surprised to see them there as the owner is quite belligerent and has yelled at me and Mo a number of times, for being there and walking by to see the koi. [Not his koi, either!] He must have a good heart and must feed the somewhat chubby, well-satisfied wild cats.
On a doorstep, pansies and sweet faux Goose, all in pink.
And this kills me, this gorgeous large and valuable stoneware crock that these folks leave out in their garden. Yes, you have seen it before, for years! They never take it inside.
One oddly sad aspect of the virus quarantine is that I can no longer pick up items of interest as we walk.
A nut for my ''odd circles'' collection:
It has been there for three weeks now, is it safe to pick it up?
A penny for my found money jar. It would have made my total 71 cents this year so far.
I also passed up a cute tiny Japanese electronic key-ring toy, I want to say Tamagotchi?, about 1 1/2" oval. It ticked and whirred as I toed it but I had to leave it. I hope the child who lost it came back.
Then home again, home again, jiggety-jig!
Have a good week. Please send me your out and about pics for next week's readers' Out and About. It's fine to take the pics from your back steps or bedroom window.
love
lizzy
gone to the beach....
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