DOKO PARK
6:15 AM, June 28:
The town park is a great place to begin the day! First, Mike the Dog and I enjoy the morning fresh air, the birds singing, and the beautiful sunrise. Secondly, there are always several groups of women out for their daily exercise walks and he loves the attention as all of them greet him as we pass. None know who I am, so Mike gets the greetings and pats on his head. He is my official Chick Magnet.
The resident Canada goose couple have three goslings that are almost ready to fly, Mockingbirds have nests in several places, the small Killdeer are out in increasing numbers, and three new little brown rabbits have been out in the open near the boardwalk for the last few mornings.
the Doko Manor, in Doko Park
Mike is a little slow because the warmer air makes his breathing more labored, and also because he needs to stop and sniff out his favorite spots for retrieving pee-mail left by other dogs. It surprising how many replies he can leave at the different message boards. I think he does full blogs at his special place!
Friend Rick showed up at 6:20, parked his truck near the Manor, and began to turn on lights and prepare the building for a meeting of some sort. Businesses rent the building for meetings and people rent it for weddings, parties, anniversaries and gatherings of all sorts. It can be a busy place in the middle of the day. At least the mornings are serene and feel like country.
There are no politics, world problems, social discontent, or financial strata: just people enjoying the morning; people who stop and chat without knowing anything of the other's background or political views because they are out of place here. By unstated mutual consent, the park is neutral territory because that is what we are most comfortable with.
Besides, we prefer the serenity afforded by being away from the frenzied life in a city.
The photo is mine.
About Me:
My Writing:
- Losing Shirley
- Jules, Freddie and the Monkey Man
- The Foot
- Beans
- Timeline
- The Time Tree
- The Little Lake Without a Name I
- The Little Lake Without a Name II
- Dog Friends - Inza
- Philonous, Where Are You?
Quite the menagerie of birds and other animals along your morning stroll. Very peaceful, too. A time to gather one's thoughts before the day begins. A time to reflect, reminisce and rejuvenate. I wasn't aware you were in need of a chick magnet, but I guess it's good to have one, just in case. :)
Wouldn't be nice if we could all just come together and talk without pretense or preoccupation of politics or philosophies. Just talk about life and other topics that hold meaning. Breathe in, breathe out. :)
I look forward to the walk with Mike every morning. It is so peaceful before sunrise when the birds are singing and there are no distracting manmade sounds. I focus on the sounds, smells, and colors of the new day and almost always forget the negatives in life. After reading the finance-related news with my morning tea, I need the break from manmade mayhem.
Mike is the one who benefits from being the chick magnet. They all say, "Hey, Mike" an give him a brief pet as they pass. They don't know my name, and that's okay; already too many distractions in my life...like spending most of the day after the walk patching a large hole in the asphalt driveway left from a recent pipe replacement (20, 50 pound bags of asphalt), and then power washing the tractor.
Hmmm...Mike actually is more of a "chick shield" since he intercepts the attention and all I do is hold the far end of the leash.
lol! I learned 2 new terms from this post: pee-mail and chick-shield!
very good sir, I love that morning walk routine with Mike. May it continue as long as you live there. I really like Mike's name for a dog, ours is Jack.
what kind is Mike?
Mike is a Springer spaniel and Cocker spaniel mix. He's as sweet as a dog can get and has been my buddy for 11 years. Photo on my introduction page. Almost all our dogs have had people names because I think of them that way. I'm tell him you asked about him.
lol thank you sir..yes dogs are so special and they all have such distinct personalities. may you and Mike have many more years together!
Awesome man. Slow breathing or not I know he loves you for the outing and the female attention which is never a bad thing for any of us. Love the photo, bring the manor to life nicely
Yes, I think this is Mike's favorite time of day: the air is still cool, the ground is moist and aromatic, people pet him and he does like that, and it is routine so he knows what to expect. We both are creatures of habit and every day is a reward for us both. I try to not think about it not lasting for always. In person years, he is a hundred now....
So he is still a spring chicken at heart because of the life you give him, bless you man. They really are so much nicer than most people
Maybe not as "springy" as before. At 6:15 this morning, the temperature was a bit warm at 77F (25C) and Mike was panting harder as soon as we began walking. We took it slow and he sniffed and watched the geese and squirrels. He looks as if he is present in, and aware of, every single moment.
He has an aura of peace and contentment and I know of no one who has that calming effect on me.
It's really is awesome having such a companion. They don't give you anything but unconditional love and loyalty. You can't buy that