The Pleasures of Strolling

If you are as old as I am...and if you couldn't Power Walk if your life depended upon it (even going downhill)...then it's time for a daily stroll. Keep your eyes open for those small surprises that make a city far superior to any gated suburb for walking.

City neighborhoods have usually been around for a while, have aged pleasantly and show their eras' and their residents' individuality. F'rinstance, I walked maybe a half mile out and back today; here are just a few of the items I found:

A classic flamingo pair...

A collectible diesel truck

A face on a tree trunk

A teacup and saucer sitting on a pole

Oh, yes, I also saw a pair of bluebirds up in an Emery oak, eating the berries of the mistletoe that is gradually strangling the life "blood" of the tree. I don't often see bluebirds -- once in awhile near a creek. Try the Park
Ave. crossing of Aspen Creek near Copper Basin Rd.

The first time my daughter, thoroughly adult and raised in the big city, saw a Western bluebird, she was amazed. "I always thought that bluebirds were something you only read about in fairy tales."

A fine walk -- as always.