It was a restless night — usually I am very sound sleeper, but emotionally I’m a little fraught so I kept waking up from unpleasant dreams. Brains are so difficult, y’all. *sigh*
You know what happened: I finally fell into a sound sleep not long before my first alarm went off. In the end, I kept turning alarms off until it was 7 am and I was rolling out of bed in an unhappy rush. The upshot? Dawn over the cottages!
Keely was also in a contrary mood, so went the opposite way around the pond than we usually do. I think she was tracking another dog, perhaps, given the way she zig-zaged over the ground like a bloodhound on the scent. Since it was cool and breezy out, I was happy to follow along at a leisurely pace. There was a new batch of Canada geese goslings paddling around, well protected by mom and dad on their flanks, and flocks of ducks sitting without a care in the world on the sidewalk.
Interestingly I have not noticed any affect on the park from a reduction in people using it. Just as much trash strewn around as usual, although I suppose the trash bins do not fill up as full as they normally do. The grounds are kept trim and clean to the expected standards. Even in normal times, short of a large event, there is hardly much to mark the presence of humans impact other than a bit of trash here this early in the morning anyway. More birds, perhaps, chirping in the trees? Maybe.
But the early morning visitors are consistent in numbers, I find: three to five of us, circling around and around, making no headway but always on course for somewhere.
Except Keely, who I think would be happy circling the pond for numerous times, if I let her, especially in nice weather. Ah, to be a dog!