• tab As I think about walking through a familiar place, I wonder what natural settings and sheer wonders of natural beauty that I will encounter this time in the area that I am walking through.
    tab I generally talke a daily "walk around the mile long block" in and around my small town of Leland, Iowa. From my home to the first street that I encounter is approximately 1/4 mile. This stretch of road is gravel and there are only two homes that I pass on this stretch. Most of it is wildlife and wooded areas, with a small, meandering stream, which is actually part of the Winnebago River, winds it's way throughout. This is a very vital part of the landscape because in the Spring most of the animals rely on it to care for their young. And even give birth to their young in the marshes nearby. When I take my walks, I always make sure that I have my digital or at least my 35mm camera with me becuase I never know what interesting or beautiful sights that I may run across in my venture at a particular time of day, season or weather conditions. They all play a big factor as to what may cross my path each time.
    tab The second quarter mile stretch is through town, and there's not usually a lot going on. There may be some children outside playing or a garden growing, but not much else. The third quarter mile is going back to the North, back out of town, and back to the woods. This stretch is also located on US highway 69 which runs Norh and South through the center of town, and through most of the United States from top to bottom. More than once as I'm walking, I have seen deer crossing one after the other and cars squealing and screeching their brakes to avoid hitting one of them.
    tab The last quarter of this jaunt, is what I call the homestretch. I usually stop and sit on the small, short concrete bridge that crosses the river, for a couple of minutes just watching all around to see if there is any movement that I can spot. Last summer the river level had dropped so bad that it was more of a stream than what I would call a river. As I sat there watching, a mother deer emerged from the grassy, and wooded area with a set of twin fawns, guiding them down to the river to get a drink. They would stand on a sandbar and drink from the rippling, shallow water as it passed over the pebbles and rocks that have accumulated over time. We saw her there just about every evening for about a month.
    tab When the spring thaw arrives, it brings animals out of their winter hiding places. They may have either been in hibernation or may have begun coming out of their holes and caverns that may or may not have been flooded from the melting snow and early rains. I have seen numerous deer during this time either standing in the road or out in the fields grazing on the newly sprouting lush green grass. Springtime is a wonderful time to see this as the fawns are being born. As they get a little older, the mothers bring them out of hiding more often so that they too may begin exploring the big, wide world that they are now a part of. It is such a peaceful and serene sight to be able to see a mother deer caring for her baby, knowing that you are standing nearby observing them. Somehow they innately know that you are not going to hurt them therefore, they are not bothered by your presence.
    tab The trees are also starting to come to life after a long winter's nap. Flowers are beginning to bloom and everything is turning from a dull and dirty winter brown to a beautiful and lush Emerald Green. The flowers that I see are as varied in color as the colors of the rainbow! There are some that are Pumpkin Orange, some smaller round ones that are Sunshine Yellow. There right by our mailbox in the East ditch, are some Baby Pink miniature roses that are our state flower here in Iowa, and there are Snow White wild daisies too. There are some little tiny White flowers that are in clusters on each branch with a small dot of Purple in the very center of each cluster. Some are a dark Blue and have very pointy petals that are in clusters of six or so, on long stems with skinny, long, dark green leaves too.
    tab Seeing these things is why I take the walks on a daily basis, not just for the excercise, but to enjoy the ever changing beauty of nature and the wonderful things that God has created each and every day for our eyes to behold.