Ross Natural Area
I try to walk my dog every
day, unless it’s too cold (chilly paws) or too rainy (wet dog smell). It’s good
for both of us, but I also do it because if I don’t, she’ll keep a close eye on
me, wagging her tail against the floor every time I walk by. It’s like my own
non-sinister version of Poe’s The Telltale Heart. Thump, thump, thump.
We usually head out the
front door, but yesterday I decided to take her with me in the car so we could
check off another name on my 20th Anniversary Natural Areas
Passport. Purchased in 1978, the Ross Natural Area is small, tucked between
Rolland Moore Park and the Spring Creek Trail. The creek itself meanders
through, as do paved and gravel walking paths. Parking is close by, Ross is
wheelchair accessible, and off-trail exploration is allowed. I’m sure the
residents in the nearby neighborhood visit this area often, and avail
themselves of the benches when the weather is nicer.
Monday’s late snow covered
any emerging traces of spring, but I saw a couple of pairs of mallards, one paddling and
one on the wing, doing whatever they do to keep busy on a cold morning in
March. Because of the biting wind, the dog and I didn’t take a long walk. But it
must have been enough, because she didn’t thump her tail at me for the rest of
the day.
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