A Breath of Fresh Air

The little things...

​There I was, first Saturday of the holiday season, "resting". Normally, I would be decorating with glee. When my sweetheart suggested that we pick up some hamburgers and eat at a nearby park, I was thrilled.

For one thing, I love hamburgers. Well, more precisely, I love the french fries that often accompany hamburgers. Of course, my favorite are hand-cut fries of the fresh, not frozen variety. But as a connoisseur (wink, wink), I also find most fast-food establishments' fries perfectly acceptable.

But more than burgers and even more than fries, I love parks. The one where we took our lunch is ordinary in the extreme. There's a stocked pond that succeeds in attracting waterfowl and a little hill that was probably created from the soil excavated for the pond. A gazebo sits on the top of the hill, overlooking the pond and water fountain. A path/exercise trail follows along the perimeter, passing playground equipment and open areas to play ball.

And I love it. A little bit of nature is certainly better than none at all. I like the grasses at the water's edge; they surely provide habitat. I love the trees -- both the few, deliberately planted ones and the scrubby brush beyond. And I appreciate the community feel of the space.

We sat in our car, windows down, laps covered in napkins, and enjoyed our fast-food lunch while watching people and birds. The weather was cool and breezy and a bit overcast. But the sun kept peeking out, breaking the grey. What more could I ask for? But when an egret landed at the water's edge, I did ask for something more. Please, a photo? And so Joseph walked stealthily down towards the water's edge and snapped a few for me.

"You'll be surprised," he said when he handed my phone back to me.

And I was.