Some of you will no doubt recall a post some time ago (here) when a charming little girl in a pink hat captivated me, and I suspect many others out for a walk in the park that day.
Her name is Sasha.
Who could not be taken in by that impish smile? I arranged with her mom, Megha, to take her for a walk along the Mill Race to hand feed a chickadee or two.
Sasha brought along her friend, Idhikaa, to join in the fun.
And so, one evening, we set off to see some birds and coax the chickadees to get to know Sasha. Unbelievably, I don't think I have ever had a slower evening of birding in this location, and despite our best efforts and a copious supply of sunflower seed, we barely heard or saw a chickadee, let alone fed one.
We had a great time together, however, and Sasha seemed quite happy to load up each chipmunk hole with seed; the chipmunks certainly benefitted from the lack of birds.
Idhikaa was a delightful companion and we were very happy that Megha had brought her along.
There were trees to climb and the girls needed no encouragement to test their skills.
Took me right back to my own childhood!
Yellow Iris (Iris pseudacorus) nodded in the background.
This flower is in the genus Anemonastratum but I am not sure of the exact species.
A Philadelphia Fleabane (Erigeron philadelphicus) seemed reluctant to open up.
What secrets lurk inside this old stump, we wondered?
This is a female damselfly (suborder Zygoptera), perhaps waiting for a suitor to come along.
It is always a pleasure to see Red Clover (Trifolium pratense).
Water droplets on leaves are scintillating.
This handsome little fellow is a Green Immigrant Leaf Weevil (Polydrusus formosus).
Broadleaf Arrowhead (Sagittaria latifola) is a signature plant along the Mill Race.
Water Forget-Me-Not (Myosotis scorpioides) is found alongside the water's edge.
Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus) was an object of delight for the girls.
It wasn't always easy to find a flat stone to skim on the water, but it's fun to throw a stone and watch the ripples anyway.
Dusk was descending as we meandered back to our cars.
We hadn't been able to feed a chickadee but we'd had a very enjoyable time together anyway. Let's do it again soon!
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...talk about a million dollar smile.
ReplyDeleteYep. Sunny personality, too.
DeleteThe girl in the pink hat looks lovely, David. What a beautiful smile!
ReplyDeleteHugs and kisses, Marit
How very delightful! The girls will always remember that walk, and perhaps you've sown a seed that will sprout into at least, a nature lover, perhaps a scientist or biologist.
ReplyDeleteThat would be wonderful. At the very least they will have an appreciation of nature.
DeleteSuch a sweet and beautiful gal! These days kids spend so much time online, so it's really cool that young generation wants to learn more about the nature.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more. Good parents are key, too.
DeleteLovely face expressions of the girl. Great to see she and her mom were enjoying that beautiful natural environment. I like that path through grees trees and the Eastern Chipmunk.
ReplyDeleteJoy in a smiling face !
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures !
Anna
I remember that little girl. Lovely smile and the plants are lovely to see too.
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing like sharing the joy of nature with a child. We will be feeding the birds with our grandson this afternoon. Such fun!
ReplyDeleteGreat outing David with these two girls. I am sure next time the birds will not let you down.
ReplyDeleteWarm regards,
Roos
Wonderful photos David. And those smiles! Melted my heart. I am sure you planted a seed there with your love of nature.
ReplyDeleteXO
WWW
I think the seed may have already been planted, but perhaps I watered it a little!
DeleteBeautiful photos, David. Both nature and people. She is a delightful 😊 girl and has a beautiful and infectious smile.
ReplyDeleteLooks like the girls had a fine time even sans chickadees.
ReplyDeleteTiene una encantadora sonrisa, muy parecida a la que tiene su madre.
ReplyDeleteSaludos.
Con seguridad.
DeleteHari OM
ReplyDeleteSpending time with the young is a restorative thing for we of longer years - and I'm sure they appreciated the day every bit as much! YAM xx
What a happy little girl and great she and the others are so interested in nature. You can teach them a lot and hopefully they can pass it on too :-D
ReplyDeleteMy dad was so good at skimming stones, I really couldn't do it and still can't! He would take me out into nature and we'd walk in the forest and explore. I miss those days but so grateful for that time spent with him. <3
My daughter and I spent countless hours together when she was little.
DeleteAww a lovely post.
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful smiles :)
All the best Jan