Last Friday dawned with a beautiful forecast. Mostly sunny with an expected high of 78F. The only down side to the forecast was it was going to be quite breezy if not windy. In short it was to be an awesome day after some blah ones. Diane called me mid-morning asking what was up to for the day. I told her I had been putting off doing laundry for the past few days and should be doing that. She said she had the same problem but suggested we needed to get out as it was going to be too nice a day to waste on doing laundry. I quickly agreed and suggested I pack my picnic backpack as I had a possible destination in mind. I quickly packed what I had of our usual picnic fare: fancy crackers, a couple kinds of cheese and some cheese spread and soda. Put some clothes on, (of course I was naked), Why get dressed till just before one had to go out the door. Picked up Diane and we were off to this lovely county park we have been to before. We took a few back roads on the way but decided we needed to stop to pick up some grapes and summer sausage for our picnic. Then continued on to the park off off of Hwy 14 between Cambridge and Fort Atkinson. I believe its name is Dorothy Carnes County Park and it surrounds Rose Lake.
This is a picture of the shelter next to the parking lot. Diane and I have sat in it and done some drawing or picnicking before. There is a nice paved path from there that leads to the lake. Perfect for those who need a more stable surface for a walker or such.
Here is a shot of the approach to the viewing deck with Diane sitting in one of the several benches there that allow one to just enjoy the view. It is quite large, is wheelchair and walker friendly and also had a pair of picnic tables for the hungry to use. I took it on the way back from the car and getting our picnic pack. That deck is a delight as besides the view of the lake and its surrounding woods it is a great place for bird watching. We saw several different waterfowl on the lake and the trees had birds flitting all about. The deck railing also has several places to put birdseed out. In fact just before the deck there is what looks like a Little Library on a post where bird seed is available as well as a pair of binoculars for use while there. That day on the way in we met a guy with a camera tripod and case just leaving.
These next two pictures are views over the lake. Unfortunately they failed to pick out the the two or three kinds of waterfowl cruising over the water. They also fail to show just how clear the water was an how one could see the bottom in the near shallows.
This pic gives but a glimpse the true color. The tannish color was actually more yellow green to the eye and is where you could see the bottom.
Diane wanted to get a picture of me in my color coordinated outfit. It is hard to tell but my hat band was also purple. It was my first time wearing shorts this year. It might have made a good future HNW picture but the breeze was a tad too cool to take my shirt off and it was definitely too public to take off my shorts.
Here is a too hasty picture of part of our picnic feast. Diane took a lovely still life of it with her camera but I could not use it. Seems her phone was not using the JPG photo format.
We had a lovely day there. Sat snuggled together enjoying watching the birds come to the feeders, the breeze over the water and the sun on our faces. I believe we were there having the picnic and just being while we took Nature in for over two hours before we took a leisurely walk on one of the wider more civilized paths. Saw a lot of birds up close and tried to get some pictures with both our cheap cameras and our phones. To our disappointment none were very good. We did see a Bald Eagle sweep low over the lake, saw and heard a lot of Red-winged Blackbirds, Finches, Flickers, Nuthatches, Doves and even what I took to be a large woodpecker, greyish with a red crest. It was a lovely day and place to just enjoy and let yourself relax. Indeed, we were much more relaxed when we left than when we arrived.
When we finally did leave we took a back road or two to Watertown so we could have ice cream and a delightful place called Mullens. We have been there several times before and keep coming back because they make the ice cream there and it is very, very good. We both had a two scoop, different flavors, hot fudge sundae. A great way to pause before heading back toward home on rustic back roads.
Well, I need to clean myself up and get a few other things done as I will be picking Diane up at 1:00 to take a ramble to Aztalan State Park. It is a site of 12th century Native American Culture. It has several earth pyramid burial or temple mounds that were originally inside a large palisade. She likes t visit there on the Equinoxes and Solstices to Call the Directions. It is a meditative practice she has done for years. I do not really understand it but it is important to her. She had to stop going there for a while as it is a sparsely visited park and with her balance issues and the uneven trails she felt it was not safe to go alone. I am so happy I can take her there now. We shall not be picnicking there today. While it will be a beautiful looking sunny day the the temperature is not expected to break out of the 30s and there is a stiff breeze.
I hope you all have an enjoyable Equinox and find some sensual ways to celebrate this first day of Spring. Also may your Spring be a gentle one you may enjoy with someone special.
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7 comments
What a lovely day
It was an outstanding day made all the better by being with Diane and where we were.
HNW Hugs!
The park and lake are lovely. I love having a location to myself. Sitting and relaxing together is the best
I hope Diane had a good, successful Call. Her practices intrigue me
Hugs!!!
It is a lovely park and it is made to be very accessible to people who have trouble with rough trails etc.. A couple of times others came onto the deck but did not stay long. I know there were several people out walking the trails too but for most of the time it was just us two. Soaking up the sun, the water, the breeze, with the sound and sight of the birds flitting about was incredibly relaxing. I suspect you get some of that effect by your pond.
Yesterday was mostly sunny but cold with snow still showing in shadowed places and a stiff breeze blowing. Fortunately, the bit of slope we walked down cut the wind's effect some. Diane said she had a very good response to her Calling. As soon as we got back to my car she, as usual, noted down what she was shown. I took some pictures of the place. Will try to do a post on that trip and explain a bit more about her Calling. I admit I do not understand it very well.
Sending you big joyful hugs.
Sounds like a wonderful time. You said that it was too public to take off your shorts...it looked like you were the only ones there! How fabulous to spend time with so few people around.
And I think you look good in purple...
It was a wonderful and very relaxing time. We had originally planned to go on to Aztalan Park and picnic there but Diane said it was just too nice relaxing where we were so we just moved from a bench to a table for our picnic.
For most of the time there were no others on the deck with us but there were people out on the trails. One could never tell when someone would be showing up or just be in ogling distance. While I may not have been upset to be caught with my pants off (Provided the viewers didn't mind,); Diane would have been. That I was not wearing even a thong under those shorts would not have helped. I may have had on of my purple G-strings in my pocket just in case. Still I would loved to have had a picture without and with.
Thank you for saying I look good in purple. I think so too and Diane loves purple.
Sending you big smiling naked hugs and I do hope your Spring is a very good one.
Great pics.
It looks (and sounds) like a fabulous way to celebrate a beautiful Spring Day with someone special. 🌺
It was a fabulous day just made for letting oneself relax. We were both surprised at just how relaxed we felt on the way home. It would have been a good day to do that sort of thing solo but doing it with a special someone made it fabulous.
Hope you had a great first day of Spring and may the whole season be very good to you.
The laundry can wait. Picnics are far more fun, as you've demonstrated. Laundry is never fun.
On a day like that one was laundry surely could wait. I did finally get my laundry done on Tuesday the 12th. You are so right that Laundry is never fun.