Walking is a good way to achieve health, so they say. Thus my current attempt at being healthy has been to do a walk pretty much everyday. I would like to say I am doing it for my health- it sounds like such a lofty focused goal. But if the truth be told, my walking is really just about seeing all the critters I can (and taking pictures of course!)
My route is usually near Veeh Ranch Park in Laguna Hills. There I have discovered a lovely sidewalk-filled greenbelt area located along Mill Creek. If you follow the stream bed you end up with a view of beautiful mostly undeveloped hills, that roll all the way to Laguna Beach. Cars constantly speed by on nearby busy Santa Vittoria. Yet mere steps away, the area is chock full of wildlife. You just have to take the time to slow down and look.
Mostly there are many birds. Hawks soar, and usually battle daily with the local flock of crows. The crows dislike hawks in their territory (especially when it is the time for baby crows). I have been surprised to see turkey vultures in the trees sometimes. They like to spread their wings out for a little sunbath, and are easy to spot with their distinct red head. Pretty snowy white egrets often perch on the nearby condo roofs to survey their domain. Then they gracefully swoop down to fish in the stream. As pretty as the egrets are, they have the ugliest bright yellow feet. They use them much like a fisherman’s lure to shuffle along the muddy creek, and attract fish with the yellow- then snap them up. There are often mallard ducks and Canada geese in the creek, that pair off in springtime. Then I enjoy glimpsing lines of fuzzy baby ducks swimming along behind mom.
Sometimes I just see tracks. On a certain sidewalk, where the sprinklers always wash shallow layers of mud, there are bobcat tracks. At least I think they are bobcat tracks. They are distinctly feline, bigger than a house cat, with no nails in the imprint, unlike canine dog or coyote tracks. I think a bobcat must regularly stalk the neighborhood in the quiet dark of night.
I’ve seen some pretty big turtles in that creek too. Though I cannot get too close, there is one big guy I spot regularly that is as big around as a dinner plate. That creek water looks pretty murky to me, but it must chock-full of whatever turtles eat (bugs, fish, plants?)
My biggest surprise was the day on my walk when I discovered a literal snake in the grass- I almost stepped on it! The cold-blooded reptile was basking in the warm sun. After checking online, I found it to be a Pacific gopher snake. If you do not like too many mice or lizards, you should be very fond of gopher snakes, because that is what they feed on.
So my exercise walks are really just nature walks in disguise. I may or may not be getting any healthier, but I am certainly having fun while walking. Like in Psalm 121, I get to daily “lift up my eyes to the hills…”. Those hills give me a daily reminder of the beauty of creation, and of the Maker of heaven and earth who has been my help through the years. The exercise part is a distant second to that.
