Golden Gardens Park

I know it sounds like a Chinese restaurant but really it is a park. It is one of my favorite parks maybe because it was close to the office where I worked and I would often go after work to sit in my car and look at the water. I would sit in my car because even in the summer it is cold here. It was there that I sat and talked with God about my life as a single and wondered about that guy in Asia. He did come home and propose and we got married but I will save that story for another day.

Anyway that same guy that had been in Asia had a meeting with a Chinese church across the lake so we all tagged along. I took the kids to the park.

As we walked to the water we saw a Great Blue Heron just standing still in the water.

It was amazing to watch him just standing there. I wish I had my good camera. After a few minutes he flew a bit further down on the beach. Later we saw him enjoying his lunch. I think he knows that to get lunch it requires patience.

J enjoyed walking around and seeing what he could find.

After the visit to the beach during low tide, J has learned that to find things you might need to turn over some rocks. He did that and found a crab.

A little crab ran past Miss K's feet and startled her a bit. J also found a starfish. I had a challenge getting a good photo. Miss K didn't really like all the rocks and with all the seaweed you did have to be careful. I was holding her hand, balancing myself and trying to take a picture.

I did think some of the rocks were pretty with the shells and barnacles. We came home with a few shells. J did find some shells that had things living in them and so we allowed them to continue living in their natural habitat. We saw a small eel under one of the rocks.

Miss K got a bit brave and did touch some things. She squatted which is her normal stance and touched and looked.

I have thought that we don't take that many nature walks. Maybe we do take more than I think we take. It really was a fun time. It is fun to see the kids touch things and explore the world around them.

I have to say I was amazed at the size of the Great Blue Heron. Maybe that is why Great is part of his name.

There was a playground there as well. A very nice one for that fact as it looked like most of the equipment was new and so the kids played there a bit. The climbing area looked like it should be in the cage with the monkeys. J was like a monkey and climbed all over it. He claims that he needs to be barefoot to climb. Miss K tried and did a little bit but got scared.

This really was a fun park and we enjoyed our time while dad was in a meeting.


Beth