Time Out

The idyllic weather this week has cleared my mind of all important thoughts. I will lecture myself harshly and resume reporting on matters of import in the Queen City as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, I had a chance to see things through the eyes of a young person yesterday on a nature walk along the Cedar Brook. We found a spiny beechnut, a black walnut in its green, spongy outer casing, a small frog swimming in the brook and lots of weeds and wildflowers.

The pond in Cedar Brook Park was a shocking sight - not a green thing on its banks. But the mud had attracted several sandpipers who were busy probing for food in it.

Unfortunately, we saw a lot of trash in the brook and on its banks. Besides the usual bottles and bags of all sorts, we saw cast-off clothing, shoes and just about anything else a person could toss away.

It was still a nice walk and I was pleased to answer any and all questions about what we were seeing. The big, unanswerable question is why people would mar a natural wonderland by using it as a dump.

--Bernice Paglia