More walking in the woods today. This is Discovery Park. I’ve ‘blogged about it before. It’s a happy-making place.
When I started out on this walk, I was on the outer loop trail, which is jam-packed with joggers. I switched over to the less jogger-friendly trails, including the one pictured above.
Before I switched, though, I encountered a pair of women who were talking up a storm, and walking a young dog. As they approached, the dog was lagging behind, sniffing something under some leaves. The woman said, “Leave it,” and yanked on the leash.
As they approached me, I smiled congenially, because nothing freaks people out more than a friendly person. I made eye contact with the dog, because dogs tend to be more interesting than the people walking them. The dog approached me and sniffed my shoes. The woman said, “Leave it,” and tugged on the leash as they walked past.
I turned around. I must have looked puzzled. Did she really just do that? She turned around and looked sheepishly at me. “Puppy training,” she said. They went on, engrossed in their conversation.
Later, I was taking this picture:
A couple approached where I was, and obviously didn’t see me. Successful people in their late forties.
The woman was gawking at the natural beauty, listing all the things that were beautiful about the place. In that one spot, you can see a large chunk of Puget sound, the Olympic and Cascade mountain ranges, Mt. Rainier, and downtown Seattle. Just by turning your head. The moon had already risen, too, and the sun was obviously setting.
“..And the cliffs, and the moon, and the water… It’s all so beautiful,” she said.
I was still holding my camera, and I said, “Yeah, but too bad about those shipping vessels.” I was smiling.
She finally noticed me. “Do you think they’re not beautiful?” Her husband, it turns out, is some vice president of some shipping company.
“Oh, well they’re not beautiful, exactly, but it’s good that they’re there.”
The husband spoke up. “They do rather mar the natural splendor. They’re anchored because of the union slowdown.” He was smiling, too, but with an edge of defensiveness. It was interesting how a total stranger with a camera was vaguely threatening to this veep.
I told him: “In the natural world, there are anthills and termite mounds, and is the Port Of Seattle all that different?” We all laughed a polite laugh and wandered off in different directions.
Comments (5)
Lovely.
It is interesting how much happens on a walk in the woulds when you take it and relate it. When I go for a walk in the woods, it is not much more than a walk in the woods (which is enough, granted).
“Leave it”?
Yeah, like that Yes song.
love the photos.
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