Saturday, March 8, 2014

Focus on Life: Week 10


Week 10: The Big Picture
We are expanding what we are checking out and
looking at the BIG picture! The wide angle shot!! 

The Mill Pond was named in recognition of the sawmill operation that once used this pond for power. The sawmill was part of what made the heart of town an attractive place to settle in the late 1800s.

Today, it is a local park, the stage to the summer Concerts In The Park, and also hosts the annual Winter Carnival and Mill Pond Splash Events. There is a playground for the children and walking trails through the woods. It is home to a variety of wildlife species, including ducks, swans, raccoon, geese, and beavers.


This photo was taken VERY early this morning. It looks very peaceful and serene right now. Later today, you will see families skating, children playing hockey and seniors out for their daily stroll.

The park is surrounded by heritage homes and is a popular location for wedding photos. You can always find someone fishing in the summer, but don't let your children play in the water! The snapping turtles who reside there have belligerent dispositions and their powerful beak-like jaws can snap off fingers and toes with ease.

Many years ago, my father worked for the parks & recreation department. He came upon a couple of ducks that had been victims of those turtles. The male had only one leg and could not defend himself very well. The stronger, two-legged males harassed him constantly. The female had only half a beak and had difficulty picking up food to eat.

The two of them were often seen together. She chased off the aggressive males and he picked up the food and fed it to her. One day, my father decided to re-locate the two disabled ducks to a small lake in the north end of town where there were no other ducks to bother them and they could live in peace. Now, there is a vibrant community of ducks living there that began with those two.



To see the BIG PICTURE photos of the other participants, check out the links below...

11 comments:

  1. A lovely place. How fun it must be to watch families having fun. I enjoyed these photos.

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  2. The pond just waiting to welcome the community. Loved the duck story, too!

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  3. What a great place! That's a lovely story.

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  4. It sounds like a great place to hang out. I can picture it with the families and kids skating and walking around. I love the duck story! Your father did a good thing.

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  5. Lovely duck story. I met a snapping turtle once ... it was in the middle of the road in front of my house. I thought I would be nice and picked it up to move it to the side of the road... well he hissed at me and tired very hard to bite me... the good Samaritan dropped him and told him he deserved to be run over!

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  6. That's a wonderful story Bonnie. Accompanied by beautiful pictures.

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  7. Bonnie, nice photo it does look so peaceful.

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  8. What a wonderful park and how great that your family has such a meaningful history with it. The duck story is great too. Your Dad sounds like a very special person.

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  9. Beautiful story, thank you for sharing it! Such a special way to be forever remembered. The pictures of the park are lovely - can't wait to see it w/o snow sometime soon... soon... hopefully :)

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  10. Great picture and story and what a wonderful remembrance about your father.
    ~cryssT

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  11. Great picture and story and what a wonderful remembrance about your father.
    ~cryssT

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