After taking care of Mama around 8:20 pm, Paul and I headed for Croton-on-Hudson Landing. Two hours’ crispy evening rain just stoppped and scrubbed the sky and land clean. Once the car was parked at the entrance, we started to walk along the Hudson River. Old familiar memories flooded back to us. All of a sudden, we felt we had never left since last fall.
It is apparently untrue, for the former Elliot Way, fragmented and under construction then, is now complete, with a long wide walkway flanked with silver steel rails. There are no overhead street lamps. The lighting is from a straight stream of low lights shone inside supporting poles of the riverside rail. The pavement is unique too, with the black color on both ends, and light-colored wood patterned concrete in the middle. Gone are the days when we had to dash cautiously through that treaterous stretch in order to go to the Croton Landing and beyond.
It was getting darker, a perfect time for nocturnal creatures to come out and play. Paul spotted a firefly and was overjoyed, for the number of fireflies has reduced drastically recent years, due to environmental pollution and degradation. “Wish I could catch one firefly tonight,” he said. His wish was duly fulfilled. On our way back, we saw hundreds of fireflies in and on top of tresss, bushes, and tall milkweeds on both sides a swamp. One of them was caught. Paul gingerly showed me its light inside his fist. The creature was pretty calm, letting him photograph both upside and bottom of its tiny body, stretching its little paws out to have a stable grip on the palm. Having finished its photo session, it flew away to do what it had planned to do. “Be careful, next time. Don’t be too trusting,” we prayed at the same time.
An hour and half later, we completed our round trip and returned to Hui’s, happy and satisfied, to take Nick’s FaceTime call.
Sunday, June 24, 2018
Tuesday, June 19, 2018
Neary Lagoon Goats in 2018
Hundreds of goats have come to Neary Lagoon again this year until their cleaning job is done. I paid them three visits during the period of June 12-19, 2018, twice by myself and once with Paul. I still wish I had more time to spend with them.
Like before, this year's goats are diligent and mindful of their work, with the bigger ones snacking on juicier roots, with the little ones picking on slender grass. They are very quiet, napping, chewing, or meandering through crowds to find the water troughs at the far end, or looking for their lost mothers or kids.
Unlike before, the number of goats seemed to be doubled, with many hundreds of them altogether this time, which has made the wild grass and plants on both sides of the wood ramp disappear more dramatically. Left are only a few tall thorny stalks and the occasional empty discarded beer can, wherever those goats have been.
This year, there were numerous kids, with their tolerant, nursing mothers nearby. If lost, they would bleat out long and sad for their mamas. Sometimes, you would hear mothers call out for their kids, with a very distinctive and persistent sound.
Goats are peaceful by nature, which is why a passerby could hardly notice the hundreds of goats nearby. On our June 15th visit, Paul and I did witness a horn-bashing between two adult goats over a fat plant root. But the fight was short and bloodless, with the original owner triumphantly walking away holding its lawfully gained prize in its mouth. We both gave a sighed of relief for their peace loving nature.
Two sides of the ramp are yellow and empty, which signals the imminent departure of the industrious goats. We will miss them, and hope to see them this time next year, with Elena!
Like before, this year's goats are diligent and mindful of their work, with the bigger ones snacking on juicier roots, with the little ones picking on slender grass. They are very quiet, napping, chewing, or meandering through crowds to find the water troughs at the far end, or looking for their lost mothers or kids.
Unlike before, the number of goats seemed to be doubled, with many hundreds of them altogether this time, which has made the wild grass and plants on both sides of the wood ramp disappear more dramatically. Left are only a few tall thorny stalks and the occasional empty discarded beer can, wherever those goats have been.
This year, there were numerous kids, with their tolerant, nursing mothers nearby. If lost, they would bleat out long and sad for their mamas. Sometimes, you would hear mothers call out for their kids, with a very distinctive and persistent sound.
Goats are peaceful by nature, which is why a passerby could hardly notice the hundreds of goats nearby. On our June 15th visit, Paul and I did witness a horn-bashing between two adult goats over a fat plant root. But the fight was short and bloodless, with the original owner triumphantly walking away holding its lawfully gained prize in its mouth. We both gave a sighed of relief for their peace loving nature.
Two sides of the ramp are yellow and empty, which signals the imminent departure of the industrious goats. We will miss them, and hope to see them this time next year, with Elena!
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