A Walk in the Woods

Though my title is also the title of a book by one of my favorite authors, Bill Bryson, several mornings a week, I do take a walk in the woods.

A dog in the household helps keep us physically fit, as we trek the 3.2-mile (5.1 K) trail around Raccoon River Park.

 Much of the trail runs between the Des Moines River, and Blue Heron Lake.

It's a place to appreciate God's creation.

In my own backyard I routinely get to see robins, blue jays, and cardinals. Along the trail this morning I saw gold finches (our state bird), Baltimore orioles, red-headed woodpeckers, and a blue heron (the lake's namesake).

My favorite spring migratory bird is the indigo bunting. Happily, I sited several of them this morning which I tried to photograph. They're just too small and flighty. But a bird that color, is really something to see.