On Monday, I discovered my house is a mere stone's throw... or maybe a baseball's throw, but still not far... from the back entrance to the newest dog park in the city. Luna and I walked over there in the rain and hung out awhile. We had fun and walked back to the house... cold and wet, but happy.
Yesterday it was even colder but barely sprinkling, so we headed out again. The walkways in this park... there's something kind of magical and exciting about it all. The long stairsteps up the hill,
the tilted light in the shape of a large copper bowl with moons carved all through the outside...
the artsy indention marks in the cement along the path's edges...
I just love it. It makes me feel kind of like I'm in a magical Christmas fairytale movie.
Yesterday we walked past the dog park, past the playground I would have been so excited to explore as a kid, and spent a minute or so wandering among picnic tables on the hilltop there. It was the early beginning of dusk and the skies were even more gray from the cloud cover. Through a thin layer of trees, I saw a train passing, its lights glittery in the cold weather.
After a brief encounter with a shivering lady walking her Jack Russell terrier, Luna and I crossed Dalrymple Drive and walked further into the early evening's wonderland. The sidewalk curved and turned through trees and park benches. Every few yards stood a wire outline of some figure or Christmas character, laced with Christmas lights that had not yet been turned on for the evening. I made a mental note to return with one or both of my nephews.
Passing the tennis center and nearing the golf club, I was elated to come upon one of my FAVORITE yet least-visited places in the city... the Baton Rouge Gallery! I love this gallery and the variety of art it displays. Working where I've worked and living where I've lived, though, I have not been able to get there before closing time during the week and have not been able to justify using the gas to get there on the weekend.
And NOW I can WALK over there ANY TIME I WANT!!!!!!!! And I get off work in the afternoon/early evening so their early closing time is a total non-issue. That makes me happier than a star watching a meteor passing by. Yes indeed.
Though I did not go into the gallery yesterday. I couldn't justify tying Luna to a tree in the cold while I toured the facility. But I will be back.
