home.public.blog/home/public/blog/content/Blog/go-for-a-walk.md

+++ title = "All is not doom and gloom: go for a walk !!!" author = ["George Jones"] publishDate = 2020-04-25T00:00:00-04:00 lastmod = 2022-02-26T08:33:49-05:00 tags = ["life", "hope"] categories = ["blog"] draft = false +++

I find that when I stay glued to twitter (pick your social-media-of-doom-amplifier) I tend to get a rather gloomy view of life. There is indeed a lot one can be gloomy about these days. But if you just go for a walk and look around you may be surprised:

I found this art sidewalk art at just about the exact place where last fall I had purchased a cup of lemonade from 4 eager young entrepreneurs. I suspect the ring leader of that optimistic young bunch.

{{< figure src="/ox-hugo/sidewalk-art.jpg" caption="Figure 1: Sidewalk art" >}}

Spring is the best time of year. The daffodils bloom, dogwoods are in full bloom, red-bud trees come out, the tree-frogs sing up a storm (at least that's how it goes in Virginia)

{{< figure src="/ox-hugo/dogwood.jpg" caption="Figure 2: Dogwoods in bloom" >}}

I recently had my yard re-graded and re-seeded and now, after 17 years I have full luscious grass (that has to be mowed). This may not happen again:

{{< figure src="/ox-hugo/grass.jpg" caption="Figure 3: Actual grass" >}}

And last but not least I saw a bird I don't think I've seen before, it turned out to be a common tree swallow, but it was startling to see the almost metallic, shinny dark blue back and white belly (the picture does not capture it well)

{{< figure src="/ox-hugo/tree-swallow.jpg" caption="Figure 4: Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)" >}}

Go for a walk. Look at the world around you. It's spring. All is not doom and gloom!