Happy 9th Anniversary!!

On the Rocks at Elm Grove Park

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I'm looking toward the celebration that is spring,  the reward we receive after muddling through the snow and the cold (though beautiful it may sometimes be).

Finally, daylight lingers longer, there's a hint of warmth in the breeze, little green things are poking up in the dirt, and the birds are calling louder, romance in the air. 

​March is a wild card, however. It teases, with warmer days, that first bit of green, and then, that mid-March snowstorm drops shovels full of wet, heavy snow on our doorsteps. We grumble and curse.

​And then, it melts, thank goodness, and we can tiptoe forward, hoping it steps aside, letting spring truly take center stage. 

Early spring blooms pop up at Whitnall School Forest.

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Hello, Robin! Often a harbinger of springs arrival, American Robins are a welcome sight.

When I first published TheParkNextDoor, in March of 2014, I was pining for spring, on the lookout for signs of its arrival. Red-wing blackbirds were just arriving back in the area, their calls coming from the tip-tops of trees, and along marshes and wetlands in the parks.

​So, now, as I celebrate 9 years of publishing this website, I am again on the lookout for those sights and sounds.

The other afternoon, as I drove down the block enroute to an appointment, I spotted several American Robins combing over front lawns; looking for bugs and worms, no doubt. Sandhill Cranes could be heard honking overhead, as they move back into the area. I spotted a pair in a park in West Bend last week. I also, surprisingly, spotted a Belted Kingfisher, too. His signature rattle caught my ear, and then he quickly flew past me, along the Milwaukee River banks. Red-wing Blackbirds roosted in the treetops, too. Snowstorm or not, the seasons move forward, and spring will come. 

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Last year, as I marked the 8th anniversary of this website, I had logged 180 profiles on the site. My goal was to reach 200.  As of this month, I have reached 250!

The additions in the past year have included everything from state parks in Door County, sculpture parks in Stevens Point, neighborhood parks in the area, historical cemeteries, sacred effigy mounds, featured parks and preserves along the Niagara Escarpment, walks along some of Wisconsin's state trails, tours through arboretums in progress, restored prairies, and a memorable hike through a nature area in Fond du Lac with a black cat.

Of course, return trips to many of these spaces in changing seasons took place, too.

2022 was a year of diverse adventures in nature.

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The verdant beauty of spring is always inviting along the trails at Forest Exploration Center.

Looking forward, my wish list is ever-growing, with green spaces big and small. For me, the point is to get outside. To breathe fresh air into my lungs, move my body, revel in the sights and sounds of nature and wildlife.

​To gaze in awe at the beauty of wild grasses, native plants, the work of bees, appreciate the sound of a flowing river or creek, to participate in the preservation of these spaces, and to share them, with You.

​After all, the more we can enjoy these spaces, and appreciate them, the more we can instill their value to us all, and preserve them for generations to come.

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A PHOTO PORTFOLIO

In honor of the 9th Anniversary of TheParkNextDoor, I have put together a short photo portfolio of some of my favorite natural spaces visited over the years. Click on the image/link to view it.

All of the locations shown are profiled on the website, in case you're interested to know more.

Thank you so much for coming along on this journey. I promise, there is much more to come.

​Enjoy!

​Kimberly

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