The gift of a new day, Friday.

 So, this morning began as they usually do with the walk around the garden and then finding weeds to pull.  Yup...no change but I made a promise to myself that there would be an early end.  I complied. Only one small pile of weeds taken from a small plot.  Remember, I wanted to get a life!!! I gave the life part of the morning my best effort. 

                            Butterfly weed is one of my favorites with a very clean-looking orange.                                                               The morning sun is doing its best to put this flower in its best light.  

The life I choose was to walk the path at Central Park which is very near to us and the biggest park belonging to the Carmel Parks Department.  It has wonderful walking areas through many interesting places which could keep the walker on many different paths for many days.  

                I walked the boardwalk path by a school of fish about 8 inches long.                                                                                        There are much bigger fish in the little lake. 

                In other years of walking, I discovered a lot of kids fishing.  Today, they were in school.

I hopped in the car and drive the two miles and then started out as I did a couple of years ago walking on a regular basis.  My goal was to see all the hibiscus that line the large pond in the center of the area.  Bummer...I was too late.  I should have done an early July walk so next year, here I come.  I did take pictures and those are here for you to see.  

    One of only two hibiscus flowers left among thousands of seed pods telling me that I missed a few. 

The ducks as usual are finding the lake a wonderful place to float and splash and quack away.  They seem to be a bit tamer this year not scooting away when walking by them.   There was a beautiful clean look to their feathers although where they chose to sit for sunning time was not so nice.  

Time to fly and I got him in mid-air.  What a graceful way to dive into the water.  

                                    This little guy was the last one in the water.  

                                                I thought he might not even try. 

                                        I think this picture earns a blue ribbon eating award. 

                                                     Easy to say when the duck does all the work.

                         I passed these two ladies working on their oil paintings in the morning light.                             What a wonderful place to set up shop for some morning work.  

I always look for this friend who has appeared in this place for quite a few years.  It's his spot that sometimes is shared with a gray haren.  

I also took pictures of many flowers along the shoreline.  There was ironwood, cardinal flower, swamp milkweed, and many varieties of black-eyed Susans.  There were a few water lilies blooming but I think they are yet to come.  For a first long walk today I was pleasantly surprised that it was done with ease.  Maybe all those garden walks and weed pullings useing leg muscles had something to do with making the morning walk an easy one.  

So that was my "get a life" moment.  

If I get myself together I'll be adding the Central Park walk to the calendar of event.

The afternoon included a trip to Lowes to look at plants.

That trip helped me solve a plant problem by moving what I had to another spot in the garden later in the year.  I saved myself some money.  Then a stop at my favorite Goodwill where I found two containers to use for vases, adding garden flowers gifting two of my good friends who have taken on a monumental job.  That should not go without a great thank you. 

Supper on the patio with another good summer garden salad.  The gift of a new day is almost over.  It's been a wonderful gift.