Walking Along the South Side….

It's been over a month since I walked around Port Washington's Coal Dock Park. Keep in mind that years ago this now park was a pile of coal for the power company. Literally a huge pile of coal and, I'm sure, a real eye sore. Now it boasts acres of green grass, paved bike and walking path, terrific views of the water, a two story gazebo you can climb to view Lake Michigan and as you round the corner to come back home, a very nice view of down-town Port Washington. It's a lovely place to walk.

And Port's flower boxes are in full bloom. The "formal" ones are beautiful, baskets and boxes and park plantings. Loveliness all along my walk.

But the south side of Coal Dock Park lets Mother Nature do her own thing. And I love it. Purple and white clover, yellow Birdsfoot Trefoil, daisies, Oyster plant gone to seed, crown vetch. Thistles and other wildflowers are coming - I can see the leaves growing toward the sun. There are many more I can't identify…grasses nodding in the breeze.

 

The groomed gardens and plantings are lovely and we so appreciate them in Wisconsin in the summer….but I love what happens when nature runs riot. The bees buzzing, the birds swooping and diving. When we find these wildflowers/weeds in our lawns and home gardens we quickly pull them out - but if you give them a chance to bloom….what a lovely show.

Except on the north side of Coal Dock Park. For some reason the geese prefer this side….so walk carefully and look down!