A Walk in the Park: Fall

We live a block away from a beautiful Victorian park.  Likely inspired by Olmsted’s design for Central Park, Miller Park contains two war memorials, a large lake, paddle boats, a beach, a Park House for special occasions, a mini-golf course, two play areas and a zoo. Oh, and an outdoor theater.

Red, posing in the park

Steve and I don’t take advantage of this beautiful space as much as we should, but the dogs do.  We walk there every day.  We meet others with dogs, but since we walk on the road, there’s plenty of room to pass.  We meet fishermen, sometimes in scary hats or hoods and holding long poles.  We meet cyclists and skateboarders.  These meetings are all good training opportunities, and Red and Ruby have grown into very good walkers.

Our old house

When we moved to town eleven years ago, we rented a house right across the street from the park.  We loved that little house, but had to move when Steve quit working and went back to school.  We needed a place with cheaper rent and wanted something closer to the university.  A year later, we decided to buy our own place, and it isn’t surprising that we ended up right back on this side of town, just a block away from the park.

We’ve often talked about moving to a larger house, or a different location (one closer to shops, work, etc.), but the park is part of what holds us here.  In the winter, when the sidewalks are unshoveled and the roads are slick, if I can get to the park I know the roads will be plowed and the traffic minimal – it’s a safe place for us to walk.  There are lots of routes we can take through the park, so we don’t get bored.  This time of year, it’s like walking through a painting.  The park glows, and walking there is an enchanting way to start our day.

Annual visitors