Strolling Through the Park One Day. . .

About a month ago, I was blessed with a fall break.  Now for most people, passing by lush, blooming flowers during a walk in the park on one's break would indicate spring and not fall.  Here in what can only be described as a subtropical climate, we have blooms of one kind or another all year long.  I definitely long to experience the changing of leaves and all things autumnal.  I dream of reveling in a quintessential New England autumn.  However, when confronted with the realities of the harsh Northern winters (through Weather Channel updates and CNN coverage of ice storms), I am happy to live in a place where a verdant green is a constant.

Here in the Crescent City, we are blessed with two fabulous parks.  I typically frequent the one Uptown, close to two excellent universities and the architectural splendor of St. Charles Avenue.  I often encourage tourists to leave the French Quarter if they get a chance and come down and visit this gem.

Every time I walk in the park during peak tourist season, I catch people snapping pictures of the moss.  It's Southern Gothic at its finest.  I'm pretty sure that my favorite little guy and I probably made it into a few of their photos over the course of our park meanderings!

And speaking of my little guy. . .

I love our walks in the park together.  They are my "moments of Zen" each week.  Unless a squirrel is involved, in which case. . .

our walk becomes more like a frantic charge!

We spotted a swan, reminding me of that Hans Christian Anderson story "The Ugly Duckling."

There is a part of the park that my pup gravitates toward.  He wants to run amidst the cypress knees and track down who knows what.  Here is the cypress with its knees.  Cypress knees are actually roots that stick up above the ground and help the cypress breath.  I think.  ;)

Birds were everywhere!  Birds in flight make me think of fall.

We always encounter this bridge when nearing the end of our walk.  It makes me feel a little bit like I'm in a fairy tale.  Or at least Alice in Wonderland.  ;)