Around the Arb

The Visitors Center and Gardens Visitors arrive, chatting about the great weather for a walk in the Northland Arboretum. Some open their trunks to get out the strollers for the young ones, some load themselves with camera equipment, some with walking sticks. Squirt bottles of sunscreen and bug repellent appear as the walkers prepare for their excursion. (Both are quite wise to use at the Arb – especially with the insects who hum themselves into a frenzy over who knows what lunch they sense passing by.) Once ready, car doors and trunks click shut and lock. The bird feeder brings sounds of chipping chickadees, the twits of sparrows, the scolds of blue jays who seem to chase the others away – and a rather talkative squirrel climbs up to get his share if he has anything to say about it. The pond ripples as the waterfall drops from up near the gazebo – and perhaps a frog or two lets out a sound – a peep from the little ones, a guttural comment from the larger fellows.