Waking up from any nap is difficult but it is especially difficult on a lazy Sunday evening when the weather has just a hint of the late winter chill and you are warm under your blanket on the family room couch. And frankly I would have stayed that way for at least another hour had it not been for the puppy. She wasn't going to give up. She needed her third walk of the day and she wanted it now. So I dragged myself out of my cozy cocoon, and off we went.
On good days like today, I usually walk the three mile circuit around the lake behind my house. The sun was low over the horizon and directly in my eyes as we approached the familiar walking path. The lake was lit up with its bright light and I could barely see anything. So when I caught the outline of two ducks swimming in the lake, and they looked taller that usual, I thought nothing of it. I was sure it was just my eyes adjusting to the outdoors. But as I got nearer I realized that these were no ordinary ducks! This was a pair of white swans!
They looked absolutely majestic with their characteristic curved tall necks, air brushed wings and the unmistakable pairing. One almost never sees a swan alone and this was certainly a pair. Now this is not the first time I had seen swans, but seeing them on the lake behind my house, on a Sunday afternoon, was an unexpected delight. A few other walkers also caught site of them and like me, whisked out their phones and took some pictures. I walked for another 30 minutes, barely able to keep my eyes off of those beauties, all the while smiling like I had discovered a hidden treasure.
Once home, I gave the puppy and extra treat. After all she deserved it. Had it not been for her, this would have been just another weekend coming to and end with the Monday morning looming over it. But thanks to her it had turned out to be a lovely Sunday, a beautiful Swan Sunday. It reminded me that an ordinary day can turn into something extraordinary in the blink of an eye, and wonders can be found even in our own backyards.
