For twelve years I've lived on the edge of Ellison Park, Rochester's only defacto dog park, a place of enormous pleasures, watching breeds of every sort romp together in the creek, the fields, woods, sandhills, ponds, trails and swamps. I have met a thousand people there, making light connections and lasting friendships, sharing the day's challenges and victories as we walk. We go, my dogs and I, in every weather, sliding on icy trails, shoving through showbanks, sucking our feet out of the inevitable spring muds, slowing our pace in the brutal summer sun, kicking through the bright crunch of fall.
Sometimes we are the only ones in the entire park when the weather's tough but most often there are other daring souls, bundled against the sharp cold or stripped to what the law allows in the stunning heat. And dogs. Hilarious, elegant, unbelievable dogs, each so different from the others. It is common to have fifty dogs of varied breeds, sizes, ages and skills playing together. Those who barely know the joys of dogs are astounded at first visit.
In these twelve years, I've seen only a few unexpected tussles, most well managed and quickly stopped. Day after day, teacup chihuahuas chase great danes, german shepherds fall in love with yorkies. Laughter and astonishment pepper conversations about daily travails, dogcare, the sorrowful moments when a beloved pet ails or dies.
Ellison is a outdoor community of richness and sharing. For many of us, the day's dog walk is a supreme pleasure, the finest moment of the day, and the community we've formed there is family. I know two hundred dogs by name and remember hundreds more who've been there and gone. We love our dogs and love our park and love one another. It may be the most joyous place in all of Rochester.
Scroll down for pix!
Sometimes we are the only ones in the entire park when the weather's tough but most often there are other daring souls, bundled against the sharp cold or stripped to what the law allows in the stunning heat. And dogs. Hilarious, elegant, unbelievable dogs, each so different from the others. It is common to have fifty dogs of varied breeds, sizes, ages and skills playing together. Those who barely know the joys of dogs are astounded at first visit.
In these twelve years, I've seen only a few unexpected tussles, most well managed and quickly stopped. Day after day, teacup chihuahuas chase great danes, german shepherds fall in love with yorkies. Laughter and astonishment pepper conversations about daily travails, dogcare, the sorrowful moments when a beloved pet ails or dies.
Ellison is a outdoor community of richness and sharing. For many of us, the day's dog walk is a supreme pleasure, the finest moment of the day, and the community we've formed there is family. I know two hundred dogs by name and remember hundreds more who've been there and gone. We love our dogs and love our park and love one another. It may be the most joyous place in all of Rochester.
Scroll down for pix!
1 comment:
What a wonderful idea! Lot's of hilarious pictures, please.
Wildman
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