Management an I spent a better part of the morning wandering around Northwest Park here in town with Peri. It made for a nice start to the long weekend feeding the geese, ducks, sheep, and trying to find the cows. It was a bright sunny day with just enough breeze to whisk away a little bit of the heat and keep some of the bugs at bay.

The animals at the park are all very friendly and most rush out to see whether or not you have some alfalfa pellets, though strolling by empty handed is a quick way to get some attitude thrown back at you. Like the ducks who will storm the fencing and then let out bellows of quacking displeasure if you have nothing to offer. Peri, incidentally, is on very good terms with the sheep and they spent some time sniffing each other up.

The park isn’t just all about farm animals, it is also a working farm where they grow a variety of native vegetables and plants. There are also several hiking trails that wind their way about streams and brooks and even out to Rainbow Reservoir as well as educational programs and lectures on local conservation and wildlife issues. When it isn’t soccer season or during the week when the nature camps are in full swing the place is sleepy and it makes for a nice place to wander around, picnic, or even take a nap under a tree.