REFLECTION on Walk #26 – Gettysburg and Palm, December 20. Six mindful walkers started at 8:30 from the church parking lot at Palm and Gettysburg. After a brief loop east onto Van Ness and along the famous Christmas Tree Lane, walkers strolled west to the train tracks at Marks. This was a beautiful wet clear morning. Wide streets with few sidewalks. Magnificent mature trees, large lots, wide variety of home styles set back on various lot configuations, and unfenced yards welcomed us block after block through these old Fresno streets. These streets hold secret treasures of garden gates and public artwork. A stretch along the canal was full of wildlife sights and sounds.
After, each Walker shared some insights: There were very few people outside possbly because of wet weather and the first day of winter break for schools. Michelle drives Gettysburg almost every day to work. She grew up around here. but this trip was slow. Katherine walks this route regularly and loves that she can live by water (canal) and wildlife right here in Fresno. Walkers talked about the sections of trees — such as eucalyptus, pepper, and pine — noting the planning of neighborhoods back in the day. Kristi shared that the unique attributes of each house are interesting and reveal something about the family stories behind each property. When we got to Ashlan and Fruit and walked along the tracks, the ambiance changed with fewer trees and places for wildlife to hide and less sound barriers. A shopping cart and other personal items littered the edges of the track. Walking back we neared the home of well-known artist Margaret Hudson.
Words used by the walkers to describe this walk include: trees, sounds of birds and train, open, emerging green, unique and interesting, and quiet.
Regular walkers described the difference between this walk and other walks. Very few front fences on these houses and very few dogs barking at us along the front fences. Numerous cars were parked at most houses but because of the large lots there was room for multiple cars in the driveways or side yards. No visible piles of trash and little trash strown along the streets and at the curbs. Wawona Middle school is the first school that has been unfenced so we were able to walk through the beautiful campus including the Peace Quad.
It was a joy to have new walkers Michelle, Joseph and Kristi!!! And regular walkers, too!
