Looking for spring and another story

The park calls this "Brier Rose Farm,"

another euphemism for property they did not need to purchase,

have no use for

and have no money to maintain. 

However, the postman is quite happy it is a trail head with facility.

Looking out over the hills.

Today was beautiful, but cold.

Tree trunks.

I like them.

Kendall Lake, in the park.

Several years ago it had to be drained.

It became too silted in and shallow for the volume of water it handles,

And would be dredged.

When it was empty, Oh, the stench!

It was properly cordoned off, warning signs posted. 

The drive to the parking area is locked every night.

In short, if you could read and think, all would be well.

Two young women were visiting. 

One said "Oh, I lost my ring in this lake years ago,"

and went out to look for it.

Into the stinking muck.

It held her fast.

It rose to her armpits before the level stabilized.

Her friend called for help, 

and our EMT's showed up.

They laid all the plywood available at the local lumber yard on the mud's surface,

and crawled out to her as if it were an ice rescue.

She was so stuck they could not lift her.

In the end they secured a harness under her armpits, which were below the surface,

as were her arms.

They used a crane, on hand from the dredging operation,

to begin lifting her.

The entire rescue took about eight hours.

Paid for entirely, as I've mentioned from time to time,

by the fewer than seven hundred citizens of the township, 

many of whom are children.

Allowances are not taxable.