Tonight Zach and I took a lovely walk around Capitol Lake. It was a quintessential Olympia evening- silvery, misty and cool. As we rounded a corner, I noticed a small brown animal munching on the grass. It let us get close enough to take some pictures and it didn't seem scared at all. After looking at some pictures online, I think the animal we saw was probably a nutria. For a time when I was young, my family lived near a creek and one of the ways my parents kept me from going to the creek alone was to warn me of the dangerous nutria that lived in the water. I pictured a sea monster sized animal, with claws and fangs, and it wasn't until I was in my late teens that I discovered that a nutria is about the size of a housecat and totally adorable. At any rate, it was a treat to see this little critter out enjoying a snack. We also saw a blue heron and a bunch of ducks that were bathing and looking for dinner. I feel lucky to live in a place where there are so many beautiful places to explore and enjoy. For those of you looking for a place to get in an easy and relaxing walk, Capitol Lake is just the place. A short, 1.5 mile loop, and especially nice on a weekday evening or a lunch break.
Ha, excellent story and pic Erin! You should tell Jim or Jennifer from Rising River. Maybe it's only a fond memory for me, but when Cylas, their son, was a tiny wee lad, he used to go on about the Nutria. Totally awesome farm kid upbringing.
ReplyDeleteHa ha, funny. I remember that, too. :)
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