RSS The wild crocodiles of Sunnyvale
Filed in Days Out, Writing11 August 2007
No matter how long you’ve lived in a place, if you keep your eyes open it can still find a way to surprise you. That’s the key to a thirty-minute adventure: going somewhere ordinary and watching until you start noticing the things that are so beautiful in their ordinariness. It could be the darting birds, the glimmer of light on rippling water…or even the crocodiles.
I needed to take a Photo Friday picture for the “wet” theme, and knew exactly what I wanted. There are several fountains down at the Sunnyvale Community Center, and one of them would be mine.
I parked up my bike, starting to relax as I got out into the fresh warm air. The first fountain is near the little theatre, and contains a sculpture dedicated to the passage of time. I like sculpture for its forms; I am sure the sculptor had his own ideas, but I like it because I can appreciate and feel the energy that went into its creation.
This fountain is also a veterans’ memorial and another nearby sculpture is called “Matrix.” I photographed it mostly because I like The Matrix. (I’m easily amused.)
Wandering on, I came to the lake with a handy-dandy sign stating that one complete lap was a third of a mile. While my body was screaming for exercise, I promised it that it really didn’t want to go jogging in motorcycle boots and a heavy jacket. I had my photographs by now, of course, so I found myself a nice bench where i could sit down to be still for a while. It’s easy to get into a contemplative state with the ripples of the water shimmering hypnotically in front of you and a gentle breeze blowing. Swallows dippeed their beaks into the water–were they taking sips of water? Catching flies? I have no idea, but their darting flight was fun to watch and a detail easily missed during a casual walk around the pool.
It was then that I saw the Wild Crocodiles of Sunnyvale.
They were floating around merrily, their glassy eyes glinting in the sun: Two motorized crocodile heads, bumbling around the lake.
They brightened up my day.
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9 Comments, Comment or Ping
Michael (5 comments.)
That’s cool! If I ever build a fountain my backyard, I’m definately having a motorized croc head floating in it!
Aug 17th, 2007
Marina (4 comments.)
So, do they have a practical purpose? Not that entertainment isn’t practical…
Chemical dispensers?
Aug 17th, 2007
beautyredefined
That’s awesome! Go motorized crocs! What a nice detail that most people just wouldn’t catch.
Aug 18th, 2007
Linda R. Moore
Michael: I’ve seen little fish in a swimming pool before now, but never these! It was great fun.
Aug 18th, 2007
Linda R. Moore
Marina–not that I know of, but chemical dispensers would make sense! I just thought it was some random silly prankster. :)
Aug 18th, 2007
Linda R. Moore
BR: Life is better served slow. :)
Aug 18th, 2007
pussreboots (157 comments.)
I so have to take my kids to see the crocodiles now!
Aug 19th, 2007
Linda R. Moore
I can’t guarantee they’ll still be there, though…but if you want me to check, it’s about a ten minute ride away.
Aug 19th, 2007
pussreboots (157 comments.)
No. If we’ve missed them, we’ve missed them. We’re heading into a crazy three weeks with Sean birthday, my birthday and Harriet’s birthday all back to back. Plus Ian’s going back to school, we’re traveling to to L.A. Basically my life is now chaos until mid September. LOL!
Aug 19th, 2007
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