{"id":46955,"date":"2023-12-15T09:00:24","date_gmt":"2023-12-15T14:00:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.foresthillsconnection.com\/?p=46955"},"modified":"2023-12-13T11:32:02","modified_gmt":"2023-12-13T16:32:02","slug":"a-moment-of-peace-and-joy-at-the-playground-and-a-tidy-crow","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.foresthillsconnection.com\/news\/a-moment-of-peace-and-joy-at-the-playground-and-a-tidy-crow\/","title":{"rendered":"A moment of peace and joy at the playground, and a neatnik crow"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foresthillsconnection.com\/who-we-are\/\" title=\"Who We Are\">Marlene Berlin<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p>It was a bright and sunny Saturday morning. I was walking by Forest Hills Playground on Chesapeake. And I heard the mingling of many joyful voices. <\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/vaNe16rJXUw?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Kids were in the sandbox chatting away. Others were on the track giving their scooters a workout. Their grownups were nearby, shooting the breeze or soaking up the sun and enjoying a quiet moment. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.foresthillsconnection.com\/wp-content\/upLoadImage2012\/2023\/12\/playground-parents.jpg?ssl=1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"46969\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.foresthillsconnection.com\/news\/a-moment-of-peace-and-joy-at-the-playground-and-a-tidy-crow\/attachment\/playground-parents\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.foresthillsconnection.com\/wp-content\/upLoadImage2012\/2023\/12\/playground-parents.jpg?fit=800%2C596&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"800,596\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;SM-G998U1&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1702120543&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;6.7&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;16&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0022172949002217&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"playground parents\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.foresthillsconnection.com\/wp-content\/upLoadImage2012\/2023\/12\/playground-parents.jpg?fit=800%2C596&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.foresthillsconnection.com\/wp-content\/upLoadImage2012\/2023\/12\/playground-parents.jpg?fit=800%2C596&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.foresthillsconnection.com\/wp-content\/upLoadImage2012\/2023\/12\/playground-parents.jpg?resize=800%2C596&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"596\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-46969\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.foresthillsconnection.com\/wp-content\/upLoadImage2012\/2023\/12\/playground-parents.jpg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.foresthillsconnection.com\/wp-content\/upLoadImage2012\/2023\/12\/playground-parents.jpg?resize=175%2C130&amp;ssl=1 175w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.foresthillsconnection.com\/wp-content\/upLoadImage2012\/2023\/12\/playground-parents.jpg?resize=768%2C572&amp;ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>I wanted to capture this soul-soothing scene. It was a moment of peace amidst the strife swirling around us locally, nationally, and internationally. <\/p>\n<p>As I walked away from the playground and toward the ballfield, I realized a crow was trying to get my attention. Perched on the fence next to the field, it was cawing and looking straight at me. The crow  did not fly away as I stopped. <\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/fG3nP2DJfDo?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p>It seemed to be trying to draw my attention to the trash can by the bleachers. Nothing seemed amiss from the sidewalk side. Then, the crow started pulling trash from the other side, and when it flew away, I walked over to see garbage jammed in the opening. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.foresthillsconnection.com\/wp-content\/upLoadImage2012\/2023\/12\/packed-trashcan.jpg?ssl=1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"46968\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.foresthillsconnection.com\/news\/a-moment-of-peace-and-joy-at-the-playground-and-a-tidy-crow\/attachment\/packed-trashcan\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.foresthillsconnection.com\/wp-content\/upLoadImage2012\/2023\/12\/packed-trashcan.jpg?fit=800%2C665&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"800,665\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;SM-G998U1&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1702120909&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;6.7&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;16&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0015128593040847&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"packed trashcan\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.foresthillsconnection.com\/wp-content\/upLoadImage2012\/2023\/12\/packed-trashcan.jpg?fit=800%2C665&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.foresthillsconnection.com\/wp-content\/upLoadImage2012\/2023\/12\/packed-trashcan.jpg?fit=722%2C600&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.foresthillsconnection.com\/wp-content\/upLoadImage2012\/2023\/12\/packed-trashcan.jpg?resize=800%2C665&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"665\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-46968\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.foresthillsconnection.com\/wp-content\/upLoadImage2012\/2023\/12\/packed-trashcan.jpg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.foresthillsconnection.com\/wp-content\/upLoadImage2012\/2023\/12\/packed-trashcan.jpg?resize=722%2C600&amp;ssl=1 722w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.foresthillsconnection.com\/wp-content\/upLoadImage2012\/2023\/12\/packed-trashcan.jpg?resize=175%2C145&amp;ssl=1 175w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.foresthillsconnection.com\/wp-content\/upLoadImage2012\/2023\/12\/packed-trashcan.jpg?resize=768%2C638&amp;ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>I found a stout stick and unjammed it, then used another stick to pick up the garbage on the ground.<\/p>\n<p>Was this what the crow wanted? The bird, by then, had left the scene, so I&#8217;ll never know. Still, I found myself wishing all our problems were this easy to resolve. Doing something simple, like picking up trash and unstuffing a garbage can, can make you feel better. I certainly felt that I made a small difference at the playground. So thank you, crow! <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>by Marlene Berlin It was a bright and sunny Saturday morning. I was walking by Forest Hills Playground on Chesapeake. And I heard the mingling of many joyful voices. Kids [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":46970,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[70,150,142,18,3,48],"tags":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.foresthillsconnection.com\/wp-content\/upLoadImage2012\/2023\/12\/Crow-trash.png?fit=800%2C478&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6vVwz-cdl","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.foresthillsconnection.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46955"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.foresthillsconnection.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.foresthillsconnection.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.foresthillsconnection.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.foresthillsconnection.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46955"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.foresthillsconnection.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46955\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":46982,"href":"https:\/\/www.foresthillsconnection.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46955\/revisions\/46982"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.foresthillsconnection.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/46970"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.foresthillsconnection.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46955"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.foresthillsconnection.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46955"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.foresthillsconnection.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46955"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}