Once upon a time, I walked at Lake Alma after work almost every day of the week. I wouldn’t go if it was under 20 degrees or if there was ice on the ground. Sometimes I would skip if heat stroke was a risk.

Otherwise, I was there all the time.

I’m not sure exactly when or why I fell off the wagon but I have missed being there.

Yesterday I had to leave Scout and have some blood work done. Afterward, I grabbed a quick breakfast and then went to the lake. I was surprised at how many people were there on a Tuesday morning but it was gratifying to see so many people using the park.

Lake Alma is a unique state park here in Ohio. It’s beautiful but kind of compact. There’s a nice campground, boat rentals, playground areas, and places to picnic. There’s a paved walking path along the one-way road that goes around the lake. There are also rugged hiking trails that I don’t especially enjoy because they tend to be too steep but I know lots of people who love hiking there for that very reason. There is also a trail around the island that I adore.

But the accessibility of this place is really special. If you had a mobility issue but still wanted to camp or spend some time in the woods on a paved path, this is a great spot. If you want a place to ride bikes with your family, the lake bike path does into nearby Wellston. it is not uncommon to see little kids learning how to ride.

It was a refreshing 48 degrees when I arrived and the sky was a beautiful bright blue. In the first mile I saw a deer, countless squirrels and this salamander.

My apologies for the quality of this photo. Capturing a dark black creature in the shade when they’re on the move is essentially impossible. But you get the idea.

Google tells me that it’s a Northern Slimy Salamander. Evidently, the damp wooded hills around the lake are prime real estate for these guys.

They are land loving creatures that breathe through their porous skin. They like leaf litter, rotting logs, and stones. It was crossing the road and headed toward the lake but Google says it likely wasn’t headed for the water.

If you see one, picking it up with your bare hands is a bad idea. Not only is it troubling to the salamander, they secrete a mucous through their skin that is hard to get off your skin.

One of the things I always liked about walking here is that I regularly have close encounters with turtles, walking sticks, and funny little new-to-me creatures like this salamander.

The other thing I like about regularly spending time in the same place is that you get a front row seat to the way nature changes almost every day.

There’s always something new to see even when it’s familiar. you just have to go looking for it.