Hi Celia,
It was another busy sweep. I was on and off my bike 9 times to toss off a number of large gravel chunks, two empty cigarette packs, Tim Horton Coffee cup, road kill, and dreaded glass.
I encountered my first amphibian road kill this afternoon. A small frog lying belly up on the white line. I took mercy upon this tiny cadaver. I scooped it up in a Time Horton coffee cup, put the lid on, and tossed the roadkill into the tall grass in the ditch. A kilometer down the road, I came upon my second small frog roadkill. Two in one day, wow!! This carcass had to be kicked off, as there was no cigarette package or Time Horton cup to be found.
Next I came upon a shattered clear glass bottle. I spent 15 minutes sweeping up the mess. It's difficult to see clear glass on an overcast day. The glass wedges itself into the cracks and the pitted asphalt surface. I walked across the area three times. each time I found glass that I had not seen the previous time. I actually measured a distance of 45 paces. A cyclist stopped to inquire if I was OK, and wondered why I was sweeping the highway with a small brush. I don't think he quite understood the job of a volunteer Street Sweeper, Carcass Kicker-Offer.
I encountered another first today. As I stopped to kick off a chunk of pavement, I noticed a dried up used condom in the grass, next to the paved shoulder. I can't figure that one out. It's too bizarre. Honestly, I'm not making this up.
Bye until Thursday,
Mary
SS&CKO