One of my favorite things about the business park that I work at is that it’s cut by a small tree-lined creek. A walking trail follows the creek, and each day my friend Tracy and I head outside to walk a mile loop around the creek, enjoying some fresh air and the various wildlife that lives in and around the creek. Most days, we see ducks and birds, and every now and then we’ll get lucky and see a crane or a beaver.
For the most part, I just take in the scenery, but every now and then I do stop and take some photos along my walks.

I love being able to get away from my desk, even for fifteen minutes, and the weather is rarely bad enough to deter me from heading out to the trail. Even on rainy days, Tracy and I can be found making our way long the path, warm coats on and hoods up to protect our heads. On nice days, we venture out no matter how warm or cold the sunny sky happens to be.
Yesterday was one of those rainy days, but it wasn’t really windy and so we decided to take our usual walk. My favorite days are ones when we see some form of wildlife, so I was beyond excited to see this little guy waddling across the trail:

At first, we thought he might be a beaver, but upon closer inspection he had a different tail than a beaver would have. I didn’t even know what he was, but I showed my photo to a coworker who informed me that he was a nutria. When he caught sight of us, he huddled down under some low trees, watching us and sniffing at the air. He must have decided that we posed no real threat, because after a few minutes he made his way back to the other side of the trail, walked down a slight slope, and settled himself in the grass to nibble on it. I was delighted and could have watched him all day, but eventually we continued along our way around the trail and back to work.
I love living in the Northwest and having nature literally right outside my door, both at work and at home. I feel so lucky to have this amazing trail so close to my office, and am grateful that I found Tracy and can share daily walks with her!