Imagine showing up for work at 6:30 a.m., and your boss says, “It’s a beautiful spring day. Instead of working here, go get your AlphaSmart Neo, head out to a park, and spend the day writing.”

Well, that’s not exactly what my foreman said on Monday. It was actually more along the lines of telling us how a crucial belt had broken at 1:00 a.m., and the company didn’t have one to replace it, so all of us line workers would have to go home. But of course, what I heard was the gist of the first paragraph.

Frick Park, Pittsburgh

As far as I’ve been able to tell thus far, Frick is the King of Pittsburgh Parks (though, granted, I haven’t yet visited Schenley). Named for Henry Clay Frick, the park officially opened in 1927. It has expanded greatly over the years as surrounding acres were acquired. Now it’s a woodland paradise of trails for hiking and tables for writing.

Inspiring scenery abounds in Frick Park.

To reach my favorite writing place, I follow the Homewood Trail and then the Tranquil Trail.

This is near the top end of the Homewood Trail.

I’ve been to the park on weekends before and thought a Monday might be less crowded, but it was only slightly less so. It’s a popular park!

Here's my "office" in Frick Park.

This little table is just far enough off Tranquil Trail that the runners and dog-walkers aren’t passing just beside me, though dogs will often come running up to say hi — which is fine — I like dogs. One lady who talked to me called this roofed table “the Schoolhouse.” She said it was placed here by a Charter School, and the students sometimes study here. She said, “Well, you’re kind of doing schoolwork, too!”

The AlphaSmart Neo, faithful workhorse of first drafts, is pictured here laying down part of Chapter 12 of the novel-in-progress.

A good friend and fellow writer told me yesterday that he has finally joined the ranks of AlphaSmart Neo users! I’m telling you all — the Neo is unequaled!

The emerald glow of spring lights the writing spaces of Frick Park in Pittsburgh.

I stayed in the park for about five hours on Monday and turned out 1,846 words. That’s not spectacular; I was writing a slower section that’s moving into the next point of tension. But it’s spectacular for a day when I thought I’d be working the paper line at my job!

Sunlight dapples a stone wall at Frick Park.

I even had the lunch I’d packed for work!

Middle-May in the Uncanny City: not a bad season!

When I was in Frick Park on Saturday, I encountered a large black snake about three feet long. He (?) crawled across the path in front of me, coming up the hill to investigate a ditch beside the path — or maybe he was returning home from hunting downslope. I waited for him to get past. That’s the first snake I’ve seen in several years.

Can one take enough pictures of stone walls in the forest?

What you see below is what seems to be a deliberately-constructed shelter of tree limbs leaned against a tree trunk:

Who built this lean-to structure in Frick Park?

Here’s another view:

Or is it a shelter at all? Maybe it's just sticks leaned against a tree. But there is room for a smallish person to huddle inside.

Frick Park belongs on the list of Pittsburgh’s best locations. Lord willing, I hope to spend a lot of time there this summer! I’ve hardly begun to explore its miles of trails.

Frick Park, Pittsburgh