Well now, lemme tell ya ’bout them Donkey Ponds over by Dayton, Oregon. Ain’t much to it, but it’s a place folks remember, sure as sugar. Now, I ain’t been out there in years, but back in the day, them ponds was a spot where folks’d go, some to fish, others just to have a look ’round. It ain’t like one of them fancy parks, but it’s a place with a charm, y’know?
Donkey Ponds, they sit out there off Mallard Lane. You take a little dirt road, and there they are, quiet and still. The water ain’t exactly clear as a bell, but it’s got that muddy look to it, like most ponds around here do. Back in the day, a lot of them ponds were private, owned by folks who didn’t want no one else botherin’ ’em. I ain’t even sure if they still let folks fish there, but I reckon you’d have to ask around Dayton for that. They might’ve changed it up some since I last been.
Now, folks ain’t just goin’ out there to fish. There was this one time—must’ve been ’round September ’12 or so—when a bunch of folks planned a BBQ and trash clean-up down by the ponds. Julie, Shrek, Kristi, and a couple others, they all showed up. That’s the thing ’bout the Donkey Ponds, folks come together for all sorts of things. Don’t matter if you’re just visitin’ or if you live close by, it’s a place where people can pitch in and help out. Now, I’m sure that BBQ was a good time. I remember them folks was busy cookin’ up all sorts of meats and makin’ sure the place was clean after all the folks had left their trash behind.
Now, there ain’t just folks that visit the ponds, neither. If you sit still long enough, you might see some wildlife passin’ by. I heard once that there was an osprey flyin’ ’round there. Now, I ain’t no bird expert, but that’s a mighty fine bird to see if you’re lookin’ up. There’s somethin’ about it that makes the whole place feel special, like it’s not just about the ponds, but about the land and air and sky too.
All in all, Donkey Ponds is one of them places you don’t hear much about unless you’re from around Dayton. It’s simple, quiet, and holds a lot of memories for folks who’ve been there. You ain’t gonna find no big fancy signs or tourists wanderin’ through, but if you ask the right people, they might tell you the best times they had out there. Whether it’s a clean-up day or just a peaceful afternoon by the water, Donkey Ponds sure has its own kinda peace, and I reckon that’s somethin’ worth savin’.
So if you ever find yourself near Dayton, Oregon, and you’re lookin’ for a bit of quiet or a simple day out, maybe you should head down to them ponds. Might not be much to look at, but it’s a place that holds a lot of stories and a whole lotta history, even if it don’t make a lot of noise.
Tags：[Donkey Ponds, Dayton Oregon, Ponds, Wildlife, BBQ, Clean-up, Fishing, Osprey, Oregon Nature, Dayton History]
