Weekend Morning Walks

 Now that the days are getting shorter, I head out for my walks during the week in the dark, 

which means I miss the amazing sunrises and painted skies. 

But on weekends I set my alarm for 6:00 

and head out a little later

...perfect for catching the fiery skies.

 And it's light enough that, 

if you're lucky you get to see 

some wildlife.

I caught one,

but there were five.

 A gaggle of Canada Geese in a farmer's field

...that took off in flight as I approached.

And you meet some 

not so wild friends 

along the way too.

Happy Walking,
Marisa

Pushing Myself

This week has definitely been a struggle to keep up my morning walking routine.

Crawling out of bed and heading out 

in the dark is never easy, 

but the warm sticky weather all week has made it very tempting 

just skip the walk altogether 

and enjoy an hour extra sleep.

But I did  manage to push myself every day and hit the pavement, 

albeit a little slower heading out,

managing only 3k - 4k instead of my usual 5k

... but at least I moved which is better than nothing.

~Just Move!~

This morning, by the time I headed out the door wearing
just crop pants and a tank top 

under my reflective vest, 

it had already started to rain, the wind had picked up 

and it was actually quite cold for a change.

Being already late getting started I went back in the house
and hung my hat, ready to give my walk a pass due to the rain,
but I must be conditioned to walk...

In spite of the time,

I geared up in my rain clothes 

and headed out...

And I'm glad I did.

  Although I only had time to get in a 3k walk,

it was the best walk I've had all week. 

The air was fresh and wonderfully cool and the rain was

...well it was wet...

but 

quite

refreshing.

Happy walking,
Marisa

Through The Fog

"From now on we live in a world where man has walked on the Moon.

It's not a miracle; we just decided to go." 

Tom Hanks

I was greeted this morning as I headed out the door by a Waning Gibbous moon, 

large and bright in the western sky, 

before the fog over the north and south mountain 

settled in to blanket my path.

The sun tried to break through the fog in the east

as the moon continued to 

cast a rosy ring.

Usually, at this time of the year, wisp of fog can be seen touching the tree line on the horizon, giving the mountains a mysterious magical feel ,but this morning the fog was so thick I couldn't see the mountains.

...the mist through the orchard.

...my walking path.

Happy walking,
Marisa

"They Were Going Up" Sept. 11th, 2001

As I was going through the garage on my way out for my morning walk, 

a noise from the window caught my attention. 

This small bird was trapped between the panes and couldn't get out.

I was able to reach in, catch,

and release it outside. 

 ...so beautiful

 ...and now free!

Although I risked nothing but perhaps a fall from the work bench,

to this little guy, 

I was 

...a heroine.

Real courage is:

"knowing you're licked before you begin

but you begin anyway

and you see it through no matter what."

~Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird

I would like to share Tom Paxton's song about the real heroes of 9/11, the fire fighters who went up the stairs of the towers to help others escape while knowing the fate that awaited them.

"The Bravest"

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Bringing It In

"When autumn comes into the house!"

Acorn squash from the garden, ready to be popped into the oven.

One of my favorite and easiest ways to cook squash is to cut them in half, scoop out the seeds, add a tablespoon of butter, a tablespoon of brown sugar and a good sprinkling of cinnamon sugar, cover with foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for an hour. The best way to eat baked squash is with a spoon so you get every bit of the buttery sweetness.

Always, there's lots of swisschard...it just keeps coming and coming...

A nice bunch of kohlrabi and basil....

The basil  became pesto

...which ended up on Triscut crackers

along with tomatoes and goat cheese 

and baked in the oven until hot and crispy...hummmmm..

Another staple food for autumn

...steaming hot bowls of hearty soups

like this Chicken Veggie and Orzo Soup.

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Solitary Walker

"The man who goes alone can start today;

but he who travels with another 

must wait till 

that other is ready".
Henry David Thoreau  

Given the choice between sleeping in or getting up for an early morning walk, 

the hubby will always choose sleeping in,

which makes me... someone who likes to just "get up and go"
...a "solitary walker."

We spent part of the Labor Day weekend in Bridgewater on the south shore,

and while hubby snoozed, 

I walked the Centennial Trail along

the

LaHave River.

On the way home we stopped at our daughter's to

pick blueberries before they are over for the season. 

With eighteen high bush shrubs, 

she has plenty to fill her freezer and to share

with us, her in-laws 

and some neighbors.

"Blueberries as big as the end of your thumb,
Real sky-blue, and heavy, and ready to drum
In the cavernous pail of the first one to come!"
Robert Frost

Happy walking,
Marisa

"The early bird catches the worm."

&
"The early walker catches the vistas."

On a recent camping trip, I was awake a 5:30am...not sure if it was my internal alarm or the haunting cry of a chipmunk that woke me, but I was up and ready to hike around the island. The hubby who over indulged on roasted wieners and marshmallows the night before wasn't up for a walk and opted to stay cocooned in his sleeping bag while I set off on my own.
As I customarily do, I gave him a time to expect me back, after which he should send out a search party if I failed to show up by the set time.


Here is what one misses by sleeping in...

Although I had allowed time for off the path excursions and photo taking, I would have stayed longer but ended up rushing to make it back to the campsite before hubby started to worry. I was late getting back but hubby, far from being worried,was snoring away with not a concern in the world about my whereabouts... gotta love him!

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