So thankful for...

1. The forest. The return of the forest from Old Man Winter. The last of the ice is receding and the greenery is pushing forth.
2. Listening to the tufted titmouse couple singing back and forth to one another. They might have been protecting their nest from me. I might have been oblivious as I watched them for a good five minutes, then stopped stalking them.
3. Hearing the loudest woodpecker ever, it sounded like it was dinosaur sized! But as it swooped from one tree to another, I found the type of tree (and how hollow it is) can create a visual impression of a collosal bird, when in fact it's just a regular sized woodpecker.
4. Sitting in the sun, on a bench, alone. Quietly a smile crept over my close-eyed face.
5. Making two dozen chocolate and yellow cupcakes for a birthday celebration.

So thankful for

1. The chirriping kingfisher! Ah, my bird and the only one left this season.
2. The first layers of ice growing where the water lies along the pond's edges.
3. Taking the most difficult time with family, the 7 year-old anger and intense (but sometimes misunderstood) sadness/strong emotions, the (seemingly) impossible scenario and just deal with it head on: slowly and patiently!
4. My hot thermos of steamy hot tea while my seat remains ice cold. Somewhere in the middle is plenty of warmth.
5. Remembering that we create our reality. By ignoring the negative media around us, raising our voice when we can offer up clarity, and focusing on the amazing all around us!

So thankful for

1. Transient weather days of November golden sun, 10 minutes of snow flurries, the gentle forest wind.
2. Hot tea on my lunchtime forest walk.
3. Sounds: a kingfisher being chased and the echoing, melancholy bursts of train whistles.
4. Creating a vision: adding touches of comfort to our home.
5. Reading more Tolkein (or rather, reading it over again): from ethereal Bombadil to scary wights. Those feelings of delight and fright from a book completely capture me and pull me in.
6. A tired and dozy husband falling asleep while rubbing my feet - now that's dedication what a lovely man *sigh*...

Detours

Not unlike our house remodeling project(s) at home, our local bike path is getting some work done and it's going to take some time. But thank goodness that the construction is being done in 'bits' - although during peak biking season - so there's only one small piece to detour around at a time before the work crew moves on to the next section.

Taken in August in 2012 and, you know, on a different part of the bike trail. But the SAME bike trail.

 The last two weeks it was section #1 and a short ride on the main road (yikes!) and a bit of riding through windy fields. Manageable, definitely manageable even when it was rain was splattering down on me. I was even surprised that the dreaded bit of road crossing I had to deal with, I ended up hitting at the perfect moment (and the bike gods were smiling on me, pleased that I hadn't let the detour derail me from my weekly bike plan).

This week it's section #2. Let's talk groundhogs. Goddamn those critters are cute. And slow. As I rounded a corner, at the top of a small hill, I surprised my little groundhog friend. (I say 'surprised', because s/he turned around and waddled back into the tall grass. But those little lads (lassies) always act so mellow, never in a hurry, I don't think anything could really surprise them). As s/he headed back to safety, I could see her/him rolling her/his eyes at having interrupted her/his morning breakfast chomp.

Further along, I biked past some farm work crews picking produce. They looked up, I waved and said 'Good morning' and they all smiled and said it back.

I'm hoping on the way back I'll come across some freshly picked blueberries for sale at the side of the road.  Good gravy, what a pleasant detour!

bike therapy

Alas, our aged cat of 16 years had to be put to sleep today after weird health hiccups in October and again in February. But today was her final day. After much joy with her, I had my bike ride home, knowing she'd be buried by the time I returned.

Knowing I had biked to work, my boss offered me a ride home, but you know, biking offers up the perfect opportunity to let those emotions flow everywhere:

1. It's ok to cry, it just looks like you got a bug in your eye. Both eyes.
2. The shaking body is from the intense workout... or is it?
3. Finally, going at your own pace, to reflect on years of companionship and the loss does wonders for thinking things through and remembering.

Easy or not?

Listening to a podcast, Elvis Mitchell's 'The Treatment' on my bike ride in today (cause I figure I can’t listen on my ride home since the rain will electrocute my brain if my iPod's running), I heard Richard Linklater utter a line that strung itself in silver sheathed in a cloud above my head: 

 

 “There is never an easy path.” 

And it’s true, so true, isn’t it? If you attempt the easy path to avoid what would have been more difficult (and potentially more satisfying), it catches up with you. Professionally, personally, emotionally, dirty dishes or laundry… so I’m trying to keep that in mind as we deal with the challenges that our lives present and try to allow myself to fully bask in the wonderful times as well. But is all a part of our journey we’ve put ourselves on.

And on that Buddhist note (yes, I am still reading my Buddhist meditation book), I’ll move along.

Spring flowers

This is the album cover for the Bloodworts' new album entitled 'Blooming'.

I slammed on my bike brakes when I spied this bloodwort blooming on the edge of the trail. Luckily I didn't slide to a crashing halt this time.

Snowshoeing on the first day of spring

For the first time in over two years (at the very least), I'm snowshoeing again.

 

The first and last time this season to wear those mammoth winter slippers, after we welcomed another six inches of snow yesterday. (I feel so foolish assuming each snow storm will be the final one of the season. I wonder if I'll be right this time?) I'm so glad I hadn't cleaned out the back of my van - so glad i put the snowshoes there in the first place, in February.

 Welcome first day of spring. Mother of Nature, it is always a refreshing surprise to remember we can expect anything from you. All this new snow, what a fond, final farewell to winter - out with a bang! 

Those bright sprigs of greenery will punch through that rapidly melting snow in no time and WHIZ! KERPOW! spring will be racing through the land again!

Shifting bikes

I have a bike by the name of Herb. I procured it when we did a walk through Hampshire College after their move-out in May, geez, maybe in 2005 or so.

Yes, I dumpster dive. I left a beautiful white Peugeot 3 speed that I will forever regret not giving a home. But that's a story for another day.

Herb is shiny green and has all sorts of attached bells & whistles that broke long before it came home with me. And sometimes the gears just, you know, shift without warning and the angle of the bike versus me on it, usually ends up in an achy back by the time I'm done. I think the knobbly tires are working against me as well, as I primarily bike on concrete and not on mountain trails.

This bike has pulled two different laddies on their bike trailers and, as of last August, has taken me on a 20 mile round trip commute 2 days a week from August 2012-December 2012 and starting up again this week, when the snow finally receded enough for it to be safe for me to ride. (And man, was I ready to ride!)

But now, now I know I'll be commuting regularly. Not every day of the week, but at least twice a week, if not more.

I love getting some physical exercise first thing in the morning and seeing the landscape change through the seasons. Being slower than a ride in my minivan and closer to the ground, I have seen rare or early season sightings of turkey vultures, sharpshinned hawks, bunnies, chipmunks, turkeys and and AND a fisher cat last week!!! (Not technically a cat at all, but a member of the weasel family.) Biking also gives me ample opportunity to keep up with my favorite podcasts.

But it may be time to retire Herb and move up in the world of biking. Now it may well be time to invest (aack, spend money?!) in a commuter bike. Going to do some research and find out what I can on upright commuter bikes that won't put me in debt. While I realize the more you pay, it's likely the better the components, etc. But my budget isn't going to allow me a $1299 bike that I'll be afraid to leave alone on a bike rack. More to come soon!

hiking, not showshoeing or biking

As I started out I questioned my choice to wear my hiking boots. Last night's snow was melting at an amazing rate, so I knew my plan of snowshoeing was out. But, the roads looked clear enough, perhaps I should have biked today!

But, oh the mud was not far ahead, I don't yet have fenders on my bike, so I would have ended up a mucky, soggy mess. I took a trail I'd only taken twice before on my skis, up to Tuttle Hill. So beautiful. I trudged through the fresh, untouched final snow of the season, went off trail and saw some amazing old shelf fungus, drip patterns and new greenery peeking through the glop.

biking, without wiping out

I took off in both directions of the bike path to assess how soon I could bike to work again. I miss the leisurely morning rides, pre-work activity to keep my day feeling even and happy.

I rode towards home and stopped in two places: first where a tree cut the path off and second where the ice hadn't been maintained by anyone. My bike only swerved in the ice one time, when I had to squeeze through a very tight un-iced space as the biker next to me had to quickly dismount or fall. Back the other way again, towards work and past work, towards the swamps until I knew I should turn around again.

But before I left, I paused and saw my first turkey vulture of the season! We'd seen them in Joshua Tree/Palm Springs a few weeks ago, and now they were at our home too. I felt so joyous to see a true sign of early spring right above me, swirling in the updraft, waiting for a scent to waft upwards.

Surely, my morning/afternoon commute is a mere few weeks away!

run/walk

Having not jogged in over 9 years, I had no idea what I was doing. Stretch first, I took care of that.  Some light jogging happened, some walking, but mostly ice removal.

Since I don't really like running, but I LOVE biking, I made it  my personal mission to destroy the late winter ice still on the trail. If I couldn't bike, I'd do my best to make biking possible, as soon as possible!  Most passersby looked at me crazy, but one lady thanked me as she jogged by.

the last of the snow (for now)

One last walk through the snow before the warmth takes it away.

Then more cold will arrive.

 

And with any luck, more snow before our winter is through! 

(I'm talking to you February 8 storm!)

evergreens

The stilt-y evergreens are like toothpicks swaying above the trail.

But underfoot they exist it many other shapes.

Collecting the leaves and needles of their neighbors...

...slowly emerging from the crystal snow.

nesting along the trail

Wintertime means fewer flora and fauna to seek out and identify. Even the birds' songs are few and far between.

But the lack of leaves on the branches allows us a view into bird nests that would usually be hidden, 

as they should be, for the raising of their young.

Made of cat tail fluff, leaves, mud, moss. 

Perhaps chipmunks came along, post-birds, to enjoy some berries.

The inside and out, mostly mud on the inside, the intertwining of plastic refuse on the outside gave this home a ghostlike, Miyazaki appearance from below.

 

So many branches intersecting in one place, was perfect camouflage, the thorns the perfect defense. 

The chicks of this brood must have learned the art of balancing along each strand of bush, before they learned to fly.

bike before snow

The ice patches left on the trail look like world maps.

If I'm to ride the trail on my bike at least once a month, like I did last year, then I can cross off January.
And just in time, with 3-6 more inches of snow on the way in the next 24 hours.

  

But for now, I'm imagining a fantastical world beyond the asphalt.

trail treasure

Too icy to bike, not enough snow left to ski, I'm left using my own two feet to find some peace in the outdoors, away from everyone. 

No confines of a building around me or business hours to strap me to a chair, just the open sky and cold, strong air to breathe in.

And there are so many treasures to find, just by looking a little lower or higher than I usually would. 

Like small alien crafts that settle on a sapling branch.

Their civilizations already abandoned for other locations.  

ski x 8

The perfect storm of gorgeous winter weather and the winter break allowed me to get out skiing for eight days in a row. Damn the forty degree temps of this week (and my broken pole) that put an end to my world record.
I feel great finishing off 2012 and starting 2013 thoroughly enjoying New England the way it should be in winter.

family sunday

What a beautiful day it turned out to be.  The sun shining through the trees (sometimes), mushrooms galore, my husband in his grandfather's fedora.  You have to be stylish when you're exploring Bear Swamp for the first time!

The Ashfield Fall Festival was blueberry cobbler, running into Luna the Librarian, finishing the pulled pork sandwich, excavating a half dozen records from the tag sale (Tom Jones, Elvis, a Christmas album and Herb Albert - what a looker)!

Now we're home celebrating the boys' half birthdays with a collaborative chocolate pud and scrumptious fish tacos.  Uno's on the table - I won, but they keep playing despite the dessert being served up and on the table.  Oh, the game has been forfeited in favor of half-birthday-chocolate-pud.  Better go before someone eats my share!

biking home

from 40% chance of rain the night before, to 85% chance the day of. with chance of thunderstorms.

i left when there was a break in the precipitation, but it didn't last. 

had a talk with the cashier (who was sporting an amazing moustache, i wish i could grow a moustache)  at whole foods (had to get olive oil) who asked me about my bike (fyi, i have NO idea what kind it is and proudly announce that i got it for free when it was left behind with a ton of non-essential college student stuff at hampshire five years ago).  he told me he's intimidated to ride in the rain cause it gets slippery and dangerous.  well, i said, i'm kind of scared too, but here i go!  if i fall, i fall, but i have to get home and make dinner.

i only passed one other biker on the way home.  it was marvelous.  listened to some old tunes that i rediscovered, my ipod in a pocket ziploc bag.

note to self: purchase and install fenders for bike.