Writing about the natural world, life, and dogs.
You all know I'm participating in NaNoWriMo this month - National Novel Writing Month. Stating that publicly is, in itself, a calculated risk. One I embrace, because it keeps me honest, and motivated. But taking on risk means simultaneously accepting the possibility of failure, of not reaching one's goal. I was fortunate to grow up… Continue reading Taking Calculated Risks
Living comes with all manner of ups and downs, trials and tribulations, joys and sorrows, challenges to face and overcome. Winston Churchill had more than his share of all of those. In May 1940, after Hitler invaded Denmark and Norway, he was appointed Britain's Prime Minister. He'd not held public office for ten years after… Continue reading Psychic Dynamite
I think of myself as a runner. Always have, since I first started “jogging” in 1975. Running is a key part of my lifestyle and sense of well-being. I say “I went for a run this morning.” I keep a running log which details how far and where I run, how I felt. I look… Continue reading Sauntering
I needed a break from peopling. The only creatures I wanted to talk to were my dogs. I wanted to breathe and be in nature, without interruption, without stress. I also needed to go to a place where I could feel the dogs and I were safe from hunters/killers now that it's rifle season. Knowing… Continue reading Just Breathe
This morning was a glorious one for running mountain trails with my dogs. Crisp frosty air, blue skies, the early sun rising above the trees and ridges to the east casting a warm glow through the tall pine tree branches. Huckleberry shrubs are bright red under the trees and the aspens are turning a vibrant… Continue reading What Mess?
Some runs, that’s exactly how I feel: like a kid in a candy store. Happy. Awestruck. Stunned by what I see all around me. Following fluff butts Conall and Finn up through early-season snow to a scree field where the morning sun's rays have yet to reach. This morning was one such run. Fresh snow… Continue reading Like a Kid in a Candy Store
Other than a smattering of aspen trees, the autumn colors brightening the landscape in the nearby forest arrive courtesy of the shrubs that make up the understory. During a recent morning run I found myself stopping repeatedly, stunned by the beauty of the foliage, digging my camera (a Google Pixel 3a phone) out of a… Continue reading Nature on the Run
When the world is a bit too newsy, and my days too peopley, I head to the mountains and practice some Stoicism, reminding myself: I can’t control external events, only my response to them. Following the dogs, weaving through rock cliffs and trees. My best response? Go outside and absorb the peace and calm of… Continue reading Too Peopley Out There
As in...I finished that 30K trail race last weekend. Finishing was my only goal. After all, it's been three years since I ran this distance or longer, and I was thinner then. And faster. My longest training run this summer was twelve miles. Finishing was hardly assured, but given the remoteness of the course, bailing… Continue reading Success!
Old age and treachery will always beat youth and exuberance. David Mamet My father often shared the above quote as he aged, along with Growing old ain’t no place for sissies, which is attributed to Bette Davis. My father lived to be 85, and had he not smoked for 30 years, compromising his lungs, he… Continue reading Running Through the Ages
