Anyway, I walked with a smile on my face, so grateful for the chance to walk in the beauty that surrounds me. As I get older I know too well just how short life is. How we never know if it will be our last day or a loved one’s last day on this Earth. Given the tragedy in Japan, I do not take lightly the fact that I can walk, breathe fresh air and feel safe. Sometimes I feel like Heidi, but I love “my mountain.” It will not be long until the remaining thin layer of ice on the lake melts, until the water is full of boats and kids and life. While I was thinking of why it felt so different to walk today than say in January on a mild day, it hit me! The birds, the beautiful songbirds, our snow birds who take off to spend their winters in the south were back. Not only were they back but they were singing loudly and it was so beautiful to hear. As we came upon a house on the other side of the lake, a man who was putting up sheet rock inside a house stepped outside. It was near quitting time for him and he was putting some of his tools in the bed of his truck. He saw Sassy first and called to his co-worker in the house, “Hey, a little dog!” Then he saw Zoey and I approach. He was adjusting things in his truck and he said, “Wow, more people walking around here then cars.” I don’t know if he expected this small private lake to be like the Indy 500, but he said it, like it almost annoyed him.
I replied, “Well, it’s a beautiful day!”
“Could be better”, was his flat reply.
I thought for a moment, maybe he was having a bad day. Maybe he was the kind of person who felt everything could be better. Maybe, he had a fight with his wife or lost someone close to him. However, I told him that is was good enough and that it will get better. He muttered something and I thought a moment and as I passed the house I turned and looked over my shoulder in his direction and called out, “I’ll take it!”
The day lilies breaking through the ground.
Who says you can’t bury your head in the snow?
It was incredibly mild, I did not even need a jacket. The lake is semi-frozen. Definitely would not be on the ice as it looks a bit thawing. I guess we are right on target for the infamous “January Thaw” my mother always spoke about. I took my camera and it was a great walk that definitely worked out my body and mind. I find walking and taking pictures so relaxing and really helps to de-stress and unwind my mind. I especially love being able to look back on various pictures at different times of the year. I love looking at my beautiful bright Peony flowers on a cold winter night, or see my kids splashing and swimming in the lake when we are blanketed in snow.
I really like that I started the new year off with a nice walk. Getting my body back to the routine of my walks felt so good. I mean walking on a treadmill is nothing to the experience of walking out in the beautiful world we live in. When I walk with my camera there is always the anticipation of what I might see and photograph. What great scene may I be able to capture? I hope you all have a wonderful new year. I pray we are all blessed with good health and great love in the new year. God Bless. Welcome 2011!!!
We have also made a couple of trips to the Old Cochecton Train Station. One time with just Jimi and I and then two little babes and another with the entire family. We had a great time on both occasions. We also got some great pics that will make great prints on my new gallery wall I am creating in the family room. I could not believe how much fun even the biggest boys had at the tracks, throwing rocks and goofing around. Good family fun!!!
After the family train trip, Alexandra and I got to head off on a girls’ night out. She was home for the weekend before moving up to Potsdam for a new position in the political arena. She will be there until the end of November so we had to do some major shopping and then a nice dinner at Cracker Barrel in Binghamton for some good southern comfort food to ease the fears of relocation. She will do fine though and she knows it and we are all so proud of her.
Throw in there the lake picnic of which Jimi is the new vice president of the Lake Owners’ Association, swimming, walking, dog issues, gardening, oh what a garden we have!!!
Well let me post some pictures of some of the things mentioned and I will try to visit my blog on a more regular basis. Enjoy the Summer while it lasts!!!