Bush whacking and tree hopping
About the time I’d begun feeling land locked, Jason offered to take us hiking. He gave three options: 2 to the various beaches and 1 to the highest point on the island. From the top of the mountain, he promised, the view is spectacular — well, on a clear day, that is.
Of course you know what option I choose. Who could turn down the possibility of seeing all the way to Victoria (and all the San Juan Islands in between). A 3+ hour hike sounded like heaven, even knowing full well that Mother Nature might not grace us with the views I’d longed to see. Pulling YaYa away from the rest of the kids, I insisted that he come along too.
We set out on foot right from the house. Greeted immediately with hills, Ms. G struggled to get a clear view of the satellites while our legs quickly shifted into low gear and our hearts into high. The trails, were slim to none. Steeped with inclines, and lush with green ferns, barbed steel, and tall pines. We were either bush-whacking or hopping over (or crawling under) the many downed trees.
Underfoot ranged from hard, uneven shale to a soft bed of pine needles and decomposing tree. It was heaven in my Treks. Careful attention to foot placement was critical. It was a long way back and there would not be any piggyback rides.
Natural Beauty
The morning sun has a way of bring out the natural beauty in things. Whether it is these lovely orchids of mine, my ever-hungry dog, the sleepy face of a loved one, or simply the 1st cup of coffee, my mornings are filled with a bit of magic. True or not, these beautiful things make me feel beautiful in spite of my tasseled hair and morning breath — simply because they remind me how good it is to be alive and well.
What are the things that bring out your natural beauty?
We are the Champions!
After a lot of hard work and teamwork, YaYa’s team finished off the regular season winning the playoffs. It was truly a kodak (or Sony rather) moment. A moment to be savored for what lies up ahead are more games — one at least — against the winners from the other leagues in our area.
Yes, we are champions, but not because we win baseball games. We are champions because we come together, play hard, and (most of us anyway) win and/or lose with grace.
If I had it my way, we’d join up with many of the kids from the other teams in our division for, over the past years together, we have become family. And although we might be cheering for the different teams, deep down we are also cheering for the same kids whom we’ve come to know and love over the years regardless of what team they’re on.
We cheer for our children’s future, for many successes in the years to come, but also for perseverance in the face of disappointment. We cheer for togetherness, for encouraging others when they make mistakes, and for celebrating the hard work no matter what the outcome.
Here’s to our kids and their future!
All’s Good
I’ve been taking it easy this week and giving my body a little recovery time before hitting the hills between Monterey and Big Sur for yet another marathon. Call me crazy but I am actually looking forward to this challenge.
Overall, I am pleased with how well it appears to be recovering from running the Boston Marathon on Monday. I’ve yet to run but I have not been inactive by any means. Surprisingly, I actually feel good. [knock on wood]
During today’s hot yoga class, I found myself ready to step it up a notch on most opportunities to do so. I ended class sweat-soaked and rejuvenated. What’s more, I was filled with a sense of gratitude for all that I have been blessed with.
In the final meditation, I found myself in conversation with the Supreme Being which can be looked upon from many different angles. Although it certainly could apply to my marathoning, it is more about the journey I call “life.” Scenes from the Hopkinton to Boston, Portland, and Big Sur passed through my mind as I drew parallels between the marathon to ups and downs of the past several years.