There's a reason why hikers get wide-eyed and eager when they hear "Grayson Highlands." There's a reason why those who have been before return time and again, and why those who haven't been are encouraged to go as soon as they can. Ponies! Balds! Easy hiking! PONIES!
I was glad I wasn't relying on my hammock. I wanted to try out a campground at Jordan Lake to scout out locations for sunrise and sunset photography, but it was overcast and there was nowhere to hang a hammock. Instead I lounged at the water's edge of Jordan Lake with McCrae and Ryder, bright orange tent staked in the gravel pad against the lake breeze.
On Friday morning when a friend of mine asked me if I wanted to help clean up a state park on Saturday morning, I of course said "yes!" It's so easy to take for granted green areas and watersheds, whether they are tucked away from most of civilization in a wilderness area or just down the street from cities and homes.
I did not want to run this weekend. I'd spent time and energy doing other things - cleaning up a state park and camping - and I just was not feeling the whole run 13 miles thing.
I am terribly neglectful of my garden, but every year when it starts turning green I get all ambitious in my backyard. "Pumpkins over here and lettuce over there and potatoes in this bed and herbs in these containers!" It gets a little out of hand.
On Saturday I dragged McCrae to downtown Raleigh for one of the few places showing National Parks Adventure, an IMAX showcase of some of "America's Best Idea" as part of the National Parks Service centennial celebration. While a St. Patrick's Day parade surprised us and kept us from the early showing because we couldn't cross the street to the theater, we did eventually get to there to see the film. Included in today's post is a review of the movie.
Now that I've been running consistently for a while, I've taken particular enjoyment from one specific aspect of the sport - not the cute running outfits or the race bling or the metrics and pace times. It's the feeling of fitness and strength knowing that I am stronger and that I can do more and more. It's running 11 miles in the morning and then playing soccer in the evening and not feeling like I've been run over by a train. It's hiking all day and coming home quiet and content, but not completely drained. It's the confidence that I could keep going, the simple affirmation of I CAN.
Sometimes you just need more art in your life. About a year ago I started dedicating more time and energy to the visual arts. I'd always been involved in literature and music and drama, and I'd always appreciated the visual arts; I studied art and architecture in Rome, I frequent museums and galleries, and I am notorious for doodling and drawing in first classroom and now meeting notes. Last year though, I made a real effort to improve those skills.
