Picture blog post

Though I am fatigued beyond comprehension, I need to at least post some photos of an amazing kayak that I took Sunday Morning.  I have a few people who are friends NOT on facebook and I want them to be able to see them.  SO- even though I slept like crap last night and then done wore myself out in a variety of ways this evening*,  I will do this!!

**I definitely need to blog about the school gym that opened- many conflicting feelings here....

Anyway, I sort of wanted to kayak on Saturday morning, but it was REALLY cold and I was too tired from school.  People in the house- ahemtheMAcough- was threatened with bad things and no breakfast if they woke me before 6:30- and yet  it was a surprise to find the clock heralding almost 7 when I woke up.  Why that man wakes up early on weekends is beyond me.  Anywho, I just couldn't do it Saturday.  So Saturday evening I loaded up the kayak and made myself get up and go- at about 6 the next morning.  I had to allow enough time for coffee!  There is something so wonderful and decadent about being out in a kayak on a quiet river at 7 am, watching the sunrise through the mist, while sipping a little coffee..... (I left out the part about frantically snapping photos during the high color time, changing lenses, and cameras and pulling things out and into dry bags and such...)  But I like to have my moments of pleasure, so I will stick with the first part of the story.  :)  Actually after the initial photo rush and the mist cleared I had a fun, leisurely paddle around Smith Lake and up and down the Flambeau.  I knew that the cold air and the warm water would give some good photo ops and I was not mistaken.

This was cool- mist receding

I have to say that the moment I came over the hill down to the boat landing was a goosebump giving, awe inspiring event.  The mist was thick and the sun was starting to come up over the horizon.  The colors were soft and beautiful and I knew that I certainly should be able to get a few good shots.  I think I was right.

If this was my dock, I'd be sitting on it every morning

I am going to get out onto the river as often as I can over the next several weeks, as I know that my time of paddling is growing to a close.  I might be able to lay hands on a wet suit, which will extend that season a bit!  That would be fantastic.

Sculpture in the water

Anyway, here are some of the fruits of my labors, not that it was much of a problem to get outside after being cooped up for the week.




I hope you find as much joy in these as I did.

Walking and shooting and things going on

This was a bit of a monochromatic weekend, as you can see by the pictures here!  I did notice the sun was out while I was in the gym (of course it was) but by the time I got home, threw on additional layers of clothes and clicked into the snowshoes- it was gone.  Oh well.  It was OVER 0 so that was a plus.  In fact, I ended up changing my clothes a lot as I really did get pretty sweaty- under all those wind proof outer layers.  It was a pleasant change of pace.

The MA and I went snowshoeing on Saturday night and I have absolutely no pix of that as I left the phone by accident in the house and I am such a putz getting all of my stuff on anyway, I didn't want to take the time to go get it.  We used the head lamps that the kids gave us and off we tromped around the field.  We have a really nice trail made, so the snowshoeing will continue!  

The other interesting thing I did this weekend was take a concealed carry class.  I debated about telling people this, and did not post it on facebook.  But as this was my decision and it affects no one else in the world (well other than the guy who has all the ammunition!) I thought it was somewhat blog worthy!  :) My main motivation is not fear of people- it is fear of walking in remote areas with lions and tigers and bears, oh my!  Seriously.  I am assuming I will never use it, but I am practicing so at least if I have to I will accomplish what I need to.  I do enjoy the target practice.  It is pretty fun to be able to improve my aim in a very short time.  I am apparently a pretty quick study.  

The other shooting I did this weekend is I FINALLY WENT FOR A LONG WALK!!!  and of course that involved a camera as well.  I MISSED the stone house and my favorite tree so much!!  It has been at least 6 weeks, but I think more, since I have walked on the road.  Winter has not been kind for that.  It hit hard and with a vengeance.  If the weather wasn't terribly cold, the roads were awful.  Things shaped up out there quite a bit with 2 days of just barely above freezing.  YES!  

I made sure I got pictures of my landmarks, plus included here are a couple from snowshoeing. The house from across the field is quite fetching, and then the MA likes it when I take cabin pictures.  I don't think he has ever even seen this blog, other than the rare times I show him something on it, so he won't see the cabin here, I'd venture to guess. BUT I try to get it on facebook occasionally.  Makes him feel important and proud.  Lol, he and the Barber are working on bed frames for the cabin now.  Busy little beavers that they are.

My pretty grey house and the garden shed

Little cabin in the woods

Favorite tree 

The old abandoned house across from the stone house

Stone house

I really wanted to hike up the side of the hill to get up by the house, but it really is deep snow.  REALLY DEEP However, I have a feeling that will not work next time.  I want to get up there again and shoot it in that snow.

I am in "training" with my snow shoes for the "Book Across the Bay" from Ashland to Washburn in a month.  It is a walk/run across Lake Superior- which scares the heck out of me. But I'm going to do it!! So I am needing to get in some long walks to repair my endurance and work on the snowshoes for the muscles needed.  I like the idea of this bookin', I will be a skeered skeeter when I am walking though!!

I got in a lot of activity today, sort of like I used to when I was losing.  I have definitely let myself relax in that whole obsessive watching every morsel I eat and exercise until I want to drop thing. It was awesome to get such a great workout - I truly love it.  I just question this whole idea of starving yourself to become a replica of things/people that are randomly chosen as ways that you are supposed to be and ways  you are supposed to look.  It seriously breaks my heart when sweet, wonderful people are hurting because they don't live up to an ideal that is in their head when they are strong, gorgeous, handsome, amazing, intelligent people. WHY do you need to be 120 instead of 130?  Who came up with this idea that you should exercise for HOURS a day and then not go home and feed your hunger??  How is this logical?  If you have kicked your own ass and had a great workout and you are so starving that you are weak and desperate, I think you should be eating something, the hell with the number on the scale.  Obsession is a wicked, insidious thing. It still haunts me.  Scale obsession lives deep inside me.  I have not stood on a scale since my last major weight freakout.  A lot of things have happened since then, I have come to terms with this idea or at least come to my senses and I am very happy not to know.  It is my way of coping and it is my way of being at peace.  I have been told that it is just a number and I agree- TOTALLY- but I am not able to be happy with or at least not care about whatever that number may be.  Ignorance is bliss for me in this regard.

We are still the same people no matter what we weigh.  I know I may be more self confident, but I am the essence of me still.  I am still the same person who gets distracted by clouds, who loves photography, children, art, animals, smiles, sunshines and lions, reading and gardening and food and cooking.  And whether I am one weight or another really makes no difference. Our character and the way we treat others is far more important than any physical trait that we might have.  I'm having one of those reflective moments apparently!  This type of subject has been rolling around in my mind for quite a while and it has the need to be mentioned again.

But I am beginning to get sleepy now and while there is more to be said - I don't think I am capable of continued coherence.  If I ever had that in the first place.

Anyway, I have to be off to dream land- so I hope that this day has brought you some joy and that you brought some joy and smiles to others!

So FAR behind!!!

Ohmygoodness, it has been so so long!  i didn't blog about the play, I haven't blogged photos, I haven't told you (not that most of you don't know this) that I have entered a new weight zone!!  eesh.

SO!!  I am beginning with a quick picture post, since that is my passion.


These are a series of pix from Phillips, WI, the town next to ours.  I had a ride down with the MA who had to copy and collate a bunch of tax returns,  surprise - surprise!  I went for a great walk by Lake Duroy.  Photo shoot, walk, climbed a tree!  Lol, you just never know what life is going to present to you.  And what obstacles you might encounter.  And what fears you might conquer and what risks, large or small you are willing to take. How you can reinvent yourself.   AND what joys you might find tucked in there along the way!

I "may" have climbed up THIS tree!!  Lol

Until next time, which should be pretty soon, as I try to do a little catch up blogging, find YOUR joy.  Be brave