Walking is the perfect way of moving if you want to see into the life of things. It is the one way of freedom. If you go to a place on anything but your own feet you are taken there too fast, and miss a thousand delicate joys that were waiting for you by the wayside. Elizabeth von Arnim

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Friday, July 01, 2011

An early start

I woke up early this morning before the alarm so I just got up and left on my walk a little earlier than usual.  I was out the door at 6:00.  The weather was delightful!  Sunny and 58 degrees and still only 68 by the time I got back home again.
It was a walk around the lake for me today. 
I saw some of the regulars who I haven't seen for a while.  It was as I thought, they were just walking early because of the summer weather.  I'm lucky in that the heat really doesn't bother me all that much.  I wouldn't want to walk in the heat of the day but mornings are good.
Ducks, geese, rabbits, groundhogs and squirrels were all around as well as all the usual birds that I see around the lake.
I was a few blocks from home and coming around a bend when I saw what at first looked like a deer.  It was actually a dog and once it saw me it came bounding down the hill and jumped right on me almost knocking me down.  Thankfully it was a friendly dog.  Next I see the owner yelling T Bone come back here and of course he didn't listen.  The woman apologized to me and then tried to catch her dog which just wanted to play.  I just went on my way thinking that is exactly why she should be obeying the dog leash laws.  I must say I hardly EVER see a dog loose like that, at least one that isn't well trained.
I started the month off with finding two pennies!
I walked 6.4 miles.

AuntA - in answer to your question about who takes care of all the footbridges and paths.  It's the Park Service and yes, they do a great job.  I thank them when I see them! 
How many footbridges? There are a lot!  On my connect the path route there are 12 foot bridges.  Around the lake there are only two main ones and a bunch of little bridges maybe only 5 or so steps across.  I'll count them the next time I walk around the lake because I can't picture them all if I take the walk in my mind. There are four bridges along the path to the lake.  I'll have to take pictures of the bridges and post a few each day in the order I walk over them.
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Work is coming along on the intersection down the block from home.  I took this picture sitting at a red light from the side window in my car yesterday.
 I took this one this morning on my walk.
Yesterday I finished reading book number 24 for the year.  I mention it because it's been six months and if I read 24 more books during the second half of the year, that will only give me 48 for the year.  A long way from my goal of 75!  But there is still plenty of time and perhaps I'll make it yet or at least get close.

I got a call from my daughter this morning who lives far away from me and we had such a nice talk just about this and that.  It makes my heart glad to hear that she is well and happy! : )

I sat outside this morning on the deck while it was covered in shade making weave-it squares.  Such a pleasant way to spend an hour or so during the morning.  In the house for lunch and then I had to get the rest of my cleaning for the week done.

I hope your Friday was a great start to your weekend.A smile from me to you.
Happyone : )
Let us be grateful to people who make us happy,
they are the charming gardeners
who make our souls blossom.
~ Marcel Proust

6 comments:

karen said...

Alarm clock!!! I hate the alarm clock. I would be lazy and just sleep till I wake up than go walk. But I wake up early anyway so it would not be to late. You are a good person. I do have to get up by the alarm for mom all the time so my sleeping is kind of on auto. I wake up about the time the alarm is going to go off anyway. LOL! You are doing very well on your book reading. I think you will make it to your goal.

Vee said...

What a nice morning all around. We've had showers off and on all afternoon, but no thunderstorms.

I don't like an unleashed dog. That is why there are leash laws and some people just don't get it at all. My neighbors never leash their pitbull...new neighbors again directly across the street. Very scary for us with Molly here.

Glad that you had such a nice visit with your daughter. Do you two Skype?

Auntie sezzzzzz... said...

Good you have leash laws. Not good that this lady did not abide by them, though. :-( What if you had been an older person, walking? A just-friendly dog could have knocked them down and given them a fright. Perhaps enough of a fright, to make them stop taking walks. Not a trivial thing. Duhhhhhh some people!

Thank you for the reply about who maintains your walking areas. And about the foot bridges too. Not necessary to actually count them for me. Just so nice, that you have access to so many of them.

I think a foot bridge is sooooooo charming. :-) We have one little one, up the road, on the campus. Only one, but it is charming.

~♥~

Barb said...

I love dogs but sometimes get disgruntled with an owner who isn't in control either by leash or voice. In an area of wildlife and human recreation, it's especially important to control pets. Glad it was a cool start for your walk. It rained hard in Denver and in the mts overnight - we needed it!

Anita said...

Mornings are the best! Cool, quiet, lots of birdsong, little creatures scurrying out of sight, wild flowers fresh and perky. No money along my road :( not even as many aluminum cans as formerly.
I really enjoy your walking descriptions, kinda like I'm tagging along.

KathyA said...

You are so right in thanking the Howard County Parks and Rec Department. Also Columbia Association takes care of all the open space within Columbia. We are so lucky to have these areas, aren't we?