Day 208 Flight Path

July 5, 2015

(This is part of a 365 project during my 70^th years where I write and illustrate a blog on each day’s gift.)

A night walk in the neighborhood, admiring neighbors flowers.

“Do you want to go for a walk?” These are rare words that I hear. Usually I’m the one asking the question. “Sure,” I respond. Night walks in the neighborhood with my husband are special.

Tonight we walked down to Gray’s Creek and back—about 2 ¼ miles. The neighborhood was quiet except for planes taking off from BWI Airport. We must be on the flight path tonight. We heard a few frogs, one bullfrog, and maybe two tree frogs. The crickets must have been asleep and I heard no cicadas. Was the night too hot and humid for them? I’m looking forward to the songs of the tree frogs as summer progresses.

I like to sit on the community pier bench but mosquitoes attacked David as soon as we sat down so we turned around to walk home. For a change, it is welcome to have no background television sounds for our conversations but we could see huge flat TV screens in neighbors’ living rooms as we passed by—couples lulled to numbness and passivity with television substituting for conversation. On our walk, David and I talked about future plans and possibilities. Otherwise, we just enjoyed listening to our footsteps and watching our lengthening shadows. 

On the way back, my wrist tingled from the Fitbit vibration telling me that I had reached my 10,000-step goal. Today’s report: 11,425 steps, 4.69 miles and a half-gallon liquid consumption.

My gift today is a peaceful night walk with my love.

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> Day 209 Pink Fish Tongue

You can find links to my other posts on this project here:

http://bjschupp.blogspot.com/2014/12/365-gifts.html

Day 98 Going the Distance

March 17, 2015

(This is part of a 365 project during my 70th year where I write and illustrate a blog on each day's gift.)

More than 10,000 steps, nearly 4 ½ miles and more than ½ gallon of fluids—healthy goals accomplished by 8:30 tonight. My Fitbit keeps track of walking, fluid intake and sleep patterns. Today was a good day except for fewer than 8 hours of somewhat restless sleep last night.

The big walk, 2.7 miles, was from my house to Gray’s Creek on a sunny, spring-like day with gusts of wind. An empty bench rests at the end of the community pier on the creek and its silence spoke loudly as I approached it. I had been so intent on covering distance and adding numbers that I forgot to stop and relish minutes and seconds of experience. I sat on the bench for a while and watched wind ripple the water, clear now but bound to change as summer boating begins and adds pollution from dripping fuel. I could see the pebbles at the bottom as ripples changed patterns depending on the intensity of the wind. Water and wind rhythms resonated in my body as I allowed myself to forget about distance goals and merely breathe and feel.

Maybe it is because at my age I’m aware that time shrinks the longer one lives, that I want to count each step, but I should never forget to stop and breathe in the gifts of nature that surround me. The red bench spoke to me and I am glad that I listened.

My gift today is a bench.

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> DAY 99

You can read my other posts on this project here:
http://bjschupp.blogspot.com/2014/12/365-gifts.html

Day 19 - Puggle Lesson

December 28, 2014

(This is day 18 of a 365 project during my 70th year, each day a gift.)

In spite of covering my ears with blankets, it didn’t work—grand-doggie Roxy awakened me at 6 a.m. this morning. Staying with us while our daughter and son-in-law are in Florida,  this dog is perpetual hunger personified. The early morning wake up is the down-side of dog-sitting. The up-side is walking in Downs Park, something we both love to do.

These walks are always an adventure for me, even if I go there every day. With a canine companion, an extra layer is added. I’ve noticed that even a puggle can make me think about how to live my life:

•  Stop to smell everything. You never know what you will find. 

•  Play with falling leaves as if looking foolish were the coolest thing in the world. 

•  It’s okay to run around in circles as long as you feel joy. 

•  Stop often to leave something of youself behind so others will know you have been there. 

•  Sometimes it is good to chase something, even if you don’t understand it.

• Take your time pooping and don’t forget to look around. You don’t want to miss anything. 

•  Pick your nose up off the ground so you can see the deer watching you. 

•   On your journey, travel with a sweeping motion to experience both sides of the path.

Today’s gift is a puggle lesson.

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> DAY 20 Dome

You can read my other posts on this project here:

http://bjschupp.blogspot.com/2014/12/365-gifts.html