Sometimes Running Is For the Birds....

This happens to me quite often as I'm out for an early morning run or bike ride. I will be trudging along, minding my own business, enjoying the cool morning air and quiet when all of a sudden little black birds are flying over head, dipping towards me in an effort to send me on my way quickly. ( Little do they know that I am practically disabled this morning after yesterdays bike ride)They make the same bird noises the black birds in the movie do, although they haven't actually attacked me yet, they get pretty darn close sometimes. I suspect their nests are tucked away in the tall grasses or shrubs in the ditches and they are afraid I'm going to raid them. I thought they had gone away after I made my way up to the lake and headed back down the hill. I got pretty close to the area they first started squawking at me and thought, hmmmm maybe they have gone hunting for food, when they swarmed out of nowhere to hover over my head again. A bit unnerving in light of having seen the Hitchcock movie more than once. I imagine this will not be the case when the fledglings are out of the nest, but for now I get to wonder when and where the birds will be waiting for me.... I wonder if running up the other side of the road would work......

Running with the quail.....

Yes, it's a lousy photo, one that was taken as I was trying to wog up the street. Two quail were leading me up the hill this morning. I had passed a flock of chickens grazing in a neighbors yard when I looked up to see these two little California quail skittering up the sidewalk in front of me. We almost made it to the end of the block together before they decided enough was enough and flew into a tree. I smiled all the way up the road though, as it's always a treat to go running. See what you miss when you sleep in on a Saturday?

Richer by far....

As I jogged up to the lake this morning I just happened to find a penny and a dime, in two different spots on the road. So I'm 11 cents richer monetarily, just by going for a run.
The sky is clear over the mountains, but as the sun came up over the horizon it shown through a cluster of clouds in glorious splendor, as if to say, "He is coming!" It was one of those, "I wish I had my camera!" moments, although the photo never quite seems to match what you see with the naked eye.  A doe bounded away from my neighbor's yard as I started out, probably startled by the crazy lady in the pink visor trying to run up the hill.
I get to the top of the hill just in time to see a chipmunk circling something in the road, then he takes off with his treasure, his little tail straight up in the air as he dashes off. As I padded past the lake parking lot a covey of quail darted here and there on the road, trying to decide where to be, then all took to the air, thankfully, as a car was coming around the bend and I feared they would get hit. I turned to head back and spied a creature that looks sort of like a fox on steroids as he has very long legs, not what most foxes look like. He sat down to watch me pass, chewing on something he found under a tree.
Farther down the road I passed a man I see on occasion out walking his rottweiler. We tossed greetings at each other about the beautiful morning and then he said, "It's getting rather boring, having all this sunshine." Funny old Eeyore that he sounded like, he surely enjoys getting out each morning as he will walk at least a couple of miles.
On I trudge, only to meet up with a handsome young buck prancing across a parking lot. He and I parted ways quickly, him I'm sure, off to raid the flower beds of some unlucky home, and me to end up back at the homestead, ready to start the day.
So three miles and a run full of the good things God has placed here, I think I'm richer by far.....

Wednesday's Weigh In - Love Is Blind

 

I'm so glad my husband loves me! I'm still working on weight loss, slowly but surely it's coming off. Today I'm at 165 I think as the scale is home and I'm at the in-laws. I saw 164 earlier this week so it's only a matter of time before I am down to 160. My goal is to be there by the end of April. 

Anyhew, Kent keeps telling me that I'm just a little bird, and that I have a cute little bum, so I know his glasses need renewed, but I'm grateful he loves me!

 

So far I've lost 30 lbs. yay, and have a bit more, but am feeling so good about not gaining any weight over the holidays! I'm still watching portion sizes, exercising, and not eating after 6 pm. It really makes a huge difference, but sleep is also a huge factor in keeping my weight loss goals moving forward. 

This morning I went running, 3 miles as a matter of fact, uphill to a horse corral and back down again. As I was running, the clouds lay in a heavy blanket over the mountain peaks and you could almost feel Mother Nature shiver with delight at the promise of RAIN. Robins and sparrows were chattering in the bushes and trees, fussing over nests, sharing the best worm stories, and in general making a joyful noise. I heard honking behind me and turned to see a pair of beautiful Canadian geese on their way north. Well it's after noon now and RAIN is late! I guess I should go wash the car to get him motivated. Are you trying to lose weight or get more healthy? What is working for you?

Running....a wonderful addiction

Yesterday morning as I was out running I heard the "talkie" on the radio share a news blurb about how there's been an increase in depression among people who went to see the movie "Avatar". Because of the vision of how life could be in this fantasy world of Avatar, people I guess took the movie way too seriously.
So this morning the same "talkie" was mulling over the over abundance if you will, of Americans who suffer from depression. His take was that we have turned into a bunch of soft pansies and can't deal with anything. Of course he was railing on the few who really do need to get a life, but there are medical reasons at times for depression and those shouldn't be discounted.
I had a problem with being severely stressed when I was married to my ex. I won't go into details as it doesn't really matter anymore, but I did go see my OB/GYN doctor because I thought I was having terrible PMS. He suggested I change my diet, and exercise, but he did give me tranquilizers as well to calm me when I felt out of hand. I decided to follow the first two things on his list, exercise and diet, and wow what a difference! I never did take the tranquilizers, but I lost 25 lbs, and gained a new found confidence in what I was capable of. My main form of exercise? Running, which is no easy task when it's umpteen below zero, but I would put on tights, and knee high socks and thick fleece jogging pants, a turtle neck, a sweatshirt and a fleece jacket as well as my ski head band and face scarf and off I would go, running around our .6 mile circle until I hit 3 miles. That was almost 20 years ago, and I still love to run, even though I haven't been as consistent as I should be. The chiropractor would have heart failure, but I'm sorry it works for me and doesn't hurt me anymore than any other exercise does. For me, running is my only and favorite addiction. Here's something I found on running if you have been thinking about an exercise program. Oh, and for the record, I lost 15 lbs last year by adding running to my exercise routine.
Running is very good for your health. It provides a great cardiovascular workout, strengthens and tones your muscles. Regular jogging gives better overall physical condition as well as some other health benefits, including mental benefits such as relaxation and reduction of anxiety.

Regular running and jogging is a good way to improve your health and fitness. Many people are concerned about long term damage to joints such as knees, ankles and hips, as a result of running. However, with good quality running shoes and a sensible approach, the risks are minimal, and the benefits of being fitter outweigh those possible risks. There are several beneficial effects of starting a running routine:

Read more: http://www.motleyhealth.com/articles/2008/10/health-benefits-of-jogging-and-running.html#ixzz0cYYgm4yI

Have a great day, and happy running!