...And so, the Adventure Began

Saturday was the first day since April since I've gone for a run. Last year I spent the better part of it running and trying to improve my times. Last summer I noticed a "slow down" in my pace/times. I thought it was the heat with humidity or possibly me just being tired, older, pre-menopausal or something else. Not sure why this was happening I kept on going, but my times never really improved. they didn't fall considerably each time either but by winter I noticed a difference. So this Spring I thought would be better, and well, it wasn't. I felt as if I HAD to run for my life I would not make it. I summed it up to my work schedule plus the above things and decided that those times would never be what they were. I was saddened by this thought. I always ran because I loved it. It was my Prozac. The endorphins, the challenge of a better time, and the health benefits. I was running for my life. Running to stay healthy and feeling good. Then Covid hit and the lock-do...

I sometimes hear people talk about an experience that shook them. Like a death that made them realize that life is short. Or a loved one getting ill and it made them realize that they had to get there act together in some way or another. Throughout the years I have heard people say these things, but very few ever follow through. They do a few things for a month or two and then they forget about it and revert back to their old ways. Seems to be human nature. I've known very few that made a true effort to change what needed to be changed and made themselves and therefore their life better lived. Why do these people only realize these things when tragedy strikes? Do they not think of living their life to it's fullest before these things happen? I think people get caught up in the day to day tasks that they lose sight of what they want. And what IS living life to it's fullest? I think that's subjective. Everyone's fullest is different. I think very few actively seek to ...

SPRING IN QUARANTINE April Showers Bring May Flowers I actually started this post back in late April hoping that we would have really good blooms this year. Well we sure did. I was also able to go out to Highland Park ad photograph this year's blooms. It was a pretty hot day but it felt good to get out. So I grabbed my BFF, my camera and a mask and headed out. I've posted the current pictures at the end of the blog. They were gorgeous and smelled amazing! It was also nice to get out and get some fresh air after being cooped up for so long! I finally had a chance to pull the pics out of my camera and finish this post. Check out the pics at the bottom of the post. Totally true here in Upstate NY. April is quite a rainy chilly month. Temps range from the 40s to the 50s and an occasional day or two of warmer weather. As the month goes on it warms up a bit more. And with that showery weather come the May Lilacs. Rochester is well known for the different varieties of Lilac...

I can't believe over a month has gone by!! Spring has finally sprung and we are in full swing towards Summer! So happy it is warm. We have had some amazing sunny days. Luckily I've had a chance to get out there and enjoy it.  In my last post I mentioned how a lot of the time we are so busy with our day to day activities or work that we tend to go "visually numb". What I mean by this is that you may pass a field of blooming flowers and see it but not really see it. You may pass it everyday but you never really see its beauty. Visual Mindfulness is slowing down and enjoying the visual beauty around us. Like the phrase "...to stop and smell the roses". The Buddhists practice Mindfulness. Being aware of your present thoughts, body sensations, environment and being in tune with what you are sensing, In the Buddhist practice it is to keep yourself in the present, and leave past and future thoughts behind... There is more to it than this but that is the bas...

Well being stuck in the house sure is making me get things done. Normally I'm super busy with work and running errands that I don't have much time for anything else. But with being in quarantine now for three weeks has given me time to catch up. I had some paperwork to catch up on and projects to finish. Now it's time to slow down a bit. While a lot of bloggers are talking about making masks and are posting patterns, I really don't want to post about that. Don't get me wrong, it's great and I'm making some too but you don't need me to detail it for you like that. You can search  Pinterest  for mask patterns and you will get plenty of links there. We really don't need one more. We are all going through this together. I'd like to focus on some positive  things in my posts. Now that I have some downtime I can actually get in the car and explore more of Rochester (just myself and the dog). I want to find the beauty in the brown and gray. ...