Might Be Coming Back Into Sight--

After months of up and down with back pain, I am now hopeful that I can avoid surgery and do longer and longer walks and hikes again.

Today: A milestone. I walked the one-mile loop from my house, through the northwest corner gate, all the way down to the next gate, and back home again, with two of the Household Beasts. I believe that it has been at least four months since I've been able to do that. Yahoo! (Last time I tried, about 10 days ago, we walked a speck into the park, then I had to turn around and go back.)

I didn't take my trash bag, so didn't watch for Naughty Neighbor droppings, but with occasional glances, it looks pretty clean.

I also didn't take my camera, so didn't capture the pastel colors of the sunset over the park this evening. Hope that you saw it!

Instead--in honor of the occasion--here's my favorite moody photo of the park back on a rainy day (remember those?) about a month after the park opened, with one yellow flower brightening the scene.

Life got in the way

In case anyone's looking here--

I started this with high expectations, since Martial Cottle is right around the corner.

Then Stuff Happened.

There was the unexpected bathroom remodel plus lots of other house prep for the changing of the renter; that went on for more than a  couple of weeks.

Then I added a dog to the household, and he's a bit of a handful, makes it challenging to take all 3 dogs on a walk. So I'm either walking all three and managing him, or walking just him and training him, instead of even looking for--let alone picking up--trash or others' poops.

The old dogs and the new yellow dog in the park

Then one of the dogs got sick. Then I got sick. Everyone's pretty much better now, and I need to get moving again.

I have walked through the park with the dogs several times. One day I even picked up:

• Three cigarette butts
• One piece of gum

Since I started this blog, all the grasses and flowers have grown up, which I suspect hides a lot of what I used to easily see along the walks.

And I have taken a few photos; here ya go.

Sunset April 16

After the rain, west side, April 1.

I love using puddles for reflections; brings the sky down to earth!

Morning March 31

Sunset March 26 looking east

Sunset March 19 looking west 

Wednesday Walk in the Rain, Plus Latest Work

Went out with my trash bag, but the rain made me want to just walk, not look for trash. So we did. Took photos, though.

Plus it was a little windy.

Raindrops on sidewalks 

No construction today, thank you.

Where is everyone?! It's just a little water!

Yesterday they sprayed that oddly green mulch along Branham (looking east).

They also did plowing work on the opposite side of the trail along Branham (looking west).

Ohhhhh, whoa, there's a jogger out there! No one else, though.

Boost didn't mind the rain. She minded having to stop and have her photo taken, though.

Look at that crazy person, out jogging in the rain! Not doing normal things for a rainy day, such as taking the dogs for a walk and shooting some pics.

Tuesday Patrol, Feeling Artistic

Picked up:

West side (from VistaPark/Branham to where the trail veers away from the creek):

• 3 cigarette butts
• 1 water bottle cap
• 3 random debris (old stuff)
• 1 chewed gum
• 0 poops -- yay! (But then, I *was* out there after 5 last night)

South side (along Chynoweth):

• 3 cigarette butts
• 2 fence construction leftovers
• 5 random debris
• 4 poops-- oh, come on, south side, really?

But there was so little stuff to pick up that I spent more time taking photos.

We hit the trail about 8:00, surrounded by chilly fog as the construction crew worked on the north side along Branham.

The sun began breaking through as we walked south.

With the douse of rain 2 weeks ago (about an inch according to my rain gauge), grasslets sprang up everywhere. I know that they're probably weedy foxtaily grass, but it's nice to have a little green.

Boost thinks the gophers are interesting.

The sky becomes more interesting as the fog dissipates above the new construction and the photographer applies some softening and tone mapping.

By the time we got to the end of the trail on Chynoweth, the sky was reclaiming its blueness and colors brightened under the sun.

Another lovely walk completed in our new park.