"Whan That Aprile...."

With all apologies to Geoffrey, the April showers are leaving me a bit bummed out.  Pilgrimage?  The only place I want to go to is a warm beach, a sun bathed stretch of sand. That, my friends, is where I long to go on pilgrimage.  But anyway, lit references aside, how has YOUR April been?  Ours has been gray with a few sunny days sprinkled in just to keep our chins up.

Sunny days that make it all worth it

Mae had a birthday at the beginning of the month.  She's 2!  That seems like a milestone because when I got her, the rancher who gave her to me said that she would really settle down and be a much easier dog by the time she's 2.  Let's all laugh at THAT!  Sure, she's a bit easier and she's really filled out and is a SUPER athlete.  But Mae, my beautiful Mae, will never be an easy dog.  She is a damned cute girl though hey?

Birthday girl

Have a lovely spring!  Entertain, experience, accomplish, be deliberate, ENJOY.

Cats and Lilies

Hello!  Happy Spring!  (well almost)  I noticed Easter Lilies in the market recently and have been wanting to post a reminder that CATS and LILIES do not mix!  Lilies are quite toxic to cats and very quickly, if ingested, lead to fatal kidney failure.  My brother-in-law lost a cat this way a few years ago and last week, a cat came into the clinic where my daughter works .  He had eaten a little bit of a lily petal and sadly he didn't make it.  So please, if you have cats, leave that lily in the store!  

Luna would like a catnip bouquet

Signs of Spring

Dirty snow, broken sleds, holes opening up everyhere and soft, wet snow…these are our local signs of spring.  I’m excited that it’s March 1st!  February was rainy with two weeks straight of rain that really melted our snow pack.  But then we had some great sunny days and my husband and  I were able to get out and take a few runs together one day last week. It was gorgeous!    I can always count on him to get some great action shots.  Like this one:

That’s right, I’m tightening my boot!  But look at all that sunshine and nice snow!  Then there’s this one…..I’m actually SIDE SLIPPING.  Is it my first day on a snowboard?  NO.  Ha ha ha, but maybe he was looking at the view, and not at me.  In my defense (yes, I feel like I need to defend myself)  just out of view to the right was a group lesson of tiny skiers!  They were so adorable!  They make huge turns and I was trying to let them get ahead of me.  Well, that didn’t take long for most of them. Gosh they are fast!

It was a beautiful day out there.  Since then we have had more rain and are losing more snow.  There are holes like this one opening up all over the place.

But it’s all good.  We can ride around them!

Happy March!  In just a few weeks it will officially be SPRING!  Hooray for that!  I’m certainly looking forward to it.  Aren’t you??

Green Grass

One of the things I truly love about where I live is that I can be on snow, xc skiing, snowboarding or just running around , maybe sitting on a snowbank....

....and then with a 30 minute drive?  I can be in a completely different place, usually 10-20 degrees warmer and the grass is green!  By February the Seattle area has flowering trees and shrubs in bloom, everything is green, though a bit soggy, and it really feels like spring!  But with the snow pack we have this winter, we will be enjoying "winter" sports well into May.  Not a bad deal really.

It was actually a bit warm for her at 50 degrees!  Used to the snow and cold weather.

Monday Things

 First things first....the beer:  Kona Brewing Co. ,
Koko Brown, brewed with toasted coconut.  Like being at the beach, in Hawaii (I have a vivid imagination) except you drink it....

Mariner's home opener is tomorrow!  That's a shot from last year's opening night.  We have tickets to the Friday night game vs. Oakland....yay!!! In and Out burgers, peanuts and a $10 beer! Go M's!!

The gear bag needs cleaning out.....too much winter stuff.  Like me, it's grown a bit heavy over the cold months.

30 minutes into my run today, I realized it was sunny.  I said, IT WAS SUNNY.  That's right....and  my ghostly pale arms and legs were out there unprotected.  Time to drag out the sunscreen . Last year I got a great deal on some Sun Bum products and stocked up. Possibly, I just like that monkey face! 

Happy Monday!

Monday Things

Finally, it feels like spring to me and I got out for the first trail run of the year!  Thought I would share a few things.....Monday things, to get the week going....

For lazy evening watching Dallas craft beer night: Stone, Enjoy by 04.20.14 IPA.  Good stuff.

 I bought new socks in Portland last week.  I have to say these Icebreaker merino socks?  Are way smarter than the other merino socks I usually wear.  Love the fit!  Like nothing on my feet.  Great spring color.  I also got a pair in orange (men's).  They may well move to the head of the smarty pants socks class. 

In LOVE with these trail shoes....The Brooks PUREGRIT.. Damn fine running shoe.  The trails I run are sandy to hardpack without a lot of rocks. The tread is grippy as hell!  Minimal feel but not super thin.  Seriously, I LOVE them.

Tomorrow is APRIL.  Happy Spring.  Get outside!

Running Streak Challenge

Everyone Knows It's Windy

Remember that song?  I am pretty sure that they were just mispronouncing "Wendy", but it is a darn catchy tune.  

When I am not in the mountains, I am in a valley.  I mean that literally (though it does make me a bit sad); I am in a valley.  Two things stand out to me there.  It's very windy, and when it's not windy, there can be bad stagnant air.  It makes exercising outdoors rather challenging.  It can be really cold! Mostly it's just uncomfortable and annoying.  Typically I will get up early and walk the dog. It can be a beautiful spring day. But by the time I finish my morning chores and step back out to run, there's a 40 mph gust waiting to greet me.  I can never get it through my head! I go back inside and add a few more layers....maybe I am just being hopeful, choosing to ignore the hurdle mother nature has thrown at me?  Apparently everyone knows it's windy, except me. What are your weather hurdles?  Can you run in rain and snow or do you head inside to a cozy treadmill?  Does the wind drive you crazy? Do YOU know Windy?   Happy running~

Signs of Spring

In the mountains:    Dirty Snow  (and sometimes perfect blue sky days)

Off the mountain:   Green grass, daffodils, blooming heathers, people in shorts, magnolia blossoms, cherry trees in bloom, fat robins, nesting sparrows, pussy willows, spring training (I am so excited about Robinson Cano being a Mariner!)  and MARCH MADNESS.   

It's true, I am a big fan of college basketball.  I can sit and watch it ALL day. I love the squeak of sneakers on the court, the sound of the buzzer, coaches throwing their hands in the air, lay-ups, dunks, D, fouls, foul shots, 3 pointers....okay just ALL of it!  And this year my favorite team (graduate, class of '86) the Providence College Friars, are on the BUBBLE!  Do you know how incredibly exciting that is?  Well, okay maybe it isn't exciting to very many people, but to me it's just mind blowingly awesome and makes March Madness all the more magnificent!   

What's YOUR favorite sign of spring?  Are you a fan of any sports team?

Oh, gotta run....there's a game on in ten minutes.  GO FRIARS!