Time for Dingo's biscuit and my special cup of coffee -honey, half and half and a large wispy curl of whipped cream from the aerosol can! We now move to inspect the front garden with our treats. After I check the tomatoes for caterpillars, admire my flowers and pick off the dead buds, we take our walk. Well, it turns into a light jog, but you could walk next to me-I'm not trying to do anything real speedy-just get my heart rate up a bit. Dingo trots strong and square a few feet in front scouring the area for trouble. She is very protective and proudly carries out her role as guardian of me.
We added the jog to the routine when Jerren came to visit for three weeks. She liked the bird watching and garden patrol and loved my coffee, but decided I needed to do a little more moving. She also added a bit of Insanity to my new workout. Yes, I did a modified version of Shaun T's, the cardio guru, workout, but it definitely was Insanity. I don't know what hurt more--my stomach from laughing in squat position, or my thighs from going deeper. Jerren pushed me to take my little morning pilate and yoga stretches to the next level. I was joyously exhausted! The whole time Jerren was here I slept so deeply and felt so much better. I promised to keep up the routine after she left for their nursing assignment in Fort Walton Beach.
So Jerren has been gone for 4 days and Dingo and I are keeping our promise. Even though dark clouds surround the farm, I sit to put on my trotting shoes. This sends Dingo into puppy mode and she begins to do leaping pirouettes in front of me. Seventy years old in dog years and this walk energizes her with delight.
I do a lot of quiet thinking while trotting down the dirt road behind my four legged bodyguard. I talk to myself and begin to appreciate my healthy limbs and forgive the flab on my waistline. I take note of the pileated woodpeckers on the telephone poles, the red shoulder hawk watching me from the tall pine, the blind mama possum walking aimlessly down the ditch line, and the layers of warm air sweet with the smells of an approaching summer. Egrets searching for breakfast watch us from across the canal and startled turtles slip off their sunning rocks into the murky water. How wonderful to watch the world awaken. A great way to start a day full of so many possibilities. The dirt road ends and we do a u-turn and head back. The dark clouds are following us at a pretty good clip now. The wind picks up and so does my trot. Dingo turns back to look at me, surprised that I am now running home--she did not know I could move that fast and she loves it!!! The clouds open up just as we reach the palm hammock. The rain is cold and feels wonderful!
Dingo and I feel good as we stand on the porch and watch the plants drink up from God's sprinkler!
We both breathe in the smells of rain and are happy!!!
We will continue to hold down the Fort until our Jerren and Pat return.
More on Jerren and Pat's visit later. I want to attach some pictures!
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| Me warming up before my morning trot |
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| Sunflower with bee |
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| Front yard flowers |
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| Different varieties of sunflowers |
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| Zinnias |
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| Dingo and Gladiolas |
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| Koi swimming under a spider and her web |
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| Sunflowers with the jasmine hedge |
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| Knock out roses |
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| Tomatoes, herbs, and flowers All started from seed |
