“I cannot endure to waste anything so precious as autumnal sunshine by staying in the house." [Notebook, Oct. 10, 1842]” ― Nathaniel Hawthorne, The American Notebooks

                                                    (YouTube video)

     It feels more like the end of autumn than the beginning!  We are trying to enjoy every minute of it before the snow and ice arrive.  (I don't know what was out there, but I couldn't get Charleigh to "watch" me for all the treats in the world.)

This is my story and I'm sticking to it.

My Amerithon progress, virtual walking and running across America since July 4th.

     Yesterday I made it to Vermillion Cliffs in Northern Arizona!  My next stop will be Mexican Hat, which is a tiny village in Utah.  Onward and upward.

     This virtual race does keep me motivated.  Yesterday I had to stay home waiting for the sprinkler guy to winterize my sprinkler system, and of course he was way late and it wasted most of my day.  Even though I didn't feel like it, late in the afternoon, I did hit the treadmill to get my daily exercise and to burn off some steam from having to waste the day. Today will be better.  The weather is perfect.  I do have to mow the lawn, but those miles count, too.

"Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing." Mother Teresa

Silence is consent

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday. See? There is no Someday.

     I needed to re-read this today.

Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced.---Soren Kierkegaard

     Experience today.  Take it all in.
     I have a friend who has had massive changes in her life over the past decade.  She has started what she calls her "Friday Philosophies".  I think this quote would qualify as one of them.  Just enjoy it all.

If you want to be happy, be.
                       Leo Tolstoy


   

"The leaves fall, the wind blows, and the farm country slowly changes from the summer cottons into its winter wools." — Henry Beston

     It is autumn again, too soon, but I will enjoy its beauty and not think about the winter to come.

"It’s autumn again, / and I can do anything." — Dorothea Grossman

"They’s something kindo’ harty-like about the atmusfere / When the heat of summer’s over and the coolin’ fall is here — / Of course we miss the flowers, and the blossums on the trees, / And the mumble of the hummin’-birds and buzzin’ of the bees; / But the air’s so appetizin’; and the landscape through the haze / Of a crisp and sunny morning of the airly autumn days / Is a pictur’ that no painter has the colorin’ to mock — / When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder’s in the shock." — James Whitcomb Riley

(I haven't read a James Whitcomb Riley poem since I was a kid.  Remember him?)

Amerithon

     Yesterday I reached the Grand Canyon in my virtual run/walk.  My next badge will be at the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument in northern Arizona.  I had to research the Vermilion Cliffs, having never heard of them. What would we do without the internet. I am learning some things on this virtual trip.

Bright Line.

     I learned a new term today....."bright-line rule." I think this is what successful people have in place in their lives.  Do you have any bright- line rules that you follow?  I think they work beyond will-power, beyond habit. It is a personal line that you won't cross.

A bright-line rule (or bright-line test) is a clearly defined rule or standard, composed of objective factors, which leaves little or no room for varying interpretation. The purpose of a bright-line rule is to produce predictable and consistent results in its application. The term "bright-line" in this sense generally occurs in a legal context.
     

     Here is a great article on research which shows how exercise, or lack of it, effects aging muscles. Reading it might get you to put a new bright-line rule in place.
http://www.runnersworld.com/health/heres-exactly-how-exercise-or-lack-of-it-affects-aging-muscles-this-just-might-change-your

DAPL

     Have you been following the DAPL news taking place in ND, IA, IL?  Here is some news about it that you may not know.

https://insideclimatenews.org/news/30082016/dakota-access-pipeline-standing-rock-sioux-army-corps-engineers-approval-environment


     Did you note the massive gas leak in Alabama of 250000+ gallons of gas.  Alabama has declared a state of emergency.
http://www.bipartisanreport.com/2016/09/15/breaking-massive-u-s-pipeline-blows-open-spilling-250k-gallons-of-gas-state-of-emergency-declared/

Good question

Fascinating!

     Science has found that memory may be passed down to other generations through DNA.
http://themindunleashed.org/2014/01/scientists-found-memories-may-passed-generations-dna.html

     Do you have any memories from your ancestors?

9-11-01

     I attended a candlelight vigil tonight for Capt. Jason Dahl.  He was the captain of United Flight 93 which went down in Somerset County, Pennsylvania after passengers and crew attacked the hijackers.  Capt. Dahl lived in my neighborhood.  I did not know him, but he sounds like he was a really good guy.
     There were maybe 75 to 100 of us in attendance to remember him and all the other heroes who died 15 years ago today.

http://dahlfund.org/capt-jason-dahl-memories-of-a-911-hero/

And it was uphill both ways.right?

FYI

     This listing of pipeline accidents in the US since the year 2000 is huge, and is something we never hear about.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_pipeline_accidents_in_the_United_States_in_the_21st_century

My Amerithon virtual run/walk across the USA-- update

     So yesterday this happened.  I arrived at Peach Springs.  Next stop, the Grand Canyon.  (Only 2796 miles to go).  It will be tough to finish this virtual journey in a year.

     Today I had an irritating run.  I try to get out of my neighborhood as soon as possible as I live half a block from a K-2 primary school.  The early morning traffic with buses, pre-school vans, cars, bikes, and little kids is awful. So I headed to a paved bike path 3/4 of a mile away to do a few hill repeats.  There is a nice 1/4 mile hill there.  But today, it was claimed as hunting territory by a rattlesnake. Once I passed the snake, I knew that even if it left the path, it would remain close-by in the tall grass, too dangerous for my dog. Hill repeats were out.
     The parking lot of the park across the road was full of cars plus 2 large buses had just dropped off big groups of college kids, so that was out.  I just continued down the bike path until Charleigh-dog noted a coyote hunting in the tall grass.  From then on, she wanted nothing but to get that coyote and pulled like the crazy dog she is to get it, so I couldn't run until it was out of sight and mind.  It was busy catching field mice and wasn't going anywhere.
     That meant the park full of people and college kids was the lesser of 3 evils....rattlesnakes, coyotes, crowds.  We diverted to the park and cut the run short to go home. By then it was getting pretty hot anyway.
     It looks like I'll be using the treadmill and watching Netflix later on to finish up.  it was just one of those days.

If you have a body, you are an athlete.---Bill Bowerman.

 The link below is to a really cool video of a 72 year old man running the 100 mile Western States race:

https://vimeo.com/181118448?ref=fb-share&1


I can't even imagine staying awake for 30+ hours much less running for that time! Have tissues handy.  The human spirit is absolutely amazing.

“If not us, then who? If not now, then when?” ― John E. Lewis

Yee Haw

     I'm working on this.

Even the tiniest poodle is lionhearted, ready to do anything to defend home, master, and mistress. —Louis Sabin

     I've mentioned before the adversarial relationship between my Charleigh-dog and foxes. Now I know why.  Yesterday I noticed that it isn't just random, it is personal!  That fox knows where Charleigh lives.
     Charleigh was barking her head off at the sliding glass door to the patio, and this time, would not stop or settle.  I had to finally go over and see what was disturbing her.  There was the fox, just beyond the patio, rolling in the grass.  It would pause, look over at Charleigh barking away, and roll some more. I swear it was smiling and saying, "What ya' gonna do about it!"  This went on for 15 minutes until I went out to try and snap a picture and the fox went on his way.
     I wonder how often, when I am away, that fox comes over to taunt her?

Omaha ranks #9 on Runner's World list of best running cities

     This is for my Nebraska family.  Omaha was ranked #9, Denver #10, Chicago #11, Lincoln #33, San Antonio #47, Houston #50.

Here is the link to the Omaha article
http://www.omaha.com/livewellnebraska/fitness/omaha-ranks-th-on-runner-s-world-list-of-best/article_99b82e1b-a270-53d4-b1bf-a7f7736d867a.html


Here is a link to the full article from Runner's World Magazine
http://www.runnersworld.com/where-to-run/the-50-best-running-cities/slide/46

"A ship is safe in harbor, but that's not what ships are for.” ― William G.T. Shedd

     The above quote, one of Dean's favorites, applies to boats as well, I presume.  I went to a painting party yesterday.  My boat looks precarious and haunted, but at least it looks like a boat, so maybe I am improving.

     This is my running buddy, Charleigh dog.  Today starts year 3 of my/our running streak.  Also, she is turning 5 in a week or so (guesstimate, as she was a rescue).  Happy Birthday Charleigh.

Wildcat Mountain 10 mile trail run

   
     So I ran a 10 mile trail race today.  The weather was great.  The run felt perfect and I ran a great time, for me, on a trail.  A super nice trail runner named Vince, who was out for a weekend long run, ran the last mile with me.  Everyone was super supportive, as all runners are.
      I was the only woman there above the age of 40-49, so I came in 39 out of 39 women, and 106th overall (DFL!!!).  But since I was first in my age group (and technically in the 2 age groups under mine), I won a gift certificate, commemorative glass, and water bottle.  I love, love, love the wildcat finisher's medal and shirt.
      It still stings to be last, but DFL beats DNF beats DNS.... I guess that will have to become my new mantra.
     (PS, only 767 ft elevation gain, but there were rocks, roots, and 1 small stream crossing which we crossed twice)

Happy Holiday weekend!

No more little red Subaru.  As it was 15 years old, I traded for this 2016 Honda Accord.  At my age of 65, this is the first car I've bought totally on my own and without advice.  Once I figure out all the new controls, I think I will love it.  Now to figure out how to seatbelt the dog in the back seat! The car is scratch free as of yet so I don't want to park it anywhere other than my driveway.  That may be a problem.

With gorilla gone, will there be hope for man?

     This is so cool.  A bonobo ape at the Ape Cognition and Conservation Initiative in Des Moines has learned to start fires, cook his own food, safely put out the fires, and more.
http://www.trueactivist.com/this-bonobo-starts-fires-cooks-his-own-food-and-knows-3000-english-words-watch/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=TMU&utm_campaign=thisbonobostartsfirescookshisownfoodandknows3000englishwordswatch



     Remember the 1992 book, "Ishmael," by Daniel Quinn?
https://ecovoca.com/2010/10/31/%E2%80%9Cwith-gorilla-gone-will-there-be-hope-for-man%E2%80%9D/

With man gone, will there be hope for gorilla?


I fear the answer to "with gorilla gone, will there be hope for man?" is no.
The answer to "with man gone, will there be hope for gorilla?" is a resounding yes.

A 3 day weekend approaches. Time to start your coddiwomple.