Walking for Health & Happiness

We're trying to take advantage of some of the few fall days that are left before winter starts, by taking more walks on the Canal, whenever Russell feels up to it.  

Our first one was exactly one month after I took him home.  I'm so proud of how hard he's working on getting well and so relieved that he's making progress.  Despite the clouds, this was a fairly warm day...we were comfortable in shorts and jackets.

The love of my life.  

Next time we walked at the Canal was in Sandwich, a few days later.  

 It's relaxing to watch the boats.

Then one night out of nowhere he goes, 'Wanna go down to the Canal?'  I was in my jammies and watching TV but I checked the marine traffic website and saw that a car carrier ship was about to enter our end so we threw on some clothes and went down about 6:30.  It's much darker than these pics show because the shutter was open longer, so when I was walking towards the water, the ship blew it's horn as it approached the bridge.  It was coming in so quietly that I jumped out of my skin!  I had no idea it was THAT close.  

Beautiful full moon that night and this was the best pic I was able to get of it. 

We also went down to the beach near our house for a short walk.

The sum total of this year's foliage.

Hubs watching the minnows.

 

This was another late afternoon suggestion to head down the Canal for a walk.  It was much chillier but we were unprepared for the cold wind on the water.  We lasted about 5 minutes before getting back in the car! 

Sun lighting up the Bourne Bridge under threatening skies.

 We drove over to Mass Maritime so I could get a few more shots....Russell wisely stayed in the car.

Bittersweet

 A whole bunch of seagulls and cormorants were floating along on the current and diving for fish. 

We probably only have a few more halfway decent days to walk before he'll have to join Planet Fitness and use the treadmill! 

Well apparently winter decided to make a March appearance this year.  I was hoping we were home free but alas, putting away the winter boots bit me in the ass.

How cute is Sagan sleeping under his stuffed puppy?

Here he is looking very sorry for getting into the trash and eating half a boneless pork roast and some mashed potatoes, plus coffee grounds all over the place including a coffee ground footprint on the rug.

I put him in the craft for about 20 minutes so I could clean up and he didn't make a peep, then spent the rest of the day not looking at me.  The funny thing is, I didn't even yell at him when I saw the mess.  Just said, 'Sagan!  Bad boy!'

Gnomey's had about enough of this.

The flamingoes have just given up.

Did everyone get out to see the pretty full moon?

I didn't make these....I got them in Salem.  They looked pretty in the late afternoon sun.  Man alive my windows need washing....

Most of the eastern seaboard got killed with a huge snowstorm on the 14th.  It turned to rain around here so we actually ended the storm with far less snow than at the beginning.  It was a nice, cozy day, listening to the wind and driving rain.  So I worked on my zenbroidery with some new rainbow floss I just got and just LOVE.  Also added a Grateful Dead themed design in the heart.

Finally got a long overdue day to myself where I didn't have to leave the house at all, so I broke out the beads and started filling in the top.  I was going to wait till the end but I just couldn't stop myself.

The sequins and beads really make it pop.

As of March 16.

Seriously hard putting this one down.

Summer 2016

I've been a real homebody this summer, for many reasons.  I haven't done anything except stitch.  I did venture out a couple times for pretty sunsets and some other photo ops in the yard.

Full moon on summer solstice.

July 3rd sunset

July 4th sunset

Dew on spider web.

Juicy blackberries! Not quite ripe though.

April

Boy did April fly by! I cannot believe we are coming into summer already.  Well....calendar-wise. I'm not sure Ma Nature got the memo.  Some bulb flowers have bloomed, some trees have buds.  The month went by really fast.  It was April Blogging from A-Z and I had a hard time keeping up and I was a bad minion for Tina, basically bailing on my task(s) by the letter G.  It wasn't enjoyable for me at all, less so than last year. So this will be my last year participating other than as a commenter.  It got off to a horrible start, IMHO.  So many bloggers abjectly refused to turn off their CAPTCHA boxes.  One didn't have their comments enabled.  One blog was 'by invite only'.  Lots signed up and bailed.  Oh, another pet peeve:  "Read More".  No. Just No.  Not taking that extra step.  Have your whole blog post showing or don't even bother.  And I apologize to my friends on Wordpress, and I hate to sound exclusionary, but maybe they should split off and host their A-Z, and Blogger can have one too.  

We had a wicked storm all day on April 15th with high winds and rain coming down in sheets.  It lasted well into the night (can't believe power stayed on) and by 5:00 AM on April 16th, it had turned to ice.  Woke up to a skim coat of ice and snow, and big fluffy flakes coming down.  I grabbed my coffee, got on line and this was greeting me on my Facebook newsfeed.  I totally cracked up.

Earlier in the week, I'd spirited away my boots and heavy coat to the back room.  Luckily the sun was out by 8:30, the crap melted, but it remained extremely windy.

Pics of the poppies on a super lazy day.

Peeps is soooo cute.  I can't believe how grey she's gotten.  My sweet girl.

Tiny guy kickin' it with his stuffies.  One night he took a stuffy with him to his crate at bedtime.  I almost died from the cuteness.

Spring giving it the ol' college try.

Gorgeous full moon on the 14th/15th.  There was a total lunar eclipse but at 3:00 AM I wasn't about to actively seek it out.

Me and the hubby visited the big flea market in Wareham one Saturday.  I got those small Easter figurines for .10 each.  So $1 for all 10!!  Couple watches and a tiny pagoda, and that whole thing of beads for just $2.50!!

I can't believe I spotted this amongst all the stuff that was in one of the booths.  I had a major league brainwave idea for this wee pagoda!

We don't observe Easter from a religious or egg hunt standpoint, but it was a really nice day so we took a walk on the Canal, went for ice cream at Canal Creamery and then browsed the Whatchamacallit Shop for a bit before heading home.  I took this pic in the ice cream store.  Their ice cream was really good too.  Lots of flavours to choose from.  I got oreo and Russell got black raspberry.  

I saw these lovely beaded and wired pentacles on Pinterest by Elemental Enchantments.  I love all of their work.  I decided to try and make one.

Well mine's somewhat warped because I had a hard time with the wire.  I used chop sticks which, of course, didn't lay very well because they had to be stacked at the tips.  I really had to wing it with this project and another 'only one will be made' items.  I started to regret starting but I also wanted to finish cause I hate unfinished projects and now it can be crossed off my 'Crafts to Make Bucket List', and maybe order a real one from Elemental Enchantments!  I gave this to my friend Sheila to give to her daughter Melody.

Other than that, just dealt with some nagging health issues.  My elbow is still giving me a ton of trouble.  I took too much advil and that caused some bad stomach pains.  My dad had ulcers when he was in his late 40s; I remember being really little and taken to see him in the hospital.  That meant I couldn't take anything for pain at all for a few days so the elbow flared up.  Also, taking a break from crafting was really difficult and that's just exacerbated things.  Bad headaches have also started to become a problem, as has back pain.  But my doctor is in Hyannis, which means all referral appointments would be there too and I'm just unwilling to keep having to drive there, esp. with spring and summer coming on.  I am hoping that I can get back to walking now that it appears that spring is indeed on the way.  I just can't believe the first 4 months of the year are over already!