April 18, 2007

PERFECTION

The kind of blue sky you get in cold places. Black crow. White paper birch. Sometimes life is PURE perfection.

From FREE WILL: “… being alive on the rough green and brown earth is the highest honor and privilege. It’s an invitation to work wonders and perform miracles that aren’t possible in any nirvana, promised land, or afterlife.”

And from poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning: “Earth’s crammed with heaven.”

And to think an ugly old crow brought out the sap in me … I don’t like crows. Mostly. Even though they’re mightily clever — for birds.

My Path: 34 minutes run-walk on old snow and through forest trails.

April 17, 2007

ONE PAIR OF YAKTRAX — PRICELESS!

I fought with my writing all day. I felt exhasuted and ratty and couldn’t handle another damn second of staring at the screen. Outside the sky was dark and low and dumping rain mixed with slush, grauple and hail. I whipped my butt out the door anyway. 

I ran for almost an hour on slippery, retreating ski trails, got soaked to the bone. But I did not see another human soul. The forest was all mine. And it was worth every minute. Sometimes I forget just how badly I need to run — how badly I need nature and air. It helps me hit back physically, breathe deep and hard, and find the centre again. It gives me focus.

It reminds me who I am.

And it helps me sleep well at night .

What does that for you?

April 16, 2007

What the …??

My Path: 45 mins. In snow!

April 15, 2007

SOUL FOOD

Mist boils softly in the bowl and wafts over the side. Teeny LED lights shift color from mystical purples to blues and greens. It makes a soft trickling waterfall sound and — if you so choose — it disperses the fragrance of essential oils. It’s calming, magical. And I love it.

So do my orchids. And really, it’s for them that I bought it today. But for the writer who shares this space with the plants — it’s soul food. Muse music.

My Path: Rest day — no running. A walk around Lost Lake, in the snow, with DD#2. DD#1 is home from varsity and in the village listening to the reggae of Stephen Marley as part of the free outdoor concert series in town for the World Ski and Snowboard Festival. This coming Friday sees Toots and the Maytals perform. I adore running to the early Jamaican 1960′s Toots reggae tunes — nothing quite like it to put a bounce in my step — so this will be a treat for me to see him live.

April 14, 2007

My Path: 40 mins slow run. Both clear and snow-covered track. No bears .

I hope to get about four hours of writing in today. My brain, however, is filled with images provoked by CHILDREN OF MEN. Awesome movie (and not simply because Clive Owen is in it.) Worth seeing. Worth thinking about.

Worth doing something about.

April 13, 2007

WRITER BLOCKED

No officer, I did not see the sign. I swear it wasn’t there when I entered the golf course.

Just when I thought I had a clear road ahead, and just when I thought it was Snow-Free …. look what happens. I have to backtrack, find a new path. In the snow!!

It’s been that sort of week. No, make that several weeks — nothing wrong, just that every little thing I set out to accomplish was slightly and unexpectedly thwarted, necessitating a somewhat circuitous alternate route. 

Today, however, was a breakthrough on several fronts. I’m good to go. Rain, snow or shine. But … I am behind. Going to have to pick up the speed, and really put my head down for the next six weeks, so if blog posts are spotty — you know why.

My Path: 30:55 mins solid non-stop jogging. Valley Trail. Yesterday, 40 mins. I think my knee will allow me to start the official training program come kick-off day April 30!!!!!!

Have a wonderful weekend, all. May your paths be clear.