New leaf, new flowers...

Most of my friends have set "fitness goals." I want to have more stamina. So I've set some goals too.* I will walk with one friend most mornings and see if I can keep that up. I was ready to end it today - already humid at 7 a.m. You could have rung me out like a washrag at the end of the walk.

But there's always something to see in the park. The leatherflowers had started blooming. That always "joys me up." 

First bloom of leatherflower vine this year.

A few buds promise more.

I mentioned all the vines at the edge of the woods, but forgot to mention poison ivy. We've got plenty of that too.

During the walk along the river path we were joined by 3 or 4 squirrels. They were everywhere. We may have issues with squirrels at our house, but they are entertaining under the oaks and pecans in the park.

The squirrels played tag, birds flew, and mosquitoes contemplated attack.

We finished sweaty and a bit winded. A mile and a half is a good walk - for a start.

Toadstool in my yard. No toad.

NOTES:

*We must record our stats and then food and exercise. I am not sure how well this will work unless the recording starts to move more quickly. It is good to keep an eye on consumption, I guess. Those calories add up fast and subtract slowly.

Hats, sunflowers, and family

We moved fast down dark roads under the waxing gibbous moon.

"Turn where?" asked DH. "Are you sure?" He consented to come along - lured by the promise of a new hat and a visit. There are a couple of ways to get home, but DH hasn't driven south as many as I have. Lately it makes sense to break up the trip, stopping an hour away. And I needed to check on some business... then there is the bakery.

As we drove the lonely stretch of tollway, a weird wall cloud made us wonder if the flooding we'd heard about was continuing. We've surely had experience driving through rain and water, but were hoping for clear weather.

Wall cloud to the south

The clouds moved away and the sky cleared for us to see a beautiful sunset and the moon overhead. It is a long drive through the countryside and, having started late, we wanted to grab something to eat, get settled, and rest before the day I had ridiculously over-planned.

We would be traveling from sunset to sunset.

Instruments glow in the car.

While the moon appeared full due to shaking hands and a moving vehicle (no I was not driving), the true full moon was a week away.

We were greeted with flowers at the front desk of the hotel where we are always made to feel welcome (chocolate chip cookies and coffee anyone?).

The sunflower in the arrangement echoed those lining the roadway. We would see more.

Late supper at the Whataburger. It was a sketchy crowd this late at night. DH is not seriously hurt (in case you were wondering).

We had only two scheduled appointments but there was a long list of other items to fit in-between. We'd be picking up one nephew after school and we would be attending the senior scholarship award ceremony at the high school from which my brothers, sister, and I graduated. We were awarding the first memorial scholarship honoring our baby brother, a man beloved of the town and dedicated to community service and education.

First, was the stop at the bakery. Having discovered this was the place our grandmother and uncle would often take us to pick out a cookie or two, I try to make sure I stop for a few cookies (to eat and share). I try to exercise some self-control, but am not always successful.

Our mother made a "spreckled" sugar cookie - traditionally for Christmas.  The recipe (and taste) is very different, but I wonder if our name for the cookie is a modification of this name. Colorful nonpareils are confetti sprinkles atop the plain cookie.

We took care of some family business and then drove the hour south to my hometown, arriving at opening - time to plant crinum lilies at the family plot. Earlier efforts to plant some blooming perennials have had mixed success. A woman who had been working across the cemetery from us came walking over. She is the mother of a high school friend. She identified herself and said she knew me, calling me by name. I acknowledged she was right - "Yes ma'am. I am."

We were gently warned about planting trees or shrubs as they become difficult for the mowers to manage. I reassured her we were planting flowering bulbs and that most of what we have planted can be mowed down. Efforts will be made to ensure out plants don't get out of control a la the forsythia we fight at another family plot. We commiserated about that green menace - seems they have removed it completely.  We caught up on the family and we avoided getting thrown out of the cemetery* Brushing the dirt off our hands and loading up our sharp-shooter (best shovel ever!), we called "the hat man" for directions.

He is family. His mother was one of those women some of us are lucky to have in our lives. Forty-plus years ago I am sure I drove her wild with my teenage angst, when I needed to talk to a grown-up and had already worn out my own mom. Yes, his mother was my mom's best friend. OC bears her first name. DV's daughter bears Mom's middle name. See? Family.

DV has trained with the experienced "wise ones" to make hats by hand with beautiful tools.** His shop is full of various styles and "blanks" waiting to be claimed. There was a good deal of story telling and discussion of styles this day. I had one idea, DH had another. My attempts to sway DH's selection was extraordinarily unsuccessful. It's his hat, after all.

I asked him to model a few hats. It's hard to find a hat to fit DH.

Working on an old mistreated slouch hat.

A wall of hats, new and old.

Pick a hat.

Under construction

On our way to the hat shop, we drove past a sweet brick home. "I could live there," I told DH. "I love that house." Imagine our surprise to discover that the hat man and family had recently moved there! So, a tour followed and we promised to return to visit soon - to pick up the hat and to enjoy a cup of tea on the porch.

Isn't this a sweet place?

Esperanza

Hibiscus

The perfect spot for an afternoon chat and a cup of tea.

A grotesque jug made by Texas historical potter Steve Sprinkle.

Sunflowers at the edge of a field

An unusual day lily - shared with us (which reminds me that I have some potting to do).

Next we lined up at the middle school to grab JRF for a visit and snack. Where to go? Well, we decided the Dairy Queen. My first job was at the local Dairy Queen. The current DQ is a far cry from the place I worked. I tried not to break anything.***

After our late lunch we changed clothes and headed to the high school where we met with counselors, family and an amazing young lady who received this first scholarship. She was delighted and delightful. We were second to make our award and stayed through the rest - an hour and a half of bright faces heading to college and proud parents with sore arms from constant applause.

It was a great gig. I look forward to next year.

We continued visiting with family in the parking lot under crazy clouds. Kisses and hugs and future plans moved us to the car and the four hour drive home. It was a sunset to sunset trip. We only hit rain an hour from home.

What do you call these clouds?

Gorgeous.

The sunset beckons.

Beautiful.

NOTES:

* I have a history with that place - a story for another time.
**I'm just showing a few of 'em here. I'll post more in another place.
***I was notorious for breaking things. The original DQ burned down quite a few years ago. This is a fancy rebuild.

What a difference a friend makes!

One of my friends and I have started meeting in the park and walking a couple of miles. We think we will hold each other accountable. Said another way - each of us can talk ourselves out of walking alone, but will not cancel on the other. Hey, whatever works. A friend can make the difference-in so many things.

Today the sun was peeking through the clouds and we stopped to take a few photos. We walked the same path we had before, but backwards (actually forwards, but in the opposite direction) so we got a different view.

Sunrise in the park can be a lovely thing.

We talked a bit. I always have a story. But my friend pays attention to everything. It was she who first noticed the red-headed woodpecker who flew past us - from one of the pecan trees down to the river.

NOTES:

After the walk we treated ourselves to breakfast. It was simple, but good.

I ordered the kids' breakfast and changed it all up. My friend got oatmeal. I won!

After the storm, it is almost too bright...

Nature always wears the colors of the spirit.

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

A friend once told me not to fear cataract surgery because "all your colors come back." I don't know if that is true. I am still happily functioning with cataracts in place and don't know that my colors are missing.

But I do know that life's color - the zest and joy - can wane. Life is life. Trouble comes and goes. Storms whirl around us.

We are fretters, Paddy and I. And we had been up late with fretting. Storms bubbled up and then thundered their way through for hours, making sleep difficult. We woke early and went through the motions of the morning deciding to walk a little late.

Maybe it was the sun, ablaze after endless storms. Perhaps it was making progress on the endless list of tasks and overcoming challenges. It could be the graduations, pinnings, award ceremonies and travel heading our way or time spent with friends and family. It is likely a bit of everything - and more.

The summer heat beat down as we pushed on to the park and back. We saw lizards and squirrels. A friend honked and waved as we struggled, red-faced and sweating, up the last hill.

Yes, we two old girls will have to walk earlier in the future, but I will keep today "as is." This day is my reminder to be patient, to wait-out the storm. The sun will shine. Our spirits are bright. And we move forward.

The sun filtered through the mulberry tree at the edge of the park. Berries aren't yet ripe.

This anole did not want to play, but stopped long enough for a photo. Or maybe he just wanted to enjoy the warmth of the sun.

Buds of honeysuckle...

and blooms.

Tiny yellow flower we mostly ignore. Love the raindrops.

A tiny purple flower we often ignore.

And in the yard, some bright and shiny faces:

Imagine my surprise when these "Pinocchio" scapes came up in the garden.

One has already bloomed. When did I plant garlic?

The bloom of a yarrow.

The Spider and the Fly [with thanks to Mary Howitt]

Will you walk into my parlour?” said the Spider to the Fly,
 'Tis the prettiest little parlour that ever you did spy;
  The way into my parlour is up a winding stair,
   And I've a many curious things to show when you are there.”
“Oh no, no,” said the little Fly, “to ask me is in vain,
 For who goes up your winding stair
     -can ne'er come down again.”

~ Mary Howitt, (1829)

No dogs on this walk. My friend VM and I are encouraging each other and we agreed that dogs would slow the walk. I guess Paddy will get an evening stroll.

I was up early, afraid I would oversleep. It is weird to go from "whenever" to a specific, early-ish, time. I had time to drink one cup of tea, feed animals, answer some email, and read a little news. And I still got to the park first.

It gave me time to look for the purple leatherflowers in the margin of the woods. Ah, the woods are lush and competing vines are winning - I saw wild grape, dewberry, honeysuckle, and maybe a little snail seed vine. No leatherflowers were blooming, at least not yet.

I thought I should grab a photo of something as the walk would be on a path through well manicured park (no flowers) and we would be moving too fast*...so I attempted the honeysuckle blooms - about the only showy things where I waited.

A fly was perched on a petal. It did not move as I snapped away. Imagine my surprise to discover the fly had company.

Ms. Howitt's little ditty came to mind.

The pecan trees are blooming, catkins hanging down, green fringe at the tips of the branches:

My friend and I walk our mileage** in no time. We did stop once, to admire the small plots in the town garden. It is just beginning - we will see how it progresses.

We spied tomatoes, corn, beans, squash, and lilies. Not sure why someone is growing lilies in this garden.

NOTES:

*"Fast" is a relative term. It was fast enough to be a little winded and to sweat. We did talk a bit, so we weren't breathless.

**The pedometer had switched from steps to miles. I wanted steps! We could not believe we had walked 3 miles, but after some research I am convinced we did!