The Walkabout Grand Finale

I’ve truly enjoyed my role as Walkabout Ambassador for Weil Footwear the last 28 days. Today is officially the final day of the Walkabout, but I plan to keep walking and stay in touch with the other ambassadors, who are spread across the US!

Some of the benefits I've received from the Walkabout:

First, I find it easier to stay motivated when I’m surrounded by others who love to get out and pound the pavement or hike park trails. During the last four weeks I received encouragement from forty-plus virtual walking buddies!

Also, I appreciated the Walkabout emphasis on simplicity--all I needed was an excellent pair of walking shoes. No pressure to buy a gym membership, lots of spandex, or an expensive treadmill. My only crucial piece of equipment? Some extra comfortable shoes (provided by Weil Footwear, but now that I see how comfortable they are, I'll be replacing them when this pair wears out).

Another thing I love about walking is how it keeps me closer to nature and the changing seasons. In our Western cities, a relatively new phenomenon called nature deficit disorder is emerging. Richard Louv, who coined the term, says “The more high-tech our lives become, the more nature we need.” Lots of folks in the medical world are beginning to support the idea that time spent outdoors contributes to our overall health.

Murphy and I challenge you to get out and walk in the month of May! If you live in the Vancouver/Portland area, message me and we can meet on the waterfront for an invigorating stroll.

Seattle Shots

This weekend I got a chance to walk around Seattle before I picked up our daughter from university there. When I'm walking in a city, one of my favorite things to do is take photos of public art. This whimsical mermaid decorates an iron gate in downtown Seattle.

Don't you love the skyline? I took this photo a few months ago in a park that overlooks the city. Hope I remember how to find the way back--this would be a great place to take photos through spring, summer, fall, and winter.

The Voice of the Turtle

"For, lo, the winter is past,
the rain is over and gone;
the flowers appear on the earth;
the time of the singing of birds is come,
and the voice of the turtle
is heard in our land..."
--Song of Solomon 2:11-12 (KJV)

Yesterday on my walk, I saw turtles out again at Salmon Creek. A sure sign of spring!

As a child, I loved the idea of turtles vocalizing, especially since our pet box turtle never uttered a sound. It made me think of an entire chorus of turtles, singing with utter un-selfconsciousness.

Now, of course, I know the poem refers to turtledoves (in the original Hebrew)...
but part of me still wishes I could hear the turtles' song.

From the Operating Room to the Forest

My Dad, who's almost 84, still gets out and walks whenever he can. He's a great example for the rest of us!

When I was ten, my family moved back to the States from Africa. Dad didn't have a huge amount of free time because he was starting up a surgical practice and also often on call at the Woodland Park emergency room. But weekends, if he didn't have to operate or take phone calls from a drunk lady who thought she'd been bitten by a vampire (true story!), Dad planned hikes for us--to Multnomah Falls or the coast range and other scenic spots nearby.

Some of my best memories involve the smell of pine needles and hiking Columbia Gorge trails along steep drop-offs.

Who are your favorite walking partners from childhood or adulthood?

Just in Time

So excited--my Weil Walking Shoes just arrived & fit wonderfully! Now to break them in. My original package included some Rhythm Walkers, but they were a bit snug. These Balance Walkers feel comfortable and seem to have excellent arch support. When I looked online at reviews from others who've ordered them, people raved about the built-in orthotics. [Big word alert: orthotics = corrective shoe inserts, at least in everyday use]

My feet will match our Easter eggs! If I could only find four little Murphy-size sneakers in the same color.

Spring at Salmon Creek

It's spring at Salmon Creek! Jeff and I walked until we came to a stop. The trail had flooded. All this rain we've gotten in the last few days fed the creek and it detoured onto every low-lying piece of land in its path.

We glimpsed cormorants fishing in the water and an eagle atop a very tall tree. Also heard tons of birds singing their little throats out. Yes, I believe spring is here to stay.

Portland Scenes

Attended the Blue Like Jazz movie preview today in Portland with my sister Susan and her family. I arrived about 40 minutes early, so it was a good time for a walk before the line twined around the block.

We sat up in the balcony and thoroughly enjoyed the movie. Blue Like Jazz premieres April 13th in many cities across the US. Highly recommended!

Afterwards, I found Stumptown coffee shop for a lovely strong latte. Then home across the bridge.

Around the Cul-De-Sac

I typed in the title of this post, and then googled cul-de-sac on a whim. The original meaning made me giggle!
Cul-de-sac (literally "butt of bag" in Catalan) is an expression of Catalan origin, says Wikipedia.

This photo is called "Still Life of Murphy & Forsythia." Murphy could care less about what cul-de-sac means, he just wants to leap up and finish our walk.

We managed to take a walkabout between rain drops this afternoon. But our rain garden grew mighty full. Should I be watching for an invasion of bullfrogs?

Keeping a Gratitude Journal

Part of the wellness package I received for participating in the 28 day Walkabout included Dr. Weil's book, Spontaneous Happiness. One section of the book in particular caught my attention. In his chapter on emotional well-being, Weil speaks about the benefits of feeling and expressing gratitude. One concrete way we can start doing this more is by keeping a gratitude journal.

On his website, Dr. Weil refers to author G.K. Chesterton, who wrote: You say grace before meals. All right. But I say grace before the concert and the opera, and grace before the play and pantomime, and grace before I open a book, and grace before sketching, painting, swimming, fencing, boxing, walking, playing, dancing and grace before I dip the pen in the ink.

Then Weil goes on to remark, "I suspect Chesterton didn't do this automatically. He knew that, like forgiveness, gratitude can and should be cultivated through diligent practice."

What a concept! We can truly transform the way we perceive life through this daily practice.

On that note, a few of the things I'm grateful for today:

*Hundreds of muscles, joints and ligaments -- so I can skip, walk, bike (and crawl, if need be).
*My husband -- who is always supportive of my writing and volunteer time!
*Danielle, David & Emily, Anna -- you give me much joy.
*Poetry -- it speaks to feelings deeper than words.
*Green leaves and buds, the flowers just beginning to bloom here in the NW -- nature's art.
*God's love -- always startling & fresh.
*Strong black tea with milk -- mmmm.

What have you found to be grateful for today?

Join Me on a 30 Day Walkabout

I'm excited to let you know that I'll be participating as an Ambassador in the Walkabout 28-day Quest for Good Health! The campaign starts Monday, March 27th with a kickoff tea in New York. Fifty ambassadors chosen from all over the US will blog, tweet, and post updates about their experiences walking 30 minutes a day.

You know how we love to involve Murphy in whatever's going on in our household--so I thought he could model the official walkabout shirt I received in the welcome package, along with a boomerang, to add some Aussie flavor. Murphy'll accompany me on some walks, although probably only ten minutes or so. Now that he's almost fourteen years old, Murphy's slowing down. But fear not! He still tries to chase neighborhood squirrels, even if his back legs don't always move in sync.

So, if you're looking for a fitness challenge, join me this next month on the Walkabout. We could be virtual walking buddies! Let me know if you're interested by leaving a comment, and I'll link to your blog or site.