Uncategorized | Change Is Hard

July 8, 2013
by dawnkinster 17 Comments

Activity after

Pretty

Sunday my sister and aunt and I picked cherries at a local orchard. This is the place my family has picked cherries ever since we were little kids. So in a way it was nostalgic to be there…

Picking

…but in a way not so much as they have planted new trees since we were kids and this weekend we were picking at the new location. The picking was sparse but we got enough cherries to freeze a few and make a pie.

Future pies

Then Sunday evening husband, sister and I went to the county fair…

Crazy

…where we walked around analyzing the rides, trying to decide if there was one I could go on without getting sick.

Crazy

We wandered around, standing in front of each ride…

Fun times

….and concluded that perhaps the ferris wheel was the only safe bet.

Fun

So we bought tickets and boarded the ride. Which was when I suddenly realized I was really sore from my Saturday morning run. I had a really really hard time stepping up into the gondola…

On the ferris wheel

…and an even harder time getting out after our ride! So even though I was feeling pretty good since that run and a bit surprised that I hadn’t felt any soreness I apparently had forgotten that I am usually most sore two days after a run, which means….that this morning, Monday, I could barely get out of bed. Yea. Now I remember what it’s like to be a runner.

It’s darn wonderful.

Sisters at the fair

July 6, 2013
by dawnkinster 9 Comments

4 mile run/walk report

I’ve been walking at work during my lunch; a mile or two…last Wednesday three. I’ve found that the further I go the better my feet feel. After two miles of my Wednesday walk my feet felt almost normal. I wondered how they’d feel if I ran some of it. I haven’t run much at all in about four years, so this morning as I headed out at 7 a.m. for a 3 mile run/walk…I was hoping I’d feel good enough at the 1.5 mile mark to commit to doing 4 miles. I did. So here’s my report.

Mile 1: I started walking through my subdivision out to the main road .3 miles away. A couple houses from my driveway I figured I might as well run a little to see how it went. It went OK. My feet hurt, no surprise, but everything else seemed to be about right. Out on the main dirt road I began to trot, feeling things out. It’s mostly downhill, that first mile, and I didn’t want to waste it. I can’t find my watch, so I had no idea about time, but it didn’t matter. A deer fly circled my head. I remember those. Darn. I just about knocked myself out swatting him off my forehead. I tried running some to get away and was reminded that you can’t outrun a deer fly. As I got down to the wetlands the red winged blackbirds began dive bombing me. Oh yea. I remembered that too and began to grin. Because I was out there again.

Mile 2: This one is mostly uphill and sunny. It’s also the mile I had to decide whether to continue on or turn around at the ½ mile mark. It turned out to be a no brainer. Sure the rest of the mile was uninteresting as well as sunny and uphill and it was getting hot. But still…a chance to do 4 miles was too good to turn around. So I didn’t. I saw chipmunks running across the road, and I noticed bright pink wild roses in the grass filled ditch. And then….I saw a black raspberry bush glowing in a patch of sunlight! And there was one black, ripe raspberry waiting for me. Good thing I wasn’t on the clock so I could go off course and pick that berry and savor it on the last few yards of mile two. Yum. Pure summer.

Mile 3: I turned around and knew I’d be enjoying my favorite mile of this route. I ran the first ½ mile without stopping. Yea I know it’s downhill and this mile is actually slightly short but I’ll take it. This was the first time I’ve felt remotely like a runner in years. Sure I felt some old twinges in the right knee (welcome back old friend) and some new twinges in the groin (what’s up with that?!) but it sure felt good. The second half of the mile is a big curve. I ran the white line while carefully listening for oncoming cars, ready to jump down into the ditch if one came along. I had to do that twice but I didn’t care. I was out there.

Mile 4: The first 2/10 of the mile is pretty much the only downhill of that last mile home. I generally don’t like to waste it, but this time I didn’t care. It’s the downhill part of the freeway overpass and since I had just run up the other side I was no longer feeling so joyous and I wasn’t giving a fig about wasting anything. So I started out walking. Then I realized it was shady and downhill. What the heck, I started running again and turned onto my dirt road at the bottom with a smile, slowing to a walk.

Then I began arguing with myself. Here’s the conversation in my head. Bet you’ve all been there:

You should run all the shady areas and walk in the sun.

Let’s just wait till we get around this next curve so we can see how much shade there is.

Oh. Quite a bit of shade. Would mean lots of running.

So get on with it.

Why don’t we just wait until we get to the next mailbox and then we’ll run.

Why don’t we just run to the next mailbox?

But that’s, like, only 15 feet!

So?

OK. Sigh.

Now that you’re running why not run to that next one up there?

But that’s way up there! And I have to run through sun! Whine!

And your problem with that is?

Sigh. Gheesh. OK.

Besides the fly is back, better get a move on.

Ok! OK! I’m moving!

And that’s the way I made it home…arguing with myself all the way. It worked.

So now all of you have gone with me on my 4 mile run/walk. Aren’t you glad you got it in early? Before the sun was all the way up? And now you don’t have it hanging over your head all day.

4 miles done!

As Katie says….you can thank me later.

July 4, 2013
by dawnkinster 15 Comments

Random summer sounds

Come see my flowers!

It’s the 4th of July, early evening, and Katie and I are sitting on the back deck enjoying the yard. I’ve just filled the bird feeders and Mr. Cardinal (from the previous post …I’m sure it’s him, he’s just so vibrant and talkative) is chatting at me while selecting the perfect seed from the new pile. Katie is on the lookout for chipmunks. Or that squirrel that’s been hanging around.

I spent my day off napping and weeding and sorting community band music to file away . Tomorrow I go back to work. Odd. I keep thinking today is Saturday and that I’ll have tomorrow off.

Lots of things in our garden are pretty this week. So I thought I’d share a few with you as I sit and listen to the sounds of mid-summer here in Southeastern Michigan.

I hear the green heron squawking over at the pond. He’s so illusive I’ve never been able to get a picture. Most of the time I hear him and then just see the tail end of him fly overhead and back to the woods where he spends the nights. I think there are a pair of them but I’m not sure. Last year there were three by the end of the summer.

Sounds from the county fair, set high up on a hill a few miles away drift overhead. Today is opening day, and apparently it’s monster truck night. That’s not nearly as annoying as the big boom firecrackers going off on occasion somewhere nearby. Katie barks back. She’s not scared. She wants to take care of it ! Michigan used to outlaw the private use of these kind of fireworks, but everyone went to Ohio to get them, and our governor felt we needed the revenue. So now they’re everywhere and the nights are long. I personally feel someone is going to get hurt and there will be a big hullabaloo and they’ll be outlawed again. Katie is all for that. Me too.

Just opening

The other annoying sound is the neighbor’s weed whacker. Really. It’s a nice night, turn the thing off. Please. Oh wait. He just did. Happy sigh. Now I can hear the monster trucks better. They’re drowning out the bullfrogs that are beginning to sing. And there’s a red winged blackbird overhead that does not like me sitting here. He wants to raid the feeder. I swear, they can empty out a 10 pound feeder in a single day. I’ve been rationing the oilers. Some summers I just stop putting those out till the blackbirds leave in the fall.

Ah…the sounds of summer here in Michigan. The finches are chirping in the trees overhead, discussing whether it’s safe to drop in and visit the feeders while that dog is sitting here. Or maybe it’s me they don’t like. The trees are full of them chattering. I filled the thistle feeder just for them, and they know it too. I expect some of them will get brave soon and swoop down. Usually there are so many they form a line waiting their turn. Sometimes they bully each other on and off the feeder. Noisy pretty little birds. Two are splashing in the bird bath now, and chasing each other around.

The chickadee was the first brave bird of those waiting in the trees to go for the seed. Then the goldfinches and the house finches followed. Katie stays still and watches. She’s a good dog. She supervised some of the weeding today. She likes to make sure everything is done right. She has her standards.

Almost finished

The wren is on the bluebird house singing her heart out. She does this all day. Maybe it’s the male. I should learn these things. They do this every year. We haven’t had blue birds in our houses in awhile, but the tree swallows and the wrens are fine with that. I guess I am too. Oops…the wren has moved to a tree next to the deck. She’s chattering angrily at us. Sorry sweetie but I’m staying here.

I did see a bluebird today, early this morning as I was walking Katie by the pond. He was in the road pecking at something, then he saw us and flew up on a speed limit sign, then onto a mail box, keeping ahead of us. I told Katie to wait and we just watched him. He went back down to the road, picked something up and then flew away. Pretty.

Pretty garden

A titmouse arrives at the feeder, making it’s harsh call as it circles around poking it’s head in every opening. It selects a seed and joyfully flies to a branch overhead, screeching all the way. It’s not afraid of anything either, not dog or person on the deck watching. Soon it’s back announcing it’s happiness at fresh seed. The sound of it’s wings as it flies back and forth is so fun.

They remind me that I haven’t seen my hummingbirds today. I imagine they’re waiting for things to settle down a bit. My hummers aren’t that happy with all the activity of the other birds. I put fresh food out for them this evening too. They’ll be by in the morning.

Waiting for a butterfly

It’s such a lovely evening here. As light fades the bird noise and traffic to the feeders grows, the tree frogs are beginning to join in the chorus and the wren has moved off and is again singing. Nature is overshadowing the monster trucks’ roar. I hope you all had a wonderful and safe holiday and that you are settling into evening as peacefully as we are here.

Happy Birthday America. You don’t look a day over 200.

July 2, 2013
by dawnkinster 10 Comments

Wordless Wednesday

June 30, 2013
by dawnkinster 10 Comments

Whatever

The mortgage industry at the end of any month is crazy. Lots of people trying to get lots of stuff done before the new month begins. Some programs require that. Mostly it’s just people trying to meet deadlines, some imaginary, some not. Add in a full moon, especially the biggest moon in months and interest rates rising quickly for the first time in years. Do you know what you get? You get long thankless hours and never ending emails and phone calls. Everyone is in crisis. Everyone has a story. All the messages are marked urgent. People call to tell you they left you an email and wonder if you’ve read it yet. People email to tell you they’re going to call. Multiple people call and email on the same problem. Emails overlap, the problems escalate.

So is it any wonder that Friday morning I woke up thinking I had slept wrong. A kink in the back, right between my shoulder blades. Work Friday was excruciating. Sitting, standing, walking all hurt. Sleeping that night was pretty impossible and all day Saturday I hobbled around trying not to move my head more than necessary, trying to keep my torso straight, my head balanced directly over my shoulders. Getting up and down from sofa or bed was horrible. I slept in fits all day and again all Saturday night.

This morning the pain is still there but it has dulled. I can get up and move around a little. I’ve taken the dog out several times, done some chores, even bending over to empty the dishwasher. I think I’m on the way back. Of course. Tomorrow it’s back to work and the cycle begins again. But the month is over, the moon is shrinking. Hopefully work craziness will recede as well. You never know.

On a brighter note, Katie made me get up earlier today than I might have wished. This is what we saw when we got outside.

Early morning at Katie’s house.

Katie tells me I should thank her more often when she gets me up early. She says maybe she’s the reason I feel better today. She says if she could go to work with me everyone would be happier.

And she says I can thank her later.

Let’s get MOVING Mama!

June 25, 2013
by dawnkinster 12 Comments

Piggy in the tunnel!

Katie here. Guess what? My Aunt B made up a new game for me! Just for me! Isn’t that cool? Listen up, this is how it works:

First you put your tunnel in your people’s living room, or some other big room, where there’s lots of room to run. If it can be in front of the TV even better so all your peeps have to focus on you! You You You! Remember, lesson #1. It’s all about YOU!

Do you see me?

So anyway….you’ve got your tunnel set up, right? And then your person takes one of your favorite stuffed toys, preferably a pig, and throws it into one end of your tunnel while shouting “PIGGY IN THE TUNNEL!” At that same moment you get all excited and dash into the other end, through the tunnel, scooping up your pig and emerging with it from the end of the tunnel near your person.

Here I come!

But of course you don’t just hand it off to your person. OF COURSE NOT! Pay attention all you doggies! Do NOT give it to the person sitting near your tunnel! Oh no! Run right past her! Take it to the person sitting on the sofa who is ignoring all this play. That way you engage them and remind them it’s ALL ABOUT YOU! YOU YOU YOU!

Got it? OK.

So then you get the person on the sofa to toss it to the person sitting by your tunnel. And then you know what happens? She throws it into your tunnel and yells “PIGGY IN THE TUNNEL!” and you run really really fast into the other end and race out with the piggy again!

Throw it again!

You can do this as many times as you want…cause your people will think you are so cute they will keep playing and laughing and tossing the pig. It’s really fun.

And you know what else? When you get bored remember that you are in charge! Remember it’s all about YOU YOU YOU! They throw the pig in the tunnel and holler and you race in there and through it and leave the pig there! They will laugh so hard, but they will also know you’re done with the game for awhile.

I’m laughing at my Aunt.

Of course once they all go back to their regular boring stuff you can always race through the tunnel on your own and grab that pig and drop it at their feet. Pretty much I’ve found that gets them right back into the game. Every time.

Because they know it’s all about you.

You can thank me later.

June 24, 2013
by dawnkinster 13 Comments

Mr. Mandela

Listening to the news on my way to work this morning I was sad to hear that Nelson Mandela is now in critical condition. He will be 95 next month.

I am totally unqualified to comment on his extraordinary life and immeasurable contributions. But I can say that as I was thinking about him on my commute to work I heard his voice distinctly in my head. He said very clearly that “it was time to go.” Just that. Very calmly, unemotional; just a fact.

I have often wondered what goes through the minds of people at the end stages of life. Even healthy people of a certain age must wonder what lies ahead. I ponder whether people of this age are more prone to questioning their future. I wonder if they become eager to find out what’s next. I wonder if people are ready for that next adventure.

Maybe most people would rather stay here with friends and family and daily routine. But given the inevitable do some people look forward to leaving? I wonder. A few people I have known, people who have achieved great age, have told me they were ready to go. Others seemed less certain, more afraid. It’s all human nature I suppose. Still I wonder what people in their 90’s think about and whether it’s different from what people think about when they are in their 50’s.

And of course I wonder if I put Mr. Mandela’s voice into my head myself. I think the world is lucky to have had him at all. And I hope we honor him with peaceful respect when he chooses to leave us.

June 23, 2013
by dawnkinster 7 Comments

Biking through the park and mooing with ice cream.

Last Tuesday sister and I met our Aunt at one of my favorite parks. (Click on photos to see more detail.) We brought our bikes and before lunch we rode the 8 mile trail around the big lake. Did I mention there are hills here?

We just came up this hill!

It was a beautiful day, sunny with a little breeze to keep the flies at bay.

Riding through the woods.

We also hiked a little bit in the nature area; we saw some sandhill cranes, swans, ducks, and blue herons with young ones still in the nest.

Looking for the cranes.

We had a lot of fun goofing off, enjoying the sunshine, the park, and each other…

We took lots of pictures.

…and we found out it’s not always easy to keep up with an 80 year old!

The girls

Friday night sister and husband and I went to the local dairy for ice cream. It’s the best ice cream around. I had udder butter (peanut butter and chocolate) and my sister had moocachino (coffee flavored).

Ice cream maker.

We got to pet a really cute calf.

Big brown eyes.

And stand beside really big cows.

BIG cows.

I’m convinced you can’t have exceptional ice cream without the cow scent to accompany it. Darn that was good.

Evening sun.

All in all a very good week.

Water lily at the park.

June 22, 2013
by dawnkinster 15 Comments

Farming my memories

When we were growing up we lived less than an hour away from my Mother’s parents. I remember many trips down to the farm where she grew up, the four of us packed into the back of a station wagon, Mom bringing along something to add to the family dinner.

Mom’s family home.

We were always excited to run around the farm’s barns, play with the barn cats, pick the black raspberries behind Grandpa’s workshop, watch the piglets, ride the tractor with our Uncle. When we got bigger we each got to spend a week at the farm, staying overnight in Grandma’s guest room, sneaking her crumb cookies, spending hours with the cats or reading on the porch swing.

Lots of dreaming happened here.

Sometimes we were even useful, helping to fill the hayloft with bales of hay, or feeding the hogs along with my Uncle. Mostly I’m sure we were just underfoot; city kids who didn’t know much about farming who slowed the work down. But my uncle just kept grinning, cracking jokes, letting us drive the tractor, climb fences, scratch the back of a mama pig.

Barns on the farm.

We were always happy to get to the farm and always sad to leave. I had the same series of feelings as I wandered among the barns this week. They and the house and Grandpa’s workshop were so full of memories.

In Grandpa’s workshop.

And as my cousin asked me questions about what it was like on the farm all those years ago I began to remember more. Did I remember back when they had cows on the farm? Were they beef or milk? I have faint memories of each cow being in it’s own stall. I might even remember my Uncle milking the cow and squirting milk to a barn cat.

Barn doors

But I might have seen that in a movie too. I’m not sure.

I distinctly remember collecting two eggs from under the chickens when I was five. It was cold out and I had a snowsuit on and mittens. I was carefully walking back to the house, one egg in each hand when a big dog ran up and jumped on me. I smashed the eggs in my hands and the dog licked the fresh egg off my mittens.

Grandpa’s coat hanging where he left it.

When I was a teenager, staying with my Grandma for a week in the summer I’d practice my clarinet up in the hayloft even though we weren’t supposed to climb up there. The sound was pretty cool in the big empty barn. I’m not sure the barn cats totally appreciated the entertainment.

Memories stored behind the glass.

I remember driving down the lane standing in front of my Uncle on the old tractor, thinking I was steering when I probably wasn’t. I remember having to stand with all my weight on the clutch in order to switch gears. I remember him deliberately distracting me so I’d look over to the left at the cows in the next farm, then he’d move the steering wheel and we’d drive off the tracks in the lane and he’d tell me I better pay attention! Then we’d laugh.

Tractor waits.

We laughed a lot on that farm. I think all those peals of laughter are still caught inside the barn walls today. As I stood there remembering the bull and the cats and the cows and the pigs I could almost hear them again. It was good to visit the farm.

I like to think the farm was glad to see us too.

Wandering through memories.

June 20, 2013
by dawnkinster 10 Comments

So far behind

I have lots of stories to tell you. A visit to the family farm (barns!) and a bike ride in the park. But I’m back to work now and I’m behind again. Well. I guess I could blame being behind on work but the reality is I’m just behind in general.

So stay tuned. I promise barn photos are coming to a blog near you.

Maybe a bicycle photo or two as well.

Maybe.

Sneak peek.

Change Is Hard

…but change is certain.

Category Archives: Uncategorized