Standing at the Trailhead of Winter

Long shadow, soy beans ready for harvest, and a clear blue sky. A lovely late-September evening ride.

One of the best parts about cycling along at 14 miles per hour is the opportunity to really see the nature surrounding us. I love stopping on the bridges spanning the creeks throughout the countryside. Yesterday, I stopped to watch the swallows emerge from under a bridge, dipping and diving through the air, hoping to get me to move along. I turned to look in the opposite direction, wondering how the late-evening sun might look as a backdrop to the creek. That's when I noticed this beauty. I could tell from the size I wasn't looking at a hawk. Given I was probably 100 yards away, I figured I wasn't going to get a very good picture of it, but I was going to try. I pulled out my little camera I carry with me and zoomed in as much as possible. I snapped a photo then enlarged it on the camera screen. To say I was just a tad bit excited to see an eagle would be an understatement. I kept snapping photos, hoping at least one would give me a decent image. This one made the cut. It...

Much needed rain graced us on and off the last couple of days. My lawn was beginning to show the suffering signs of drying out, but now it is vibrant green and lush again. Which means I'll have to mow tomorrow or the next day, most likely tomorrow.  The first time I mowed my shoulders and biceps burned from pushing the mower over the nearly one-third acre of yard. I don't have a self-propelled mower. I have a JP propelled mower. Now, my shoulders and arms feel strong when I mow. The burning and fatigue are a thing of the past. It feels so good to know I've gained strength in muscles that have always been on the weaker side for me.  I'm seeing the same strength and endurance improving with the cycling. I can comfortably complete 40 miles now. My last ride just a few evenings ago was just under 25 miles, but my average moving speed was 17.2. To say I was happy with this is an understatement. A few weeks ago my legs were tiring at the 20 mile mark, going 14.5 miles an hour...

I woke up early this morning, right at sunrise, and the first thought through my head was I'm so lucky to wake up to all of this.  I could hear the mourning doves cooing, the finches singing, and other birds joining in to welcome the morning. No car noise. No people noise. Just birds. After getting in my morning walk with Ado, and after feeding him, I jumped on the bike. The wind the first few days this week was awful. 20-30 mph with gusts to 40. Not much fun to cycle in, so this morning, with the wind out of the west at 9 mph, I decided a ride was in order. Thirty hot and sweaty miles later, I rolled into the driveway. I had to laugh when I looked at my stats. It took me an hour and fifteen minutes to go 15 miles out. It took me 45 minutes to go the fifteen miles back. The whole time I'm cycling into the wind I keep telling myself it'll be worth it when I turn around. And it is so worth it.  I'm averaging 30 miles each ride at this point. Not bad for only having a good...

We went straight from cool and rainy to hot, muggy, and sunny. Although, there have been a few days in between of perfect: low 70's and sunny. I'm finding that if I leave the front door closed from mid morning to late afternoon, and close off the back two bedrooms all afternoon, the house stays cooler. So far, the high inside the house without the air conditioner on has been 80, and that was just the other day when it was 90 degrees outside. That's not too bad, at least in my mind. I know others cringe when they hear I live in a house that I allow to get up to 80 degrees. The nice thing about this? It's my house. I can do what I want. Funny Delightful Son came for a visit last week. We had a great week together, and I surprised myself -- when he pulled out to go back to his place, the tears came. I'm so proud of him and what he has accomplished. He finished up his four-year degree in May, and now he's planning to enter into the Master's program in the fall...

Yesterday I rode my first 50 miler for the summer. I'd planned on doing at least 30, but once I got out and realized how good I was feeling, I just kept going. I ended up having to deal with a short detour, about three miles or so, because county workers were tarring and chipping a road I wanted to take. I was forced to hang a left, going further west than I'd planned. I thought all was just fine when I reached a road that went north, but I soon ran into a real gravel road. Sweetness and I don't do gravel. We tried that once. Things didn't go well. But the only other choice was to backtrack, adding on more miles. I assured Sweetness this gravel road would be fine. We'd go slow, which we did. About a mile in, we found a paved road we could turn onto. From there, we were back on track. The rest of the ride went without a hitch. Well, unless you factor in the guy driving the convertible at the four-way stop, who didn't see me (that's what I'm going with)...

The last few weeks I've been chillin'. Mostly just hanging around the house with Ado, enjoying being back in the space the kids and I called home when I decided to move out of my husband's place. The space with the living room windows overlooking the back yard and deck. The space where my three kids and I took a year to figure out where each of us was headed. Lovely Beautiful Daughter decided to go out on her own, and for the last nearly four weeks she's been in Taiwan on a teacher training exchange through the university. Funny Delightful Son moved to live on campus at the university he transferred to after finishing his community college courses. I miss them both, and when I moved back into this space, I could hear echos of them throughout the rooms. The first few days were kind of tough with them not being here, too. But Angel Baby is here with me. He has the entire upstairs all to himself. Three nice-sized rooms, each serving a different purpose. One room is his c...

Yesterday I took my first bike ride of the year. Not a long ride by any means -- just out to work to grab a book I needed and to fill out the tuition waiver for Angel Baby (he's decided to return to school!) -- but it was a lovely ride. Earlier in the morning, between reading and fixing some coffee, I watched the frost melt off the Jeep windows, using the slow disappearance of the tiny ice crystals as the gauge for when I could get the bike out and go for a ride. Temps near 50 and sunny with barely any wind to speak of -- yep, I wasn't going to let the day slip by without some kind of ride, even if it was just to Uptown for reading time at the coffeehouse. Today, another beautiful day, with sun and warmth. Another opportunity to get out and ride somewhere. When I arrived home from my ride yesterday, I found a package in my mailbox. I figured it was for Lovely Beautiful Daughter since I haven't ordered anything that needed to be delivered. I'm really trying to cut do...

Nearly 27 miles today. With intensely numb toes by the end. So numb I simply couldn't feel the floor after taking off my cycling shoes. My fingers? Just fine. My face? No problem. Even without my balaclava. I've searched the apartment for my neoprene booties, but so far no luck. So the toes are just going to have to go numb.  Towards the end of my ride. I didn't realize until after seeing this photo on the computer that I'm actually in it, too. My go-to for thawing out my toes was hot chocolate spiked with a little bit of Bailey's Irish Cream. I'll ride 27 miles in 35 degrees with a real feel of 29 any day if it means hot chocolate with Bailey's is waiting for me at the end. I thought about having a second but then I thought, "J, save that last bit of Bailey's for another day. You'll be glad you did." So I tucked the Bailey's back in the fridge, behind the milk and orange juice (not that anyone else will drink it, but just to be ...

Yesterday I drove Angel Baby's car to work. This morning I rode my bike to Uptown, went to Starbucks for my usual Thursday treat, then hopped on the bus to work. I have most definitely come to prefer the bus or my bike, and even though it would be much easier -- I'm not even sure easier is the right word; convenient?  --  to take Angel Baby to work then drive on over to campus, I'd much rather wait five minutes at the bus stop, feeling the cool November breeze touch my cheeks take a seat near the back of the bus look out the window, watch the last of red maple leaves skitter along the sidewalk relax, ten minutes of meditation or reading a chapter of the book I'm into, music whispering from earbuds. The idea of driving being easier, more convenient, and time-saving than riding my bike or taking the bus really isn't true in my case. Driving the Jeep is fun. No doubt. But I simply don't want the stress of driving. I want to be chauffeured around. ...

Despite Angel Baby saying he was good walking to work, which, granted, is just more than a mile from the apartment, I went ahead and bought him a car to drive when the weather gets colder. Walking when it's 35 degrees is one thing. Walking when it's 2 degrees with a wind chill of -7 degrees is quite another. I truly don't believe he realizes just how miserable that would be. So, I bought him a 2000 Jeep Cherokee. He claims I bought it for me since it's a manual, which he doesn't know how to operate. Angel Baby's new ride! If I'm being completely honest, I do have to admit I love this vehicle. It's in really good shape, and driving a stick is just plain fun. The Cherokee is very definitely my kind of car, so if Angel Baby says he doesn't want to drive it, I won't be hurt. I'll drive it and enjoy every single second of doing so. I have a hunch, though, that Angel Baby won't have any trouble learning how to drive a stick. He learne...

Like usual, Ado and I set off for our morning walk. A bit later than usual since I slept right up until 7:45. Then I snuggled for another half hour against Ado. He's the best cuddle buddy ever. So when we finally started off, the sun was shining, warming the morning so nicely. While we walked I thought I'd cycle up to the farm to return the egg cartons that I'd been collecting over the last couple of months. I wasn't about to let this beautiful fall day get away from me without a cycling trip of some kind. Once Ado was settled in after we returned to the apartment and after I aired up the tires on Sweetness, I started out. Only to realize the wind had come up during the time I fixed Ado's breakfast, geared up, packed the egg cartons in the pannier, and stepped back outside. Not just a little wind, either. No. This wind, though I didn't know it until after I checked the weather once I got home, was blowing over 23 miles per hour, gusting up to 40 mph. There was...

When I look at the calendar, I'm amazed that we're in week ten with the semester. In all my time teaching, I've not had a semester just seem to zoom by like this one is. I think a big part of why I feel like the weeks are slipping by so quickly is I'm teaching two hybrid sections, so I only see the students of each section once a week. After our once-a-week meeting, the students are sent on their way to complete the work online. I love this approach to teaching, and I hope to continue teaching the hybrid courses, but they definitely do make the semester go by in a blink. And with the weeks passing, the cooler weather seems to be here to stay. Which I am perfectly okay with. Though I do need to buy some long johns to wear under my clothes if I'm going to continue biking to work. And a good pair of winter boots, ones that are stylish yet practical and warm. I've been searching for the just-right pair of boots for a couple weeks now, and I think I've narrowed...

Hopped on Sweetness today to ride up to the farm for eggs. I've been riding the cruiser so much that when I swung my leg over Sweetness, the feel seemed strange. I felt all gathered together. On the cruiser I sit upright, my arms are out in front of me, and my feet are a bit in front of the saddle rather than right underneath. I'm all stretched out. On Sweetness, I'm leaning over, my arms are bent and much closer to my torso, and my feet hit the pedals right beneath the saddle. Everything feels so close. Small even. It was just a strange sensation. You'd think I'd be able to switch between the bikes and not flinch over the differences. Red Hen came over to say hello. The ride up to the farm was good. I had a lot of help from the wind out of the southwest. The return ride was slower, the wind hitting me at an angle, but once I hit the trail the thick treeline created a nice screen. I decided to stop by the Coffeehouse for something cold and to just people watch...

Just ten days left of my summer. Ten. Sad face. Tears sliding down my cheeks face. Actually, I'm okay with the summer coming to a close. The two months of working from home were glorious, but it'll be good to get back on campus. The bummer part about going into this fall semester is one of my good friends leaving. He was offered a beautiful deal with a two-year college in Michigan, one he couldn't pass up. It'll definitely be strange without him across the hall from me (though there is whispering of turning his office into a gaming room, complete with mini fridge and microwave). His leaving opened up the opportunity for me to step back into teaching the Honors seminar course. That along with teaching English 102 in hybrid format and coordinating the writing center will be my load. I'm looking forward to all of it, especially the hybrid classes. I've been waiting and waiting for the hybrid classes to get the green light, and they finally did. For the ne...

I've become very aware of two things since I've gone carfree and have been riding my bike to get groceries, to sit outside the coffeehouse, well, everywhere. One: 99% of establishments do not have a place where I can put my bike and lock it. I've used benches, sign posts, lamp posts, a shelving unit loaded with annuals, and anything else that will deter someone from trying to take my lovely, new ride. Two: the number of people who park but don't turn off their car while they are inside the store or wherever it may be where they have to exit their car is maddening. I simply do not understand the mindset of leaving a car running while one is in the store (and no, there is no one in the car waiting for the person who went into the store). A few other cycling observations: I need to invest in good grocery panniers. I have a couple of panniers now, but they're not specifically for groceries and sag when I load them.   I need a good raincoat. So far I've n...

During my walk with Ado this morning I could hear music. The sound reminded me of Don McLean, his "American Pie" album. After I returned home and had Ado all settled in, I decided to set off to find the music. I found it just off the trail to Uptown, behind the Community Cancer Center. I sat in the gazebo and listened. Monarch butterflies flittered among the daisies circling the gazebo. I have since learned the singer is Dan Hubbard, a singer-songwriter who lives right here. The butterflies were released as a symbol of freedom and happiness, especially as these are connected to those who have battled cancer and won. I followed the music. My day was all the more brightened for it. Old Faithful has found a new home. Yesterday, I said goodbye to the blue cruiser. I truly loved that bike, but I was ready to let it go and start a new chapter with a new cruiser. The kind I fell in love with, out in California during the TransAm ride 2012. We were sitting outside a bike sh...

There was something about today's ride. Something I can't put my finger on that made it perfect. Maybe it was the cool breeze blowing from the north. Maybe it was the blue sky with lacy streaks of clouds. Maybe it was the quiet disrupted by the chirr of my bike tires. Maybe it was the moment I coasted along the rural road, my eyes closed. Whatever it was, the forty-five miles were perfect.

The rural roads are lined with an abundance of chicory. The dainty light purple-blue flowers offer a pretty contrast to the mid-summer green. Many believe the plant to be an invasive weed, but I beg to differ. It adds beauty to the world. I decided to learn more about the plant, and in the end, I bought some chicory "coffee" after reading about how delicious it is. My first sip made me think of molasses. Which made me think of the molasses oatmeal raisin cookies my mom used to make. Now I'm determined to make those cookies and fill my kitchen with the warmth of molasses. But, I digress. The chicory coffee is a keeper. I can't imagine ever going back to regular coffee now that I've had the pleasant experience of drinking such a flavorful coffee substitute. The flavor packed into this drink makes the coffee I was drinking pale in comparison. I probably wouldn't have learned about chicory coffee if I hadn't been riding the back roads like I have. Whil...

Since posting about being stuck in a funk, I've cycled over 200 miles, written several thousands of words of new material, and practiced yoga several times. I even made orange-cranberry scones and iced coffee to last me all of last week, so each morning I had a treat after taking Ado on a walk. All of this doing what I love to do has felt so good. I have to wonder why I fall into a funk and not want to do these things. They truly do make me happy. When I pull into the drive after forty sweaty miles, nothing can keep the smile off my face. Especially when I look at the stats on my Garmin and realize I'd kept a 15 mph pace, even given having to go slower while on the trail and making my way through the city streets. The same happiness fills me when I see four or five pages filled up with words, all single-spaced. The satisfaction that comes with completing these things I love feels great. It seems like I should never want to go a day without engaging in one or more of these act...