Standing at the Trailhead of Winter

 

Tuesday the temps reached 90. Around 5 pm, I realized I am so over the heat of summer. I'm ready for cooler temps and then the cold that will follow. For one reason. Mosquitoes. They've been just awful all summer long. The boys and I can't step outside the back door without an immediate frontal, side, and rear attack. I'm not exaggerating. It doesn't matter what time of day we try to get out. The mosquitoes are waiting and ready to assault us. I've doused myself in more bug spray the last three months than I have my entire life. The poor doggoes end up with mosquitoes on top of mosquitoes vying for space on their snouts. Taking a walk is miserable for them and me. For whatever reason, the mosquito problem seems to be relegated to my side of the village. As soon as we get three blocks away, to the east side of the village, the mosquitoes lessen. And two blocks further they all but disappear. There is a creek about a hundred and fifty yards behind the house, which...

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...

Recently I've been feeling the desire to connect with other women who cycle and blog. Or cycle and write in some capacity, not necessarily blog. Or cycle, blog/write, meditate. Or cycle, blog/write, meditate, and practice yoga. Or cycle, blog/write, meditate, practice yoga, and are finding the simple things in life are what turns them on. Like watching the birds at the feeder. Or sitting on the deck in a hammock swing and just swaying gently. Or reading a good book. Or watching foreign tv programs. Any combination of these would be wonderful. But I'm having a tough time finding any blogs about cycling and life in general by women. There are the big ones, like Cyclofemme, but they're more about bike advocacy than women writing about cycling and life in general. I found a list of women blogging about cycling, but again, the blogs listed are either more a group effort advocating for getting more women into cycling, what to wear while cycling, or how to cycle safely. So far ...

Central Illinois went from winter to summer without a spring this year. We had snow right into April, along with chilly temps until late April. Then a switch was thrown and the temps went from 40's to 70's, 80's, and today we're supposed to hit 90. The humidity is ramping up, too. My hair is getting wavier and wavier with each hot, humid day we have. I love this weather. I do like fall, winter, and spring. The changes that come with each are beautiful in and of themselves. But hot and humid I absolutely adore. Which is why I don't turn the air conditioner on. The kids are okay with this, at least for now. I know Funny Delightful Son isn't a fan of the heat, but he's not complained so far. I imagine if the nights stop cooling off like they've been, then he'll let me know my anti-air conditioner position is problematic. Ado suffers from the heat. We do our walks early in the day, before seven am, and late in the day, after seven pm. Since we ca...

111 degrees. Not kidding. And hills with 9% grade. The combination acted like a one-two punch. The heat came from above then hit me again after bouncing up from the pavement. I felt like I was in an oven, slow roasting for nearly six hours. Not exactly what I call fun. Because of the landslide at Big Sur, we were rerouted inland, to the valley running between the ranges. Yesterday was quite wonderful. I thoroughly enjoyed the ride through the valley, seeing the farmland. I never quite grasped just how much food is grown in California. Now I know. Tons. And so many migrant workers in the fields before dawn, bending over to pick, hoe, and take care of the fields. Grueling work, no doubt. I have a much higher appreciation for all that they do to make sure we in other parts of the country have fresh veggies and fruits. I have vowed to think much more of those who work in the fields each and every time I buy veggies and fruits. Today, the morning started out at 60 degrees. Foggy, mist...