A different kind of cardinal

This is a cardinalflower (lobelia cardinalis) that I saw today while I was WALKING along a spot at the river.     It was gloriously cool this morning (about 65F (18C) and I was ready to get out of this house.    I told hubby we were going to his hunt camp so I could walk to the pond.   He was worried about me walking in the mud with the Crocs so I rummaged around in the closet and found some old low top sneakers that are really worn out.  They are wider shoes than I normally wear so I put on the compression sock and tried it on.  It worked!!!   No rubbing around the ankle area and very comfortable on my foot!   

Luckily my foot was only swelled a little right between the two ankles bones.     I could actually see my ankle bones on each side of my foot this morning.  A good day to try the walking.   

So we went to the pond and walked.  I used the hiking pole to steady myself and I was extra extra careful where I walked.   I did some downhill and uphill walking.  Took some photos at the pond and walked around about 40 minutes.      Then Jerry said he knew a place at the river that we might see an eagle so we drove over there and I walked again.  Saw several kinds of flowers, including this one.    After we left there, we went over to my favorite hiking place on the Palmetto Trail.  We walked across  the bridge which took another 40 minutes.  Nice level area so I could really walk with a smooth rhythm.  

I looked at my phone app for keeping up with steps and I had walked 1.6 miles!    With no problems, no pain and really steady steps without limping!       When I got home, I took the shoe and the compression sock off and my foot was not swelled any more than it had been when I left home!    Yeah for me!    I did sit with it elevated for the remainder of the afternoon.   

A milestone for me!    Nine and a half weeks since the surgery to repair the broken ankle bones.      I never expected to be able to walk so well this soon.  But I know I have to pace myself so tomorrow will be a grocery store trip and then home to give it a rest. 

I put another of the flowers we saw at the river in the extras.  I have not been able to find out yet what it is.