Farewell to Blue February/Happy Walkiversary!

I have been a walker, hiker, and backpacker pretty much my whole life. But one year ago, I decided to take it to the next level. I was battling high blood pressure, and I had made a lot of changes in my life (including retiring at end of Dec. 2020 from a job I loved after 35 very good years at Penn State), but none of them fixed it. My husband asked if I could fit more regular exercise into my schedule, and I said Yes, I could. I decided to start walking every day.

Well, the walking every day did not fix my high blood pressure. But a trip to the doctor, finally, in the fall got a medication adjustment that has me back in the normal range. (For blood pressure, at least; I'm making no other claims on the "normal" front!) So hooray for store-bought normalcy, thanks to Lisinopril and Amlodipine!

Here is a picture of me, walking up that hill! I usually walk about two miles a day; more like three, if I wander into the Scotia Barrens that is near our home. And if we backpack or do another longer hike, it would not be unusual to fit four, five, or even more miles into a day. On occasion, I have substituted a big swim or a long bike ride for my hike, but most days, I walk. The weather does not stop us; we go out even in very challenging conditions.

I typically walk in the morning, as I guess I fancy myself a morning person. I didn't take my camera along initially, as it was supposed to be about walking, not lollygagging. But lately, I've started taking the camera, too. My husband jogs once a week and I walk with him, but other than that, he only walks with me once or twice a week. When he does, HE likes to pick the walk and the direction we go, and I usually let him.

Most often, I walk from our house, and stroll all around our neighborhood by myself, as I did on this day. There are about four main directions to go, and sometimes my husband does me the favor of dropping me off somewhere and I walk my way back home, as from Mahala Street, which takes me to the other end of the Scotia Barrens, and I can walk back, watching the foliage colors change; admiring the beautiful ice.

I go walking with music in my ears always! The tiny pink tunes box (a pink iPod shuffle) holds my favorite playlist, and so I am jamming to some of the best tunes ever made. As I am an 80s gal, you can guess what some of those tunes might be! (And I've even told you some of them.) Oh, and sometimes, you might see me go by . . . dancing!

I have reaped some benefits from walking the neighborhood. I have met people, but only in low-key ways. I know where the buzzards hang out in the mornings drying their wings. I have seen their performances of The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy and Fiddler on the Roof, and am anxiously awaiting Evita, to be honest.

I have lost a pound or two or six, but not many. But I have toned up considerably, especially in my calf, leg, thigh, and glute muscles. I have better wind and more stamina. I can walk uphill, both ways, without whining. I have re-glued the bottoms onto three pairs of shoes since then. We figure I have walked about a thousand miles in the past year.

I looked at a map to see how far that might get me, and here are some places I could have gone with all those miles: Minneapolis, Minnesota; Orlando, Florida; Nova Scotia. Yes, that's FAR! I am laughing to think of it! Me! Walking all the way to Nova Scotia! Ha ha ha!

The photo above is a farewell to blue February, and I took it not far from our house on my daily walk. There is a big tree that I love. There is a pretty white picket fence just like you dreamed of having your entire life. And there are February's blue shadows in the snow. Good-bye, February, as we spin the wheel from meteorological winter to meteorological spring! And happy Walkiversary to me!

My soundtrack song is this one, a Peter Paul & Mary favorite covered by the Hooters (and I highly recommend their album Hooterization, as every song on it is good), 500 Miles.