Midweek Running

Tuesday, I ended up running after work. I'm really not an evening runner but it worked out well as Ryan was up in Bangor for work and I didn't need to rush home for Sam. It was a bit muggy but there was a nice breezy, and I decided to hit the Crystal Spring Farm trails for something different as I haven't run there in a while. I got in a good 6 miles, highlighted by ripening blueberries, the first wood lilies of the season and the sweet smell of milkweed as I ran along the edges of the farm fields.

Wednesday morning I got up and ran the cart paths with a trip down to the river and back in the middle. It was extremely muggy and very buggy (nasty deer flies!) and I was feeling kind of sluggish, but on the upside, I did see two deer and stopped to eat some blueberries along the powerlines, so it wasn't all bad. A very soggy 8 miles to start the day.

I had gone back and forth about my run for this morning. I had taken the day off to get errands done and the house in order before our departure for VT tomorrow morning. Part of me was thinking I should fit in a 20+ mile effort before VT but my initial plan had been for a down week this week, simply due to logistics and the fact that I would not be running Saturday or Sunday. In the end, my tired legs swayed me to stick with the original plan and so I slept in a little later this morning and meandered out the door around 6:45 am for 14 miles out in the Cathance.

I ran an extra loop up and over Mt. A on the way out, looking at the dark sky and upturned leaves from the wind, and wondering how long it was going to take to get soaked! I got drizzled on a few times, but true rain held off, and I enjoyed a breezy, rather cool, almost deer fly free meander out through the Cathance to Head of Tides. The river is running quite low, but it is still pretty!

Out in the fields, I found a few raspberries to eat and on the way back along the powerlines, I stopped to pick some of the abundant blueberries - yum! - and spotted a glorious wood lily set against the greenery. So pretty!

While I was taking a photo of the lily, I noticed an Indigo Bunting flitting about back and forth. I felt so lucky! Also saw one deer out in the woods, but otherwise things were pretty quiet. Got in 14 miles and now it's off to get things organized for VT! So excited for what is sure to be a crazy, fun adventure crewing Ryan in his first 100 💕 He has certainly put in the work the past 6 months, and I can't wait to see him rockin' it out on the hilly roads and trails this weekend.

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Other random notes and photos:

On the homefront, we've had some fun visits to the backyard recently. The gray fox brought two kits out to eat the birdseed I had thrown out one night last week and then the next night, there was a mama skunk with three little babies. Oh man, they were all so incredibly adorable!

Further south, Sam is still having a grand old time at Camp Neenie and Pippi :) There was a visit to Boombalatti's after a morning at the beach, she and Morgan helped my parents at the food pantry one afternoon, and they went up to the club for dinner one night. Of course, there has also been the requisite swimming and game playing :) I'd say she is having a grand old time!