October into November

It's definitely been feeling like late fall around here. This time of year can be a struggle. It's getting cold. It's dark. Hunting season starts. The brilliant color of early fall has disappeared and we are left with a muted landscape of browns and greys. And it's been dreary, rainy, cool and overcast this week in general and that is not helping. I am much happier when it is bright and sunny out. Add in a pandemic, with numbers spiking everywhere. Plus a big presidential election. And frankly, I'm feeling it. A bit on edge. Anxious. Weighed down. Trying to keep my spirits up, but ooofff... So I decided it was time to get the happy lights up this week! You may say that it is way too early for colored lights, but I do not care. Whatever works, I say. Nothing like a little extra sparkle in the darkness!

Monday and Tuesday were a wash. I had planned on a zero day on Monday and had hoped we'd be able to get out for a walk, which is always nice after a long day at the computer. But it was cold and rainy. Tuesday, I just could not get out of bed to run in the morning and my work schedule for the day meant I didn't finish up until after our board meeting ended at 6:30. Sigh.

So once again, Wednesday was the start of the run week! I got out a little later in the morning so that at least half of my run would be in the daylight! Headed out at 6:30 in the darkness. Heavy cloud cover meant there was no glorious sunrise, but I enjoyed the hints of red that show up so well at this time of year along the powerlines and there was still some nice light in the sky near the end of the run. (7.0 miles)

In a repeat of last week's Thursday morning run, I woke to dense fog and mist, and did the same run out and back on Highland Green and along Canam. Not an exciting run, but at least the street lights cut through the mist and I could actually see! (6.0 miles)

Woke to temps hovering around freezing and another dreary, overcast start to the day on Friday. Brrr! Met up with Mindy and Val over at Bradbury at 10:00. We ran out and back on the connector to the powerlines. It was certainly chilly but warmer in the woods, where the browns have most definitely settled in. No photos but it was nice to catch up and share a few miles with friends! (6.5 miles)

Saturday, it was unseasonably cold, only 25 degrees. I procrastinated getting out and enjoyed a bit of quiet time in the morning darkness in front of the heater before finally gearing up and heading out the door around 7:30. It was Maine Resident's Hunting day so I stuck to the roads. Calm, crisp and bright with fog rising along the river and some nice reflections in the still water. (8.0 miles)

Then it was time to carve the (very frozen!) pumpkin! Actually, I think it might have made getting the guts and seeds out easier for Sam and Ryan, and the design turned out very cute! Happy Halloween! 🎃

After lunch, we met up with Anne, Thistle and Kristen for a walk in the Commons. We've gotten together every year since the kids were little on Halloween, taking the girls to the Halloween Parade and enjoying dinner at Sea Dog together, but sadly none of that was practical or safe this year with Covid 😢, so we got together for a lovely afternoon for a brisk walk in the woods instead. Not quite the same, but still nice. (2.2 miles walked)

We followed up the walk with gelato! Yes, it was way too cold to be sitting outside eating a frozen treat but it was delish and a fun treat 😋🍨 

Looking back through Facebook memories, they started trick or treating together back in 2013! That is a long standing tradition, and even though this year was different, it was still good to give Sam and Anne the chance to hang out a bit and have some fun!💖

So little! 😍

We finished up the evening with take-out from Frontier, which has just opened back up. We ate there last way back in March, the evening school was first cancelled and things kind of went to hell in a handbasket... In any event, happy to see Frontier back up and running and the sushi rice bowl was delish! And wine in a can, why not?!

Daylight saving time occurred overnight. I like getting a bit of extra light in the mornings, at least for the next month, until things go dark again, but the switch always take getting used to, especially when darkness comes earlier in the afternoons! 

The most apt title for Sunday morning's run was "Cold November Rain." Yup, that might date me, but it seemed very apropos. Headed out around 7:15 for a cold, damp, rainy, icy, puddly, slippery run out in the Cathance and on the powerlines. Ran just enough to get 40 miles for the week and called it good. Of course, the sun came out a few minutes after I got back in the house, soaked and chilled from 2+ hours out in the woods. Classic 😂 (12.5 miles)

Thin layer of ice on the Heath

Pretty much sums up this morning's run...

After lunch, we headed down to Harpswell and met Mom and Dad out at Mitchell Field, one of the few Harpswell Heritage Land Trust properties that Sam, Ryan and I have yet to visit this pandemic season. We'd avoided in the height of summer, thinking, rightly so, that it was a popular spot, but on a cool, overcast November day, it was fairly quiet and the perfect place for an easy walk. We walked the perimeter road of the property, stopping to walk down to the water's edge and take in the view at the beach. Interesting piece of property, decommissioned by the Navy as a fuel depot back in 2011 and taken over by the town. Happy the rain gave us a reprieve and we were able to get out for a bit! (2.2 miles walked)