What's Next?: Fun Week

Sunday, June 5, 2022

Fun Week

Always lovely to start the week with a holiday day. Enjoyed a relaxing morning before finally going out around 8:30 for my run. Headed out into the Cathance for a nice mellow lollygag. Bright, beautiful and warm morning, with a nice breeze. Felt like summer out there, with the early spring wildflowers having passed, replaced by the blooms on the blackberry brambles and green everywhere. The ospreys were calling overhead as I ran up Mt. A and the bullfrogs were croaking in the vernal pool, plus four deer and one turtle seen. Ran on a few of the old trails that are quickly returning to nature. Legs felt decent, if a bit slow, and wore the new Brooks Cascadia 16, which also felt pretty good and were comfortable, if perhaps a bit clunky. (7.0 miles)

Then after lunch, it was off to the Commons with my parents for our annual Memorial Day weekend ladyslipper walk! Warm and a bit buggy in the woods but we were rewarded with 625 ladyslippers counted, including 5 white ones this year. Always fun to wander slowly through the woods, enjoying these beauties and such a fun tradition😍 Also seen, several painted trillium, and a lot of indian cucumber, starflower, false lily of the valley and bunchberry in bloom as well. (2.35 miles walked)

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Tuesday, I took Sam to swim and got in a walk around town. Beautiful evening to be out. (1.9 miles walked)

Wednesday morning, I did a bit of work early and then headed out for a run at 9:00 after dropping Sam at school for Wednesday late start. Beautiful morning with one ladyslipper, one garter snake and milkweed coming up. (7.0 miles)

Irene and Dana came up on Thursday afternoon to join us for Sam's spring chorus concert and to stay for the weekend. The kids did a great job!

On Friday, I dropped Sam at school, did a few errands and then headed to the field house for a run out into the Commons. Damp and spitting rain. Legs were a bit leaden and overall, feeling a bit tired, so just had a mellow meander, taking a few of the side trails and finding a new connection between two of them. 304 ladyslippers counted! (8.0 miles)

We had hoped for a nicer day so that Ryan and Dana could play golf, but the weather did not cooperate, so instead we went out to lunch at Wild Oats and otherwise, had a quiet day. Then Irene and Dana took Sam to swim practice while Ryan got in his run and then we got dinner ready for their return, including some yummy asparagus, carrots and blueberry pie that I had picked up at the farmer's market in the morning. Sam and I were tired out, so we went to bed early!

Saturday, Mom and Dad had gotten us all tickets for the Botanical Gardens at 11:00, so I headed out around 7:00 to get in a few miles before we had to get ready and hit the road. 100% humidity but no rain and cool out. Ran the powerlines plus a bit of the Gone Fishing trail system. Blueberries are beginning to form! Plus sheep laurel and swamp iris in bloom, two deer seen, and several towhees calling. (8.1 miles)

Then it was up to the Gardens! Cool and slightly overcast, but actually really quite pleasant out. As always, it is a joy to explore this beautiful piece of property, and at this time of year, it is especially wonderful. So.many.flowers! 💗🌸

We did a big loop, enjoying the cultivated gardens at the start before stopping to eat our packed lunches at the tables set up around what was the original visitor's center, and then wandering down to the less manicured trails in the woods along the Back River before climbing up to the Rhodendron Garden and then back to the car. Of course, we stopped to visit all the trolls and to make many, many pictures! It was a really nice afternoon for a family meander through the gardens and woods of Boothbay. It was nice to have everyone with us and get Irene and Dana up there to check it out. (2.7 miles walked)

Of course, we stopped for ice cream at Fielder's Choice on the way home 😂😋and then went on eat thai for dinner, but what would be a vacation or visit with family without a lot of eating!?! 😆😊

Woke up to a beautiful morning on Sunday and headed out a little before 7:00 to start my long run. I will admit that I was feeling a bit low energy and my allergies were rearing their head, so I did not quite get in the mileage I had intended, but did get in a nice, just slightly shorter, long run. Ran the cart paths and down to the river before heading out on the powerlines. The cala lilies were blooming in the Heath, along the powerlines the blackberry brambles were filling the air with a lovely sweet scent and the sky was blue above. (15.0 miles)