Heat & Humidity

I don't mind the heat of summer, but the 90s we had mid-week this week was just too much! I don't want Florida temps here, people! And truly, I could do without the humidity too. Whew! It's been heavy this week!!😉😬

Ran Highland Green on Tuesday morning at 5:45 am. One deer and way too many deer flies seen. (6.0 miles)

Wednesday morning was a warm and humid run on the powerlines. Temps went up about 10 degrees while I was out there, and I started at 6:20 am. Whew! So sweaty. Air smelled so good though - hay scented ferns and blackberry brambles. Oh yes and a lot of deer flies. (7.2 miles)

 

Rose Pogonias are in bloom 😍😍

After dinner, I joined Ryan for a walk around the block. "Cooler" but still insanely humid. (1.7 miles)

Friday, I headed out a few minutes before 7:00 am for a run on the cart paths and into the Cathance. Had planned to run all 9 holes but a couple was playing on hole 5 and the lady was not very nice and basically yelled at me to get off the cart paths, despite the fact that the course didn't officially open until 8:00 and I was running through way prior. Jeez! Otherwise, it was another humid June run, but with a slightly breeze and the first ripe blueberries of the season! (8.0 miles)

After lunch and the regular Friday morning errands, we headed south for a visit with Ryan's parents. It was great to see them, and fun to hear about their recent cruise and catch up. 

On Saturday morning, I headed over to run on the Vineyard Hill and Bradley Palmer trails. No air movement, too many deer flies and too much poison ivy and high grass for my liking, and so insanely humid it was like running through water. At least it wasn’t hot though 🤪 Four cute bunnies, three deer and two killdeer seen. (10.0 miles)

While I was out running, Ryan and Dad got in 9 holes of golf, and then as the weather was on and off rain, we had a relaxing afternoon inside and then went out for a yummy dinner in Newburyport, after which we drove by Neal and Kendra's still under construction house and took the only photo of us from the whole weekend 😂😂

This morning, in among the rain showers, I headed out for a road run around the Georgetown block. Temps were in the 60s but still insanely humid. Definitely a good week for a down week 😜 (7.0 miles)

Summertime!

Busy start to the work week. Got out for an after dinner walk with Ryan on Tuesday. Lovely evening but there is so much pollen... everything is yellow! (1.7 miles walked)

Wednesday was Sam's last day of exams and final day as a 9th grader! Feels like it went so quickly, and can't believe we have a soon-to-be 10th grader. Super proud of how Sam handled the start of high schoo. She settled in well, rising to the challenge of both academics and swimming, and has maintained a good group of friends, hard work, silliness and a down to earth attitude that I truly appreciate. We are lucky parents for sure 💗

Before dropping her off at school, I headed out on the cart paths for a run around 6:15. Foggy and very green. (6.0 miles)

Then for dinner we headed downtown to celebrate a successful year with pizza at Nomad. Yum! 🎉🎉

Thursday, I got in an early morning road run around town. Nice out but very muggy. And the sunrise is so early these days that even though I was out the house by 5:30, the sun was already fully risen! (7.1 miles)

I guess it really is summer… Friday's late morning run (after doing all the around town errands like farmer's market, groceries, picking up cat food, dropping the recycling at the transfer station and picking up books at the library) out into the Cathance featured overgrown grass, mugginess and deer flies 🤪🤪 But also first rose pogonia of the season 🤩 and swamp candles too.

Later in the afternoon, I joined Ryan for a walk around the school block. Very very muggy. (1.7 miles walked)

Saturday morning, I headed out early with the plan to get in my long run, and although it was a nice, bright, sunny morning, I didn’t feel great. So I just shuffled along and cut it short. I know myself well enough by now to realize that if I'm not feeling great, or am a bit overwhelmed with non-running stuff, and I have the chance to push the long run off to the next day, I'm better off doing that. I am certainly able to push through if necessary, but most of the time, giving myself grace and switching things around is the best course of action. Pretty views down along the Androscoggin, and found a short although very janky and overgrown little loop out in the Highlands that I didn’t know existed. (10.1 miles)

We had a mellow rest of the day, I went to bed early, and then I headed out around 7:45 on Sunday to get in the long run. I was planning on hill repeats for my second run of the weekend, so I figured, sure, let’s make the long run as painful as possible and do hill repeats for 5 additinoal miles... 😂 never said I was smart… reasonably painful but it was a beautiful morning, cooler and less humid, and thankfully Ryan joined me for the final repeats, which was a nice boost even if he did say I was not a good conversationalist as we were trucking (or maybe more accurately slowly moving) uphill 🤪🤪 (15.0 miles)

Then to celebrate Father's Day, we headed down to Five Islands for a late lunch with Mom and Dad. Beautiful blue sky afternoon and quite breezy, but we found a sheltered spot and enjoyed a delicious lunch! Yum!

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there, especially the three we love most, Ryan, Dad and Dana. We love you 💗

June

Started the run week at 5:40 am with a run around Highland Green on Tuesday. Felt a bit sluggish. (6.0 miles) 

Ryan left shortly after I got back for a few days over in NH and VT for work, and then after swim practice, Sam and I met up with Mom and Dad at Brickyard Hollow for dinner, as they were having a work fundraiser. 

Wednesday, I was out early again, this time for a run on the cart paths. Nice morning but lots of sniffling with all the pollen. One deer and a slight detour to help this little red eft across the street. Love these little guys! 😍 (7.0 miles)

Thursday was a walk around the Bath block during swim practice. Humid and overcast, with the neighborhood rhodies in bloom. (2.0 miles walked)

Ryan returned home late on Thursday. Both Sam and I were dead asleep when he got in but I did wake up at some point in the night and realize he was in bed 😂

Friday, I had a work meeting to be on at 9:00, errands to be done and it was Sam's first day of finals which meant she was only in school until 11:00, so I didn't end up running until around 2:00 pm. Felt a bit sluggish and air was super heavy. But also so much early summer beauty out there, and those hay-scented ferns just smelled heavenly. (7.0 miles)

The dark red columbine out back is still producing some lovely blooms!

Saturday, I headed out for around 7:30 am for a "long" run. Working my way back up here...  Headed over to Highland Green for a few cart path holes and then out into the Cathance to Head of Tides. Haven't done that in a while. Sunny, warm and very heavy out there, especially in the woods. Came back via the roads and then did some miles out on the powerlines and Gone Fishing to finish things up. There was a reasonably nice breeze out in the open, but by then it didn't matter. I was just soaked! 💦 Didn't feel super wonderful out there but glad to get it done. Also as an aside, Awesomesauce may not be as calorically dense as advertised but at least it tastes good. I'm trying out new gels in the hopes of finding another that I like well enough and so many of them are gross. Took a SIS gel and couldn't get past the first small bite - ew! Had to squeeze it out on the ground 🤢 (15.0 miles)

A chorus of bullfrogs was making noise in the Cathance pond

Head of Tides

After lunch, we headed up to Boothbay to the Coastal Botanical Gardens with Mom and Dad. It was overcast and spitting rain, but as always, the flowers were lovely, and with the weather, the trails weren't super crowded and the bugs were kept at bay so that was a plus! Tried to keep my photo taking at bay, but not quite sure I succeeded 😂(2.0 miles walked)

💗

While a lot of the rhodies were on their way out, there was still some lovely pockets of color out there

Hellebore

They have taken out the vast majority of the lupine as they are technically an invasive species, which I understand but which is sad, as they are just so iconic and pretty. But the nature lupine, which not quite as showy, are still lovely

So many pretty iris

Look at this bearded one. Such a neat color palette!

Then it was back to Mom and Dad's for a yummy indian food dinner and crazy cake in celebration of Mom's birthday. Happy Birthday, Mom! We love you 💗Feel grateful that we get to celebrate in person, even if it's a few days early this year, as they are headed up to Canada for a few days vacation on Monday.

Wrapped up the running week on Sunday with Mt. A. hill repeats on a heavy, rainy morning. Pollen everywhere and a few more browntail moth caterpillars on the ground than I would prefer 😬 but got it done. Left leg actually felt pretty good, so feeling positive about that, even if the repeats were at a reasonably chill pace. (10.0 miles)

Those lines along the edges are all pollen!

And, seriously people, iced coffee protein shake and leftover birthday cake after hill work should just be the norm! Yum! 😂😋😄

Rained until around 4:00, at which point the skies brightened and Ryan wanted to get out for a walk, so we did a short loop around the block. (1.7 miles walked)