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)