Toastry HOT

We are in the midst of a heat wave, with an advisory for the entire area, but it's actually nothing compared to what some parts of the country are experiencing. It got to 85 degrees F here in Bellingham, the hottest temperature of the season so far. I had absolutely no desire to hike today, especially after my horrendously uncomfortable excursion last week. In fact, I almost didn't have the energy to traipse down to the basement with my week's laundry, but I did. I was quite exhausted afterwards, and it was nothing much, just the usual work of washing, drying, folding and putting it all together. I was surprised at how enervating it was, but it sure feels good to have it behind me. Tomorrow is a trip to the new Senior Center for yoga; the new place is air conditioned, so I think I'll be enjoying that. Then on Thursday is my usual volunteer work at the old place, which doesn't have A/C but it is supposed to be a few degrees cooler.

I am not a fan of hot weather, even warm and sultry weather is not fun for me. I much prefer a cool breeze and overcast skies, but then again, I am spoiled and not acclimatized to the heat. In any event, I am looking forward to some respite from the unrelentingly blue skies, which most people seem to love.

Foxglove

The flowers certainly do seem to love the weather, however, and I suppose if I spent most of the year underground, waiting for the chance to emerge and shine, I might feel differently. I love the pretty foxglove and am delighted when it shows its beauty. 

Hope you are having a wonderful summer, not too hot, not too cold. And that you are surrounded by fragrant and beautiful flowers!

(smile)

Fragrance Lake

Our hikers 

I was very lucky during our hike to have found so many new friends. We had eight women and one plucky man. The hike was led by Sandy, third from the left in this picture, taken by a passerby. It was cool when we started, but by the time we reached the lake, it was getting warm. Not terribly so, but definitely into the 70sF. We passed many other hikers on the way to (and from) the lake, and plenty of dogs, too.

Many wswimmers, both four- and two-legged

I had a hard time with the strong sunlight, with bright sun and shadow, making it hard to see my footing when we returned via the same trail. With the help of Kathy, one of the hikers, who held my arm and told me what I was seeing, I was able to make it back to the cars. I skipped the loop around the lake, but everyone else went, so I got their picture as I waited.

Sandy in front as they finished the loop

I certainly enjoyed myself, but when I got home, drank a bunch more water, I then quaffed a cold beer. I got distracted by reading the news and forgot to post this, so here it is a day late. Life is good and I'll try to be on time next week. 

:-)

Hovander and potluck

Sunshine and lilypads

Today some of the Senior Trailblazers went on a leisurely walk around Hovander Homestead Park in Ferndale, a short drive from Bellingham. 

Hovander Homestead Park preserves the rich history of pioneer farming and offers recreational opportunities for all ages in every season. The park encompasses nearly 350 acres, including over a mile of river frontage.

We broke into two groups and walked around the area, one around Tennant Lake (covered with lilypads, as you see here) and the other in Hovander Park itself. I don't know how many people we actually had, since we went in opposite directions soon after arriving at the park. We enjoyed a leisurely walk, meaning nobody was in a hurry, and the warm sun, with a delightful cool breeze, kept us from getting too hot. Here's another look at those lilypads.

Tennant Lake

There is a walkway that winds around this area, which we took (the top picture is from there), and then we went back to the homestead to join the other group. We then made our way from the park to John S's home in the Ferndale area, and enjoyed a really wonderful potluck. I managed to keep from eating too much, which wasn't easy.

Enjoying our lunch in John's backyard

It was a very laid-back sort of day, with lots of food, sunshine, company, and conversation. Around noon, we packed up and headed back to our homes. Thanks to John S and his wife (whose name I neglected to find out), we had a lovely place for our annual beginning-of-summer gathering. We have grown so large that this was the second gathering, after another one earlier at Cornwall Park. It's wonderful that there are so many Seniors not only enjoying each other's company, but also getting exercise and sharing stories and adventures with the others.

I did manage to eke out 10,000 steps for the day, which it wasn't all sitting eating. But in retrospect, that's pretty much what it felt like. Nice for a change, don't you think?

:-)