Thursday, February 9, 2023

Change of plans

Lake Whatcom 

 Melanie and I had tentatively decided to hike to Lizard Lake on Blanchard Mountain today, but we woke to a light rain, expected to continue on and off all morning. So, we changed our plans and instead headed to the Hertz trail, and we went out and back for 6.2 miles, mostly flat. I'm glad we did, because the rain didn't quit until close to the end of our excursion. Not that I mind a bit of rain, but it would have been quite muddy as well. Two things I can do without.

Bench where you can rest a bit

We didn't have much to photograph, nothing new at any rate, but I remember passing by this bench many times over the years. It was wet and uninviting today. It was much nicer just to keep moving to stay warm and enjoy each other's company.

Fog, fir trees, and calm waters

We never had even a glimpse of sun, or even a shadow, but towards the end of our walk, we did see the clouds lighten a little, and I always enjoy seeing the trees looking so beautiful through the low-lying fog. It was, as always, nice to be outdoors and getting in our daily exercise. Mel's car has heated seats, so it wasn't easy to pry myself out for our Thursday hike, but I'm glad I did. We are in much better moods than before we started. Hopefully, next week we can do Blanchard Mountain.

I am struggling to maintain my positivity when I read the news. As of today, the death toll from the earthquake in Turkey/Syria has surpassed 20,000. It's an unbelievable tragedy. If you are looking for a good place to donate money, I recommend Doctors Without Borders, which performs incredible assistance all over the world. They have been helping with this awful disaster since right after it struck three days ago. It's my favorite go-to humanitarian assistance website. 

And prayers can only help. Stay positive, my friends.

:-}

15 comments:

  1. Staying positive is not easy, but being outdoors helps!

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  2. Watching the death toll rise in Turkey so dramatically in just a couple days... overwhelming.

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  3. I am aware, but I am not lingering on the human toll because I can't do much about it. Thanks for the donation recommendation.
    I did sit a bit in the afternoon sun today.

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  4. I have not been watching the news. We donated a bunch of medical supplies to Doctors going on a mission trip after my Dad died, he had many unused ostomy supplies. There is always someplace to lend a hand.
    Glad you had a hike...most every place you can walk here is icy even the city streets:(

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  5. Moody skies.

    Today here was a mix of nasty weather.

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  6. We donated to Doctors Without Borders about ten minutes ago.

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  7. Sometimes with hiking, it's better to change plans rather that to push ahead. We hiked a long way from home so no running home quickly when things went down.

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  8. Kay of Musings: Doctors Without Borders is one of our favorite charities. I can’t believe the death toll in Turkey and Syria. We’ve met such wonderful people in Turkey and I keep wondering if they are safe. The suffering is absolutely unimaginable.

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  9. What a grey day. Yes, the tragedy there is unbearable.

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  10. It’s pretty impressive to go hiking in the rain.

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  11. Your determination never fails to amaze me. Rain never deters you!

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  12. José Andrés with the World Central Kitchen is there, as well. Making sure people are getting fed. The toll is up to 22,000 now and continues to grow!
    It is amazing that they are still finding people alive!

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  13. So much tragedy and disasters! I am glad you are safe. We are so fortunate and blessed.

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  14. In last Tuesday’s post you said, “I see fat buds on the trees, too.” Ever since then, I have been fascinated with that terminology since, when I read it, I knew immediately what you meant but had never heard the buds referred to as “fat.” 😊 In our current culture, “fat,” has somewhat of an undesirable connotation. However, I just recently read an article in the NYT about not all fat is bad. Apparently, some forms of fat are actually beneficial. Of course, I’m only looking at its use as it applies to food and there are many others. The bottom line here is I’m thinking about mentioning fat buds in a new post on John’s Island and would like to give credit to you for introducing me to that delightful terminology. If that is problematic just drop me an email. Have a great day!

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  15. It's hard to really understand the scope of earthquake. My heart goes out to the victims. About the photos --- are they black-and-white, or is it the natural color? Either way, intriguing pictures.

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