Chuckanut Falls

Tiny little trickle

Today 11 Senior Trailblazers, led by Chris, went off to visit the Chuckanut Falls, starting from the Fairhaven Park area and meandering through the Hundred Acre Woods, crossing the Arroyo Bridge, and up the trail to the cutoff to the Falls. Since it has been incredibly dry for us in Bellingham, you would be hard pressed to find the tiny little stream that greeted us at the Falls.

We had a great time, even without much water; it was cool to start but got up into the mid-sixties by the time we started back. We retraced our steps and arrived back at the Fairhaven Park around 1:00pm. It was a pretty hard hike for me, since I hadn't done anything quite as challenging since I hurt myself in February. We climbed almost 1,000 feet of elevation (and descended as well), and depending on whose device you believed, we went somewhere around six miles, maybe closer to seven, but the light breeze and mostly shaded terrain made it quite do-able. I admit I was dragging at the end, but once I got home and nestled into my favorite chair, I feel just fine. My lower back complained a little, but not enough to even think about taking any Advil. Well, I thought it but managed to avoid any medication at all.

Our happy hikers

A picture was taken of our group by a park employee, and I was so happy to meet three hikers who were new to me. Sometimes the name tags feel a little overkill, but today it was wonderful to have them to remind me, more than once, of their names. Once again, I was almost the oldest hiker there, but not by much. One of these days I'll write a post about all the octogenarians in our groups. I'm so glad I have gotten back to joining the "happy trails" once again.

:-)

Toasty but beautiful

Gang of Eight

 Today I joined the Senior Trailblazers for a around-town walk. We didn't get iner any cars but headed off to Whatcom Falls Park from the Senior Center's parking lot. Another group was headed up to Horseshoe Bend in the Mt. Baker Wilderness, but none of us felt like getting in a car and driving for an hour each way. Instead, we walked around five miles round trip to enjoy the somewhat cooler weather for today. It is about ten degrees cooler than I endured on Sunday's walk.

One mistake I made on Sunday was waiting until after noon to go for a walk, when I discovered that there was no shade anywhere, and the temperature climbed to more than eighty degrees Fahrenheit. That might not sound all that hot for those of you more accustomed to hot weather, but I simply wilted. And I had also forgotten that the buses run on an hourly, rather than a quarter-hour, schedule on that day. So, even though I hoped to catch a bus back home, I missed the two times I tried to catch it. I eventually poured water over my head and managed to make it home in one piece. Today seemed quite moderate in comparison.

Today we started our hike out around 8:30, and even walking at a moderate pace, we were back at the Senior Center before noon. There was also a lovely brisk breeze keeping us cool as we walked, so it was really rather delightful. I met a new member, Yolanda, and enjoyed conversation with the other people I knew from other hikes.  For most of the way, my right hip and leg never began to hurt, so I think I can safely try some harder hikes without too much worry. It's been a long time since that icy fall in February, and I am much, much better now. For awhile I feared I would not be able to walk fast enough (or long enough) to join them any more. I will continue to take it easy and not force myself to take on anything too strenuous. 

Whatcom Falls is just a trickle

Our beautiful waterfall is a bit on the meager side today, since we've had so much warm weather and no rain. And we are now starting the really dry part of our summer, which often doesn't even get started until the 4th of July. This year is different, and I truly hope we can escape the really hot weather. I just don't do all that well in the heat, so I won't be going on long hikes in full sun. Not my favorite time of the year.

Now that I am home and enjoying the cool air inside, with the help of a fan, and moderate temperatures. I just enjoyed a nice sandwich and cold drink and am now ready for maybe a quick catnap. Feeling happy and well exercised.

:-)

Lazy day but lovely nevertheless

My favorite fern

I took this picture a few years ago, on a hike to Lost Lake from Gates Overlook, down the Rock trail, and down to the lake. I saw this stand of beautiful Maidenhair ferns and couldn't resist a shot. Today I toyed with the idea of hiking from the Two Dollar trail to Fragrance Lake and back, which was enjoyed (according to Joe's summary) by sixteen Senior Trailblazers. I made my first foray back into hiking last week, but I am having a bit of a sore knee that kept me from going far from home today.

Instead, I caught the bus to the coffee shop and hoped to see John, but he wasn't there, so I did my puzzles and then took the bus home. I got off a little early in order to have a bit of a longer route, but the one I initially considered would have given me a hike about the same length as the one that the Trailblazers did, but I decided against it. Instead, I was happy with a shorter three-mile hike, which we was plenty for today.

 The weather could not be more perfect. I woke this morning after having gotten nine good hours of sleep, but I just don't have the same impetus to hike alone as I do when I am out with friends. I listened to a podcast once I was on the trail, and I enjoyed being out in the gentle breeze and felt exercised and content when I got home.

Today was one of those days when I didn't have great luck with my puzzles and lost my long streak with Wordle, and I ended up cheating on the Strands puzzle (looking up the anwer after a long time trying to figure out the correct word), so those didn't help me feel all that accomplished. I did, however, come home to a good visit with SG, and now I am writing my Tuesday post without too much enthusiasm, but feeling glad to be alive and in good enough shape to walk in the sunshine.

Anyway, tomorrow I have a yoga class, and Thursday is my usual volunteer work at the Senior Center. And then Friday I am scheduled for a massage, so life is actually pretty good. Feeling happy and looking forward to a quiet day at home. Hope you are doing well, dear virtual friends.

:-)

Hello, old friend

Lake Padden, overcast skies

It's been awhile since I've been back to Lake Padden, although Melanie and I managed to hike here a few times every month. I've been unable to hike much, but I noticed that one of the Tuesday hikes today would be back in my old environs, so I decided to join the group. Most of the hikers went off to catch a ferry to Guemes Island, but three of us joined our leader Joe to take about a four- to five-mile hike at the lake. We started at the dog park and walked around 500 feet of elevation before finishing up with a moderately challenging up and down on the hills behind the lake.

Me, Bill, Joe and Mike

The cute dog belongs to the photographer; I asked if she would take a picture of us, and she was very willing, as was her poodle, looking very spiffy amongst those old hikers. It was quite pleasant, the temperatures in the high fifties and low sixties (F), and although we had high clouds, they did disappear before we finished our leisurely hike. It was, however, the farthest I've gone since my ice-capade in February. I was happy to find that I never had any pain in my hip or right leg. We did have some exciting downhill sections where I noticed that my left knee has not been used much lately. But nothing kept us from enjoying ourselves or our lively discussions.

Now that I've broken the ice, so to speak, I think I will feel okay about joining some longer hikes in the near future. I was afraid that I might be done with hiking, but today gave me the impetus to do some easier hikes with the Trailblazers this summer and see how capable I am. Or not. 

I wasn't sure at all whether it was a good idea to try this but it turned out just fine. Tomorrow I'll have another yoga class, and then Thursday will be my favorite day of the week: volunteering in the lunchroom. And just like that, another week and month will be behind us. I see that some areas will be very hot, and others very wet, but we are having our Goldilocks period, it seems. Just right!

:-)

Tri, tri, trillium

Trillium grandiflorum

I've been photographing these beautiful trillium flowers ever since I first started hiking in these woods more than a decade ago. They are so pretty and different from any wildflower I had seen before in Colorado, or other places I used to hike. Then I learned a lot of stories and information about these beauties from my hiking companions. 

First of all, I didn't realize that they take around seven years from when they are planted before they get big enough to produce a flower, and that only one emerges out of each three-leafed whorl, once a year. Here's some information:

Trillium grandiflorum is most common in rich, mixed upland forests. It is easily recognized by its attractive three-petalled white flowers, opening from late spring to early summer, that rise above a whorl of three leaf-like bracts. It is an example of a spring ephemeral, a plant whose life-cycle is synchronized with that of the deciduous woodland which it favours. (Wikipedia)

Melanie and I would be out in the woods every spring, looking for these flowers. They are also called "wakerobin" because they come out at the same time that the first robins return for the new season.  I took so many pictures, and my newest version of the photo albums on my Mac can now search for such things as "trillium" and give me a whole lot of options for pictures. I especially like this one because it shows the stamens (which there are six of, twice the number of the petals and the leaves) very large and prominent. Apparently this means they are fruiting. I know so little about plant taxonomy, but I sure do love my pretty trilliums I see in the forests.

A very happy crop of lush trilliums

I also learned there are a few different varieties of trillium, but these are the ones that grow wild in this area. There is a red variety, which apparently smells a little like rotted meat, or like (it says) a wet dog. Mostly the trillium I see, when they get a pinkish cast to them, are past their peak and on their way out.

This is the first year I actually haven't seen any, because since I fell and injured my right hip, I still cannot go very far without pain. It is gradually getting better, though. I had my first yoga class in the new Senior Center building yesterday, and other than the room being huge, almost cavernous, it was a very good class. I had to take a second bus to get there, but one of the other attendees gave me a ride home. It's been raining for days now, so I was glad I didn't have to walk home in the rain. Today it started out raining but has now been sunny and bright for awhile.

Tomorrow I will have the three-month checkup and cleaning for my hearing aids. If it's not one thing, it's another. And I won't even venture into the political world, it's so depressing. I'm doing fine, hubby is doing fine, and that's all that matter, right? As they say in Canada, elbows up!

:-)

Fully leafed out

Favorite tree in Cornwall Park

I walked by this tree many times a month, and I've seen it go from leafless to fully covered within a few weeks. It is a maple, with gorgeous colors in the fall, and delicate spiked leaves that never fail to look impressive when I walk by. Today I noticed that it's finally finished adding more leaves, at least that what it looks like. One day all those leaves will turn into bright colors and then fall off.

November 2023

I recently discovered that the search feature on my laptop can search for this particular tree (or any other scene I capture regularly) by looking for ones taken in Cornwall Park. I have been enchanted with the colors of the myriad flora I visit almost daily. Since I still haven't felt quite ready to join the Senior Trailblazers on walks yet, I spend more of my walks solo. I always look with pleasure at the writeups about the walks, and sometimes I wish I had joined them. But the truth is, I've done all of them so many times that I don't actually have the same feeling of excitement when I think about joining them. I'm still getting some exercise, not at the level of earlier days, but I'm not sure I can do much more than the four or five miles I cover by myself. My damaged right hip and right leg remind me that I should be grateful for all I've been able to do up to now. I'm not feeling any need to hurry myself back into backcountry trails.

We have been very fortunate with the weather, too. Although it looks like we have some precipitation expected mid-week, it's not much these days and just helps to keep our world looking green and lush, with flowers still burstiI'ng out everywhere.

And I am truly enjoying the life I share with my dear sweet guy, who is hanging in there with his chemo treatments and continuing to keep up his own routine. Nothing feels like it's missing from my daily life, so I'm happy to keep on keepin' on for as long as I can. Hope you're doing the same, dear friends.

:-)

Here come the iris and rhodies

This iris just bloomed this morning

I've been watching the flowers across the neighborhood begin to bloom, and it's the only time of the year when so many are in bloom at once. I can't remember a time, however, when so many are emerging while earlier ones are still going strong. The lilacs (which I wrote about here last week) are STILL beautiful and luxuriant. Usually the lilacs only last a few days, but as I walked by last week's lilacs, they are all out there, with their fragrance continuing to waft into the air. I wish I could smell them, but the memory of their fragrance is strong, even in my weakened nostrils. Odor is such a funny thing: I am not sure whether I can smell certain flowers, or whether my recollection of that smell is strong enough to fill my imagination.

When I walked to the bus this morning, I considered whether or not to join the Senior Trailblazers in their excursion to Abbotsford, Canada, since the hike is not a long one or with much elevation gain. I decided against it, though, since my right hip is still sore from Saturday's walk. And I had a great yoga class yesterday that loosened things up, but  these days I no longer feel a need to push myself. That might reassert itself during the summer, but for now I am happy to get my three-mile walk from the bus into my local neighborhood. I might go out and take a walk to the boardwalk at Squalicum Beach, but I probably won't. I've got another great yoga class tomorrow, and who knows what I might feel like after that? On Thursday I have my volunteer work at the Senior Center, where I almost always acquire a ten-thousand step workout. 

And, hopefully, I will be able to get my haircut on Friday, delayed a week because my stylist ended up sidelined with measles. She's originally from Vietnam, and has two college-aged kids who might have brought the disease to her. I am okay because I had it when I was a pre-teenager, along with my dad. We were both quarantined for two weeks in the same bedroom, so I remember it well. I also had the vaccination (I think) and was not terribly sick, but sick enough to remember the time.

Beautiful rhododendron bush

I will eventually write about something other than the gorgeous flowers, but for now it's just the most delightful thing to see all these incredibly beautiful flowers on my daily walks. Hope the world is lovely (and not too hot or cold) in your neck of the woods.

:-)

It is the lilac's turn

Burgeoning buds

I noticed these lilac buds last week, taken from the driveway. That sure happened quickly, in my mind at least. Today I went out to the back yard to check out the perfect lilacs, all in bloom and looking as beautiful as I've ever seen them.

Lilacs in full bloom

You know, my favorite springtime blooms are short lived, but that just makes them seem more impressive when they are at their peak. I've noticed around here that the white ones come out first, then the light-colored lavender ones, and lastly, the dark purple varieties. 

When I was a teenager living in Puerto Rico, we had to order our school clothes from a catalog, and I was the proud recipient of a cotton shirtwaist dress made with a pattern of bouquets of lilacs and their green leaves. I can't look at lilacs today without being reminded of that dress. Today that would be a vintage look and unavailable from any store. My memories, however, are just as vivid as ever.

Deep purpIe

I spent some time online looking for an image that would remind me of that shirtwaist, but for one thing it was so long ago that I found myself looking at vintage stuff, and it reminded me also that I don't trust my memory that much, either. Did it button down the front? (no idea) I remember it was sleeveless, and I perused a bunch of old Simplicity patterns that I might have actually used long ago. I have forgotten all those habits that were once part of my everyday life. You can trust me, though, that it was cherished and well used by the time it disappeared from my wardrobe.

:-)

Cool weather but sun returns

Grey skies and wind, but tulips everywhere

When Lily and I visited the tulips last weekend, the day before was sunny and warm, but when we got there, it had turned cold and the wind made it seem even colder. We enjoyed ourselves very much, but it wasn't the sort of day for hanging out and strolling among the gardens. Even if they were beautiful, we were both a little bit underdressed for the cold. So, we didn't stay for long, although we enjoyed the display, after about an hour we decided to call it done. We drove to Mt. Vernon and spent some time in the Skagit Valley Food Co-op. I wrote about it on my Sunday blog, but here it is Tuesday again, and time for my weekly post on this blog.

I am writing this post before heading to the Retina Specialists' office for my next eye jab. I don't seem to be as anxious this time as I have felt before, but that might be due to me knowing that they will now give me a pill for anxiety beforehand. I am not sure what the tiny pill they provide is (they have told me numerous times, but I just cannot remember the name). It definitely makes a difference, but having the injection is not my favorite activity, that's for sure.

I have been hopeful that as time passes after that February fall on the ice, my right hip would get better, so that I might be able to rejoin the Tuesday hikes once again. But frankly, right now I can feel that the time has not yet arrived. Although I can go for around three miles without too much pain, it's definitely not getting better enough for a five-mile hike. I know that as the days go by, I will be losing more fitness, but there really isn't anything to be done to hurry the process. 

Saturday's excursion, photo by Lily

I am really hopeful that by this time next year, I will still be able to see well enough to take pictures like these. But just in case I can't, I'll have my dear friend to help with it all. And we get to travel in her wonderful comfy car as well! So, even if things are not the way I would prefer, I still have so very much to be grateful for.

:-)

Sunshine everywhere

 

More than 1,200-foot-long pier

The Little Squalicum Park has just opened this pier to the public. I went out myself to see what it's like, and this picture gives you an idea of what it looks like at low tide. It was a sunny weekend day, so lots of people were out and about. It's pretty neat to see what they've done to make it accessible.

The 1,248-foot-long stretch of industrial pier was built more than a century ago to carry railcars delivering cement products to barges moored in Bellingham Bay. It was donated to the city by Heidelberg Materials (previously known as Lehigh Northwest Cement Company) in November 2021, and pier improvements totaling $1.6 million were funded by the city’s Greenways Levy (Cascadia Daily News).

It's a wonderful addition to the Little Squalicum Park, and I suspect it will be well used during the spring and summer months. It was certainly well attended on a sunny weekend day when I took the picture. I'll be back many times, I suspect. The area has been part of one of my weekend walks for years now.

Tomorrow will mark seventeen years since left Colorado and moved into this apartment complex. SG had been here a few months, looking for a place to live, and we are still here, although in a different apartment. There are 26 different one- and two-bedroom dwellings, and the place has been home for us since we moved here in 2008. I saw this tree in bloom as we emptied our U-Haul van. We had downsized a great deal and managed to get all our furniture into the vehicle. 

Flowering cherry tree

It was a sunny day like this one, on the day we moved in. Neither of us would have believed we would still be here after all this time, but here we are. To access our apartment, we walk up the steps on the right (16 of them) to access the second floor. Over the years, it had changed somewhat, with a new roof and driveway repavement, but mostly it's just the same. The only thing that has truly changed is the amount of money we pay to live here. But it's really a nice place to have ended up. 

We are hoping that our Social Security checks will continue and give us a chance to stay here, but nothing in our current environment feels very stable. Uncertainty is the word that defines our country today. Hopefully it will all work out. In any event we are happy to be doing as well as we are, in our early eighties and still truckin'!

:-)

You win some, you lose some

First tulip of the season

I was more than a little surprised to see this lone tulip from someone's last-year planting, I suspect. There are few, if any, flowers in this garden, but I was so pleased to see that some are indeed getting there this year. Pretty, alone, and quite happily showing off its beauty right here.

I saw this yesterday, walking through the park on my three-mile walk home from the coffee shop. Actually, it was John who drove me to Cornwall Park after our coffee, and I ran into three old friends on the trail from prior Senior Trailblazer hikes from earlier years. We chatted for awhile, and then I came home, pleased that I wasn't in terrible pain and that the dreaded right leg/hip didn't seize up on me. Baby steps.

And today I went to the retina specialist's office for my every-other-month eye jab. I got dilated and processed quickly, and then escorted into the exam room. They had taken (as usual) images once the eyes are dilated, and there on the screen in the exam room I could see that image, along with two previous ones. Surreptitiously I examined them and looked and could not really tell what I was looking at. And then the doctor came in the room, looked at the images and shined a bright light into my eyes and declared that my eyes seem to be stable right now, and that I would have a choice: skip the shot today, or pay $400 for it. Apparently they receive several discounted injections that are sent to their office on a regular basis, and they had just run out of them, so I would need me to pay full price if I wanted to receive the shot today. He gave me an appointment for two weeks from now, and he said to call beforehand to see if they have any available. If they don't, I guess I'll bite the bullet and pay, but for now I am extremely happy to have dodged the needle for a couple of weeks anyway.

Since my eyes were dilated and I couldn't see anything, as usual, my dear sweet husband drove me home and now I am sittting here in my recliner as my eyes gradually return to normal. If I had received the injection, my eye would be sore and teary right now, but I am spared that for today. I suspect that with the way our health care system is changing right now, I might be forced to come up with that amount every other month. We'll see. I am just glad I am seeing as well as I am these days, and who knows what the future holds? In any event, I am sure happy to be home safe and sound and not needed to go anywhere else today.

Baby steps, right?

:-)

Flowering into spring

Magnolia blossoms

Walking home from my trip to the coffee shop this morning, I caught these magnolia blossoms looking quite lovely. There is another plant in bloom in the foreground, but I'm not sure at all what it is. At first I thought it was Oregon grape, but there are no open flowers to help me identify it. I know about the magnolia blossoms, though. They are out all over town, and I looked for a better picture, but realized that this will do well enough. Everywhere around town, there are flowers coming out to greet the longer days.

I also wondered the other day where the song sparrows were, since I hadn't yet heard their unique song. And then they were everywhere, serenading me while I am out and about. So, not only there are massive amounts of flowers to enjoy, the sound of various birds thrills me, too. I can no longer pretend spring isn't here!

I spent my time at the coffee shop enjoying my double Americano and a nice marion-berry scone. After playing the usual games on my laptop, and reading the news of the day, I briefly thought about joining the easier of the two walks with the Senior Trailblazers, but when I walked out to head to the Senior Center, it was raining. Again. Instead, I caught the bus home and took that picture in order to have something to liven up my post. I've got very little to write about, but after struggling to get going, you'll just have to be happy with a low-key, rather humdrum chronicle of my Tuesday. Tomorrow I've got a yoga class, and Thursday I'll be back at my usual volunteer lunchroom duties, and then I've got a massage scheduled for Friday. So it's not anything much, but it's all I've got today.

And then next Tuesday will be taken up with the scheduled eye jab. I can't help but think about it when it gets this close, and then I have to wait for hours after the injection before eyesight returns to what passes for "normal" these days. At least I still have my left eye's central vision and pray that remains for a while longer. It's still there, for now. Fingers crossed.

:-)

Happy birthday, sister

Stewart and PJ

I wondered what I might write about today, and thought about the date, and suddenly realized that it would have been my sister PJ's seventy-fifth birthday, had she not died of heart disease when she was 63. Here she is with her husband, Stewart, not long after her birthday in 2011.

PJ (her name is Patricia June) was born when I was seven. I still remember the day she joined the family, because when I learned that I had a second sister, I went into our backyard and climbed a favorite tree, spending some time trying to fathom how my life might change because of her birth. It didn't seem all that much, partly because I was always playing with Norma Jean, my sister who was two-and-a-half years younger than me. I suppose I must have had to babysit sometimes, but all that is lost in the mists of time. PJ, though, was a constant presence in my life from the time she was born until I left home at 18.

PJ was someone who read almost as many books as our mother. She always had at least one, but usually more, books open and being read. She was a true seeker of knowledge and spent much of her life taking care of others, raising two boys to adulthood, and volunteered much of her time to those less fortunate. She ended up with four grandchildren (I might have been a little jealous) and was always making her own jewelry and small pictures to give away. I still have some things she made for me; I can't really throw them away because she made them and they are all I have that still exists of her, but they are stuck in a drawer somewhere. That, and lots of pictures taken over the years. When I gathered to be with my siblings to celebrate her life, I wrote my own personal celebration of her life. Just now, I re-read it and remembered who she was to me and to all those whose lives she touched.

When someone has died, do we still mark the day as a birthday? Or is it simply a reminder that twelve years ago, she left this earth to start the next adventure? I wonder. There will probably not be a resolution to that question for me, but maybe once I am finally lying on my own deathbed and gazing at the faces of those sending me off to my next adventure, she might be there, peeking mischievously out from behind the others.

   Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened. —Dr. Seuss

Two more sleeps

Jeff Barclay photo

I was wondering whether the Skagit Valley daffodils are coming up yet, and I found this picture on the Seeing Bellingham Group on Facebook. Jeff is a constant contributor to the site, and I have always enjoyed seeing his delightful pictures. The dark skies and brightly lit daffodils are incredible, don't you think? I know this spot because I always see it when I visit the tulips in April. This was taken three days ago, and I am so happy to see this scene. I am already looking forward to this year's Tulip Festival in the Skagit Valley. I suspect it will be a moderately average time for the blooms to show up. It's still too early for tulips.com to venture a guess.

It's just two more days before we experience the first day of spring. And I also suspect we won't have much more cold weather, although that's definitely not a given. I remember one year after we moved here when we had a foot of snow right here in town in April. It was almost like I hadn't left Colorado behind! That said, I don't think we will have a repeat performance of lowland snow this year. We already had a month of below-normal temperatures, but next week the forecast is for above average temperatures.

I am trying not to get too freaked out over the Social Security fiasco that is apparently emerging from Washington, DC. We are completely dependent on getting our checks deposited into our accounts each month, something that has happened without a hitch since we retired almost two decades ago. But now, who knows what will happen? They are cutting staff and closing offices all across the country. And I know we are not alone in needing our SS to keep on coming regularly. I am hoping that saner heads will prevail before it's too late to fix it. Sorry to bring this up, but I am puzzled and mystified by this and wonder if anything is safe anymore.

:-(

Spring is coming soon

Never takes long for these to show up

The wonderful spring flowers are coming along, some even showing their blooms. Not many, but it's only mid-March and we are still a few days away from the spring equinox. Timeanddate.com, one of my favorite sites to visit, tells me:

When is the first day of spring 2025? Thursday, March 20, the date of the spring equinox, marks the first day of spring in the United States. The spring equinox lands at 5:01 a.m., the precise moment the sun's rays shine directly on the equator.

We did, however, already go through the rite of spring that is known as Daylight Saving Time this past Sunday. It was the first time I needed to use my sleep mask that blocks the light and is also very comfortable to wear. By the middle of summer, I will be using it every night, but for now it's only needed when I decide to go to bed earlier than most people would imagine. But I really like going to bed early and getting up early. I seem to be needing more rest these days. I don't know whether it's permanently going to be like that or not. I almost always am in bed before my night owl partner, but there have been a few times lately when he's falling asleep before I have headed to bed. He's just now finishing his first month with his chemo treatment for low grade b-cell lymphoma. 

I didn't realize how many forms of lymphoma there are. He was diagnosed with it a few years ago, and having been fortunate not to grow any tumors, he hasn't needed any treatment for it at all, just frequent monitoring of his blood levels. A few months ago his oncologist said he would need to start some sort of treatment, as some of his blood levels had fallen low enough that he would be required to do something to keep him healthy. After lots of discussion about what is available, he decided to start taking a once-a-day regimen of pills. We both read about all the side effects, and although there are some scary things that can be expected, he didn't develop any of them. He is still the same guy, with the same sense of humor.

What's growing out of my ears?

He didn't want to eat these bananas unless he knew they were safe. After ascertaining that they were not toxic, we shared these guys and found them to be fine. (smile) There are many different things he needs to do to keep me from being exposed to the toxicity of the chemo: for one thing, he needs to put down the toilet seat before flushing to keep the fumes from becoming airborne and possibly affecting me. And I have to say that the packaging is scary enough, with warnings about the hazardous contents. But if these pills do the trick, he won't need to have infusions, which are the next best treatment, according to his doctor.

I wish there was some fancy drugs I could take that would clear up my eye problems, but there isn't. Nothing is going to keep me from going blind, but at least the injections I get every eight weeks are slowing the geographic atrophy of my degenerating macula. This getting old business is certainly challenging, but it sure helps to have a partner who is going through these days, weeks, and years of old age progression with me. 

I am also incredibly grateful for my virtual family, those of you who follow my life through my posts, and who share your own journeys with those of us who feel like family. I have been following some of you for decades and have gone through your ups and downs in life, just as you have been doing with me. Having grown familiar with the internet that connects us, I can hardly remember what life was like in the Before Times. 

I hope you will have a wonderful week before we meet here again next Tuesday. I also will be writing something on my other blog on Sunday, but it's a much smaller electronic world for me these days, and it suits me fine. Sending virtual hugs to everyone!

A new beginning

Lily and me at Evolve Restaurant

It seemed like ages since I had spent any time with my dear friend Lily, so we made plans to visit on Sunday. She is having some back issues, and I am still dealing with my own recalcitrant body, so instead of a walk, we ended up eating at the Evolve Restaurant and each having a beer. I like IPAs, and she likes lagers, so we were both very happy with our choices, along with our meals. I had avocado toast and she had a salad. Those two poached eggs on top of the toast were quite tasty and felt almost like an indulgence. It doesn't really matter where you eat out these days; it's getting pricey everywhere.

Today marks the beginning of a new era for me. I'm thinking it's time to stop hiking every week with the Senior Trailblazers. My eyesight is deteriorating and now, so is my body. After the fall a month ago, it has been like I've moved into another place, and it's becoming more of a challenge to go on anything very long or steep. I might be better after more time passes, but it feels really different. I'm going to find other activities that make me feel whole again. I know that it's possible, with some experimentation and by surrounding myself with good people whom I love.

It's also wonderful to have a community of people like me to hang out with. My time at the Senior Center is always gratifying, and I think I'll find new ways to volunteer, since I find it fulfilling and worthwhile. If my eyes were better, I'd again take up reading books, but I can always listen to them instead. I've been learning how to get  more information via the spoken word rather than reading. I'm ready for a new beginning!

Well, that was embarrassing

Foursome at the trailhead

Boy, did I ever make a mistake today. On a rainy and windy day, our leader Persis (in the blue above) took the four of us out to Stimpson Nature Reserve for a gentle almost five-mile walk around the Reserve. I've done this hike many times before, but today will be one I will never forget.

As you might remember, just three weeks ago, I took a bad spill on the ice and have  been recovering ever since. I did my first yoga class yesterday without any hiccups, so today I figured I would be able to do this rather gentle (and not too long) hike today. I was so wrong. Although there was a little initial discomfort in my back, it was miniscule and gave me false hope that I would be able to do it. 

Geneva Pond

I'm pretty sure that those of you reading this might know what occurred by the time we got to the pond, a little less than halfway around the shorter loop. (There are two loops, one harder and longer and one easier. We did them both.) Not long after I took this picture, I began to feel quite a bit of discomfort in my back, and I took some Advil. One of the women suggested that she and I return without making the longer loop, but I said I would be just fine. One of my least attractive qualities is denial. I wanted to be better so bad that I made these three women suffer along with me.

Corrine and Sue on the trail

Other than continuing to be drippy, the wind had died down and the only sound as we made our way back to the starting point was me, yelling in pain and downing lots of pills, hoping for some respite. They slowed down with me, but eventually I was lying in the wet moss on the side of the trail and crying, wanting the pain to let up. Somehow I managed to make it back to the trailhead, with the help of all these women. We took twice to three times longer than we should have, but what could they do? They couldn't very well carry me (though I pleaded for them to try), and now I am home, sitting in my recliner and feeling little pain, but it still hurts when I try to stand.

I know that many of you might have predicted this outcome, but I didn't want to believe I was still on the injured list. I am embarrassed that I ruined a perfectly good outing for them, and that I continue to make these unfortunate decisions. You can bet that I will be making some different choices in the future. Kudos to my dear helpers who didn't leave me behind, although I'll bet they did think about it.

:-)

Two weeks already

Samish Overlook, February 2024

Yes I am getting better, but I am not a good patient, because I have very little patience! Okay, I tell myself, I did the injury bit, but for heaven's sake, can I get back to visiting these places again soon? I love the clouds in this picture, and went back in my archives to remind myself what I was doing a year ago. And I am hoping that a year from today, I will have more wonderful scenes like this, taken with my trusty phone and plastered on my blog. It makes me happy to see this today, even if it's a memory and not current. Today there are two groups of Senior Trailblazers in the mountains somewhere, enjoying mild weather and hopefully having a good time. I would be, if I could go back in time and do something different two weeks ago than traumatize my back.

Yesterday, for the first time since the injury, I walked to the bus stop and back, about a mile and a half. It was fairly easy, but I sure didn't walk as fast as I usually do, and I am unwilling to give my morning exercises another try just yet. It hurts terribly when I sneeze, but every day there are fewer instances of painful moments.

I should remind myself that I am once again ambulatory and could get in the car and drive to the grocery store, or somewhere else that I travel often. That means I am no longer confined to my bed, which should make me happy, but I am so spoiled, being usually able to do whatever I want during the day. But I am trying hard to look for the bright spots, working to keep my spirits up and keeping myself moving as best I can. Baby steps, still, but coming along. Hope you are staying safe, warm, and dry!

:-) 

Laid up on injured list

Joe the leader posted this shot today

Not much to say today, just slowly getting better after taking a hard fall on the ice last week. I am finally able to get up out of bed, but I still cannot do my usual morning exercises without serious pain, and I don't know what I would have done without my sweet support staff (you know, my hubby), who has been helping me out of bed each night to take a visit to the bathroom, and then covering me up again and tucking me back in bed afterwards. I fell on the ice last Wednesday morning, so it's almost been a week, and each day has seen some progress. I've weaned myself off the drugs of everything except an occasional Advil. The trip to the ER was my outing for the week.

Eight people went up today Lookout Mountain and captured this lovely picture of our snowy and extremely cold weather. Last night we were in the teens and even after a full day of sunshine (as you can see from Joe's picture), it has barely reached the freezing level. Hard to remember another time like this.

But I am getting better every day and hope to return to activity soon. I think if I had to, I could walk to the bus stop by now, but I am not tempted to go out in this extreme weather and possibly hurt myself again. I tell myself to take baby steps and most of the time, I listen.

:-)

No hike today

Hoypus Hill 2017

I've done the hike we were scheduled to do today many times. It's in the Anacortes area, and has many wonderful old growth trees and a good visit to a local spit of land that is a great place for lunch, if the weather is good. Today it would have been cold but sunny. However, getting to the Senior Center this morning was NOT a good idea. Yesterday, the Senior Center was closed, and today it opened two hours late. The temperature was 21°F with wind chill making it seem like 10 below! And since it snowed overnight, getting out on the road seemed rather treacherous. Both of our hikes were canceled, this one, and the one for a local walk-around town. They were both bitingly cold and looking to be less than fun.

I, however, bundled myself up in the dark and headed for the bus, a half-mile walk. At that time, I didn't know whether we would be hiking in the Anacortes area or not, but by the time I got the notice about the delayed opening, our leader had sent around an email canceling the hike. 

I thought perhaps if the hike was canceled, I might take a trip to Fairhaven on the Boulevard Park path, but by the time I reached the co-op, I realized I didn't want to try to walk any farther, as the streets were slippery, even for walking, so I turned around and went to catch the next bus home.

It was cold, but with long johns, bundled up like a teddy bear, I was comfortable. If the sidewalks had been slippery, it would have been very scary, but it was cold enough that the snow was packed and easy to navigate. But I won't make my usual Tuesday step quota. I'm learning to let go of these milestones as I age, being more concerned with staying accident free and ready to go on the next outing. 

One of the Thursday hikes has been modified to be an around-town jaunt, and I might decide to take off from my usual volunteer work and do that one. I am not sure whether I will or not, but I sure do miss seeing my old friends in the Thursday groups, so it might be a good thing to do. In any event, I will enjoy the day, and tomorrow I get a yoga class that I truly enjoy. Feeling pretty good right now!

:-)

South Hill history hike

Do we look frozen?

Today, we were treated to a cold but fun hike in the South Hill area of Bellingham. One of our members, John, grew up in the area and showed the eighteen of us what the area looked like over the past century or so. We started at Boulevard Park, seen above, with sunny but frigid weather (around 27°F). We were all bundled up and set out from here uphill (which nobody minded, as it warmed us), into the Taylor Dock area. We made several side excursions to see different sites of historical interest. We learned about why the streets in Bellingham are so skewed: the remnants of four cities.

Bellingham was officially incorporated on December 28, 1903, as a result of the incremental consolidation of the four towns initially situated on the east of Bellingham Bay during the final decade of the 19th Century. Whatcom is today's "Old Town" area and was founded with Roeder's Mill in 1852.

John showed us where the home he grew up used to be, which is now condos and apartments. He played in the area and told us that the current beautiful Bellingham Bay was, at one time, a dump. No, really: a place where old dilapidated buildings and homes were just dumped, along with lots of other detritus. He said that it smelled so bad that if he and his friends played near there, they had to bake a bath before they were allowed into the house. And now it's just beautiful. Hard to imagine.

We made our way up the Taylor hill and saw the elementary school where John went, and it's still filled with students, playing outside in the cold, some with short sleeves and sandals! 

Old pictures from the early 20th century

John had some pictures that showed what the area looked like long ago. That's John with some of them, which I captured with my cellphone, but they aren't very good, so I'll skip trying to show you. We did compare them with today's landscape, which chronicles incredible change. We walked up a street where we met a truly interesting person, Brian Griffin, who showed us his garage where he builds ukuleles, and much more. That article gives you a good synopsis of his many talents.

Then when we reached the top of the Taylor Hill, we headed to Western Washington University, which I learned was once simply a teachers' college. His parents and he himself graduated from there. We also saw the town's original hospital, where he was born. I cannot even imagine living one's whole life in one area, since I've done so much moving around, not just growing up, but afterwards as well.

Our lunch spot

After finding and making use of the bathrooms in the main university campus area, we stopped for lunch. It was still bright and sunny, and it had warmed from cold to almost bearable, but nobody was shedding much clothing, as you can see here. For such a cold day, we had a really good time, and I learned so much about the history of my adopted home town. Thank you, John, for everything you shared, making the time we had today a memorable one.

:-)

Teddy Bear Cove

The sign before descending to the Cove

Today a huge number of hikers (22) went off to Teddy Bear Cove, with another ten or so who took the longer trip to Anacortes, to hike the Goose Rock trail. I went with the local group, the biggest group I've hiked with yet. We started out at the Fairhaven Park entrance and headed off via the Hundred Acre Woods trail to finally get to Teddy Bear Cove.

It was cold, especially starting out, well below freezing and a low overcast hanging overhead. (The other Tuesday group went off to better conditions, with more blue skies but still plenty cold.) We made our way along the trail, needing to cross a busy rail line (two fast trains went by while we were there) and finally to our destination, Teddy Bear Cove.

Once upon a time, this was a well-known nude beach, and you didn't show up there without being expected to strip and swim naked That's gone these days, but the subject came up several times. With below freezing weather, nobody was tempted. 

Teddy Bear Cove

We stopped here for a nice break before heading back via a loop trail. We saw a few ducks swimming in the water, but otherwise it was just us. Joe, our leader, climbed the bluff behind us to see if he could capture the large group of hikers.

Whole lotta hikers

I am in there somewhere, as I watched Joe climb up and yell for us to look up and smile. You can see we are all somewhat well dressed as it was still plenty cold. But I must say that today's hike managed to lift my spirits a great deal. I am now home, feeling better than ever for having been out and about, covering more than 5.5 miles and climbing and descending just under a thousand feet of elevation. 

I am finding these Tuesday group hikes to be a lot of fun, and even though they don't challenge me like the Thursday hikes do, they are well worth the effort to get there and put myself into the mix. Today was very well spent and also obviously well attended. I look forward to whatever next week's hike brings!

:-)

Chanterelle 2025

Viewpoint today

  

Now that we are well into the new year, our three Senior Trailblazers are making some big changes. First of all, we will have two separate groups made up from the Happy Wanderers group, which has grown too big. Last week we started the experiment, but because the weather wasn't wonderful, one group that headed to Anacortes was small (two). The other group, which had a nice five-mile hike from the parking lot across the street from Barkley Village to Whatcom Falls Park and back. You can read about it here.

Today we had one hike that I know very well, the first half of the Chanterelle trail. I have probably done this more than a dozen times in recent years, but this was the first time with such a large group. There were seventeen of us who made the trek up a thousand feet of elevation to this familiar spot. 

Joe took the photo

I didn't take many pictures, but the amazing clouds caused me to want to show them off. Our leader today, Bill, posed in front of them for me, as you can see here.

Bill, clouds, and tree

It was cold when we started out, but it didn't stay that way, as we worked our way up the mountainside to the overlook. We had a nice snack, since it wasn't actually lunchtime yet. We headed back down to our cars and were back to the Senior Center by noon! And we had a good workout, too. The pace was faster than I'm used to, but I managed all right, and other than not taking any pictures (which would have slowed me down), I hustled to keep up.

By the way, the other group went to Blaine and the Peace Arch Park and had fourteen hikers. They went about the same distance, but they didn't have any elevation to climb. I'm not sure who took the picture, but here's the other group, just for fun.

The Blaine Happy Wanderers

It didn't matter which group you went with today, since everyone was happy to have the great (if chilly) weather and the wonderful company. I look forward to more like this, please! And I'm glad to be home and well worked out, too. I should sleep well tonight once again.

:-)

Whatcom Falls from Barkley

On the trail

Today marks the first day of our new Senior Trailblazers setup, with two hikes on Tuesdays and two on Thursdays, all of different degrees of difficulty and distance. Since today started with plenty of fog and little visibility, only two people decided to take the longer drive to Whistle Lake in Anacortes, while the rest of us (eighteen!) carpooled to the parking lot across the street from Barkley Village and began our fun five-mile-long+ excursion.

It was cloudy and a little foggy for most of the hike, but we had plenty of wide trails to walk along, giving us a chance to visit with many others, and eventually shed some of our warm gear. Even though it wasn't all that cold, it was quite damp and you can see that many of us were dressed for warmth. We hiked past Derby Pond on our way to the pavilion at Whatcom Falls Park, where we enjoyed a bit more socializing and a bite to eat.

A short visit to the pavilion

As you can see from this picture, even after quite a while outdoors, the fog had not lifted very much. But it was very pleasant, and I have to say that as a Pacific Northwesterner, it was nice not to have any rain today. Just fog. After a bit, we went on to gaze at the very full Whatcom Falls. I've seen this when it's barely a trickle, and when it's even more roaring than it was today.

An impressive sight

It was a little disappointing that we didn't have the brilliant blue sky we saw yesterday, but it didn't really matter. We had fun, got exercise, and some great camaraderie as well. And there's always next week.

On the bridge

That's our leader in the foreground, Cindy, who took us unfailingly along the path to give us a good workout, and many happy faces, showing that we had plenty of reasons to be happy that we decided to come out to play! We then returned to the cars via the way we had come, and made our way back to the Senior Center. Until next week, we'll be watching the weather and hoping for another good day.

:-)