Back to Goal: Day 44

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Annie and I spent a few hours hiking in the woods yesterday, mostly on the big hills in the famous mushroom territory near Boyne Falls. Most of the terrain is very steep. Its hard to negotiate without a stout walking stick. Its extremely challenging even with a walking stick in one hand when you have a leash in the other.

It was a perfect day for a mushroom hunt. The forest floor was paved with wildflowers. I've never seen so many trillium in bloom. Dutchman's Breeches, Spring Beauties, Wood Violets, Trout Lilies, and other wild flowers I can't name filled in among them. Ferns are beginning to pop. The beautiful surroundings made up for the unsuccessful hunt. We didn't find a single mushroom even though we were in the right place at presumably the right time.

I was thrilled at how responsive Annie was to my directions. Even though she was in a new place and eager to explore she stayed close to me and was focused on our journey together. And isn't it all about the journey? Enjoying the scenery along the way, accepting the disappointments and (hopefully) learning from them. And when I looked up the calories burned by hiking cross-country it was almost as good as finding the elusive morels. Good enough to encourage me to try again this week.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

JAYA_EOS 5/14/2011 8:52AM

Take every opportunity to do something relaxing as that. Even listening about it makes me wanna inhale deeply and smell the forest. Report Inappropriate Comment

Back to Goal: Day 43 (on-leash)

Friday, May 13, 2011

If the weather cooperates I'm going out to hunt morels (wild mushrooms) in the woods today. This is something my husband and I love to do together but he's still on restrictions from his hip surgery so I will take Annie. Nine years ago when he had his other hip replaced I hunted with my dear dog, Cookie. We'd been taking her with us mushrooming since she was a puppy and she knew the woods and the way back to the trail very well. She was old enough and reliable enough to go off leash. Annie is still young and I'm keeping her on a leash.

I guess I am on a leash right now too. Tracking is my leash. I've been tracking food and exercise for 43 days and that has kept me from straying off the path. Its restrictive but it is also reassuring. When my weight fluctuates up a bit I can look at my nutrition and fitness trackers and see that I am doing what I am supposed to be doing and know that its probably just normal fluctuation due to fluid. I know that my pants are looser. The scale is not my only way to measure progress.

Will I stay on the leash forever? Probably not. Once I maintain my personal goal for a while I'll probably ease off the leash and see what happens. But for now Annie & I are sticking with the leash.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

EPATTHER 5/15/2011 3:23PM

Annie is SO cute! I also love the leash analogy. Thanks for sharing your blogs each day. Maybe someday I'll start to blog, but I haven't as yet. Keep caring and sharing! Elaine Report Inappropriate Comment

ONECATSHORT97 5/13/2011 8:53PM

Hope your hunting was successful and I love the leash analogy. I look forward to your daily blogs. Keep it up! Report Inappropriate Comment

Back to Goal: Day 42

Thursday, May 12, 2011

Inching closer to my personal goal. The scale is just one tool but we all know how good if feels to see a smaller number.

Seeing that smaller number this morning was the push I needed to put on my gym clothes right away. For some reason it is easy to blow off the Thursday class. The teacher is always late. The music is always too too loud (I wear earplugs). But its a good workout so I will do it today.

I need to set aside some time and plan meals for the rest of the week--I'm good through tomorrow but it seems I'm only planning for about 3 days at a time. Planning and tracking are the tools that make the most difference for me.

  

Back to Goal: Day 41

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Yesterday was "one of those days." I dealt with some fussy paperwork. Did manage to do a series of exercise videos which I though would energize me. No.

Finally got over the to the studio to get back to work on some pieces that I need to finish by Monday. I really want to ship them out next week. Everything went wrong. Every step seemed to take forever. I dropped things constantly. My sewing machine kept snarling up, and that's not a usual occurrence. It should have been an enjoyable afternoon but it was a frustrating one. I persevered. Finished later than planned but managed to finish one piece. And, looking at it, you'd never know the struggles.

Days don't always go as planned. Staying on task on this weight loss/maintenance journey needs the same dedication. Just get the job done even when it isn't easy. Exercise even when it is inconvenient or just plain not fun. Its the only way to get the job done. No one (not even you) will remember how long it took to get it done, just that you got the results you wanted.

  

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ALIONHEART 5/12/2011 4:40AM

Well done on carrying on regardless, and riding the ups and downs so well xx. Report Inappropriate Comment

Back to Goal: Day 40 ("Hope")

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

This morning I am full of joy. Operation Migration's Field Journal operationmigration.org/Field_Journal
.html has announced the first wild Whooping Crane to hatch in 2011. What is so extra special about this is that this chick is the offspring of Wild 1-06*, the first wild hatched Whooping Crane hatched in the US in over 100 years. While this chick will be giving the scientific name W1-11 it has already been dubbed "Hope".

Operation Migration is dedicated to establishing a Eastern migratory flock of the most endangered birds in the US by using ultra-light aircraft to lead chicks on migration to Florida. The birds return to Wisconsin on their own in early spring. Its a fascinating story. I've been a supporter of OM since early 2007 and follow each "class" from hatching through migration.

I've created several artworks based on these cranes. My most recent, created this past winter for a touring exhibit called "Milagros" (little miracles) is entitled "Hope". You can read about it on my art blog if you are interested. kathiebriggs.wordpress.com/2011/02/1
9/milagros-hope/ and depicts two cranes with their chick. When I made it I had hopes that one of these cranes would be Wild 1-06*

Someone who loves cranes as much as I do has commissioned me to make a second version of this piece and that's what I will be working on when I finally get back to my studio today.

I know this new chick is fragile. That the chances of survival are not assured. My hopes and prayers for this little miracle who has given me such a rush of joy this morning.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

JAYA_EOS 5/10/2011 5:49PM

These are magnificent! I especially love the last one. Report Inappropriate Comment

KATHIE_B 5/10/2011 12:31PM

Thank you, ALionHeart. OneCatShort, Operation Migration has a live feed over the internet during migration so you can actually watch the birds with the ultralights. I used textile as my medium. I uploaded some more photos on my Spark Page. Report Inappropriate Comment

ALIONHEART 5/10/2011 12:15PM

That brought tears to my eyes. Your artwork is so exquisite, what a wonderful gift to have. And what a fitting name for the little bird xx Report Inappropriate Comment

ONECATSHORT97 5/10/2011 9:13AM

Hope is such a perfect name. I was not aware of the crane project, but I like the idea of using the ultralight craft. What medium do you use in your artwork? Report Inappropriate Comment