Hiking is like Childbirth?

On Saturday, I thought it would be fun if my husband dropped me off several miles away and let me hike home. Flaws in that plan:

1. I only slept 2 hours the night before. Note to self: don't drink 2 caffeinated diet cokes with dinner EVER AGAIN! Finally going to sleep when the sun is rising is NOT FUN!


2. It was ridiculously hot and humid with a stagnant air advisory. And lest we forget, I have asthma.


3. I'm overweight and out of shape and my knees hate me.

Some pics from the day:




I rested on a rock overlooking this farm while a mosquito devoured my backside. Laugh if you must, but I'm slightly uncomfortable.





This flower is no larger than my thumbnail. It was so fragile and intricate. Each petal is actually a hollow cone. Being plant-challenged I have no idea what it is, but it's cool anyway.






My dear quilting friend bought me these trekking poles for my birthday. I LOVE trekking poles. I saw about a dozen hikers on Saturday, and 100% of them used poles. Try them, you'll really like them.

The good news is that I made it home. The rest is like childbirth...... I blocked it out.

Godzilla versus ........

Yes, Mothra was on my house.

(if you can enlarge the photo, the antennae look like feathers --- very cool!)

Sweet Nothings

My husband has a new term of endearment for me. Darling? Sweetheart? Not even close. I may tell you later.

So, last week I had to respond to a friend's emergency and it kept me away from home for a few days. All will be well with my friend's family. She's terribly worried that she inconvenienced me, but the worst she did was caused me to skip my planned hike on Sunday and finish up a few quilts for a Monday deadline. No biggie.

Today was spent sitting through two classes, so I basically yawned all day and felt sorry for myself. When I got home I loudly said, "No more!" (Forceful, aren't I?) I grabbed my trail shoes and my daypack and hit the AT. I've stated before that I want to hike all 88 miles of the Appalachian Trail in New York this summer, so today I furthered that goal. Since the NY/NJ trail maps are currently out of print, I borrowed a set of maps from the library. There's a full topographical map on one side and an elevation chart on the reverse. I've been saving today's hike for when I was up for a challenge. The elevation chart showed it going straight up -- and it surely did that. If you question that, borrow my calves for tonight.

The first part of today's hike was, as I mentioned, somewhat steep. I could hear running water for quite a bit of it, so I wasn't too surprised that I had to cross it at some point. What was a pleasant suprise was the quality of the bridge. There's not always a bridge and I've shown pictures of bridges that make my knees knock. (I'm not a happy bridge crosser which is odd since I've always lived near major rivers and have had huge bridges as part of my everyday life. I just never enjoyed the bridge-crossing aspects of my everyday life.) So, today's bridge was quite safe secure sturdy lovely.

Wouldn't you be happy to cross this bridge?

Have you every played Jenga? It's this game where there is a tower make of little wooden tiles that you pull out and stack on top of the pile and try and keep it from falling over. Well, this reminded me of a Jenga tower.

I thought the fungus in this picture looked like little butterfly wings.

I know, I'm weird. Yes, my husband bought me a camera for my birthday and all I take are pictures of decaying wood. Sounds like a T-shirt, doesn't it?

I'm still learning to use my camera (wait, isn't there an instruction book somewhere that I should maybe read?) so this picture doesn't do a great job of showing just how GREEN everything was today.

Hiking at dinnertime has it's advantages, and one of them is that the sun is at a really cool angle and you get to see scenes like these:

This next picture is really a part of the Appalachian Trail, I promise. If you don't believe me, enlarge the photo and look at the brown sign on the left side of the road. You should see some white marks. The official AT markers are white strips that are 2x6-inches. The trail goes under a major highway by following this road for a short time.

Since the hike started uphill, hiking back to my car was a joy!

Look what was waiting for me:

My baby.

The weather is supposed to be this glorious all week. I'm going to have to do this again (and again, and again, and again).

Oh, wait! Didn't I start this post by talking about my husband's new nickname for me?

Hike-o-path

Yep, he loves me.

A Tale of Three Books

I just finished reading The Road by Cormac McCarthy. It reminded me so much of Gilead by Marilynne Robinson. They really aren't much alike, since one is post-apocalyptic and one isn't, but something was there. I recommend both books.

I've read all of Clive Cussler's books and was excited to get Treasure of Khan out of the library. After three weeks and struggling to get through half of the book I'm still not sure what happened so far, and I find I don't care much. Back to the library it went. Maybe my 20 year crush on Dirk Pitt has finally ended?

O Punctuation, Where Art Thou?

After nearly wrecking my car due to laughter, I drove back and took a picture of this sign:








If you want to be an author you'd better move out of the Hudson Valley, I guess. Or just maybe there's a book called Hudson Valley Ruins and the authors of said book were speaking at the library tonight?

Imminent Rueage

I mentioned before that my mom asked for a quilted tablerunner. Well, she's gonna rue the day she said that to me. Here's another one:







It's an old Thimbleberries Club Quilt. It hung in the store for a year and then sat on a shelf. I went to mail it to Mom and realized that I had only basted the binding down. Well, I just rectified that situation.



*****
For those who wonder about the title of this post, it's from the movie Twister.




Dusty: He's gonna rue the day he came up against The Extreme, baby. Bill, I'm talkin' imminent rueage.

Happy Mother's Day!

The Appalachian Trail runs through New York state for 88 miles. I covered about 3 of those this afternoon.

There were some wooden footpaths and footbridges on this part. I'm not a happy bridge-crosser, but I survived this and other dangers:



My photography skills did not improve with the purchase of a new camera. What you cannot see is iocane powder are the really cool plants at the far side of the bridge. They were HUGE! And they reminded me of The Land of the Lost. (Sing it with me now... 'Marshall, Will and Holly on a routine expedition......' If you've never seen it, consider yourself blessed.)

I received a comment in person from a lurker (hi E!) about my peeing-in-the-woods comment from a few weeks ago. This picture is just for you:

Life Insurance

Do you ever feel behind? So far behind that you can never afford to die? I'm there.

If you have ever been in a similar situation and dug your way out of it, please share your success with the rest of us. Did you jump in and work until you were caught up? Did you just leave some things undone? Did you find a way to keep it from happening again?

In case you're unsure, posts like this usually come around the time of shows like this and this. When things have been crazy and I've been working non-stop and I just want a break but all I see ahead of me is a huge to-do list.

And what would I do if I got a break? I'd spend lots of time here, I'm sure.

On a Roll

Quilt pictures twice in one week! Will miracles never cease?

This is a gift for my friend's baby who is almost three years old since this same friend is due to give birth again soon. I try to only be one quilt behind per family. It's a modest goal, but I can achieve it most of the time.



The fabrics are all different Moda pinks. The pattern was from a Super Bowl sewing day at Pinwheels. And even though the quilt is pieced in ripples I trimmed it down for a straight binding. I may be foolish at times, but I'm not crazy.

Check this out

Whereas it wasn't the best book I've read this year (The Boleyn Inheritance still holds that title), if you are the reading sort please consider The Double Bind by Chris Bohjalian. It was an enjoyable journey.

It's Official!

It's spring and I have been bitten by the hiking bug. I live 2 miles from the Appalachian Trail and am considering how much of it I'm going to attempt to hike and in what time frame. I'm a goal-oriented person, so this stuff really matters to me.

I hiked the closest portion of the AT today. My husband drove me down to the next county to leave my car and then drove me back to the trailhead. My dear husband is anti-hiking. He hiked a local trail with me once last year and kept asking if the treadmill wouldn't be an easier way to take a walk. Bah!

The NY AT trail maps are out of print. I ordered what I think are the right maps from the library. We shall see. I have visions of maps and pushpins and coloring in the portions of the trail I've hiked. Georgia to Maine is 2,175 miles. That's daunting. But the 88 miles in New York seem do-able.

The reasons I feel like an official hiker today are several:

1. It was threatening some serious rain today and I went anyway. No pics since I didn't want to risk the camera in the gloomy weather.

2. I signed the trail register. I'm officially part of the tradition now. Cool, huh? They wanted to know my trail name -- anyone have suggestions on what that should be? I hope to sign many more registers and would love to have an awesome trail name. Higheredhands is the name I use for most things, but doesn't seem nearly cool enough for a 'trail name'.

3. Today for the first time, I tended to, um, *cough* personal business *cough* on the trail. Well, not on the trail exactly. Maybe 50 feet back from the trail. Behind some serious cover. Does this make me an official hiker? I think it does. And in case you are wondering, yes, for a short time I wished I was a man.

4. While I was on the trail, I noticed a baggie of trail mix hanging from a tree branch in the middle of the path. One might think that the last hiker dropped it, but no. There's a tradition of 'trail angels' leaving food for the next hiker. Knowing that makes me feel oh-so-official.

I'm looking for hiking buddies. Let me know if you are interested in covering some miles with me.

On a completely different topic -- Happy 16th Birthday, darling daughter!!! And to the rest of you.... stay off the sidewalks. She gets her learner's permit tomorrow.

Finally ...... Quilt Pix

It's been a long, long time, but finally..... quilt pix!

There's a local woman who is sending quilts to babies born to servicemen. I have some spare quilts to donate.

This one was made from leftover fabrics from a Moda University Bound to the Prairie quilt:

I made 5 of these blue quilts. Last year when I wanted to practice a design I had in my head, I pulled this top out and quilted it. At long last, it's done:

Here's a close-up:

I got a phone call from my mom a while back that went something like this

Mom: Do you know what I want for my birthday?

Me: No. Do tell!

Mom: Remember that snowman tablerunner you made me for Christmas last year? Well, it's not snowing any longer so I had to put it away. I put my old embroidered tablerunners on and they didn't look as good as the quilted tablerunner. Could you, at some point, make me another quilted tablerunner?

Me (to myself): SCORE!

Here's the tablerunner I'm mailing tomorrow. Don't tell my mom, OK?

I can't fly, so why must time?

Background information about me: I got married when I turned 18 and moved to NY and lost touch with most of my school friends. I was changing diapers, they were going to Cancun for spring break ... it's easy to drift apart.

After church on Easter morning, I was reading the NYTimes bestseller lists online. I usually only read the hardcover lists, but since I was having a lazy morning, I read the paperback list as well.

I noticed this book:



Gaelen Foley? Wasn't she one of my closest friends in junior high and high school? Why, yes! Yes, she was!

Gaele was very smart and funny and not just a little bit 'off'. She had the greatest laugh and warmest smile. She beat up my boyfriend in the hall at school once when he did something particularly cruel. I have some great memories of my years with her.

Apparently, she writes bodice-ripping Regency romance novels that are very successful. It's such a perfect fit for her! I know she rode horses and I can picture her fencing. I can just see her digging into the history and enjoying inventing steamy love scenes.

I just finished one of her books and purchased two more. I'm going to actually buy all of them -- this is a challenge for a library-type-gal like myself, but I want to support the author. It's also a challenge to eyes-on-paper read them, as opposed to listening to the audio while I work. Her books aren't available on audio, so read I must.

Now that I've finished the first book, I do plan on writing to Gaele to congratulate her. It'll be neat to get back in touch. Maybe I'll even consider going to my 20th high school reunion. I've successfully avoided all of them so far. This just might be the year.

Check her out.

And how about you? Do you know any kind-of famous people?

From the Mailbag

Dear ____ Mountain,

I've missed you. Have you missed me?

I'm terribly sorry that I've ignored you for the last six months. I hope you didn't take too much offense. I admit that I was preoccupied with work and a little self-absorbed, but you were cold and didn't seem all that interested in a relationship.

Now that the nice weather is threatening to return, I'd like to come back to you if you'll let me. We can spend some quality time together every day. I can appreciate all the little changes you go through, and breathe your fresh air, and enjoy all your views, and listen to the sounds of all who call you home. In return, you will hopefully get the pounds I shed as I walk all over you.

Did you recognize me? I know I've gained a little weight over the winter months, but I'm still me. You, on the other hand, had a surprise for me today.

I'm happy you are making new friends, but don't change too much, OK?

Well, I hope you accept my apology and I look forward bonding with you again.

Signed,
Your Fair-Weather Friend

**********

Dear Debby's Legs:

What happened to you? When I last used you, you ran for five miles without much complaint. Now, today, all I asked for was a 30 minute hike and you barely made it. I realize it was a huge hill and that it's been six months since I've really used you, but still....... I'm very disappointed.

Shape up.

Signed,
Your tired and weary owner

*********

To the Readers of my Last Post:

I did buy my husband an anniversary present: a speed rope. I'm just romantic like that. Keep your husbands away from me, girls... I know how to spoil a man.

Signed,
Debby (the lame gift giver)

Love is...

... a little blue box.

So maybe I should buy him an anniversary present now? Any suggestions?

I found him!

I've been looking for Waldo most of today, and I finally found him!

My son, Waldo, was supposed to fly home from college for spring break tonight. Since it's spring, we're in the middle of a snowstorm expected to dump up to 2 feet of snow on us.

The flight from school was fine, but then he'd be stuck in Detroit for a few days waiting for a flight to Antarctica New York. After three birthdays and several blue moons an hour or two on hold, we finally found Waldo. He was right where we left him -- at his grandparent's house-- where he'll stay until Sunday when hopefully he can get a flight to a not-so-close airport.

We are all now safe and warm and look forward to seeing Waldo on Sunday. Or after the end of this ice age. Whichever comes first.

I dare you to say global warming to me.

Haunted

A long time ago, we were young and poor. Our darling son was 2 years old. We moved to a very tiny apartment in New York. One set of grandparents donated a small, used television set and a used play-only VCR. The other set of grandparents donated a single new VCR tape:





To say that my son watched this tape a lot doesn't quite cover it. He watched it every day. Every single day. Many times every single day. Over and over and over and over and over. This was the only video tape in the house for over a year, and we had no television reception. It was Land Before Time or nothing. I always chose 'nothing', but the darling little boy ususally chose LBT. By late afternoon, either Littlefoot and his friends had to take a nap on top of the refrigerator out of the reach of toddler hands or mommy would institute the 'cocktail hour'. We chose naps for Littlefoot.

After a year or so, the local library started carrying VCR tapes and the last of my sanity was spared. But this movie had already done it's damage. I can still hear, "Petrie, do not feel sad. It is alright. Many things cannot fly. Rocks, trees, sticks, Spike... " (one of our cats is named Spike and he also cannot fly), "Mother present. Very important.", " I fly? No, you falled." and other inspiring dialogue.

There are now over 842 sequels to this great movie. Our home is a LBT-Free Zone and my children are forbidden from watching any of those movies where there is even a remote possibility of my hearing them. Since my kids are 16 and 20, it's not an undue burden on them. The rest of the world, however, refuses to cooperate.

I'm haunted by the Land Before Time. If I go to get my oil changed and there's a tv in the waiting room, there's a good chance the LBT is playing. Same with doctor's offices. Once, it was even playing in the quilt shop!!!! We walked into Best Buy one time and it was playing on every television in the store! Dear Lord, make it stop! I've seen LBT on the screen in the minivan next to me when I'm running errands. The Land Before Time is like dog poo --- it's EVERYWHERE!

This week, I was once again attacked by the Land Before Time. The only show I watch is American Idol. Ok, so we also get Australian Idol off the computer, but it's kinda the same thing. This week on American Idol was Diana Ross week. I was enjoying my weekly dose of mindless entertainment when BAM! Jordin sang If We Hold On Together, sung in the Land Before Time by Diana Ross. The horror!

The next night of American Idol was ruined for me when I realized I'd have to listen to Sanjaya sing again next week. But that's another post.

Public Service Announcement

If you haven't read The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory yet, run (don't walk) to your nearest library and mug whoever else is trying to check it out. Then clear your schedule for a day or two. If you have the opportunity to listen to the unabridged audio recording, that would be even better.

Today's post in which I pledge my undying love to Jennifer

Wednesday at 2:30 finally came. I had a wonderful visit with my most favoritest hairdresser ever. She is truly a magician. And she's really cute and really nice and I don't even hate her that much for being so skinny.

Anyway, I feel human again. She kinda noticed where I cut my bangs with some crayola scissors (like I don't sew for a living and have anything sharper than my kids' old kindergarten scissors). "They weren't that crooked," is the actual quote, I believe.

One to always keep my word, I have an appointment in 7 weeks.

I need to give a great big thank you to a lurker who arranged for a surprise for me with Miss Jennifer. Your gift was much appreciated, but the gift of your friendship is more than I ever knew to ask out of life. You mean the world to me and I am a much richer person for knowing you. When I grow up, I want to be like you -- wise and warm and wonderful.

And in case any readers think that I'm exaggerating about the wonderfulness that is Miss Jennifer, you should know that a church friend of mine had an appointment with her last week, my lurker friend had an appointment with her yesterday, my quilt friend had an appointment with her a few hours after mine, my daughter had an appointment with her today, and another church friend sees her as well. Miss Jennifer is 'da bomb' and many people have seen my haircut and become believers. If you are in the Hudson Valley and need a good hairdresser, I can hook you up.

For clarity -- Miss Jennifer does a great job so I don't have to. I wash my hair and spend about 3 minutes bonding with my blow dryer. Then I get to forget my hair until the next morning. One worry down, forty-six thousand to go. Do you think Jennifer can work her magic with my tax preparation? Or the raising of teenagers?

Bad Hair Days (aka Ode to Jennifer)

Four months is way too long to go without a haircut, especially when the hair in question has never even heard the word 'body'. Just sayin'.

Can I stay home until Wednesday at 2:30 when I have an appointment with my most favoritest hairdresser in the world?

I, Debby, do solemnly swear to make an appointment for my next haircut WHILE I'M IN THE SALON.