The stepping stones in my flower garden had sunk into the soil, so I reset them. I'm happy with how it looks! So is George!

I was craving popcorn this past weekend, but couldn't eat it because I had an appointment with the dentist today. Guess what I made as soon as I got home?

I found some wild oxalis! Whenever I need assurance, Mom will always send me a sign, and there it was...

We hiked Mount Tremont to celebrate Independence Day! The name of the game was 'Slow & Steady'. That's the only way to hike in the heat! Plus, I was carrying so much water that I really should have weighed my pack. It was HEAVY. Every step I took was deliberate, careful, and painfully slow. Ed got lots of breaks waiting for me! 🤣

I was discouraged that it felt so hard, because I thought my fitness level was better than that. Then, after I got back to the car I looked at my gps tracker and saw that I hiked 6 1/2 miles and gained more than 3,000 feet in elevation! That makes sense - the trail was almost constantly vertical. There were very few flat sections. Okay. That's more than double what I have tackled recently, so I'm going to grant myself some grace for being such a slow-poke. (In case anyone is wondering - yes, I do know better than to compare myself to Ed. He's an exceptional athlete. I only compare myself to me, and my usual perceived effort.) My next hike is gonna feel like a piece of cake!

I also worked on my anxiety. When we got to the top, I made myself step out onto the ledges to take in the view. That feeling I struggled with on Monday came back, but I sat down, took calming breaths, and worked through it until I could wander around taking pictures. Having those birds come to visit me brought a huge grin to my face and I felt so much better. 

Hiking slowly gave me more time to enjoy nature around me. So, it's not a bad thing! Stopping to take pictures helped me catch my breath and remember why I'm out there in the woods. It's definitely my happy place!

Funny story - Ed left me at the top to continue on to the next trail, while I headed back down. On the way up, we had met another couple on their way down. As they came near him, they started to step aside to let him pass. He said, "No need. I'm waiting for a slow-poke." They laughed and passed by him to where I was. They kindly offered me encouragement and assured me the view would be worth it. They didn't know I hadn't heard what Ed said. When I got back to my car, they were coming up from taking a dip in the river. They must've wondered what I had done to my husband since I was now by myself! 

Look who was waiting for me when I got home tonight!

Every spring I plant pansies and then a month or so later I replace them with a more summery flowers, thinking they are a cool weather plant. This year I didn't get to it, and now they're showing me just how wrong I've always been!

I found this on top of Statham Hill...it's rather fascinating!