After we left the race, we hike Mount Ascutney. The view was incredible, but it was challenging on such tired legs. A li'l orange butterfly paced me up the mountain!

Good times with good people who are so inspiring!

Crewing this weekend at the Vermont Endurance Race!

I read this quote recently and it perfectly encapsulates my experience since letting my hair grow out natural. It has been such a freeing experience, like I've finally found myself, even though I didn't realize I was lost. But, I was. I was so buried under worrying about my hair color. All the damn time. Some people probably think I post more pictures of myself than I should, but I'm trying to show other women how good it feels. I hope they notice. I think they do.

"Most men don’t notice me nowadays because I’m too old for them (I’m not bemoaning this!). But boy, do women notice me. It’s so lovely!

I receive soooo many compliments from women now as a silver-haired woman who dresses like she’s still confidently attractive. And the difference between being seen and complimented by a woman versus being ogled and complimented by a man is big.

With men, it always felt consumptive and a bit dangerous. Like the compliment was an entitlement they could take back at any moment if I didn’t respond appropriately.

But with women, I notice their eyes light up with delight first when they look at me before they even say anything. It feels genuine and generative.

I feel striking and beautiful in women’s mirror." - Ana Del Castiilo

It was quiet in the spa today, but I had rushed in late this morning with wet hair, so one of the girls offered to blow out my hair between guests. I gladly accepted. She did such a beautiful job that I had to send Ed a picture while I was outside on my lunch break. This is the result, and I'm not mad about it. 

The sun is shrouded in wildfire smoke this evening.

Our friend Danny is the last man standing at this year's Back Cove Backyard Ultra!

Ed came in 2nd at the Hugh Holt Memorial 5 Miler this morning!

What do you see?

Never a dull moment...

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!