Marquette Area Blues Fest, 2008

Marquette Area Blues Fest, 2008–Watermelon Slim & The Workers

This week my anticipation for The Marquette Area Blues Fest is growing. I picked up tickets tonight! The following photos were taken during a very hot blues fest! Good thing many of the artist’s are from the south. It felt like home to them! But heatstroke was a real concern for me and many others. Mike and I have been attending Blues Fest in Marquette since 2004. The festival is put on by the Marquette Area Blues Society. This Year’s Blues Fest is Saturday, September 5-6, 2009

A Runner’s World–Surfer Sunday

I took a day off running on Saturday mostly due to heavy rains and a sore foot. But today I woke to sunshine and was back at it. I had to detour around a section of Lakeshore Drive due to water over the road–a big yellow piece of heavy construction equipment was scrapping the road and pushing rocks back into place.

I planned on a long run adding in my new one mile section, even if I had to go slower and walk more. The goal is to up the mileage and get the balls of my feet and my arthritic great toe used to more distance.

It takes discipline for a photographer to get down to the business of running when the sun is shining on Superior and the surfers look awesome in the waves. But I pushed thru my run so I could do my cool-down walk with camera.

It’s a promise I make myself–run this “fill-in-the-blank” distance and then you can take all the photos you want.

After my run this morning I was 154.8. I had already eaten 3/4 a cup of Honey-nut Cheerios and a small Banana and about 16 ounces of water. I’m getting there.

Below is a shot of the beach on my way home. The road is on the other side of the rocks and where that large splash is–that is where the road was closed before my run. It has since been scrapped clean and rocks piled up, again. The road was open, but splashes were still wetting the rocks on the roadside. I love the power of Lake Superior. But I worry this weather pattern has been very November-Like.

Thimbleberries

Another Presque Isle Run

I’ll write a book, “How I Lost 45 at 45.” I am that close, now. I have lost over 42 pounds and running is a normal part of my life. I crave running. I still do walk-to-runs but I am under 12-minute miles now.

Today was gray, the temps dropping, thunder clouds building. There was a headwind and a sidewind on the isle. I ran past a flock of geese–two hissed and chased me. I ran past three deer feeding o the lush grasses just off the bogwalk and behind Shiras Pool. One young buck had six-points all velvet and soft looking. None of the deer thru up their white-tails; they just grazed on lazily.

As I got to my car the radio announced it was 50 degrees. The rain drops that fell on the run were fat drops, heavy, but not frequent enough to soak my shirt. My cool down walk was with camera.

I clocked my new route with the car today. I ran off-island and up to the little pond by the power plant. It adds a little more than and extra mile to the 2-mile loop. I intended to do my usual 2 times around the island and the new addition for a total of 5 miles. But after 3+ miles I had noting left to give. It is Friday, afterall, and Mike had been out of town two-nights. I’ve had little sleep. Tomorrow I will recover and do at least 4 miles on Sunday.

The Photos are from my cool-down walk. The second photo is a post-process action in Virtual Photographer (ambiance).

Sunday Hikes–Tyoga Historical Pathway

Today Mike and I hiked the Tyoga Historical Pathway  (1.4 miles) and we had fun putting berries in odd juxtaposition with various fungi on the path. I was excited to find my first Indian Pipe Plants. We saw bear scat and heard baby birds of prey, hawk or eagles, not sure which. Dragonflies darted about and of course mosquitoes! The trail was wet in places but very well maintained with many interpretive signs and tags identifying trees. This would be a great hike with children or grandchildren (age 8 and up).

Another Sublime Run on Saturday

On Saturdays I run Presque Isle, waking early I get into my running gear and grab my grocery bags for the farmer’s market on my way home. Today I was happy to also have my camera. As I turned onto Lakeshore Blvd. I noticed the high seas of Lake Superior and worried about what type of headwind I’d have to contend with out on the island. As I rounded Picnic Rocks I saw this ore boat headed out and pulled into the parking lot. Buffeted by winds I had to use my car roof to steady the shot. I was excited. The lighting was dramatic and my dread of running into headwinds was averted–I decided this would be a sublime day!

I was excited for my run or I would have taken hundreds of shot. There were at least a 1/2 dozen young surfers on the sunset side of the island. All in wet suits, of course, as Superior is pretty cold. I figured if they could brave the waves, cold, wind and unknown bottoms of the lake I could certainly circle the island twice. I got in my 4 miles with a 12 minute average per mile–pretty good (for me) considering the weather conditions.

After a run on Saturdays there is the Marquette Farmer’s Market–combining the two tasks makes me feel like a hunter-gatherer–still sweaty from my run I gathered yummy produce and goodies. Today I picked up a Head of cauliflower and broccoli grown locally by Seeds and Spores. I purchased 5 mini red-sweet peppers from Farmer Q’s and then stopped by to get treats from Peter at the Marquette Baking Company, two pear-rosemary scones and two chocolate-chip walnut cookies.

PhotoFriday: Young & Old

PhotoFriday.com Submission for the theme, Young &  Old. The Photo “Liam Faces Shed” was taken by Kim Nixon during her Grandson’s birthday party. The image can be seen full size at Flickr.

FWF August–Poised on Rock

Poised upon rock outside my chiropractor’s office I attempt to regain my balance. I have transitioned from Qigong silk-reeling to Tai Chi cloud-hands. I have a soft gaze. Then a red truck drives down the road and reminds me of how upset I became when I saw the upcoming weeks schedule—it too had me seeing red.

I have been in Physical Therapy since May trying to get mobility and strength back into my right upper body. I have had some neck and shoulder instability for years but over the winter with my push for fitness the joint became irritated and frozen shoulder took over. It is a tenuous balance. If I move to quickly with the P.T. my shoulder takes 3-steps backward and spasms ensue. I am happy I can water overhead plants, again. I am happy I can reach behind me to shut off the shower again. But to open the window over the sink—well that still takes a kitchen chair and I cannot push that window any higher than my shoulder. Still, I accept the progress.

My adjustments at the chiropractor have been twice a week and the added stress to the budget has limited growth in other areas. But it is necessary to get through the latest flare-up. I work a physical job and much of what I do (therapy-wise) helps me keep that job. I cannot have injuries. I must be able to assist people in their daily lives as I am a community living specialist working with people who have physical and cognitive disorders.

I’ve lost over 40 pounds since November 2008, and over 45 pounds since I graduated from Massage School in 2004. No, I do not still massage. I had to close my practice after a car accident and a bout with tendonitis. At that time I had no insurance and did not qualify for state assistance. I struggled thru that time with self care and trades with other therapists. 

What I am trying to say is I like my job. I am tired of walking away from work I enjoy.  But the schedule had me weighing risks and healing. Schedule conflicts with pre-appointed therapy times and being assigned back at a location known to irritate my injury. After nearly three months of healing and positive gains in health, would I, or should I, even consider taking the risk to help the family and my employer. And why was I being put in this scenario to begin with?

Had I become too complacent? Should I have been looking for another position? One not so hard on the body? Was I at fault here? Maybe the risk I should have taken was bigger student loan debt and 2 more years of college? I had ignored my financial situation as it became more stretched. Losing employment or sustaining me through a necessary change would mean dire stress on the others in my life as I have nowhere to cut-back. All my abundant thinking did not seem to be working last week. I was in the mud.

But I sold a photo, donated a photo, and bought another photographer’s work—her first sale! The work I donated was for a silent auction and it was highly popular and will add to my sales. Mike, too was getting notice for a photo taken in a flash of time—his first publication. This reminding me that abundance is everywhere, coming from new and unknown resources.

I love all the work I do, caring for others, photography, writing. I believe I bring an essence of healing to all I do. The work I need to keep doing is finding new opportunities that bring balance, that add to my health and well-being as well as that of others.  It is my intention to strive toward that goal and spend more time poised on rock with cloud hands.

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I am a participant in the…

Free Write Fling with Cynthia Morris–31 Days to Loving your Writing!

Overcome Colds and Embrace Memories

This weekend my pursuit of creative-life was slowed to the “near local.” After working a 40-hour week and upping my mileage as a runner I was set-back by a cold. I had to stay close–in my own backyard and with my own memories. Life in the slow lane includes hanging laundry in the rain, sometimes.

Here is my freewrite from Friday, August 7 2009:

Mom made dumplings, teddy bear bread, BBQ glazed chicken wings and chicken almond an oriental dish that I never duplicated. She ate liver and onions and made appetizers of chicken livers and bacon. Mom made bruschetta before we knew the name and it was trendy.

My mom was marigold and stained glass. She was a Michigan Morrel. Mom was dark green glass like heavy gallon jugs with dark red wine. She’d be the black sharp metal cap you’d cut your finger on.

Mom was the heavy bath tub floated down the beach and tugged to the garden. She was summer beach towels hung over the deck and sand being swept-out. Mom was beach glass and Petoskey. Eggs cooked on a Coleman stove. Dishwater tossed onto the sand.

Green-Eyed Dragon

This Green Eyed Dragon appeared at the 10th Annual Ishpeming Renaissance Faire, Saturday. Many happy children heleped him dance thru the crowds.