I’ve been here all along, I swear.

I just discovered that my Facebook status updates haven’t been showing up in many of my friends’ newsfeeds – thank you, Facebook – which means that lately, as far as Facebook is concerned, I’ve been standing in the corner, talking to myself. Don’t mind me, I’ll be the one in the corner, gesticulating to a house plant. Yes, Facebook friends, I’ve been here. Click on “older post” at the bottom and I promise, you’ll see I’m alive and well. Up to my usual.

I took myself for the inaugural hike of the season. Well, what it looked like was just a 1.6 mile walk to a nearby stream. But really, it was the inaugural hike, Day One of The Training and Conditioning Program. I took my old buddy, the Lumix, with me. Awwww! The Lumix! The Lumix is the most freaking awesome little camera.

First, the setting. The light was sorta weak so I punched it up a little afterwards. See the blobs of ice in the stream, center of the picture? 

Let’s sneak up on them. I know, I know, it’s blurry. Blurry, but cute. Must show the cuteness.

I played with shutter speed.

Note to self: this is 1/60. The next series are all from the same exact spot, just zoomed in. Not bad for a point-and-shoot – I’ll have to bring the Nikon next.

Well, that was fun. This stream isn’t marked on the google borg. It’s off the radar: a secret stream, known only to the few who know enough to brave the “no trespassing sign” that guards the meadow it burbles through. In truth, the owners groom a nordic ski trail here throughout the meadows, that the whole neighborhood uses. But “whole neighborhood” around here is not a lot of people. I could see, by the tracks in the snow, that one other person had been out since the snow melted too much of the ski tracks for them to be of much use, but other than that mysterious soul mate, I’ve been the only human out here for a while. A little touch of wilderness, hiding right here in plain sight. Yep, that’s me.

I love living here.

On my way home, I decided to inspect the largest of the beaver-chewed stumps in the pond.

They’re all resting in their lodge. A trapper was supposed to come and (gulp) take a few (not all!) but I don’t think he ever came…

The sheet of ice forming on the tributary that was forming yesterday? It melted some today…

Oh, I said this was an inaugural hike. (Still here?) Last night I decided to plan a hike for some time in July. I’m going to do the Presidential Traverse in the Whites. I’ve done it a couple of times, but not lately. I totally need to get in shape for it. This is what’s different about being My Current Age (6, on the inside, if you must know, but somewhat older on “the real” calendar).

I have to train for this. I’m not worried about my cardiovascular ability – bring it on. It’s more the bottoms of my feet – all the little muscles that are getting weaker because I’ve been wearing OTC orthotics (because of a near-miss encounter with plantar fasciitis last summer). My achilles tendons tend to be a little grumpy. I need to literally build muscle in my legs, AND stretch more. All while training for a half marathon in mid-May. My most recent run, this past weekend, was supposed to be 8.5 miles but I pushed it (not on purpose) to 9, and I felt it, both during, and the next day. The extra half-mile wasn’t the problem – slight dehydration was. I have to get back in the above-6-miles routine: bring Cliff Blok Shots, bring water with electrolytes, even though it’s in the 30’s and I’m not aware of thirst.

So anyway. That’s my plan. And since I just announced it here, that means I actually have to do it. Damn readers.