Walking in Circles: Watch Your Step!

When I was a teenager my Dad invited some of us to go on a hike in the nearby woods with him. It was a nice warm day and most of us were wearing shorts and sandals. During the hike, while bushwacking through a brushy part of the trail, I noticed that my right foot felt suddenly cool...sort of wet. I wondered where the water had come from and stopped to investigate. To my complete utter horror, I discovered that I had somehow managed to get a slug between my heel and the sandal and had smashed it while I walked. Ew, EWW, EWWWWW! Even now the memory causes me to squirm...I honestly don't know how I survived the incident without long-term emotional scarring.

I still love to go walking and hiking, but you better believe that I learned my lesson about watching where I step. As beautiful as the views are all around, it's still a good idea to know where you are putting your feet. Especially when wearing sandals.

Today I decided to share with all of you lucky people a few images of things that I found underfoot JUST THIS WEEK on my walking adventures. Good thing I was paying attention.

Awww...here's a cute little caterpillar. Some of its relatives didn't look so fuzzy, however, because other people on the trail weren't watching where they were going.

A snake! We actually saw two of them the same day, but the first one was moving too fast for a picture. This one paused a moment for me. I actually don't mind snakes that much, as long as they don't take me by surprise. :)

Slimers...it's a worm! Around here, after a good rain, there are worms all over the place. Worms are also on my list of disgusting things, so I steer very clear of them whenever I can.

It's important to watch your footing on a slippery slope like this one!

Got golashes? Did I mention that it RAINED here this week?

Here it is....the awful slug. I can hardly believe that I knelt down and got this close just to take a picture. It's all for you, people....enjoy! (GROSSSSSSS!!!)

Since it's almost Easter, you might want to watch out that you don't step on the Easter Bunny when you're out walking! Yes, I actually saw this little cutie on an early walk this week. I slowly approached, talking quietly, and managed to get this photo before he hopped away. Now isn't that a nicer image to end with today? I think so, too.

Happy walking everyone, and remember to watch your step!

Walking in Circles: In Funny Shoes!

We stopped at an outlet mall this weekend because I needed another pair of outdoor shoes. While trying on some nice practical ones, I noticed these "fitness" shoes on display and tried them on simply out of curiosity. They are so dorky looking, but I have seen them in many different places for sale and wondered what they felt like. Ken snickered while I laced them up and paced a little bit around the area.

"Oh my."
"What?"
"Oh my. These are really something."
"Why? What do they feel like?"
"Woah. My feet are liking the way these feel. I can't describe it. Go find a men's pair and see for yourself."

Ken came back a few minutes later wearing the same brand and with a giddy amazed look on his face.

"Um...I'll get a pair if you do."

So now we both have some outrageously stupid looking shoes....but they are weirdly comfortable. Oh my.

UPDATE: This was posted on my home blog a few weeks ago, and today I've decided to repost it here and give everyone an update on how we're doing with our new shoes.

So here's the verdict:

We love them! Now, I only use mine for WALKING, meaning I don't wear them around the house or to the store, etc. Look at the bottoms of those shoes...they are rounded, and what that means is when you are just standing around, well, they make it hard to stand still. But for consistent walking, they are wonderful! My feet are still very happy when I lace them on and get moving. My legs felt the difference at first. Not in a bad way, but noticeable. Some previously lazy muscles were being called upon to move in a new way, and going uphill was more of a workout! (We have lots of hills around here!) I especially like that the design of the shoe prevents heel-striking, so each step is gentler on my body. Even though it took a little while to get used to my new shoes, I'm very glad we followed our impulse to purchase them.

While preparing to write this, I asked my husband for his review, and he simply stated, "They are very comfortable to wear." He actually wears his to work every day (He got a solid black pair) and says that because of the rounded sole, he feels that his balance has improved.

So there you have it. Two thumbs up for the Funny Shoes.

Have a great week, and enjoy your walks!

Walking in Circles: Why I NEED my Walking Buddy

Sometimes I don't want to go for a walk.
(especially at 7:00 AM)

Sometimes I'm extra tired from a night of very little sleep. Sometimes it seems too cold, or too wet outside and I don't want to deal with it again. Sometimes I imagine that I might be getting sick, or maybe my head hurts, or my muscles are sore from some other activity. Sometimes my heart is hurt from worrying over someone else's pain. Sometimes I think I don't need another walk because I just went on a long one with my husband the previous evening. Whatever the excuse, these are the days I want to burrow down under my covers and forget about going for a walk....

....but I can't forget, because someone else is waiting for me. I know that my walking buddy is up and ready to go and I don't want to disappoint her just because I'm tired and maybe a little grumpy and whiny. So I get up anyway, dress appropriately, and go to meet her with a smile on my face and an umbrella in my hand if necessary.

Then we spend the next hour bonding, while we walk, as only women can. These are good times...sweet times of reflection and observation about our lives and the world we share. The walk and the talk go together, and I realize that I really don't want to miss either one.

Have we ever called off a walk? Of course we have. Sometimes one of us is REALLY ill, or the weather is simply TOO nasty, but it hasn't happened very often. The only times we plan NOT to walk is when we are away, or a family event prevents us from leaving home.

You know what's funny? Many times through the years we have met in our designated place and after walking a bit we each admit, “I really didn't want to get up today...”. And by the time we have finished our “circle” we ALWAYS say, “I'm so glad we did this”. At the end of the walking hour I discover that I am warm, the weather wasn't so bad after all, my muscles are loosened up, my heart has been consoled, I don't feel as sleepy, it turns out I'm not sick, and I'm definitely not whiny any more. But I might be wet. That's what hot showers and clothes dryers are for.

Happy Walking!

Walking in Circles: Into the Woods with Grandchildren!

Here in Virginia my son and his family live adjacent to beautiful green spaces with miles and miles of inter-connecting trails. (Actually, the "green space" is not really green now...there is still snow on the ground and the trees are bare!) It is still lovely, however, and while we have been here visiting, my hubby and I have enjoyed some great LONG walks in the woods alone, plus we have gone on multiple shorter walks with our two little granddaughters. Those shorter walks could never be called aerobic, but they certainly are entertaining!

This is what it was like:

20 minutes of preparation before leaving the house
A lot of actual walking
A little bit of running
Throwing snowballs in the stream
Helping Grandma roll a big snowball down to the stream
Walking on a log with Grandpa
Losing a glove
Admiring footprints after walking through a puddle
Holding hands
“How much further?”
Looking for birds in the treetops
“Oh, no, I think we're lost!”
Watching the squirrels climb the trees
A little stroller riding
Warming cold hands on Grandpa's neck
“Here's my glove!! It's a CLUE! We are on the right trail!”
Sharing the adventure stories with Mom and Dad

Walking in circles with grandchildren is never boring!

Walking in Circles: Strengthen your Relationship!

Looking for the reusable snack bag giveaway?  Click HERE. 

Every time I go to a bridal shower and am asked to give advice to the newlyweds, I always say:

Go for long walks together.

My husband and I have been doing this for as long as we've known each other. Our first date was roller skating (Hey! We were going around in circles even then!) but since we first got acquainted in the spring and summer we often went hiking on our “dates”. It was cheap, fun, and we got to talk and talk all we wanted without interference.....which cannot be done in a movie theater! What a great way to get to know one another.

We continued going for long walks even after we married and started having a family. Babies and toddlers can be sooooo demanding, but we discovered to our delight that if we put them in a backpack, or stroller, or wagon and started walking..... they were QUIET and we got to talk all we wanted. It was “almost” like being alone.... and we didn't have to pay a babysitter, which we couldn't afford anyway. This was very therapeutic for us as new parents. It might have been the biggest reason we stayed sane and were therefore brave enough to continue having more children! Through the years whenever we could work it into the day, we have gotten outside to go for a walk. Sometimes kids came along with us and sometimes they didn't. Our walks might have been 30 minutes long, or even up to an hour if we had the time to spare.

One great thing about going for a walk was that there were no TV shows or phone calls to interrupt our time together. (This was way before cell phones!) We shared hopes and dreams, made plans, discussed the children, our work, our church assignments and solved numerous problems along the way. Ken pointed out that when we got to have these discussions before bedtime, he enjoyed being able to fall asleep quicker at night! Another bonus was that we both stayed fit and healthy and strong. (You need that when you're raising kids.) We are Empty Nester's now, but we still get outside several times a week just to walk, even though we have an entire house all to ourselves.

Whether you are married or not, I recommend that you take the hand of your significant other and go for a walk. Get away from all the household chores, the media, and even your cell phone. Turn off the ringer! Unless it is the babysitter or your child,

you do not need to answer that call (or Text)!!

Whoever is trying to reach you can wait until you get home.

Remember, walking in circles means you don't have to have a destination. Just start walking, and when half of your allotted time is up, turn around and head back home. Take different routes. Get to know your neighborhood or go find a new one to explore. It doesn't even have to be a fast fitness-type walk. Just stroll. Hold hands. Enjoy the time together.

When we were younger, we sometimes saw elderly couples walking together holding hands, and we'd say, “I hope we will be like that someday”. Well, we're not exactly elderly yet, but we are in our mid-fifties and so far we are just “like that”. It's wonderful. Talk it over with your BEST buddy and make plans today to start walking together. You won't regret it. :)

Across the years
I will walk with you
in deep green forests;
on shores of sand;
and when our time
on earth is through,
in heaven, too,
you will have
my hand.

Walking in Circles: Weather or Not

Are we going walking today? Here are our rules:

Sunshine? Rejoice!
Clouds? Great!
Cold? Add a scarf and gloves.
Wind? Zip up and fasten your hat securely.
Rain? Get used to it.
Wind AND rain? Think twice about it.
Snow? I don't think so.
Ice? Forget it.

We live and walk our daily circles in the Pacific Northwest. We rarely have snow or ice, and temperatures below 25-30 degrees is uncommon. Having experienced a scary slip or two through the years, we have ruled out walking in the snow and ice for safety reasons, and we have also been known to skip the rainy, windy days because it's too difficult to hold onto our umbrellas!

What? You thought Oregonians didn't use umbrellas? (That's a joke out here...) Well, some of us do! We've experimented with the different types of wet weather wear, and always go back to our favorite umbrellas when it is raining. The long rain ponchos and jacket/pants ensembles that repel the water are just awkward to wear when you're walking fast. Kind of feels like treading water while walking down the street. And then all that rain runs down the clothing and into our shoes! Not really fun.

It does rain a lot here, so we have learned to simply get used to it. We carry our umbrellas and use them whenever needed. There have been a few times that, even WITH our umbrellas, we have gotten so wet that when we got back to our own homes we had to strip down before walking through the house! (Checking first to see if anyone else is at home...)! We laugh about those days, knowing it doesn't happen that way very often. Here's a little known secret about where I live:

For all the rain that we get in this part of the country, there's something magical about the hour between 7 and 8 AM. Many are the nights when I have listened to the rain pounding on the roof and anticipated a WET walk in the morning, only to have it stop just before I go out the door. Or we'll have a great walk under cloudy skies and then just AS SOON AS we get back inside, it pours! Sometimes we can hardly believe it ourselves, but we are very, very glad it happens that way!

In looking for images on the Internet to use with this post, I found some very cute umbrellas that I would love to carry around. Wow! They're Flowers!

Recipe for a Milkshake

Yesterday several comments to Marae's post referred to the Chocolate Milkshakes I used to make for my children. Get ready to laugh or squirm, because here's the sneaky mom recipe:

1. Open a can of peas and carrots and dump it in the blender.
2. Add milk. Or water and powdered milk. Add extra powder for more nutrition.
3. Stir in enough Nestle's Quick to make it look chocolaty. (or a generic brand)
4. Blend. Thoroughly. As in Liquify! The mixture should be thick and frothy.
5. Make sure the kids don't see you do this. :)
6. Pour into tall glasses, add a straw, and smile as they slurp it down happily.

I started making these when my first couple of children were toddlers and continued through the years with the addition of three more kids. They all loved it. When my oldest was in her mid teens she finally demanded to know how I made them.... and then never wanted it again! (The others, however, enjoyed the portion she didn't take.) How did they taste? I have no idea. Honest. I NEVER tasted it. :)

This “recipe” has been laughed about at many of our family gatherings, and my children's spouses shudder when they hear the story. But if they ever get desperate enough....who knows what might happen in their kitchen someday?

Walking in Circles: Where Are We Going?

I don't want to think about it.

You might think I'm kidding, but it's true. For my regularly-scheduled-every-day-walk with Paulene (and with Linda until she moved) we always walked the same route every day. Sounds boring I suppose, but let me explain why it works for us:

1. We don't want to think about where we are going! Okay, now I'm repeating myself, but having to think and make decisions about where we are going is a huge distraction to our walking.

2. Instead of focusing on WHERE we are going, we would rather walk quickly, and enjoy the conversation with one another.

3. Walking the same routes lets us see changes in the neighborhood gardens through the seasons. We are serious gardeners and every new bloom along the pathway is worthy of our bright attention. We pass by some beautiful gardens and would hate to miss any of the action!

4. We know exactly how long our walk will take, and can plan the rest of our day accordingly.

5. People like to set their clocks by us. Well, maybe not, but I bet they almost could! Anyway, we do see a lot of the same people over and over and are recognized warmly.

6. We know where we will see the deer, and the bunnies, and the large litter of kittens that is growing up. We also know exactly where to get the best sunrise pictures!

7. We get to watch the progress of every landscape or construction project along our way.

8. Going the same way every day means we won't get lost. Honestly, I've walked these neighborhoods so many times that we wouldn't REALLY get lost, but there were times in the early days that we “strayed” off the beaten path and had to stop and get our bearings again! I repeat again: We just don't want to think about it!

These are the standard guidelines, but now I will tell you that every once in a great while, we plan to go somewhere else because there is something we both want to see that isn't along our normal way. Doing so will generally mess up our time table, so we schedule those kind of tours for days that we don't have anything pressing the rest of the morning.

Now, a recreational walk is a very different thing! That's the kind of walk I go on with my husband when time isn't an issue and we are in an exploring mood. We will sometimes drive to a “new” location, then get out of the car and wander until we have decided we've seen enough and it's time to go home. That's fun too, and when I am with him we never get lost. (Well, almost never. :)

This week we saw some amazing sunrises. I've been posting some pictures on my home blog Come What May and Love It, but here's one that hasn't been posted anywhere yet. I love those orange clouds with the blue sky. Wish you could have been there with us!




Now, since many of you have wondered, I'll tell you about my sprouted brown rice. The biggest reason I do it is that the nutritional content skyrockets when grain is allowed to sprout. It also becomes easier for the body to digest. Sprouting rice is very, very easy, even though it takes a couple of days. However, the "hands on" time is only minutes.

Here's what to do: Get a large jar and put one cup of dry brown rice in it. Fill it with water and walk away. You don't need to think about it again for the next 8-10 hours or so. You'll need to find some kind of strainer for the top of the jar. I use a piece of nylon net with a rubber band to hold it in place. After the soak period is over, drain the water and walk away.


I like to put my jar (it's actually an old flower vase) on it's side on a dish towell, with the end slightly elevated because I don't want to stand there waiting for the last drips to come out. Now every 4-5 hours or so, run more water into the jar, swish it around, and let it drain again. (I do not get up in the night to do this...I only do the rinsing during the day!)


After a couple of days you can look closely at the rice and see teeny tiny sprouts. It's ready to use! The sprouts in my photo are actually about a day overdue for cooking...I usually don't wait that long. At this point it can be put in the refrigerator and kept until you're ready to cook.

How do you cook it? Same as always, only use just a little less water, since the rice has already absorbed some in the soaking process. For this batch of rice, I add about 1 3/4 cup of water, then cook. (I use a cheap-o rice cooker.) Oh, another nice thing about sprouted brown rice is that it cooks a lot quicker than usual! My batch of rice makes about 3 cups, which I use over the next few days. And since I use so much of it, I start another batch going immediately. That's all there is to it. Really, you'll only spent a few minutes of hands on time to get this super nutritional rice for your meals. And it tastes so much better than plain old white rice!

Bonus! Here's something new I tried recently that I want to share: Kale Butter! I know, it sounds GROSS! But if you like PESTO, you'll like this. Here's the recipe:

1 bunch of kale, rinsed and chopped (throw away the spine)
1/2 cup walnuts (I used pecans)
1/2 cup water
2 T garlic
1 T lemon juice

Steam the kale for 5 minutes, until tender. Blend the cooked kale with the nuts and add 1/2 cup of the green water from the steaming. (I use my food processor.) Add seasonings to taste. Process till smooth.

I enjoy this spread inside a pita pocket, which is then stuffed with lettuce and anything else that sounds good. I especially like tomatoes with it, but when I took this photo yesterday I was out of tomatoes. Try it sometime! Kale is so very nutritious but it's hard to find a good way to use it...here's a new way I bet you never thought of before. :)


See you next Thursday!

Walking in Circles: The Buddy System

Trust me on this one. If you want a walking program that will stand the test of time, you need a buddy. Someone who will be as committed as you are. Any other way just doesn't last. Here's my story:

My husband and I have always enjoyed hiking and walking. We started when we were dating and continued after we were married. We planned outdoor hikes whenever we could, but “going for a walk” was always an unscheduled event. Sometimes we went out to walk and sometimes we didn't. When the kids started arriving we collected snugglies and backpacks, and even a little red wagon the kids rode along in, and we walked when we could, but it was definitely more of a challenge with the kids and it wasn't CONSISTENT.

Marva was my first committed walking buddy. By then I had 4 kids and so did she. We got up early, and looked out our bedroom windows.....we were neighbors, and so we checked to see if one another had a light on, which meant we were getting ready to go. (Every now and then we didn't go because for some reason ((we're talking 8 kids now!)) one of us didn't get much sleep during the night). We met at the corner and enjoyed an hour of early morning rambles through town, while our husbands were still home with the children. This lasted about a year, and then MY husband had a work schedule change and could not be home in the morning. Bummer. Not long after that, Marva moved away. Another Bummer.

Later on, I homeschooled a couple of my kids and had the great idea to have “PE” every day by taking them for a 2 mile walk in the mornings. I even invited along some neighbor kids who were also homeschooling so they could all “socialize” together. This lasted for several months...but you know what? Kids grumble a lot and often don't get the big picture. When the messy weather arrived our “PE Walks” were done for.

Through the years I tried walking alone. It was sooo boring to me, and over time I found was heading back home sooner and sooner...my circle kept shrinking! I tried walking the dog, but it wasn't much better. (And he always wanted to stop and smell everything). Without someone beside me to chat with I simply couldn't maintain a regular walking schedule. It was too easy to find a reason to skip a day...or a couple days...or....when was the last time I went?

Finally, (a few years later!) Linda suggested we walk together every day. YES!! She lived a mile away, but we headed out our respective doors at 7:00 AM, met somewhere in the middle, and enjoyed making tracks through town together. We averaged 3 miles a day. Every Day except Sunday. (My kids no longer needed me at home in the morning, and neither did hers, so we were free to go!) We walked through every kind of weather imaginable (it gets wet here) and only ice and snow kept us home. (It rarely snows here.) I still went for walks with my husband whenever he had time, but my daily walks with Linda were something I could depend on.

We walked through several years together, and then Paulene began to join us. We were a happy threesome tromping through the neighborhoods every morning, discussing anything and everything. When Linda suddenly announced that she was moving last March we were stunned. I estimated that in our six years of walking, we had covered 4,680 miles together! That was hard to give up, but life moves on.

Currently, Paulene and I are still walking our three miles every day. It's not the same without Linda, but we continue on, enjoying the friendship, the sunrises, and little discoveries along the way. Paulene says our walks are also therapeutic! Lately we have started bringing along our pocket cameras to record some of the interesting things we see. If I think you might be interested, I'll post some of the photos in my weekly “Walking in Circles” report. :)

If you're anything like me, you'll find that without a buddy your walking program is VERY difficult to maintain over time. If you want to walk and keep it up every day, then start chatting around with your friends and neighbors to see who else feels the same way. (Like Patricia and the Seminary Moms! Way to Go!) Even if it only lasts a little while, it's worth it for the exercise and the companionship. Trust me on this one...and Good Luck!

My Favorite Breakfast

Kathy has posted what she likes to eat every day for breakfast, and I'm still shaking my head and saying “Not this girl...”. (She expects me to say this, by the way. We have some history regarding the subject!) I CAN'T STAND oatmeal, even if it is Steel Cut Oats. ((((shudder)))) Like Kathy, however, I do have a favorite breakfast which, admittedly, probably wouldn't appeal to a lot of people, but that's okay! It works for me.

I have a bowl of sprouted and cooked brown rice, with dried fruits and nuts stirred in. And a glass of calcium fortified orange juice on the side. That's it! Fills me up, keeps me satisfied a long while, and it's easy. To make it even easier, I cook up a 3-days supply of the rice ahead of time, so all I do is scoop out about a cup of the cold cooked rice, stir in the good stuff, and heat it all up in the microwave for about a minute.


I should add that this is my “second breakfast”. When I first get up I have a big drink of water and either a banana or a little protein bar, then I go out to walk in circles with Paulene. After walking and showering I enjoy my hot bowl of goodness before tackling the rest of the day. Mmmmmmm. Till next week,
PS. If you're interested in sewing some cute baby booties, hop on over to my home blog: Come What May and Love It for a pattern and tutorial. :)

Walking in Circles

The phrase “going around in circles” generally means that someone is lost or confused. I've been walking around in circles for the last 7 years on purpose, and I can promise you I'm not lost or confused. Well, mostly not anyway. (Depends on the day, you know?)

Here's how it goes: I get up early every day except Sunday, meet with my walking buddy, and walk in a big, approximately 3 mile, circle to end up exactly where I started from. It takes us about an hour. Sometimes I even walk in circles with my husband. He's actually my “best” buddy, but he's not always available, so I need my other buddy who is much more dependable. The fact that I have been walking in these circles for so many years apparently makes me the “Queen” of walking, according to Kathy and Katie, and they have asked me to write about it every Thursday in The Skinny. Well, okay. I'm slightly amused, however, because over the next few weeks you will all realize that my “Walking Kingdom” is rather messy. No, messy isn't the right word. Maybe disorganized? Whatever, it works for me. I'm still at it, right?

I walk in these circles for lots of different reasons. To be active and healthy and strong was at the top of the list when we first started all those years ago, but as time has passed I realize that our daily walks are also about Sisterhood, Friendship, Community, Appreciating Nature, and even Maintaining our Sanity. You can expect to hear a little about all of these things and maybe more in the coming weeks as you “Walk in Circles” with me in the blog world. I'm a very visual person, so you can expect that I will be sharing pictures along the way.

Ready for a walk? I'll be here with you in The Skinny next Thursday. See you then!