wandering the silverstream

I took a wander down the banks of the Silverstream today, there was a bit of a breeze blowing but it wasn't unpleasant, reasonably warm in fact. Had to carry my hat though as the breeze kept snatching it from my head and playing with it. I took the left side of the bank after I had gone through the gate - and closed it after me with the hook. A lot of people don't seem to realise the farmers run stock on it at times. That would be an interesting sight, woolly sheep wandering down the road and into peoples gardens. None there today though.

I went further than I have been before and could have kept on going, it was pleasant walking but thought I should turn back when I got down to the stand of gum trees because had to walk back into the wind. It seemed to be further going back for some strange reason...as I said I went further than I had been before past the macrocarpas along the track where the sheep were sheltering with their lambs from the sun and wind. With a large brown horse to keep them company. Then I decided I could go on to the next wind break a paddock away, it was a large stand of gum trees, or widow makers as I sometimes think of them. Quite magnificent though.

Under the bridge was a bit of graffiti, or maybe I should call it tagging as it was quite good, not that I stopped to admire it but it wasn't just mindless scribbling. The branches and logs had built up again from the last lot of floods, some easy firewood for some enterprising person.

Saw ducks on the water and on the wing - oh I saw some gorgeous ducklings waddling along the street a couple of days ago with both Mum and Dad in tow. I have never seen that before, I wished I had my camera, Dad doesn't usually do the domestic thing once the ducklings are born. Cute.

Passed a couple of dogs out and about teaching their owners how to throw sticks and balls and a couple just out for the pleasure of it, like me. People, that is!

Lots of song birds about as well, I could hear them making joyful noises to the heavens, they were all around in the trees but I couldn't see even one, they were well camouflaged.

So a really nice wander out in nature again, much preferable to the city sidewalks if you can do it.

Goodnight all.

plovers, blackbirds and starlings...

I have just climbed off the bike. I am going to sleep at the computer, well I feel like I am. Today we have been into the city to look for new carpet for the hallway so the GKB and I have both pounded the city pavements, it was cooler there than at home too. Decided to get new vinyl for the kitchen but now have the samples at home and don't like the colour of the vinyl, maybe it will grow on me, maybe. It doesn't really go with the carpet samples.

My sister is in the air on the way over from Aussie, we're picking her up at the airport in the morning. She wants to walk the country block and see the alpacas down the road, so we will get in at least one walk while she is here.

Late in the afternoon I took a walk around our block and surprisingly saw a pair of plovers in a playground, along with the usual blackbirds and starlings, all after the worms and grubs in the grass. I've never seen plovers over this way before. Then another half hour or so on the bike and I have had it. So it has all been concrete and pavements today apart from some time out in what passes for a garden at my place. I couldn't pass up on the opportunity to get out in the sun after a mixed week of storms, hail, snow, and brilliant sunny days. The brilliant sunny part quite often happened after I had gone to work in the afternoon.

Anyway, bed calls, so goodnight all.

pounding the pavement...

Well it hasn't been a bad week, as far as the walking goes anyway. I have pounded the pavements from the centre of town to home, a couple of k's I guess. It's quite different walking on the footpaths to walking along the Silverstream, no give on the surface. Different things to look at too. And more traffic.

Earlier in the week I walked halfway around a country block, it was great. The sun was shining, the trees were in bud and blossom and only a little traffic. Coloured sheep and alpacas were out looking down their aristocratic noses as I went past their paddock. Walking past the timber mill brought back memories of the plywood factory about 40 years ago, I love the smell of freshly hewn timber.

Today I walked down the Silverstream to the bridge, out on to the road and back home down Bush Road, 3 kilometres in half an hour, not to bad for me!! Horses were communicating across the paddocks to each other and a couple of ducks flew overhead. The Alpacas were out with their coloured sheep mates, and I am sure I saw a water rat scampering up the bank of the ditch at the side of the road. Talking of horses there are some appoloosas grazing in the Bush Road paddocks. I didn't see any deer today - or ostriches!! It was good to get home again to have a drink, it was 22deg (I wore the GKB's Speights cap) and I was talking to a cyclist at the intersection who was on her way to the nearest shop to get a bottle of water. Fancy cycling around the plains without a water bottle.

And I have even been on the bike, for half an hour yesterday. Also been to the cricket grounds with the youth group and kicked a ball around, chased a frisbee and chucked a tennis ball. I slept well last night.

Anyway, this week I think I have not done too badly at all. I love getting out into God's book and seeing the sights and smelling the smells, some good, some not!!

And I did walk around the Botanical Gardens with the GKB a week or so back...

Back on the bike

Well I have done it. The bike is back in the lounge where I can't help but see it and I have been pedalling madly away on it again. Whew. I think one of the grandkids has adjusted the knobs and things too as I seem to have the bum on the seat for longer but going about half the distance... I think she may have changed me from kilometres to miles, I hope.

I have been watching Joyce Meyer while I pedal away and it is amazing how long I can keep going now with an enjoyable distraction to hold my attention. That gets two things done as well. Multi tasking! Not that watching Joyce Meyer is a chore or a bore but it's a matter of fitting everything in :(

And I have been going out walking on my days off, haven't got any flash shoes yet, may never get them, but I am out pounding the pavement, or the side of the Silverstream, or wherever. So it's all good :)) Haven't got a clue how far I am going, just do it and hope I am getting a bit fitter. I'm not brave enough to try the hills yet but one day soon - watch this space.

October already...

I don't believe it is October already and I haven't written anything, so how accountable does that make me???

Anyway the exercycle, now affectionately known as 'the bike', duly arrived and I had a good old time on it in the lounge, reading and watching the telly while I chalked up the miles, the GKB (good kiwi bloke) snuck some time on it too, but not while anyone was about to see him. And the grandkids think it is a wonderful thing to play about with and on, adjusting the tension while the granma isn't looking is a good trick apparently. But I have now cottoned on to that one.

Anyway all was going well and then someone coughed on me , or sneezed on me or something similar and I got crook and retired from all life except work (I wasn't about to admit to them that I got a bug especially as I refused to have the 'flu injection). For some strange reason I thought I would still be able to keep going on 'the bike' but after about 2 seconds my legs refused to go round any more and now I look at 'the bike' as I pass it in the bedroom on my way to bed each night, and think to myself that I really must take it back out to the lounge where I can see it and it can make feel guilty if don't get on it for a while.

Have also been looking out for some decent shoes to wear for walking in as another thing I want to do in this lifetme is walk some of the tracks scattered around the country. Mind you I look at the distances and times at the moment and think "Days? I was thinking in terms of hours! Or even minutes..." So I still have a wee way to go to get into the right mindset.

I'm now going to walk past 'the bike' as I head for my bed - I promise I will take it out tomorrow - sometime.