Winter Hiking

It has been my custom to designate certain physical activities as seasonal.  Specifically, swimming is an indoor activity when it's snowy and cold.  My winter/swimming season runs from November through April.  Hiking and biking are outdoor activities when the sky is blue, the temps are moderate, and the ground is dry.  Summer/hiking and biking season is May through October. 

As winters go, Flagstaff is pretty easy to take.  Yes, we get plenty of snow; we've got 14" predicted over the next couple of days.  Ron regularly uses his snow blower.  Yes, we have cloudy days.  Yes, we have wind and cold temperatures.  But it's never the slog it is some places.  Within a few days, we'll have blue skies and sun; temperatures and spirits will rise. 

Yes, Flagstaff winters are the real deal!

Sue and I have had several highly satisfying summer hiking seasons, and this year she was reluctant to give it up when my designated swimming season arrived in November.  With virtually no resistance, I agreed to continue some hiking as weather permitted.  Donna, who winters in Flagstaff, arrived, and we became a hiking threesome.  We enjoyed several hikes in the forest near where Sue lives before weather shut us down.  But we had a back-up plan.  Yep, guess where our Back Yard is?   A mere 45 minutes drive south of us is Sedona! 

Our most recent hike took us deep into Red Rock country, and spectacularly reminded why our Back Yard is a world destination.

The trail we hiked was Brins Mesa Trail, recommended by a friend of Sue's.  None of us (including Gypsy) had ever been on it.  It was a beauty from the first step.  Speaking for itself:

We sat down more than once to soak it all in.

Even Gypsy was stunned by the view!

Yes, during this hike, I fully committed to Winter hiking.  I was awestruck, and want to continue to take advantage of the privilege of this sensational Back Yard.

What's Up For February?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

          FEBRUARY

 

Source:  picryl.com

January, with all its planning and anticipation is wrapped up.  Already???  I say that every year!  Now that it's February, it's time to Do The Work.  Planning is only as good as the work to get 'er done.

My Monthly Goals are comprised of what I want to focus on of my Annual Goals, designated Monthly Chores and Activities (a separate list), and anything else that might come up. 

Here's a sampling from February's Goals:

• Yoga and Meditation is ready for the 90-day lifestyle challenge.  Do some research on-line and come up with some structure and intention.  Keep it simple, though; the Habit is still fragile!  
•  AM & PM is my next 21-day challenge.  Getting up and going to sleep on time is actually a goal I achieved last year; however, I've been getting sloppy and need to clean it up! 
• Cooking School:  the focus this month is roasted vegetables.  Every day I make dinner (4-6 nights a week), I'll roast a different vegetable.  There's a lot of choices.  Green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, carrots, zucchini, bell peppers....
• Taxes. It's that time of year.  Ron takes charge of the filing, but I need to do my part by gathering my share of the necessary records.
• Continue my flip-phone investigation.  I've been wanting to start carrying a phone with me running.  The smart phone is too big to carry in my hand, and the arm band option doesn't thrill me, though it's by far the least expensive way to go.  Anyway, I'm investigating the possibility of a separate flip phone.  It's getting messy and expensive.  Sue recently gave me some information that has some possibility.  I need to set aside the time to pursue it thoroughly.  
• Figure out podcasts & audio books on my phone.  Yeah, I started this one awhile ago.  I found both podcasts and audio books and put them in libraries on my phone.  The first problem is how to delete episodes/books when I'm done listening to them.  The second, larger, problem has to do with volume.  It's too low.  I got the amplifier that allows me to run the volume through my vehicle speakers.  Still too low.  Need to set aside time to pursue this.
• Music Camp.  This was an idea I had last year that didn't come to fruition.  Several years ago Sally and I had such a great time with Music Camps at her place.  That's no longer feasible, so I was thinking of a One-Woman Music Camp.  Why bother, you ask, when I own my schedule?  First, it would be a nice break in the Winter.  I would set aside most of my usual activities, as if I went away to Camp, and besides extra practice, focus on different aspects of music that I'm interested in but don't usually take time for.  I'm working with ideas to see if it's something I actually want to do, or if it's just something I like the idea of doing!
• Firm up travel plans.  We're still waffling!  So far we've talked about three options.  1) Visit Olympic National Park in Washington State.  We've not had a bad visit to a National Park.  2)  Visit Vancouver Island, British Columbia.  It gets great reviews.  3)  Go back to Hawaii and explore the island we didn't get to the first time, Kauai.  Rent a camper van there and beach-it. 

 So there it is.  I'm ready!