The Grasshopper Teacher

Yesterday, I followed a brown flying grasshopper, along the section of the walking trail pictured below, for I’d guess about a quarter mile.

That darn thing would fly ahead some 15’-20’ then land on the paved trail each and every time! I lost track of the count after 24 take offs and landings, I kid you not!

With the soybean field to one side of the trail and overgrowth on the other, that darn thing just kept moving forward refusing to land anywhere else but the trail. It didn’t have the smarts or desire to fly in the other direction, behind where we just came from, nope. Instead it kept moving forward and I’m guessing expended all its energy doing so -

As Martin Luther King Jr. once said -

“If you can't fly, then run; if you can't run, then walk; if you can't walk, then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward”

Strike A Pose

Smile you’re on candid cam…

Oops 😬, seems I’m a tad slow on the ole iPhone camera draw, alas.

Here are a few examples where had I been a little faster, perhaps I’d have a picture or two to share. Sadly, being I’m all thumbs 👍 sometimes, the below descriptions is all I have for you. You’ll need to use your imagination -

I stepped off the walking trail yesterday morning to shake the dew of my trouser lily 😉, next to Moon Creek. Well, I startled an otter 🦦, yes an otter 🦦! He didn’t stick around for a photo shoot, noppers, rather he took off like a dart and was gone with water 💦 splashing and swooshing. He startled me so that it was all I could do to not wet myself, forget reaching for my camera. Alas, a missed opportunity.

Or when a BIG raccoon 🦝 crossed the walking trail just feet away from me, as it ran into the soybean field! I was too slow again.

How bout the time I scared a mother deer 🦌 and her youngster? It was another one of those moments when, truth be told, we scared each other. I was in deep thought having already walked six miles, when the pair darted from along side the corn 🌽 field. With the mother taking the lead, they both crossed the walking trail and the street (Eden street) running parallel to it. However, the far side of the street has a wire fence running along it and there are trees on both sides of said fence and all sorts of overgrowth covering it all, so there was no easy access spot to get over. Both deer ran up and down the fence line several times searching for an opening. The mother found it first and jumped the fence with confidence and ease. The youngest on the other hand was less sure of itself but finally made the jump and off they disappeared into the overgrowth. In hindsight, I prolly had time to pull out my phone and snap a pic but I was captivated with watching them flee and hearing their hoofs clippity-clopping on the street.

Or the time I spied a lizard 🦎 on the Tusculum university Bill and Jean Pilloni pedestrian bridge; the one that spans over Rt107. I did a double take on this dude because I was VERY surprised to see such a critter here in East Tennessee.  Florida yes, definitely, but not here.

Unless I can improve my reaction times, might need to consider a body camera or perhaps a Go Pro. These missed opportunities to get these cool sighting captured is a bummer.

I’m Not Squirreling Around

It’s a hot and humid one out there this morning folks, phew! Even this grey squirrel seems to have had enough, and it was only 11AM -

This one was pilfering the cats breakfast -

And he wasn’t too pleased about it either -

This one wasn’t hard to spot, LOUDLY gnawing on a hard walnut while trying to be inconspicuous, and looking down at me with that “what you look’n at brotato chip”, fail -

Another adventurous morning walk!

Carolina NOT Chinese

I spied this beauty making her way across the walking trail this morning -

I believe this is a female Carolina mantis, a native species to East Tennessee and which is a first for me!

I’m used to seeing the non-native, invasive Chinese mantis, which are also well established in East Tennessee.

 She blended in quite well with the dried mud. The walking trail is typically very busy on Saturday mornings, and today was no exception, so I picked her up and moved her out of harms way so no one would stepped on her.

The walking trail is full of all sorts of wildlife; I luv it!

Warning Toad Crossing

Well, there was a back up on the ole walking path this morning. Brought everyone and everything to a standstill too until it was cleared.

Yup, that’s it! You see it, right there in the center of that first picture -

An American Toad, but not just any American Toad, an American Toad carrying a juvenile stinkbug on its back -

Well, with that kinda clout, the toad crossing took precedence 🤣

He was a nice BIG fat toad too. Been eating well. Wonder if he has a handicapped license tag too??

Open-air Footwear

I’m a bit confused 🤔 

I’ve noticed many of the folks I pass when out walking, who are out walking themselves, wearing flip flops or sliders or sandals or something similar. Believe it or not, there was even this one dude who was actually jogging in sandals, no socks (sock with sandals is a whole different rant), I kid you not!

This seems super uncomfortable to me. Putter’n around the house, at the beach or pool I can see but walking any distance, especially running seems odd to me. However, full disclosure, I’m not a flip flop or sandal kinda guy so there’s that.

Just an observation that I find unusual.

Carry on.

Stay Hydrated

Here’s a creative and caring dog loving abutter to the walking trail I’ve been visiting!

A “Doggy Hydration Station” -

It’s always full and always crystal clear clean!

It was SO hot and humid the other day I contemplated taking a drink myself tongue 😜 

Hi Ho, Hi Ho…

Despite the humidity and downpours, I was still able to get seven days of walking in!

Here are the stats for the week, Monday to Sunday -

Disregard my laziness in May and June above.

Making up for it here in July!

Found a couple nice walking trails in Greeneville!

A Brisk Walk Today!

Despite it being a frigid 24 degrees today, I bundled up, braved the elements and got in a 2.7 mile walk this afternoon at the university -

I was so preoccupied when I first arrived, getting myself bundled up from the wind, that I failed to noticed these four ladies next to the pathway. By the time I got my gloves off and pulled my phone from my back pocket and unlocked it they were turning and runing off -

Displaying their namesake "white-tailed" tails as they pranced off, across the road and up the steep embankment towards the railroad tracks they went -

With all the open spaces and farmland available in this area, these girls seem to enjoy the city life of JC.

Keep Moving Folks!

Drum roll please...

Here are my 2024 walking breakdowns and totals, as captured by the app Strava -

194 walks

191 hours

706.6 miles walked

We're onto 2025!

I'm Gonna Air My Laundry...

I scored myself a like new 2 bushel Sterilite laundry basket on my walk this afternoon!

There is absolutely nothing wrong with it and it still had the tags on it.

The laundry basket I've been using is old, an unappealing brown color that matches nothing and one of the handles is broken, so the timing happens to be perfect, as I was going to be buying a new one soon.

I did feel a bit silly carrying this for over 2-miles to get it home but I didn't want to risk leaving it and hoping it would still be there when I returned with the car some 30 minutes later, so...

Merry Christmas to me!

Longest Walk Yet!

I helped a friend move some motorcycles around this past Saturday afternoon, which included grabbing lunch.  My friend is a fan of Burger King, so that's where we stopped.  Now, I am not a fan of these fast food places as they're really not good or healthy for you but I'm also not one to pass up a meal.  Since I also lack self control I grabbed a couple burgers🍔🍔.  However, and although I just stated my lack of control, I did muster up enough to stay away from the fries and onion rings. Yeah, small victories am I right?!

As punishment, and to try to rid myself of the guilt, I put in my longest walk (not run as indicated in the screen shot below) on Sunday morning, an invigorating and refreshing 6-mile jaunt in 27 degrees temps -

Alas, with the holidays here, and my love of eating, seems I just might be putting in more of these long treks!

A Tangled Looking Mess

Well, we finally got some rain today!

It's been almost or close to 2-months that we've gone without any measurable rainfall, so it's long overdue.

As a matter of fact, it's been so dry that Massachusetts has been under a "red flag" warning for quite some time now, with dozens of brush fires being fought throughout the state. We had a 12-acre brush fire here in Franklin, and not too far from me, just this past weekend!

It's so bad that the powers that be here in Franklin just yesterday issued a mandatory FULL water ban for the town effective immediately, which means no outside water use at all.

Today we finally got rain and it's been raining all day long.  So, since it's been a rainy and wet and dreary day today I decided to take a ride to the Natick Mall and get me daily steps there, inside.  The Natick Mall is quite large, so I was able to log 2.78 miles.

I use the app Strava to keep track of and log my route and distance.  I found the map it created today, showing my route, comical and not what it usually shows.  Seems the laps I did, as well as the stores I popped into, including bathroom breaks were all tracked in a very messy backwards L shape - 

Today's walk at the mall -

One of my typical walks mapped out nicely -

It's been a while since I've been to a mall, OMG!  More on this to come...

What's Going On Here?!

I took this picture yesterday, November 20th, on my late morning walk.

The weather has been unseasonably warm this fall, which may have something to do with the pictured rosebush sporting freshly opened blooms!

Yup, I kid you not, flowering roses, here in New England on the backend of November. 

They pop nicely with the brown backdrop.

You Can Call Me Forest (Gump)

Below is a screen shot from my walk (disregard the "Morning Run" reference in the screen shot) yesterday morning, a personal best distance at 5.20 miles, and marked my 47th day in a row of walking at least 3 miles each day!

As you can see my total miles walked the six days this past week is 29.76 miles!

Alas, now if I stopped eating like I have two assholes, I might even get to my target weight goal...

On A Roll!

Although, it's raining this morning, today will be my 36th day in a row that I have walked at least 3 miles.

I prefer early morning walks, again before all the shitheads stir and venture out and there are just SO many of them too!  It's so quiet and peaceful first thing, plus it's been so darn hot and humid that getting out before it heats up is a good thing.

A Great Sunday!

What an incredible day yesterday was weather wise, absolutely perfect!  It was made even better with an 131 mile motorcycle ride with friends and a delicious lunch curbside!

The weather was SO nice that I capped the afternoon off with a 3.37 mile afternoon walk (disregard the "run" reference in the screen shot below), see my route below - 

Ended the day with fresh sheets on the bed, a couple loads of laundry done, a nice relaxing shower and a bowl of cereal while watching Goliath on Prime Video.

#Blessed

Find The Critter

Can you find the critter in the above picture?

I came across her on my early morning walk today.  She let me get a bit closer than normal, as she was preoccupied with a dog that was in the fenced yard off to her left.

She seemed a bit confused on what way to go but eventually chose her only real option which was an about face.

I snapped these pics of her but in hindsight wish I hit the video button instead because you could clearly hear her clip-ity clops, much like a horse, as she ran down the center of the street and off into the wooded area in the distance.

SO cool and a big reason why I enjoy my early morning walks; getting to see this AND the human mutants haven't yet stirred and ventured out.

The stare down - 

Hi Ho Silver Away -

And away -

Dew, Dogs And Deer

My early morning weekend walks are the best!  So quiet and peaceful; an ideal time to go.

The lawns were covered in dew this morning.

I came across a couple different groups of deer; one pair who crossed the road in front of me as I approached and the second pair calmly keeping an eye on me from a distance as I walked by.  Oh, I saw you both standing statuesque trying to blend in.  You gotta get up earlier than that to fool me.

A handful of dog walkers, and their 4-legged companions, were out this morning too.

Well, Good Morning To You Both!

Early morning weekend walks are the best!

Getting up and out before all the assholes start to stir, so peaceful.

Plus, if you put your phone away and actually take in the walk, you just might start noticing things that you'd otherwise walk right past.  Like these two taking in the warmth of the morning sun.

Gosh, my iPhone 12 camera takes terrible pictures.  It's also possible, ever so slightly, that it's the camera operator that has the issues...