Me and my shadow, puddle dodging and serendipity

 - As so often happens, I had company on my Saturday morning walk at the Greenway Trail, but on Sunday, I walked alone, which is just as nice, as I enjoy listening to music while I walk, too.  And the Green Day song "I Walk Alone" even came on the iPod.  Love that line "My shadow's the only one that walks beside me" - and it was true on this morning.  Click to enlarge the photo and you can spot another solitary walker framed on the little bridge in the distance.

 - Lots of puddle dodging because of the hard rains from the the late afternoon and night before.  I noticed I had mud splatters on my ankles when I got home, which made me feel like a serious walker.  :)

- The Ladybugs Garden Club maintains the flower beds and sets out these Ladybug painted rocks around.  People seem to move them around or even take them, but there always seem to be more placed here and there.  Part of the beautiful serendipity of this park.

Surveyor, down by the water and Georgian

Taken with iPhone

- An early morning walk around Cherokee Lake in Thomasville, Georgia on Sunday morning. There were a few quiet walkers at 7:00am, as well as this guy, who found an awesome perch on a skinny stump.

- In perfect choreography, "Down by the Water" by The Decemberists comes up on my iPod just as I set off around the lake.

- A couple, strolling with their dog, slows down to let me pass. The woman asks, "Are you Georgian?" I tell her I am, but just visiting that part of Georgia for the weekend. They are from upstate New York and visiting their daughter, who has just given birth. They like Thomasville well enough to be thinking of moving there. There is serious humidity this particular morning, so that's saying something. :)

Rainbow connection, pink ribbon and piney

- This is one of my favorite songs sung by Sarah McLachlan (originally sung by Kermit the Frog), and I love how my iPod (on shuffle) produced it at the end of my workout yesterday as I was slowing down at the end to finish with a stretch.

- A pink ribbon, no doubt from a weekend party, floats on a sudden breeze across the park and lands by the side of the creek.

- The smell of pine in the air from a fallen pine tree.

Happy Solstice, Happy Summer!

Floral popcorn, alternate toy and walking music

- The last of the azaleas. I always forget the name of those white ones there - I think they look like popcorn balls.

- My client's dog, Scout, runs off after the initial excitement of my arrival and returns with a red oven mitt - perfectly slobbery. He settles down to chew. The client looks resigned; Scout looks happy.

- A walk in the park after work, listening to music as usual. Another client comes trotting up from behind, panting. She's been calling my name and sees why I didn't hear - I was listening to my ipod. Led Zeppelin, for old times sake. :)

Living on in film, Forget You and sofa time

- A still from my favorite Elizabeth Taylor film, "Father of the Bride." I've watched this one over and over. She was only 17 years old when it was filmed.

- In my quest for good walking songs for my ipod, friend Becca suggests Cee Lo Green's "Forget You" - saying, "I could listen to this song all day and never get tired of dancing in my chair..." Ha! It made me do that a little, too. :)

- And not getting my walk yesterday due to logistics, pharmacy hours, pollen count and general laziness. Just settling on the sofa at 6pm wasn't bad either.

Pansies, rhythmic music and knackered

- A late afternoon view of the pansies my neighbor planted last fall. They withstood snow and ice and bounced back every time, cheerfully presenting their colorful faces to passersby. She will be putting out spring flowers soon and I will miss these guys.

- Having an after work walk in an office park near my house where there is a lake in the middle with a path around it. I have loaded up my ipod with all new music that I think would be good to walk to. The best rhythmic song turns out to be "Word Up" by Cameo.

- Learning a new expression from my friend who has an English background: Knackered. She said, "You must be knackered!" in an email. I replied that I probably am, but don't know what that means. Turns out "Knackered is exhausted...English expression. It's about as tired as you can get." I adore that word and will use it all the time now. Thanks friend!

If y'all have any suggestions for good walking songs, I'm an itunes downloading fool right now. Love those 80s songs like "Word Up" and David Bowie's "Let's Dance". That kind of thing. Have a great weekend, my friends!