Finding balance

I'm still finding my balance in the new normal of current life. When work first slowed down, I thought for sure I'd be blogging more. But sitting still and focusing is not an easy trick after years of being on the move all day, every day. As a dog walker biking between customers, I had to optimize my schedule and routes for maximum efficiency and then hit each day at top speed, carrying enough food to fuel me, and planning enough break time to eat it.

As you might guess from the photo, this particular joyride happened a couple weeks ago, when mornings were still chilly enough for three layers and bandanas still kept my ears warm instead of transforming into face masks. Now daily temps are hitting 70 degrees and above, and I'm yearning evermore to be outdoors, not to mention how much I miss my canine customers. But I digress....

Even though the meager 13 mile ride fell far short of meeting my daily needs, it was still a thrill to peruse Tualatin Hills Nature Park again, a familiar haunt when my young adults were younger. One of them even rose in the ranks there over the course of several years from volunteer to intern to employee, teaching nature camps. I appreciated having the time to move slowly and behold with awe nature's art show. 

This 222 acre oasis of nature in the city is a slice of wooded paradise and home to an array of wildlife. I spied two fawns from this bridge, though they were faster on hoof than I on  camera. If you live in the Portland metro area, I highly recommend visiting, especially with children. You can even drive there and park your car if you don't want to bike or take the Max blue line, which has a stop right at the top of the trail, 158th & Merlo. Be sure to wear your cloth mask, as it can be a challenge to keep six foot social distancing on some trails.

Besides the awesome trails, twisting and towering trees, wildlife sightings, and nature center, what I appreciate about the nature park is its role in reminding us that humans do not own this earth, we share it. Moreover we have destroyed countless acres of woods like these to suit ourselves, ravaging animals' habitat in the process. While preserves like this one allow us to experience joy and inner peace, we are, as a species, out of balance with the natural world.

 

I leave you with these photos for enjoyment and inspiration, including a deer who graced me with her presence long enough to capture on camera on a previous visit, and a reading recommendation for an op-ed article discussing the relationship between our imbalance with nature and COVID-19.

Stop and smell the roses

With apologies for the misleading post title, I invite you to please enjoy these floral photos of spring (there aren't actually any photos of roses posted, and you couldn't smell them through your electronic device if you tried). Getting around carfree has brought me closer to nature, both physically and in the sense of deeper appreciation. Since I'm not cruising past nature inside a car at motor vehicle speeds, I more readily enjoy the sights, sounds, and even smells of nature. They fill my heart with love for Mother Earth, yet another reason why I love being carfree!

 

 

 

 

Keeping life in perspective

After the last joyride, I was excited to plan my next adventure. While Portland is noted for its extensive park system, Washington County boasts its own fabulous green spaces and trails. I settled on Rood Bridge Park, one of the largest, where I once visited years ago with extra time to spare between scheduled visits for two nearby customers. I mapped out a familiar route to get there and a longer route home, making certain to get enough pedaling mileage.

Once upon a time about a decade ago, biking 7 miles round trip to the library and back was cause for celebration. Nowadays if I don't bike at least 20 miles in a day, I have too much pent up energy to fall asleep at night. Between walking dogs and biking between customers, I am (or rather was) physically active 6-10 hours on any given day. My work leaves (or rather left) me happy, fulfilled, hungry, and exhausted by the end of the day, and always made for interesting exchanges at routine doctor check ups when asked if I exercise at least 20 minutes a day, three times a week.

😂😂😂

Once past the eerily deserted, caution-taped playground, Rood Bridge looked the same as I remembered. As much as I am worried about loss of income and sad about missing my canine and cat customers, I was delighted to have unlimited time to meander this segment of Rock Creek Trail, walking my bike through most of the woodsy areas, over protruding tree roots. The trees, as always, brought me solace. They stand firmly grounded while swaying with the breeze, inspiring me to do the same during these times of profound change.

The stillness of the pond, aside from oscillating ripples of raindrops and trailing streams behind swimming ducks, was also a source of peace and comfort, a reminder of being one with the earth, part of the great circle of life.

The beauty of nature around me or perhaps of me being contained within nature, reminded me to keep worry in proper perspective - in balance with gratitude for cherished memories, with hope for more joyful times ahead, and with acceptance and reverence for the here and now, taking each day is it comes. And so, with those inspired insights and serenity in my heart, I put foot to pedal and made my way home, renewed and ready to tackle the more mundane tasks of everyday life