Cool Bloggers Walking Club: Week #3

No snow – at least in my part of the world – this week. That feels like progress! (Week 1. Week 2.)

ELISABETH’S WALKS

Distance | Company | FIG*

*FIG = a Finding Joy in Gratitude moment

• 15 – 7.5 km | John | The sun was shining and there were flowers – colourful, happy signs of spring.
• 16 – 4.22 km | John | My FIG for this walk was John. We had great conversation and he helped me think through a work conundrum.
• 17 – 4.08 km | John + Indy | We enjoyed a leisurely trail walk together. I was thankful for the headband protecting my ears from the chilly wind.
• 18 – 5.05 km | Whole family | We walked a familiar route and kept things interesting by doing word games like 20 Questions. I was thankful that Belle likes to guess, as I prefer to come up with the person/place/thing. It made the time go quickly and the kids were happily engaged.
• 19 – 1.03 km | John | It’s spring cleanup, which means any large items people are looking to get rid of are placed at the end of their driveways. It’s a GREAT time to find things to repurpose and many things get a new home instead of ending up at the dump. Indy and some of his friends found a car seat that they then taped/nailed/tied to a skateboard to create a surprisingly robust “go cart”. They spent hours building this thing.
• 20 – 0.96 km | John | I wasn’t having a very good day emotionally, so my FIG was the incentive to get outside for a walk. I debated skipping it, but am glad I kept the streak going.
• 21 – 6.04 km | John | We returned an item to a friend and then went to the advance polling station to cast our votes for the upcoming federal election. I am thankful for democracy, for peaceful politics in Canada, and for the fact that regardless of the outcome, there will be a seamless and respectful transfer of power.  

AROUND THE BLOGO(SPHERE)

• Nicole and Rex celebrated the beautiful spring weather with more walks outside, including a trek by their local beaver dam.
• Tobia is fortunate to live close to a nature reserve which provides a nesting ground for all sorts of birds, frogs, and insects. She also snapped a photo of a blooming tree near to her house: “The fragrance hangs in the air and it is just so wonderful coming around a bend and smelling it before you see the beauty. Lots of the trees are bird cherries (prunus padus) and black locust (robinia pseudoacacia).”
• Even though she captured this photo on a walk several years ago, I’m still going to crown Ernie the winner for the most unusual sighting this week – a woman walking a cockatoo (?) on her arm! Back in the present, a weekend basketball tournament saw her relegated to walks in parking lots (gold stars for persevering in less-than-scenic areas). Inspired by her example, another family on the basketball team came out to join her! The final two pictures are from the courtyard of her parents’ home where she and the children from her daycare ventured to see the resident nesting duck.
• mbmom11 captured gorgeous photos of flowering plants and trees this week. “These pictures are from my yard – coming home from my walks. A crabapple in glorious full bloom, an apple tree shyly opening up its first flowers (maybe I’ll get more than one apple off it this year!), and a redbud bursting open.” She went on to mention that her current day’s walk was “…inside the grocery store navigating through the holiday crowds – definitely my least scenic trek!”

• Melissa’s summary of her first half of the CBWC includes a step count for each day along with some very sweet pictures of Riley, her dog.
• Engie and Hannah had, as expected, oodles of walks this week. Highlights included spotting deer and chewing sticks (admittedly, the latter was mostly a highlight for Hannah).
• Sabine was walking in Germany while visiting family for the Easter weekend. “I took a nice walk with my father (in a region with a lot of canola fields) and spent some time doing work outside (planting new fruit trees).” She also walked by a traditional Easter fire (Osterfeuer).
• Lisa spotted a wild turkey one day on a walk in her neighbourhood (hopefully said turkey escaped an appearance on any Easter dinner table).
• Diane saw tulips, kites stuck in a tree, cherry blossoms, bike sculptures and so much more in her walks this week.
• Alexandra walked over 32 km…and spent an inordinate amount of time waiting in line to vote. (Gold stars for doing your part to support our democracy!)

Your turn.

• Did anyone else come across an Easter fire this week? I volunteered with someone on the weekend who goes to a beach every Easter; I didn’t think to ask if they build a bonfire.
• What’s the strangest animal you’ve ever seen out for a walk with their owner?
• Do you live in a country with mandatory voting? (Canada does not…but we’ve shattered turnout records so far in this election.)