Spring is ALMOST here, if not quite settled in. Today I planted my herbs in their twelve little clay pots that are now perfectly positioned in my kitchen window (on the three shelves that DH built across the window) to catch the morning sun. THEN, DH & I put on our walking duds and headed over to the reservoir to do a conservative half-hour to start - not wanting to overdo our first time out. The picture above was taken from the walking trail - quite far down into the woods where it’s not so sunshiny and there’s still a thin layer of snow that hasn’t quite managed to melt away yet. It’s a lovely day, though - forty-ish, I think, but the sun is bright and VERY cheerful after this rotten winter we’ve had.

So, as I said, the plan was to do a short walk just to get ourselves started. We’d been on the track for about fifteen minutes when we encountered a very friendly and talkative women, probably in her seventies - and late seventies at that - but slender, agile, and very familiar with all the little paths and tracks around the water and along the river. She walks there, she says, four or five times a week, weather permitting. Before we knew it, she was leading us down a rather isolated, and in spots overgrown and in other spots pretty boggy and muddy - trail, pointing out pussy willow bushes (which were blooming quite wonderfully), a huge beaver dam, and finally, a causeway that she was quite annoyed about because it had been fenced in, and in all her years of walking there, she’d always been able to walk right up to the rocks and put her hand in the water. Needless to say, she kept us moving far longer than we’d planned, but we hardly noticed because of the animated conversation; turned out that she and her husband (he passed away several years ago) has spent some time in my old hometown - Little Compton, Rhode Island - and found it enchanting, and she knew so much about the history of the reservoir - well, before we knew it, another hour had passed, and we finally parted company with Jo (Josephine, called “Jo” by her friends) and returned to our car, after expressing the hope that we’d meet up again next Sunday, same place, same time.

How lovely to find such people on our paths, isn’t it? I did suggest that she might want to consider starting a new career as a personal trainer…but considering how badly both DH and I have needed a good swift kick in the rear to get us moving, I’ve got to think that the universe sent us that (thoroughly enjoyable) kick in the persona of Miss Jo.

We shall no doubt feel the ache of having pushed and stretched those stagnant muscles and bones of ours tonight, but it’s worth it, I believe. We have made a pact to gently push each other when we are lagging in enthusiasm…and maybe not so gently if need be.

Then home for a late lunch - a 60-calorie pita stuffed with cucumber sliced paper-thin, two slices of deli ham and 1 slice of my “pretend” soy cheese - all flavored with a thin coating of lite Miracle Whip. 195 calories total for lunch, and it was very satisfying. I’m developing a craving suddenly, for cucumbers and tomatoes. Must have something to do with spring…anyway, that was our only cuke, so I guess I’ll stop at the market on my way home from work tomorrow and stock up. I’m thinking a tomato & cuke sandwich on pita bread for lunch at work. I’ll just bring the ingredients in separate plastic baggies and make the sandwich there. Otherwise, it would be a soggy mess when lunchtime came around.

I’m doing a pork roast, baked sweet potatoes, spinach and simmered apples and raisins for dinner tonight. I’ll have to get the roast in the oven before long.

Now, I’m going to luxuriate in my big chair and read for awhile.

Happy Sunday, one and all!

Hugs,

Z