October 22, 2013
| Monday’s High | 70 | ||
| Monday’s Low | 36 | ||
| Days in Las Cruces | 120 | ||
| Steps/Miles walked Monday | 11,091 | 5.5 | |
| Steps/Miles walked | 959,848 | 479.9 |
The hills are alive with the… ahem, yes, good morning everyone! Maria Von Trap was an Austrian. I don’t know if she ever really sang that song or even one like it. But as one who lived so near the mountains, I’m sure at some point in her life she imagined that the hills and mountains were indeed alive with music.
Each morning, as I walk our girls, I look up at the Organ Mountains to the east. I see them dark and shadowed, backed by the peach light of the rising sun. So many times, the sun has not yet crested their peaks, and they look like stark cut outs imposed on a two toned peach and gentian sky. There is a sort of music I can hear way down here in the Mesilla Valley, wafting down on the breeze from their majestic slopes.
This morning, Nikki woke me a little early, 5:53 am, to be precise. I coerced her to return to sleep, but by 6:15 she could no longer be kept down, so I dragged myself out of bed, stumbled across the house for my morning ritual, then returned to the bedroom and dressed. By 6:25 we were on the road, the two girls and I.
I swore, after leaving the dog green, that I would not do a long walk today. My legs were feeling weary, and I just didn’t want to do our daily long walk. But, minutes later, drawing abreast of our house, I followed the girls lead, and continued on north.
Arriving at the corner of Happy Trails Drive and Good Times Drive, we turned left, walked down to Happy Trails North, where Mudder & Pops live, then turned right and walked up that street. Where Happy Trails North curves to the east and crosses Happy Trails Drive, I intended to turn on to Happy Trails and go home. But instead, I gave in to the girls and continued into the undeveloped zone.
I realized as I did that, in a way, I have become addicted to walking. I really enjoy walking, even when the legs are weary. Even in the chill of morning, there is something exhilarating in walking.
As often happens on these walks, having determined to continue on until the girls showed signs of flagging, my mind turned to fantasy. I have this fantasy, always present, of making some form of long walk. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve laid out walks across country. Of course, I’ve never set out on one. There is always something more important to do; take care of Mom, take care of Dad, this or that job.
And of course, there’s Scott and my girls. How could I leave them?
But, my current daydream (ha! you know I have to walk, daily, past Day Dreamer Drive, right?) is to set out, just after Christmas, and walk cross country to California, for a visit to my brother in Orange County… essentially, from Las Cruces to the ocean.
And there, as I imagined my daily routine of walking 30 miles to get there in just over a month (could I sustain 30 miles per day? I doubt it. But, maybe 20!) miss Ixchel decided it was time to be a puppy again, and went insane, virtually attacking Nikki in her burst of hyperactive bouncing. Nikki pulled back, looking at Ixchel, totally taken aback by this bizarre behavior. As Ixchel continued to bounce at Nikki’s face and nip at her ear, Nikki sat down, reached out a paw and swatted Ixchel!
Ah well, I’ll continue my dream tomorrow!
Daily Gratitude
Today, I am grateful for that sound of music resounding down the slopes of the Organs and into the shallow grounds here along the Rio Grande. I’m thankful for the Glory of God made manifest in God’s creation!
Prayer Intention
“O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.” — Psalm 8:1
This week’s prayer intention, once again drawn from my tiles, is “Mountain Highs”. Hmmm.
A couple weeks back, my intention was Mountain LOWS… those times in our lives when things seem dreariest. Often I turn to God when things look bleak. How often do I turn to God, when things are looking up?
And the truth is, even today, with no job, and no prospect for one (haven’t seen todays want-ads, though) it is still easy to think of “Mountain Highs”.
All I have to do is look at the glory of God’s Creation about me, look at the beautiful man sitting next me, and at the calming, precious little fur-lives curled between us to know God’s glory!
I love looking at the stars at night; last night’s nearly full moon; the spill of the Milky Way arching its way overhead, and how can one not tune into God’s Glory. These sights, as well as those in the previous paragraph, never cease to swell my heart to near breaking.
I cry at the drop of a hat, it seems, and so often it isn’t the sad that induces tears, but instead the direct experience of the love of God!
Mountain Highs indeed!
On The Road II 