Weekend meanderings

It's been a glorious autumn Sunday after the gloomiest, rainiest Saturday of the century. Yesterday I didn't want to go anywhere because of the hassle of dealing with rain gear, umbrellas, and not wanting to slip in a puddle and risk further wrenching of my delicate left knee that is showing signs of improvement. Today on the other hand, I haven't wanted to be inside at all. The fall colors are at their peak here, if not a day or 2 past prime; driving along my usual routes feels surreal with trees so intensely hued that the leaves appear liquid in the sunlight.

I took a walk at Ridley Creek State Park, the same place I took pictures in late September and posted. The colors and light have changed in 30 days, and so I decided to take a new round of photos to show off this beautiful resource just up the road a piece. My pictures don't reveal some of the vivid reds and oranges that I saw with my eyes...my simple camera has limits that I guess can't quite filter light to capture the brilliance of each and every jewel tone.












I'm a lucky duck to live in a region that affords 4 distinct seasons each year. I grew up in Florida where the only season was hot. Sometimes hot and humid. For a day or 2 each winter it might drop to mild, but palm trees and cacti don't change colors in the fall! I'd see pictures of Autumn in magazines and yearn to be near such explosion of color. Now I'm in its midst and loving it.

On the food and exercise front, my eating has been good this weekend. Last night (of the rainy day) the binge monster was poking around my psyche, but there was absolutely not one thing upon which to binge my brains out. Nuttin' honey (including no Nuts'N'Honey)! And I wasn't going to brave the dark monsoon raging outside to bring in "supplies". That felt like an answer to prayer, by the way. So I fell asleep and woke up with another clean day. Gosh, that feels good. It's a lot easier to clear the house of all contraband when one is home alone. But it also gets real old after several days. Hubby returns late Monday night from his Chicago junket and I'll be tickled pink to have him back.

I walked about 3 miles both weekend days and am glad to report my knee is improving. Not perfect, but much better. One thing - when you injure a body part in your 50s, you heal a LOT slower than when you were a sweet young thing in your 40s and less. Take heed young bloggers - stay on this journey to fitness, wellness and strength now while your estrogen is still percolating! That strength will serve you well when your ovaries are gasping their last breath. Strong muscles help support osteopenic bones. I'm fortunate that my bone density scan reveals that so far I have almost no bone thinning or loss. I've added a lot of muscle mass and strength just since June, which is wonderful. But it would have been good to emerge from menopause already strengthened. No regrets - I'm doing it now. But if my experience in this can't be a cautionary tale, what good is being 56?!? If I only knew then what I know now=D!