Labor Day with the Crayola Posse

I was moving pretty slowly after my long run on Sunday. Getting together with the folks to find a new mystery letter box was just the right idea for my Labor Day. We could put our thinking caps on, explore some ideas in the field and see what we could turn up as we visited and enjoying a sunny drive south.

We started in Mifflin County to check out how Toolman Luke was doing with the 1967 Corvair he has been polishing up since... well it feels like 1968 but I know it was really more like 1978. It is really coming together! Look for him and Maga11 at the Car Show in Carlisle at the end of the month!

Maga treated us to some beautiful muscadine and scupadine grapes to fortify us until we found a place that was open for lunch. Holiday weekend are more difficult but we wanted to leave our dining options open to what ever Juniata County through our way.

We drove south but no eagles were seen on our trip along the Juniata this time. We loved seeing our ancestor's grave stones in Thompsontown, Center and obscure places not mentioned on maps but know as locals as Texas Hollow and Up the Pinnacle and Muskrat Springs.

We stopped in Mexico for a break at the Mexico Market. Their hand dipped ice cream can't be beat. The "small" is a huge cone of multiple quality dips and the price is an amazing $1.00. Toolman Luke started off with a cone of raspberry and we had some sandwiches before our dessert.

We drove a short way to a Juniata River access near Buttonwood Campground. One of our old mystery letterbox was at this location but we removed it because it was totally water logged, a hole got ripped in the logbook baggy. It is so much fun to see the names who had puzzled out where it was since the logbook had been replaced in 2006. Last finders were exactly a year ago.

We enjoyed seeing white herons fly low on the river and look at the map with a lot of the Juniata access points, State Game Lands areas and camping areas. I saw the section of Lower Trail I had run the day before. I showed the folks where I ran from Alexandria/Water Street access past the Mt Etna access and back. A lovely 1/2 marathon along the dear Juniata.

Time for dessert, we went back to Mexico Market and were greeted by a bunch of chickens in the parking lot. They wandered around looking right at home. I found them to be a little intimidating.

We each chose a different flavor of ice cream. I got Cherry Vanilla, RGBisMe got Vanilla, Maga got Butter Pecan and Toolman got Chocolate this time. It was warm enough that driving anywhere with our melting treats would not be a good idea so we found some nearby picnic tables. It happened to be where the chickens had settled and they got all excited as we walked toward them.

RGBisMe got it into his head that the one chicken was asking for a lick off of his cone and bent down to offer it some. That chicken took such an agressive bite of icecream that his thumb cracked right through the cone with the force he had to use o hang onto it. Crazy man, crazy chickens.
We did have success with the letterbox. Toolman's knowledge of the surrounding area aced us a first find on a cute local letterbox. All of the pleasant conversation, mellow activity and good times allowed me to feel good enough this morning to take on a 4 mile recovery run. Thanks for the great Labor Day, Crayola Posse!

Thoughts from the Road - #907

The Third Mile

I am feeling well enough to pick up my pace a little. Having this be a nice short run, I can turn it on a bit.
Here comes that hill that never ends.
Mr. Golden Retriever man. He always has his old dog sit off in the grass as I pass. "Good Morning"
Down and through the tunnel. Glasses off for a bit. Meow, meow, meow. Glasses back on.
That stream is just beautiful right here. *takes out ear bud to hear the gurgling*
Glasses steamed up, oh well.
Here is where I saw that snapping turtle laying eggs.
Major uphill for the rest of this mile.
Good that car is going wide, they see me for certain. *wave to car coming toward*
CATA has a route in Penn Hills now, very cool.
Ha! Bus congregation, school bus makes CATA Bus wait.
Will this hill never end?
Push hard, eyes on the crest.
I like this song, make me want to pour it on.
There's that hammy again, I better ease up.
Move the toes around a bit on the little downhill.
Switch sides of the asphalt for the IT band.
Pound it out, bring it home.
*iPod says, "Three Miles Completed"*
"Thank You."

Thoughts from the Road - #906

The Second Mile

Finally getting in the groove, finally getting past the itchy transition to sweating.
I am loving this stretch of road. Look at these beautiful plants.
Ah... my neck finally cracked and my legs might not be quite a heavy as when I started.
I think this downhill should work that cramp out of my left foot. Time to wiggle those toes around and work through my whole foot.
Wow! A little heron just landed over there!
This is such a quite area, no one to be seen.
Here comes that hill. Should I bear down on it or just keep my eyes up? I don't mind hills like I used to and I know that they are good training. It makes my overall time better on flat courses.
I'm sweating now!
Sun is up for sure, glad I brought my sunglasses.
*iPod says, "Two miles completed."
Thank You.

Thoughts from the Road - #904

The First Mile

God, it's chilly out and my muscles are so stiff this morning.
Watch out for that pot hole.
I wish I could wake up. Stay loose and pace yourself, you're in it for the long haul.
Ok bunny, run off into the brush, trust me I am not chasing you.
Darn, I can still feel my sore hamstring.
I need to stop running on my toes, oh good - the downhill will force me to heel strike fr a little.
Oh cool, a baby deer with it's mom!
Mind the gravel, look both ways aaaand cross.
Ugh, uphill. Now I need to lean and onto the front of my feet.
Does this car see me? Yes. *waving thank you*
My legs are feeling like lead this morning. Maybe if the cats had let me sleep past 4AM I would feel lighter up this hill.
There are the crows on the roof tops. Oops, I spooked the Coopers and there they all go.
Augh! Stupid little white dog that I never see until the last minute. Glad I run on the road now and don't accidentally kick it anymore.
Am I going to fast? I don't think so. No, I was much farther along in this song before.
Oh boy, there is that lady with her twin Miniature Schnauzers. Yes, yes, bark all you want. I am getting by you as fast as I can.
My foot is starting to cramp and I am sweating. Shake it out, wipe it off.
Crest the little hill and level out.
What a nice view from up here.
*iPod says "One Mile Completed"*
Thank You.

2010 NYRR Women's Mini

Did I ever mention I slapped a high 5 with Kara Goucher as I crossed the start line in the 2010 NYRR Women's Mini? No? Well I did.

Kara Goucher runs the final few meters of the 2010 NYRR Women's Mini with Paula Radcliffe (Radcliffe's daughter Isla between). Both are sporting baby-bumps and due later this month.

Cats, Out to the World

Miles - zonked

Birbanto - snoozing

Mooch - never quite asleep if the boys are. "Why waste good time sleeping when I haz my freedom?" she asks.

Thoughts from the Road - #902

Since my long run ideally shouldn't exceed more than 1/3 my total weekly mileage, I find myself running some days back to back. I like days off to think and plan and on mornings when the cats have been demons the night before it is even more difficult to get moving. This was one of those mornings.

I was adding in another 4 miler today to help build my overall endurance. I thought I would mix it up a little by running to Branch Rd and cutting down to the new Café Lemont. I was trying to time it just right by getting started just after it was light enough but not get to the café before it opened. I added in one other little time table twist as to be able to grab a coffee and make it onto a bus to come home and shower as soon as possible.

I got off a little late so it was definitely light enough to enjoy watching the crows enjoy their morning in Sterns Crossing. No Coopers Hawk nor deer this morning however. The sprinklers were on in many lawns and on the soccer field near Houserville Elementary. More crows were enjoying the fields there.

As I approached Houserville Rd. I was extra vigilant looking for traffic, my iPod was a little too loud and this was one of the few places where I had to run with cars. All went well but I was surprised by an early morning biker emerging from the parking lot of Spring Creek Park. It was Jimmy-the-Eye!!

Get this, he was disappointed to see me! I popped out my earphone as I met up with him on the bike trail and he said he was trying to beat me. If you are a reader of this blog who really knows us, you may be as shocked as I was when I heard him say that. It was but a heartbeat of confusion for me because he finished the statement with, "... I wanted to surprise you by doing a chalk drawing on the trail up ahead of you."

What a treat to have my dear fellow with me even for a couple of minutes. We laughed and enjoyed the next 1/4 mile together before we kissed our hands and slapped them on each other's arms and nearly colliding. He went onward to work and I turned toward Lemont on the bike trail.

One reason I waited for the sun to come up was I wanted to take a couple of photos with our cell phone. It is of a cute little bandaid stencil I saw the day before on the same running route. It was painted on a crack in the bike trail on top of a hill. I added it to our Guerrilla Art blog and you can see the photos at this link.

Just one other person was on the trail and I passed this walker on the final approach to Branch Rd. My complete run was about 4.5 miles and I celebrated with some French Roast before jumping on the next bus home.

Walking the final bit on College Ave I got a close look at a new red hot air balloon that was enjoying the temperature of the morning. It had small flags dangling as decoration around it's lower third. The morning was filled with a lot of little treats and I was glad to have gotten my butt out the door.

Hurrah September!

September begins on the same day of the week as December every year, because there are 91 days separating September and December, which is a multiple of seven (the number of days in the week).

The scents of Autumn are creeping in as Summer draws to a close. Unlike the verdant smell of Spring, September is a mix of hot grapes on the vine, parched earth and late summer flowers like the honey scented butterfly bushes.

Students and teachers are back in school. My morning runs are again treated to friendly waves from kids on school buses. My afternoons are a bit more free when I treat myself to a few rounds of DDR. Only homeschooled kids are waiting for their turn or asking to double up with me until after 3PM. Their demeanor and conversations are always engaging.

First harvests have passed with Lughnasad and Mabon's second harvests are quickly approaching. My first name reflects that of the reaper. I have sown over 300 miles this year and hope to reap a 1/2 marathon in a month. What will you aim to reap this year?

Hot Time, Summer in the City

A trip to NYC in August. It wasn't as hot as you might think. We had a mellow visit and a super yummy meal.

A break 1/2 way to the city.

A little bridge on the way.

Tobyhanna Falls.

A picnic near the falls.

When you are famous and live in NYC, you have personal Pez designed after you.

City cat.

Harry's, al fresco.

Beautiful summer meal.

Central Park, Strawberry Fields.

Upper East Side near the Guggenheim.

The Grange Fair (Centre Co. Burning Man)

Throngs of individuals are drawn together annually in Centre Hall not so much for creative expression but still one last hurrah of summer. Rather than make the trip to The Burning Man this year, we opted for a local venue.

Just like @ Burning Man, there are many creative dwellings. Some reflect the starry skies, each show individual personalities.

Walking down the esplanade mixing in anonymously is a little more challenging for some.

Merchants show off their wares.

Deities and religious icons make regular appearances.

A large variety of food vendors .

Even drugs of all kinds, be wise and wary.

This charming couple chose wisely, no deep fried cookies on a stick for them.

Plenty of things to bring a genuine smile...

...again and again.

Innovative transportation to inspire you to take the experience home with you and carry you through out the rest of the year.

Full Sturgeon Moon

Full moon names date back to Native Americans, of what is now the northern and eastern United States. The tribes kept track of the seasons by giving distinctive names to each recurring full moon. Their names were applied to the entire month in which each occurred. There was some variation in the moon names, but in general, the same ones were current throughout the Algonquin tribes from New England to Lake Superior.

European settlers followed that custom and created some of their own names. Since the lunar month is only 29 days long on the average, the full Moon dates shift from year to year.

The fishing tribes are given credit for the naming of this month’s moon, since sturgeon, a large fish of the Great Lakes and other major bodies of water, were most readily caught during this month.

A few tribes knew it as the Full Red Moon because, as the moon rises, it appears reddish through any sultry haze. It was also called the Green Corn Moon
or Grain Moon.

Fun with the El Seez

This Land is Your Land

words and music by Woody Guthrie

Chorus:
This land is your land, this land is my land
From California, to the New York Island
From the redwood forest, to the gulf stream waters
This land was made for you and me

As I was walking a ribbon of highway
I saw above me an endless skyway
I saw below me a golden valley
This land was made for you and me

Chorus

I've roamed and rambled and I've followed my footsteps
To the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts
And all around me a voice was sounding
This land was made for you and me

Chorus

The sun comes shining as I was strolling
The wheat fields waving and the dust clouds rolling
The fog was lifting a voice come chanting
This land was made for you and me

Chorus

As I was walkin' - I saw a sign there
And that sign said - no tress passin'
But on the other side .... it didn't say nothin!
Now that side was made for you and me!

Chorus

In the squares of the city - In the shadow of the steeple
Near the relief office - I see my people
And some are grumblin' and some are wonderin'
If this land's still made for you and me.

Chorus (2x)

©1956 (renewed 1984), 1958 (renewed 1986) and 1970 TRO-Ludlow Music, Inc. (
BMI)

Now I Walk in Beauty

Now I walk in beauty
Beauty is before me
Beauty is behind me
Above me and below me
Around me and within me.


Now I walk in beauty
Beauty is before me
Beauty is behind me
Above me and below me
Around me and within me.


Now I walk in beauty
Beauty is before me
Beauty is behind me
Above me and below me
Around me and within me.


Now I walk in beauty
Beauty is before me
Beauty is behind me
Above me and below me
Around me and within me.


Now I walk in beauty
Beauty is before me
Beauty is behind me
Above me and below me
Around me and within me.


Now I walk in beauty
Beauty is before me
Beauty is behind me
Above me and below me
Around me and within me.

Miles and Bags!

Birbanto is blogging about his friend Miles. Check out Miles' thing for bags.

Why I Speak Up

It certainly isn't because I am a bold person that I will speak out against something. I find myself shaking in my trainers as I gather confidence to speak up when I witness injustice. It's seemingly easier to just turn away but the mental images and consequences of doing so usually plague me much more than just swallowing hard and continually being labeled as a crabby person, a bitch.

I see many turn a blind eye to things they know aren't right. Sometimes it's because they are experiencing a bit of personal gain until the wrong is righted. They see no reason to speak up if it isn't hurting them. Like testing a candy machine whose handle might be broken and doesn't require a coin, they will give it another twist each time they walk by to see what they might get for free. If it's broken, it's a rare person to take the free candy to the service department and let them know the machine needs attention. Who is the winner; one who gets free candy or the person who reports it? Who is the loser; the candy eater or the reporter who has someone jeer at them, "Why d'ja go and do that!?"

I found myself in a situation of overhearing a situation similar to the broken candy machine. The people it had to be reported to were actually the ones who were enjoying the "free candy." I wondered if I should keep quiet all together. That would allow them to continue to unjustly tap into something that was not theirs to take. I knew I would not be met with any thanks for bringing it to their attention. They already knew and were glad for the unearned bonus. I would be the bitch, again. I was the bitch, again.

The thing they were most disturbed by was wanting to know exactly how I found out. They wanted to know how the information leaked out, who spoiled the fun, who squealed. Silence was my response and it all had me asking myself, "What benefit would come to sharing how I found out? What good would come to those whom I had overheard talking about the 'free stuff'?"

The one thing that finally came to mind and has stuck with me were some words I had once read on how it's easier to remain silent but how it benefits no one in the long run.


In Germany they first came for the Communists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant.

Then they came for me —
and by that time no one was left to speak up.

-Pastor Martin Niemöller

Thank you to those who speak up, even against groups they are benefiting from. Hopefully you will never be alone and that many will in turn speak up for you and your rights.

The Nissan Division...

... of the heat shield sculpture garden being maintained by RGBisMe!


Overlooking the western end of the ever expanding heat shield sculpture garden. The new Armadillo Belly is in the photo between my feet and the camera.

nom nom nom

Mom groundhog noms up one of the apples that aren't quite ripe enough for us hoomans.

Why Aren't You My "Friend?"

Much to the shock of many, I am actually an introverted person. I sometimes push myself out of my comfort zone by initiating conversations, attending or organizing group functions. To the many who only know me as an outgoing or even boisterous person, it is false bravado on my part. They are my over compensating tactics to keep me from crawling into a corner to hide.

I am a also mostly a private person; my blogging and use of social networks started as a way to keep my family connected with what I had been up to. Sharing photos online appeals to my cheapskate and time saving self. Taking time to write out my thoughts allows me to get the words that I want down properly even if there are misspellings and grammatical errors. Posting at my pace felt like I wasn't bombarding anyone via email nor failing to keep on a schedule like a regular newsletter. I talk to very few people I know via telephone. Yes, I have held many jobs and volunteer positions where people call me for information but for me to call someone for a personal reason takes a lot of psyching myself up. For all of these reasons the Internet seemed like a good place to put out information for family and close friends to catch up with me at their leisure.

Social networks are abused in many ways. For those of you that don't read After Image here is a great compilation of the topic compiled last October. I have been spotted on the street by people whom I haven't met. I have been recognized because they were avid readers of my blog. Thank goodness we had also exchanged extensive emails and I had a pretty good sense that they were very decent people when they sent me an email saying they had seen me on campus.

It has been odd to have people whom I know little about comment to me in person on topics that only my my posts cover and I had not yet shared with them as individuals. I tell myself that I have nothing to hide from the world so it's fine.

The real drawbacks for me started when rude and abrasive comments were made on this blog. I decided to moderate what could be posted. Although it would be clear to any reader that some people who disagreed with my posts had no decorum in handling their opposing opinions I also knew it could upset my family to read them at all. I really didn't think it was appropriate to encourage smart aleck responses that just foster ill feelings. I have probably only deleted a handful of comments on this blog and my Facebook account but each decision made me lose hours and hours of sleep.

I also decided to modify some settings on Facebook. I was being approached by many people with whom I had no desire to (re)connect with so I amended my privacy settings. I was reading very upsetting barbs as comments to myself, family and friends so I found how to "block" them. Facebook still keeps changing how it is set up and I constantly must make certain I am aware to update my settings.

I was also realizing that some contacts (Facebook calls them "friends") were posting things about themselves that I didn't really want to know or see. I added filters so I wouldn't see what online games they were engaged in, hunting photos of deer carcasses they were proud of or religious anthems they wanted to post.

One terribly misogynist comment on how my one contact was manipulating women at his place of business made me decide that maybe I didn't want to be connected with him even peripherally. This made me realize that I had probably added contacts more as a collection of people I know or knew at one time. I had lost the focus of connecting with family and close friends with whom I rarely get to visit. I got rid of my Twitter account at that point.

Every time I post a photo on Facebook I have to filter who can see it. Believe it or not, my family has some semi-celebrity people in it and in some circles they have stalkers. Allowing "friends of friends" to see tagged photos of family gatherings is not an option.

At the point I had to set up categories of contacts so they would filter properly is where I started to draw the line. I hated to have to make a judgment call as to whom I trusted to see certain photos or posts. I found myself wondering if I knew someone well enough not to casually mention when I was going out of town within earshot of random people and just started eliminating contacts over the months. I eliminated people whom I didn't know well enough or had showed less discretion in conversations I had with them. This process is subjective and is also intuitive.

Where some people see social networking as a tool to generate topics for what to talk about in face to face conversations, I have always been stupidly shocked that someone knows private things about me that I have forgotten I have posted on the Internet. I find that I have a feeling of mental vertigo in situations like this because I can not remember sharing the information with someone who is (out of context and without frame of reference) trying to connect with me.



It surprised me when it caused misunderstandings with a few people who felt they had done something to be disconnected. My explanation of using the social network differently appeased all but two people. The one could not understand why I did not want to reconnect with them after 20 years and the other equates eliminating a contact with eliminating friendship. Both admitted to wanting to know what I was up to. It felt stalker-esque from the international contact but just silly from the local one. I refuse to be pressed to justify my choices but the ripples of discontent they have cast have me considering Facebook Suicide.

A very kind woman I know lent me a book on understanding various personality types. I wasn't able to give it as much attention as I wanted to but it drew to my attention to an aspect of myself I hadn't really examined before. I am going to try to stay aware and hope I will be able to find a balance between not participating in things at all and entrenching myself so deeply that I can't get out gracefully. I think the trick is going to be looking very carefully at prospects, situations and even potential friendships before committing to them and being cautious about my enthusiasm levels. With any luck, I will find some middle ground well before I get to the point of having to ditch projects completely while hurting or disappointing myself and others in the process.