Adjusting Some Colors

 It "came to my attention" that my wooden cage structure was probably an idea which should have been "communicated about" prior to my installation.  I got wind of this yesterday from a neighbor and realized I'd probably gone too far with my "flower-protection device" telling no one what I was up to.  I treat this poppy flower (to be) as a sort of scientific experiment, while I can see others here where I live see it more as a visual eye sore.  So, still, admittedly not wanting to give up my desire to protect this bud from the rabbit (or the squirrel), I decided to "uplift" the cage out of the garden to spray paint the bright pine wood frame a dark shade of gray.  I drove it to a nearby unpaved lot next to some woods to do it this morning.  I returned to the garden about 15 minutes later to re-insert the legs back into the ground.  It remains to be seen how this "remedy" will be seen relative to my attempt to be a bit more compliant here where I live!  One added thing I did yesterday was to repaint the American flag -- which someone else had painted earlier on a sheet of slate.  It had become quite faded.  That looks much better now.

 

Spring Color on the Bike Ride

 It's 2:23 AM.  Yesterday was a busy day at work followed by a 10 mile bike ride and the PT exercises.  On my ride (and at home after the ride) I took these pictures.  MapMyRun data for the bike ride yesterday is included here:

May 15th Bike Ride

 

Phlox 1/2 mile from home

 

Phlox subulata (Creeping Ground Phlox) 

 

Group Walk through Great Meadow Wildlife Preserve

This morning I used the app MapMyRun to record a walk with the Concord group.

 

 

This dog, whose name I missed, had a birthday today! 

 

 

It's hard to see them in this picture below, but we caught a glimps of several turtles sunning themselves on a log in the water.

 

 

 The larger picture (below)

We saw a blue heron (not visible in the center here).

Here is a closer view of the heron

 

A Peoney Blooms in the Garden

Last year there were 3 flowers,  Now there are 5.  I took a few pictures before my 10 mile bike ride after a 6.5 hour work day.  I seem to have misplaced my Garmin.  Hopefully it's in my work locker.  I relied on my bike's computer / odometer to do the 10.  Following my ride -- which went well leg-pain wise -- I did my first set 6 hamstring PT exercises.  That went well.  P = 3 to 4 during exercise.  Running is still not possible without Pain (P) going up to 8 or 9.  Working (at work) seems at this point to be "safely tolerable" with P = 3 to 4 most of the time.  I am getting better at not putting too much stress on the left hamstring.

 

Hidden Details

 

 

          Dogwood out my window in a late blooming stage

 

 

Dogwood flowers

 

 

Do you see it?

 

 

How about now?

 

 

 

There it is!

 

 

Coming more to life!

 

 

Many new seeds for the wind to carry!

 

 

 

11:12 AM

Pain level (P) was at about 3 before the walk.  It rose to about 4 during it and then subsided to 3 again near the end.  Lifting (the leg) is still going to be an issue I think during the recovery.  No idea how long it will all take but I may get some answers this afternoon.

 

About 3:00 pm 

 

 

I set my watch to "Cardio" mode before beginning my PT appointment today.  The above heart rate chart doesn't show a strenuous workout.  Casey worked on me and determined I don't have a serious "separation" of the hamstring ligament from the pelvis (near the tail bone).  This was good news.  Instead, she said the muscle itself has been aggravated and can be healed with regular exercises.  She wrote up an online plan which I will be following for what sounds like 6 weeks.  Each day, I'll be logging in to record time spent on each and comment on these 6 (so far) exercises.  She may add more or change some as needed.  Here are the exercises I'll be doing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5:56 pm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PT Begins Tomorrow!

Today I decided to "pick up where I left off" with my blog.  It's been years since I took pictures on the run.  And this is not to say I will now be running today or tomorrow with my camera!  Rather, I "begin" simply to keep my running story "alive," this time walking, or doing whatever is suggested to me in my first physical therapy appointment at 1:15 pm tomorrow.  About a month ago I pulled my left hamstring.  I was running fairly consistently and well -- even "placing" in my 70+ age group category in a few races late last year and early this year.  I think I was running 38 miles a week when it happened.  Not during a run, but while at work bending just the wrong way to aggravate an old (2007) injury.  It was a serious one back then.  That was 16 years ago.  I recall it took about 2 years for me to fully recover -- to a point where I could run fast again.  Speed and/or racing is not really my priority now.  It's simply to get back to some kind of "shape" to be able to enjoy the peace one gets from a good jog (or even a good walk for that matter).  This is a good place for me to re-start I think.  I will get more of a diagnosis tomorrow on what is going on with my leg.  I'd like to make my posting (here) more regular and to include things like Garmin GPS watch maps of my daily workouts.  I may add bike ride map data, too.  And, since the "nature" of the rebirth of this blog is to capture the nature along the way, I'll try to throw in a snowstorm or two or maybe a crocus in the snow, or a brilliant (orange?) flower this summer.  Either way, it is my hope I will one day be running again, without the pain I am now experiencing.  It may take months but I'm hopeful.  It may seem a bit obsessive to periodically report PAIN (p=#) LEVELS in my recovery as the weeks go by, but it may help me to see the progress.  I'm working a part time job now which does have some physical stress, but I've learned which ways not to bend in the last 2 weeks!  Possibly the physical therapy exercises with reduce the current P level.  It's now at about 4 and sometimes gets up to 6 or 7  

So, in this returning first entry for "PT Begins Tomorrow,"  I will include one picture.  It was taken a few days ago.

 

 

 

A little Buddhist statue next to a dead tree.  in front of a house about 1/10th of a mile from where I live. I checked the tree out and (yes) it is in heaven . . . but I see there is still life in a small bit of growth above the Buddah's head!