Thursday, August 4, 2022

A Full Cup


There's the catch phrase "my cup runneth over," and I can relate (in a very good way).

It's been a busy summer, and I know it's far from over (at least in my world). There's been plenty of fitness, lots of fun, numerous beautiful sunrises to witness and some great milestones achieved.

Also, given the time of the month, it's a perfect time to gather, grab some coffee (or any beverage of choice) and have a gab session. I'm game...are you?

Shall we start?

First off, if we were gathered together, I'd tell you how the month of July played out. Even though I had three races (the Sully Freedom Fun Run 5K, the Midnight Madness 10K, and the Clive Running Festival 5K), my running mileage tanked a bit. The walking did well, though. And, can we talk about biking? Yowza, I didn't get a chance to look through my archives, but July 2022 was one of my biggest biking months ever (if not the biggest in my biking history). With all those miles in the saddle, a few less miles in the running shoes is A-Okay with me. Absolutely no regrets. 


Next, if we were gathered together, I'd have to elaborate on the biking topic for a few additional seconds and show you the evidence. I don't wear clip-in biking shoes (sorry, not sorry, but that ain't gonna happen). Instead, I wear Chacos hiking sandals, which are great for gripping the "teeth" of the pedals...and I have the tan lines to prove it. Chic, huh!


Also, if we were gathered together, I'd continue with the theme of biking (well, sort of) and tell you about all the mulberries I've seen along the bike trails! Normally, their season is for a few weeks, in late June through early/mid-July. This year, though, I'm still seeing trees in full "fruiting" states of harvest. We had a mulberry tree, when we lived in Michigan, so I have a huge fondness for these sweet berries. 


Another thing, if we were gathered together, I'd show you a current pic of my orchid. Remember this little baby? My son had given it to me for my birthday last year (in March 2021). The blossoms had remained in bloom through most of the summer. A couple months later, I noticed new shoots growing off the three main stems, and all the shoots had buds on them. Those buds bloomed in January and February, and the last of the blossoms finally dropped about a month ago. Imagine my surprise to notice two new shoots coming to life this past week! This is the first orchid I've had that has re-bloomed...and to have it be blooming again is pretty incredible. I'd like to give credit to my green thumb, but it's probably its location in the sunlight that is working all the magic.


Finally, if we were gathered together, I'd have to give a a nod to my hair. This is the longest I've let it get in a long time, and it's not driving me crazy (like it usually does once it gets below shoulder-length). For someone who is constantly changing their 'do every few months (when I'm getting the requisite highlights and cut), this is a huge effort in patience. I'm not sure how much longer I'll let it get, but if it ain't broke...


Anyways, I think I've gabbed enough, so I'll step back and let someone else have the floor. 

What would you want to share, if we were gathered together? Was July good to you? Ever seen a mulberry tree, or eaten the berries? Any obnoxious tan lines that you care to disclose? How often do you change your hairdo?

 Since it's the first weekend of the month, I'm linking this with Deborah and Coco for the Ultimate Coffee Date.



I'm also linking this with MichelleReneeDarleneJenn and Zenaida for the Fit Five Friday Link-up.


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23 comments:

  1. Congrats on all those biking miles. I still can't get over you wearing sandals on the bike, though!

    My hair is getting longer too--and like you it's not driving me crazy. i have some new hair products that keep it smooth, so we'll see how things go.

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    1. Yes, the sandals are the way to go. These grip the pedals well with their thick hiking treads, and there's no risk of crashing from the "un-clipping" issue. I'm all about the peace of mind ;-)

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  2. Once I started clipping in, I never went back. I found I had a much more even pedal stroke. But hey whatever works for you! My running mileage went down this month too. This heat is killing me!

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    1. The heat isn't a huge issue for me, but I have been biking so much that I haven't had as much time for running. Also, my legs are getting enough work on the wheels, they don't need the excess mileage from the running shoes (at least that's what I'm telling myself, LOL).

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  3. Yup got tan lines from my skirt and tank...

    My summer miles are low too... they will return in the full or not.

    My hair is a mess in the summer (curly!!) so I leave it longer to braid (still color and trim) until fall.

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    1. I also have what Barb calls a "skunk stripe" down the middle of my back from all of my running and biking tanks ;-) That's really attractive!

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  4. I don't think I've ever tasted mulberries. They kind of look like blackberries- do they taste like blackberries?
    Ugh, tan lines- I've been wearing running shoes all the time because it makes my foot feel better, so I have very distinct running shoes tan lines. Usually I wear sandals enough to counteract that, but not this summer. SIGH!

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    1. Mulberries are very similar to blackberries and raspberries...sweet, but the flavor is more mild (IMO).

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  5. I love your long hair! I think it suits. I don't think I've ever had a mulberry. I wouldn't wear clip in shoes either. I have a shorts line which looks super cute in a bathing suit lol.

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    1. Ha ha...I have a similar tan line on my upper thighs from my shorts, too.

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  6. That's quite the tan lines you've got :) It's great that you've been able to enjoy so much cycling. My run miles tanked too thanks to a combo of vacation, humidity and a cranky TFL/quad thing going on.

    Like Jenny I don't think I've ever tasted a mulberry - I wonder if you can buy them in stores?

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    1. I don't think mulberries are sold in stores because they have a very short "shelf life." I used to pick them from our tree and then freeze them or make jam or cobbler almost immediately (like, the same day).

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  7. I'm not a biker to start with so I don't have the experience, but even thinking about clip in shoes scares me. I think you've come up with a much better solution plus bragging rights from the tan lines!

    I tend to have longer hair by default because I hate getting my hair cut. There is a point where it just gets to be too long but until it's broke there's no reason to fix it!

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    1. The clip-ins are probably never gonna happen. Although there is the "never say never" thing, what I'm doing is working well for me. I've know too many people who have had nasty crashes, all of which were the result of not being able to unclip quick enough.

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  8. I like my hair long, but wear it up all the time in Summer because I hate it on my neck when it's hot. It can definitely get too long though!

    I think I've tried dried mulberries (not a fan) but haven't had the regular fruit.

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  9. We have mulberries all over the trails here too! They're a mess. Those are some chic tan lines! haha!

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  10. OMG those tan lines — hilarious! You sure earned them with your century and all the other riding you’ve been doing lately. I finally found a dog sitter for the Pa Dutch Fondo weekend in September.

    I grew up with a white mulberry tree in my back yard and just hated it because it ruined playing in bare feet.

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    1. When we first moved to Michigan (June 1995), I had no idea what they were. All I know is the grass was a purple mess for those few weeks, but I soon discovered how versatile they were for baking and jam ;-)

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  11. Running or biking makes no difference! You’re being active and doing things you love and that’s what matters!
    I always worry about you and your feet when you are riding so much though – I wear just regular shoes on the bike but never open sandals. Obviously you do you and you know yourself best but I could not do that. May have something to do with an accident I had when I was younger where I pretty much ripped my feet up not wearing the right shoes (hmmm…. Was that the start of all my feet trouble??? But I digress).
    We’ve got mulberries too, near one of our regular running spot! SO MANY!
    Hooray for the Blooming Orchid!
    I just chopped my hair again – it was wayyyy too long and full. Its starting to bug me way more often than it used to! Yours is a great length.

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  12. That's the orchid you took to Florida, right? I had one that re-bloomed several times, but most never do and I eventually tire of their not-so-pretty non-blooming leaves.

    You got some great cycling miles in for July! Congrats!

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  13. Amazing biking miles! I meant to comment on your other post about the shoes. I am impressed you biked in sandals. Your feet didn't hurt? I also need a haircut and my "long" hair is driving me crazy. The place I go to closed down so now I need to find another place. I have to make time before school starts.

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