Category: Journey to YOUR HeartLand

Posted on

NET: Day 5 Gift of Cheese

August 21, 2018

We were up without hurry and enjoyed our breakfast of Apple oatmeal, cooked gently on our butane stove. We had camped in easy reach to an old road we hoped would lead to Diamand Farm. It did! What a great thruhiker find!

It’s a family run egg and poultry farm in its second generation.

Annie, one of the dozen Diamand siblings, gave me a small block of cheese. They don’t sell cheese in the store, and that’s what I wanted! “I like cheese,” she replied to my query. “I have some at home for you.” As we enjoyed our warmed up quiche from their well-stocked refrigerator of prepared homemade foods, Annie came back with a beautiful creamy hunk of cheese. “It’s Marshetto Cheddar,” she reported. “You can have it.” read more

Posted on

NET: Day 3 Sense of Home

August 19, 2018

Our nice and early departure at 6:45 got nixed when we decided to make the side trip to Royalston Falls. “It’s only three tenths of a mile and it’s unlikely that we would come back here just to go to these falls. So, we should go.”  I don’t usually use should, but this is the kind of time that warrants a should!

Of course, we were glad we went. The 45-ft falls is magnificent! Its unique quality is its carmel color.  How often do you see a falls the color of root beer.  This one is complete with foam!  What’s that song about lemonade springs? Oh, the big rock candy mountain?  read more

Posted on

NET: Day 2 Adjusting

We stayed dry all night, even though three or four thunderstorms came through during the night. The Big Agnes Fly Creek tent worked! I’m a fan of my tarp over the tent because it covers a larger area with minimal weight. This tent is a one-person size! We fit snuggly, and the raincover hangs just inches out from the inner tent, not the generous two-feet overhang of the tarp. What I like about the tent is its free-standing setup. That works well for this walk.

Our walk down Gap Mountain into Troy, NH took only an hour, winding steeply through birch trees and hammocks amid big rocks. I do enjoy the northern woods! read more

Posted on

NET: First Day

August 17, 2018

We woke up at 6, took a shower in the Monadnock Statr Park campground shower with just 2 quarters for three minutes! I noticed my judgements and loved myself for having them when John drove the van to the shower, then suggested I cook breakfast in the parking lot while he finished up toileting. “That’s what our campsite is for.” He thought my driving the van back to the campsite was a better idea, so I did that. I do wonder how well I can quickly shift judgments like this to peace! Yes, it seems like petty stuff and gets me huffy too! I could use the Four Step Process: read more

Posted on

NET: Approach

August 15

Three hours after getting up, at my Mom’s house in Ohio, we left at ten. I was glad we waited til Sarah arrived. I like her, and passing Mom off to her felt responsible. You see, we’ve been staying with my 90-yr old mom since late June, so she can stay home. With our August 15 deadline looming, she discovered Sarah and hired her. Today is her first day!

I nurse a sore neck with heat ointment all day as we drive from Ohio to New Hampshire. Two days ago, my stuffed down fears and feelings kept me in bed with a stomach ache. Today, it’s just a sore neck. read more

Posted on

NET: 5 Essentials in Practice

August 12, 2018

I’m preparing for a walk and using the Five Essentials for a Radiantly Fulfilling one! Here’s how they’re playing out!

1. Know Your Trail

We chose the New England Trail because John wants to walk all 11 National Scenic Trails. This one is in the Eastern US where we have been this summer. He’s been poring through websites getting information and details, starting with newenglandtrail.org

trailjournals.com and other sites located by googling the trail name.

What we found out is that this trail winds through a narrow corridor on public and private land, crosses three rivers, and is fairly low in elevation. There’s no crossing at the Connecticut River, requiring a shuttle or very long walk around to a bridge – or a boat ride across! He found a detailed guidebook online. A hiker created it and offers it free! It’s very helpful. I found printed maps and ordered them. We’ve been studying the maps and guidebook, putting together a possible itinerary. We want to walk it as a thruhike. One important aspect of this trail is the stated description that “no stealth camping is permitted.” That means investigating off-trail places to stay in addition to the 8 designated on trail shelters and campsites. We estimate 21 days for the 235 miles. John has played for many hours with Google Earth locating services near the trail. read more

Posted on

Calling Atlanta Area Friends – and distant ones too

May 15, 2018

Wild Wind Journey Day is open for your participation! We’ll meet Barbara on Sunday afternoon, June 10 for live singing of her songs woven into my Walk for a Singing Heart, plus live guidance in my Sensory and NonSensory Awakening walks. This includes my nourishing Color Immersion play. It’s a delightful and surprisingly transformative experience that you can do with Barbara and I in person!

Read more about it here!

https://forgivenesswalks.com/wild-wind-journey-day/

Can’t come in person this time? I’ll offer a virtual walk too, including painting supplies sent to your home if you register by June 3. read more

Posted on

PCT Anniversary

May 2, 2018

This week marks the ten-year anniversary of the launch of my Pacific Crest Trail walk. If you’re not familiar with that trail, it’s one of the eleven National Scenic trails, 2,650 miles long, winding northward from the border of Mexico to the border of Canada. In 2007, I focused my attention on completing the Appalachian Trail, viewing its completion as a way to get the project out of my system to clear my mind for my next career. I had not even heard of the PCT until I spent a night at the Kincocora Hostel, in Tennessee just shy of 1800 miles into my walk from Maine on the Appalachian Trail. Even paging through the Yogi’s Guide to the PCT didn’t entice me. read more

Posted on

Why I Love my Job

April 25, 2018

“Do what you love, the money will follow.” Decades ago, I read this. I read Marsha Sinetar’s book by that name and thought, “Sure, for me it would be do what I love and the money will follow waaay behind, far far behind. Do what I love and the money will follow my own investments in doing what I love.”

Well, I’m now wrapping up my fourth season of doing what I love at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park with money in the bank and in my retirement fund. And, if I also count the seven seasons I worked as a Ridgerunner on the Appalachian Trail, that would add up to eleven seasons earning money doing what I love. It can happen – even to a doubter like me! read more