Category: Regina’s July Walks 2024

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July Walks: Barefoot

July 22,2024

While the political landscape shifts and turns, I’m happy to have my commitment to walking in Nature to shape my day. Walking on my familiar path, greeted with sounds, smells, colors, and tastes, felt reassuring and literally grounding. In fact, I walked, sat on a few logs, and talked on the phone with my sister for all of four hours in my familiar woods. What luxury and assurance it was! I even walked barefoot off and on! The trail was wet from last night’s rain. The dark brown mud felt cool and squishy, adding a mindful quality to my walk through the forest and along the river. read more

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July Walks: No Politics Here

July 16, 2024

I am half way through my month of “walking every day” feeling grateful to myself for setting that intention, noticing that even though I KNOW that walking in Nature always calms me and brings nourishing experiences and feelings, I have to remind myself of that inevitable result to get myself out the door to start my walk.

On my walk this morning, the park seemed like a different world than the one where political drama is seething! I wondered, “Does the blue heron know about this? Does the mother duck need her ducklings to be wary? Are the rhythmic processes of photosynthesis and leaf pigmentation affected by recent events in the political arena?” read more

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July Walks: Refreshing

July 15,2024

I always wondered what my 70th birthday would be like. Now I know! It was a pleasant day of walking in a beloved forest, receiving birthday messages all day long, taking my Mom outside, eating only wholesome food, and playing a game of Satori with a dear friend. Two days later, messages are still coming in and I’ve made a list of all the people who sent me one – 103 so far. And that’s actual word messages, not just FB likes!

Today, I walked at sunrise in my local park, basking in the fresh morning. A number of branches and trees as well as many twigs and leaves, were strewn on the ground from yesterday’s quick thunderstorm. read more

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July Walks: New Chapter

July 14,2024

Yesterday’s birthday connections kept me busy all day! It’s always touching to me who pops in with birthday greetings. New and seasoned friends from many chapters of my life!

I am inspired to step boldly into my next year and decade to share what I have learned and my enthusiasm for crafting fulfilling walks.

Today, I revisited the same path, welcoming it’s familiar ups and downs, noticing how deeply calming is the waving canopy of summer trees. I walked the same 1.2-mile loop twice, with a couple periods of silently-sitting-on-a-log to let the forest energy soak in. read more

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July Walks: Happy Birthday to Me!

July 13, 2024

I’m starting my next decade in life! Today, I turned 70 years old. I’m so happy and grateful that I get to be on a trail on my birthday. It’s not the Appalachian Trail or a long distance trail, but I’ve discovered that the trail I walked on with my dad and my mom when I was a kid is actually a pretty good facsimile of The Appalachian Trail.

So, I’m here just north of Dayton Ohio. and this trail is the next best thing to being on the Appalachian Trail. I am trying out my new backpack because I will go back to the AT!  For now, though, I am here in Ohio, helping to take care of my mom by visiting her in her assisted living home and taking her out for walks. read more

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July Walks: New Friend at Decade’s End

July 12,2024

This evening’s walk is noteable as a completion walk to my 70th journey around the sun. Tomorrow, I begin a new decade! I walked as the sun set on the 3.4 mile Orange loop at Taylorsville Metropark, Vandalia, Ohio. It winds around ridges along SR 40, then down to the Great Miami River and back up through an old deciduous forest that is allowed to cycle naturally. All the layers of the forest thrive, from seedlings to massive mature trees to decaying logs.

I was treated to meeting a delightful woman who also walks regularly here to walk off her workdays as a bakery supervisor at Costco. She described connecting with the forest as a supportive place to enliven her soul – just like me! We exchanged numbers to be in touch to share walks here and in Germantown Metropark, my next park to explore. read more

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July Walks: Unfamiliar Trails

July 11,2024

This has been another two-walk day. What was different was that both walks were on unfamiliar trails where I had not yet walked. In the morning, I met my new friend Antoinette at Rentschler Forest Preserve near Hamilton, OH. That’s close to her and on my way to an appointment with a chiropractor I like.
I have been walking solo so much during the past year that I had forgotten the joy and ease of walking with a friend, sharing conversation, exploring our life stories and challenges too, stopping at scenic spots to listen and watch in silence.  We agreed that we must meet again! read more

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July Walks: Collaboration Celebration

July 10, 2024

Today was graced with both morning and evening walks. Yesterday evening’s breeze precluded nightlong wind and rain, even a brief power outage this morning. I am always grateful to myself for ignoring the “I’m too tired for a walk” inner voice when I arrive at the trail. 20 minutes into my evening walk, I’m breathing deeply and drinking in the colors, patterns, and the “wild wind.” I’m celebrating that Lynette and Martha will be working with me for the next few months to craft their fulfilling walks! I can accommodate a few more! read more

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July Walks: Commitment Ushers Gratitude

July 9,2024

I would have stayed home scrolling YouTube videos had I not told you that I would walk every day in July!  I did walk for 40 minutes this morning, yet somehow that didn’t seem sufficient to my intention. So, I took an evening walk in my neighborhood park. Rote commitment turned from dispassion to immense gratitude and sensory delight!

A slight breeze made tree leaves dance. As I tipped my head back to bask in the calming sound and rhythmic waving, I thought, “What could I possibly do in my house that refreshes my feelings and delights my senses like this simple phenomenon – rustling leaves?” read more

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July Walks: Inner Voice

July 8,2024

I took two walks today, morning and early evening. I felt deep gratitude for listening to my inner walking voice instead of my cynical voice that would have gone straight home after visiting my Mom, giving in to the discouraged bewilderment of the assisted living environment.

“Go walk,” said my inner walker, who knew that 45 minutes of walking on an undulating trail through woods would breathe out my frustration and remind my brain of balance and beauty. I’m enjoying pretending I’m on the Appalachian Trail by carrying my pack and sitting at a picnic table under the expansive sky rejoicing in my walk. read more