Weekend Running

Dare I say it, training is going OK.

Did hill repeats on Friday, I'm now up to 8. The last two were so hard that I felt like I hadn't done any training at all.

We did the snowshoe loop on Saturday. Talked to a few people in the parking lot before we ran. Several people from Minnesota are running Big Horn next weekend. Good luck and hope you enjoy the day !

Did a long run on Sunday, about 4 hours. Had to do a little bird watching, too. Time on the feet is important. Talked to the park manager a little. Two trails are closed due to excessive erosion. It has to be a hard job, to balance the needs of the various interest groups (horses and their riders, runners, hikers, birders, campers, etc.) with the available resources.

The Afton 25/50K is next month. The race organizers are working on a new course to accommodate the trail closures.

Did exercise class on Monday AND Boot Camp. My legs were tired.

Baby birds

This nest of bluebirds must have just hatched. Two of them still look a little wet and their eyes are totally closed. Tiny babies.

Too close to this bluebird box for my comfort, was a snake. It was about 3 feet long with some nice spots. Best guess, Fox Snake.

2010 Peonies

Every time a flower blooms, it instantly becomes my favorite. Right now the peonies are my favorite.  These photos are examples of "my favorites" growing in the garden.

They are called:
Nippon Gold
Sarah Bernhardt
Kansas
unidentified "yellow"

Front yard vs Backyard

The yard seems to be divided between the squirrel area and the bird area. The squirrels have taken over the backyard with only a few brave birds visiting. The front yard seems to be more for the birds and this bird bath is a major attraction. The bathers include the usual robins (several times a day), catbirds, and cardinals. House finches, gold finches, chickadees and the occasional bluebird, drink from the dish. The birds that don't use the water are the hummingbirds, mallards, and chipping sparrows that I see eating the seeds on the ground. But maybe I just miss them ?

This beautiful foxglove is frequently visited by bees. I've seen them crawling way up in the flower and then trying to get back out, their legs looking fat and yellow with pollen.