We have decided to name our girls Lady Jane Grey, Anne (Boleyn), Marie (Antoinette), and Mary (Queen of Scots). Our sense of humor can be morbid, yes.
One of our Barred Plymouth Rock pullets.
Australorp, Rhode Island Reds, our blue Cochin (Lady Jane Grey), and the butt of another Australorp.
Lady Jane Grey, with her adorable feathery feets!
It feel so good to have the sound of babies peeping away under the brooder light in the laundry room. Our cats are curious, but have been more interested in the fact that we've had the doors and windows open to the screens this weekend to enjoy the fresh air and 50 degree weather. Spring is coming, and that excited full feeling is swelling up inside of me as the daylight grows longer and the mornings more mild.
When I was younger and very much into lacrosse, I used to run for a few miles every day. It was a pleasure and a challenge that I looked forward to... until I picked up smoking (stupid teenager) and started my afterschool job (bye bye lacrosse!). As I got older, I found running painful, especially in my ankles, knees and hips (I also got avulsion fractures in my right ankle three times within two years)... and though I longed for that feeling of hitting the trails and pushing full speed through the brush, I avoided it for fear of injury. I still dream about running and the feeling of absolute power and freedom it inspired in me.
Since reading "Born to Run" by Christopher McDougall, I've been trying to alter my gait to allow for safe and effective barefoot (or nearly so) running. Yesterday, I found running more enjoyable than ever before, especially on the rocky trails of the beautiful woodlands near our home. I was grinning as I sped downhill, and huff-puffed uphill so very slowly, and tried to think "easy, light, fast" and run to a 180bpm rhythm. It felt amazing... and I felt like a mad wolfwoman, soaked in mud and snow up to my knees, tearing off layers of clothing until I was down to a tank top and feeling the wind and the sun on my shoulders. I ran when I wanted to, and slowed to a walk when I felt I had to, and before I knew it we'd been out there for 2.5 hours. Extraordinary.
However, running in shoes with thin, flexible soles and very little traction can be hazardous on the snowy, north-facing side of the hills. I lost my balance and pulled my back pretty darn good as I tried to keep from tumbling down one of them. I kept running, and didn't really feel it until I tried to get up out of bed this morning. Yikes. Hoopdaddy took the reigns and went to teach our weekly hoopdance class at the gym, and thank goodness for that. I've been stretching it out and I'm hoping to get back out on the trails this afternoon while the sunshine lasts... but it's amazing how one's body can simply say, "nope, not doing that right now" of its own accord.
1 comment:
As if I need to tell you, your babies are adorable!! Hope the other girls accept them into the flock later without too much fuss.
I know exactly how you feel when you run. I love that feeling of freedom, and the feeling that I can run forever (when I'm in shape!). I imagine Heaven as a place where I can run and run and run and never get tired. C.S. Lewis has a quote about that somewhere I think; I'm just too lazy to look it up. I always feel sad for the people that tell me how much they hate to run. My knees used to bother me greatly back in my college and post college days. It wasn't until I bought a really, really good pair of running shoes (read: expensive) that supported my high arches, etc., that I could finally run pain free, and finally managed to complete marathons. This is such a good time of year to be running, too!!
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