Appreciating where I am at

Joe and I have spent a whole lot of time moving and trying different places on for size. I have spent a few years trying to convince him that we should head warmer. My dream location is New Mexico. He is quite settled in Minnesota. I am learning to embrace this. Why always be looking for the greener patch of grass when ours isn't too shabby?

I feel like one of the ways to make Minnesota survivable is to find things to do during the LONG winter. I am not a snowmobiler or ice fisherman. Downhill skiing scares the poop out of me. So, I found myself wishing for cross country skis or snowshoes. Skis are a little spendy, so I settled on snowshoes. These are fun!!! I can see myself doing this more.

I went and trudged around behind the college in town on the trails and just enjoyed. It was chilly out, weather.com says that the temp felt like 8 degrees during the time I was out. I guess that would explain why my fingers were numb.

I saw a few people out skiing and even one person hiking through the snow. I guess we were all out to enjoy the same scenery.

Just a few months ago I was running along this same trail with my jogging stroller and Fritz was fast asleep under a blanket. Today, I left him at home.

It was quiet and peaceful. Not much for wildlife this time of year. It is as if everything is asleep. that doesn't detract from the beauty, instead it reminds me of checking on a sleeping child.... they look angelic and extra lovely when they are asleep and you just know that there will be a party when they finally wake. Spring will be a blast.

While I was pondering all of this, it happened. That zen moment that I chase while doing any sort of workout. My brain went quiet and my body was moving forward and I felt nothing other than light and free and I thought of nothing other than just movement. I could hear my feet crunching the snow and my breath (yeah, I was breathing hard), but these sounds were comforting and almost like white noise in the background. I LOVE when this happens. I will spend the next 20 workouts looking for that same sort of feeling again. Best meditation ever.