This is My Dirt

This post is part of the Trail Runner Blog Symposium for September 2013:

This is 'my' dirt

As I head out the door and quickly run towards my favorite trail just above my house, I get a bit irritated as I pass a handful of other runners running down 'my' dirt.  I mean for the sake of God, I was the one who dared to run past this 'scary' house, up the dirt road that connects to the trails above for the last 7 years.  I was the only one who would use this dirt, I was all by myself and I loved every step.

I was the one who neighbors watched as I headed up the trail, with my dog in tow.  It was me who would day in, amongst changing seasons, in snow, rain, and heat that would regularly claim this dirt.  I was the expert to other runners when they asked what is the quickest way to connect to the trails. I would only spill the 'secret' after multiple times of them asking.

Now, I find you stomping on my dirt, using my 'hidden' connection, and getting in the way of my running meditation.

Now mind you, I love being adventurous and finding little bits of dirt that no one else has found (or at least I think this in my mind).  The exploration of the foothills and connecting trails, are part of the fun, the draw and enticement of trail running.  In the past, there was only a handful of moments where I would pass another human on this trail to sanity and bliss - and I loved every step of that solitude.

A hypocrite, I am.  I  love it when other trail runners divulge their secret path and tell me about a cool new trail that will connect to 'my' trail.  I love being able to use this new information and explore, hoping that I'm the only one playing there.

Now this is bliss -
alone in 'my' stomping ground

As trail running and ultras become more main stream, I'm finding my running bliss less and less.  My escape from civilization is being crashed by others who too want an escape from reality.  My inner peace waivers with the increase of people running along 'my' trails.  I'm feeling this strange need to flee farther and higher up the mountain trail. What use to be a quick 40 minute jaunt up the trails to refresh my over stimulated cranium is now needing longer time and higher distances. Soon I'll be needing the join the Sky Marathons in order to escape from reality and find my inner peace.

For now, remember this is 'my' dirt, and I have a hard time sharing it.

Re-claiming 'my' dirt -
even whilst recovering from a broken metatarsal,
cause this is 'my' dirt 

Tuesday's Teeming With Treasures - Giant Heads of Broccoli

Just the other day, I swear, I planted 5 small broccoli plants in my vacant freshly tilled organic garden.  During their short lives, I've watered and fed them with some home made good for the earth compost.


To the side and behind the broccoli, I planted pumpkins with the idea that when the pumpkin vines twisted, turned, and took over, the broccoli would be harvested and ready to be turn back to mother earth.

Today was the day.  I tiptoed through the pumpkin leaves around the bachelor button flowers and to the broccoli.  Nestled in the middle of it's leaves, were heads the size of cabbages. I sliced the heads from their fibrous stocks, piling them in and on top of the garden harvest basket.  Each head so large that I could only place one in the basket before piling them on top of each other. 

Cleaning the heads, slicing them smaller, and steaming them in the steamer.  Bright healthy green trees on our plates to eat.  The flavor so fresh and filling one wishes I'd planted 30 more!






Tuesday's Teeming with Treasures are quick motivational notes from my life.  Mainly I post them for my use, to help me treasure each day, focus on the AMAZING-NESS that surrounds me.  Most importantly they help me remember to get out of me head and into my true self.