I’m not a morning person. If I were, I might take a walk every day before breakfast. Wouldn’t that be a nice habit to have? As it is, I go on walks when I can fit it in, usually in the afternoon before dinner—frequent walks, but too sporadic to count as a habit.
This past year, though, I have made it a habit to take a walk every Sunday after Mass. I don’t always feel like doing it until I get started. But once you get a good habit going, you don’t want to lose it. And nothing feels better than having your exercise done before lunch.
Edmonds, where I live, is perfect for walkers. The downtown is attractive and historic (or what goes for historic on the West Coast), it’s near the sea, and almost every place you walk is either uphill or down—which means you don’t have to run to get a good aerobic workout. (My grandson, who’s doing a summer internship in nearby Redmond, seems to think Edmonds is good for runners too.)
Usually I leave my car in the church parking lot, but on this August Sunday I parked under a tree at the Edmonds Center for the Arts. Being an arty town, this old high school building was a natural to be turned into a beautiful theater and art center.
Heading down the hill, one of the first things that caught my eye was this row of flowers. Someone had made brilliant use of a narrow bed in front of a building that looked like a small two-or four-unit condo.
These were more flowers in front of the same small condo.
One of the many hanging baskets in the downtown area. Someone must water these large baskets every day.
From Main Street, the siren call of the water led me downhill.
The tide was out. This father and son were about to scatter the seagulls.
These wild roses on Sunset Avenue reminded me of one of my grandma’s favorite subjects for china painting.
This plate my grandma painted hangs in my dining room.
Fat rose hips. Vitamin C, anyone?
On the way back up the hill to my car, I stopped at my favorite clothing store, Sound Styles, to see what was new. They were starting to get the fall clothes in. It looked like the basic silhouette hasn’t changed: lots of tunics and leggings and narrow pants. They had some cute brightly printed rain jackets.
(This post was written a of couple weeks ago, before the forest fires turned the skies gray with smoke and kept us inside for our health.)
Walks are the best way to capture the beauty around us. I love morning and evening walks as they are so different, even in the same landscape. You certainly live in a gorgeous part of our country. The flowers are beautiful.
I took my Sunday walk today even though the sky was threatening rain. And sure enough, it was raining before I turned back. I got my exercise, though, and since I was wearing a semi-rain-proof jacket, I didn’t get too wet. Now the sky has turned blue. Maybe I’ll take another walk, just for the beauty of it.
What a beautiful walk! (I also love that plate.)
I wish I could wake up early to walk. Every time I have gotten out and strolled, no matter what time of day, I’ve really enjoyed it.
I especially like being out in nature. I got a chance to do some hiking and camping this summer and loved being outdoors.
Walks are nice; hiking in the woods is even better. I went on a few short hikes this summer. I still remember some of my best past hikes in the redwoods and on the Hoh River Trail on the Olympic Peninsula. I haven’t been camping for a long time.
I can’t get up early enough for morning walks as the sun rises at like 5 am here and by the time I’m up it’s already too hot! So evening walks it is for me… and it’s too dark for pictures!
It is a good feeling to exercise in the morning . . . especially when your exercise involves such lovely scenery.
We were walking 2 miles (+/-) every morning on the beach until Red Tide chased us inside. Now I put on music and dance around the living room instead. It’s not as much fun. I’ll be glad when the Red Tide drift drifts away. Hope your skies clear soon.
I didn’t realize Red Tide affected people who were out of the water. Is the smell the problem? I hope it clears up soon. As for us, we had beautiful blue skies today. I’m crossing my fingers that it will last, but some fires are still burning and will be probably until late fall.
I love love love a good walkable town. My hometown Mililani is wonderful for walker, runners, and cyclists. You’re very lucky. We primarily walk in Chiang Rai, and as far as Thai towns go it’s not bad, but I hope to be in a place that is even better for walking in the future because I enjoy walking so!
When I think of the various places I’ve lived and my daughters have lived, I remember the walks associated with them. For six months after she finished grad school my youngest daughter lived in an apartment complex just off a highway in Nashville. That was the worst place for walking. Since then, she’s always lived in nice, walkable neighborhoods. I’ve lived in some great places for walking. This is one of the best, but I remember some of the others with great pleasure.
Yes, when I think about places I’ve lived, I, too, think about the accompanying walks. It’s so important!
I felt like I was on a walk with you Nicki – thanks for excursion!
Edmonds, like West Seattle, is a great place for walks.
I love morning walks. But I have to eat first or I get tired and cranky.
I think I’d love early morning walks if I could just get up and get going faster. I’m a big believer in a good breakfast.
Well described and photographed. I hope the smoke has dispersed by now
Yes, the smoke has finally dispersed. The fires are still burning though. It’s surprising how many fires they’ve had in British Columbia. We’re between California’s and Canada’s fires with some of our own.
Thank you for taking us along on your walk, Nicki. What lovely photos. And I’m really sorry about all of the fires! Someone else in know who lives in the area has commented about the smoke from the fires. So sad. 🙁
The last couple of days the air has been cleaner. It might even rain a little today. The smoke brought my asthma back a little. Now I’m considering air conditioning so I can keep the windows closed without suffocating in the heat. They say we can expect these fires to happen every year because of the hotter, drier summers brought on by climate change.
It is so beautiful. I am so sorry you are dealing with the smoke. My stepkids in Denver talk about the smoke there too.
Everyone here is sad about the smoke. We count on summer as our best time, so we take it as a personal insult. This is the second year it happened, and forecasters say it’s likely to happen every year from now on because the summers have been become hotter and drier.
Walking is a good habit and lovely to hear that you are keeping it up. When you start it and keep it going for a while, you just get in the swing of it. This looked like a sunny and warm Sunday walk in Edmonds, and the flowers ar still out and about too. Like you I am not a morning person. I don’t walk in the mornings but I do try to do a quick lap in my area after work or after lunch on weekends. It’s amazing how when you walk you can immerse yourself in a world other than your own mind.
I love what you say about immersing yourself in a world other than your own mind. I feel that way too. It’s especially important for writers who spend so much time reading and writing. I resist the idea of listening to a podcast while I walk. That takes away one of the benefits of walking and leaves only the exercise.