CrossFit Return

 

It has been 400+ days since I stepped into a gym with other people.

So how did it go?

I pulled up outside the 'new' building where the gym was and immediately saw someone I knew. 

I was a bit nervous but this set me at ease right away. Was I going to make a fool out of myself in front of everyone else? Was I going to be able to do the day's workout [WOD]? 
Josh pulled up and opened the doors. 

"Welcome back!" 

I stopped worrying as I changed my shoes and explored the new area of the gym. New to me but not the others.

As others walked in, they introduced themselves to me. I didn't feel like odd one out at all. I didn't have to explain my absence. Everyone was welcoming and full of encouragement and smiles.

As we started to warm up and Josh walked around our gym, things started to fall back into place for me.

Viroqua CrossFit. 

I needed some help finding things but everyone assisted. 

I wasn't lost, I wasn't judged for my long absence. No one asked me to explain.

I was encouraged and cheered as I PR'd with a dead lift. It wasn't an impressive lift by any means, but it was a new high for me.

I worked on my form, I felt good. I smiled a LOT. I felt like I got my MOJO back.

I'm no fitness freak. I am well onto 'that' age which probably marks me as elderly, but I know in my heart that as a CareGiver, this is the most important thing I can do for myself. 

Social workouts. After over a year of Isolation, it is incredible to be able to work out with other folks again. It gives me a sense of belonging and comradery. 

I cannot say enough about our coach, Josh Brown. He is the ultimate coach, best ever.

When I got home, my husband asked how it went. He wasn't keen on having me go back to the gym, but I'd told him this was a must for my physical and mental health as a CareGiver.

I smiled at hubby.

"It went well. Better than well. It went fantastic."

For the first time in forever, I felt calm and chilled out. 

Welcome Back Me to CrossFit. 

Hi

Visitor on the back door!

The afternoon turned warm and sunny. So Charlie and I went off on a little trek. I took only the 12mm lens which is a prime 'wide' angle lens. I wanted to challenge myself with it. It is really used quite often in landscape shots and astrophotography shots.

What could I do with it in the forest? There is no Wide Open Spaces. 

So I told myself to think outside of the box. Get out of the comfort zone of having the 14-150mm lens that I usually chose.

It was One Of Those Days. You know. Pandemic- Covid-19- Worry About the Whole Damn World Days. Stupid Mind Racing Thoughts Days.

Time to leave the smart phone on do not disturb and--- put it on a window sill--- and ---out of the way Days.

Getting out of the house and away from the endless drone of the TV is always helpful. Charlie was up for it as we'd skipped our morning walk.

We got to the area of the woods where the fungi liked to live. I sat down on a damp log to try and figure out how to photograph a few tiny fungi, when I noted Charlie sniffing and tasting the berries that came out of the Buckthorn Trees.

The berries look exactly like deer poo and I yelled at him, "Stop, drop it!" The mystery of why he was so sick last week suddenly dawned on me. He'd sampled some Buckthorn Berries. No more hikes in that section of woods for him!

So how did my 'challenge' work out? Here I am yelling at Charlie while photographing a Chicken or Hen of the Woods fungi. Apparently they are good to eat when fresh. Nahhhh, I'll watch someone else eat them first and then decide.

You can get an idea of the size of the fungi though with Charlie in the backround.

I did find some tiny mushrooms that should have been photographed with a macro lens, but here was my challenge. Could I do something interesting? 

The full shot pre crop:

And after cropping:

These were just for fun and challenge. I could have done a focus stack with the lens too but I decided that with Charlie's interest in the toxic berries, we'd move on.

Although this lens did prove to be pretty fun to work with even in a macro world! Below, same log different angles of the fungi. The second shot is cropped.

I moved out of the Buckthorn Forest and thought about how to get rid of those trees. A goat herd would certainly help. They were good on the Buckthorn saplings, but those larger trees were an issue. They totally blocked out the sunlight in this area of the woods. I liked it in a way because it was super shady and the mossy logs loved it for fungi. But I hated them too.

A bull dozer and a herd of goats would take care of those noxious trees. 

I ended up sitting with Charlie at a place I used to go to often. The kids called it The Fort. It is a small rock outcropping on our land.

Charlie loved the rock. I think he likes it when he feels tall.

In this photo you can see his twisted foot and leg. He was born that way and I imagine in years to come that may become an issue. No matter, we adore him anyway. 

This pose is SO Charlie. He will NOT look at me directly unless I hold a dog treat in front of my face.

We will probably go back to The Fort more often. It is a nice place to sit and look over the neighbor's land.

And lastly, the photo that summed up how I was feeling yesterday.

I am learning how to be alone but not lonely.

I am surrounded by amazing things.

I will leave it at that.

Journeys

Sometimes I wonder about this journey I've embarked on. There are so many unexpected twists and turns.
Things can go smooth and easy like travelling a well paved road.

Other times it is just a rollercoaster ride where the car has flown from the track and you wonder where you will land.

There are hills.
Valleys.

Road blocks. Unexpected dips and joyful highs.

So I just go.

One foot
in
front
of
the
other.

LIL Bear...

There is a LIL Bear.

This is a toy that was handed to me by one of the neighbor's children.

It is almost 3" tall and is posable. It came with a tattered ribbon tied around its neck.
For the life of me, I couldn't figure out what kind of toy it was. It was old, it most likely belonged to the mom of the kids when she was young.

I figured out that I'd never find out what it was.
So while baking some cookies yesterday, I picked up my cell phone and began a search.
Indeed, it was a toy from the 1980's!

They are called Calico Critters. And they are pricey too!
I adore this bear, she is time worn and missing some of the flocking. She didn't come with clothing as the ones newly purchased do, but I rather like her red ribbon.

So for fun I did some creative still life with 'her' the other day.

CrossFit with LIL Bear.

Warm ups:
Birddog

Deadbug

Jump rope...whoops ... got tangled!

Here we go!

How about Kettle Bell Swing?

Box Jumps!
Whoops! Ooops!

Okay. Better!

Box Over Burpees!

Deadlift!

Wow! LIL Bear was busy!

So many things to do!

Enjoy your New Year's Day.
Welcome to 2020.