Tomorrow morning I get electrodes taped to my chest attached to a Holter monitor that I need to wear for 48 hours to check if the fact that I am having these episodes of shaky sweaty discomfort sometimes when I work out might be connected to the reason I can't run without my heart rate spiking mightily. 

My yoga teacher and my family all think I am nuts to even think about running but I was a pony in a former life so excuse me.

I can't help the desire.

Anyway, just in case the test is inconclusive I found this article on walking after a meal and I am sold on the science. It makes such perfect sense. 

It is muggy here and apparently we are in for a few days of this. Oh well. At least it is not cold. I won't be able to take a shower for the time I have the monitor on. That will be interesting. 

So here is the fun Boomer post about Weight Watchers from the Times. You may not "get" it if you don't go to meetings.

There is a rare Catholic Church downtown near Portland State and they have a parking lot and surrounding the parking lot the priests tend to this wonderful mixed garden stretch.

I talked to the young man in my building last night that has planted a thriving vegetable garden in the vacant lot next door. He says his green beans are very fruitful this year.

The early hollyhocks grow like weeds here  They come in colors I find it difficult to describe.

With Most Honorable's help I was able to get an audiobook on my mini iPod so I am listening to The Woman Upstairs while I workout. An angry and self delusional woman is just the ticket fot working out.

The blackberries, blueberries and raspberries from the farmer's market are such a treat at the end of a long fiscal yearend day.

Another phone photo. We surely are moving into summer.

We went out to Buxton and walked a few miles on the Banks-Veronia State trail within Stub Stewart State Park. We took a detour and hiked up South Caddywhomper Way. Up being the operative word there. We had lunch up top on a bench with a view of some trees and clouds.

The plan is to eventually take the bikes out there. It is mixed use, a nice smooth ride. We hardly saw anyone while we were on the trails. We had some rain but not steady and so it was manageable even with bare legs and wet socks.

It was a nice way to spend one's birthday and I am most appreciative.

No if we can get the little plumbing problem that has cropped up here this evening fixed we'll be good.

I am trying pictures from the phone here. A late late rose just a few days ago. The rain is coming in tonight. The typical June rain. Oh well. I am taking the day off tomorrow anyway and Most Honorable and I (both work weary) are going for a hike for my birthday.

My broad brimmed rain hat is ready and so am I.

Today my students asked if I would teach the same class again on Thursdays. Something to think about. I wonder if I would get more students or less teaching twice a week?

Anybody know anything about curcumin for arthritis? I actually eat a fair amount of turmeric, which makes sense because I love ginger but probably not enough to be anti-inflamatory in any sort of consistent way.

Oh well. The fabulous massage I had on Saturday made my knee all better anyway. :)

I walked around the track this morning in the glare filled gloom before spinning off to the long walk up Terwilliger to the Chart House like some meteorite getting enough momentum to spin out of the atmosphere without burning up.

These gorgeous transplants from southern climes are just starting to bloom near the track.

The cover review for the Book Review this week is...What Do Women Want? Adventures in the Science of Female Desire By Daniel Bergner.

A short interview with him leads the Book Review podacst this week (June 16, 2013). Much interesting discussion about the whole topic has taken place in my world since the excerpt hit the Magazine a few weeks ago. That was mostly about the development of drugs to enhance a woman's desire. You know, when you start talking about the nature of desire, it doesn't take long to get to what it means to be human.

Darn provocative is what this all is...

Back to the flowers again.

I tried writing a poem today. It is all a bit rusty, the mechanism, but the will is there. I'll read it tomorrow night and it will be fine. They won't boo me and at least it is fresh.

Listening to the Book Review podcast I heard about this remarkable new novel. The first time author Anthony Mara says "One day I looked up the definition of life in a medical dictionary and found a surprisingly poetic entry: “A constellation of vital phenomena—organization, irritability, movement, growth, reproduction, adaptation.” As biological life is structured as a constellation of six phenomena..."

I have so many audible credits I ordered a copy of the audio book right away and have been listening (and eating cherries) all afternoon.

On Wednesday evening I was waiting for a bus and looking at my phone and I realized the light was blue. So I took this picture.

Some days are just blue.

The cats are both restless and not feeling well.

But I am already enjoying the weekend. Ah.

The hydrangeas are coming on! Amazing things that the sun brings on. Did I mention the sun is out? In June! Is this Portland? Oregon?

Forgive me for posting this link but with two older but still adorable cats in the house I couldn't resist the Cutest Kitten Contest. It is Simon's Cat after all...

Don't tell anyone but I think its almost summer!