a variety of things

Well, it's been some time. I've got some photos to unload.

Summit Lake up Mt. Evans road

 On the 4th of July, we took a drive up Mt. Evans and spent some time away from town.

wildflowers near Summit Lake

 In memoriam of a friend who loved horses, we went riding in Estes Park.

riding in Estes 

RMNP hike after riding. 

 Then hiking after.

last week's trail run, Centennial Cone Park

 Last week's trail Tuesday. It was a brutal run. Though I'm pretty comfortable doing 15+ miles now.

farmer's market I helped with on Sunday

 My friend works at a local farm and I helped her out at the marked on Sunday. I got a lot of really pretty veggies. So far I've made moussaka with fresh onion, eggplant and oregano (or was it basil? I'm hopeless.). I've frozen a couple of pounds of wax beans. Eaten some tomatoes and peppers. I still have all sorts of summer squash, cucumbers including a lemon cucumber, radishes, beets, rainbow carrots, kale cabbage, garlic and um... other stuff. Oh! And I got some honey. Super local and very tasty. I think that was well worth getting up early and spending a few hours in the sun.

Trail Tuesday

Today would have been a prefect day to climb a mountain. It was clear, cloudless blue skies until well after noon. Just a smudge of haze from the not-so-distant fires. I'm sure the cloudlessness and the heat and the steady wind isn't helping those much.

I did not climb a mountain today. Instead I ran. Apparently the furthest I've ever run. Just over 16 miles along the High Line Canal. I ran nearly that far on the Beaver Brook trail a couple of weeks back, but did this run much quicker because I actually ran about 95% instead of having to power hike up hills.

Still like trails better.

I am really considering signing up for a trail race. It's daunting. I know I'm not fast. I'm also not very competitive. It's also never cheap. But I think it would be fun. Too bad I now work on Saturdays. I'd have to take PTO. There's also a 5k obstacle race I've had my eye on. The Rugged Maniac. I could sign up to be a volunteer and could get free race registration. I have to make that decision soon, as the volunteer slots are going to fill up soon.

I can't keep up. So many bad stories on the news. So many people dying, suffering. I want to feel for them all. I want to recognize the humanity in every person. But it is exhausting. And it's oh-so-easy to call them "other" and get on with my life.

I know there needs to be a balance. I cannot conceivably feel for each and every one as I did on June 12. But I also cannot allow myself to ignore the news. I cannot be among the people who think their deaths are unremarkable.

I just don't know how to deal with it anymore.