After foliage season

The “leaf-peepers” have gone home and my corner of northern New England is quiet. I love the bustle of foliage season–and its spectacular beauty–but there’s something special about this time of year, too. With the leaves off the trees, the landscape opens up. I see more of the river on my walks and runs. Fewer cars pass by, taking back roads to check out the Vermont scenery. I haven’t been asked directions in a couple of weeks.

I don’t take my phone with me as often on these quiet days. No music, no podcasts, no audio books. I let my writer’s mind … Read More

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A beautiful day for a half-marathon!

What a gorgeous day we had to run a half-marathon! Crisp, dry, sunny, lush foliage everywhere, and flowers–I especially noticed irises. Unlike on my training runs, I did not stop to take pictures. It wasn’t an easy run for me, but I enjoyed it. I appreciated the support from onlookers. Kids giving high-fives, singers, drummers, small ensembles, locals, tourists, friends of various runners. They stretched along all 13.1 miles of the run, from Woodstock to Quechee. Hundreds of race volunteers made the day easy for us runners (if not painless, ha!).

As I set out, it occurred to me t… Read More

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Just a few weeks until race day!

My next half-marathon is June 3rd and I am not ready! I get this feeling with writing sometimes, too. Weeks out from a deadline, I look at my work-in-progress and don’t see how I will be ready to turn it in. For most of us, running a half-marathon and writing a novel don’t happen in a matter of a week or two. We need time.

This is when I remind myself of the line from the Tao: “Let life ripen and fall, force is not the way at all.” Just show up every day and keep making progress. It’ll all work out.

But…there’s always my other motto: “Anxiety focuses the m… Read More

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