The Heron

The other day on my way to Bethel Beach, I looked to my left and noticed this heron perched in a tree.

Naturally, I stopped in the middle of the road and, after ascertaining that no cars were coming, rolled my window down and snapped happily away.

I remember thinking the shots ought to come out OK because the light was good.  However, my camera has some problems that I still haven't addressed, which means that otherwise OK pictures come out like this: all dark.  The main reason I haven't sent my camera away to be fixed is because when it's set to the sports mode the issue goes away. Evidently I forgot to set it to sports mode this particular day.

Regardless, I did enjoy seeing Mr. Heron as he gazed out over the wetlands from his perch. He didn't seem to give two hoots about me, my camera, what setting it was on, or anything.

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In other news, my friend Lauren received a very good report back from her doctor!  Please visit her blog and cheer her on to the next chapter of her story.  2012 is going to be her year, I am convinced.

Running

At Bethel Beach recently these little guys were hanging out, to the extent that these birds ever really hang out or sit still.

They love to scurry, running and zigzagging this way and that to avoid the incoming waves.

They're always in a hurry.

Speaking of running but not in a hurry, this particular day I had just run four miles for the first time in my life. Although I used to run a lot in high school, I was a sprinter (like these little birds)  as opposed to a distance runner.

For some reason this day I wanted to try going farther than my usual two or three miles. So I parked the car at Bethel and ran two miles in the other direction, telling myself I could always walk back to the car if necessary.

It wasn't necessary.

And I felt so good afterwards that I did it again two days later.  And that felt so good I'm hoping to go again today.

I may have found a cure for the Winter Blahs.

At least until my back or knees give out on me.

But so far, so good.

If you're feeling the Winter Blahs and don't normally exercise, I encourage you to bundle up and just go for a walk.  Movement in and of itself does wonders for you mentally as well as physically.

Just ask these little birds.