Walking.

It's been a long time since I went all the way around Green Lake plus a bit more = 3 miles. It felt really good to engage familiar rituals: pull out the walking clothes and a hat; check my MP3 player for good batteries; check my fanny pack for the basics. When I'm in the groove, I usually walk very early in the morning because of the solitude. But this morning I did not start walking until 10am.

I wore the wrong socks and managed to raise a blister, but that's the extent of the damage. I did remember how to breathe and pull my stomach back into the spine. I did some stretching, though not all the usual ones, since I still worry a bit about my knee.

The city gardeners do a magnificent job with few bodies and a lot of imagination at Green Lake. Everything is coming up early this year, as you can see.

I like these spots of color that peek out from various places.

And grand sweeps of color, this one near the Bathhouse Theatre.

And another beautiful spot for the eye to rest. A tsunami watch is in effect for the central and northern Washington Coast. The terrible earthquake in Chile is on the same plates for the fault line that runs all the way up here. Mother Nature has been moving our assumptions around all winter, and causing terrible devastation in places like Haiti and now Chile. Let's hope that folks don't get earthquake fatigue and forget how much still needs to be done.

Meanwhile, now that I've started again, I'll keep walking. My goal is to be in the gym with the weights twice a week, and to be out walking at least three other mornings a week. Though I'll do shorter walks this year to raise money for breast cancer, I'll still have the joy of walking. First 5k walk is on Mother's Day, and is called "Inspiring Hope."