And everybody else.  :)  I walked FOUR miles tonight!  I hate to exercise and I have gained weight any time I have ever tried to diet.  Walking the dog on the trail every night is a sneaky way for me to get myself moving AND I've discovered that it is helping my pain issues tremendously.  I feel so good the next day after I walk.  There are markers on the trail so I've been paying attention to the distance and aiming for a little further each time. 

I took a little video of the swamp with my phone.  The trail is a low boardwalk through wetlands along much of the way.  In one particular spot the frogs and cicadas are so loud that you forget it's less than a quarter of a mile to two major roads.  Every single night I hear at least two different owls in the trees.  And when it starts to get dark there are little frogs on the trail that you have to step around.  Cash put his nose to what he thought was a stone the first night we walked.  He seemed so startled when the stone hopped.  :)

 Oh and there are fireflies EVERYWHERE!  I grew up in the desert where it was too dry for fireflies so I still find them magical.  As I'm comin back and it's nearly completely dark they light my way home.  

It is HOT in Atlanta though and I am especially shiny tonight but not because I am a - just because I'm sweaty!

How are y'all tonight! 

This  wants you to be CAREFUL walking Atlanta trails at night, umkay???

The Suwanee Greenway is really safe and heavily used.  We're out in the suburbs, not in the city and it isn't secluded at all.  I walk with my dog and I am very alert about who is around.  I don't mean to sound as though I think I'm bullet proof, but I have considered the safety factor and I think it is reasonably safe. 

I used to do lots of midnight walks when I was a kid out on back country roads.  Not any more though!  The dog is probaby pretty good protection.  I'm an inside walker now days mostly - they built a nice community center not far from home w/an upstairs padded walking track - very nice & air conditioned!  I don't like to sweat.  Of course, my butte shows this!!

I really dreaded the sweating before I finally started going out on the trail.  I discovered that it isn't nearly as bad as I expected but that's why I go in the evening.  It would be unbearable right now in the daytime and I am not a morning walker definitely.  I like feeling tired and relaxed in the evening. 

The dog is no protection at all really.  He's a border collie.  He would show them all his tricks with a big smile.  He doesn't even bark, not even when he's desperate for you to throw the ball.  I do think would be attackers are less likely to approach someone with a dog though.  I should teach him to dial 911

Oops double posted!

Summer nights are the best!!!  I'm heading out to the midwest in a few weeks and can't wait for the fireflies.... Savor, enjoy and keep on walkin'!

Way to go, Lupa!  Keep on shinin'!<!--Session data-->

Well done Lupa

Fireflies and whipporwills. Brings back good memories of summer in the south.

Recent article I read in the NY Times about fireflies, of all things. Turns out, all that blinking is are little dude fireflies trying to get it on. That probably would have been self-evident had I thought about it. Typical males. I'm not that into bugs but I found it terribly interesting.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/30/science/30firefly.html

wooo hooo!

Yeah Lupa!

Eric Carle taught my kids and I all about fireflies and their quest to get together.

 As I recall, he leaves out the bit about what they do once they've found their friends.  I wonder if lady fireflies are picky about how the boys flash.

I saw this on wiki and laughed:

Female Photuris fireflies are known for mimicking the mating flashes of other "lightning bugs" for the sole purpose of predation. Target males are attracted to what appears to be a suitable mate, and are then eaten. For this reason the Photuris species are sometimes referred to as "femme fatale  fireflies".

 ...Some of those gals aren't toooo picky I guess

Oh that's really funny Francetta. 

Congratulations, Lupa! That's wonderful, that you found something that you love doing, is healthy for you, and helps you manage pain to boot. Not to mention bonding time with your beloved dog.

This made me smile today.

I made this video for you guys the other night on the trail. 

I was worried you wouldn't be able to hear the frogs but that turned out to NOT be a problem.  :)

Lupa, that was wonderful!!!  Still waiting for the crickets, much less cicadas to make their appearance in NoCal, it just hasn't been hot enough yet.... weird summer.  Many thanks!

I love the cicadas but I could do with fewer mosquitos and chiggars!  :)  That's where I get to walk every night.  It makes me so happy.

Lupa, I enjoyed your video, thanks for doing that for us!  It's so nice that you have such a beautiful place to walk with your dog.  LOL:  teach him to dial 911! 

We don't have chiggers or cicadas where I live, but we do have wandering mountain lions so I always "borrow" the neighbor's dog (an ancient farm dog that likes to bark) not so much for protection but for an early alert system more like.

On the way home last night I kept Cash off lead for most of the way back.  He's doing really great but I have to remind him to stay in a reasonably tight "heal".  He likes to walk beside me but on the left which is a problem if there are bikes.  It was late and no one seemed to be on the trail so I was being a little more relaxed with him.  A portion of the trail is several feet off the ground with a substantial drop down to the creek.  It was at that point that he heard something and took off down the boardwalk  all the while looking over that edge excitedly.  I couldn't see what he was so interested in but I assume it was a rabbit or even a deer.  I was just afraid he was going to go tearing through the woods leaving me all alone in the dark.  I got a little extra cardio out of that adventure.  lol  :)

 I need new walking shoes.  Saturn in Pisces here!  Shoes are always a problem.  Anyone have tips on buying shoes for me?  How do I pick the best ones? 

I'm a big fan of New Balance walking shoes.  They come in a huge assortment of sizes.  New Balance also has removable inserts.  I can put heel pads under the inserts.  I've had some pairs for several years.  Although I have a new foot problem that has me out of athletic shoes and into slides and mules.   I'm Cap with Saturn square moon, knee problems, foot and ankle problems,...

I have received a very interesting catalog from FootSmart.  They are located in Norcross, Georgia.  http://www.footsmart.com/   The web page has info on fitting shoes. 

FootSmart carries New Balance.  The catalog has guidelines that the web page doesn't. So you may want to ask for the catalog.   For example, the catalog has indicators for some shoes for high arches or flat feet.  I didn't find these guides on the web page.   The company also has an interesting selection of items for foot problems.  You may find some inserts to help your day shoes.  

Congrats on a good exercise routine.  Hope you find some shoes you like.   

Sue Ellen, I live about ten miles from Norcross.  :)  Thanks so much!  I will definitely check that out.  I also like Abba Dabba, but I usually just browse their clearance rack for cheap but good hippy girl shoes.  I had planned to check them out when I start shopping.  The hardest part of getting ready for my wedding was finding shoes my teen daughter could live with and that I could walk around in the barn in.  I mean she insisted on approving my shoes.  I wanted to wear red dr. Martens. 

Ive have a pair of doc martins that have lasted more than 15 years.  They're the best.

check these babys out http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/

theyve gotten ridiculously popular where I live.

I've seen those and should try some on.  I think the things between my toes would annoy me but other than that they look really comfortable.  I love being barefoot.