Walking Shoes - Walking and Other Exercise

[Guest_1055]

Hey to anyone reading this.

Last night I had an idea about starting a new thread about exercise especially walking. I am aware that walking is very beneficial for our mental, emotional and physical well being. And by actually doing it....well it can make a huge difference to how we cope with the storms that we face in life.

OK, I am not real good at disciplining myself to walk, and have to really push myself to do it. And sometimes it is even hard to leave this bedroom. Anyway I am not a beginner walker, as I have stuck to sort of a plan before. So I know that it does make me feel somewhat better. But I only stayed on the plan for a couple of months, then gave up.....for whatever reason. So here I am again wanting desperately to not fail this time.

So I guess this thread is for anyone that does walk, anyone that is struggling to walk because of depression or anxiety issues. And anyone else really......

I am unsure of the outcome of all this. But my ideas included: Sharing about things we have found out about exercise especially about walking. Writing down the reasons that one would chose to walk ( like something to help motivate). Being accountable in same way. Sharing about the places where we actually do walk, like the beach, gym, around the block, with the dog, out to the clothesline and back. And any other useful tips that could help others. So here we go......

[Eagle Ray]

Hello Shell,

I’m only just seeing your post now. I love your description of the little dog. It’s like they communicate with their whole body. It’s just beautiful to see. 

I’m glad you had a nice walk by the ocean and I hope your sleeping patterns adjust soon.

[Doolhof]

Hi Shell, Eagle Ray and All reading,

Your walks sound wonderful. I have a few places I can walk from home and hope to go for more walks in areas that I drive to so I can explore further.

Some dogs are so cute and entertaining aren't they! The flock of black cockatoos sounds amazing too. We have white winged choughs come into our garden now and then. They seem to have a family group of about 10 to 12 in our garden. They are hilarious to watch, they dig almost as successfully as chooks, seem to have trouble landing in a tree and act like  they are trying to be entertaining.

This morning on my walk I watched and listened to 3 willy wag tails, they sounded lovely. The sun rise was glorious with lots of colourful clouds in shades of pink, yellow and oranges. Behind some clouds were very bright bursts of pink that only lingered for a short period of time.

I saw a couple of hot air balloons and wondered abut the view they were having floating under the clouds looking at the countryside side below them. I wondered if they saw any kangaroos bounding across the paddocks and what the sunrise looked like from their vantage point.

[Guest_1055]

Oh wow hot air balloons Mrs D. That is something one does not see every day. Or do you actually see them often where you are? I do wonder what it feels like to be up so high and slowly moving. Not the same sensation as a plane. I don't even know do they always have passengers in them. Or maybe like the ones that collect weather data or whatever else they are used for. 

The sunrises often sound so pretty the way you describe them .

[Guest_1055]

Today I went walking on the breakwall a lot earlier then I normally do. I found it beautifully crisp and cool. And it felt like it woke me up more.

And I even talked more to a stranger then I normally would too. I noticed her bend down and pick up her dog as it looked like to me that the dog just didn't want to walk. So that is what I asked her as she slowly walked by carrying her dog. But no she said the dog was scared. That is all I said. I may have smiled back, not sure. This walk was like I said crispy cool. Also I noticed I was almost running at the beginning. Reason being I drunk a coffee. Caffeine has this affect on me. High alertness and a purge of energy. I rarely drink it 

Later on I walked along, then down to a cafe. Walking along I saw terrace houses, pretty gardens. After I got my order from the cafe. I walked on back, I went a different way. It was up through a skinny lane. It was such a beautiful lane. And it had a sign in a brick wall saying that at the end of it. It was a lane you walk through, not wide enough for traffic. But shops on both sides with their doors opening out on lane side. Like there side entrance,maybe a staff entrance. Anyways there were timber long benches to sit on up the lane, with flowers and other plants on these benches. I almost sat there. There were flowers on the wall, like a vertical garden. They were english cottage type flowers. I really like that particular look. I loved this lane. 

[Doolhof]

Hello Shell and everyone,

I really enjoyed the description of your walk Shell. I could imagine myself seeing the poor scared dog and also walking up the lane way.

I had a giggle to myself when you stated the coffee had you walking quickly, because coffee and walking does not go together for me, coffee acts as a diuretic for me so I am quite often walking quickly after a coffee looking for a toilet!

There are a couple of hot air balloon companies in our region. From their brochures it looks like they can take up 4 to 6 people with a pilot. It is lovely to see them up early in the morning. I have had the privilege of being in one myself a decade or so ago. It was an amazing experience.

This afternoon I had a short walk to the post office in town. I took a small thermos of coffee with me , a snack and a book on self care. I wandered down to a little park about the size of a couple of netball courts where you can sit next to a stagnant pool and see if there are any birds game enough to drink the water. It is very picturesque anyway with some gumtrees about the place.

I wandered home earlier than I had anticipated as some very dark clouds came rolling in and I didn't have a rain jacket.

[Eagle Ray]

Hello Dools, Shell and All,

It’s just so lovely hearing about your walks. I have wondered what it’s like being in a hot air balloon. I like the idea of the relative quiet, compared to being in a plane. Just drifting peacefully over landscapes that would be so scenic from up there. I imagine sunrise would be a particularly beautiful time with golden light spreading across the landscape (if the sun is not obscured by clouds).

Shell I love the description of the lane and can just imagine it. I love the sound of the vertical garden, flowers and benches to sit on. It sounds so inviting. It’s like when it is entirely for pedestrians, without traffic, it opens up all these possibilities and brings the streetscape back to the people. Your description made me feel like I was in an old part of an historic town, maybe in Europe or elsewhere.

My walk today was a simple one by the estuary. Pelicans, cormorants and seagulls were sitting on rocks and jetties, all with their beaks tucked into their feathers. Five black swans were cruising about, going bottoms up as they found things to feed on beneath the water. I lay down on the same bench where I had a rest the other day. I found the gentle lapping of waves upon the shore very restful. This was, however, punctuated by the sound of a  jet ski pulling someone on a board. They were having fun.

[Guest_1055]

Hey Eagle Ray, are the macro lenses excellent for close up photos. You said you wanted to see a spider I think with it. Thinking it may creep me out some seeing one close up. Like every detail. Saw a close up of an ant once, a photo of one.. Ah yeah they look nothing like an ant 🐜. 

That is good your breathing is easier for you. Not sure what else to say about that. 

I looked up black cockatoos as I wasn't sure if I had seen any. You see a far amount of the white ones here, white with those yellow feathers on top. They are almost always in groups. Did you use to take a lot of photos of birds Eagle Ray?

Thankyou for sharing what the walks are like that you go on

[Eagle Ray]

Dear Shell,

Yes, the macro lens is for close ups. I used it more for wildflowers until Covid lockdown and then I did photograph insects in the backyard quite a bit, as was limited to that. But I found it fascinating. You are right, things look different in close-up. I did find the most amazing iridescent colours in the eyes and bodies of flies! I couldn’t believe the huge variety of insects in the backyard. It’s amazing how many species are there when you look closely. I even found peacock spiders and saw the male doing the most amazing dance moves for the female. You can actually find examples of this on YouTube.

Thank you about the breathing. I found out a supplement I was taking that increases oestrogen receptors actually enhances the disease process in the liver condition I have, where there are already too many of these receptors. So although my oestrogen overall has gone right down, the receptors are too high. These same receptors are involved in the lung diseases associated with the liver condition, almost certainly explaining the stiffness in my lungs and breathing difficulty. It hasn’t fully gone away yet but has eased a lot since stopping the supplement.

Yes, I did take a lot of bird photos in the past and I’m starting to do it again now. I find it therapeutic. I don’t try to approach birds. I really respect their space. I just sit quietly, and most times sooner or later some come along. Yesterday it was the cockatoos and they just landed in a group right near me. They talk to each other a lot and are very sociable. They sound similar to the ones you see, always in groups.

 I hope you are going ok Shell. It’s been lovely hearing about your walks.

[Guest_1055]

What an experience you had Mrs D being way up floating in a balloon. Don't think anyone would forget that experience. 

Yeah no coffee doesn't have that affect on me as it does you. Were you ok that day you said you filled your thermos with coffee. And did you get the opportunity to chat with the lady in the post office. We have a postie where we live , they go from letterbox to letterbox on I think it is an electric scooter. We don't get much physical mail these days. 

Your walk into the little park with the " tasty" water for the brave birds does sound sort of cute.

[Guest_1055]

Hi Eagle Ray,

I liked it when you said the swans were bottom up seeing what they could feed on below. That is so very cute. And so many birds you saw on your walk that day. And truly nice and relaxing having those benches you could rest on. 

That is fascinating about the eyes on flies. Did it creep you out at all looking that close at them. Or were you simply intrigued by what you saw.

Oh wild flowers, so pretty. 

I am sorry about the issues you are experiencing with your lungs and liver. Can you do like a detox on your liver or anything like that?

Loved hearing about your walks again