Weekend Walks

/ April 4, 2023
The view from the bridge over the spillway.

This might be the start of a new series since I seem to be in the habit of weekend walks. In fact, I seem to have many routines these days; Mondays for writing my posts, Tuesdays for publishing and volunteering, Wednesdays & Thursdays for my job, Fridays or Saturdays for walks, and Sundays for housework and laundry. Pretty boring, but there is something soothing about having routines. It means I don’t have to put extra energy into deciding when to do things. And I’m flexible enough to vary my routines when other things come along.

This series may be a mix of poetry, photos, and musings, just like most of my posts!

I love the contrasts of meadows, sky, and clouds.

This weekend I walked at one of my favorite nearby parks; Lake Fayetteville. It has a nice mix of paved and foot trails with woods, meadows, a lake, and access for boats and kayaks. Sadly, I haven’t gone kayaking in years, but maybe this year.

The lake view from the western dam and walkway.

~

walking the foot trails

grand lake views with puffy clouds

and simple treasures

~

A beautiful pileated woodpecker who was nice enough to let me near.

May you find simple treasures and routines to soothe your soul.

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70 thoughts on “Weekend Walks”

  5. Wow. A lovely blog post full of beauty and then that woodpecker!!! I love that you have routines, Brad. I think they are very healthy for our body/mind/spirit. And I love the magnificent SKY that you include in your photos. I have been thinking about you as I read about recent extreme weather events in the midwest, but it appears that your part of Arkansas (right?) has been spared… Deep breath in. Deep breath out.

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  6. Beautiful Brad! Woody is a cutie! Love that you are in nature walk flow as part of your routine, which to me sounds lovely. Also wonderful that you make room for some variation if the moment calls. Routines help keep me on point, otherwise it’s easy to get side-tracked, but keeping things open as well helps me not stress or pass self judgment on things. So it’s a win-win, what you’ve put in place!

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  8. Sounds like an excellent idea Brad! Can’t wait to see what you come up with 🙂 As for your routine, as infants and children everyone is usually put on routines as it has a necessary calming effect and helps to keep things in order….So if it’s good for infants and children, why not adults? I say enjoy it and forget what you’ve been programmed to believe about routine. It’s there for a purpose so use it it to your benefit….Happy spring! VK

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  9. I have trouble sticking to routines in some ways and in some ways I operate in repetitive patterns. I ahve always admired a friend who always fits everything in the structure of her routine – I feel so much strength and stability in how she operates. Reading your routine felt very soothin gto me too – perhaps I need more of it than I am willing to accept. I loved the sky in your pictures & the woodpecker too!

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  11. Love your weekend walks already Brad, it saves me needing to travel! Love the sky and the woodpecker obviously came to join you this time! Love routine, it keeps me sane… of course with a twist of change! Not as my life seems at the moment, I feel too busy with projects and people I must honour! Makes me feel off balance and tired! Thanks for sharing your love for life Brad, sending love to you x

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  12. I’m finding a lot of simple treasures in your post! You seem like you have a nice balance and a nice schedule! Congrats 🎈 even if it’s “boring” as you say—it’s efficient in that you don’t have to decide what to do.just do it! Love your poetry here Brad and for taking us with you! I love walks too 💖

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  15. Beautiful photos, Brad. Your “Series” idea sounds like a meaningful one. Best wishes should you decide to do that! Life does seem to naturally fall into routines. Good to sprinkle some spontaneity in the mix! 😁

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  18. Looks like you take a camera with you on your walks. The meeting of the photographer with a particular scene is an encounter, a sometimes rich and deep experience in which the photographer sees the environment in a fresh way. The taking of the photograph is an acknowledgement of a rendezvous, placing a seal on it as it were, although the resulting image falls far short in conveying the depth of the experience itself. This is contemplative photography.

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  20. If I had happened upon that woodpecker, all that would have been captured in the photo was a blur, if I was lucky, because I would have lost my mind. What a cool bird! We have them here, but they are tiny and don’t wear hats! You mostly just hear them, never get to see the little devils. I love the idea of doing a series like this, so keep doing it, Brad! Have a wonderful weekend. HNS 💕

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  22. There is nothing better than weekend walks ~ or walks at any time of year… the rhythm of the cadence in your step during walks in the outdoors matches the body’s rhythm, and this is why many thinkers of the past did their best work when out for a walk. It is a great place to think creatively, which is one reason I like getting outdoors so much. Routine is inevitable, but it is what we do/think during those routines that make life so exciting. With your beautiful views, it must feel amazing to get lost in thought out there. Wishing you well, Brad; please take time to relax and go where needed… we’ll all be here when you return.

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  25. It sounds like you got a good routine going, Brad. Routines keep us grounded and you sure know how to do that. Beautiful view of the lake on your walk and love your poem too. Simple treasures are around us all the time. I too like routines. Most days for me looks like going to work, working out, have some rest and in the evenings I blog or do some writing. I guess pretty boring too but it helps me make time for the things I want to do 😊

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