A slim crew for Axles of Evil ride. Weather fine.

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Enjoying the day with my daughter and Peanut.

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Earth Day...Did Anyone Notice?

What about you? What does Earth Day mean to you, personally? Now, I don't consider myself to be that wonderful an example of purist green living. But, I try. The question "What does it mean to you", came from a question recently posed to me at an Earth Day event at the World Peace Wetland Prairie in Fayetteville, Arkansas. That question was not expected. I had already talked about how nice it was to have a little urban sanctuary to enjoy with my kids, on a warm spring day.
But, for me, more than anything else, it means just stopping to pay attention to your immediate environment. Even the proponents of the so-called "climategate" idealogy can do that much. It really doesn't matter how much of our environmental problems are society's fault, or how much is due to cyclical changes in the earth's behavior. Every one of us can do a better job of being responsible in helping to sustain a heathy environment for ourselves, and for our grandkids.
That could be something as simple as drinking tap water instead of bottled. Recycling takes so little effort. Where I live, the city makes it easy by providing free recycling containers and curbside pickup. What if you managed to leave your car at home, one day a week. Or, commute by bicycle, walking, or public transit.
Our family has lived car-free for almost two years now. And while I know that for the majority of us that's not a viable solution, many have found it quite doable. Living without a car, especially with kids, does require forethought and hardship at times. But, if you pay attention and slow down, even for a few moments, you will discover ways to do your part. Start with the small stuff. Then, maybe you can move on to bigger steps. It's not about sacrifice, it's about mindfulness. So, pay attention, for goodness sake. Happy Earth Day!

Dirt Therapy

I couldn't believe it had been three months since I last posted to this blog. I was ambitious at the start. Then, it became obvious rather quickly, that I had failed to make even an attempt at setting a schedule for posting. So, now, I've decided to make more timely posts.

But, I do have a little to share today. I've struggled a lot with feeling ungrounded, especially lately. Of course, I've failed to keep my promise to myself, to meditate at least daily. This morning was particularly bad. I knew I had a lot to accomplish, or so I thought. Then, my neighbor unexpectedly drove into the yard on his riding mower. He asked if I was planning a garden this year. "Sure, I said, "But, we picked a different spot, and I've got to borrow a tiller." "Well, he said, "I just had surgery and can't run one myself. Our neighbor needs her plot tilled. If you'd do me a big favor and till her plot, you can use my tiller for yours."
Well, I hadn't planned on doing any garden work today. But, that's how I spent it. I didn't get any of those supposed "high priority" items on my to-do list done. But, now I see that asking for some assistance with a too hectic schedule accomplishes much more than just relaxation and ease. My garden is nearly ready to plant. And, I helped my neighbor, too. I think there's something here I've missed. I'm calling it "dirt therapy".

We survived Christmas.

I have dreaded the Christmas holidays for as long as I can remember. And, while I know I'm not alone in that, perhaps my reasons are less common than most. You see, I used to hate all the parties, shopping crowds, and the overspending. Well, I haven't had to worry too much about those things, lately. But, I still worry that there will be unpleasantness. This is my personal disease. It's the inability to relax into the present moment. I've thought a lot about this recently. And it occurs to me that, while this is a year-round problem for me, it always seems more pronounced around the holidays. But, I made it through again. Maybe I'm learning. And, we did have a white Christmas!

Happy Thanksgiving

What a start to the holidays! My daughter dislocates her knee. At least it happened to coincide with the the start of Christmas break. I try to look at all positive aspects of these incidents. This one wasn't easy. But, it did give us more time to spend together as a family. And, my daughter is learning the benefits of slowing down!

Welcome to The BridgePedaler!

Well, this marks the very first post on the blog. Chances are good that few will end up reading this...But then, you never know. I'm absolutely brand new at blogging, so do be compassionate in your judgement. As I am new to this, and as there are obviously millions of blogs that concern themselves with all manner of obscure and potentially boring subjects, I will try to make this relevant, informative, and interesting. For those who are interested, the name BridgePedaler comes from my interest in bicycles, in particular Bridgestone bicycles. And, it relates to the idea of building bridges, in terms of intellectual and spiritual discussion.