Walk on the Wild Side

Sacramento Bee Newspaper: the Sacramento region experiences the second of what is expected to be five straight days of 100-degree weather....

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/08/09/4709458/sacramento-area-weather-from-redding.html#storylink=cpy

It's a good thing I did my walk early this morning while it was still cool and the sun still low in the blue sky.  A mid-day walk would guarantee fried brain with a side of sunburnt cheeks. I walked alone today as my mother was feeling a little bit under the weather  and everyone else had already left for work.

As I made my way around the area, I noticed how quiet it was.  Not even a barking dog to break the silence.  Occasionally a vehicle would drive out of the driveway and utility truck would pass but it seems I was the only one taking a walk.

After 20 minutes of manicured lawns and trained rose bushes, I decided to test my memory. You see, with walks with my sisters, we would go through a trail that connected two housing communities.

Pretty soon I was back on the trail with it's thick bushes,

pussy willows and cat tails (like the song),

and thorny blackberry vines.

The ground was dusty and bone dry.

Making me think of the irony of life... Here I was in a place just dying for some rain while back in Manila, there was just too much of rain.  Climate change? Man's folly? Or is it just the way it should be?  These wild  thoughts  kept me company as I hurried back home.

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Just like the many walks I take back in the Philippines,  walks I have with my sisters and mother in Sacramento are always interesting. I just need a good pair of walking shoes  and an openness to marvel at whatever crosses out path or line of vision.

A wild turkey,

, and a relaxing squirrel.

Wild flowers,

a stand of oak trees,

and graceful grass.

Even in all the dryness, there is much beauty.

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Morning walks always boost my appetite. For the time being, I have set aside my usual bowl of oatmeal and banana and traded it up for a delicious bowl of Greek yogurt with an assortment of American fruits: peaches, blue berries, cherries, rashberries. I put in some chopped walnuts or sliced almonds and a generous dollop of honey. And my breakfast is served. Tapsilog, Longsilog and Bangsilog will have to wait.

When in Rome...