27 May 2024
I’m getting this idea of going to bed early and getting up early. I turned out the lights at 10:10 last night and was awake before 6 am. I really am a morning person but even so, it’s tough to put on my compression socks and hiking boots first thing. When I eventually get out the door to start my walk, I start to feeling better.
This morning, I had just started the walk when I ran into Chris and Tucker. They try to beat the heat and get an early start. We walked together for the remainder of my walk. Chris is real easy to talk to. We don’t always agree on everything but we listen to each other’s points of view. We seem to always have something to talk about. By the time I made it back to the house, I had only done 0.8 miles but that was enough to get my blood flowing.
After I left Chris and Tucker, I walked through a carpet of flowers.
These are the flowers from a Pongam Tree (Pongamia pinnata). It produces thousands of little tiny pea-shaped flowers this time of year (it’s a member of the pea family – Fabaceae).
These trees are messy three times a year: flower fall, fruit fall and leaf fall all occur at different times so you are constantly cleaning up after them. When those flowers on the side walk get wet, they are slippery as goose s**t. I’ve helped to pick up more than one person who has fallen while walking on wet flowers of this tree.
You might wonder why anyone would plant them if they are so much trouble. They produce a great deal of shade and help cool the yard and the house. However, they do have shallow roots and often are uprooted during hurricanes.
Today is Memorial Day. We celebrate those in the military that gave their lives defending this country. I’ve been fortunate in that I don’t think I’ve had any relatives that didn’t make it home from WWI, WWII, or Vietnam. U.S. News and World Report states that over 600,000 Americans have died since WWI. Over 400,000 died in WWII. I’m thankful my Dad made it through WWII and the Korean conflict and that my brother made it through the Viet Nam conflict. We never seem to have any lack of wars to fight nor dead to morn.
I know I’ve included this in a blog before but I still think it appropriate – In Flanders Fields by John McCrae.
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
Stay tuned!
