Deep Grass

Mill Pond, West Newbury, MA

Mocha and Lawn as Blur

West Boxford, MA

Rookery and Clouds

North Andover, MA

Green Backyard Branches

West Boxford, MA

Evening Commute Herons

North Andover, MA

Views of Oak Ridge Road

West Boxford, MA

Spent a decent part of the weekend on my bike and today doing house and yard work, napping, and reading.  I didn't get on the internet at all, until Patrick checked in this afternoon and read that Lisa, one of the NEBC ladies, fractured her skull at the Killington Stage Race.  I rode five hours last weekend with Lisa and I was so happy for her as she was in great shape and looking nice on the bicycle.  This is horrible news!  Patrick says he doesn't miss bike racing. 

Dandelions

West Boxford, MA

Grow, Tomato!

West Boxford, MA

Flag and Weathervane

West Boxford, MA

Clover

West Boxford, MA

Portraits of Trash

West Boxford, MA

Ferns Grow

West Boxford, MA

Night Tree in Spring

 West Boxford, MA

Bikes Lay Down at Georgetown Beach

 Georgetown, MA

Joined a nice group today for the CRW spring century.  Weather was fantastic and scenery was heartbreakingly beautiful, all 113 miles of local roads covered today.  As a dutiful paceline rider, I had to forgo stopping to take pictures of flowering trees, goats, mirrorlike ponds and lakes, and interesting signs.  But the sky over Georgetown was as nice as all of these anyway.  This was my longest ride since Oct and could I ever tell.  There is all manner of opportunity for an improvement in fitness.  The weather this weekend was truly phenomenal.  I could use about 10 more weekends.  In a row. 

Flower and Fern on Wapack Trail

New Ipswich, NH

Leaves and Gray Sky

West Boxford, MA

Silent Swimmer

West Boxford, MA

Mocha and I went down to the water to watch the geese, which were raucous.  They had tiny goslings swimming around.  Suddenly, a silent mammal swam by.  Thereafter, I noticed a cormorant perched on a tress just out of this frame which we hadn't noticed at all while watching the geese.

Capturing Moonlight

West, Boxford MA

Truly delightful Harvard Hill Ride today with wonderful views of hills, paths, sky, and swan.  All gliding through evening, no stopping for pictures. 

RED DOG

West Boxford, MA

Flowers at Merrimack College

North, Andover

Leafing

Willowdale State Forest, Ipswich, MA

Willowdale State Forest, Ipswich, MA

The weekend after I strain my hamstring, making trail running pretty much an off limits sport, Patrick develops a sudden interest in trail running.  Funny how that works.

West Boxford, MA

Sky Over Plum Island

Newburyport, MA

Newbury, MA

This picture of the field with dandelions was the closest I have come to getting into trouble taking pictures for this project.  One my ride home from Plum Island, I decided to take the beast off road to explore a park in Newbury.  We went through a field and on some hiking trails, then came out on a dirt road which I took in the direction of from whence I can come to get back on the paved road towards home.  This field of dandelions caught my eye, perhaps because the road I was trying to get to is on the other side of it.  When I was pulling my camera out to take this picture, I heard a rustling in the woods behind me which I assumed was a deer.  After clicking the shutter, I looked back to see a large black animal in the trees, so large in fact that it took me a moment to realize that it wasn't wild.  It was a beast of a rottweiler, heading towards me.  Before I could get on my bike, it had crossed the road to pace menacingly at the entrance to the field and had been joined by a second equally massive partner.  To avoid approaching the dogs, I tried to ride across the field, which was soft.  Then I yelled at the dogs which did get the attention of the owner who called them back across the road where the dogs then paced in the woods watching me ride out of there.  I don't think I'll visit this field again.

Two Part Tree

 West Boxford, MA

Taking a break from running and cycling this week to heal a hamstring strain from last weekend.  Once I could walk without a limp, Mocha and I went for our longest neighborhood walks ever.  We went on two of my favorite running loops - at a much slower pace; said hello to the goats and listened to plenty of birds.  This spring path was part of the shorter route, an hour and a half walk before work - that's a first.