Tuesday, August 31, 2010

A NEW WORLD RECORD! (Maybe????)

Summer is coming to a close in NE Iowa...Temperatures are dropping and the wind is picking up.  Yesterday my lovely daughter and I took Macy for a two mile stroll. Geese were flying over our heads and pine cones were falling from treetops on to the walking trail beneath our feet.  Along the way we played kick the cone (our  version of kick the can) for 1.2 miles which must be a world record.  The trail we were on follows alongside a road.  Cars drove beside us.  People waved and smiled.  I wondered what they were thinking.  Where they thinking about their youth? Their children? Their parents? or where they just hoping we didn't kick our pine cone out in the street and run after it?

What free, fun, outside activities do you like to do this time of year?  

Don't forget to go to Amy's blog launch party on Wednesday! (P.S. THE IRON BODKIN is now available on Amazon.com and for you Kindle folks, you can get it here!)

35 comments:

  1. Wild berry/fruit/nut picking AND mushroom identification (yes - going round with a little "how to identify fungi" book!! basket in hand for the fruit and nuts)!!!

    :-)

    Your walk sounded like such fun!!

    Take care
    x

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  2. Sounds like you are making great, simple memories!
    I love to walk in the forest preserve with my dad. Plus just going outside and doing anything with the kids: running through the sprinkler, playing on the playset, sitting on the stoop watching the cars go by.

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  3. It's dping here in Australia so I love to go walking as well. I love all the new flowers that are blooming.

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  4. Camping... cook outs... lazy days spent by a lake... sleeping on a cot.

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  5. I wish it would get cool down here in FL. I don't think we have pine cones, but I loved them when I lived up north. We like to build sandcastles down here. All year round. Ha.

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  6. Fall is a great time to run outside. Not too hot. Not too cold. Just right. I also love playing golf this time of year. Being on the golf course and surrounded by all of the color is breathtaking.

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  7. That's a whole lotta kickin going on!!!

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  8. I went berry picking for the first time with my son and husband, and loved it!

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  9. I love kick the pine cone (or rock or stick or bottle cap or whatever we happen to find)...but we've never made it a mile, one of us usually gets a little wild and we lose our thingamajig.

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  10. Daydreaming is always free and such a great distraction!

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  11. We're surrounded by forests and beautiful landscapes - especially in the fall - so walking is always good!

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  12. hi miss sharon! that was a nice walk you and kathrine and macy took. playing that kick game sounds fun. i like walking in the big woods thats behind our house. theres pine cones here to. its still pretty hot right now and im still swimming. baseballs all done. me and sebi been house sitting at our cousin tonys house. him and cathy are on another one of his book signing trips for 3 weeks. when he does that we always get to be at their house an its lots of fun. me and sebi did a surprise for you but i cant say what cause its a secret for a little while. :) ha ha.
    ...hugs from lenny

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  13. It was a gorgeous Idaho day here today. Unfortunately, I watched it from my window. Too much work to do. :\

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  14. It feels like it is gone from here in Saskatchewan already Sharon ~ it was 5 c out this morning (40F) ~ a little too nippy for the end of August I think! Outside free fun? The start of taking photos of all the pretty fall colors! :)

    xo Catherine

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  15. Sounds like it was a great time.

    I love taking walks too. And bike rides. When falls comes, we'll go apple picking. But I want summer to last a little longer. And I guess it will, because it was over 100-degrees in Massachusetts today.

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  16. We're still biking, and this is my perfect running temperature.

    LOL. Catherine (who lives in the next province over from me) is experiencing the same cold mornings as I am. Brrrr!

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  17. My husband and I took a walk through a local garden park today and it was absolutely stunning. We don't do that enough. I love to walk this time of year!

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  18. Old Kitty--That sounds like so much fun!

    Kelly--It sounds like your making great memories with your Dad and your kids! :)

    Lynda--Don't you just love the smell of spring flowers. It's like life is beginning again.

    Jeff--Lazy days by the lake sound divine!

    Karen H- Really, you don't have pine cones? I adore the beach, although my sandcastle skills are not the best...


    Buffy--I knew you'd say playing golf. :) Have your leaves started turning already?

    Brian--You're right 1.2 miles is a long way...That's why the pine cone looks so worn out.

    Lisa Marie--What kind of berries? I imagine your son had a great time too!

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  19. Vicki--We could have kicked it another .4 miles but Macy got tired and I had to carry her, so K carried our cone home...

    Candace--Your right daydreaming is a great past time...it's great to have a pen and paper handy when you're doing that though....

    Jemi--We love going for walks too. :) I think we're going to do some real walking this weekend.

    Lenny--I'm glad you are still going swimming. There aren't a lot of trees here, so you are really lucky to have some woods behind your house. Very cool that you and Sebi are house sitting. I didn't know your uncle was a writer...Way cool! You have another relative to help mentor you. :)

    Amy--I'm sorry you were stuck inside, but I know you were busy working on all things Iron Bodkin, so I'm sure you were having fun...


    Catherine--Taking photos is a great activity any time of year...when you have a digital camera it can be an inexpensive activity (after the camera)...I love having my photos pop up as my screen savers and of course posting them here....

    Theresa--Seriously? 100 degrees? That is crazy! Do you guys even have ac up there? Good luck on staying cool the rest of the week....

    Stina--I had no idea you lived in Canada!

    Karen G--Take time to enjoy the fall and each other. :)

    Thanks for stopping in everyone!

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  20. Oh...it sounds so beautiful up there...falls in the air...but not where I live...though the humidity has lifted up a wee bit. I miss the change of seasons...I do.

    Hawk

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  21. We like to go walking too! We spent two hours meandering around an arboretum at the weekend :-)

    C x

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  22. HAWK--You'll be laughing at me in a few months...

    Carol (in England)--I love those kinds of walks. :)

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  23. I don't know about that... last year we had below freezing for 7 days in a row...it goes from hot and humid to freezing over night here!

    Honest to GOD...last year Alaska was warmer then we were for a couple of days! I seriously thought about moving back to Alaska.

    LOL
    Hawk

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  24. Kick the cone sounds like fun! I love little games you can make up as you go along. Well, I don't feel like being outside because it's back to 90 degrees again, here. But, it's been a long time since I've participated in jumping in leave piles. That's free...maybe this fall!

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  25. HAWK--We had snow on the ground from November until April...I'd say you were better off. LOL... I think you're in FL...I'd stay if I were you. :)

    Melissa--I hope it cools off for you soon. Piles of leaves are so much fun...

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  26. That sounds a little bit like here. I drove up the canyon this morning and reserved a camping site for this weekend. You get up there and it's like you're worlds away. So gorgeous and raw. Sometimes it is okay to live in the sticks.

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  27. Lovely times, those you share with family, aren't they? I could feel a nip and a piney smell in the air as I read your post, Sharon. Thanks for sharing!

    And how cool is it that a book that you were a beta reader for is releasing? Can't wait to be in the same shoes myself with my critique buddies!! ;-)

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  28. Kick the cone! I used to play that! As well as kick the snow clump... until it got smaller and smaller and there was nothing left!

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  29. Hi Sharon .. kick the cone - sounds like a great idea .. and fun - to wander along to as you walk and enjoy the late summer air.

    Just being out and enjoying nature is the best - thanks Hilary

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  30. LOL...no you wouldn't... I've been trying to get out of here for years...never wanted to be here in the first place....can't breath here.

    I was born in Alaska...snow doesn't bother me at all.

    One day....I'll find me way to the desert or Ireland.

    Hawk


    ;-)
    Hawk

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  31. Tess--I hope you have a lovely weekend!

    Hema--I've been blessed with talented friends! Tess has a book coming out next year, too! Three other WAD members have been in Highlights For Children. :)

    Talli--There wasn't much pine cone left when we got home. LOL, if Macy hadn't needed me to carry her part of the way I might not of had anything to take a photo of for my post!

    Hilary M-B--You sure can tell fall is on its way. It's getting darker much sooner now. :-(
    (I loved your last post!) 8-0

    HAWK--It's not the snow that bothers me...it's the wind...and this summer the RAIN (that was inside instead of outside)! I've never been to Ireland, but I hear it is wonderful.

    Thanks for stopping in everyone and I hope you'll stop by Amy's...she has some awesome cupcakes over at her book launch blog party!

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  32. I think the people were just hoping you kids wouldn't kick that pine cone out into the street and run after it. LOL.

    Yesterday, my good hubby-buddy and I went for a looooooooong drive, with the specific purpose of having me read to him while he drove. We read a lot of books, this way, although most of the time we are traveling because we want to get somewhere particular, such as church... 60 miles away.

    Such fun and simple pleasures are the best.

    ~ Yaya

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  33. Hi Sharon, I have sent you another email. I had missed out the 'h' on your email address, which is why you didnt get it! :o)
    I didnt think you were harrassing me at all! haha

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  34. Oh -- that is a lovely image I have in my mind.

    Nothing like a daughter, a daughter on an autumn walk.

    You are a lucky mama!

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  35. Yaya--Thanks for calling me a kid! :-) Gosh 60 miles is a long way...WTbe devoted!!!

    Niki--Thanks! I'll be running to the P.O. later today....

    Jennie--I thought you'd enjoy my post. I enjoyed your post about the present your daughter gave you. Aren't kids great!

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