Rainbow Dragon's Lair
- Thread starter Laura Rainbow Dragon
- Start date
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Oh, wow, @Laura Rainbow Dragon I hope you don't experience any Lyme disease symptoms, it really is not a lot of fun that one! Keep us updated (and maybe some pics, when you get the chance? Your hike sounds awesome!")
Laura Rainbow Dragon
Moderator
I am going through old photographs, purging the junk shots and trying to whittle down the keepers to a level I can at least fit onto one USB key per year. (This task will require many hours. And mostly I ignore it until times like these when I have photos on my camera I cannot pull off because my hard drive is full.) Anyhow... I'm not able to show you the newest shots yet. But I did find this oldie from April 2021 that will hopefully make folks smile. I call it:
Northern Leopard Frogs (Lithobates pipiens)
Four Frisky Frogs
Northern Leopard Frogs (Lithobates pipiens)
Sólveig
Well-known member
from
Thinking about four frogs in a trench coat now...
Laura Rainbow Dragon
Moderator
Thank you @JCU & @Damer .
I was able to get the antibiotic. So all should be fine. I will still monitor for the classic bull's-eye rash and other symptoms of Lyme disease. But thanks to pharmacists being able to prescribe a few things in Ontario these days (with prophylactic antibiotics being one of the things) and healthcare professionals here in general having a good awareness of Lyme disease now, saying: "I was bitten by a black-legged tick in Rondeau Provincial Park within the last three days," was a fast ride to a couple of pills within the necessary time frame to significantly reduce my risk of becoming infected.
I was able to get the antibiotic. So all should be fine. I will still monitor for the classic bull's-eye rash and other symptoms of Lyme disease. But thanks to pharmacists being able to prescribe a few things in Ontario these days (with prophylactic antibiotics being one of the things) and healthcare professionals here in general having a good awareness of Lyme disease now, saying: "I was bitten by a black-legged tick in Rondeau Provincial Park within the last three days," was a fast ride to a couple of pills within the necessary time frame to significantly reduce my risk of becoming infected.
NightWolf714
Well-known member
Berserker
from
Nashville, TN, USA
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Posts: 1,373
from
Nashville, TN, USA
Pronouns: They/she
Posts: 1,373
"The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change. ~Carl Rogers"
Sounds like quite an eventful time!
Laura Rainbow Dragon
Moderator
Thank you @graoumia .
I am glad everything worked out well for your son.
As Damer says, Lyme disease can be nasty on a body, especially if it becomes chronic. Fortunately, catching it early usually leads to good results. I was able to get an antibiotic dose prophylactically (without presentation of any symptoms of disease at all), which puts me in good stead. Also, I am familiar with the symptoms of Lyme disease, and I know I was bitten by a potentially-infected (actually likely-infected, given the area) tick. So I am monitoring and will know to seek further help quickly if symptoms do present.
Even as recently as 10 years ago, it was not so easy to get rapid treatment to prevent Lyme disease here (or even to treat it once it was already present). Healthcare practitioners didn't know that much about Lyme in humans, and didn't believe infected ticks were as widespread as they are. Also, as recently as 2 years ago it would not have been so easy to get an antibiotic on a weekend here, but waiting until Monday would have pushed me past the time period when PEP for Lyme is considered beneficial. Today all I needed to do was walk to a pharmacy (my neighbourhood pharmacy did not have anyone on site trained to offer prescriptions, but another one less than 2km away did), speak to the pharmacist for one minute, and then wait 15 minutes for him to get the scrip ready.
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Laura Rainbow Dragon
Moderator
Indeed!
I'm still working on the photos. But I did finally get Garmin to give me our hiking stats for the trip:
Wednesday: 30 km
Thursday: 33.9 km
Friday: an easy day at only 16.1 km (we had to also break camp and drive home this day)
Not bad for a 14-year-old dog! (Or her human!)
Laura Rainbow Dragon
Moderator
Whelp! I managed to get the images off my smaller camera. But my hard drive is still so full I can only have one image open for editing at a time!
Yesterday (October 25), Shelby and I went to Hallowe'en in the Village. Shelby made out pretty well:
(The above is ~ half her haul. She ate the Milkbone biscuits on site.)
I got some stuff too:
(There were edible treats for humans too. But I didn't take any.)
There was a parade with mini floats. (No trucks. Just what people could pull or push manually.) This was the best one:
Total hiking mileage: 10.6 km
5 push-ups (I don't want to lose the ability to do these. But I've decided I really don't need to be able to do huge numbers of them either. I'm going to aim for a few each day and call that good enough.)
420 kicks to help Defend the Hive:
Consecutive days of exercise: 4
Yesterday (October 25), Shelby and I went to Hallowe'en in the Village. Shelby made out pretty well:
(The above is ~ half her haul. She ate the Milkbone biscuits on site.)
I got some stuff too:
(There were edible treats for humans too. But I didn't take any.)
There was a parade with mini floats. (No trucks. Just what people could pull or push manually.) This was the best one:
Total hiking mileage: 10.6 km
5 push-ups (I don't want to lose the ability to do these. But I've decided I really don't need to be able to do huge numbers of them either. I'm going to aim for a few each day and call that good enough.)
420 kicks to help Defend the Hive:
- 100 front kicks
- 100 side kicks
- 100 turning kicks
- 100 hook kicks
- 20 spinning kicks
Consecutive days of exercise: 4
Laura Rainbow Dragon
Moderator
Scenic Shots from Rondeau
Autumn colours on Black Oak Trail:
Spicebush Trail:
Lake Erie was wild on Wednesday:
South Point East:
Thursday was a glorious day to hike the Marsh Trail:
Sunset over Rondeau Bay:
Laura Rainbow Dragon
Moderator
By Friday we just had a couple of shorter trails left to do.
The Rondeau peninsula is a cuspate sand spit, formed by the action of waves depositing ridges of sand. When dune grasses take hold on these deposits they help to stabilize the new land, protecting it from erosion, and eventually enabling Rondeau's complex ecosystems to form.
Even so, erosion takes its toll. Most years the Rondeau peninsula gets shorter as the strong currents of Lake Erie chip away at Rondeau's south point.
The view from South Point, looking north back up the peninsula:
Until a few years ago, South Point Trail was one long, u-shaped trail that wrapped around the tip of the peninsula. Erosion at the point chipped away at the trail, such that South Point is now two distinct trails, East and West, which no longer meet up in the middle.
This was the final hike of our trip, South Point Trail West, on Friday afternoon:
The best hiking companion anyone could ever ask for:
The Rondeau peninsula is a cuspate sand spit, formed by the action of waves depositing ridges of sand. When dune grasses take hold on these deposits they help to stabilize the new land, protecting it from erosion, and eventually enabling Rondeau's complex ecosystems to form.
Even so, erosion takes its toll. Most years the Rondeau peninsula gets shorter as the strong currents of Lake Erie chip away at Rondeau's south point.
The view from South Point, looking north back up the peninsula:
Until a few years ago, South Point Trail was one long, u-shaped trail that wrapped around the tip of the peninsula. Erosion at the point chipped away at the trail, such that South Point is now two distinct trails, East and West, which no longer meet up in the middle.
This was the final hike of our trip, South Point Trail West, on Friday afternoon:
The best hiking companion anyone could ever ask for:
The world is such an amazing place! Thank you @Laura Rainbow Dragon for sharing so generously.
PetiteSheWolf
Well-known member
First, glad you could have prophylaxis against Lyme disease! In France we're working toward giving the pharmacists more initiative - like they can test for strep throat or urinary infection in some specific cases (if too much risk, that's "go to the GP"case"), but I don't think we got it for Lyme yet. And they can do a fair number of vaccines. I really like that my profession gets more involved in active care and prevention like that, even if I don't practice in-shop anymore!
And second, great pics! Love the wild lake waves pics, and of course cuddles to the best hitchhiking companion on the American continent ,) (sorry, but my older bro's "Good Doggo" Naxos has the prize for Europe, LOL!)
And second, great pics! Love the wild lake waves pics, and of course cuddles to the best hitchhiking companion on the American continent ,) (sorry, but my older bro's "Good Doggo" Naxos has the prize for Europe, LOL!)
Mamatigerj
Well-known member
Beautiful photos!
Laura Rainbow Dragon
Moderator
Thank you @TopNotch @Damer @PetiteSheWolf @Mamatigerj .
Sunday, October 26:
Total hiking mileage: 7.2 km
5 push-ups
Hive Defence:
Consecutive days of exercise: 5
Sunday, October 26:
Total hiking mileage: 7.2 km
5 push-ups
Hive Defence:
- 100 donkey kicks
- 100 reverse plank kicks
- 100 flutter kicks
- 100 balance back kicks
- 100 side kicks
- 100 drop back kicks
- 100 butt kicks
- 100 crunch kicks
- 40 front kicks
- 40 turning kicks
Consecutive days of exercise: 5
Laura Rainbow Dragon
Moderator
Monday, October 27:
8.9 km hiking
5 push-ups
Aikido class (90 minutes)
Consecutive days of exercise: 6
8.9 km hiking
5 push-ups
Aikido class (90 minutes)
Consecutive days of exercise: 6
Laura Rainbow Dragon
Moderator
Tuesday, October 28:
5.8 km hiking
5 push-ups
30 minutes yoga: "Daily Dose of Bliss"
Consecutive days of exercise: 7
5.8 km hiking
5 push-ups
30 minutes yoga: "Daily Dose of Bliss"
Consecutive days of exercise: 7
NancyTree
Well-known member
Nice pictures! Especially the gorgeous red sky!
Laura Rainbow Dragon
Moderator
Thank you @NancyTree . Glad you like! And yes: sunsets are pleasing to the eye, and also relaxing and grounding to watch. 
Wednesday, October 29:
6.8 km hiking
5 push-ups
3 x 10 per side, side-lying clamshells
3 x 10 glute bridges
3 x 10 crunch kicks
5 minutes restorative yoga
Consecutive days of exercise: 8
Wednesday, October 29:
6.8 km hiking
5 push-ups
3 x 10 per side, side-lying clamshells
3 x 10 glute bridges
3 x 10 crunch kicks
5 minutes restorative yoga
Consecutive days of exercise: 8
Laura Rainbow Dragon
Moderator
Thursday, October 30:
Slept in this morning. Then Shelby and I went for a walk before breakfast (because rain was expected later). Returned home. Had breakfast (pizza on garlic naan bread for me, with spicy tomato sauce, fresh spinach leaves, jalepeño cheddar, cremini mushrooms, onions, grape tomatoes, pickled hot banana peppers, and feta cheese). Literally 5 minutes after I'd finished eating friends called me and said, "Hey! We want to take you out for lunch at Ivano Poblano's. Are you interested?"
I had not yet had the pleasure of dining at Ivano's but have heard nothing but good things about the place since I moved back here last year. So of course I said, "Yes!"
Fortunately, Ivano does not serve fast food. So my breakfast was allowed to settle for a little bit before I was tucking in to lunch.
Even so, I had to get the dessert as takeout!
Shelby and I had a lazy, rainy-day afternoon at home after that. I did some work on my computer, then enjoyed my dessert.
The evening and overnight (yup--pulled an all-nighter) was spent alternating doing push-ups and walking Shelby with gaming. Oops!
I have a bunch of stuff I need to get done this morning. So won't be able to crash until this afternoon now. But it was totally worth it. Yesterday was a great day!
6.2 km hiking
4 x 5 push-ups
Consecutive days of exercise: 9
Slept in this morning. Then Shelby and I went for a walk before breakfast (because rain was expected later). Returned home. Had breakfast (pizza on garlic naan bread for me, with spicy tomato sauce, fresh spinach leaves, jalepeño cheddar, cremini mushrooms, onions, grape tomatoes, pickled hot banana peppers, and feta cheese). Literally 5 minutes after I'd finished eating friends called me and said, "Hey! We want to take you out for lunch at Ivano Poblano's. Are you interested?"
I had not yet had the pleasure of dining at Ivano's but have heard nothing but good things about the place since I moved back here last year. So of course I said, "Yes!"
Fortunately, Ivano does not serve fast food. So my breakfast was allowed to settle for a little bit before I was tucking in to lunch.
Even so, I had to get the dessert as takeout!
Shelby and I had a lazy, rainy-day afternoon at home after that. I did some work on my computer, then enjoyed my dessert.
The evening and overnight (yup--pulled an all-nighter) was spent alternating doing push-ups and walking Shelby with gaming. Oops!
I have a bunch of stuff I need to get done this morning. So won't be able to crash until this afternoon now. But it was totally worth it. Yesterday was a great day!
6.2 km hiking
4 x 5 push-ups
Consecutive days of exercise: 9
Laura Rainbow Dragon
Moderator
Friday, October 31:
11.8 km hiking
5 push-ups
some squatting
Consecutive days of exercise: 10
(Pretty slacker day. But part of the hiking was with groceries on my back, and I did do the push-ups. So I'm counting it.)
11.8 km hiking
5 push-ups
some squatting
Consecutive days of exercise: 10
(Pretty slacker day. But part of the hiking was with groceries on my back, and I did do the push-ups. So I'm counting it.)
Laura Rainbow Dragon
Moderator
Saturday, November 1:
4.1 km hiking
2 x 5 push-ups
yoga: some crow pose, some restorative
Consecutive days of exercise: 11
4.1 km hiking
2 x 5 push-ups
yoga: some crow pose, some restorative
Consecutive days of exercise: 11
Laura Rainbow Dragon
Moderator
Sunday, November 2:
5.9 km hiking
3 x 5 push-ups
Consecutive days of exercise: 12
That extra hour overnight evaporated into nothing like a phantom dream. And now we must suffer darkness coming far too early for the next four months. (For the most part I can simply ignore the fact that my community is back on standard time for the next four months and just keep to the same hours as before. But Monday night Aikido is going to feel awfully late and be difficult to get to any weeks my friend who usually drives me is out of town.)
5.9 km hiking
3 x 5 push-ups
Consecutive days of exercise: 12
That extra hour overnight evaporated into nothing like a phantom dream. And now we must suffer darkness coming far too early for the next four months. (For the most part I can simply ignore the fact that my community is back on standard time for the next four months and just keep to the same hours as before. But Monday night Aikido is going to feel awfully late and be difficult to get to any weeks my friend who usually drives me is out of town.)
Laura Rainbow Dragon
Moderator
Monday, November 3:
3.7 km hiking
5 push-ups
90 minutes Aikido class
calf raises, one-legged calf raises
crow pose work
Consecutive days of exercise: 13
Slacker day on the hiking front because our second hike was too ridiculously late for me to pretend it happened on the 3rd.
Push-ups, calf raises, and crow pose work were done at the community centre while waiting for Aikido to start. (We arrived very early, yet the mats were already out.) Calf raises are a great social exercise because one can do them while maintaining eye contact with the people one is speaking with.
Also this day: I broke my long writing drought. I decided this month to just do it. So I've committed to writing:
3.7 km hiking
5 push-ups
90 minutes Aikido class
calf raises, one-legged calf raises
crow pose work
Consecutive days of exercise: 13
Slacker day on the hiking front because our second hike was too ridiculously late for me to pretend it happened on the 3rd.
Push-ups, calf raises, and crow pose work were done at the community centre while waiting for Aikido to start. (We arrived very early, yet the mats were already out.) Calf raises are a great social exercise because one can do them while maintaining eye contact with the people one is speaking with.
Also this day: I broke my long writing drought. I decided this month to just do it. So I've committed to writing:
- one hour/day, five days/week for the first week of the month (November 3-9)
- two hours/day, five days/week for the second week of the month (November 10-16)
- three hours/day, five days/week for the third week of the month (November 17-23)
- four hours/day, five days/week for week for the fourth week of the month (November 24-30)
Laura Rainbow Dragon
Moderator
Tuesday, November 4:
6.3 km hiking
5 push-ups
calf raises, one-legged calf raises
Consecutive days of exercise: 14
Writing: day 2 of 5 @ 1 hour/day
6.3 km hiking
5 push-ups
calf raises, one-legged calf raises
Consecutive days of exercise: 14
Writing: day 2 of 5 @ 1 hour/day
NightWolf714
Well-known member
Berserker
from
Nashville, TN, USA
Pronouns: They/she
Posts: 1,373
from
Nashville, TN, USA
Pronouns: They/she
Posts: 1,373
"The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change. ~Carl Rogers"
Woot woot, 2 consecutive weeks done!
Anek
Well-known member
Sorceress
from
Bavaria, Germany
Pronouns: She/her
Posts: 3,926
from
Bavaria, Germany
Pronouns: She/her
Posts: 3,926
"If the time should come when you have to make a choice between what is right and what is easy, remember Cedric Diggory."
Laura Rainbow Dragon
Moderator
Thank you @NightWolf714 & @Anek .
Wednesday, November 5:
5.7 km hiking
5 regular push-ups
couple of one-legged vinyasas
Only one hike this day (because I was a putz) but Super Shelby made certain it was a good one. We were just walking in our neighbourhood, but she insisted on going further and exploring some new streets.
Consecutive days of exercise: 15
Finally have a streak badge back! (Albeit a tiny one.) Still not doing as much as I'd like. But it's a start!
Writing: day 3 of 5 @ 1 hour/day
Wednesday, November 5:
5.7 km hiking
5 regular push-ups
couple of one-legged vinyasas
Only one hike this day (because I was a putz) but Super Shelby made certain it was a good one. We were just walking in our neighbourhood, but she insisted on going further and exploring some new streets.
Consecutive days of exercise: 15
Finally have a streak badge back! (Albeit a tiny one.) Still not doing as much as I'd like. But it's a start!
Writing: day 3 of 5 @ 1 hour/day
Mamatigerj
Well-known member
Congratulations for getting back your streak badge!
Syrius
Well-known member
Valkyrie
from
The Sonoran Desert
Pronouns: she/her
Posts: 1,953
from
The Sonoran Desert
Pronouns: she/her
Posts: 1,953
"Courage is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities... because it is the quality which guarantees all others."
Congrats on 15 Days!!! 
astro_lizard
Well-known member
Congrats for 15 days!!!
Laura Rainbow Dragon
Moderator
Thank you:
@Mamatigerj
@Syrius
@graoumia
@CODawn
@JCU
@astro_lizard
@TopNotch
@Bracelet
@Fremen
It feels good to be back!
Thursday, November 6:
4.8 km hiking
3 x 5 push-ups
calf raises
Again only one hike. I need to do better!
Consecutive days of exercise: 16
Writing: day off
@Mamatigerj
@Syrius
@graoumia
@CODawn
@JCU
@astro_lizard
@TopNotch
@Bracelet
@Fremen
It feels good to be back!
Thursday, November 6:
4.8 km hiking
3 x 5 push-ups
calf raises
Again only one hike. I need to do better!
Consecutive days of exercise: 16
Writing: day off
NancyTree
Well-known member
Yay for 15 days!
It is good to have you back, i missed Shelby and youIt feels good to be back!
Laura Rainbow Dragon
Moderator
Aw. Thank you @graoumia .It is good to have you back, i missed Shelby and you
And thank you @NancyTree .
Friday, November 7:
7.5 km hiking
5 push-ups
then, because I was already on the floor, 3 sets of:
10 supine double leg raises
10 butt ups
10 side-lying leg lifts, left leg
10 prone rear leg lifts, left leg
10 prone rear leg lifts, right leg
10 side-lying leg lifts, right leg
15 minutes yoga: sphinx, bow, snake, meditation in corpse, bridge, supine knees-to-chestI had planned to push grocery shopping off until Monday. But then I saw the weather forecast for Sunday. Snow.
We get snow here in Ontario every winter. One might think people here know how to deal with it by now. And yet every year after the first snowfall we get drivers slip-siding around because they've forgotten how to drive on the stuff (or neglected to get their snow tires installed in time). We get municipalities slow to get the ploughs out (especially when there's a significant early snowfall like we're expecting Sunday, and the municipalities haven't budgeted for starting regular snow removal that early). Because we worship the almighty automobile here in Canada, clearing the roads always gets priority over clearing the sidewalks (which, where I live, often happens several days later, if at all!)
I walk to the grocery store and haul my food home in a little wagon that's not going to be fun to drag through a slushy mess.
So Monday grocery shopping became a big nope!
So I revised my plan to hit the 2km away store Friday night and then the 4.5 km away store Saturday morning (early Saturday, before the crowds). But fortunately I was able to get everything I needed from the closer store this night.
Consecutive days of exercise: 17
Writing: day 4 of 5 @ 1 hour/day
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Laura Rainbow Dragon
Moderator
Yes, a toboggan could potentially be useful. (Most of the time though, winter sidewalks here are a patchwork of snow, slush, ice, and bare cement. So the best option is generally to time grocery runs for when there will be mostly hard surfaces of some sort that wheels can handle. I can use the road if needs be--it gets cleared first and also is salted, so it makes for much easier winter travel than the sidewalks, most of the time--to get to the closer store. Not so much the further away store, however, as there's no way to get there that doesn't involve using a road that's dangerously too busy for walking along.)
Laura Rainbow Dragon
Moderator
Laura Rainbow Dragon
Moderator
Laura Rainbow Dragon
Moderator
Monday, November 10:
13.7 km hiking
5 push-ups
5 minutes yoga: it was late, so I did just a mini flow
Consecutive days of exercise: 20
Writing: day off
I skipped Aikido this day due to the weather. My friend who usually drives me there didn't want to risk being on the road in potentially unsafe driving conditions, and while I will walk in worse weather than I would drive in, hiking 5km after dark in snow squalls would not have been fun or safe. So I decided to go to a free community screening of Prime Minister hosted by my MPP in a local cinema only 600 metres from where I live. Prime Minister is an intimate, emotional, and I think ultimately hopeful portrait of Jacinda Ardern's tenure as Prime Minister of New Zealand. I highly recommend seeing it if you get the chance!
13.7 km hiking
5 push-ups
5 minutes yoga: it was late, so I did just a mini flow
Consecutive days of exercise: 20
Writing: day off
I skipped Aikido this day due to the weather. My friend who usually drives me there didn't want to risk being on the road in potentially unsafe driving conditions, and while I will walk in worse weather than I would drive in, hiking 5km after dark in snow squalls would not have been fun or safe. So I decided to go to a free community screening of Prime Minister hosted by my MPP in a local cinema only 600 metres from where I live. Prime Minister is an intimate, emotional, and I think ultimately hopeful portrait of Jacinda Ardern's tenure as Prime Minister of New Zealand. I highly recommend seeing it if you get the chance!