Early Morning Walks on the Golf Course Cart Path

SUNRISE:  4/13/16  (Not many leaves on the trees yet!!)

What would it take to get you UP out of bed  about 4:45 a.m. each morning?  WELL---a few years ago,  I would have said that NOTHING could make me get up that early.  (I had always been a night owl --and enjoyed sleeping a 'little' later in the mornings.)  BUT-- once George and I decided to put a priority on exercise (walking is OUR choice),  everything changed!!!!

We got our FITBITS last May (2015) ---and have been faithful to that program (along with My Fitness Pal) since...  We have walked the streets in our area and also on some of the provided trails.  BUT--since we live on a golf course (Druid Hills),  it became our favorite place to walk.  We could walk nine holes which is about 2 miles on the golf course.  But we are limited as to when we can walk there.  The rules state that there can be no walkers anytime there are golfers on the course. SO--that basically limited our walking  to late in the evenings (almost dark) OR very early in the mornings (first light).

Last Summer---we chose to walk in the evenings...  When winter came, the golf course was closed sometimes (depending upon the weather).  SO---we walked at various times during the day.  THEN---when March came,  we decided to get up early and take our walks in the early morning... I'll admit that it was hard (still is, when we are tired) to get up that early ---but since we do it most every day now,  it is becoming more routine for us.  AND--any older person trying to stay healthy will tell you that ROUTINE is good and keeping the same schedule is good for us.

I never thought I'd say this but it's true:  "When I get up and take my morning walk early,  it makes the entire day go much much better"..... When I miss walking one morning,  I find myself much more sluggish all day long!  Crazy, huh????  BUT--for me morning works.

I carry my iPhone each morning on our walks ---and we try to get pictures when possible.  We try to time our walks so that we can see the sunrise.  SO---I went through my pictures from April and May ---and have chosen 16 to share with you today.   I'll put the date with them so that you can compare one day to the next.  Amazing how different things can look depending upon the clouds,  the weather,  etc...

SUNRISE:  4/14/16--  (Every morning is different!!!)

Pink Sky in the Morning:  4/15/16

SUNRISE:  4/20/16  (compare this picture to the one below taken on 5/28/16; sun is moving toward the left and rising EARLIER each morning)

Early Morning:  4/20/16   (Love the puffy clouds)

SUNRISE:  4/24/16--- (See the fog/mist in the distance?)

SUNRISE:  4/25/16  (more leaves on the trees!!!)

EARLY morning SKY:  5/4/16   (back to walking after a trip)

MIST on the Pond:  5/4/16   (There's always more beauty besides the sky!)

Early morning SUN hitting the Trees along the golf course fairway:  5/4/16

SUNRISE:  5/24/16  (Back from another trip;   Love seeing the sunbeams!!)

SUNRISE:  5/27/16 

SUNRISE:  5/28/16  (Compare this picture to one taken on 4/20 above.  Sun keeps on moving to the left..  It will start moving back about June 20.)

SUNRISE:  5/30/16---  (We get some great pictures when there are clouds in the sky!!!)

SUNRISE:  5/31/16   (Oh What a Beautiful Morning!!!)

Two Crazy-in-love, TALL people enjoying LIFE!! ha ha

Hope you enjoy the pictures as much as I enjoyed taking them and sharing them.. Does this make you want to get up early???????

Hope you are enjoying JUNE so far!!!  We certainly are!

Hugs,

Snowy and Bitterly Cold Golf Course Walk 2-9-16

We walked on the cart path --and for some reason there were NO GOLFERS out on the course (HA HA)!!!!

We got a little more snow at our home in Tennessee this week (only about 2-3 inches total I think)---but George and I bundled up on Tuesday,  Feb. 9,  put on our boots and walked the Back Nine of our Golf Course.. For those who follow me regularly,  you know that we have walked this course MANY times since we started walking regularly in May of 2015.  BUT--this was the first time to walk when there was snow on the ground.

As you can imagine,  we stopped often and took a lot of pictures along the way... Today I will share with you some of this 80 minute walk (which usually takes us about 50 minutes on a normal day)... As you probably know (how could you not know? ha)----I LOVE snow.. SO---this was a fun walk for me, even though the temperature outside was only about 18 degrees.... Fun fun!!!!!!

Grab a cup of something hot and enjoy the pictures in the WARMTH of your home!!!!!

I always enjoy seeing the shrubs filled with snow.

George (with a RED NOSE) was saying:  "Why am I not at home sitting by the fire drinking a cup of hot tea?"

The Pond on Fairway 14 of our golf course (Druid Hills);  This is ALWAYS a favorite area to photograph in every season.  I enjoyed seeing it in Winter!

More snow-covered shrubs along our path

Even the boy who doesn't like snow will do whatever needed to get the perfect photo!!!

Continuing along our way, we crossed the bridge at Snead Canyon.

The creek at Snead Canyon;  Don't you know how COLD that water must have been??

George took this picture of a happy 'snow-lover' on a COLD COLD winter day!

A close-up of the snow, water and icicles ----which is another reason that photographers LOVE Winter!!!!!

The Pond on Fairway 17 of our walk;  The frogs love this pond in Summer!

As I said,  I LOVE seeing the snow covered shrubs/bushes/pine trees....

As we headed across the golf course for home,  I snapped a picture of the back of a nice warm house,  just waiting for us... Wonder if that next cup of hot coffee is waiting inside,  along with a cozy fire in the fireplace??????  YEAH.... We are HOME!

Poor little Daffodils in our yard!!!!!!  As we walked around the house headed toward the front,  I saw these Daffodils (some of them with BUDS)....  Hmmmmm--just a little early, don't you think????

One more picture I put on Facebook;  George took this picture of a very very happy lady (also with a red nose)--who still loves SNOW regardless of the bitterly strong winds and cold temperatures!!!!

Hope you enjoyed seeing our pictures...

Hugs,

Our Daily Walks on the Golf Course

Sunrise on Druid Hills Golf course,  Fairfield Glade,  TN  (12-20-15)

As most of you know,  George and I started a vigorous exercise routine last May (when we got our FITBITS).  We both try to walk about 10,000 (or more) steps each day --taking one day off per week.  We sometimes divide our walks into two shorter ones,  but sometimes we just walk one longer walk each day.  Our favorite place to walk in our area is on the Druid Hills Golf Course (behind our home).  Yes, we live on a golf course although neither of us play golf!!!!! ha....

We are only allowed to walk on the golf course when the golfers are NOT there.  SO--during the Summer --we would walk the back nine holes of the golf course late in the evenings JUST before dark.  BUT--after the time changed in the Fall and the days got shorter,  we had to adjust our schedule.  We now set the clock and get up about 6 a.m. and take our walks EARLY in the mornings.

I have NEVER been a 'morning person' ---but once I'm UP,  I am always glad that we took our walk early. In December,  we had very mild and wet  weather---so walking on the golf course was very different from our weather so far in January...

Last August,  I published one blog post showing pictures from our 'night' walks on the golf course.  Click HERE to re-visit that post, and to see a diagram of these walks.... SO--today I'll share some pictures from our morning walks in December and January... Hope you enjoy them!

One of our FEW colder mornings in December (12-20-15);  I was enjoying watching the sun come up!!!!!

Foggy Walk on 12-23-15

Interesting sky (12-27-15)

Can you believe that on DECEMBER 27, 2015 (like many other days in December this past year),  it was warm enough to walk in shorts and a short-sleeved shirt?????? Mercy Me!

LOOK what happened on 12-31-15!!!!!   It got cold FINALLY.

With the colder weather here,  the morning skies became even more glorious.  (1-4-16)

WOW!!!!  What a glorious sunrise (1-5-16)

I am always intrigued with the reflections in the pond.  This was taken on 1-5-16 looking away from the sun,  at the beauty behind us.

Look how TALL we are!!!!!!  Just think---if I was that tall,  I wouldn't have to worry about my weight as much... ha ha ha (1-5-16)

I named this "Winter Sky"..... I love the clouds and blue sky in this photo.  (1-7-16)

The 'opposite' of the picture above this one;  See the reflections in the pond of the "Winter Sky"???  (1-7-16)

Another pretty sky picture --after the sun got higher in the sky  (1-7-16)

"Red Sky in the Morning---Sailor take WARNING"----The day before the Winter Storm came!!!  (1-9-16)

Reflections in the Pond of that RED SKY (pictured above this one);  See how much I love reflections!!!!! ha  (1-9-16)

Our TINY snow on 1-10-16;  This is a picture of the holly bushes in our front yard... BUT--along with that tiny snow,  the temperatures dropped BIGTIME!!!!!  Brrrrrrr.

Icicles at the Pond (1-11-16);  This was our COLDEST walk so far (temperature 6 degrees when we left home)..... Yipes!

Looking at the snow on the cattails,  the reflections and some mist in another of the ponds we pass on our daily walks  (1-11-16)

And my favorite picture of that frigid morning (1-11-16) while we walked on the golf course;  I loved seeing that sunrise glistening on the snow....

WELL--- getting exercise is SO important for ALL of us (Yes---you too)... George and I are truly blessed to live in such a marvelous place where we can get the exercise needed,  but can also have SO much beauty around us...

Hope you enjoyed my pictures.   NOW---get out and take a walk!!!!!!

Hugs,