My Way of Living:
anniversary

Cebu City Marathon 21k (30th) : 1:50:43
PSE Bull Run 10k - DNS
Condura Skyway Marathon 42k (280th) - 4:56:03
Bataan Death March 102k Ultramarathon (82nd) - 17:35:53
National Geographic Earth Day Run 10k (17th) - 49:24
Asian Hospital RunNew 10k (25th) - 53:14
San Mig Coffee Bay Run 10k (10th) - 47:01
HP Fun Run 6k (1st) - 28:03
Chris Sports Epic Relay 250k (2nd) - 23:13:00
New Balance Nuvali Adventure Trail Run 15k (307th) - 3:04:23
35th Milo Marathon Eliminations 21k (45th) - 1:50:51
Powerade Duathlon Leg 2 (86th, 16th in age group) - 1:56:29
Takbo.ph Anniversary Runfest (21st, 7th in age group) - 46:32
Dean's Cup Invitational Triathlon - (56th, 9th in age group) - 1:54:15
7-Eleven Tour 500 - 3:27:28
Sonshine Cycling Festival Criterium - DNF, outlapped after 35 mins.
Fort Running Festival 21k - 1:43:15 (57th individual, 1st team)
Tour of Matabungkay Stage 1 100k - 3:52(188th)
Tour of Matabungkay Stage 2 90k - 2:53 (163rd)
Tour of Matabungkay Stage 3 TTT - 59:24 (29th)
Adidas King of the Road 10k - 50:15 (75th)
Powerade Standard Distance Duathlon - 2:41:54 (4th in age group)
Malakoff Powerman Malaysia Long Distance Duathlon - 4:24:52 (60th)
Nike Run Manila 5k - 22:34 (81st)
Speedo NAGT UPLB Sprint Triathlon - 2:03:01 (38th overall, 8th in age group)

As I write this the late afternoon sun is pinging off of the edges of the glass in the window of my house.
Circling the room, like a bird in flight let loose from it’s cage.
Dancing off of the walls, scattering gems and prisms of glittering colors that cling to the ceiling and slide down the walls.

Out past the window the swaying sun beams filter through branches of towering fir trees.
Laying a scorching bright light that is bent off of ice patches without melting anything.
Soon the sun will be sinking fast into the cold, snow covered dark blue mountains.
I want to wave, lift my hand, and wish it a good trip, but something always holds me back.
My brain forms words that my mouth won’t say.
Please stay for a little while, each day you leave earlier.
You’re a good friend who’s short visits are never long enough at this time of year.
One who is walked to the door with that air of regret wafting in the cold air behind them because they couldn’t extend their stay.
Not like some.
Those who overstay their welcome, such as Winter.
It’s return visit booked a few weeks from now, like a unwanted guest, we can’t truthfully say that we would like Winter to stay as long as it intends.
Oh sure, we will primp the guest room, after all courtesy demands that we at least maintain a certain level of welcoming smiles, and happy greetings. All for a guest who keeps the hot water too cold, and leaves a ring of frost around the windows in the morning.
It’s not that we don’t like this season, it’s just that Winter overstays, won’t leave, despite all of our gentle reminders in February, and rather pointed comments in March.
Can’t Winter take a hint?

We are not running a Bed and Breakfast for the Seasons, move on, hope that you have enjoyed your stay.
Hope you enjoyed your stay, come again… just leave your next visit for a while.
Sun going down signifies the time when the ground feeding quail, and cooing doves move to the feeders. A frantic dash from front yard to back, pecking and darting swiftly from overloaded dish to dish. It’s a feast legendary among birds. a small price to pay for the enjoyment we get out of watching them.
Even Phil the flirting pheasant graces us with his occasional presence, holding court without his hens, royally coloured glamorous feathers gleaming in the setting sun.
Suet cakes high in wire cages, rough bark catering to those with clinging claws. Fence posts below to act like inanimate air traffic controllers, a place to land, hang around, to wait in a holding pattern of whirling feathers until it’s your turn. A winged hierarchy disobeyed only when daring flying feathers and much squawking.
No one hangs around here after dusk, too many predators, it’s eat and run, then hide, hope to survive both the cold, and the hunters.
We indiscriminately feed all and sundry, be they feathered, or fur covered. Bright orange squat pumpkins waiting in the garage for the signs of visiting deer who's first visit is the composter for a appetizer, before dining delicately on bird seed in the front.

I have tarried longer then I thought while writing this, the house cooling down quickly, a parting gift from the sun. I would much prefer wine, chocolates, or even some seasoned sea salt.
The cat snores most indelicately under a warm blanket, completely comfortable with my absence, no warm body needed after the addition of a hot water bottle.
Spoiled, you might say?
Not him, our chaser of feline dreams.
No fan of our winters up here, wishing only for the front door to be opened, and then quickly shut when he realizes that the long memories of warm summer days spent lapping up heat are just that.
Once a outdoor loving, snow tolerant, fur bundled kitty, he is now a happily domesticated lap cat, as long as there is somewhere warm to sleep, and a full dish of food.
A small price to pay for warmth, and constantly attentive doormen. Today we celebrate our 3 year anniversary of arriving in the Okanagan to live out our Muddy Boot Dreams.
One large moving van, one small SUV, packed so tightly there wasn’t even room for a sneeze, lots of sad goodbyes, and one sleeping on my lap all the way up here kitty. A cold weather welcome into the warm hearts of our family, and a snowfall the next morning to welcome us home.
It’s something we had dreamed of for such a long time, what a wonderful feeling to be on this side of the waiting, to be where we have always felt was “home.”
This is simply the most beautiful place to live, and I am grateful that we are able to be here with family, and friends, furry and fleshed.
A dream come true.
Thanks so much for coming along for the journey, and as it continues…

Tomorrow is our one year anniversary. A few days ago my beloved turned to me and said, it’s almost our first anniversary… my mind roamed frantically. Was it a romantic anniversary, the day we met, the day we first dated, the day… did I forget something? One year ago we slept the last night in our little condo, Boo terrified by the lack of furniture and the noise the bare echoing walls made lurked under the blow up bed all night.

Little did he know what a adventure he was in for, sharing his life with two dogs on the farm, and then another move into a great big forever house with his very own territory to roam in.

His life has changed so much for the better, and so has ours. Dreams do come true, we know that, sometimes they change a little, well a lot along the way, but they are still the dreams that you dream.

I am thankful that we were transplanted up here when we were. My family has gone through a pretty stressful year, there’s been cancer, illnesses, laughs and love.

I would rather be here to share it with my family then down on the coast, aching to be with them. Those five hours of driving have kept us too far away, and I don’t know how we would have dealt with it without being here.

Now we live where we only once dreamed of being… It’s been a year in more ways than one.

It was with some trepidation that I finally pressed the publish post button. What would people think, what would I write about, and would I be able to find time to keep this up? I am referring to starting my blog, Muddy Boot Dreams, one year ago today. Well the answers are, bloggers are some of the nicest people I have ever met, or may hope to. I have found my voice, and I am learning to use it. Time comes in small spurts, squirting out in dibs and drabs, like the water hose does after you turn it back on in the spring. I have even met in person with two of my fellow bloggers, Carolynn, over at A Glowing Ember, and recently, Lori, from Family trees may contain nuts. Both of them, wonderful, interesting, and supportive women.

And I am loving every minute of blogging. Finding my way, dreaming up interesting subjects to write about, going out in all weather to take photographs just so I have something to blog about… So thank you, to all who read Muddy Boot Dreams, a virtual piece of celebratory anniversary cake goes out to each and every one of you. Dark chocolate fudge, moist and gooey cake, with chocolate mint butter cream frosting anyone?. No calories, and can't you just taste it?

For intense concentration of fragrance, you can't beat Lily of the Valley, it is also delightfully musky.

If you are lucky enough to have some growing in your garden, pick one of the precious blooms, and take it indoors.

Take a sniff, and you will know what I mean. Ammendment: I really wanted to tell you that these are some of my favorite flowers, and there is a good reason. My Mom's bridal bouquet was a small bunch of artificial Lily of the Valley, which she still has. Since they were married in May, I always look forward to seeing these flowers bloom, and it reminds me that their wedding anniversary is coming up. The day before our wedding, Mom mentioned that it would be great if my flower girl could carry a small bouquet of Lily of the Valley. I was driving all over town to find Lily of the Valley, and having no success. It was still not in season up in the Okanagan, and I must have gone to every florist, or flower shop in town. At the very last store I finally found some cute looking artificial ones, that my little flower girl carried. Saved…by Lily of the Valley.

All I know is that I had been missing family celebrations for so long… sure there was the occasional one when we were up country here, or family was down on the coast with us when we lived there. It felt so lonely to call on the special days and say hello, send well wishes for birthdays, and other celebrations, and not be there in person. We were one branch of the family tree, but it seemed so far from the trunk. So it was a joy to be finally hosting one of our own, in our own house, for our family celebrating 5 different birthdays, a anniversary, and Easter all at the same time.

The cake came from the same bakery that made our wedding cake, we were married up here, now almost 12 years ago. There were all the birthdays, my Dad’s, nephew’s, niece’s, sister’s, and mine.

And to celebrate, I wanted to do something fun, and nostalgic, that tied all the different birthday people in together. So I gathered together old family photos, I even had one of my Dad as a baby. I printed them out, and pasted them onto paper for a more natural look, and using tiny little clothes pegs pinned them onto branches, or hung them from twine.

Everyone had fun circulating the house looking at the different photos. It was cute to see how we all looked… way back then. My Mom dubbed it the “Family Tree” and the branches are still in my kitchen, I want to leave them up for a little while to enjoy the glimpse into the past.

Kind of feels like we have come full circle, a house, family only 10 minutes in each direction… the branches are strong, the leaves are full, and the tree continues to grow.