What's that smell?!?!?

WEEKEND UPDATE | WEEKEND UPDATE | WEEKEND UPDATE | WEEKEND UPDATE

I haven't been feeling 100% the last few days and I've been extremely lethargic. So tired, in fact, that when my alarm went off yesterday morning to go to the park and run… well, I turned it off and slept another 3 HOURS!!! Now, that's tired. I did managed to get up this morning (albeit a little late) and get over to the park to run. 

I realized pulling into the parking lot that the Rodeo was in town this weekend and the Rodeo conveniently holds their show right in the park area where I run (that was sarcasm, if you couldn't figure it out). When I pulled into the parking lot I saw a couple of horses standing around the park grounds and I thought for a minute that maybe I wasn't allowed to go into the area and run, but then I saw a few people coming out of the area and decided to go for it.* 

*for those of you not familiar with Boling Park… in order to get to the park area where the gravel running path is, you have to go over a little bridge that separates the park from the parking lot.

Let me first say that the smell when I crossed the bridge almost knocked me over. I've said it before and I'll say it again… You can take the girl out of Jersey, but you can't take the Jersey out of the girl. I started to stretch a little to allow my nasal passages to get accustom to the smell of "nature" and then took off, yet again hoping that my Forest Gump leg braces would break off and I would take off (didn't happen). I made one complete lap around and even took a minute off my mile - HOORAY!!! All while having to inhale the lovely aromas and dodging manure on the running path. But then I started getting distracted by all the horsies all over the place. Yes, I did talk to them, called them puppy, and barked at them (Greg can verify that I really do feel that horses should say "woof" instead of "neigh") - I'm certain that the other people walking/running thought I had escaped from some local mental hospital and considered calling the people in white coats to come and take me away.

On my second lap around (which I was walking at this point) a deer came out of the woods to nibble on the hay scattered around for the horses. I'm sure she was also cleaning up the scraps of popcorn and peanuts and lord-know-whatelse the Rodeo goers left behind over the weekend. It reminded me of Templeton, the giant rat from Charlotte's Web, scavenging around after the circus. Silly little deer let me get super close to her. If I was 10 feet away, I'm being generous!!!

Then I scared mamma deer away, I walked on and turned around to see that mamma returned with her two little babies…

I know they're kinda hard to see… but they're in there!!!

 The whole thing kinda reminded me of a couple of years ago when I wrote the blog post about the deer that ran along side of me for a little bit and then darted into the woods. At the time I didn't have a cameral with me, so I drew a picture. If you want to read that post "Mind Over Matter… Matter Wins!" click HERE. If you don't want to go to the past blog, here is the picture…

Very accurate rendition, if I do say so myself.

Oh, but my story doesn't end there… I left the deer family alone and continued on around to where the Rodeo owners (for lack of a better term) had their trailer. They had two beautiful horsies tied up and I stopped to turn my back to one of the horses and tried to take a picture of me with the horse in the background. As I look up this beautiful white horse was trotting right towards me. Scared the be-jesus out of me, but I started to talk to her and she let me pet her and love on her. She was mammoth (way bigger than my dogs, who I sometimes call mini-horses) but was so gentle and I really think that she just wanted to be in my picture too…

I named her Starlight

I did manage to get a picture… finally, of me with the now two horses in the background, although I'm not sure I got Starlights best side.

I know, my face looks kinda funny in this picture, but I have to admit that I wasn't completely comfortable turning my back to this beautiful, but massive animal that could knock my skull into pieces with one swift, little kick. 

Anywho… this is just one more reminder that I'm doing what I should be doing, and that had I not started exercising, I would have missed out on this magnificent experience. 

HUGS XOXOX