(photo P Volker)
It is getting harder and harder for me to be still waiting for my latest muscle pull to heal up. I am prone to coughing lately from my lung issues. I am doing better at controlling it but still am open to pulling a muscle in my rib cage. Have one now that I am trying to nurse along so it will knit together. But I grow impatient.
Fortunately I have a good book to work on that Catalina had sent a while back. And fortunately I can read again. During the height of the pandemic somehow reading wasn’t possible, too scattered. But now with my vaccinations I seem more able. Anyway it is a book about history, of course from Catalina, a novel about building a medieval cathedral. It’s entitled The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett.
But in the meantime the sky is blue and I would love to get out for a few minutes to get something done around the ranch. After lunch I will give it a try, gently. Have a walk later too and the birds need feeding.
Oh look, there is a woodpecker at the top of the power pole drumming away. That is a Springtime deal for sure. I don’t know if that is establishing territory or if it has to do with mating, I’ll have to ask him.
catch you later loves, Felipé.
We’ve got a huge medieval cathedral near here in Durham City it’s set on a peninsula overlooking the River Wear and a wooded valley but I haven’t been this year due to coronavirus.i think that St Bede is buried in there among others.i expect that it’s shut internally at the moment to casual visitors.i hope that the pulled muscle heals up soon,it should given a rest.i managed a 16km walk yesterday visiting a small town called Whickham I’d never been to before and passing a very nice waterfall.
Kevan ~ Thanks for being here. I’m visualizing your cathedral, your waterfall. Thanks, Felipé.
Hola, Felipe!
We’re having just the best of times on our vacation in the southwest. The Camino Convergence coalesced here in the Vortex of Arizona today. There had been a Camino hint here and there earlier in the day, and I had just sat down here at the keyboard to respond to your post today when Russ (husband of Cathy’s sister Bev, who you met in Dubuque) required my immediate departure to lunch. Timing, as they say, is everything, for just as we were walking into the Patagonia restaurant, a man was “saddling up” to leave with his substantial backpack. And, prominently displayed on the pack was his Camino Shell! Weeellllll, we all know that can’t be ignored! My “Buen Camino” was heartily returned, and the conversation took off like a rocket. “Hob”, A true gentleman in our age bracket, along with his wife, Deb, were about midway along on the Arizona Trail and had stopped in Patagonia for supplies. They have trod many of the variants of the Camino de Santiago, SEVENTEEN of them to be precise! That in itself was mind blowing, but as it turns out, that was just the wonderful start of the conversation.
He was informed twenty odd years ago that he had stage four cancer and should find a way to enjoy himself as he “got his affairs in order” for his predicted last six months of life. His doctor suggested that he should look into some “meaningful” journey, and, knowing his Catholic background, had mentioned The Camino de Santiago. What the Hell, he added, the Pilgrimage was begun by people in search of miracles 🙂 His first “Camino Family” drew into its folds a Polish Priest who left no church door unopened on their Way so that daily Masses were de rigueur. What a great story that is, eh Felipe?!! He has fully embraced your credo of “Just Keep on Walking”. They have walked both the Pacific Crest Trail and the Appalachian Trail now. The Arizona Trail itself is nearly 800 miles. And, the Miracle did, in fact, happen, as his cancer has been stable and non-advancing since that first Camino. How wonderful is this thing we are all so Blessed to be a part of!!
Juan ~ “Weeellllll, we know that can’t be ignored!” Oh, I can so see that. Wow, what a meeting! Thanks for the reporting. Maybe we could get him and Deb to walk to the Oasis. Glad to hear you are enjoying yourselves, Felipé.
ps ~ maybe I will just put that all up on the blog today. I can’t possibly do any better than that buddy. Thanks again!