Christina Anne Hawthorne

Otherworld Historical Fantasy: Kovenlore Chronicles, Pannulus Mysteries, & Thornwillow Tales • #WorldOfOntyre • Diversity, hope & purpose —> Book 4 of the Kovenlore Chronicles, A River in Each Hand, releases on June 4th! #Writing #Fantasy #FantasyFiction #HistoricalFantasy #Maps #Novels #Blogger #ShortStories #IndieAuthors #Demisexual #INFJ #HSP #LGBT  #Hiking #History #HealthyLifestyle #Photography #BLM #Cats

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Website: https://christinahawthorne.wordpress.com
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2026-08-11T09:22:48Z

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Last Notes

2026-03-06 12:13:46 UTC

#Today 06
Good day!
Well, I’m not crazy. Not entirely. I am a writer, after all.
To this point, we’ve officially had the warmest winter on record for this region, which is the northern Rockies.
No subzero days, and few that failed to climb over freezing.
Be everwell.
#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #HikingAdventures #Nature #FootpathFriday #NaturePhotography #NatureLover #Photography #LandscapePhotography
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2026-03-02 13:00:09 UTC

#ScribesAndMakers 02
a question
@npub17cr…e970
Happy birthday to you!
Like you, I have a fascination with crows. There’s a murder that frequents the end of my morning walk so I often study their group behavior, besides individuals.
❓ How do crows influence your writing, or how do they manifest in your writing?
#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #TTMD
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2026-02-25 13:15:35 UTC

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Oh, it was! The hike up to the saddle accounted for most of the view. At the summit was strange, like standing in a gray void. I couldn't see anything beyond the few trees that surrounded the summit. I've been up there before, but it was never like that. ❄️

2026-02-25 12:48:56 UTC

#Today 25
Good day!
Yesterday morning, it was sleeting in the city, the mountains masked, so I headed up the canyon.
We’re supposed to warm to spring temps again, but not yet.
My longed for hike in the snow? I climbed Mt. Sentinel in a snowstorm! It was hard, but wondrous.
Be everwell.
#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #HikingAdventures #Nature #NaturePhotography #NatureLover #Photography #LandscapePhotography
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2026-02-21 14:34:41 UTC

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You're certainly doing better with forecasts than I've been doing this winter. 🤣 I liked that winning hand you produced. Well done!

2026-02-21 13:52:29 UTC

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The weather, the views, the snow, it looks like you found perfection! 😃 🏔️ ❄️

2026-01-30 13:46:46 UTC

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From the standpoint of snowshoeing, I'm jealous. We had wonderful snow here in December—while I was sick with Covid.
Since then, it's steadily warmed, the snow gone except at the highest elevations. In some areas, it's possible I could encounter snow, but with temps expected to reach the 50s, increasingly unlikely.
A lot of winter remains, though, our weather often unpredictable, so I'll keep hiking and wait for what comes.

2026-01-30 12:25:23 UTC

#Today 30
Good day!
*The start of the old forest road on Blue Mountain.
For the first time in months, it didn’t drop below freezing last night (actually, it’s still technically night).
For the foreseeable future, we’re going to have late March weather.
Be everwell.
#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #HikingAdventures #Nature #FootpathFriday #NaturePhotography #NatureLover #Photography #LandscapePhotography
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2026-01-28 19:08:28 UTC

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That is extraordinarily beautiful. ❄️

2026-01-25 12:37:47 UTC

#WritersCoffeeClub 25
what comes first, next?
This question never ceases to amuse me, as if my creativity happens according to set steps in a manual (Step 1: develop A before proceeding to B…).
I burned that manual a long time ago, danced around the flames, and sang a jolly tune.
Inspiration, which humans have and AI doesn’t, comes as it will, as an image, piece of dialogue, situation, or anything at all. It’s the anonymous seed you plant to see what grows.
#AmWriting #WritingCommunity

2026-01-22 12:51:12 UTC

#WorldOfOntyre 22
I love that I drafted the entire Kovenlore series before releasing one book.
A situation midway through Book 1 that goes wrong for Riparia is able to repeat thanks to cruel magic later in that same book.
The conversation that occurs the 2nd time foreshadows one that happens in Book 4. That outcome foreshadows the path Riparia goes down in Book 6.
There are many such threads.
Be everwell.
#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #AmWritingFantasy #Fantasy #FantasyFiction #Fiction
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2026-01-08 14:09:32 UTC

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I've experienced what your pictures show, days so dark that they're like visual silence. The critical elements are a low winter sun, clouds, and snow on the ground to light the way. The step from daylight to twilight is a small one, and is only noticed when distance appears to shrink. Your pictures show that. The many facets to winter are subtle. It's a shame most people miss them.

2026-01-04 19:32:31 UTC

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Something else I hear far more frequently in the winter are the trees creaking. I imagine it’s the cold &/or winds high in the conifer forest. It’s eerie and mysterious and humbling. 🌲❄️

2026-01-04 13:11:11 UTC

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Crunching snow is a wonderful sound, and you can feel the snow compress beneath your boots with each step. Then, if you stop, there's, as you say, silence.
People who don't know can't understand that moment. These days, with all our devices designed to erase silence, the change is all the more dramatic. Sometimes, it leaves me weak in the knees, and I'm serious. ❄️ 🏔️

2026-01-03 14:43:33 UTC

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Thanks, Tim. At present, I’m going mad waiting to fully shed Covid. It isn’t steady improvement, but instead spotty. I’ve identified several heavily wooded parks with views that I’m sure will be fine. Right there, that’s my starting place. You could call it the comeback trail. 😃🏔️

2026-01-03 12:31:48 UTC

#Today 03
Good day!
Images in review: June 2025.
Last year:
• 33 hikes
• 254.2 miles (409km)
• 35,981 feet (10,967m) in elevation gain (my damaged lungs make elevation a challenge)
• +600 miles (966km) on my daily walks, which are flat & paved
It was my biggest year ever.
Be everwell.
#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #HikingAdventures #Nature #NaturePhotography #NatureLover #Photography #LandscapePhotography
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2025-12-27 14:24:35 UTC

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More proof that the ocean is going to let humans worry about which season it is while it does what oceans do. Poseidon would approve. 🔱

2025-12-17 15:48:05 UTC

#Today 17.1
Well, the rain, 60mph winds, and plummeting temperatures arrived like a bull kicking in the door. It took an entire sixty seconds to lose power. That sucks. Guess I’ll bundle up and read.

2025-12-14 12:06:57 UTC

#Today
Good day!
I keep referring to myself as post Covid because I’m no longer contagious. In truth, there are up days (taking this picture) & down days (yesterday).
Life goes on. I write, I walk, I rest. This is my battle, another battle, to fight.
Be everwell.
#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #Covid #HikingAdventures #Nature #SilentSunday #NaturePhotography #NatureLover #Photography #LandscapePhotography
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2025-12-10 12:00:29 UTC

#ScribesAndMakers 10
props
What impresses me with theatre—I think there’s an important lesson here—is how they do more with less.
In theatre, you can set the scene with minimalism, or capture the setting with well-placed, yet sparse, bits of spectacle.
That lesson? It makes me consider description when writing. Yes, sometimes detail is vital, but I’m reminded that taking into consideration the character & circumstances is vital.
#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #WorldOfOntyre #Fantasy

2025-12-03 12:58:35 UTC

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They must have put it there just for you. What great fortune!

2025-12-02 23:38:42 UTC

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Thanks. This is really inconvenient, but I’m getting there. 😃

2025-12-02 12:46:31 UTC

#Today 02
Good day!
This month is becoming my chronicle of illness. I think I’m making headway. The soar throat is vastly improved & it seems like the congestion is breaking up.
I’ve also lost over two pounds in less than a week. Not exactly ideal for drafting.
Be everwell.
#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #HikingAdventures #Nature #NaturePhotography #NatureLover #Photography #LandscapePhotography
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2025-11-23 12:51:33 UTC

#WorldOfOntyre 23
Maybe it’s just me…
When developing a story, including novels, I’m always searching for the heart. When I find it, I know the story is worth telling.
Yes, conflict & tension are critical—absolutely—but if I don’t find the tale’s true essence, it can feel empty.
Each character has a heart, of course, but so, too, does the story.
I found Expired Reflection’s heart yesterday.
Be everwell.
#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #AmWritingFantasy #Fantasy #FantasyFiction #Fiction
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2025-11-18 14:35:40 UTC

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I keep wondering. What happened to striving for academic excellence? When did "good enough" become good enough? Schools now place less stress on teaching healthy living so you can lead a more active life and more on sporting events that generate revenue via ticket sales. They're paying college athletes who bounce from school to school seeking a better deal. Better that we be dazzled and don't think, according to those who are reaping the profits.

2025-11-18 14:01:49 UTC

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To me, the power of the visual is less about CGI, and more about the (at least) one minute shot of Ingrid Bergman when she's hearing "As Time Goes By" in Casablanca. You can see every emotion on her face and it pulls my heart out of my chest.
I saw Star Wars in the theater when it played in the 70s, I was amazed at the effects as much as anyone, but I've grown indifferent to them. I want a story that's focused on real people, not spectacle. Biased? I don't care.

2025-11-18 13:42:38 UTC

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I agree with "sensory and aesthetics." That's the power of visual.
It seems like I have read a book after seeing the screen adaption, but it's been so long that I can't remember it. I do know that once I've seen the film, its visuals tend to intrude.

2025-11-18 13:28:20 UTC

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To a degree, I agree with this, when it comes to some key deletions and additions. I love the novels, and have read them many times, but I wasn't sorry Tom was omitted and enjoyed the fact they provided more screen time for female characters.
There were times the third installment didn't hold up for me. In retrospect, I realize that Return of the King stumbled in those places where it was most like The Hobbit, an adaption I wish I could forget.

2025-11-18 12:30:46 UTC

#ScribesAndMakers 18
television 📺 imagination stimulation
Television can stimulate the imagination, but it can’t equal reading, which requires a higher level of engagement & comprehension, while television can do more harm than good.
At the heart of this question, is the difference between visualizing for yourself, & having someone else do it for you.
More simply put, if someone else did your walking for you, would their walking cause you to lose weight?
#AmWriting #WritingCommunity

2025-11-02 12:41:57 UTC

#Today 02
Good day!
Even as a child, I thought about balance. I loved story even then, loved the great outdoors.
Life continues…
The world is a scary place, yet I love writing, am about to release my 3rd book, & I find scenes like this in nature. Balance.
Be everwell.
#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #SilentSunday #HikingAdventures #Nature #NaturePhotography #NatureLover #Photography #LandscapePhotography
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2025-10-25 20:33:12 UTC

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So true! I felt like an actual mountaineer. What gorgeous country it was. ⛰️🏔️

2025-10-25 12:07:16 UTC

#Today 25
Good day!
Hiking wilderness turned into three water crossings. I also lost count at a dozen the fallen trees I had to navigate.
One huge tree had fallen along the trail, forcing me to climb onto it & walk its length.
It was a different hiking experience for me.
Be everwell.
#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #HikingAdventures #Nature #NaturePhotography #NatureLover #Photography #LandscapePhotography
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2025-10-23 12:19:13 UTC

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I've hiked through burn areas and always have that same feeling when I see the new growth. Other times, I've come upon a fallen tree that's rotted to unrecognizable, and out of that springs new pines. One tree giving its life for others. Unselfish sacrifice. ☺️

2025-10-23 12:13:28 UTC

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Oh, Colorado. It never disappoints. Thank you so much for sharing. This inspires me to set my feet to walking down a trail tomorrow. I can't wait. 😃 🏔️

2025-10-09 14:26:24 UTC

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It was. The higher I went the narrower the trail became. Just shy of 5 miles, it almost disappeared in places. That was also the greatest experience, as far as I was concerned. I was almost laughing thinking of all the people who turned back early.

2025-10-09 13:18:42 UTC

#Today 09.2
Good day!
Some stills from yesterday’s hike, from bottom to top.
I started mid morning, but it was dark in the canyon. It also warmed up later much more than it was supposed to, but was still pleasant.
This was 25 minutes from home, mostly because of city traffic.
Be everwell.
#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #HikingAdventures #Nature #NaturePhotography #NatureLover #Photography #LandscapePhotography
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2025-10-07 11:57:14 UTC

#Today 07
Good day!
It’s a little warmer this morning, but when I walked yesterday morning there was frost on the grass.
Hectic describes this morning. I’ll walk, grocery shop, & finish chores so I can finish with Book4 & prep Book3.
I need urgency. I’m taking too long.
Be everwell.
#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #HikingAdventures #Nature #NaturePhotography #NatureLover #Photography #LandscapePhotography
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2025-10-06 14:04:46 UTC

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Oh wow, my kind of country. Jagged. Rocky. Love it!

2025-09-28 12:57:43 UTC

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This is literally a different side of you. 😆

2025-09-23 12:44:12 UTC

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It’s like meditation, that silent realization that you, and only you, occupy the space you’re in.
It’s the same every time, I’ll see someone near the trailhead, but not after. Of course, I always hike during the week. Weekends are probably different, and all the tourists have gone home.
Those I see are mostly joggers or bikers. I can’t remember the last hiker I encountered.

2025-09-23 12:01:30 UTC

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It's a 15 minute drive to the trailhead I tried this time in Marshall Canyon to the east, and about the same to the west along the Rattlesnake. That's with having to drive through downtown in both cases. Via the south it'd be about half of that.
I've been up there four times in the last 3 years and have never seen anyone, despite popular hikes in two directions.
In the spring, it's covered in wildflowers. Last year, I visited while in the clouds. It's different each time.

2025-09-23 11:49:01 UTC

#Today 23
Good day!
The two sides of Wood Ridge, sparsely wooded on the east (left) & densely on the west (right).
Nine miles (14.5K). Then I revised.
The nights are far cooler now, despite our inflated daytime highs. We sure could use some rain, though. We’re always behind.
Be everwell.
#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #HikingAdventures #Nature #NaturePhotography #NatureLover #Photography #LandscapePhotography
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2025-09-21 11:36:32 UTC

#Today 21
Good day!
Peace must be earned.
Whether it’s learning to meditate, & then forcing yourself to take the time…
Or it’s finding the time to take to the trail, to circle a lake, to parallel a stream, or climb towards the clouds.
That’s why it’s a reward.
Be everwell.
#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #SilentSunday #HikingAdventures #Nature #NaturePhotography #NatureLover #Photography #LandscapePhotography
https://cdn.masto.host/writing/media_attachments/files/115/242/043/458/540/377/original/f5ebe6c069c7a9c5.png

2025-09-20 15:18:09 UTC

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Thanks! The same to you, when you’re able to again. 😃⛰️

2025-09-20 12:02:35 UTC

#Today 20
Good day!
What a night. I ran from one crisis to another, unable to solve any of them—in my dreams.
I woke sitting up.
Fortunately, I found only Evie Cat.
This morning, I’ll all but run down the walking path with my trekking poles & let it all go. Then, I’ll revise.
Be everwell.
#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #HikingAdventures #Nature #NaturePhotography #NatureLover #Photography #LandscapePhotography
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2025-09-17 12:51:51 UTC

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Gorgeous views. There's nothing like an open trail in the high country with mountains rising all around and the colors of autumn starting to take hold. I can smell the forest, and the incoming rain, feel the breeze, hear the birds. 😍

2025-09-15 21:56:26 UTC

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Thanks. I take a lot of pictures so I want it handy, but secure. I’ve never had a problem before, but did today because I let frustration get to me. Huge mistake, which was why I wanted to make up for it in a big way that included 1,247 feet. 😃⛰️

2025-09-15 20:24:14 UTC

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It was panic, level 10. I went to take a picture and realized I didn’t have it. I’d put it in a pocket I should never have used. Fortunately, I only had to backtrack about a hundred yards.
Then the sky opened up and I took shelter beneath a tree. I had a short rain jacket on, but it was pouring.
I was livid.
When the drizzle returned I decided to try for my 4 miles. Thing is, I was so fired up and the weather was so perfect that I ended up with 8.2 miles.

2025-09-15 19:53:15 UTC

#Today 15.1
Good day!
I intended a short hike in the drizzle.
1st, I dropped my phone & had to double back (it’s OK). Then a downpour.
My distance minimal, I almost turned back, but refused.
The rain let up. Inspired, I charged up the trail & ended up climbing Mt. Sentinel!
Be everwell.
#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #HikingAdventures #Nature #NaturePhotography #NatureLover #Photography #LandscapePhotography
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2025-09-15 12:08:58 UTC

#Today 15
Good day!
Too many short nights caught up to me last night & I had all I could do to reach my bed.
I then slept like the dead for a full eight hours, something I seldom do. The air was cool, a light rain falling.
Now, I’m struggling to wake up, but feel better.
Be everwell.
#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #HikingAdventures #Nature #NaturePhotography #NatureLover #Photography #LandscapePhotography
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2025-09-13 14:20:44 UTC

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I've decided that one of the keys to snowshoeing is learning where best to snowshoe. Last winter, for me, was a learning experience in that regard. This winter I have some possibilities I want to try. Many thanks for being my snowshoe guru! ❄️

2025-09-13 14:00:57 UTC

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I've been walking every morning for a long while now, and the hiking has also helped. In addition, I spend huge chunks of time standing while writing. It all starts to add up after awhile, but it takes time. The trekking poles also help a little and provide a bit of an upper body workout.
It's all about time, patience, and diligence. When I started yoga in 2020 I couldn't bend over and touch my toes, let alone the floor. Now, I can bend over and touch my knuckles to the floor. 😃

2025-09-13 13:36:11 UTC

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For me it was a misdiagnosed issue with my lungs that eventually landed me in the ICU. It then took seven years to find the doctor who truly saved me.
When you're given a second chance, your perspective completely changes. I went from riding my bike to work to not working and needing assistance to climb a single stair.
Like with a back injury, it's about more than being immobile, it's about all the things you love being taken away.

2025-09-13 13:13:45 UTC

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I was flying, which is different than I'd do on a hike where I care about my surroundings (the image). The irony is that in my efforts to compensate for my damaged lungs, I find myself in better health than the average person my age. I didn't foresee that! 😆

2025-09-13 12:20:15 UTC

#Today 13
Good day!
At a time when it feels like we have no control, I went on a speed walk yesterday using my trekking poles.
4.2 miles (6.8K).
How speedy? 16 minutes/mile.
It’s part of focusing on my health, becoming more fit, & losing weight. My lungs are thanking me.
Be everwell.
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2025-09-11 13:30:38 UTC

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It was surreal. Another reason why I love this time of year. 😃

2025-09-11 11:32:00 UTC

#Today 11
Good day!
A walk this chilly morning, then groceries, & then I’ll edit.
I finished the novella & am exhausted from the effort & emotional drain, but I’m thrilled because it accomplished more than I’d hoped for.
The novella also killed my appetite. I’ve barely eaten.
Be everwell.
#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #HikingAdventures #Nature #NaturePhotography #NatureLover #Photography #LandscapePhotography
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2025-09-08 12:51:31 UTC

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How long did it take you to stack those? 😆 Great picture. Enjoy Colorado!

2025-09-07 11:42:16 UTC

#Today 07
Good day!
Yay, cooler temperatures!
Boo, bad smoke. Maybe the wind will shift.
I’m exhausted, but too driven to stop. I edited a short chapter yesterday, but also added 3,139 words to the novella.
This is what happens to me when I draft. I love it.
Be everwell.
#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #SilentSunday #HikingAdventures #Nature #NaturePhotography #NatureLover #Photography #LandscapePhotography
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2025-09-05 12:43:51 UTC

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The last three weeks, I don't have to climb very high to encounter autumn, and now there are signs here in the valley.
Locally, the Marshall Canyon region of the Rattlesnake National Recreation Area (wilderness) is my favorite and, coincidentally, largely devoid of people. It's full of gulches, old growth forest, and abandoned forest roads that've become trails.
It's begun to feel like my own private playground, except for all the wildlife that lives there.

2025-09-05 11:37:54 UTC

#Today 05
Good day!
What a day yesterday!
Discovered that I’d lost 4 lbs. I then walked all the faster with my trekking poles in the cooler weather.
Caught fire on the backstory novella & added 2,585 words. My fingers were flying.
Still managed to edit a Book4 chapter.
Be everwell.
#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #HikingAdventures #Nature #NaturePhotography #NatureLover #Photography #LandscapePhotography
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2025-09-04 12:55:27 UTC

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Rock does have a way of muscling into an image and stealing the show from what you thought you were photographing. 😆

2025-09-04 12:47:20 UTC

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I'm rather fond of the first view where the rock formation wraps around the image. What a wondrous location. If I visited I'd still be there. 😃

2025-08-31 12:22:23 UTC

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Thank you! This is what I love about hiking and photography. It's always changing. In fact, it's like what you were talking about concerning the changing seasons. Even the time of day matters. Nature is the drama that's ever changing and is free so long as there are public lands.
I'm thrilled because I've been paying close attention to those hikes that have great snowshoeing potential. This was one of them.

2025-08-31 11:47:35 UTC

#Today 31
Good day!
Ghost tree. If you’ve never hiked in the clouds, I recommend it.
Sure, it was damp & chilly, but it was also surreal. The world becomes more intimate when that astonishing drop off the side of the trail is suddenly not there.
Nothing is there.
Be everwell.
#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #SilentSunday #HikingAdventures #Nature #NaturePhotography #NatureLover #Photography #LandscapePhotography
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2025-08-30 12:53:54 UTC

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I do believe I'd seek out some of that sun warmed rock, lie back, and listen to the combination of falls and cascade, a true symphony of nature, the birds accompanying.
Nothing quite compares, even if some Romantic era composers tried. These are lovely. Thank you. They've left me dreaming. 😍 🏔️ 💭

2025-08-29 17:37:21 UTC

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There were times when I looked out over the downhill side and there was nothing. It was like traveling a road across the astral plain. Surreal. I loved it. My only encounters were with two rabbits and several pheasants. No people.

2025-08-29 17:23:43 UTC

#Today 29.1
Good day!
I gambled & it paid off!
The forecast said sunny, but I know the clouds linger in the mountains the day after it rains.
I drove up Pattee Canyon at sunrise & then climbed the old forest road like a woman possessed.
Within 30 minutes, I was in the clouds.
Be everwell.
#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #HikingAdventures #Nature #NaturePhotography #NatureLover #Photography #LandscapePhotography
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2025-08-27 14:35:16 UTC

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I can see why you return again and again. It sounds like the perfect hike.

2025-08-27 12:52:05 UTC

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Clearly, the laws of gravity apply on Falling Waters Trail. What a lovely location. I can hear its music from here, feel the mist in the air. 😃

2025-08-26 12:50:33 UTC

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I smiled at how people are going to the left of the tree in winter, but the unseen path goes to the right. What a contrast! Without the sign, it'd be difficult to align the two images. 😃 ⛰️ 🏔️

2025-08-24 13:36:17 UTC

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What a gift! A perfect sky for a perfectly still lake where ecosystems abound. Were bugs an issue?

2025-08-24 12:45:54 UTC

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Okay, it isn't just me. Thanks! Yes, "refueling" is the key word, which I'm poor at.
When hiking, my appetite largely disappears. I thought about it at the creek because I'd planned to eat there. I also snacked on the way back when I really noticed fatigue.
It's the strangest thing…I check my phone to monitor distance or the map, but I have to remind myself to check the time.
Oddly enough, I underestimated my conditioning, yet pushed myself too hard. That's me, contradictions. 😆

2025-08-24 12:21:57 UTC

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I was overjoyed at how fast I bounced back. By the next day I could hardly tell I'd hiked. I'm thrilled! It was also a test of my legs and feet, which held up well, though I notice fatigue the last few miles.
I also made mistakes. I was far too slow shedding layers in the morning. The temp ranged from 55F to over 80F. I didn't bring enough food & should've drank more water. In short, I push myself too hard (more rests!), a habit I'm trying to unlearn, though I did better.

2025-08-24 12:01:29 UTC

#Today 24
Good day!
Partly why I hiked +17 miles (+27K) two days ago was because I wanted to test my limits.
That wasn’t it, not for distance.
I’m not crazy. That night I did yoga stretches, kept my legs elevated, & went to bed early. The next morning I walked.
Be everwell.
#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #HikingAdventures #Nature #SilentSunday #NaturePhotography #NatureLover #Photography #LandscapePhotography
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2025-08-23 12:37:32 UTC

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Thanks! I filmed it from the bridge, then crossed for lunch. I could hear the creek, at least faintly, for the entire hike. Meanwhile, there were strong winds high in the trees, and at times I could hear trees creaking as they swayed. 😃

2025-08-23 12:22:59 UTC

#Today 23.1
Good day!
So, I went out to lunch yesterday, and had to walk pretty far to get there, but the view and the sounds were worth the effort.
I didn’t want to leave.
Rattlesnake Creek flows into the Clark Fork, which joins the Columbia, which empties into the Pacific Ocean.
Be everwell.
#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #HikingAdventures #Nature #NaturePhotography #NatureLover
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2025-08-23 12:20:13 UTC

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That was all I wanted yesterday, was a lot of steps in pretty country. The payoff was lunch beside the creek. I'm feeling the distance today, but that's okay. Reaching that bridge was something I'd gotten into my head that I had to do, and so I at last did. It helped that the weather was close to perfect. 😃 👍

2025-08-23 12:08:26 UTC

#Today 23
Good day!
I reached the 2nd bridge!
What’s that mean?
It means I hiked 17.2 miles (27.7K) yesterday along Rattlesnake Creek. It wasn’t difficult, aside from the distance, & it wasn’t spectacular, but it was pleasant & satisfying.
Oh how I needed that, aches & all.
Be everwell.
#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #HikingAdventures #Nature #NaturePhotography #NatureLover #Photography #LandscapePhotography
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2025-08-22 23:24:30 UTC

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Looks like they laid out the green carpet for you. 😁🌲

2025-08-22 22:54:40 UTC

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Sensational picture. Love it. Looks like a great trail on a great day. 😃⛰️

2025-08-21 12:57:14 UTC

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Sailing into Erin might just be a little too much adventure. Keeping your feet dry in the mountains sounds like a great alternative. Enjoy! ⛰️ 🏔️ ⛰️

2025-08-18 12:20:15 UTC

#Today 18
Good day!
A day to remind myself that I have value, that I am doing fine.
Yesterday was the perfect weather for a hike I’ve wanted to do, but I canceled my plans for someone who then canceled on me at the last possible second.
Back into my writing world I go.
Be everwell.
#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #HikingAdventures #Nature #NaturePhotography #NatureLover #Photography #LandscapePhotography
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2025-08-13 13:44:24 UTC

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Too many people gauge the changing of the seasons by what the stores are stocking. When I hike, I see the drama of it, experience it firsthand. If I hike high enough, it's like passing through seasons. Atop Woody Mountain last week, the wind was so cold my hands were numb. It was glorious! 😃

2025-08-13 13:39:30 UTC

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That IS lucky.
Here in the city, it's summer, but when I hike I'm already encountering signs of autumn. In some places, leaves have begun changing, especially on the brush. 🍂

2025-08-13 13:30:22 UTC

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For as bad as the weather has been in the east, we've thus far had the perfect summer, though a lot of summer remains. Glad you were able to get out, and that you stayed hydrated, a continual battle in that heat and humidity. 😃 🏔️

2025-08-10 11:42:16 UTC

#Today 10
Good day!
My life lies somewhere else.
Most of the time, I’m a writer exploring the world of Ontyre. As far as I’m concerned, it’s my second home.
The rest of the time, I’m exploring this world, but in places where this world’s people don’t go.
Be everwell.
#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #SilentSunday #HikingAdventures #Nature #NaturePhotography #NatureLover #Photography #LandscapePhotography
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2025-08-09 12:59:54 UTC

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Thanks. What almost stopped me was the gulch. The grass and weeds were to my chest (I’m 5’3”). I couldn’t see my feet, but could hear my boots squishing mud. Too, it’d rained the night before. It went like that for six tenths of a mile, with brief breaks. I wonder how many people turn around there?
Otherwise, it was fantastic. The ridge was strenuous, but beautiful, pheasants taking flight all around.
https://cdn.masto.host/writing/media_attachments/files/114/998/917/436/828/453/original/7b33f0269bb35e84.png

2025-08-09 11:52:27 UTC

#Today 09
Good day!
What a hike, what an adventure.
I’ve long wanted to attempt this climb, but it was beyond me physically, so I’ve waited.
Yesterday, I faced a long trek, overgrown gulch, & a steep ascent on an exposed ridge in the cold wind to reach this view.
Ignore my heavy breathing. 😆
Be everwell.
#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #HikingAdventures #Nature #NaturePhotography #NatureLover #Photography
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2025-08-02 11:59:05 UTC

#Today 02
Good day!
I hiked yesterday.
I learned that autumn is whispering, but it’s silent in town, you have to venture into the mountains.
I also learned, yet again, not to trust the weather forecast. Cloudy with drizzle? More like unrelenting sun.
Once home, it rained.
Be everwell.
#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #HikingAdventures #Nature #NaturePhotography #NatureLover #Photography #LandscapePhotography
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2025-07-31 15:15:13 UTC

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I can understand that because I’m actually the same way. I’ve spent a lifetime trying to fit in with no success. Eccentric? That’s a great word for it. I find it interesting that you’re one of the most encouraging people here. I can identify with that, too. Embrace your eccentricity! 🤗

2025-07-31 15:03:55 UTC

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Except, that’s okay. 🤗❤️ That’s how you write right now. Maybe there are answers there. 🤔

2025-07-28 11:35:31 UTC

#Today 28
Good day!
I’ve decided to patent our weather this year & sell it. I can’t remember when we were last spared a heat dome.
It’s as if, after an unusually warm winter & spring, a switch flipped & we leaped from May to August.
Apparently, anything goes now. Kinda scary.
Be everwell.
#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #HikingAdventures #Nature #NaturePhotography #NatureLover #Photography #LandscapePhotography
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2025-07-27 12:26:09 UTC

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You've captured it beautifully. I'm always seeking isolation within nature when I hike, and know where to go to achieve it. What made this moment different was how open it was.
I did end up seeing people, but I was on my way back down by then. It was kind of startling. My solitude had come partly because I'd braved the rain early, though I was up there for awhile. In fact, I hiked to the far end of the lake (it's actually an old reservoir).

2025-07-27 12:08:52 UTC

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I really think that was my most overwhelming thought. It was so BIG and there was only me. Maybe that should have been crushing, but it wasn't. Instead, in a way, it lifted me up. There was both insignificance and inclusion.

2025-07-27 11:48:04 UTC

#Today 27
Good day!
After rain, & over two hours spent hiking through the forest in the canyon, the way ahead opened up.
Talk about a big reveal…
My knees debated holding me up.
And I was the only human being in that place. Alone, but not lonely.
Be everwell.
#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #SilentSunday #HikingAdventures #Nature #NaturePhotography #NatureLover #Photography #LandscapePhotography
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2025-07-26 12:33:27 UTC

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You're welcome. This was looking down the canyon, of course, and hints at the oddity that day. The dividing line between sunlight and clouds was directly over my head, the sun behind me when I climbed.

2025-07-26 12:00:20 UTC

#Today 26
Good day!
Turn up the sound & let it soothe you. I filmed this from the bridge that crosses the stream.
This was the last significant landmark before I reached my true destination.
I continue to edit Book4, so far sticking with my schedule better than ever. Maybe I can draft this year.
Be everwell.
#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #HikingAdventures #Nature #NaturePhotography #NatureLover #Photography
https://cdn.masto.host/writing/media_attachments/files/114/919/375/472/550/356/original/db948292c4e73820.mp4

2025-07-25 11:57:54 UTC

#Today 25
Good day!
We seem to be settling into a seasonal weather pattern, which is far better than the epic heat we’ve suffered the last few years.
I don’t fear August heat here like I do July heat. The days are shorter. It takes until afternoon to heat up.
Be everwell.
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2025-07-22 12:28:23 UTC

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Absolutely, yet I could still hear the birds singing and the chipmunks screaming their warnings.