Blackberry Spring

Blackberry Blossom
Originally uploaded by toadshade

"My love, he wooed me as I lie there
With a flower in my hair and my cheeks aflush
It was a blackberry blossom from the blackberry bush."
- Blackberry Blossom, Michelle Shocked

One of my favorite songs about a maiden and her lover making love amid the blackberry brambles and blossoms; a perfect metaphor for the pain and joy of love. I always think of it when I see this flower that grows everywhere in the Spring. In late April and early May I'll be picking blackberries to snack on while I jog and in late July and early August hope to be picking them at Black Balsam Knob in Shining Rock Wilderness on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It's a vine that seems to cover everything with white and makes a nice trellis for the Spring.

I had a decent 8 miler hampered a little by an upset stomach that probably originated from some left over pizza that has been sitting in my fridge for an indecent amount of time (but not as long as the okra which I'll have tonight). Still I ran it in 1:17:01 at 9:38 per mile.

toadshade

Azalea Dash

Azalea
Originally uploaded by toadshade

The signature flower of suburban South Carolina and most of the south for that matter. Saw some Phlox and plenty of Red Maple Wings. I did a 6 mile tempo run that was the reverse of the run I did yesterday. I needed to test my leg on a long uphill slope and I passed with flying colors. My time was 56:39 at 9:27 per mile. I don't think the layoff hurt much of anything since my pace is crisp, my weight is down and I feel 10 years younger than I did when I started. Will do a 10 later in the week and start working on some hikes around the midlands and mountains. Am thinking about hitting 40 Acre Rock this Sunday with hopes of even more Spring flora than I got last year. Next Friday I'm heading back to the hills and will probably hit Station Falls, Jones Gap, Cane Creek and Big Bradly Falls in Saluda.

Spring fever has hit the toad.

toadshade

The Six Mile Spring Loop

Field Pansy or Johnny Jump Up
Originally uploaded by toadshade

Ran around Sunview Lake for the first time since I got hurt. Took a picture of this Field Pansy which was growing on the edge of the woods at Sunview Lake. These are sometimes called Johnny Jump Ups because they seem to shoot up very quickly in large patches mainly in fields. If you see a blue blush in the fields when you out driving, it's probably these guys. Always a welcome sight after the cold of Winter. Saw some Common Blue Violets and Periwinkles also. This run did my heart good due to the fact that the last time I ran this run it was cold, rainy and I had an injury that dashed my hopes for the marathon. This reminded of the joy of pure running. I stopped and took a few snapshots and 'smelled the roses' or Violets in this case. My time was 57:27 at a 9:35 per mile pace.

toadshade

The Waiting Is Over

The Waiting Is Over
Originally uploaded by toadshade

I hit the road again on a wet Monday after a wet weekend. I felt great and ran a brisk tempo in 34:52 minutes at an 8:43 per mile pace. The leg felt great and I experienced no pain. My weight is still at 176 and I'm maintaining it. I think I learned a little about myself in the running layoff since it gave me a chance to get back into hiking around the Midlands and, most importantly, the mountains. My revised goals are to train for shorter races and add some mountain hikes, nature study and photography to my plate and see what happens.

toadshade

Deep Green in Late Winter - Pearson's Fall Road

Deep Green in Late Winter
Originally uploaded by toadshade

I took a few shots of the Pearson's Fall area but chose this because the green was so rich and full, and represent what this area will be become in a few days. This part of Saluda, NC, is in what they call the Thermal Belt. It's an area that has the earliest growth of trees and wildflowers in the mountains. It's around 1700 feet in elevation and you can usually find Toadshade and Large-flowered Trillium, Toothwort, Spring Beauty, Hepatica, Star Chickweed and Canada Violets growing in abundance. It was a little early for most of these flowers but we did see Toadshade, Toothwort and Spring Beauty unraveling their leaves. Will go back in a couple of weeks.

toadshade

Fog and Eternity

Fog and Eternity
Originally uploaded by toadshade

We took old 25 from Cane Creek to Saluda and ran into clouds and fog above the Greenville watershed. We took a break and a few shots of this still but pensive scene. This is why I love the mountains; elevation and clouds can put a whole new slant on things.

toadshade

Bill Studying Various Media

Bill Studying Various Media
Originally uploaded by toadshade

This is the central command headquarters where we go over the morning findings, review data, and reconnoiter for the afternoon activities. Otherwise known as the Green River Bar-B-Q in Saluda, NC, where Bill had a heaping plate of Fried Green Tomatoes and I had Collards, Potato Salad and Bar-B-Q with a ton of hot sauce.

toadshade