Day 34 – Monday, October 6th, 2014
During this journey, I learned, in no particular order:
1.
to use voice message on iphone to hang
onto/record my passing thoughts_thanks Dean
2.
that we get a rhythm: as we walk. When we took a day of rest, it took longer to
get ready the next day than it did on the following days.
3.
that it is enjoyable and relaxing to spend 4-5
hours of the day walking
4.
that I didn’t want the walk to end
5.
see #7 to # 11 in Dean’s blog ( www.ontariowanderer.blogspot.ca )
6.
that not everyone has the same expectations or
interests in a common project
7.
that I
like to leave certain matters to chance or to others, given the opportunity
e.g. the map
8.
there are
a lot of leopard frogs on Grand Isle, Lake Champlain, VT
9.
to trust my intuition
10. which
animals/creatures live in Vermont
11. not
to lend my car when I am on a project
12. not
to put myself second
13. about
the life of Ebenezer Nims, half-brother to Abigail, in Lorette, QC
14. about
the life of Godfrey Nims, father of Abigail, in Massachusetts
15. that
I should have had orthodics in my hiking boots as well as in my walking shoes
16. that
I like lean-tos in campgrounds, as they keep our tents drier when it rains
17. about
the marital ceremony of Huron Indians (as they were called in the 1700s)
18. to
create on my feet
19. to
fictionalize
20. that
doctors can be kind, practical & have a sense of humour
21. to
wear medical gloves for protection e.g. when collecting objects I picked up off
the ground, along the way; to keep my hands dry when it rained all day
22. that
it is effective to each have our own tasks
23. that
changing the pace during a long walk, eg entering and walking around an antique
store in Bellows Falls, NH, was restful and re-energizing
24. that
I am comfortable “in my own skin”: I can stand still for an hour or sit by a
pond, “doing nothing” for 35 minutes
25. by
reading, that gray fox can climb trees
26. that
I can focus on my task for 480 kms/300 miles: I told Abigail’s story all along
the journey
27. to
pay attention to the original meaning of words e.g. stony creek, stony brook,
common wealth
28. that
I needed to pack more pairs of underwear
29. that
I needed gloves for warmth: I purchased black, silk gloves in an outdoor store
in Burlington VT that did the trick
30. through
conversation with Pauline, that lemon peels are good for the gardens: a natural
insecticide
31. that
I needed a notebook besides my art journal (and that they are called
“composition book” at Staples, in Brattleboro, VT
32. that
I didn’t have time to make use of my art journal, especially as I forgot it in
the car at the appointed time
33. that
my intestines virtually shut down during the long walk
34. on
the first day, not to eat a big lunch mid-way in the walk
35. that
I needed to count out how many calcium pills were in the jar before leaving
home: I take 6 a day; I stopped taking them figuring my bones were getting a
boost from the frequency and duration of the walk
36. that
I am a nemophilist: one who loves the forest, it’s beauty and solitude (thanks
JoAnne Dubois, for sharing this word on Facebook)
37. that my hands and feet help me think too
38. that
no matter how early I got up, I wasn’t ready to leave until ~ 8:30 am
39. that
of the 3 (Dean and Pauline), I was the slowest paced
There may be more to add to this list. I wrote this in my “composition book” before
breakfast, having been inspired my Dean’s list-making before.
As I drove the RAVioli all the way from
Richfield Springs, NY to home in Brant County, ON, Dean was recording my
comments on what I’d learned in his app. Ever Note.
Our boarder crossing guard was a francophone born in Quebec. Bernard shared the same last name as my maternal grandparents. We spoke in French. Of course, I told him about my great (x7)-grandmother Abigail Nims' life.
Welcome home !! I enjoyed following along - what an interesting journey....
ReplyDeleteMuch love,
Alison