First of all, I should apologize for how lax I’ve been in writing. With the rain and cool (or cold!) weather at the beginning of the summer, I was sticking pretty close to home. When the weather warmed up, I lived behind my mower trying to keep up with the grass. Which is looking shaggy again as I write this; more mowing is definitely in my immediate future.

Okay, on to my topic. In today’s Rapid City Journal, an article reports that South Dakota’s obesity rate has climbed to 26.9 percent. Over one-fourth of adults in this state are obese. Obese, not just overweight. This is frightening. Why is this number rising?

I have a few thoughts about the reasons. First of all, childhood obesity has been rising for several years now, eventually, those obese kids grow up to be obese adults. Plus, due to a reduction in activity and a plethora of fast and processed foods, more adults who weren’t obese in their youth are becoming so as they age. Parents who are sedentary, overweight with poor nutrition often raise children with the same problems.

But wait, what about all those athletic kids with obese parents? Those children aren’t overweight, they’re athletes. True enought, sports during childhood and adolescence can help keep young people fit; however, unhealthy family lifestyles can catch up with them after they stop playing sports. Think back to people who were very fit when they played high school basketball or football and then packed on the pounds in college. Most students who play sports in middle school and high school don’t play at the college level, and their fitness decreases dramatically when they stop training. While sports are important for a variety of reasons, they don’t necessarily lower adult obesity.

If we are to lower adult and childhood obesity, we can’t rely on soccer practice do it for us. American obesity is becoming an epidemic that we have to fight with lifestyle changes. We need to get off our collective couches. Spend more time outdoors: go for a walk, take a bike ride, go hiking, take the kids fishing, just get outside. And skip the Big Mac.

Reading material for rainy days

It’s chilly, cloudy and rainy again. For days like these when it’s hard to spend enjoying the outdoors, there are plenty of outdoor books to read. I know some people will say that you can hike or camp no matter the weather, which is true; however, I’ve found that if you want kids to enjoy the experience, nice days are important. It’s raining right now, and the forecast gives me hope that we may see the sun today, but tomorrow, our high temperature is only going to be 47 degrees with rain. That’s not the best day to take your kids up Harney; it won’t be a good experience for anyone.

In the meantime, here are some of my favorite outdoor books.

Merle’s Door: Lessons from a Freethinking Dog by Ted Kerasote

Trust me, it’s better than Marley and Me. Kerasote adopts Merle after finding him wandering alone, and thus begins a long relationship. Kerasote is an outdoor writer who lives in Kelly, Wyoming, which is within the boundaries of Grand Teton National Park. This book will satisfy outdoor enthusiasts and dog lovers alike.

Woodswoman, Woodswoman II (also known as Return to Black Bear Lake), and Woodswoman III by Anne Labastille

Ecologist Labastille has written extensively about her life in the Adirondack Mountains of New York. The narrative begins with her building her cabin on the shores of a remote lake and continues to recount her experiences through the years. Not only are these books a great read for women (and men) but also for teenage girls interested in ecology and environmentalism. Labastille is an inspirational figure, not only for her wilderness capabilities but also for her activism.

Going Alone: Women’s Adventures in the Wild edited by Susan Fox Rogers

This collection of essays by women recounting their solo experiences in the outdoors is heartening for women who want to spend more time in the wilderness. From accounts of women going for their first hike alone to backpacking solo in designated wilderness, the book tells of large and small triumphs.

Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey

What outdoor reading list would be complete without this classic? Desert Solitaire is what inspired me to visit Moab, Utah; the pull of the desert is strong. Remember that Abbey had strong opinions, and he didn’t expec or care for everyone to agree with him. This book encourages people to get out of their cars, walk, pay attention and appreciate the minutiae of nature.

For all of you who are loading backpacks and packing picnic lunches, I envy you. My weekend plans do include outside activity, but of the gardening kind. I love gardening too, checking out how nice the weather is going to be in the Hills the next few days, it still makes me a bit wistful that I’m going away instead of staying home.

A caveat about the weather, though. The temperatures are going to be quite warm, but there are thunderstorms forecast for both Saturday and Sunday, so plan accordingly. In the upper elevations, storms can pop up suddenly, taking you by surprise. The higher you are later in the afternoon, the better your chances of getting caught. Case in point: several years ago a nasty lightning storm hit just we reached the top of Crow Peak over by Spearfish. Those of you familiar with the mountain will know it’s not the best place to be during a storm, so we ended up running most of the way back down. The other storm that nailed us was after we’d climbed Harney Peak. Perfectly blue skies at the beginning, perfectly black clouds by the end. We made it to the car and almost to Hill City when the hail hit. That must have been a good year for body shops; we certainly did our part to boost their business.

The longer the hike, the earlier you should start. For a long hike such as Harney, or the Willow Creek trail to Harney, be sure to start before noon. If you can’t get on the trail before 1 p.m., wait until another day. Check the forecast before you go, and not just for home, but also for your destination. A rain jacket and extra socks are never a bad idea either, just in case.

As soon as it really warms up, everyone dashes outside and what was intended to be five minutes turns into five hours. Sunburns, scratches and blisters abound, maybe even a bug bite or two. This is the time of year to take a quick inventory of your first-aid supplies so you have things on hand when needed (not if, when).

First on the list, Band-Aids for those guaranteed spring blisters. Whether from breaking in a new pair of hiking boots (and never hike too far the first couple times you wear them) or wielding the rake like a samurai, blisters are the unwelcome heralds of spring. Also, there are some specialty bandages for blisters now that are helpful, especially for your feet. However, get some Band-Aids for all those other garden-variety cuts and scrapes.

If you need a Band-Aid, you probably need some anti-bacterial ointment, too, so be sure to have plenty on hand. If you’re rolling up the tube in order to squeeze out a few more drops, it’s time for a new tube.

Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen, at least SPF 30 and preferably sweat-resistant. A spray is helpful for reaching tricky spots like between your shoulder blades.

And when you forget the sunscreen, aloe vera gel. We have a big bottle to keep in the house and a small bottle for travel. Yes, we do overlook our sunscreen from time-to-time.

Don’t forget to protect your lips; grab some lip balm with sunscreen for extra protection from sun and wind.

Hydro-cortisone cream or calamine lotion is useful for bug bites, stings and rashes from some unidentified plant you picked up while raking. When I lived in Newell, I always ended up with some short-term rash after I raked in the spring. I never figured out exactly what plant bothered me, but it was every spring.

Sometimes we’re not near the house when we need to perform a little first-aid; for these times it’s helpful to have an alcohol or anti-bacterial wipe to clean the affected area. Keeping a cut clean is the most important thing you can do to prevent infection.

For those of you who tend to go a little overboard those first few days it’s sunny and warm, grab a little something for pain relief. Whether ibuprofen or acetaminophen, it will come in handy for the days when you raked too long or biked too far for comfort.

Once you’ve compiled your first-aid necessities, keep them handy. I have a basket of items in the linen closet, plus a couple of first-aid kits, one of which stays in my backpack. I always take a kit when traveling because the last thing you want to do on vacation is look for a drugstore when all you need is a Band-Aid or an aspirin. Lastly, don’t forget a kiss always makes everything feel better.

Spring’s arrival brought more than just the frogs’ song (though that took a hiatus during the last snowfall), the ducks, geese and herons have also returned to the pond near our home. This year, a pair of beavers also moved in and was great fun to watch, until our aspen trees started disappearing. Literally disappearing, as in they were there one day, and gone the next. Not just on the ground – gone. As much I liked the critters, I don’t have a great many aspen trees to spare, so we had them relocated.

There have been a few other unusual visitors as well, like the bufflehead ducks my neighbor saw, and some other diving ducks I was unable to identify, even with my bird book. Diving ducks are fun to watch because they disappear under the water and stay down longer than you expect. Just when you start to wonder where they went, they pop up like a cork. However, the most exciting visitors (hopefully residents) are the pair of wood ducks. What a treat to see these handsome birds. Since they nest in trees, we hope they’ll spend the summer.

Now that the weather has evened out and the snow has stopped falling every few days, I hope to catch more glimpses of other migrating birds. You never know what you’ll see this time of year as birds move to the summer grounds, so keep your binoculars and bird book handy. Sometimes you may hear a bird but not be able to see it, visit the National Audubon Society website to listen to bird calls; you may be able to identify it that way, http://www.audubon.org/bird/bird_resources.html#sound.

Also, frog song is flourishing in ponds, lakes, and streams. If the frog’s song sounds like running your thumb along a plastic comb, it’s a chorus frog. If the croaking is deeper and more guttural, it’s probably a leopard frog.

Old juniper in Arches

Moab is in southeastern Utah, close to both Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, and right on the Colorado River. We stayed at a campground north of town with a view of Arches and the La Sal Mountains. We were very happy to be outside of town since Easter weekend coincided with the annual Jeep Jamboree this year, so Moab was pretty packed. However, the parks weren’t tremendously crowded. And people willing to hike, like us, were able to get away from the most groups of people.

Arches National Park is fairly small in comparison to most parks we’ve visited. There’s really just one main road through the park with most hikes short and close to the road. Since the soil is so fragile, walking off the paths is strongly discouraged, though we noted footprints of many offenders. Two longer hikes I’d strongly recommend are Devil’s Garden and Tower Arch. Devil’s Garden is at the furthermost end of the road in the park. There is a 7.2-mile loop that you can do, but most people do only part of it, just up far enough to look at a few arches and then they leave the way they came. However, if you do the whole loop, you’ll have long stretches of trail to yourself. Less people meant more lizards, which our daughter appreciated. Coming from lizard-less Custer, they are rather a novelty.

The other trail, which we had nearly to ourselves, was Tower Arch, located on an unmarked road in the northwestern part of the park. This area is rarely frequented by most tourists, while it’s on the map, the road has no sign and is gravel, hence, most folks aren’t willing to drive on it. It was my favorite hike of the trip, quiet and fabulously scenic. 

In addition to hiking and taking photos, there was a lot to learn about the geology of the area. The primary rock types are Entrada and Navajo Sandstone. Entrada is the rosy rock while the Navajo is light tan; together they look like a layer cake.

Thunderstorm over Canyonlands

It was a fun, but fast, trip; we all agreed it had been too long since our last one. Our daughter fell in love with the desert and is eager to go back. Both my husband and I were gratified to see that we have raised a girl who was happy to go make-up and hair-appliance free for a few days and who was interested in the rock formations and lizards, not bored or disgusted. It was a great way to start our spring.

I know, this weather has got everybody down, including me. Another snow day from school, more shoveling, and bad roads, same old, same old. Did I mention more shoveling? Since spring-like weather is eluding us for the time being, I decided to give in this weekend and enjoy a couple more winter activities. In addition to some excellent sledding with my daughter, I tried snowshoeing for the first time.

First of all, it’s not as easy as it looks. It takes some coordination to get going, but once you get a rhythm, you can make good time. What astonished me was how easy it was going over very deep snow; I didn’t sink at all. Walking on top of hip-deep snow was pretty cool, especially since I wouldn’t have been out there at all if I hadn’t been wearing the snowshoes. They allowed me to take a walk when I would have otherwise been stuck in the house. Snowshoeing is an excellent way to view wildlife because it’s nearly silent; I was able to see deer, rabbits and many birds with minimal disturbance. It may have been my first attempt at snowshoeing, but it won’t be the last.

Now please excuse me while I go shovel the walk again.

Today is a day of balance, when hours of light and dark are equal, the vernal (spring) equinox. We will have 12 hours of light and 12 hours of dark, pushing onward toward our longest day of the year in June. While there are probably snowstorms yet in store for us, at least winter is over on the calendar.

 

As I write this, I can hear bluebirds and red wing blackbirds calling outside. While I didn’t catch a glimpse of a flicker woodpecker yesterday, today one is busy pecking at the suet cake. A couple of weeks ago, just a few migratory birds could be seen here and there, now the skies are full of their song. After a long, cold winter, spring has finally returned.

 

It’s easy to see why ancient peoples so revered this day, this lengthening of daylight hours; they were grateful for it. What a relief is must have been to know that the sun had returned, to see the snow melting, to know another summer would come. No one culture can claim exclusivity over equinox traditions, so enamored were people all over the world with the warming of the Earth. Lighting bonfires, and interestingly, offering eggs to the gods and goddesses or dead ancestors, were common rites throughout ancient Europe and the Middle East.

 

Celebrating the arrival of spring is a time-honored tradition, what’s important is acknowledging the day, the change of seasons. The forecast for today is glorious, so at least spend some time outside in the sun listening to the birds and enjoying the lengthening daylight.

Last summer I wrote about my experiences learning to canoe; well, I may have created a monster – me. I enjoyed canoeing so much that I decided I also need a kayak. So I’ve ordered my first kayak, and I’m ridiculously excited, can’t you tell?

 

What I find most appealing about kayaking is that I can easily strap it to the top of my car and go on a whim. If my canoe is near the water, I can manage it okay, but it’s 16 feet long and weighs 75 pounds, so it’s a bit unwieldy. So I guess the kayak represents freedom and the ability to be spontaneous. I’m already fantasizing about a sunrise paddle to the middle of Bismarck Lake at sunrise to enjoy a cup of coffee. I know, it’s only March, but I can dream, can’t I? It’s probably a good thing the kayak won’t be here for at least a month.

Yes, there are still 20 official days of winter left, and actual winter can last weeks longer than “official” winter, but still, it’s undeniable that spring is coming. The past few days, we plunged deeply back into winter, but today’s temperatures in the 40s had me disappearing outside for hours, hiking around in the sun, hearing the mud squish under my boots.

 

In preparation for spring’s arrival, I have taken care to keep my birdfeeders full as birds begin their northward migration. The mountain bluebirds should be arriving soon, so I cleaned out their houses a couple of weeks ago. I’ve also completed my seed orders so that I can sow some seeds indoors this month.

 

The turkeys have begun gobbling, letting us know that nature’s calendar is changing. And today my daughter came rushing into the house and excitedly drug me onto the front porch to listen to geese nearby. We couldn’t see them, but they were fairly close. Now, for some of you, you’ll have geese all year, but to us, the arrival of the honkers is always a landmark event.

 

Sure, we’re for a few storms and bouts of cold weather yet, but there is light at end of the tunnel called winter.