Back Hiking After A Year Of Long Haul COVID

Posted by Lee Hiller on April 13, 2021
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Goat Rock Trail

In May a man walked up to me as I exited an elevator and coughed on me. He then walked away laughing.  By Memorial Day Weekend I was multiple symptom ill with COVID19.  The worst of it lasted 4 weeks thankfully with no cough.  However I had long haul COVID including fatigue, lack of strength and brain fog through the rest of 2020.  I received my first Moderna shot in late February and the 2nd in March which seems to thankfully have lifted my long haul symptoms. 

Thankful to be alive and strong enough to hike again with my Beloved Husband and favorite trail partner.  A little rain and wind… it was perfect.

Happy Trails,

Lee

Somewhere between the light and the dark

Posted by Lee Hiller on May 11, 2020
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COVID19 Rant: We have become creatures of the predawn light.  Somewhere between the last of night’s darkness and dawns light we emerge to breathe the fresh air.  We are forced to out before 6 a.m. and home by 7:30 a.m. because our fellow Arkansans WON’T WEAR MASKS!  They don’t understand or don’t care that their actions are a threat to our lives.  The mask wearers are protecting others.  Those without are trying to kill us all.  There is no in-between ask the first responders and medical personnel.

Stay Safe, Wear A Mask (PLEASE) and stay at least 6 feet apart from strangers (15 feet if you are running).

Each shot requires more thought when light is scarce.  I ponder play with camera settings and hope I captured the beauty.  A re-connection with my art is healing and exhausting.  Trapped between constraints of time and light I struggle to create.

Happy Trails!

Love to ALL!
Lee

Covid19 Nature Break: Sneaking Out at Dawn

Posted by Lee Hiller on May 9, 2020
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We have been in stay-at-home mode since the first week of March and we have been using masks plus wipes since February.  This was the first time we have been out for a hike in the past 2 months. Usually outings were for essentials only.

It was dark, a bit foggy and the light was horrible. The fresh air however was divine.  For an entire hour we were alone with Nature our masks pulled down breathing in the forest fragrance. It was intoxicating to feel the air and hear bird song

From our windows we could see the Magnolias blossoms this spring. I thought we had missed the live show but we were lucky one waited around for us to see up close.

We slipped out at 6 a.m. and did not see any humans til we were heading back home at 7:15.  Running humans without masks who headed toward us so we had to cross the street.  Arkansas never closed and I have been called names for wear a mask.  So many people willing to risk other peoples lives by not wearing masks or at the very least respecting social distancing.

I dream of a time where I can safely see the magic hour again outside.

Stay Safe and Happy Trails!

Love to ALL,
Lee

 

Happy Hiking Day 2019 in the Autumn Leaves

Posted by Lee Hiller on November 17, 2019
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Happy Hiking Day!  After suffer through a summer (3 months) of never ending 100+ temperatures autumn is here.  The drought dried many of the leaves which dropped from trees in October.  So this year the autumn leaf show is a limited viewing.  Most of the show is on the North side on the mountain trails where it was often a tiny bit cooler and the scarce rain fell this past summer.

Happy Trails!
Love to ALL
Lee

au revoir not goodbye

Posted by Lee Hiller on April 26, 2019
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The worst sound! While hiking I hear dreaded thunk as the shutter mechanism of my camera dies. My heart sank and my brain screamed OMG not during spring!  I take my camera on every hike and the past few weeks without it has been painful.  It is as if my extra sight sense has been taken.  *deep breath*  I feel incomplete without my visual paint brush which allows me to share nature’s beauty.

Nine years on, hundreds of thousands of images and two repairs I guess it was about due to give out.  As I have no clue how long it will take to save up for a possible repair or new camera (best guess a year).   These will be the last photos for a while.  If I manage something spectacular with my very old smartphone I will share.

Thank you for following my blog and leaving kind messages and likes.

as always Love to ALL!
Lee