23 Apr 2013 Leave a Comment
in All Others
During these times, where we are constantly being reminded of how the world around us is changing in a negative way, it is sometimes easy to forget how incredible of a world it is in which we live.
and how, despite horrific mankind can be, he can also be humble, loving, kind, and peaceful.
03 Feb 2013 1 Comment
in All Others Tags: air travel, airport etiquette, transatlantic flight, travel etiquette
I figured if you have ever traveled–whether abroad on a plane, or on a train, or I suppose in a bus or automobile, you may agree, or disagree, on some of these points on proper travel etiquette.* There are many more, but I thought I’d be nice and not bore everyone.
Do you have any advice to give others on the Do’s and Don’ts of Traveling?
02 Jan 2013 3 Comments
in All Others Tags: christmas, cross country skiing, family, IMBA, Mohonk Preserve, Trail Love, Winter
Snow!
December, like most other Decembers, came and went too quickly. The holiday season was a joyous one, spent with family and friends. What happened this Holiday season?
I continued making Martha proud with my projects …
My first ever wreath
While my man decided a kitchen is a better place for bike projects than the basement…
A winter mountain bike
I decided to steer clear of gingerbread sleighs after last years mishaps, and thought St. Nicholas Day would be celebrated by building a gingerbread house instead….Kevin was in charge of character placement.
I was surprised by awesome cycling related gifts.
IMBA Trail Love jersey
Ornament
I took part in my second Fats in the Cats Christmas Ride. There were over 36 cyclists riding down the streets of Kingston, stopping traffic, and bringing cheer to those in need. This year, I was a Christmas Tree.
Riding Tree, and Santa
The camera was used for awkward family pictures…
Sisters
What happens when your crown is too big
…And snap shots of loved ones.
Kevin joining in on a Geuss family Christmas.
Lucky and the lucky cat mug
Lastly, we welcomed Snow, bringing forth opportunities to dabble in cross country skiing…Both in the day time
Ductchess county skiing
Skiing at Springbrook Farm
I’m a pro, can’t you tell?
…And Night.
03 Dec 2012 4 Comments
in All Others, cycling, Running Tags: christmas, Dean bikes, ferncliff forest, mountain biking, Rhinebeck Christmas, Running
What’s been happening this holiday season?
My man ran his second Turkey Trot, and is a Speedy Gonzales. I decided he will start training for a marathon after the first run we did together…He just doesn’t know it yet.
No one can miss two people running in these shoes.
He has been a true sport, indulging in my (perhaps sometimes excessive) love for this season; from dragging him around Rhinebeck to look at store displays and holiday decorations to watching a Muppet Christmas Carol with me…Okay, he fell asleep five minutes into the movie, but he started watching it with me, and put up with me singing along with the muppets to what might be the best Christmas soundtrack out there. Last weekend, we were able to have a “late” night out on the town, giving me the opportunity to snap a zillion photos, and force Kevin to take photos in front of the Rhinebeck Christmas tree.
All dressed up, ready for dessert
He gives “digging in” a new meaning
It’s his, “What did I get myself into with this crazy girl?” look.
Sinterklaas came!
Kevin was a little jealous of Santa…
I was able to decorate trees that Martha Stewart would be proud of. From this:
The tree was a little heavier than I thought…And a little larger…
To this:
The best gifts ever, homemade chainring ornaments with spoke hanger-things, had to come out from their hiding place, and hang on Molly crafted garlands.
Even Kevin got in the spirit when decorating his tree with the five ornaments he owns…He was warned of how excited I get in the winter last year when he was greeted at his front door with a strange girl holding a bag of Christmas tree ornaments in one hand, and four foot tree–already put together–in the other. Yes, that girl was me. To be fair, I waited until after Thanksgiving this year to decorate his house for Christmas. All I need is for Silk soymilk to come out with their Chocolate mint milk, and I’ll be all set for the season.
Nurses rock, even snowman nurses
My bike is very happy that the weather in December has been amazing as of late. Yes, I miss the time when I didn’t have to worry about losing feeling in my digits, but I could get used to having no snow, even as much as I love white winters.
So long, warm weather…See you in a couple months
I seem to find new trails–or make my own trails thinking they are actual trails– and come across crazy bike obstacles going down hills. I thought about trying out my skillz on said obstacles, but then decided my arms and legs are much more useful to me when not broken.
Mountain bikes seem to be accumulating in the barn. Watching Kevin play on his new full suspension bike was like watching a little child receiving the toy truck he asked Santa for…So long, rigid Dean…
My man’s got skillz
…Kevin will be found on a bike with a suspension fork from now on.
And I leave you with a song straight from a Muppet Christmas Carol.
Happy Holidays!
“Wherever you find love, it feels like Christmas”
08 Oct 2012 2 Comments
in All Others, cycling Tags: Biking, cycling in the fall, hudson valley, nature, outdoors
“Autumn…the year’s last, loveliest smile.” William Cullen Bryant
Autumn; it might be my favorite time of year. I was blessed to be able to live in an area where we can see the colors of the trees change from green to golden brown to shades of golds and ambers;and to have the opportunity to jump into piles of crispy, crunchy leaves that hath fallen from trees (yes, the youth is still in me). In all honestly, where did September go? I feel the month disappeared without my knowing. I guess all the overtime at work had something to do with it.
Autumn. Think about it. Trees change colors, you do not sweat to death walking to you car….Yes, it might be chilier, and snort sleeve jersies will be replaced with long jerseys. And the change of leaves brings yet another challenge to (esp) mountain biking, since paths are covered by leaves ( as well as rocks and roots)…Not to mention we have started the hunting season, which brings a whole different change of mountain biking. Thankfully, Ferncilff Forest is a “safe’ zone for riders; i.e. hunters are not able to hunt in these zones (hallelujah!).
On my first couple days off in a row after hellish days 0f non stop insanity at work, I decided to get back on my road bike– one which, I am afraid to say, tool somewhat of a back seat this summer. I guess with Lyme you need to pick yourself back up and just pedal, pedal,pedal to get back into the shape you once were. Not to mention, most of my recent rides have been mountain bike ones.
Running is getting better as well. I cannot believe the amount of strength I lost–but am determined to get it back, not only that, but he healthier, leaner, and stronger. As well as start swimming again. I am not going to get one little tick bite destroy the goal of mine to do a triathlon.
So, I convinced K to go for a ride with me–a road ride….And for some reason my GPS system doesn’t work (okay you got me on that one….I simply forgot my garmin–gasp. But I think it was about 35miles around through Dutchess and Columbia counties. I have done this route multiple times before, but never with someone else… I’m more of a solo rider). Below are a few pictures–a few taken by me…the rest taken by him.
Off of River Road
Pretty road
River Road….Freshly pave…like riding on clouds.
K found flowers….
And to top off the day, I created homemade pumpkin pop tarts and pumpkin cinnamon rolls….That post will follow.
07 Oct 2012 1 Comment
in All Others, cycling Tags: Cycling, friendship, love
Dearest X,
As the blogging world knows you as “X” or “K” or “The Man,” to me, you will, and always will be, mine.
I know that life has brought its challenges, to both with you and me. And I apologize for those long awkward silences in cars whilst you would drive when I would attempt to keep the tears streaming from behind my glasses a secret from you, in fear that you would judge me….Or judge my ability to be that strong independent girl who always kept it together. And this kind of scares me, because it has never happened before.For the 26 years I have never had to hide myself from another being– lest alone, an amazing one at that.
For years I have spent protecting myself from love–from the possibility of a man loving me. Furthermore after different times of heatbreak…ones which I feel happened right after the other, I gave up on the possibility of love.
But you, Kevin, are different from all those other men who’ve caused me heartbreak and anguish.
Kevin, (and yes I am referring to you by your real name…let the blogging world know), I love you.
This past year as we’ve grown to know each other as people, I grew to know a man who is honest, sincere, accepting, and loving. It doesn’t matter whether or not I still cannot ride over certain obstacles—you merely stop and tell me it is okay if I cannot ride over–that it is difficult–that one day I will to make it …
We’ve shared numerous bike rides of different kinds, experimented with new dishes, gone cross country skiing, fished in the back yard pond, taken a couple road trips, gone for evening walks after dinner, or simply gone for walks, picking out the houses in a different life we would want. We swam at Lake Onteora for the first time together with high hopes the rope swing would be there, only to find it was no longer there.
I apologize for those nights after work, or me working 12+ hours away, not coming home to meals specially prepared by you, because you already knew I would be an emotional rollercoaster by the time i got home.
You kill or trap spiders on my walls for me, listen to me rant, and never complain. You tell me, whether or not my day at work was shitty– that I am still an amazing nurse….If one batch of cookies comes out bad, I always have another time to make them,
And despite the person inside me who wants to be perfect at anything I do, I do know that it takes time to navigate the perfect line on a bunch of crooked rocks in order to ” flow over them whenever I ease,” while on a mountain bike, and a long life ahead of me to do athletic events that I want.
You know me better than anyone–you know exactly what I am thinking, and are definitely the voice of reason between us, i.e. when I was sick from Lyme you told me not to do a race I really wanted to do, knowing that if I did attempt it, I would not get the result I wanted, leaving me with a heavy heart….Which is exactly what would have happened.
One day, I promise, I will be able to ride over those ridges with ease; without you having to wait for me. I will finish the line; I will finish my baked good or what have you. I will finish it, with a smile on my face, and you to thanks.
And, the thing is, whether you gave me a hug or made dinner for me–the moment you held me in your arms I knew I was safe and loved, and everything would be okay.And after one full year…
Kevin, I love you.
Pure and simple. You are the man who has saved me from my fears, taught me to face my fears and have loved me unconditionally. And for that, I love you, X, “the Man,” or for the first time ever spoken, Kevin.My best friend,and teacher.
Love, Me
24 Sep 2012 2 Comments
in All Others Tags: apple picking, Fall in Dutchess County, Grieg Farm, Meads Orchard, pumpkin cookies, Pumpkin Picking
Fall.
My favorite time of year. From the crisp, cool air to the rainbow of gold speckled foliage…From warm apple pie to pumpkin spice tea…Mmmm, I can smell the aroma of cinnamon and cloves in my kitchen already.
To commemorate the start of autumn, I thought it would be fun to go apple picking. It has been two years since I picked apples for the first time with my Aussie pal (which I wrote about here). After passing the “Pick-Your-Own” signs on my way to-and-from work, I thought it would be fun to pick pumpkins and apples….And what better way to strengthen a relationship, than to drag your man along with you?
Despite waking up with my throat killing me and my sinus’s at war with each other in my head, I decided to buck up and enjoy a weekend off, especially after working a seventeen hour shift at the hospital (read: ohh-my-goodness-I-want-to-kill-myself hour shift.) I guess it’s that time of year when I need to start consuming double the daily dose of vitamin C. Armed with packets of tissues, chap stick, and tummies full of Taste Budd’s breakfast sandwiches, we made our way to the orchards.
K and I first went to the same orchard I went to two years ago, only to find there were no apples on the trees.Bummed, we headed to the pumpkin patch before trying another orchard (Lord knows there are a zillion apple orchards in this area of Dutchess County). To my inner child’s delight, we were greeted by a field of pumpkins of all shapes and sizes.
I forced my man to sit in a field of orange gourds so I could use the 10-second timer and take (possibly the cutest) pictures of us.
Christmas card 2012?
I then went on to plan the outside fall decorations of our houses…Martha Stewart, you would be proud of my pumpkin choices.
Albino pumpkin and green pumpkins are always in Martha’s magazines
I was overjoyed when in a field of orange I found my sought-after albino pumpkin (note: I have no idea of that is the correct name for these white pumpkins, but that is what I call them).
Yes, we all know I’m a dork
K had to have his share of fun too. To think he just turned thirty.
I still heart him.
My pumpkin
Our trip to Grieg Farm was a success!
After time in the pumpkin patch, we headed north towards Meads Orchard in search of apples. And apples we found.
K took some flattering pictures…And some not so flattering pictures of me.
Give a girl a beak…I mean break…
I’m starting to think there is a resemblance between Kevin the Bird from the Pixar movie “Up,” and me when I try apples.
Go pick them apples.
I wasn’t the only one overjoyed finding apples.
Ohh crap, there’s a bee…
K did some tree climbing.
Uh, Molly, could use some help please?
I did some apple crate climbing.
And then, after a sip of water (or gallon in K’s case), we went to explore the farm (not really sure if we were actually allowed to do such, but, ohh well.) We came across a different type of pumpkin, which excited me enough to run and attempt to pick up thirty (plus) pound gourds.
Never stop a man from drinking his water.
Grrr
K, I really want this one. Pleaseeeeeeeee.
Are you really going to deny this girl a pumpkin?
Seriously, she seem’s super excited about this vegetable.
I then went on to tell K to pick up a really heavy pumpkin. No joke, it was heavy.
C’mon, you can do it! Put your back in to it! (Well, lift from the legs)
After prancing in the pumpkin field, I spotted small red objects, thinking, are those strawberries? In September?
Always tell the man to try fruits to make sure they are safe to eat.
Yes, they were strawberries…In September.
It was K’s time to get excited.
Men can prance in fields too, you know.
So what if he might grow a sixth finger in a month from eating these (probably) over-sprayed pesticide drenched strawberries?
Alas, before we knew it, it was time to head home, so I could bake and fill the house with all the frangrances of fall.
Lighter-than-air pumpkin cookies
Today’s outing: a success
14 Aug 2012 1 Comment
in All Others Tags: baking, Biking, cake pops, friendship, hudson valley, life
It’s hard to believe I’ve been in the Hudson Valley for three years already. Where did the time go? And what has happened?
I’ve gone through a variety of different sneakers…Some getting wet, others getting dirty.
I’ve endured scrapes, bruises, and tick bites.
Major ouch.
I survived my first road trip adventure, including sharp descents, rocks and roots.
I’ve made life long friends.
The Valley Girls
Best. Cousin. Ever.
I learnt how to make lemonade when life gave me lemons…Or juice out of berries.
I’ve taken lots of photos.
I watched things grow from seeds in my (first) garden.
I’ve gone for many rides.
Yes, all my bikes get used.
I’ve baked lots of cakes, both big and small, round and square.
I built my first bike, from scratch.
I expanded my family.
I met the love of my life…
Obsessed much?
Oh wait, I mean this love of my life.
I learnt it takes a strong person to compete in a race, and sometimes stronger one to know when to stop.
I was reminded how fun it is to dress up, and that every person is beautiful.
I learnt not to take myself too seriously.
I learnt how to ski, face my fear of open water swims, and mountain bike.
Most importantly I learnt that life goes on.
Thank you, to all of those whom I have met on this fabulous journey.
23 Jul 2012 Leave a Comment
in All Others, cycling Tags: Harlem Valley Rail Trail, lyme disease, Millerton, mountain biking, Rosendale street festival, Summer fun
I know, I know, it has been ages since I’ve written a post. It’s a little thing called “l-i-f-e” which seems to be able to get in the way of things easily. My aspirations of competing in this years TimberMan have been demolished due to a tiny little tick organism–yup, I have Lymes disease which really hit me like a fast speed train. From going on sixty-plus mile bike rides to being winded, and not even able to finish a 20 mile ride on a flat surface is killing me. So, I’m doing my best to actually listen to my body and be sensible about swimming/running/biking (for those of you who know me, NOT an easy task to do).
So, what has been happening this summer? Other than working (day shifts!) and trying to beat the record-high temperatures we have had?
I took my first trip to Millerton, New York, which is a small town east of where I live. Ever heard of Harvey and Sons™ teas? That town is where it all started. In Millerton, there is the Harlem Valley Rail Trail, a paved rail trail where you can walk, bike ride, rollerblade, you name it from Millerton all the way to (for you NYC dwellers) the end of the Metro North’s trains (to be more specific, the Wassaic station). There are plans to extend the rail trail all the way up to Chatham, which from the station to Chatham would be an over 80 mile ride (if returning to the station, that is).
Takin’ it slow
Photo break mid- trail
There is also the Harvey and Sons Tea room, where you can try more teas than I have ever seen.
Harvey and Sons
I finished my bike (actually, a month ago) and now ride it into town on market days!
So pretty!
I scoped out the Rosendale Street Festival and attempted to beat the heat by having some yummy crushed Lemonade.
Mmmm freshly squeezed
(Before the Lymes) I discovered new watering holes in the area….Well, to be more exact, 30mile away watering holes.
Copake Lake–found while lost
I’ve been spending time in the much appreciated shade…As well as my feline friends
I’ve watched K fish in our back pond.
Hello there, Mr. Sunny
Early morning
We’ve had ourselves some BBQ
And, I went my first mountain bike ride in two months–only falling twice!
woohoo
And, just a link to some information about Lyme Disease–prevention, treatment, etc., just FYI (taken from the CDC).
29 Apr 2012 5 Comments
in All Others, cycling, Food/Nutrition Tags: environmentally friendly, gardening, green, kale spinach smoothie, mountain biking, vegetable garden
I like to consider myself an environmentally friendly person– I recycle or reuse when I can, buy locally grown produce when possible, use natural cleaning supplies that are not too caustic on the environment….Ask me the year I spent living without a car. It was only a matter of time before I used my green thumb and started sewing seeds for new vegetables in our garden. *Note: I’ve only ever really picked the veggies that had already grew in the garden, never have I actually tilled the soil and planted seeds, except back from when I was a youngster.
Gardening is hard work. The digging, the planting…That, or I still have not recovered fully from the bad virus I had last week. But, it is. I was exhausted, and only planted the carrots, sugar snap peas, and “decorative gourds” (which will be non-edible). The lettuce, zucchini, and eggplant will have to wait until this week.
Seeds, seeds, seeds
Plus, a garden needs your attention. It needs to be watered, if you don’t have frequent rain. Weeds need to be pulled. You need to tend to it frequently, make sure that the garden (if you are growing edible plants) is secured from predators that might nibble the fruits of your labor.
I think this “gardening thing” started a couple of weeks ago when I planted my first little flower garden pots. I have plans to plant wild flowers and sun flowers shortly. I have no idea how any of it will turn out, but it is something I thought I’d give a shot. What harm could come out of it?
My first ever little garden
Not only am I planting, but attempting to eat healthier–greener–foods, literally. The other night I made a Kale, Spinach, and Pear smoothie for my friend. It also had almond milk, Agave Nectar, and a frozen banana in it. I previously gave the recipe to another friend of mine who loved it. I don’t think it was a hit on K’s end, but he did try it.
Thumbs up for the green
I thought it was so good, the next day I made more for myself, this time adding soy milk for more protein, which adds its own sweetness to the smoothie. And, I must admit, it took awhile to get used to the consistency of it, (but that is because I did not follow the recipe regarding the amounts of kale and spinach–I just threw lots in the blender), but it is super healthy for you.
Lastly, I end this note with photos I took on a recent, incredibly peaceful, mountain bike ride.
Peace amongst the trees
How can you not feel refreshed with a new sense of energy after riding though, and seeing this?
