A Mid-Winter Walk Through A Remarkable Cemetery

February 17, 2015July 1, 2025 / Ally Bean / 13 Comments

On Sunday afternoon there was no snow around, so Zen-Den & I decided to go to Spring Grove Cemetery to see what it looked like in the weak winter light. [And yes, it’s the place where I got thrown off the Segway last fall.]

Spring Grove Cemetery, established in 1845, is one of five National Historic Landmark cemeteries in the USA. There are people buried there who were born in the 1700s as well as born last week.

The cemetery is a fascinating place that lends itself to going for a long healthy walk or, if you prefer, a casual ramble. It’s huge: 733 hilly acres, with 15 lakes and 44 miles of roadway. We wandered around on foot for about 2 hours.

No matter what time of year I’ve been to Spring Grove Cemetery, I’ve found something unique, inspiring and/or downright trippy to photograph. In my opinion, it’s worth the time and effort it takes to get there, if history, architecture and contemplation interest you.

A Sunday Morning Walk In What Amounts To The Wilderness For Us Suburban Folk, Part 2 Of 2

October 15, 2014July 1, 2025 / Ally Bean / 10 Comments

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Having first walked through acres of cheerful wild flowers in a native grassland enhancement area, Zen-Den & I took a different path in the nature preserve that lead us deep into a dark forest under gray skies. Here is some of what we saw…

the spooky remains of a rotted out tree…

dainty purplish wild flowers growing in the shade…

a rustic wooden yes-I-can-see-between-the-planks-to-the-stream-below bridge…

lichen-covered logs in groovy colors and patterns…

and lots of bright green moss.

[Part 1 was yesterday.]

A Sunday Morning Walk In What Amounts To The Wilderness For Us Suburban Folk, Part 1 Of 2

October 14, 2014July 1, 2025 / Ally Bean / 16 Comments

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Even though it was a bit hazy outside last Sunday morning, Zen-Den & I decided to go for a walk in a nature preserve. During the first part of our walk, which took us through a native grassland enhancement area, we went…

over a sturdy bridge…

by a pond reflecting colorful autumn leaves still on the trees…

down a quiet path…

to fields of wild black-eyed Susans…

with milkweed and dandelions interspersed among them…

to an unexpected spot to take a rest.

[Part 2 will be tomorrow.]

Improving Ms. Bean: One Step At A Time

May 6, 2014January 24, 2016 / Ally Bean / 21 Comments

And now for something different…

I’VE NEVER been one to talk about medical issues on my blog, and I’m not about to change that policy now. But today, by bending my own personal blogging rules just a bit, I’m going to share with you, my gentle readers, that I am overweight. Not much, actually. But enough for me to decide that it is time for me to change some of my ~~evil~~ less-than-healthy ways.

TO WIT, and finally getting to the point of this post, I bought a fitbit. I chose the Zip one, which is a small pedometer that you attach to yourself each day. Then it does all the work for you by keeping track of your steps. All you have to do is walk. A lot. And have a desktop computer or a smart phone that you use to see all of your stats.

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IF I were a cynical woman, at this point in my post I’d tell you that this little gadget has confirmed that I do move. Most days. More than I can believe. Yet I am plump. Which I kind of like, but that’s the sort of statement that could get my Woman Card revoked, so I won’t focus on the body image topic today. Nor will I be cynical, because I am a paragon of good health and positive thinking.

I’M ENJOYING my Zip. It’s a groovy fuchsia color, and has this cute little [mostly] smiley face on it. Sometimes the smiley face sticks its tongue out at me when I’ve been sedentary for too long. I like that. Technology with a bit of motivational attitude is exactly the sort of thing to get me stepping more. And maybe, just maybe, weighing a few pounds less.

I’ll let you know.

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[A message to the FTC: I didn’t receive any compensation of any kind for my opinion here about this device. I know that you worry about such things, so you can rest assured that, as usual, there is nothing here for you to see.]

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