Warfleigh

My apologies for not keeping up with posting to this blog. I'm still walking…I promise!

My most recent jaunt was to Warfleigh, a neighborhood just west of Broad Ripple. That walk, which I took this past Tuesday, was 3 miles and included just about every street in the neighborhood as I went up and down the streets until I had walked for an hour.

I've always liked that neighborhood because of its mix of upscale and more modest (but still very nice) houses, and because of the variety of styles that residents use in landscaping their yards. There were quite a few stone retaining walls separating the yards from the sidewalks below – one of my most favorite features, and sometimes I wish I had the kind of yard to do that. And, of course, plenty of perennials, all well-chosen and nicely taken care of. Unlike the yards in Geist, which were pretty obviously done by professional landscapers, these landscapes are largely designed and maintained by the homeowners themselves. And there's a sense that the people who live in this neighborhood are just as proud of their gardens as they are of their houses…and that they truly enjoy what they have.

On the days I don't get out and walk, chances are it's because I've done plenty of work in my own yard, with my own gardens. Gardening is a great way to get exercise; it burns calories, builds muscle, and is an aerobically efficient way to stay in shape.

Unfortunately, it can also be a good way to get out into those elements that contribute to allergies. I've just gotten over a week and a half of coughing, hacking, sneezing, and sniffling. And because I felt downright miserable after each hour of walking, I've stayed close to home during this time. Now that I'm feeling better, though, I'll resume my regimen of excursions to Indianapolis's more scenic neighborhoods, followed by blogs describing them.

As for my weight, I've lost three pounds since I started this blog. While I'm a little behind the pace I had hoped to set, now that allergy season seems to be behind me, I should be able to pick things up relatively quickly.