Tag: Sports

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Participation before Success

ellenparkerwrites

Even in the dictionary, you’ll find participation pages prior to success.

Will your participation in a task or even guarantee success? No, as most adults have learned, guarantees in life are rare. The adage which limits them to death and taxes contains much truth.

However, participation is required. Perhaps you need to attempt, or participate, in an activity several times before you can count it a success.

Twice, when I was a little younger and more physically capable, I participated in charity 5K run/walks. Others in my group continued to use the word “run”. I quickly corrected it to “walk”. While others in the few thousand aimed for the best time — I considered finishing a success.

In the later-in-life romance, Fine Lines, the main characters separately participate in the same charity 5K. Join them for this and other St. Louis events between paper covers or on your favorite electronic device. The Kindle link is listed here: https://bit.ly/49FtvjF

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Swish. Swish.

ellenparkerwrites

Exercise. Get outside. Change the air in your lungs. (The third one is advice from my mother.)

Contrary to some — a person can do a lot outside in the winter. Walking is my exercise of choice. Year-round. Minimal equipment (good shoes). Variety of places – your neighborhood, local park, or far-end of parking lot from the store.

Other activities are limited to winter. Here’s one which I never tried in a serious manner.

Skiing — either downhill or cross-country — is vigorous exercise. Prepare yourself — walking, hiking, or jogging will be helpful. Wear warm clothes which allow good movement. Buy or rent good equipment. Best with like-minded friends or relatives. Enjoy the day!

Laura, heroine of the sweet romance, Starr Tree Farm, experiments with a relative of skiing — snowshoes. January in Wisconsin is a great time to learn — until the shooting starts. Book details at the link: https://amzn.to/2zqIQEw

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Two Days to Go

ellenparkerwrites

Two days! The countdown is in the final stretch.

Before you know it — St. Louis’ unofficial holiday will be upon us. Oh…you’re unfamiliar with this day?

The baseball Cardinals have a home opener!

Hanging this is a great way to celebrate —

Attractive home to let. Available for spring nesting season. Secure neighborhood. Variety of gardens and several bird feeders within a short flight. Located above reach of wandering felines.

Characters in my sweet romance novels are casual baseball fans. They cheer for the home team, attend a game or two, and probably have a shirt or cap with the team logo available for non-formal affairs. Check out Comfort Zone if you like your characters “seasoned” with years of life experience. Simply follow the link for more information: https://amzn.to/2ZvL0Av

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Real Fresh Air

ellenparkerwrites

Get outside into the fresh air. A little outdoor exercise does a body good. Go outside — you’re a person — not a houseplant.

The above, and more, have been used to encourage people to go outside, no matter the time of the year.

Do you live in an area with winter snow? Are ski areas within a short drive? Or a park with rolling hills?

The winter sports of downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, and sledding are represented in this puzzle. Active winter spots I’d add to the list are tubing, skating, and hockey. Oh, almost forgot snowshoeing.

Of course, clearing the driveway may need to come first.

When you return inside, I suggest you prepare a warm winter drink, find a comfy seat, and read. A sweet romance with a touch of suspense would be a great finish to the day. Starr Tree Farm, currently on sale for half price, fits all the criteria. Here’s the Kindle link: https://amzn.to/2zqIQEw

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Over, Under, Around…

ellenparkerwrites

My children enjoyed a book when they were little that was all about a young bear climbing into a box. The entire story was all the ways the box was tipped and moved when the adult bears didn’t know he was inside.

Several years ago, a friend and I watched a canine version of this story.

This is a portion of the equipment set-up for agility trials.

The course between classes

Handlers jog/run alongside the dogs, directing and encouraging the animal. Many of the dogs, especially the herding breeds and retrievers, galloped over, under, around, and through the obstacles with a smile on their canine faces. I do believe several of them were asking at the end — can we do it again? Please? What fun!

The handlers, while many looked pleased with their animals, did not impress as wanting to turn around and run the course again.

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Holiday Hike?

ellenparkerwrites

Walking, and hiking, are good for the body. Depending on the place and route, they can be good for the spirit also.

Fresh air. Sunshine. Pleasing visuals — trees, hills, and perhaps an animal or two.

Tramp, tramp, tramp — you leave a trail across the snow.

Old-fashioned snow shoes form the base for this wall/door decoration.

A hike among the trees gives the heroine of Starr Tree Farm more excitement than she imagined.

Starr Tree Farm

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Summer Entertainment

ellenparkerwrites

The field is waiting. Have we had our last snow? Will the rain do as much damage as good? Will the creek flood the outfield?

In small town parks across the nation these and other questions are on the minds of the people responsible for the baseball field.

Mowers are checked, fresh fluids or perhaps a new spark plug or two installed. Rakes and bags and even home plate is taken out of storage and inspected.

The players are practicing on their own, contacting teammates, trying on their shoes. Neither the players nor the spectators expect fancy — you don’t need shiny or new to have an exciting game.

On the other hand…

The recently constructed dug-outs provide welcome shade when players are off the field.

PLAY BALL!!!

 

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Non-Texas Football

ellenparkerwrites

In some small towns a flat space is at a premium. So you need to make it work double – or triple – duty.

Friday night football — non-Texas style. It means it’s played late enough that you need to turn on the lights. Football practice, marching band practice, and gym class all share the same grass. Okay — when they put the fresh lines out on Friday, the others move to the side or inside.

The little concession stand/shed is parked on the sidelines during the season. And they’ve had an improvement since my days of being thankful for the wool band uniform. An actual outdoor scoreboard! First class!

And there is seating for the brave. The bleachers, like the concession stand, will be removed at the end of the season.

And you need to share in other ways. Look at the right side of the summer photo.

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Precious as Gold

ellenparkerwrites

Small towns are not the only gems scattered across the upper Midwest.

Minnesota claims 10,000 of them on tourist information and auto license plates.

Wisconsin and Michigan are not far behind on the numbers.

The resort areas of these states are rich with “summer homes”. Some are simple. Others, often over the course of decades in the same family, have all the modern comforts. Most offer a quiet change of pace and a good view. Many families have added fishing and/or boat docks. Rules vary — some lakes are motor free. Others welcome fast boats and water skiers.

Nugget Lake –a park nestled in the hills of Northwestern Wisconsin, welcomes you to fish and picnic.

 

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Summer Dreams

ellenparkerwrites

My adopted home is a baseball town. Some years that’s spelled

BASEBALL!!!

Sorry. Didn’t mean to shout. It’s one of those habits a person picks up after several years in a place.

Every town and city needs a little local, civic pride. And it’s not a bad thing to have it associated with a sports team. Pick a sport you’re fond of. Follow the team in the media. And if possible — attend a game in person.

Where else can you shout, jump, and yell in public without drawing the attention of the police? So much the better if the home team wins.

I knew these silent athletes existed. I’d walked past them more than once on my excursions to downtown St. Louis. I have no excuse for not taking their photo on prior occasions.

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Not one. Not two. An entire team of Hall of Fame players welcome you to the game.