Mt Seymour Demonstration Forest 10K run

This morning our Sun Run training group traveled to the base of Mount Seymour in North Vancouver for the hill training component. The distance markers are clearly delineated along the trail, and my goal is always to reach the 5K post by half time to give me an estimate for my upcoming 10K Sun Run.

The training group is split up into smaller divisions: walkers, 2 groups of Learn to Run, and the Run Stronger group. Since my knees had given me grief the previous 2 training sessions, I decided to go with ten and ones instead of joining the faster Learn to Run group which was doing 40 minutes before a 1 minute walk break, followed by another 20 minutes. It turned out to be a very successful strategy; no knee issues and a 10K time of about 57 minutes according to my stopwatch.

Not the greatest selfie in the world, but all I wanted was photographic evidence that I'd achieved the halfway marker.

And plus...no bear sightings! Although I have to admit that would have made a pretty cool photo op.

Andy Warhol

For some excitement this past weekend we thought we'd get a little Hipster-ish and venture into Yaletown to experience a free art display featuring Andy Warhol. I really didn't know much about him. I knew of a few famous pieces of his such as the Campbell's soup cans and his impression of Marilyn Monroe, but that was about the extent of it.

Whenever Andy's name is referenced I always remember the image I saw of him in a Doors movie that came out probably 20 years ago. Jim Morrison was at some celebrity party in New York City and of course Andy Warhol was there because as I learned this past weekend, he was a celebrity worshiper, pre-Internet style.

I was totally surprised that photography was permitted, but really, in this day and age of camera phones, how can photo-documentation really be stopped? Below are a selection of images to give you a feel for the event.

First Flight

I said good morning to our little hummingbird friend this morning as I left for work. If you've been following along with my blog for the last few weeks you'll remember a pair of hummingbirds built a nest on a branch right outside our front door. When I got home in the evening last night the bird had taken his first flight.

We set up a feeder in our front yard in February and we've seen the hummingbirds drinking from it. Hopefully they'll stick around. And I hope more hummingbirds take up residence in the now vacant nest.

It's quite unbelievable how fast hummingbirds mature. I just checked my photos and this chick still had pin feathers only 10 days ago! (check back to my March 7 post)

Pi

Yesterday was Pi day. Perhaps I should have celebrated with a healthy slice of apple pie, thus introducing Newton to this mathematical celebration of such an important number within science. But exactly how (or if) Newton might tie in with Pi, I really couldn't say.

For some reason the first 8 digits of Pi have always stayed with me, despite my love/hate relationship with math/science.

And although my camera won't seem to allow me to set the date in the correct format to show the first 8 digits of Pi in correct sequence, I think you get the idea.

The Eagles Have Landed

Guess what?

More birds. This time eagles. I was on a site in New Westminster yesterday and I heard an eagle.

I looked all around before looking up. Because it was a looooonngg way up. All the way at the top of an electricity transmission tower I spied an eagle, surveying all that he could see. I was so focused on zooming in my trusty point-and-shoot to maximum digital zoom that at first I didn't even notice that there were two eagles on the tower. I guess the other one flew in while I was setting up for the shot.

Woodpecker

More birds. Woodpeckers this time. I heard one in the back lane this morning and grabbed my camera.

It's getting to be quite a neighbourhood for bird sightings. Hummingbirds, woodpeckers, and of course the ever-present crows. But I've even heard, then seen, the odd Raven fly past.

Hummingbird Chick

Today we discovered that the hummingbirds are caring for a chick. A few days ago I thought the hen was making the motions of feeding a chick but I couldn't actually see a chick in the nest. Today I did. The parent birds were away, out foraging, and I photographed the chick waiting patiently for its breakfast.

Here's one of the proud parents.

Spring has Sprung

As they say, pictures are worth a thousand words each.