Life Perspective: Reviews & More

  As my regular readers know, I am a big fan of Skechers shoes. When I started walking, I was slew-footed with flat feet and weak ankles and had to wear casts for 6 months to try to straighten my legs and help my arches.. In middle school,  my mother put me in orthopedic shoes. Needless to say, they we re a big hit at school.  The point is, I have always had trouble finding comfortable shoes for my feet. Even in flats and tennis shoes, my feet always ache after standing or walking for a little while. However, someone gave me my first pair of Skechers last year and it changed my life. I can now walk and stand for long periods of time without crippling foot pain.  Amazon has a good selection of  Skechers Shindigs  women's boots at reasonable prices, so I ordered my last pair of hiking boots there. I was very pleased with the results.  These boats are light-weight, attractive sturdy and comfortable. They are wonderful for hiking.They absolutely live up to...

While I can't say these solar gloves are fashionable, I can say they have a certain charm to them. More importantly, they cover your arms and hands when you are working outside, going for a hike or sitting outside at a sporting event.  I wear my solar gloves when I am working in my garden or going for a long trip and I don't feel like putting on sunscreen and having to reapply it later. I have also worn them hiking. I chose two long sleeve and two short sleeve styles. The pink lace ones may not provide enough coverage. Those will probably remain in the car for times when I forget to pack the others or bring sunscreen.The beige long-sleeve covers don't have fingers, so they really are like having an extra sleeve to put on the arms and pull down over the hands, I don't find them very practical, but they are kind of graceful looking. Both the short beige gloves and the grey long gloves gloves have been put to use several times. So far it's  a toss up which pair I will ...

Hiking is a great way to meet people and get in shape, but most beginners hikes are not where you start getting in shape. Here are several articles on beginner hiking to help you know what to expect and how to prepare:   Top Three Things You Need to Know About Beginner Hiking Group hiking is a great hobby for those who want to enjoy nature, socialize and get in shape at the same time  Continued at: Top Three Things You Need to Know About Beginner Hiking - Yahoo     Hiking 101: What is a beginner hike? Middle Tennessee is home to many beautiful parks and greenways with a wide variety of hiking trails for walkers to enjoy. Many of these trails are paved and easy to take at a slow pace for beginners.So what is... Continue     Hiking 101: What is a moderate hike? (Video) This column has looked at beginner hikes from several different angles, so ...

I am excited to have been named a hike organizer for Nashville Hiking Meetup! Tonight I led a group of 7 on an entry level Beginners Hike at Red Caboose Park. This is the hike I led last week: Easy beginner hike at Edwin Warner sets the pace for future slower group hikes Sixteen members of Nashville Hiking Meetup hiked three miles of paved roads on an easy beginner hike at Edwin Warner Park on Aug. 10, 2013.  Led by Skin, Health  & Beauty Examiner Kathryn Darden, the group met at... Continue at Easy beginner hike at Edwin Warner sets the pace for future slower group hikes - Nashville Skin, Health & Beauty Examiner More on Beginners Hikes and Hiking: Hiking 101: What is a beginner hike?   Middle Tennessee is home to many beautiful parks and greenways with a wide variety of hiking trails for walkers to enjoy. Many of these trails are paved and easy t...

I joined about 30 hikers had full moon fever July 22, 2013, as members of the Nashville Hiking Meetup joined Michael Hughes of Mountain High Outfitters for the July f ull moon hike at Edwin Warner Park..Jack and Shelby sat this one out since Jack was recovering from surgery, but it was the first full moon hike where I had not been scheduled to work in months, so I left the doggies at home and sat out on my own to meet the other hikers. Read the article at: Full moon hike provides unique exercise opportunity for hikers - Nashville Skin, Health & Beauty Examiner

I love to go hiking, especially on moderate, scenic trails. These are some of the hikes I have been involved with recently. Full moon hikers get in shape and enjoy smallest full moon of the year Nov. 28 Fifteen hikers and two canines braved the last chill of November to enjoy the spectacle of a full moon, led by hike leader Michael D. Hughes from Cumberland Transit. November’s full Moon is known as the “Beaver... Middle Tennessee Hiking Group sponsors Radnor Lake beginners hike The Middle Tennessee Hiking Group sponsored a hike on Nov. 25 at Radnor Lake. Approximately 20 people showed up to burn off some turkey and dressing, get some exercise, and hike the lakeside trails on a sunny, cool, November morning... Full moon hike at Edwin Warner park Oct. 29 The windy, chilling effects of Frankenstorm were felt in the wind as some 24 determined hikers from Cumberland Transit and Nashville hiking Meetup pu...

Middle Tennessee Hiking Group sponsors Radnor Lake beginners hike The Middle Tennessee Hiking Group sponsored a hike on Nov. 25 at Radnor Lake. Approximately 20 people showed up to hike the lakeside trails on a sunny, cool, November morning. The day was cool enough for jackets but sunny enough for sunscreen . Article & photos at: Middle Tennessee Hiking Group sponsors Radnor Lake beginners hike - Nashville Skin, Health & Beauty Examiner

Regular readers of this blog will know I have turned into a moderate health nut in the past few years. I must admit, I was inspired to take up walking a decade ago because of my little dog Katy. I realized I was letting her approach her old age having lived the life of a complete couch potato with me. That caused me to realize my own senior years were not so distant, so we took up walking. Five or so years ago, I was diagnosed with high blood pressure. I told my doctor I wanted to treat it naturally to see if I could lower it with exercise and eating. The next year when it was high again, I redoubled my efforts to eat better and walk more. See: High Blood Pressure & Praise   Also see:  Full moon hike Sept. 29 with Nashville Hiking Meetup

I am so going to do this 100 Mile Challenge! Just walking a little over 1 mile each day will do it, and I usually try to put in 2 miles almost every day-- one walking the dogs and one jogging with Shelby.  Mayor Karl Dean announced the second year for the “Walk 100 Miles” challenge he started in 2011. Dean came up with the concept as a community-wide effort to encourage Nashvillians to improve their overall health. Find out more at: Join Mayor Karl Dean for the “Walk 100 Miles” challenge

 I took Jack on the Nashville Hiking Meetup's Full Moon Hike last night. I carried him more than half way because at his age, he is only supposed to get about 40 minutes of forced exercise. (See How Far and How Long Should You Walk Your Puppy? ) This collage shows the early arrivals posing with the full moon behind us, as well as Jack and me at one of the two stops the group makes as it circles Edwin Warner Park. We had a great time hiking the park by moonlight and flashlight! For the article and photos, go to: Full moon hike Sept. 29 combines nature and health - Nashville Skin, Health & Beauty Examiner

Blue moon inspires walkers and hikers at Edwin Warner Park Jack and I had a great time last night when  Michael D Hughes, hike leader and event coordinator from Cumberland Transit, led a group of more than 60 hikers from Nashville Hiking Meetup and other hiking and fitness groups on almost 4 miles of paved roads at Percy Warner Park for a special Blue Moon Hike. The large group spilled into three parking areas around picnic shelter 9 off Vaughn Road at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, August 31.  OK, so it's not really blue! A blue moon is the rare occurrence of a 2nd full moon in one month. Hike details and photos at: Blue moon inspires walkers and hikers at Edwin Warner Park - Nashville Skin, Health & Beauty Examiner

Jack and I joined four other hikers from the Nashville Hiking Meetup to enjoy a nocturnal Warner Woods Trail hike at 7p.m. on Monday, August 27, 2012 for a hike. Jack and I actually went to the wrong entrance and so were late getting to the meeting place, and I jugged for over a mile with Jack in a pet carrier pack trying to catch the group. The trail is 2.5 miles long, so I finally wore myself out just as it was getting dark. I put Jack down and slung the pack over one shoulder and we continued walking. We caught up with a group of 3 girls which I hoped was the Meetup group. The girls were not part of the Meetup, but they had seen the group pass them earlier. I didn't have the energy to jog further and by this time it was really getting dark. My flashlight had fallen out in the car, so I tagged along with the girls who were nice enough to share their light with me. Soon we saw flashlights ahead of us, and sure enough, it was the Meetup group starting their second time...

fit Nashville Hiking Meetup's full moon hike on Aug. 1 Ten hikers and three dogs from the Nashville Hiking Meetup met near Shelter 9 at Edwin Warner Park on Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2012 for the Full Moon Hike. Mayor Karl Dean and about 60 other hikers were scheduled to attend, but a thunderstorm canceled the official hike. However, ten of us decided to hike anyway and had a great time! Details at: Nashville Hiking Meetup's full moon hike on Aug. 1 - Nashville Skin, Health & Beauty Examiner

Tonight I loaded Jack and Shelby in the car, and we drove out to Percy Warner Park to meet the Nashville Hiking Meetup group at the Mossy Ridge Trailhead. Since Jack is so little, we only walked as far as the small waterfall, but it was nice meeting others in the group and enjoying the trails. Shelby and  went out to the Percy Warner trails almost every day after Miss Katy died. Nashville Hiking Meetup hikes Mossy Ridge Trail at Percy Warner Park   The Nashville Hiking Meetup held a night trek for experienced hikers at Mossy Ridge Trail at Percy Warner Park on Tuesday, July 10, 2012. Eight members showed up to hike the 4.5 mile trail that winds through the hollows and ridges of the Harpeth Hills. Article at: Nashville Hiking Meetup hikes Mossy Ridge Trail at Percy Warner Park - Nashville Skin, Health & Beauty Examiner