Cherry Blossoms on Avalon

Cherry blossoms on Avalon. Isn't that a lovely phrase? Sounds so Utopian.


But we know the truth. Utopia, by definition, must surely be February-free. Memphis ain't. There may be cherry blossoms and daffodils, but we aren't out of the wintry woods. Yet. 

Midtown Running

Midtown Memphis is a fabulous place to run. Cut through Cooper Young for people watching. Cruise Central Gardens and Evergreen in the evenings and peek in people's windows. Wind through Overton Park and enjoy an incredible park not unlike New York's Central Park.

I have great runs all the time, but I recently had a quintessentially great Midtown run. In the space of about twenty minutes:

* I saw an amateur photographer trying to catch the beauty that is the Joe's sign.


[This photo is by Amie Vanderford, and she's no amateur.]

* I saw a man bearing a striking resemblance to Papa Garcia running full speed next to his dog, while the dog jumped short brick columns.


These are the doggie hurdles.

* A crackhead said "Honey, you look just as good as some of those young girls running around out here." [Pardon my assumption about his addictive status, but he made assumptions about my age, so...].

All of this fun, and all you need is a pair of decent shoes. I love a pair of decent shoes. I don't buy new ones nearly as often as is recommended, partly because I would hate to dilute the job of getting new ones. It takes me straight back to childhood, and I always feel as if they do, indeed, allow me to jump higher and run faster. Don't berate me for pulling them off without untying them. I read in dim light too, and so far everything is okay.