Jolene Navarro here, checking in from the Texas Hill Country. We have rolled into month two of a new year and today is Monday. The first day of a new week!
As a writer, I spend a great deal of time in front of the computer. I also teach art downtown San Antonio which is an hour drive each way.
With all that time sitting, my health was slipping. Two years ago in February, I got a wake-up call. I needed to move more.
So I made a vow to walk and dance as much as possible. (Right now, I’m totally in love with the soundtrack fro THE GREATEST SHOWMAN. Have you seen it?) One of the things I love doing is taking pictures. Living in Texas there is so much beauty around me. I use my walking to get inspired, to talk with God and take in the world he created.
Organizing my files I found those pictures scattered all across Texas and all over my computer that I had taken over the last two years.
These three were taken during the winter in my hometown.
After the wonderful moodiness of winter is the colorful joy of spring. The Texas Hill Country comes alive with wildflowers. These were all taken on the walks around our house.
Spring slides right into summer. I have to admit I do more dancing inside when it gets to 100. It gets hot in Texas, but if you’re out early enough you can enjoy the view. I also recommend staying close to the water. We do have plenty of rivers and lakes.
After a long hot summer, fall is welcomed…short but a nice break from the heat.
My husband, Fred and me walking along the California coast.
What kind of things do you do to keep your body moving? Do you have a favorite time of year to be outdoors?
If you want to know more about my Texas you can pick up any of my books. They are based on my Texas.
Jolene’s life, much like her stories, is filled with faith, family, and all of life's wonderful messiness. She knows that, as much as the world changes, people stay the same. Good and evil. Vow-keepers and heart breakers. Jolene married a vow-keeper who showed her that holding hands and dancing in the rain never gets old. She loves creating stories of love and faith in her much loved Texas.
Hi Jolene! Beautiful pictures. Watching my granddaughters ages 4 & 1 keeps this Oma (grandma) moving. Now during the winter shoveling snow also keeps me moving. I enjoy being outdoors, playing with the grandkids or walking the dog, except during the extreme heat in the summer or extreme cold of the winter. Like to enjoy Michigan beautiful beaches and parks. Best wishes.
Hi Jolene, thanks for sharing your photos- Texas sure looks beautiful. That photo of the river and trees- awesome place for a hot summer day! My family and I love to be outdoors- biking, running, paddling, basically however we can be outdoors enjoying nature. Autumn is my favourite season- not too hot during the day and cool in the evenings, perfect.
I am not very coordinated, so dancing is something that has to happen where no one can see me. A good friend of mine is Indian and hosted a Bollywood themed anniversary party- I had a lot of fun attempting to dance Bollywood style!!
Blessings:)
We walk after my granddaughter is picked up. We walk in all temperatures but not rain , snow or sleet! We go early in the winter and later in the summer as it gets hot. As we are new to the area ,Kentucky, I’m hoping we can find some parks as it gets warmer.
Your pictures are really pretty! I try to walk (preferably outside but sometimes on a treadmill) several times a week. That is my favorite activity and since it’s good enough to stay healthy, I’ve given up trying to do anything more intense. My favorite time to be outdoors is spring and fall.
Beautiful pictures! We have been in Texas many times, and one of my favorite sites is a gorilla that stands in the middle of a field. And there’s a barn that has a wonderful painting on it. I move and exercise in our spa, and always feel like a new person when I leave. It’s also my prayer closet, and where I can sing without anyone hearing me, because of the jets. I also try to walk every day. It’s too cold here (at 9 degrees this morning) to walk outside, so I walk around our hallway, living room, which makes a nice long circle.
Hi, Jolene! Thanks for sharing your pictures. To keep moving I run 5ks. I started about 3 years ago and love it. This year I’d love to do a 10k and a half marathon. We’ll see!
The pictures you too are lovely. Thanks for sharing them.
I live in Florida which can get as hot as Texas. My favorite time to be outdoors is definitely not in the spring time, when all plants are blooming, and so are my allergies.
Thanks for entering me in your giveaway.
Gorgeous pictures! I don’t move enough. I try to walk, either outdoors or on the treadmill, and do yoga/stretches. But I admit, I get lazy and skip way too often.
Thank you for stopping by. A four and one year old will keep you busy. LOL
Thank you for stopping by. I love Bollywood dancing! I found it in one of my Zumba classes.
I love to take pictures of what I love seeing, too. You take good ones! My favorite time of year is fall when the leaves put on a spectacular show.
I love visiting local parks. I also like walking in the rain – my husband hates it and thinks I’m crazy, but since he has stuck around for almost 32 years I think he might like a like crazy.
I love spring and fall too – the cooler weather the fresh colors. Thanks for stopping by.
Where is this gorilla located? That sounds really cool. 9 degrees!!!! Wow – it get below freezing …30 and Everyone in Central Texas freaks out. LOL
Wow. I’m always impressed with runners. Good luck on the 10K. Once you set the goal you can do it.
Thank you so much for stopping by. I was in Florida this last summer – I have to say the humidity is a killer, but so many beautiful thinks to see.
Yoga! Yes. My sister is a yoga instructor and that has done so much for my body. Sometimes I just throw my arms in the air and dance right at my computer. lol
Thank you so much. In Texas fall is a hit an miss and very short (one week if we are lucky lol), but I love the bright yellows, oranges and red. In the hill country of Texas spring is when we get the most explosion of color.
I enjoyed your pictures! Fall is my favorite season, but believe it or not, winter is my favorite to be outside–kind of sounds crazy after my post last week! Our winters are generally mild but even if it’s 20 degrees out I can throw on a hat and coat and go for a walk since we usually don’t get snow or ice. I don’t mind the cold.
I have super bad allergies, so winter is the best time of year for me to be outside. The rest of the year I usually feel sick when I’m outside thanks to the pollen. I live in the grass capital of the world and I’m very allergic to grass.
I’m right there with you. I found I do my longest walks during Winter. Of course being in Texas we spend more times in the 40 and 50 then anything below freezing.
Loved your pictures! I live near the California coast, so our weather is temperate all year long. I can still find excuses not to get out and walk :-) Thankfully, the grocery store is a 15 min. walk from my house, so if there’s something I need for supper, it gets me out and walking. I try to walk 5 times a week, but lately it’s been only about 3 times a week…
Oh my goodness. Your photos are stunning! Being a writer like you, I spend a LOT of time with my butt in a chair. When menopause hit me, WHAM. All my fat moved around to my stomach and hips. Also, my hubby had a double stroke, so major wake-up call there. We committed to eating clean and low-carb and we walk five days a week on our treadmill. I also walk to the bus stop to get my granddaughter most afternoons, so I get a little fresh air, too. I’ve seen more changes in my body structure than weight coming off and have dropped the two jeans sizes I had gained, but actual weight loss is slow and steady. More like the turtle than the hare I’d love to be, but at least the arrow is going the right direction.
Beautiful photos, Jolene!
I love the Hill Country. I live in San Antonio and enjoy riding through that part of Texas. Thanks for the blog and your good books.
Inspiring pics, when all I can see out the window at the moment is this weekend’s snow. I eagerly await spring, when I can be out walking without fear of ice – and puttering in the garden.
You and your husband have been in my prayers since you asked us to pray for y’all. I really focus on all four numbers PB, Sugar Level, cholesterol and weight. I have the first three in healthy range- still working on the last one. It is much lower than it was, but still too high. Slow and steady win the race. :)
Thank you. <3
We are neighbors! Love working in San Antonio. My school is a 10 minute walk from Market Square.
We see snow about once ever 10 to 15 years. When it does the city shuts down but it is always gone in a few hours. :) We do have a few ice storms each year – Ice is the worse.
# times is better than 0. :) We just spent a week in the Big Sur area. Our first time and we loved it.
Housework keeps me moving, and since we bought our house almost a year ago, we went from just over 1,000 sq ft to almost 1600 sq ft so I get a workout just walking from one end to the other…lol! My kitchen is large (yay) so I have a lot of counters to keep clean and my flooring is wood so lots of sweeping & dust mopping. Who says you can’t get healthy in your own home :-)
We do live in a neighborhood that’s conducive to walking outside. Our road doesn’t get a lot of traffic plus it has lots of sidewalks. Barring that, there is a nice wide promenade along the ocean we like to walk along in nice weather.
Jolene thanks for sharing your wonderful pictures! It’s almost like visiting Texas myself :-) I also love when you post them on Facebook, especially those of your wonderful family!
I was just reading an article that said to not discount housework as a form of exercise. They suggest dusting, sweeping, washing dishes while watching TV instead of just sitting on the couch. LOL So keep sweeping. Your area sounds lovely. Thanks for the chat.
Jolene, these encouraging words from you remind me of what I felt God showing me 3 or 4 years ago. For my health (physical and spiritual), I was to walk a lot, drink water a lot, laugh a lot, and sing a lot. My kids bought me a tee shirt and put four words on it: Walk, Water, Sing, Laugh. I still have to remind myself often, but when I am faithful to do these things on a regular basis, I am happy. I also am a Texas from before birth and have always loved traveling and seeing other places, but never wanted to move to another state or country. I love Texas.
I love that Walk Water Sing and Laugh. I also love living in Texas, even though I love traveling and see places around the world my home will always be Texas. :)
I love the flower in your spring pictures. So pretty. The Texas landscape is always so much more varied than I imagine it to be.
Thank you. Yes, it keeps the walks interesting.