Step by step

True, it's really early and cold. Still, there is some beauty.

My FitBit tells me I’ve walked more than a marathon this week.

Yesterday, I earned a marathon badge—FitBit’s equivalent of an Atta Boy—and immediately celebrated with some string cheese.

Sure, many people complete marathons in a few hours. For me, it took several days with a lot of sleep in between. That’s how I roll.

I recently got the FitBit after wanting one for some time. Since my surgically repaired ankle has been giving me fits, I have found brisk, early morning walks keep me active and bring some calm to my scattered mind.

Along the way, I have experienced some good, some bad, some remarkable:

— The man jumping from the driver’s seat of his Dodge pickup loaded down with hay bales in a nearby pasture, running to the back of the truck bed while it crept along in low gear, no driver at the wheel. He hoisted himself into the bed and began floating flakes of hay through the air to a string of approaching cattle, looking like a surfer on a pipeline as he placed his feet for balance and the truck bumped along.

— The smell of a wood-burning fireplace as the sun rose.

— The chirping chatter of an eagle taking flight across the nearby reservoir. The sound is unmistakable.

— The unleashed dogs sniffing at my heels as I walk by, glaring at their humans for letting them roam free in restricted areas.

— The small black-and-white puppy that greeted me on her leash by jumping on my leg and immediately chomping my glove. The sweet teething beast left a little bite mark that made me think of the dogs I miss so dearly.

— The sunlight reaching frosted trees and limbs, silvery bright for the new day.

— The strangers trotting by, pulling up masks or gaiters, and waving. Even at sunrise, people choose to be thoughtful, courteous.

— The dark, dank underpasses I walk quickly through, looking over my shoulder the whole way.

— The cattle in the creek covered in cockleburs with fresh brands on their hips.

— The icicles on my eyelashes and hat.

— The promise of another cup of tea when the miles are logged and steps complete.