Friday, November 1, 2013

Leaves falling: Random 5 Friday

Happy November, everyone! I’m starting the month by joining Nancy of A Rural Journal for another week of Random 5 Friday.

One
The leaves seemed to have changed overnight in Central Virginia. Where there was still so much green last week, golds and reds color the trees and the ground underneath. It finally looks like fall around here.

A tree in our neighbor's yard.


The view down our driveway.


The trees across the street from our house.


Two
Larry did the first leaf work this week, blowing the leaves to the curb for pickup by the town. It was the first of many such chores. We have a large yard and many trees, so we have many leaves in the fall. They would smother the grass if we left them.

Trees waiting for pickup.


Three
This week I read about a study that suggests there are health benefits from keeping busy with lawn mowing, home projects, housework and the like.


Four
I also read about a study that suggests being sedentary too much can be harmful to your health. It got me thinking.
I tend to sit a lot on the job. I also sit for too long at one time. When I get up, I can barely walk at first because of stiffness in my legs and back.
So this week I experimented with setting the timer on my iPhone to remind me to get up and walk around every 45 minutes or so.
I find that I get so caught up in what I’m doing—writing, researching, talking on the phone—that I forget to get up. So here’s hoping a little electronic reminder will help.


Five
The sound I’ve chosen for the timer to go off is a Zen-like, soothing sound. My ringtone is similar. Larry’s ringtone? He picked one he said he could easily hear: the opening bars of “Bad to the Bone.”




33 comments:

  1. I definitely feel like be outside does me good...and I am guilty of sitting too long at a time...just playing on the computer if nothing else.

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  2. We are at the end of the changing for the leaves where I live. It kind of makes me sad. For now, I will enjoy what we have left and your pictures. :-)

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  3. We have more pine needles than leaves at this point -- I need to get some raking done myself!

    Gorgeous images Tina -- thank you for sharing again at R5F. Have a great weekend!

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  4. Beautiful autumn images. Our trees turned overnight here as well. We are quite a bit past our peek now and starting to settle in to the colder months.

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  5. I will say I agree with household and yard activities...my father, and grandfather both were very active...one lived to 89 and the other lived to 96. And my mother, who was more or less sedentary, died at 70

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  6. We don't do anything with our leaves - other than rake them for the boys to jump in!

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  7. I know what you mean about sitting in the one place too long -- that's one of my faults, too, and one I'm trying to break.

    Your leaves look fabulous! All that wonderful color!

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  8. Oh Tina your fall photos are awesome.
    #3 I get that one big time and it is true. I have been doing that one all my life when I am not busy I know the differences.
    #4 Great idea
    Bad to the Bone I love that I would hear that one too. Hug B

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  9. i like ur idea of setting z reminder. simple but easy ... hope it works well. keep us posted. ( ;

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  10. I hear you on number 4. It doesn't take 45 minutes for me to stiffen up.

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  11. Good idea of the timer Tina. I do that too; get busy painting and three hours have suddenly vanished. My alarm is a bunch of crickets and I like the softness of it too. I have to tell you that my friend Naama's ring tone when her mother phones her is a Jewish mother and what you can hear is this in a Jersey accent: "Pick up the phone...I know you're there...you can't hide from me...this is you mother calling!" Funny!

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  12. getting up and moving around will probably help you mentally as well as physically. i know it would help me to stretch my 'eyes' more often and step away from the laptop screen. :)

    beautiful colors...

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  13. That is a great positive step..I need to do that also! I do walk twice a day for thirty minutes..but then I sit for long hours working on genealogy & my blogs. It is not healthy and I am already having problems with my eyes hurting from staring at the screen. Good luck with your new strategy! Love the fall shots- very pretty at your house!

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  14. autumn has arrived, and it is looking mighty beautiful!!

    #4 is a good idea. i work from home so i am always popping up to do laundry and other misc. things!!

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  15. Oh you got some beautiful autumn colour! I sit a lot too, so getting up every 45 minutes or so is a great idea!

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  16. I find that if I stay cooped up inside that I tend to get down in the dumps. Getting outside .... even if just for 30 minutes .... seems to give me a boost. So, I've decided that I am going to get the heck outside everyday even if I just walk around the yard.
    Good idea to set your timer to remind you.

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  17. I love setting up a schedule of down time and then work. It helps me so much. Love hubby's ring tone. Nothing wimpy about that guy.

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  18. Love your five, Tina. I wonder if you read the same NYT article that I did about sedentary marathon runners? It was a great reminder to get up and move!

    FYI: I'm trying to figure out a mystery about your blog. You probably think I don't read it anymore because I haven't been commenting much, but indeed I do. For some reason I get email notices on my iPhone each time your post, but not on my laptop. I've checked my spam folder, but it simply isn't anywhere. So strange. Having said that, I read your blog often, but it's so hard for me to comment via my iPhone that I rarely leave a trace that I was there visiting. So sorry about it. Do know that I appreciate your thoughts and words...and also that I send my deepest sympathies about the loss of your dear cat.

    Happy Friday to you!

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  19. The "Unknown" is becky@animprobablelife.com. Having a hard time leaving a comment here. I'm sure it's operator error, but I gotta move onto to a pile of work. :-)

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  20. Thank you for posting such beautiful Fall pictures!

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  21. I know it's a nuisance to you, but I love the leaves falling with all their changing colors. The majority of the natural trees here are pine and cypress, so not much of this kind of beauty around here!
    Isn't it funny how a ringtone can impact your frame of mind? My husband's is the old time ringer which makes me jump out of my skin!

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  22. Wow your colors of Autumn are stunning. What a great view of gorgeous trees you have. Sorry to hear about all the leaf raking though. We have some but not that much. - Of course as you said it's good to get out and about and keep moving. I try to get up from the computer every 10-20 minutes.
    Love your hubby's choice for a ringtone.

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  23. I've read it's bad to sit too much, too. Setting a timer is a good idea.

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  24. Walking around once every 45 minutes . . Brilliant idea -
    Fall in your neighborhood is Beautiful - Thank you for taking time to show us.

    Love & Love to YOU!!!

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  25. oh you are behind us in leaf color! my husband just mows over the ones in the yard! have a great weekend :)

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  26. Those are beautiful fall photos. Our leaves are done. No more autumn colour until next year. But no complaints since it was a really good run while it lasted. I usually don't sit for long periods. I get very restless and need to move around and do something. I guess it's a good thing! Happy November, and have a great weekend!

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  27. LOL on the Bad to the Bone. Greg's ringtone is You Really Got Me. I don't even know what mine is because I seldom use my cellphone for phonecalls. And when it does ring, I figure it's someone else who is getting the call. I need to get in the car and go down there. All the color we have left here are the oaks. They are beautiful in their way, but a little monotonous.

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  28. Lovely photos, Tina! Yes, a sedentary lifestyle is not healthy, and I applaud you for doing your part in trying to be more active. Sending you a hug.

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  29. Those red leaves are incredibly beautiful! I rarely see them where I live!

    I also once heard of someone that used to stand instead of sit for all of their computer work - even creating a special desk high enough. It's good to think about since I do a lot of sitting also ...

    I hope you have a good weekend!

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  30. I've been trying to walk more, Tina. Your idea to set the timer on your iphone is a great one. I'll have to give that a try. The fall colors are beautiful where you are. I think leaf blowing must make leaf removal much faster.

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  31. Gorgeous photos! We are just loving the fall color.

    Setting the timer on your phone is brilliant. I don't have a job to go to, but I try to mix up my day so that I alternate between physical and sedentary activities. I think it really helps.

    My orchard would love those leaves! I've asked my neighbor for his...I have a grinder to make them smaller, then I'll use them as mulch.

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  32. such amazing fall colours!!! I think whoever came up with snow and leaf blowers should be given a medal ;-). and I always feel better if I move during marathon sitting periods

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  33. Beautiful colors in your neighborhood....good idea the timer, I tend to get caught up with editing photos (both my personal & business) and forget to get up and move...then when I do, it is painful.

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