He was crawling   s   l    o    w    l    y   across the GW Parkway at 8 am. Not a good time to be crawling, let alone   s    l   o   w   l   y  anywhere near the Parkway with the crazy commuters on the road! I was parking nearby anyway, so I got out and used Milo’s stroller blanket to pick him up by the sides of the shell, while protecting my hands from his snapping beak, and place him gently in the woods alongside the bike path.  

Doesn’t he look like a satisfied customer?

Milo didn’t mind at all that I simply refolded the blanket, with mister turtle’s dank, muddy residue on the inside, and tucked it in around him for the run. He is becoming quite the nature lover. I think it helps that I grab sticks, weeds and leaves to play with all along our way. Several times I’ve thought I would love to take my Grandfather, Poppa, walking on this trail with me so he could point out which plants are safe for a one-year-old to chew on. He definitely would have pointed out which one was Stingy Nettle before I grabbed it with one whole hand to give to Milo. Needless to say, the Nettle got me before Milo could get it!

I have never been a good runner. I often feel like mister turtle: s   l   o   w   and likely to die any moment by a passing car. However, the amazing Parkway trail is helping me overcome my mental block (and total lack of regular exercise for over a year.) I am loving my summer morning runs. Milo is loving Milkweed. Mister turtle is loving another day.