May SPOT Outdoors Report

This was NOT the best month for outdoor activities  (unending rain, scores of bloodthirsty ticks, tornado warnings, migraines, and family troubles), but we got out every day except for one anyway.

We went to state parks, a national forest, and rivers in three states. We saw dozens of varieties of wildflowers (including two varieties of wild orchids), encountered innumerable birds (including a black vulture who was quite interested in Maeve and whom Maeve decided to chase), gathered 11 pounds of morel mushrooms,  and visited waterfalls (all that rain had to be good for something).  On days where the weather was too bad, I was too sick (or too lazy), or we weren't organized enough to go out and do something more interesting we played outside with our favorite toy--a Kong Frisbee.

The effect? It was a difficult month and full of triggers .While I suffered a fair amount of anxiety, my moods were more under control than in any month in the years since my illnesses left me unable to work. I even had some symptom-free days--a real novelty.