red bikilas and prayer flags

This evening I ran 3.61 miles.  The day before yesterday I ran 2.5 miles.  And, I did these runs in my old red bikilas that I said I would never ever run in again.  Does that make me a liar or a politician?  I don’t know.

It is still so stinking hot outside.  At the end of my run the temperature was 87 degrees with humidity at 71% and, the Weather channel says that it felt like it’s 98 degrees.  I’m still sweating.  I’m literally having to stop typing every other sentence and wipe sweat from my face.  I’m also drinking a powerade zero.  The powerade zero is about the only “sports drink” that my stomach can tolerate during and after a run.  Gatorade makes me want to barf.

Today’s run was through my neighborhood and through the dairy farm.  I stopped a few minutes at the prayer flag project and hung a few prayer flags.  If any of you want some blank prayer flags let me know.  If you want a prayer on a flag and then have it hung at the dairy farm prayer flag project, just shoot me an email with the prayer and I’ll write it on a prayer flag and hang it out there for you.  If you want me to photograph the flag with your prayer I’ll do so and then email you that picture.  I’m serious.  My email address is: dlh14255@gmail.com

After hanging the prayer flags I ran out of the dairy farm and down through a couple of streets that led me to Bonaventure Road.  I followed Bonaventure road to Altman.  I took Altman to and around the Wessels round-about and then made my way back home.

Wildlife inventory:

• 3 dragon flies
• 7 doves
• 1 seagull
• 4 dogs
• 2 cats
• 5 mocking birds
• about 100 ants

so true

Tomorrow I’ll do a 10 to 12 mile run.

I tore it up at the gym this week and, I paid the price for that the last few days.  I’ve been so sore but dang have I needed to work out that hard.  By the time the rock n roll savannah marathon comes around I’ll be one lean mean running machine.  I gotta get in shape.  The zombie apocalypse is just around the corner and if you get caught with your pants down when the zombies attack you’re going to be missing some vital pieces of your anatomy, not to mention that you’ll become a zombie just like the rest.  You don’t want that.  And, we all know that when the zombie apocalypse hits the fatties will be the first to go because they cannot move so fast.  So, remember please, work hard on your cardio, take it easy on the sugar and soda pops and eat lots of greens and very lean meats – best to eat chicken, in my view.  Try to keep it organic.  And, you may not want to eat too much fish because of the mercury.  Mercury can do some weird things to living critters.

i really like runtastic app for the iphone

• mapped run
• running log
• total miles on red bikilas: 503.66 miles

Be strong, stay faithful and buy your weapon of choice for stopping zombies.

Many thanks for stopping by.

All the very best to you and yours.

peace,

dh

07/29/2011

have a great weekend!

This morning, instead of sleeping in I roused myself, ate a yogurt, dressed up for my Memorial Day run and lightly jogged to the dairy farm with a handful of prayer flags (23 of them) for soldiers that have fallen in battle so that we may have freedom and peace in America.

I arrived at the dairy farm at 7:58am and waited until 8:05 in case someone was to join me for today’s run.  No one showed but a man walking his dogs.  So, at 8:05am, I started my run to commemorate the Georgia soldiers that have died serving our country in Iraq and Afghanistan.  It was an incredibly beautiful morning with birds in abundance chirping and flying about.  Squirrels were also out in abundance.  I counted 13 squirrels during the run.  It seemed ironic to be such a beautiful and perfect Memorial Day.

the dairy farm prayer flag project

I left the dairy farm and headed up Larkin to Maryland.  Maryland took me to Bonaventure Road.  I took a left, heading toward Bonaventure and Greenwich cemeteries.  I entered Greenwich cemetery first.  I had no music on.  As I ran through the cemeteries my eyes scanned the numerous tomb stones and the American flags that were scattered about here and there.  There was so much activity going on in the cemeteries but it was not human, – it was myriad species of birds, squirrels, insects.  The cemeteries were so lively with these critters.  The tombstones, silent testaments of human souls, lives come to an end slowly or abruptly.  Both young and old are buried in these cemeteries with histories dating back to the early 1800′s.

Greenwich cemetery

As I ran the cemeteries I thought of those 23 American lives that had ended in Iraq and Afghanistan.  I now carried with me prayer flags for each of those lives.  Normally, I am happy when I run but this morning as I ran on such a beautiful day I was sad.  Throughout the run I purposely stayed focused on what this run was about.  This run was about 23 soldiers, some way too young to be in this mix, that had died fighting in wars half-way across the world.  These twenty-two men and one woman died fighting for our country.  They died fighting for a belief they held dear, that the United States of America is a good country, imperfect as she may be, she is still a good country.  And, these soldiers answered their call of duty and paid with their lives that America may continue to improve and, to be free and to be good.

Forest Lawn cemetery

As I exited the cemeteries and headed back to the dairy farm my heart felt empty and broken.

I entered the dairy farm and ran to where the prayer flags are at.  The run to the prayer flags was pleasant.  As always, coming upon the prayer flags is moving.

As I hung each prayer flag I read them with terrible sadness in my heart.

1. PFC Austin G. Staggs; born 01/11/1991, died 11/29/2010
2. Staff Sgt. Cynthia R. Taylor; born 1972, died 04/16/2011
3. Spc. Gary L. Nelson; born 01/23/1991, died 04/05/2011
4. Maj. Wesley J. Hinkley; born 02/19/1975, died 04/04/2011
5. First Lt. Scott Fleming; born 04/03/1986, died 09/17/2010
6. Lance Cpl. Christopher Rodgers; born 05/04/1990, died 09/01/2010
7. Lance Cpl. William Richards; born 01/31/1990, died 06/26/2010
8. Lance Cpl/ Joseph R. Giese; born 09/17/1986, died 01/07/2011
9. Lance Cpl. Raymon Johnson; born 08/29/1988, died 10/13/2010
10. Cpl. Stephen Sockalosky; born 02/12/1989, died 10/06/2010
11. Sgt. Jonathan Peney; born 07/01/1987, died 06/01/2010
12. Sgt.  David Holmes; born 1976, died 06/26/2010
13. Sgt.  Johnny Lumpkin; born 11/30/1971, died 07/02/2010
14. Chief Petty Officer Patrick L Wade; born 1969, died 07/17/2007
15. Staff Sgt. Sheldon Tate; born 09/18/1982, died 07/13/2010
16. Pfc. Jacob Dennis; born 07/28/1987, died 07/03/2010
17. Sgt. 1st Class Edgar Roberts; born 01/16/1971, died 08/17/2010
18. Spc. Shannon Chihuahua; born 05/10/1985, died 11/11/2010
19. Spc. Chad Coleman; born 03/15/1990, died 08/27/2010
20. Sr. Airman Michael Buras; born 07/28/1987, died 09/21/2010
21. Pvt. Jeremy P. Faulkner; born 05/05/1987, died 03/29/2011
22. Sgt. Brandon S. Hocking; born 04/03/1985, died 03/21/2011
23. Senior Chief Petty Officer David McLendon; born 11/29/1979, died 09/21/2010

Bonaventure cemetery

Today’s run was very special to me.  Today’s run was to honor those that fell so that I may continue to live freely and safely in America.  I never knew any of these brave soldiers yet they have touched my heart and my life in the most profound way.

When I gripe about hurting calves and ill-timed traffic lights on Abercorn there are thousands of American soldiers fighting in wars never knowing whether they will die of old age on American soil or brutally and abruptly in hostile lands.  And, whether we want to admit it or not,  they are fighting for our rights to be free and to be heard.  Most of the soldiers listed above are no older than most of the students that to go to SCAD, where I work.

Each prayer flag I hung today in honor of fallen heroes broke my heart as it should have.  We must remember them.

I saw this magnolia tree flower in Greenwich cemetery

Wildlife Inventory:

• 13 squirrels
• 1 great egret
• 1 snowy egret
• 4 woodpeckers
• 2 butterflies: 1 orange-winged, 1 black-winged
• 16 doves
• 7 grackles
• 2 blue jays
• 1 moth
• 1 pelican
• 1 red-tailed hawk
• 1 vulture
• 2 carolina wrens
• 1 red cardinal
• 2 fiddler crabs
• 2 green herons
• 1 ant
• 10 dogs
• 8 mocking birds
• 1 cat

Today’s run turned out to be 8.19 miles.

• running log
• mapped run
• total miles on red bikilas: 398.51

Many thanks for stopping by.

All the very best to you and yours.

To our soldiers, thank you for what you do.

peace,

dh

05/30/2011

Monday, 5:34pm

On Memorial Day at 8:00am I will be doing a special run.  I will begin the run at the Dairy Farm and run to Greenwich and Bonaventure Cemeteries.  I’ll do a loop through those cemeteries and then run back into the Dairy Farm where I will hang a prayer flag for each soldier listed below that has recently died protecting our freedom in Iraq and Afghanistan.  The prayer flags will be hung at the area of the dairy farm known as “the point” where the prayer flag project is.

These soldiers gave all they had so that we could continue living in luxury and freedom.  They all died too young.

My heart goes out to their families.

Remembering our fallen heroes:

• Sgt David Holmes
• Sr. Airman Michael Buras
• Sgt. Jonathan Peney
• Sgt.  Johnny Lumpkin
• Pfc. Jacob Dennis
• Staff Sgt. Sheldon Tate
• Sgt. 1st Class Edgar Roberts
• Spc. Chad Coleman
• Spc. Shannon Chihuahua
• Pfc. Austin Staggs
• Sgt. Brandon S. Hocking
• Pvt. Jeremy P. Faulkner
• Maj. Wesley J. Hinkley
• Spc. Gary L. Nelson
• Staff Sgt. Cynthia R. Taylor
• Lance Cpl. William Richards
• Lance Cpl. Christopher Rodgers
• First Lt. Scott Fleming
• Cpl. Stephen Sockalosky
• Lance Cpl. Raymon Johnson
• Lance Cpl/ Joseph R. Giese
• Senior Chief Petty Officer David McLendon

Thank you for fighting and sacrificing that we may be free.

The run will be 6.23 miles.

• Online map of run

If you would like to join me on this run please contact me by email (dlh14255@gmail.com) or meet me at the dairy farm by 8:00am on Monday, 05/30/2011.

“Each of these heroes stands in the unbroken line of patriots who have dared to die that freedom might live and grow and increase in its blessings.”
– Franklin Delano Roosevelt

the map of the Memorial Day Run. Click on it for larger picture

Thanks for stopping.

All the very best to you and yours.

peace,

dh

05/29/2011

Picture of the day is of a raccoon I saw at the dairy farm on May 7, 2011 as I walked Mr. Gypsy.  I always see tracks of raccoons at the dairy farm but seldom do I see one like this in broad daylight.

Mr. Gypsy and I both saw it as it ambled across the street and up this tree.  We both ran to the tree, he barking and me loudly exclaiming, “WOW!”

This particular day I happened to have my Panasonic Lumix GF2 and got this cool picture of the raccoon when it was halfway up the tree.

I know that these suckers carry rabies and can wreak havoc in one’s backyard and garden but dang it, I like them.  I’m always thrilled when I see one of these critters.

Well, there you have it, the picture of the day.

Thanks for stopping by.

All the very best to you and yours.

peace,

dh

05/20/2011

Friday, 6:42pm

The Prayer Flag Trail at the Dairy Farm

I had an enjoyable 6.76 mile run through the neighborhood this evening after work.  Blistered feet did not bother me and no stomach problems!  Yeah!  Life is good!

I started at the front of the house and ran up Wessels to Altman, to Bonaventure Road.  I did my two minute calf stretch at Bonaventure and Kansas and then, cruised up Bonaventure, turned on this road and that road and, -did my turn around at the end of the pier on the western shore of the Wilmington River.

2 minute stretch at Kansas and Bonaventure

I cruised back down Bonaventure to Idaho, Idaho to Hawaii, Hawaii to Maryland and then, jumped onto Larkin, and disappeared in the dairy farm for a few miles.

In the dairy farm, I ran to and past the prayer flags, following the narrow trail until became narrower and narrower until it eventually dissolved into a heap of mud and water.  At that point (and it was a point), I turned around and ran past the prayer flags again, and meandered about  the trails for a little while.  It was good old fashion fun, -running through high grassy trails, passing up squawking crows and racing dragon flies.

All good things must end, though, as I exited the dairy farm and headed home.

Wildlife inventory:

• 3 vultures
• 7 grackles
• 16 crows
• 2 sparrows
• 3 dragon flies
• 5 cats
• 7 dogs
• 1 squirrel
• 2 red cardinals: 1 male, 1 female
• 4 doves
• 2 pigeons
• 6 mocking birds
• 2 great egrets

Mr. Gypsy and the sliding mole skin

I had mole skins on my feet again but by the time I finished the run the mole skins had slid off the tender spots on my feet.  Oh well.  They don’t make them like they used to.

Tomorrow Fleet Feet Savannah is hosting a rock n roll Savannah marathon course announcement party from 6pm to 8pm.  It’s going to be at the store.  I’m so looking forward to this event!  Fleet Feet always does a great job.  They are awesome.  If you get a chance, stop by.  It’ll be loads of fun.

• my running log
• my mapped run
• total mileage on bikilas: 246.88

Ok, that’s it for now.

Thanks for stopping by.

All the best to you and yours.

peace,

dh

04/25/2011

Monday

9:35pm

camera running fool

Mr. Gypsy and I spent some time at the prayer flag project in the Dairy farm today doing some maintenance.  We’ve had some pretty rough weather lately – lots and lots of rain and wind.  A lot of flags were all rolled up around the rope they’re pinned too and/or dangling on one safety pin all balled up.  Some prayer flags were simply missing all-together – I guess those were blown off completely from the ropes and who knows where they are now. Other prayer flags were simply tattered and hard to read the prayer that was on them.

I always find it interesting and a bit mystical when I come across a tattered prayer flag.  I feel as though the prayer on that flag has been taken in by God and the answer has been sent to the one prayed for.  So, as I see it, as the prayer flags wears out and fall apart that particular prayer has been answered regardless if the prayer’s outcome was what we hoped it would be or not.  Who knows.

Mr. Gypsy and the prayer flags

Any way, Mr. Gypsy and I spent about an hour out there trying to make the prayer flags look better so that they may blow better in the wind.  Today was a very windy days as the video I made shows.

As of today, April 2, 2011, there are 750 prayer flags at the prayer flag project in the dairy farm.  That’s a lot of prayer flags.  I went ahead and strung up another 50 feet of rope for new prayer flags.

Maine House of Representatives

As you may know, I have prayer flags for every member of the Senate and I’m in the process of putting up prayer flags for all of the House of Representatives.  The way I’ve done it is I do one blanket prayer for each state and add the names of each senator of that state on the flag.  I do the same for the House of Representatives.  All fifty states senators are done and, 27 states of the House of Representatives are done.

Senate: Michigan

Hey, if you want a prayer set out for you at the dairy farm prayer flag project shoot me an email.  I can write on a prayer flag whatever prayer you would like or, I can send you blank prayer flags and you fill them out and either hang them yourself or send them back to me and I’ll hang them for you and email you pictures of your prayer flags hanging at the dairy farm.  I’ve had people contact me from different states and I’ve snail-mailed blank prayer flags to them and they have sent them back to me and I’ve hung them at the dairy farm.  Actually, the picture at the very top contains prayer flags that were sent to me from some one that lives in Colorado.  The only cost to you is for the postage when you send the flags back to me.  I cover the cost of the fabric and the postage getting the flags to you.  What’s the catch you may wonder?  There’s no catch.  I feel strongly convicted to do the prayer flag project and maintain it.  So, if you want blank prayer flags or want a prayer written on a flag and hung at the dairy farm prayer flag project in Savannah, Georgia then, shoot me an email at dlh14255@gmail.com.  That’s it.

The prayer flag project is also on Facebook: Prayer Flag Project

Thanks for stopping by.

All the best to you and yours.

peace,

dh

04/02/2011

garbage gathered at the df

Well, today was a clean up day at the dairy farm. A huge crowd showed up and helped clean up! Actually, only one other person showed up and apparently, that was enough to make a a pretty good impact on garbage pickup. We gathered lots of garbage.

geocache box found at the df

And, what made the cleaning even cooler was that we found a geocache box out there in the df!  Is that not cool?  There were lots of goodies in that geocache container.  I wanted to keep the hot wheels but didn’t.

hot wheels and little creepy green guy

I know what you’re thinking…So, what kind of interesting garbage did we gather?  Did I read your mind?  Here’s is a list of the interesting things we found:

Interesting Garbage List (found at the dairy farm):

• Toilet seat and cover
• hub cap
• turn table (that’s right, for records).
• garden hose
• washer machine hot water & cold water hoses
• an old shirt
• a McDonald’s meal full of ants!  They ran up my arm and had me dancing like crazy to rid myself of them.
• a bicycle tire pump
• a deer leg (I didn’t pick that nasty thing up. It’s biodegradable, I believe)
• misc. car engine parts
• a grocery store bag with dog poop in it.  Hey, at least the person picked up after his/her dog just forgot to take the poop bag home & dispose of it.

fitting it all in my car

So, there you have it, – this year’s first official clean up day at the dairy farm!  When will be the next official dairy farm clean up day?  When ever you want it to be.

inhabitants of the df thank you for helping to keep it clean!

Next time you go to the dairy farm, if you can remember, please take a trash bag with you and pick up any trash you see strewn about at the df.  If each of us picks up a little bit of garbage when we visit the dairy farm pretty soon the place will look pristine and hopefully, picking up garbage at the df will become pc.

a very green dairy farm

Thanks, all!

All the best to you and yours.

peace,

dh

03/26/2011

I love this picture

On Saturday as I was hanging prayer flags I looked over my right shoulder and saw Mr. Gypsy sitting on the trail where the prayer flags are just looking in my direction.  I silently prayed as I reached for my camera that Mr. Gypsy would keep the pose.  Well, here’s the picture.  He kept the pose.  I got my picture.  And now, its the picture of the day.

Hope you enjoyed.

Thanks for stopping by.

All the best to you and yours.

peace,

dh

03/05/2011

1 day to go

One day before I head out to you know where.

I’ve spent most of the day just tying up loose ends.  Picked up a few item last minute items, cleaned up the house, washed my car, hung some prayer flags with Mr. Gypsy at the dairy farm.  Everything is just about ready for tomorrow’s departure. Right now, I’m charging up batteries for the cameras as I write this blog.

As excited as I am getting for this trip I also have a few reservations.  The main reservation is missing my family and Mr. Gypsy and not being able to adhere to my regular running schedule.  I’m also going to miss the dairy farm and the prayer flags. I hung a prayer flag today for my climbing expedition – all of us climbing the mountain in the next two weeks.

My Kilimanjaro Climbing Prayer Party Prayer Flag

Its amazing how much time I spend hanging prayer flags, maintaining the prayer flags and what-have-you.  I’m also going to miss the internet and twitter.  I don’t think I’m going to miss Facebook too much but twitter, I definitely will.  I’m addicted.  My name is Dan Hernandez and I’m a Twitterholic.  Thank you.

The plan, man

So, the deal for tomorrow is, wake up very early and take Mr. Gypsy for a walk at the dairy farm and hang a few more prayer flags.  Believe it or not, tomorrow, we hit the 700 prayer flag mark at the dairy farm.  Unfortunately, I will not have time to make the music video I normally do every hundred prayer flags.  I just won’t have time.

After the walk at the dairy farm with Mr. Gypsy I go to my folks home and have lunch with them before heading out to the airport.  Mr. Gypsy will stay at my house and my friend, Melissa will be staying with him.  I’m going to miss that little rat something intense.

I fly from Savannah to Atlanta.  From Atlanta I fly to Amsterdam and, from Amsterdam, I fly to Kilimanjaro International Airport in Tanzania with vff’s clad on both feet.  The first time for me to step foot on African soil must be with vff’s embracing my feet.  It is written.

I’m going to try and blog and Tweet as much as I can (where-ever wifi is available).  My twitter account is: @run_dan_run.  Stay in touch .

Please keep me in your prayers.  I don’t want to end up under an elephants foot or in the belly of a lion.

I pray this is the beginning of an adventure where I will make intimate connections with many people in Africa and will open the door to further visits, exploration and adventure.  There is a bigger reason for this trip than just climbing a mountain.  God has a plan.  I’m grateful and humbled to be a part of that plan.

You all stay safe and happy.

Thanks for stopping by.

All the best to you and yours.

God bless.

peace,

dh

03/05/2011

Snake at the dairy farm

Today was a very warm day in Savannah.  The warm weather brought out lots of critters. I saw quite a few fiddler crabs at the df today. And, a late afternoon walk at the dairy farm (my second walk at the df today) yielded the opportunity to see a snake, a corn snake!  How cool is that?

Anyway, here’s a little video of the man vs snake vs dog ordeal today at the dairy farm. That is the second corn snake I’ve seen at the dairy farm this year. I think 2011 is going to be a snakey year.

Disclaimer: no snake, dog or human were harmed during or after this video. Seriously.

Thanks for stopping by.

All the best to you and yours.

peace,

dh

02/27/2011