Sixteen days post-surgery. I can bend my knee slightly now, which, surprisingly, makes many tasks easier, such as getting dressed, entering and exiting a car, even just crutching around. Am doing exercises to strengthen the calf and quad muscles of my right leg. But still no weight-bearing for another 2 weeks. In a previous post, I mentioned that I underwent surgery to get back to running. But the photo I last used, of Olkhon Island in Lake Baikal in Siberia, reminded me of another reason - traveling.

So I selected another photograph taken on Olkhon Island showing the 13 Buryat Pole Totems placed at the entrance to Shaman Rock, a sacred place on the island. The totems represent the 13 deities of Olkhon and are covered in colorful silk fabric, called 'khadag,' which are placed by pilgrims. This stunning sight filled me with wonder and reverence. This astonishment is addictive and I want to experience it again and again.

So, I will embrace the difficulties of recovery from the knee surgery, and keep the goals in the back of my mind - running down the trails with my dog, hiking to some exotic point where a vista takes my breath away.