10 Reasons I am Eagerly Anticipating Fall

In no particular order, these are the things that have been on my mind lately...

 1. Leaves. The palette of the New England landscape explodes with scarlet, ochre, lemon, and orange. Raking. Leaf piles. Then there's the scent of leaf decay, which I like. Then, my friends, you have free compost material.

2. Pumpkins. Bright orange fruit! Pumpkin picking and carving. Jack-o-lanterns glowing with candles. Pumpkin pie! Salted, spiced, roasted pumpkin seeds. Delish.

3. Apples. Much like pumpkins, without the roasting of seeds and Jack-o-lanterns. But there is apple picking with friends, and apple pie and apple sauce and sweet apple loaf. Mmmm...

4. Cooler weather. As a newly devout runner, this is becoming a big one. Summer heat and humidity is brutal when you're trying to run three miles, and the treadmill bores me! I am running towards autumn with open arms. Plus, when you're not running, cooler weather allows you to wear fashionable layers. ;)

5. All Hallow's Eve. My very, very favorite holiday. Costumes, parties, spooky houses and maizes, scary movies, Halloween music! I love it all.

6. Lover's Birthday. Yay, he was born! And he's my love!

7. Fall decor. Did I mention pumpkins? Also, fall wreaths, dried corn, straw, paper bats, whatever your heart desires! I just love this color palette.

8. Apple cider donuts. This is a separate category from apples. I don't even eat donuts. But these sweet, cinnamon-y gems of apple tang and sugary, doughy goodness are just irresistible. Especially with farm-fresh apple cider.

9. Gardening. Interesting things going on in the garden! The last crop coming in, putting vegetable beds to "bed" for the winter, and canning or preserving whatever you can while munching on the rest! Also, the garlic gets put in! I love me some garlic.

10. Chrysanthemums. Showy petal bunches blooming from burgundy to yellow, and they look amazing alongside the winter kale. I love seeing it everywhere!

Ahhhh....feels good to get that out. Here's to the passing of summer!

Warrior Dash 2011 - Kick Ass!

Today was Warrior Dash day! I haven't ran since Sunday because of a busy week, rain, and I pulled a muscle in my neck early Wednesday morning. I was worried the neck pain would cause an issue, but today I felt only minor soreness! I also downed Aleve. ;)

I and my two friends jogged through tires, climbed over junk cars, leaped over firepits, swam through mud pools, balanced over planks, crawled across nets, ran up the side of a mountain (more like power-walked - it was very steep and made up 50% of the course!), and jumped hurdles. Here's some pics Lover was able to catch of us:

 

We got Viking hats, as you can see. My muscles are aching now, but I can't tell you just how fun it was. You'll have to try it for yourself! 

Come fall, I'm doing this: Run For Your Lives...

MYOthello

MYOthello is a project of MYO. MYO is Mine, Yours, Ours, an initiative of RYASAP and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s STARTSTRONG National Initiative for building healthy teen relationships.

MYO uses popular media to provoke discussions of messaging surrounding teen relationships. Earlier this year, they held the "MYOscars," an event where teens rated clips of movies according to the MYO Rated R system - the R in this case stands for Responsibility, Respect, Right, and Real. This summer, the project is MYOthello, a performance of Othello in which the themes of mistrust, deception, and relationship violence occur.

 I am the Team Leader of the Production Crew, and have had the challenge of designing and creating a set for the play while managing an amazing team of young adults.

 

The Crew.

The performances are happening at St. Ann's School in Black Rock August 25th, 26th, and 27th. Perhaps I'll see you there!

Octopus Bench!

Lover is a craftsman. After his parents found two iron bench ends at a tag sale, he decided to make them into a bench of my liking and present it to me on my birthday.

Using a C&C router, he etched images of some of my favorite things into the wood he had carefully picked out.

Here's an octopus (because we share a love for cephalopods):

And, if you look closely at the picture below, you may be able to see the honeybee and the earthworm that are etched into the back boards. (Honeybees because I want to get into beekeeping, and earthworms because I am constantly collecting them to put into my raised vegetable bed.)

It's going out on our deck by the firepit and potted veggies. Isn't it fabulous?

Where Have I Been?

Hello! I have not forgotten this blog. July was a busy month! I spent a week in California even after the long weekend at Lake Tahoe. I have been training for the Warrior Dash (I've lost six pounds and an inch off my waist!) which is next weekend! I have been working for MYO AmeriCorps, and I have been in and out of the garden.

 

Pictured here are purple podded pole beans, Mascara lettuce, sorrel, Sylvetta arugula, swiss chard, a Russian Pickling cucumber, and French Breakfast and Scarlet Globe radishes. I've also picked a carnival pepper and a bunch of jalapenos. Tomatoes are soon to turn, and the eggplant is about ready to be picked. The corn is growing, the zucchini is fruiting, and the pumpkin vine is growing like crazy. 

Tomorrow I plan on planting more snap peas, bush beans, carrots, radishes, brassicas, beets, and lettuces. After a 5k run, and some delicious breakfast! I also bought a pink phlox, a blue and purple delphinium, two blue fescue grasses, and two containers of sempervivum. So, to the vegetable and flower gardens for tomorrow. It's been a long time since I had a free weekend!