My writing just isn’t prolific right now. Most of my thoughts remain in my head for the moment, tucked away until later. And that is okay. Instead, I find myself thoroughly exploring Fall.
It is difficult to be working all day long, knowing that the sunlight is getting ahead of you. When I finally get home from work, I have about 15 minutes before the sun has completely gone away, leaving behind the early evening settled in inky darkness. So I dash home and strap on my running shoes and make my way outside. Sometimes I go for a run, and sometimes I go for long, fast-paced walks—at least 3 miles and sometimes closer to 5.
I am actually really loving the rhythm of walking right now. And sometimes Craig joins me.
It’s fun to check out all the houses in the neighborhoods decorated and ready to go for Halloween. Strings of orange lights, decorative ghosts swaying in the breeze hanging from the trees, pumpkins piles on front stoops. Fall is everywhere. I can smell wood stove fires, the scent of cinnamon, and the distinctive taste of the crisp autumn air. The trees rustle in the wind and leaves swirl about my head as they lazily fall from the sky.
Soon it will be raking time; I give it another week or two. But for now, this time is still mine for exploring. And the weekend is finally here, so I can get out of the house and enjoy this breezy, 60°F day in the sunlight. The leaves are putting on a dazzling display.
So Craig and I are off for another long walk, ready for more Fall exploration.
Tags: autumn, exercise, gratitude, mindfulness, running, walking
Posted in Let's Get Physical, The Daily Balance | No Comments »
Happy Fall to you! I hope that you are enjoying the season thus far! After a rather chilly week or so here with lots and lots of rain, it really warmed up this weekend with temps that reached 80°F! It has been truly wonderful, splendid fall weather.
Craig and I spent yesterday doing yard stuff. Well, mostly Craig did lots of yard chores while I did a modest amount of weeding and snapped a bunch of photos of the early October garden. It has rained so much over the last few weeks that we haven’t had a weekend day to be out in the yard to poke around or get anything done until yesterday!
The grass finally gets a mow after 3 weeks!
The grass was getting so long we could have created designs.
After Craig finished mowing, he tackled the front hedges which were starting to get a little bit unruly.
While he clipped back the hedges, I surveyed the progress of our new grass growing out front. Not too bad!
I started weeding the front flower bed and decided that the strange pine bush that has been growing steadily in there for the last several years is no longer cute and had to go.
So, when Craig was done with the hedges, he dug out the bush and replanted it in the back yard. When he was all done, he joined me in the veggie garden where I pointed out that one of the broccoli plants had started to bolt. He decided it must still be edible.
He munched on the bolting stalks, flowers and all. The verdict: still tastes like broccoli!
Well, phew. We try not to let anything go to waste. Especially on a gorgeous, sunny, super warm October day. I love weekends like this!
Tags: autumn, broccoli, gardening, gratitude, yard work
Posted in Household Management 101, The Growing Season | No Comments »
I cannot believe that today is the last day of September. Wow. I also can’t believe that the garden is still going. I am just now starting to pick tomatillos!
Here is what the tomatillo plant looked like in mid-summer.
And now there are little hanging tomatillo lanterns with a tart green fruit inside.
I have been combing through cookbooks and websites to try to find fun tomatillo recipes. And I think tomorrow I am going to try for a tomatillo chicken stew.
I just think tomatillos are so elegant looking.
So fall is definitely here, but we are still having some fantastic warm temps in the 70s. I have been outside running or walking almost every night for the past 3 weeks. And we’ve also gotten our fair share of rain over the past weeks as well, which has greatly helped with growing grass. And now the tomatillos are ripe and ready to be picked. My own little fall harvest.
The garden is still doing its thing, and I take great comfort in that. It greatly helps with my denial that fall is here and that it is pitch black out by 7 p.m.
For reals.
Tags: autumn, exercise, gardening, gratitude, organic, running, tomatillo
Posted in The Daily Balance, The Growing Season | No Comments »
What have I been doing lately? Picking and eating tomatoes. Lots and lots of tomatoes from our tomato raised garden bed.
And when I’m not doing that, I am watering the lawn (it’s that time of year again… the fall grass-growing project is in full effect!) And when I am not doing that, I am working. And then running. And then sleeping.
Yup, my schedule is pretty defined these days. We are two weeks into the lawn watering, so next week will ease up and I will be able to reclaim 2 whole hours of my day. I CANNOT WAIT!
But back to tomatoes. Their time is going to wind down very soon when frost comes, but so far we have had only one night when I had to cover the tomato plants with sheets. Otherwise, the temps are still fairly warm and humid here in Southern NH for early fall. So we continue to pick!
Just waiting...
Mortgage lifter heirloom
Orange grape tomatoes
Ripening romas
Here is a sampling of tomatoes picked over the last few weeks:
Cannot get enough tomatoes! In tomato love.
Off to peruse the garden on this lovely, warm, and finally sunny Sunday. Tomato recipes and ideas coming soon…
Tags: autumn, gardening, gratitude, heirloom, raised garden bed, tomatoes
Posted in The Growing Season | No Comments »
No shortage of tomatoes going on around here. We are eating them all the time. I love all the different types of tomatoes we are growing, including several varieties of heirlooms. One of my very favorite dishes is a simple tomato, basil, and mozzarella salad.
It is so easy to make. Slice up whatever tomatoes you have on hand. I have been using combinations of yellow pear, orange grape, mortgage lifter heirloom, and japanese black trifele heirloom. Gently toss with some good-quality organic extra virgin olive oil, a dash of sea salt, freshly-ground black pepper, and freshly chopped basil.
Potted basil plants on our front stoop.
Add some pearl-sized fresh mozzarella balls and gently combine.
And you are done. A great end-of-summer side dish. Also fantastic on top of a garden salad or as a bread topper.
Tags: basil, gratitude, heirloom, summer, tomatoes
Posted in Cooking Adventures, The Growing Season | No Comments »
