Summer Harvest

The crops are coming in! Not really. This grape tomato is the first of the harvest.
It was grown in a container. The square foot garden has been somewhat of a disappointment. The tomatoes seem to be a little behind but do have green fruit and blossoms. I think they will produce okay. I still have the 1 green pepper growing. No real progress with the squash, cucumbers and okra. As I've said before I chalk it up to sunlight. On a cloudless day, the plot gets about 6 hours of morning sunshine - bordering on the minimum amount. We've had a lot of cloudy mornings. Next year I think I will put just tomatoes in the existing square foot garden and build another one or two in my front yard. Yes front yard. We have woods between our front yard and the street. We live in a small neighborhood out in the burbs. A garden plot in the front yard would fit in nicely.
For the topsy turvy tomato - it has been a disappointment. It blossomed and bore fruit early then nothing. Not much has changed since I took this picture late June. The same green tomatoes and it is not blossoming any longer.
I look at all this as a learning experience. It's all fun to me.

Shaping Up

Baby Got Back

I have started my running routine. It's a struggle though I'm not sure if it is any more difficult than the other times I've began again. The biggest obstacle for me is where to run. I live in a small neighborhood and running laps around it is boring. We do have some beautiful routes within minutes but I have to drive. It is a pain. If I'm still running later in the year, it will be easier. The weather will be cooler. I won't have to run early in the morning. I can manage it into my schedule a little better.

Bountiful Harvest

Confession - It's not mine. It was grown by 'Mater Man or at least that's what my husband calls him. A nearby farmer parks his pick-up at the end of his driveway loaded with all sorts of produce he's grown. The transactions are based on the honor system. On the tailgate he has a scale, a price list, and container for the money. 'Mater Man is one reason I love living out where we do.

Scenes from Saturday Night

Belated Happy Fourth of July!

Caught In the Web

Running Toward My Goals

My boss left the end of May for greener pastures. In the meantime, someone overseeing us on an interim basis has asked for each employee to list 3 goals. The goals can be personal or professional.
I did give this task some thought. One thing that came out of it was I wanted to start running again. (If you've followed my blog, I know I sound like a broken record.) I'm one of the slowest runners on the planet. It doesn't come easy to me. I'm sure watching me run is painful. It can be a love/hate thing but overall I like the challenge. I like the feeling of accomplishment. I remember how happy I felt the first time I ran 3.1 miles in preparation for a 5k race. It has been one of the best ways for me to keep in shape. When I think of the last 5 summers or so, I associate them with getting up early to run and running while on vacation at the beach.
As far as my running history, at this point I can't remember how many times I've started and stopped. Something always seems to happen causing me to stop. I'm starting back very easy. For me, I've found the Couch to 5k program the best. I've got the iPod version set to music. I do better with a goal in mind. There is a 5k in October I'm considering entering. I ran it back in 2005.

Oh Deer

Life in my backyard. He/she was munching on the grass my son emptied out of the cart. 'Better keep away from my garden!

Summer Update

Not a whole lot to write about. We are trying to get into our summer routine as much as possible. My weekdays are spent around the house, at my part time job or at my parents. Mom's health has deteriorated and she cannot be left alone. I stop in to relieve Dad so he can run errands or just get a break. I feel guilty my daughter is hanging out a lot bored. I try to line up things for her. Also, so far I've been able to keep our weekends for my immediate family since my brother comes into town to visit my parents. I knew this would not be a great summer going into the season. We are making the best of it.

Totally changing the subject - here is a "crop" update. My square foot garden seems to be a little behind. I think I should have planted earlier. We've had a lot of rain and cloudy days and I feel the plot needed more sunshine than it's gotten. We are heading into hotter, sunnier days. I'll be curious if they take off. I chalk all this up to a learning experience. Next year I will do some things differently.
Here is a little pepper in the square foot garden after I watered:


Of my tomatoes, this one in the topsy turvy upside down planter is ahead of the others. Next in growth are the tomato plants in containers (more sunny location) to be followed by those in the square foot garden.

The Time, Energy and Objectives of Food Shopping

A lot of my time, energy and much money goes into buying groceries (or as my NY roommate would say "food shopping") and keeping the house stocked. I have several objectives about all this:

• Buy local when possible. For me, this means the Farmer's Market, a locally owned grocery store and a co-op.
  
• Organic - I have a list of fruits and vegetables I feel it's important to buy organic. Also we try to consume organic meats and milk.
• Save money - as stated above, we spend a large amount of our income on food and staples.

It's no way possible to fulfill these goals 100%. At times if I do one, it goes against another. I've found a need to list priorities and compromise:

• I look at buying locally as a guilty pleasure. For instance it is time consuming to go to the Farmer's Market on Saturday. The trek is about 24 miles round trip which not only takes up time but gas. Still I really enjoy it. The same goes with shopping the locally owned stores.
• Organic -a continued priority though I try to look for specials
  
• Saving money - I do go to the big, bad Costco. I've realized many of their items are not cheaper but some things I get on a regular basis are much less. I researched prices, I go with blinders on, only sticking to my list. (Well I like to lust at the electronics.) Regular grocery store - there is no way to avoid it. Now I use coupons - I haven't had much success in the past. I've started getting more savvy about them. I give some credit to Mel. I know now there are times to use coupons, times not to use them, various places to find coupons, and I try to coordinate savings with the store specials. I'm sure some people practically make coupons a full time job. I limit myself to 1 grocery store and 1 drugstore.

If money was no object, I'd purchase as much as possible locally and at Earthfare. (I wish we had a Whole Foods and a Trader Joe's.) Before I know it, the kids will be gone and my shopping habits will change. For now this is my plan.

Fun, Food, and yes a little Football

This weekend we went to Boone NC. Here is the Moses Cone Manor located on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Blowing Rock NC. The picture on the right is looking down at Bass Lake from the home.

Saturday evening we walked around Appalachian State University campus. The picture on the left was taken by our daughter. It is looking out the window of the pedestrian bridge. The next shot is the same pedestrian bridge over Rivers Street.

I realize I'm slightly bias but I think App is beautiful place to go to school. Here is the new cafeteria my son says is wonderful:

My son was at football camp at App this weekend. Here is picture of Kidd Brewer Stadium undergoing a major expansion. While he was busy hitting people and living the dorm life, we explored the area. My daughter and I went to Turchin Center for Visual Arts. The sculpture is made of bricks and cinder blocks:

In addition to going on the Blue Ridge Parkway, exploring, and watching a little football, we ate a lot. It was fun to get away. Another bonus - while the temps were in the 90's at home, it was 10 degrees cooler or more in the mountains.