No Run Friday

Attended ethics conference at the beautiful Hotel Roanoke today.....chill in air and had to wear sweater - fall is here. Hibiscus full of blooms - will bring it in to overwinter and bloom again next year...

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Ran/walked ~5 miles along Roanoke River after class today. Looking forward to the next three days off - happy birthday to me!

Italian Squash Fitness Walk

Had a 3 mile fitness walk with Linda catching up on the latest news and running plans since she's been out of town for a while. We stopped to admire a backyard when the owner came around and told us about these huge green squash hanging from the trees. Fun walk back to our cars brandishing these monsters! I am now the proud owner of a 32 inch cucuzza squash - watch for pictures and recipes as I find out what to do with this veggie!

Two pretty good days

Ran ~4 miles in the neighborhood yesterday and ran/walked Mill Mountain with two coworkers today. School good, work OK. Making a crock pot of veggie chili for a fundraiser at school tomorrow. I'm including the recipe so maybe some of the students will try it when they find it doesn't have that "weird tofu stuff" in it.

Sandra Tee’s Yummy, Healthy Vegetarian Chili

1 28 ounce can crushed or diced tomatoes
1 15 ounce can pinto beans
2 15 ounce cans dark red kidney beans
2 15 ounce cans black beans
1 medium onion coarsely chopped
1 red or green bell pepper coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves chopped
½ chopped jalapeno pepper
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups water

Combine all ingredients in crock pot. Heat on medium heat 6 – 8 hours. Adjust the amount of chili powder, garlic and jalapeno pepper according to your preference. Check the label on the beans for animal ingredients such as lard, pork fat or natural seasonings. Some beans are labeled as vegetarian but it is reasonably easy to find beans not cooked with meat.

No long run today....

My plan was to have a long 7 - 10 mile run today - well, it didn't happen. I had a 35 minute run in my neighborhood this evening after spending the day with my husband looking at land and running errands. Not a bad way to spend a day! I'll get back to the running Monday after class - I work a 12 hour shift tomorrow.
Drove around the New River Valley along Claytor Lake and the New River looking for a small plot of land to use as a weekend retreat. The New River is unique in that it is one of the only two rivers in the world to flow from south to north; the other being the Nile. We both want something secluded and with some sort of water access. Happened upon a beautiful little cabin along Claytor Lake - reminded me of a slightly updated version of the cabin where Thomas Rain Crowe lived while writing the journals that later became the basis of his marvelous book "Zoro's Field - My Life in the Appalachian Woods".
I'm blessed to live in such a beautiful part of the world and have experienced such Appalachian ways as cooking and heating on a woodstove, growing most all the food we put on the table and knowing (and have used) the word "stob".
Probably not quite ready to buy that cabin in the woods but my what a wonderful day....

Postscript: Finished a sweater for a coworker's grandson - ready to go to sleep now.

What was I thinking???

Agreed to work a 12 hour night shift last night - 7p - 7a. I worked nights for six years and have always had the wonderful ability to nap wherever, whenever. I had a four hour nap yesterday before the shift but goodness, I forgot how lousy I'd feel today! Came home, slept for a couple hours and then wide awake so decided to get up and do a few chores and nap again later. Husband running errands and playing a little golf so house is quiet....needless to say no running for me today....will run a long one tomorrow.....

.....zzzzzzzzzzzz......

Beautiful Fall Day

First day of fall is Saturday but certainly feels like it today - highs in 60s with lows tonight in the 40s. I potted up my basil plants and one lonely fennel and put them on the back stoop hoping to prolong their life. This is the basil after I cut it back again - the freshly cut basil is resting in a vase in my garden window. I've had great luck with keeping basil this way - it's like hydroponic gardening.....





Ran 4 miles around and through downtown after class - lower temperatures and breeze were heavenly! Discovered a new bathroom/water stop - the bathroom at the public library.

First test in the respiratory therapy program tomorrow...