canning & leaf crunching!

Tomatoes are IN! I had planted a garden at my parent's house at the beginning of the summer, but like most of the country, the heat & dry weather wreaked havoc on the crops. UNTIL I realized
that all was not lost! Those hearty little tomatoes grew anyway, without a lot of lovin. So I'm on batch 2 of tomato sauce. I'm a little sick of peeling tomatoes, my fingers are super dry and a little orange-y, but the house smells So Good. I feel accomplished & happy that I'm canning:)

tomato skins, tomatoes awaiting the stripping, 2 pots in process with herbs, onions, garlic, evoo:)

Running is going so well. I did my 8 miler on Saturday. This picture is me after 5 hours for orphans. I ran to Elysian with Corine in the jogging stroller, then Andy & Carly picked me up. It was a great run, and a great cause! My runs have changed in the matter of the month since this. The trail is full of crunchy leaves already, probably due to the dryness lately. Everything still smells spectacular and will only get better as fall continues. I signed up for the Big Woods Run today. It's a 10K through Big Woods State Park in Faribault on October 13. I wanted to do it last year, but what with a new baby & all...:) I am noticing myself starting to fit into clothes from a couple years ago (!) so I'm pretty happy about that. I'd still love to lose a couple more pounds to be more comfortable in my skin, but progress is progress! I've lost about 22 lbs since the beginning of the year. When I wean Corine, I'll feel better about losing more.

 Now to figure out what to make for supper. It will probably involve tomatoes.

fall is upon us!

Half training is going well! I've been able to keep the distances pretty close to the plan, eventhough I can't get out as often as I'd like. My feet are cooperating and the transition to minimal shoes is for the most part, complete. I say this looking forward to a 7 mile run this weekend, which will be the longest run I've done in the minimus's.
 I'm expecting complete success;)

this could have been painted in my neighborhood;)

On my way to nannying this morning, the sky had the most beautiful pure white clouds outlined with dark grey, the rising sun was shining golden-yellow on the eastern edges. Fog was rising from the fields of corn and grasses surrounded by trees. Corn here has been healthy all spring & summer and is now turning golden. The trees are getting to be that dark green, on the verge of fall colors, looking tired from their summer in the heat. Autumn is right around the corner here in southern Minnesota. I always feel peaceful when the weather changes to fall. I remember fall from when I was little, in high school, at Gustavus Adolphus College, and in Indiana. Mostly though I love the smells fall brings. Especially the pungent sweet smell of wet underbrush & fallen leaves on the trail. That, my friends, is the Best:)