Last week was my first non-running week this year. Not for lack of desire, though. I was so busy at work; throw in a painful tooth extraction, a worsening of my shoulder tendonitis, and so on, and I figured maybe I would slow down some and test whether the shoulder would get better or worse with no running. It actually worsened throughout the week, despite no running. It was a hard week, since I enjoy running outside. And the rain…so much rain. However, Saturday was pretty decent, with some sun and warmth, so we did get the back deck cleaned. I also ordered seeds for my garden area and finished my indoor herb garden.
I wanted to start the herbs (sage, rosemary, cilantro, dill, basil, and parsley) inside due to not wanting them to get too much water or to get too cold. This is the terrarium I mentioned earlier that I got from Value Village. I had to really clean it out; seemed it maybe used to have a snake in it or something, with molting still inside it. The lid is essential with cats!
The seeds I ordered for my garden were all non-GMO organic heirlooms, including Kentucky Wonder Brown green beans (looks like these will make some good shucky beans), California Wonder Organic peppers, ancho peppers, chives, copra onions, Capulin Pelleted Organic leaf lettuce, Purple Top White Globe turnips, and Early Snowball Organic cauliflower. I doubt I’ll try tomatoes this year because I just have terrible luck with them. This summer is supposed to be warmer and rainier than last, so I’m wondering if I will have enough sun and heat for the peppers–let’s hope. I may wait til the herbs take off and replant them in pots on the front balcony and use the terrarium for helping keep the peppers warm. I also have on order some solar-powered LED outdoor paper lantern lights for our back deck. I recall last year sitting out there with friends and having quite a bit of wildlife in the yard but it being so dark we couldn’t see much until a huge new mama raccoon surprised us by just running around our fence (it had made a birthing home in the cedar tree next to our house); however, turning on the back deck light was just a bit too much light for cozy night conversation.
I’m already planning another southern BBQ with mint juleps. This reminds me of Soul Food Junkies (now on Netflix). It was great to seeing this comfort food I grew up with and knowing it can be prepared and cooked in way healthier ways than it used to be. I am hoping my turnips will actually turn out well this year so I can make turnip greens. I have been enjoying collard greens lately, which are very hard to find here–but Pomme has been carrying them. Becoming a vegetarian this year has meant being very creative in my eating habits, and the doc on Netflix shows how you can make collard greens, for instance, without any pork or pork fat. I just use olive oil.
If Saturday was an indication of spring, it was a nice break from the rain. Also, the cherry blossoms came out by March 1 (maybe a day before). But they continue to flower beneath bleak skies. I wonder how the upcoming spring and summer will be. Will we get another heat wave and drought? Or the typical rain until June and only then would summer hit and go to October?
I was reading this article in MetroNews, which talks about the changes we might see in the next twenty years or so, including more extremes like we’ve been seeing up here. Milder winter temperatures. Fish distributions shifting and fewer stocks. Lessening snow packs. Fewer fresh water sources. Earlier and more wildfires. Diminishing glaciers.
Where does that leave runners? In more extreme weather, I would assume. And this past summer was a perfect example of that. Given that we live in a mild weather area anyway, we already get to run outside almost all winter. I have only had a few days in the past year and a half of running that there was enough ice outside I ran on a treadmill instead. The lack of snow these past two years has been really weird.
This week I resume the last two weeks of the 10K program, and Saturday is the St. Patty’s Day 5K. Looking forward to next week when the sun comes back into focus.