Thankful for Leftovers

It is the season for giving thanks. After a weekend full of things I am thankful for like friends, family, relaxing, productivity, and the annual turkey trot it was time to do something different with the left overs still in my refrigerator. Making up stuff like this is part of a family tradition called making-too-much-food or Pilgrim Surprise. In this case it is leftover squash with ravioli, kale and pesto and stuffing crust pizza. Now I just have to finish off the pumpkin pie!

Towpath Marathon

The Towpath Marathon was held in Peninsula, Ohio a couple of weeks ago.   The weather was a concern as they predicted 40 F and a possible chance of rain.  We were pleasantly surprised that it didn’t end up raining and the cool weather kept us from overheating.  Our previous race routes have all been in major cities, which proved to be interesting as well as entertaining having crowds of people cheering us on.  We weren't sure how we would feel racing on a trail without all of the people and city life.  It turned out to be one of our favorite races.  The route was flat, not overcrowded and the race was well organized.  The volunteers were great at the fuel stations.  I never felt like I was tripping over people to get water.  There were also pockets of people cheering on the runners at various points on the trail.   Aside from feeling well prepared for the race all these factors added up to PR times for the four of us.   We went away from this race smiling and positive thoughts about doing it again.   - P

Colors of Fall

The best thing about Fall is its leaves. The worst thing about Fall is it leaves. I have taken the time to take some pictures of the colorful displays from nature this year while I've been out and about. The peak leaf changing season seems extended this year. No matter a bright blue sky background or a dismal gray, the oranges and yellows and reds seem to pop. -A

Yellow Leaves

Fall is really here.  It's now October and so many of the leaves aren't green any longer.  I really love the beautiful yellow leaves of this tree.  It is almost perfectly shaped (aside from the dead branch hanging off the side) but I try to enjoy the bright color of the leaves while they last.  The tree is just as lovely when it's green all summer, but it truly is stunning in its current state.  - P

  

Akron Marathon

The Akron Marathon celebrated 10 years this past weekend.  It was also the first race I attended but was not a participant.  My husband had a last minute call to enter as a relay participant.  We knew several other people racing so I didn't hesitate to get up at 4:30 am and to enjoy it as a spectator. A's sister was also running her first full marathon.  The weather was perfect running weather, so great to watch and cheer on as well as run 5 miles around the University of Akron Campus.  It was my first time there so running and walking was a perfect way to find my way around.  Both my husband as well as A's sister did well in their events which topped the morning off.  It was a lot of fun to cheer other people on and see the other side of things.  It was also very motivating and I can't wait to run my next race! - P

 

Daydreaming: China

Something that occurs often in my life is the urge to travel.  Every now and then I have to hamper the desire to buy a plane ticket and just leave.  Most of the time my rational, responsible side helps greatly with that, but every now and then I have to resort to image searching and just daydreaming.  Sometimes I forget to appreciate all the places I've already been.  Back in 2004 I went with some friends to China.  It was just over two weeks that we spent there, and we really did get to see a lot.  We flew into Beijing, spent some time in my friend’s hometown of Qinhuangdao, took a train to Shanghai, and spent some time in the Yunnan Province in southwestern China.  Sometimes the specific experiences are  best summed up in a bunch of pictures.  -A

Saturday Camping at the Lake

Yesterday I visited my parents at the campground they are staying at this summer. It was a relaxing day with them and the dog. And what is camping without s'mores? -A