I have a project that went missing a while ago.

In fact, it went missing exactly a year ago.  Do you know how I know?

Because I found it three weeks ago.  I found it in a bag that I brought home from last Annual Conference.  I found it on my way to Annual Conference this year.



I didn't finish it during Annual Conference, although that would have been delightfully apropos.

And I didn't lose it again.  It's right here, next to me.  I am going to try to finish it before I lose it again.

Couch to 5K Running Program, Week 3.

Alternate periods of workout and recovery.

Walk On, U2 (5 minute warm-up walk)

Desire, U2 (1.5 minute jog, 1.5 minute walk)

Go (I Wanna Send You), Newsboys (3 minute jog)

Valse d'Amour, Paris Combo (3 minute walk)

Get On, Third Day (1.5 minute jog, 1.5 minute walk)

Night, Bruce Springsteen (3 minute jog)

These Thousand Hills, Third Day (3 minute walk)

Christ Is Risen, Matt Maher (5 minutes light gardening or otherwise enjoying nature)

The primary selection criterion for this soundtrack is that the song changes coincide with the planned alternation of hard exercise and recovery exercise.  The author blithely combines secular and Christian music, but only because Mozart just didn't write any good jogging tunes.

The publication of this soundtrack in no way obligates the author to assume responsibility for your exercise or music-listening practices.  Please use reasonable caution when exercising to music.  Do not use headphones that block out ambient sound--like approaching cars, out-of-control riding lawnmowers, or vicious attack kittens--nor turn the sound up to irresponsible levels.  Do not exercise without first consulting with your physician, your spiritual advisor, and a select group of girlfriends who will honestly tell you how you look in spandex.  This round of exercise will burn as many calories as are in two chocolate chips (not two chocolate chip cookies!), so don't eat two pints of B&J and blame the author.

Well, things are growing.

Right about now would be the time in North Carolina where I'd be tearing out all the cool-weather stuff--which would have long gone to seed--and starting a second round of warm-weather stuff, having already begun to harvest some things like green beans and maybe even a cherry tomato or two.

But here, the cool-weather stuff is still going great guns.



Peas are climbing up the deck railing.



Have I mentioned the lettuce?  Eating a small salad daily or a big family salad three times a week and still not being able to keep up?



We had our first round of kale this week, too--chicken tortellini kale soup.  The kale is doing marvelously.

 

Still dominating the snapdragons.



And the alyssum in the oregano pot are starting to flower.  These are so much fun.  They are powerfully fragrant--sort of a concentrated honey scent.  Just these three little blooms are enough to smell.  Once the whole pot gets going, you'll be able to smell them the instant you walk out the back door.

The warm-weather stuff seems to be getting a good start.



Except for the basil.  The purple basil are very disappointing this year.  The chard is starting to go, though.   Hopefully, they'll really take over.



Pepper, starting to get a little bud.



Tomato, also considering putting out a flower or two.  This is a San Marzano paste tomato.  I may try to save the seeds this year, if I can get a decent crop.



And green beans.  Not sure such a small quantity is worth it, but we'll give it a try.

Okay, have a great rest of the weekend, y'all!  Go find a fragrant flower and smell it!  Go find something growing and marvel at it!  Go find something delicious and healthy and eat it!

Couch To 5K running program, Week 2.

Alternate periods of workout and recovery, one and a half minutes jogging, two minutes walking.

Magnificent, U2 (5-minute warm-up walk)

Big House, Audio Adrenaline (1.5 minute jog, 2 minutes walk)

Run to You, Third Day (1.5 minute jog, 2 minutes walk)

Tête Saoule, Francis Cabrel (1.5 minute jog, 2 minutes walk)

Me and Julio Down By the Schoolyard (Concert in Central Park Remix), Simon and Garfunkel (1.5 minute jog, 2 minutes walk)

Trip Through Your Wires, U2 (1.5 minute jog, 2 minutes walk)

Foreverandever, Etc., David Crowder Band (1.5 minute jog, 2 minutes walk)

See the Glory, Steven Curtis Chapman (3 minute cool-down walk)

The Color Green, Rich Mullins (5 minutes sitting in garden or prettiest part of yard, breathing deeply and enjoying nature)

Songs are selected for this soundtrack such that the song changes coincide with the planned alternation of hard exercise and recovery exercise.  The author blithely combines secular and Christian music.  Plus, her son says she has really dreadful taste in music.

The publication of this soundtrack in no way obligates the author to assume responsibility for your exercise or music-listening practices.  Please use reasonable caution when exercising to music.  Do not use headphones that block out ambient sound--like approaching cars, annoying neighbors, or bicycling ninja assassins--nor turn the sound up to irresponsible levels.  Do not exercise without first consulting with your physician, nutritionist, and stylist.  Jogging with young children may be hazardous to everyone's health.  Pump up the tires of your jogging stroller before setting out, because carrying a five-month-old home while lugging a broken jogging stroller is really annoying.

Okay, only one baking project this week, which you've already seen a bit.

This week, I made Rustic Raspberry Pie (p. 459).



(Before baking.)



(Immediately after.)



(Ten seconds after.)

This was spectacular.  I love raspberries, although sometimes the supermarket berries are just too bland.  These were a bit bland before they went in the pie, but they really came into their own baked.  I thought the sugar and cornstarch were too much and that the result would be like canned cherry pie filling.  :gag:

But the result was excellent.  I might dial back the sugar a hair if I had some really tasty berries, but for your standard supermarket berries, this was just fine.