How to fall in love with a small southern town...

Ingredients:

• Sunshine
  
• Warm cool breeze
  
• Your favorite bike [or other means of self propelled transportation]
  
• A day or afternoon to yourself

Directions:

• After sleeping in and thoroughly savouring your morning by drinking a cup of your favorite beverage, listening to the birds greet the sun, nuzzling with your favorite furry friend, and perhaps catching up with a distant friend via skype, you are ready to head out.
  
  
• Determine where your going, perhaps run a few errands... pick up some fertilizer at the local nursery and stop by the art coop to see the pottery exhibit. Remember, you are traveling light [via self propelled transport], so plan accordingly.
  
  
• Now you are ready. Grab your bike [or other self propelled transport mechanism] and hit the road. Put in your headphones, start you mp3 player, straddle your bike, and get moving... you've got places to go and the sunny afternoon to enjoy.
  
  
• As you ride along the uncongested streets lined with live oaks and older homes with established landscaping, feel the sun warming your skin as the breeze gently cools it. You push your muscles, making the bike go faster, listen to your breath, and feel your muscles begin to swell and your body warm from the inside out. Perhaps you can smell the wisteria that has just started to bloom as the white flowers of the dogwoods and silver bells look flamboyant against their leafless tree neighbors.
  
  
• Stopping at the local nursery, you become lost in the aisles of small potted plants. The annual flowers are brightly screaming for attention and the small veggie seedlings are modestly waiting to planted. You take a few moments and settle into a patch of grass to enjoy the sun warming your skin and watch the few clouds slowly move across the bright blue sky. "Why is the sky so much more blue here, so far from the ocean?," you ponder to yourself. Soon the nursery is closing, so you grab the fertilizer you came for and hop back on the bike.
  
  
• You ride, just for the sake of riding. You curiously explore the small, rural, southern town you now call home. Wandering over the railroad tracks, you find a cemetary and traverse the dirt track road. Then, you head out of the cemetary and come upon a fish market that you've been curious about. Passing by it each day on your way home, you were never sure if it was ever open or a relic, like so many of the shops that once populated the small town. But the fish market it open, so you prop your bike up against the building and head inside.
  
  
• After a few questions about what they carry and where it's from, you ask about their hours and then set out again. Daylight is burning and you want to enjoy every minute of it! You head over to the art co-op to check out the pottery exhibit and notice they are having another event in the adjacent old fire station building. You head over to check it out. There are a few nice pieces, but you are not overall impressed. So, you hop back on your bike and set out again.
  
  
• It's getting late and you are planning to attend the outdoor movie tonight at the park by the river. You head home to relax and grab a bite to eat. As you ride home, enjoying the sun and light breeze, you realize it... the joy that is flowing through your body bringing a smile to your face. "This is it," you say to yourself, "this is living... Oh, how I love my life!"

Three Babes & A Dude

Yes, that's right. My coworkers and I have officially signed up for the 2012 Springtime 5k in Tallahasee and our team name is Three Babes & A Dude! The Springtime 5k will be the perfect test of our capabilities for the upcoming Warrior Dash. I am extremely excited for this event because not only is it my first 5k, but I will also get to run with wonderful people. I feel like this is the start of great things to come!

Spring is in the air

The temperature has been fluctuating, but the dogwoods know what time of year it is. Before their leaves flush out, the bare branches of the dogwood trees are speckled with clumps of small white delicate flowers. After a winter of bare tree branches, the white flowers suspended in layers, like they are elevated, are reminiscent of snow, but the warmer temperatures tell otherwise.


The simplicity of nature's beauty continues to baffle me. The small white dogwood flowers are so simple, yet beautiful. Spring is in the air and warmth is on the way!

Chili, waves, & music

Who would have known that St. George Island, Fl had all three? To raise money for the local fire department, St. George Island was holding their annual chili cookoff, complete with live music, beer [bring your own or buy there], $1 liquor shots from the king himself [Elvis], and a plethora of chili varieties. If you want to get your pick at the best chili, you better get there early. My friend and I arrived in the afternoon, as the chili was depleting and the alcohol and sunshine we is full swing.


The afternoon consisted of tasting of the remaining chili, taking in some of the live music, and savoring the sweet goodness of a funnel cake. An outdoor festival without funnel cake is simply not complete. Luckily, there were two other funnel cake enthusiasts to help me. AS the festival started to wind down, we walked over to the beach. To my surprise there were waves. Yes, waves! I was utterly happy to know that a beach complete with waves is only 2.5 hours away. To top it off, there is volleyball play on weekend in the summer. I know where I'm going to be in the summer weekends to come!

As the wind started to pick up and storm clouds rolled in, we headed over to Harry A's, a local restaurant/bar, to grab a bite to eat and some libations. We ordered a round of dirty bananas, a delectable cocktail. You should definitely have one! Sitting outside, under a covered patio, I enjoyed my dirty banana and the great company. As I listened to a local play covers on guitar and felt the slight heat in my face from being sunkissed earlier that day, I remembered how much I love the beach. It's great to know it's not that far away and I look forward to our next encounter.

Eggs for dinner

Breakfast for dinner is not a new concept. I remember having similar dinners growing up, but last night I decided to try something similar to a recent post on one of my favorite recipe blogs, A Couple Cooks. Finally having found smoked paprika [I had been looking for the scarcely sold item for the past few weeks] and feeling that my protien intake was low, I decided it would be a perfect dinner. Not to mention that it includes avocado [one of my favorites] and is quick to whip up.

Being a big fan of breakfast burritos, I think eggs and salsa are a great combination and this little recipe was just another example. Nourishing, tasty, quick, and easy, I think this dinner and I will meet again soon!

The Warrior Dash

My little kid squeels w/ excitement! A fun filled day of physical exersion and getting dirty... that is how I see the Warrior Dash. For those unfamiliar with the Warrior Dash, it is a 5k course with various obstacles along the way, which include crawling over, under, and through things, such as ropes, wooden structures, and mud.

The Georgia Warrior Dash is located in the mountains of Northern Ga. In addition to running around getting filthy, the even offers the opportunity to make for a fun weekend excursion with hiking, waterfalls, zip lines, and cabin camping! I've reserved a camping cabin at Mountain Rest Cabins and am anxiously looking forward to what the weekend will bring!

Yes, I'm basically 5 years old... but I'm OK with that!