you're not a squirrel.

When did we decide {especially those of us who live in the mild temps of the southeastern United States} that winter was a time to simply exist {except of course on Christmas when we're merry and bright}? Sure the colder temps make me want to stay in bed a little longer in the mornings, and the darker nights make me want to curl up at home instead of spending the evening out & about, but winter time has a lot to offer us, especially in the garden.

You're not a squirrel. Have you seen any of the 15 Ice Age movies? If so, you know where I'm going with this. That raggedy squirrel is always trying to protect his acorn and store it away so that when the cold weather hits, he's got food to munch on. And don't we do our fair share of "squirrel-ing" away for winter too?

We pickle veggies. We make jams. We blanch & de-seed those excess tomatoes and freeze them for a winter sauce. We store up for winter.

But unlike the squirrel, these aren't our only options. We can plant for the winter.

As you've probably figured out from reading my blog, I love greens, especially kale and spinach. They are jam-packed with nutrition and so versatile in the kitchen. But in the warmer summer temperatures, kale can attract unwanted insects and spinach will wither in the heat. These guys, and many other delicious, healthy cold-hardy veggies, produce well in the winter. Other popular cool-weather crops are: broccoli, Brussels sprouts, lettuce, carrots, & cauliflower.

Fall is the time to plant so that you can harvest these crops in the winter. Mix a little freshness in with the pickles & jams this season!

{CHARLOTTE RESIDENTS: Now is also a good time to start thinking about banding your trees for the Spring cankerworms. Help protect Charlotte's beautiful trees & foliage by banding this Winter. Shout out to Renfrow's Hardware in Matthews. They are not only the best damn place to buy seeds in the greater Charlotte area, but they also carry all the supplies you need for banding. Read more about Charlotte's Cankerworm problem here.}

TIPS FOR GETTING STARTED:

Look into your Plant Hardiness zone when determining when & what to plant in your garden, particularly a Fall garden. You can get a ton of details from the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Many seed packets will reference zones, so it's important to know your zone!

North & South Carolinians: I of course am partial to Clemson & NC State when it comes to tips on horticulture & agriculture. They have great resources for planting in the Carolinas. Here are a few: NC State Horticulture: Growing a Fall Vegetable Garden, Clemson Co-op Extension: Vegetable Gardening

ornamentals: a local expedition.

{Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens, Belmont NC}

It's true that edibles hold my heart & therefore maintain their place at the forefront of my blog, but I certainly adore ornamentals as well. This weekend, C & I got out of the city to do a little exploring & for me to find a little inspiration from ornamentals to make it through a work week in my cubicle.

We made the short drive out to Belmont, just 20 miles from our home in Charlotte. After exiting the interstate, we enjoyed a scenic drive alongside Belmont Abbey College's beautiful campus and cruised through a quaint & cozy downtown Belmont, then on through a little Piedmont countryside to Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens.

The gardens have a special event called ZimSculpt going on right now, which features a sampling of Zimbabwe-inspired sculptures done by the most renowned artists in the world practicing Shona sculpture. The art was fantastic, sprinkled among a collection of trees, plants, & flowers that had me as giddy as a little girl.

While I enjoyed the outside of the gardens, the Orchid Conservatory was my favorite. This greenhouse was home to a variety of air plants, succulents, beautiful & rare orchids, and many other indoor plants. Complete with an indoor waterfall & reflection pond, the sights & smells of this little haven made the trip beyond worth it.

Here are some of my favorite snapshots from our trip.

The Fall.

Gone are the days when I relished the coming of summer, glorious in all of its warmth and freedom and weeks of play. With a full-time desk job, those months of no school and lots of flexibility no longer exist, and I’ve found myself craving another season instead…

Maybe it’s the years I went without, in Los Angeles where the leaves on the palm trees never changed color and the sunshine almost always kept me warm, that gave me my first love for the fall. Maybe it’s the cozy feeling I get when I put on that sweater & scarf to step outside, or the gorgeous colors that surround me now that I’m back in the Southeast. It could even be that PSL with half the pumps and an extra shot. But more than any of these, there is something about fall that makes me feel at home.

As the weather turns chilly, I feel myself turning my attention to our home. Beyond the fun pumpkin & pine cone décor and the spiced apple scented candles, it’s the sensation of being at home that brings so much joy: curling up on the couch with some hot tea and a book, cuddling with Tucker next to the fire, cooking hearty dishes that warm the soul. After a summer spent running around from one get-together to the next, the fall offers some sweet serenity and time to turn our gaze inward.

It’s this need for introspection coupled with the anticipation of the coming of fall that has me inspired to write this blog post. Because you see, in this moment that I focus in, it’s easy to get caught up in Halloween costumes and dinner menus and decorations, what I will make for supper and what color mums I will put on my front porch. But it’s the word for the season itself that causes me to catch my selfish musings and again turn my gaze inward to the ways I fall short.

The Fall is a term used to describe the moment that Adam & Eve chose to disobey God in the perfect garden. It’s the same decision that I would have made had I been there instead. It’s a term that reminds us of the condition of our heart, a condition that leads eventually to death. As the leaves fall and the days turn cold, we prepare for the harshness of winter and the loss of life in the vegetation around us. Rare is a blossom or a shoot of green in this bitter cold. And yet… joy & life are restored with the coming of spring.

In the same way, our stories didn’t end at The Fall. Like the coming of spring, redemption came to us through a Savior, Jesus Christ, who breathed life into our decaying bones and gave us the hope of the Gospel, that through Him we could find forgiveness, hope… restoration.

I love to garden and cook and decorate my house. I love to drink lattes and pumpkin-flavored beer. But I would be selling you short to only tell you stories or give you tips about these things on my blog. My hope is that through my words, you’ll be encouraged and inspired to live life fully on this earth with the knowledge that this was never meant to be our forever home. 

spicy strawberry salsa & dinner for two.

The weekdays never go as planned, thank goodness, because they keep me on my toes and leave me with little unexpected moments to cherish. Tonight my evening of an early run (done by 6:30 at the latest, or else...) and getting most of my classwork done for the week ended up like this:

- Leave work late, home around 6:00.
- Start a video of "How God Really Feels About Bikinis" that lasts 8+ minutes.
- Head out for my run at 6:35 & immediately receive a call from the friend I was supposed to call by 6:00.
- Run a couple miles and then stop to walk, call said friend.
- Brother-in-law beeps in / switch lines / talk quickly / call friend back.
- Organize details for Labor Day Weekend in VA with said friend.
- Call back & talk to brother- & sister-in-law.
- Friend in San Francisco calls as I hang up with family, talk until Caleb arrives home.

... it's now 8:15.

Oh yeah, and what the heck are we having for dinner?

Folks, you can never go wrong with tacos. They have been my last minute saving grace on countless nights, and they never get old. In our household, we use chicken or fish, but you have complete flexibility in the meats & toppings that you choose. One of the best things about tacos is that you can utilize what you already have instead of purchasing what's needed for the meal.

Enter SALSA.

Before living in Southern California and before watching 500 episodes of "Chopped" on the Food Network, I had a very limited idea of salsa. I thought it was the stuff they bring out before a meal at your local Mexican restaurant or the stuff people brought in a jar for that Super Bowl party where no one felt like making a homemade dish. I was pleased to discover that salsa can take on many forms & flavors, involving an endless combination of veggies, spices, fruits, and herbs. And when you have a vegetable garden, this can be a great way to use what you have fresh before it goes bad.

Tonight I checked the fridge and noticed I had a few strawberries that were on the verge of spoiling, so I decided to use those for some sweetness. I added in a variety of tomatoes, jalapeños & parsley from the garden, along with freshly chopped garlic, sweet peppers, and onion that I had on hand. I included a touch of salt & cayenne pepper and a quick few drops of olive oil.

Paired with the fish that Caleb grilled and the tortillas we had, our healthy and delicious meal was ready to eat no more than 20 minutes after I got started. The weather was so nice that even though it was dark and despite the giant killer mosquitos that live under our enormous oak & pecan trees that span almost the entire backyard, I lit some citronella candles and pulled the table close to the light of the back deck so we could eat outside.

I even made this girly drink to go with my meal: Straw-Ber-Rita mixed with some prosecco & fresh strawberries.

I'm happy to say that the food and the drink and even the mosquitos seemed to fade in the background as I was finally able to pause and just be with my husband. We prayed over our food and for our loved ones, talked about our todays and our tomorrows and even our years to come. I'm behind on my schoolwork and we've got a full week ahead, but I'm thankful for that spicy strawberry salsa, the time it saved me in the kitchen, and the time it gave me with my man.

friendlier food.

I love when my favorite things collide. Food & community, be it family or friends, is one of my favorite combinations. Fun impromptu gatherings & dinners are commonplace for 20- & 30-somethings, and meal sharing, even with strangers, has become trendy {no really - check out this site that is doing just that in NYC/SF/DC & other cities: www.eatfeastly.com}.

Food has become a way to share our culture, our upbringing, our life experiences with one another. But how do we move past the cheap booze and store-bought cookies of our college years to contribute something that represents who we are?

I challenge you to get creative for your next gathering. Use that double date dinner night to introduce some fresh salad ideas to your friends, or bring an appetizer that doesn't fit the mold to your friends' to watch the game. Open up your home and try something unique, like making sushi together or a build-your-own pizza night. Brainstorm foods or wines that represent where you're from, where you've been, or where you'd like to go. Whether it's your grandmother's secret recipe or a dish you've been dying to try out, let people know you more through the food you prepare.

I truly believe that we can combat shallow relationships and mundane get-togethers with friendlier food. Let's start using food as a way to serve & love others and show them more of ourselves.

the day I decided that less is MORE.

Let’s be honest… I’ve always wanted to be this girl. The girl who is absolutely content and thriving with little. The girl who desires adventure and community above possessions. The girl who defines wealth & investment in different terms than the world tells her she should. The girl whose outfit doesn’t define her day. And today I’m asking myself: why can’t I be that girl NOW?

In some ways, I’ve mastered the skills of being a minimalist. I wear little make-up and drive a 6 year old Subaru with some dents from all the deer Caleb has hit with it. As a couple, we’ve put off buying a house for some quality adventures together. We’ve moved across country twice, taken our time on the drive to & fro, and been on some fun stateside & international trips. We’ve pursued the career of Caleb’s calling, despite the extensive time & money it has required us to invest, even when it meant moving to Los Angeles on a prayer, $4,000 in savings, and a $30,000 combined salary. And come on, I’m willing to camp in a tent at a site with no bathrooms. Aren’t I every outdoorsman/adventurer’s dream-come-true?

NO. I’m not.

And no one can attest to this more than my very own outdoorsman/adventurer. I, like most of my gender in the States, have bought the lie that MORE is MORE. I have believed that my value comes from how many compliments I receive on how cute my shoes are. I have placed going out for dinner & drinks at a trendy local restaurant above being thrifty & making a wholesome meal at home for my husband & I to share. I have defined beauty in an unhealthy way, and have made idols of hair products, the HGTV Dream Home, and brand name yoga pants, among millions of other things.

So TODAY is the day that I decide less is MORE, and I challenge you to do the same. I’m certain that will look different for me than it will for you. I’m even more certain that I will struggle with this decision every day and that I will trade things of precious and true worth for things that can never satisfy over and over again, and that each time it will leave me feeling empty. Yet even with the knowledge that it won’t be perfect, I’m feeling a special & unique freedom in deciding that less is MORE and making some real-life changes to see this through… today.

mighty mitochondria & garden greens.

In the summer of 2012, I was desperate. I'd started having digestive issues in college, and my stomach was aching all the time. On top of not feeling well, I was sluggish, slow, and not at the fitness level I desired. My husband was well-read in fitness and eating well, so ready for a change, I committed six weeks to the regimen of his choice.

In about a month, I was leaner, faster and stronger. The best part was, I felt good. My energy level was up, I got excited about working out, and I craved fresh & healthy foods. After a few weeks, I adopted Caleb's ideas as my lifestyle.

The main changes I made were:
- Eating more fresh vegetables, particularly greens
- Interval exercise: combining strength & cardio in one short, explosive workout
- Mixing in yoga with my interval exercise (this was my idea, not Caleb's)
- Greatly cutting back on starches (pasta, rice, potatoes, etc.), sweets, and limiting dairy more than before
- Eating white meat almost exclusively (chicken, fish, turkey)**

**I found that this worked for me & my digestive system. This doesn't necessarily apply to everyone. I still love red meat, I just found it doesn't work well for me.

Almost two years after this lifestyle change, my husband shared with me a video titled "Minding Your Mitochondria" with Dr. Terry Wahls. It took me a few months to watch it, because it was 17 minutes long. If you're anything like me, finding 17 minutes to watch a YouTube video is tough enough, not to mention one with a title that boring. But here I am, encouraging you to check it out: "Minding Your Mitochondria" (or check out her book on Amazon.com). If you don't watch it, I want you to know this: what you eat affects the way your mitochondria functions, and your mitochondria affects your energy & overall health.

So how do we eat for our mitochondria? Dr. Wahls' top recommendation is leafy greens. If you're from the Southeastern U.S. like me, your idea of greens might consist of iceburg lettuce or stewed collards. These veggies are great, but I want to highlight two greens I adore that pack a bigger punch: KALE & SPINACH.

Kale & spinach are two of the most nutrient-rich plants per calorie. And what's even better is that they are hardy, cheap, and versatile in the kitchen. With the ability to thrive in cold-weather climates, kale and spinach can be planted in early spring for a summer harvest and again in early fall for a winter harvest. Both grow well in small spaces & yield pretty greenery, making them easy to mix in with your landscape.

Charlotte friends: I've found the Red Russian variety of kale grows great in the clay-heavy soil of the Piedmont region. I've also learned that spinach has a tendency to bolt more quickly in the hot summer temps of North Carolina, so plant it as early as possible (after the last frost) in the spring to reap some early summer harvests.

Some ideas for kale & spinach in the kitchen:

• Salads (photo below is tonight's dinner: kale, fresh basil, fresh peaches, cucumber, walnuts & feta with a balsamic vinaigrette)
• Smoothies (mix kale in with your favorite fruit(s) for a morning breakfast that will boost your metabolism)
• Kale chips
• Pizza or sandwich topper
• Pasta or soup add-in
• Chopped and added to an omelette or wrap

For more information, check out this site:
http://urbanclinic.net/nutrition/eating-for-your-mitochondria/

On another note, I've been accepted into NC State's Horticulture undergrad certificate program. It's a completely online extension program with classes starting next month!