Scenes from a walk 3-25-15

The weather has been gorgeous for the past few days! Nice weather makes for a very nice Spring Break-sunny and high of about 75°F.

We didn’t have a big Spring Break trip planned, so we are enjoying being at home. We have done a little yard work and a little housework.

This morning Megan and I took a walk. It is always nice to have a walking buddy!

I love the Miller’s Easter flag!

Mrs. Carla’s daffodils are so pretty every year!

Here is another variety we saw in a pot in town.

The pear trees that line Front Street are so pretty–but stinky!

A camera could not do justice to these glowing forsythia bushes.

I don’t know what these little wild flowers are called. My sister and I always just called them Easter flowers. Seems like our yard was covered with these every Easter.

Spring has definitely sprung here in Central Arkansas! I’m glad I could get out and enjoy it before the pollen gets too bad!

 

Scenes from a Walk 10-29-14

The weather has been beautiful the past few days!

Highs in the low 70s and lows in the mid 50s make for good walking weather.

I never use ear buds when I go walking. I like to hear everything around me–like cars!

I really enjoy hearing the leaves rustle in the wind and squirrels scamper up tree trunks.

Morning walks are a good way to sort through all the junk rattling around in my brain. Sometimes I even go on prayer walks and pray for the people in the houses and schools I pass along the way.

The other day, I decided to snap a few pictures while on my walk. I have actually done this before in hopes of starting a blog series. Well–here is your first installment of “Scenes from a Walk”. We’ll see if it becomes a series or not.

When I was a kid visiting my grandmother, my sister and I would get bored with “grown up” talk. The city park a couple of blocks away was a welcomed escape. I loved climbing on the sidewalk that had been displaced by tree roots.

I reminisced about those days and climbed on the concrete just like I used to do. What you don’t see in this picture is me almost doing a face-plant about 10 steps past the broken sidewalk! Unfortunately, the car whizzing by didn’t miss it!

We are just starting to see a little fall color here in Central Arkansas. I love it!

I like seeing other folks’ fall decorations.

Are you seeing fall colors in your neck of the woods?

Is your house ready for trick-or-treat festivities tonight?

 

Hillcrest Walk

Beautiful weather here in central Arkansas today-High of about 70˚!

Saturdays, if we don’t have to run off somewhere, our family tends to sleep in a bit. I usually make pancakes-some with chocolate chip-some without. If the weather is agreeable, Chip and I like to sit on the porch in our pjs and sip coffee while we solve the world’s problems.

Since today was going to be so nice, we decided to do something a little different.

We have been trying to get back into exercising. This week we went on a couple of bike rides. I walked around town a little. One day, while the girls were at piano lessons,  I made my Dad go walking with me on some hills. I don’t think he liked the hills very much.

We live where there are NO hills. FLAT! I really felt the need to walk on some hills!

So, this morning Chip and I headed to one of my favorite neighborhoods in Little Rock to walk–Hillcrest.

I love the houses. I love the trees. I love the shops and restaurants. Sigh!

Our plan was to sleep in a little, go walk, find a smoothie place and be home around 1:00.

This sign cracked me up for some reason. I guess I expected to see a black Labrador sitting there or something!

Remember the reason we wanted to go to Hillcrest? Hills!

I’m sure I will be wobbly tomorrow.

I only took a couple of pictures of houses because I was walking. There are just so many quaint houses in Hillcrest though!

We eventually wandered into Rosalia’s Bakery in search of smoothies. It is right next door to Cafe Bossa Nova. Come to find out, they are owned by the same folks. The restaurant sure smelled good.

They didn’t have smoothies, but they did have these…

The bakery shares a parking lot with pizza place we really like, Damgoode Pies. We have always called it “Darngoode Pies”. If you go, be sure to get the pink sauce. It’s my favorite!

Down the street was Hillcrest Artisan Meats! (I have to add that I got a little giggle adding my website address to a picture of a pig!)

I was very excited to step in to H.A.M. I have been following them on Facebook for a while. We didn’t get to eat there today. Remember, we were on a smoothie hunt. We WILL go back!

Here is a little peak inside…

Taking a walk break.

Well, all we could find in Hillcrest was coffee shops. We hopped in the truck and headed up the road to The Heights–another of my favorite neighborhoods–in search of smoothies.

We struck gold at Red Mango.

Chip got the Mango-Pineapple Smoothie and I had the Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Smoothie. We also picked up a fancy water for later.

We ended up liking each other’s smoothie better than our own. So,we shared them both as we strolled up and down the street.

Red Mango is right next door to Cupcakes on Kavanaugh–yum!

We saw a barber pole along the way. When you are a Sweet Adeline, you notice these things.

There are lots of neat shops and galleries and such in the Heights.

Ozark Outdoor was a must see for Chip. They had lots of cool hiking and running-type stuff in there.

Just across the street was a Eggshells Kitchen Co. I was like a kid in a candy shop!

I was glad we had out Blackberry Pomegranate water to enjoy on the way home.

What a great Saturday morning! We even made it home by 1:00.

What did you do on your Saturday morning?

 

Nuts About Football!

Need a healthy snack for your Super Bowl party?
Almonds + Food Writer = Cute Football snacks

Thanks, Party Pinching, for the fun idea!

 

Running the 5K

One of my favorite activities at Blog Camp was getting to participate in 5K sponsored by New Balance.  The 5K came the morning after our delicious cupcake binge.

We were greeted bright and early by crazy people. Lisa and Ashley were way too perky and energetic for so early in the day. Runners-humph!

Really, they were lots of fun!

Since New Balance sponsored the run, all the New Balance wearers posed for a photo op.

Let me say this…I am not a runner. I walked the 5K. I walked the 5K with a big old camera draped around my neck. Now, THAT is exercise!

I didn’t have a planned partner for the walk. I ended up walking with Talya from Grace, Grits and Gardening. (Since I failed to get a picture of us together, I borrowed one from her website.)

I’ve been following Talya for a while now, so I was really excited to get to know her! I love when she has musical pairings to go with her posts. Talya is a genuine gal. I really enjoyed sweating with her!

There were so many great sights to see along the race path.

We had a couple of challenges along the way. This was the only one I photographed. I was too busy sliding down a fire pole to take other pictures.

I was so inspired by the AWBU 5K that I entered a local race a couple of weeks ago.

The Great 5K Pumpkin Fun Run is a fun event that supports the Open Arms Shelter. Follow the link for more information about the shelter.

I had some great supporters walk/run with me.

Look at all the wonderful pumpkins and gourds that were available to purchase. (These pictures were taken while I was on my walk the day before the race. That is why there are no people in the pictures.)

All of these beauties came from our friends’ farm.

How cute is this house of pumpkins?!

And look who was at the event sharing fall decorating tips…

P. Allen Smith! I did say hello! Unfortunately, I looked like this…hot and sweaty!

The kids took off and left us right off the bat and had a blast. I did actually run bits and pieces of the 5K but walked mostly. Who knows, maybe I’ll do another 5K and actually run the whole way–someday.