Pet Resorts and Christmas Trees

For the first time in years, Nathan and I will not be spending Christmas together. I'm headed to New York for ten days to visit my family but he just started a new job (yes! in his field! with a livable wage and benefits! hallelujah!) and doesn't have any time off for the holidays. Instead, he will be making a quick weekend trip to Illinois to see his parents and brother, who's about to be deployed yet again.

This means that the dogs - our dear, spoiled, and, um, unique pups - will have to be kenneled for the first time in their pampered lives. Back when we only had Seamus, we would have avoided kenneling at all costs. Seamus is codependent and nervous, and I can only imagine the trauma that leaving him in a strange place, with strange people and stranger dogs, would have inflicted. However, we are now a two dog family and Calvin is decidedly not codependent or nervous (unless you're fighting with him over the blankets at night - then he wants to be as close to you as physically possible). Seamus and Calvin are definitely a team and I think that Seamus will be okay in a kennel if he has Calvin to keep him warm at night and boss around during the day. Luckily, I found a kennel - excuse me, a Pet Resort - in town. It features rooms with glass walls (no bars or chains for these dogs!), raised beds which include headboards, beachy jazz and classical music playing all day long, and optional webcam access to your animals. Best of all, they can put dogs from the same family in the same room. I think the boys will be fine for three days, but I'm still nervous. (I wonder where Seamus gets it?)

In happier Christmas news, Nathan and I got our very first real live (well, technically dead) Christmas tree.

Naked tree!

Alas, we did not chop it down ourselves, but it is from North Carolina. It's a little crooked, but I think that adds to it's charm. In all our years of living in sin, the closest we've come to a Christmas tree is a potted rosemary plant, and it's not quite the same when you can pick around the ornaments for dinner ingredients. The tree was only $25.00 and I had a $10.00 coupon, so we were feeling pretty thrifty - until we learned that tree stands were $30.00! I have since discovered that they are much cheaper elsewhere, but it was too late. We were determined to make our own tree stand, dammit. Nathan used some scrap wood and drilled it directly into the trunk, flush with the ground, which worked great.  Until, that is, I read online that the trunk of the tree should be in water, so it does not shrivel and die by mid-December. You have to water your Christmas tree! Who could have known?

Ingenuity.

This was a problem that was easily solved: I retrieved the dog's large, outside water bowl, filled it with the good stuff, and Nathan successfully put our homemade stand in place. The only downside is that Calvin keeps pacing the tree's perimeter, whining because he's thirsty and can't get to the water. He's a special dog.

We don't really  have any ornaments and I didn't want to spend $20.00 on generic ones from Target, so we've decided to build our collection slowly. Each year, we'll each buy or make an ornament for the tree, something meaningful or beautiful, and by the time we're fifty we'll have a huge tree, dripping with lovely decorations. For now, we have three ornaments, some mini-disco balls I found in the attic, and pretty lights. And it's perfect.

When can we pee on this thing?

Merry effing Christmas, y'all!

Now if you'll excuse me, there is about a week and a half left to this semester and I am up to my ears in workshops and critiques. If you need me, I'll be buried under stories and poems, covered in red ink, and permanently attached to a cup of coffee with a splash of almond milk. Oh, grad school. How I missed you!

Marathon Training: Week 2

To aid in my quest to run a four hour marathon on March 18, 2012, I'll be writing training recaps each Monday, documenting the previous week. This is week two!
 

Hell yeah, marathon training! I know it's only week two, and thus might be too early for such a declarative statement, but I have been rocking the running lately! While I once again had some scheduling weirdness (this time due to Thanksgiving - I should probably just accept that every week will be weird in some way and adapt accordingly) I managed to complete all four of my runs and two kettlebell classes. Still only made it to one yoga class, which is basically tragic, considering how much I love yoga. This week, two classes will happen.

This week, I moved my long run to Sunday yet again. I had planned to do long runs on Fridays but Sunday seems to be working out. The only difference it makes is when I take my rest day. As long as I'm getting those long runs in, I'm happy. 

Monday: Rest and recovery from my ten miler on the day before. 

Tuesday: Speed work! The dreaded mile repeats. My plan called for 3 x 1600 meters in 8:23, with 800 recovery jogs, plus a warm and cool down, for a total of six miles. My splits:

1 mile warm up: 9:30

1st mile fast: 7:26
0.5 mile recover: 11:30
2nd mile fast: 7:55
0.5 mile recovery: 11:57
3rd mile fast: 8:04

1 mile cool down: 10:50

I thought I was maybe hitting an 8:30 pace on the fast sections and worried that this workout would be a failure. I even gave myself a mid-run pep talk, something like, "Don't worry, Chrissy. This is your first time doing mile repeats in forever. You have plenty of time to get faster." Clearly, I have no idea how fast I am actually running, ever. I was really shocked to see that I ran my first mile in 7:26 - no wonder I felt like I was going to die! So this workout was a success, speed-wise, and an indication that I seriously need to improve, pacing-wise. 

Wednesday: 30 minute kettlebell class at the YMCA. Still obsessed with kettlebell. 

Thursday: Nathan and I headed out early for an easy run around the neighborhood before the madness of hosting Thanksgiving started. The plan called for five at a 10:28 pace, but I always run faster with Nathan and ended up with an average pace of 9:05. The weather was perfect and it felt so good! 

Friday: A much needed yoga class at the YMCA. It was a 90 minute Vinyasa class taught by a woman named Battle. No joke. It was a good class and I got to do a headstand, though I had a hard time with some other usually easy poses, which I am blaming on the Thanksgiving hangover. Before class Nathan, Erica and I lifted weights for about 20 minutes, and later that day we walked the dogs 4 miles around Greenfield Lake. It ended up being a really active, yet relaxing, day. 

Saturday: I had grand plans to run a 4 mile trail race this morning, but when I went to sign up the night before I saw that registration had ended two days ago and there was no race-day registration. Bummer. Also, procrastination doesn't pay. I consoled myself with an easy 4 mile run around the neighborhood (plan said 10:28; I said 9:18!). After my run, I headed to the YMCA for a 45 minute long kettlebell/aerobics class, which kicked my ass. Spent the rest of the day reading on the couch.  

Sunday: For this week's long run, my plan called for 12 miles at a 10:28 pace. I ended up with 12 at a 10:13 pace, which I consider close enough. I did this run in my neighborhood, alone except for my iPod shuffle. I don't usually take music on my shorter runs, because I think we should all be able to spend 30-60 minutes alone with our thoughts, but for a two hour run, I figured a musical distraction was acceptable.

Looking at my splits, I am most pleased with the middle part of my run, and the consistency of my pace. The last three miles were my fastest, but that's because I really wanted to be done. I knew a mimosa and a huge breakfast burrito were waiting for me at home, and I was eager to get there. Overall, a great run on a beautiful morning!

Mile 1: 9:56
Mile 2: 10:11
Mile 3: 10:02
Mile 4: 10:23
Mile 5: 10:23
Mile 6: 10:25
Mile 7: 10:25
Mile 8: 10:26
Mile 9: 10:14
Mile 10:10:11
Mile 11: 10:04
Mile 12: 9:46 

Total miles: 27! 

Final thoughts: This is less about training (which is going fine) and more about blogging. I just realized that this post is extremely long. If you made it this far, do you like this format for training updates? Would it be better to just update throughout the week and not bombard you all at once? I kind of like doing it this way, but not if I'm just scaring off my readers. Thanks for your thoughts, and onward to week 3!

Thankful and Vegan Pumpkin Walnut Bread

For Thanksgiving, Nathan and I usually don't travel far. For the last seven or so years, we've either stayed at home or spent the day with friends in town, which has been wonderful. I love Thanksgiving most of all because it's a low pressure holiday - no gifts to buy, no complicated travel plans, no costumes to create or romantic gestures to orchestrate. It's a holiday about being thankful for what you've got and eating a lot of good food, which just so happens to be two of my favorite past times. 

This year we hosted a small gathering at our house in Wilmington. We invited over a few people we know would be in town and ended up with a party of seven, including ourselves. (Nine if you include the dogs, which I know the dogs did.) It was the perfect number - a manageable group to overfeed, small enough to talk to everyone, and a great crowd for board games. Somehow, between hosting, cooking, and kicking ass at Scattergories, Taboo, Catch Phrase and various drinking games (I was sipping wine and only pretended to chug when necessary - shhh) the only photos I took were the few I managed to snap with my phone. Oh, well. It was worth it.

First up: bread! This week's entry into the (non-competitive) bread challenge comes compliments of Joy the Baker. A week or two ago I came across her recipe for vegan pumpkin walnut bread while looking for Thanksgiving day ideas and immediately added it to my dream menu. While I didn't end up making every dish I fell in love with (six entrees, eight sides, and five desserts might have been overdoing it just a little) this recipe made the cut. And oh, how glad we were!

I made the bread exactly as Joy instructs, except that I didn't have white whole wheat flour on hand and just used all-purpose, which Joy said is fine. I also had a pumpkin pie spice mix and tossed 3.5 teaspoons of that into the mix instead of the individual spices. The recipe came together easily and before I knew it, my house was filled with the most divine scent of pumpkin and bread and spices. It was heavenly and put me directly into the Thanksgiving zone. I highly recommend this recipe!

Also on my all-vegan menu: tons of Tofruky, Daily Garnish's Butternut Squash and Cranberry Maple Millet, roasted Brussels sprouts and baby carrots, garlic roasted mashed potatoes, mushroom gravy, Isa's Old Fashioned Chocolate Pudding Pie and the bread mentioned above. My friend Mel brought real turkey, stuffing and a corn dish straight outta the mid-West, and Sally supplied a gorgeous gluten-free spice cake. Despite our various dietary restrictions, everyone came away with full plates and fuller stomachs and over the course of twelve (yes, twelve!) hours we sat down to dinner three separate times. Oh, and we had a bonfire in the backyard. We win at Thanksgiving.

I hope it goes without saying that I am thankful for all the usual stuff - family, friends, health, education, a home, a loving partner, two awesome dogs, the opportunity to do exactly what I want right now in my life. So instead, I would like to mention how thankful I am for the community that I've found here in Wilmington. When we left Nacogdoches I was heartbroken - I had made the best friends while I was there and I couldn't imagine living my life, day to day, without them. I didn't think anyone could ever measure up and told myself that chasing your dreams was a lonely pursuit and I should just get used to it now. Well, I'm happy to say that I was wrong. My friends in Nacogdoches are still dear to my heart and I miss them every day, but Wilmington has offered me different friendships with new people who, I hope and believe, will be just as important to my heart and soul in the coming years. That's the thing about friendship - there is no limit to the awesome people that can enter your life, if only you let them. I think this year's Thanksgiving proved that nicely.

Happy (belated) Thanksgiving to you and yours. I hope it was a wonderful day!

The Bread Challenge: Sweet Yeast Rolls

On Sunday evening, I attended a Friendsgiving celebration, which coincided nicely with my ten mile run (refueling is definitely the best part of training). For the party, I made Isa's vegan chocolate pudding pie (delicious!) and these rolls.

The rolls were... okay. They were a little tough and on the chewy side, whereas I had been envisioning something more light and sweet, like a bread cloud pillowing from the plate. I'm not sure what went wrong, but I think it might have something to do with the amount of time I let my KitchenAid knead the hell out of them. Over-kneading is a thing, right? If not, then maybe I just invented it. BAM.

This is not to say that no one at the party liked them. On the contrary, everyone raved about them and the plate was empty by the end of the night. I have a feeling my friends would rave about anything I made from scratch, because they're nice, which is why they're my friends, so I didn't quite trust their compliments. But an empty plate really can't be argued with.

Overall, a decent recipe but I probably won't make it again. There are too many other breads I want to try first - like this pumpkin bread, for a little holiday you may have heard of called Thanksgiving. Obviously, I'll let y'all know how it goes.

Sweet Yeast Rolls
from food.com

You will need:  
2 cups almond milk
1/4 cup Earth Balance
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup warm water
2 tablespoons yeast
5 1/2 cups flour
1 tablespoon local honey (or agave or sugar)

Directions:
Heat milk to scalding. Pour into a bowl with the Earth Balance, 1/2 cup of sugar and salt.

In another bowl combine the water, yeast and 1/4 t sugar and allow to sit for 5 minutes. It will be ready when it's thick and foamy.

After the milk mixture has cooled, add the yeast mixture. Then add 1/2 cup flour and beat about 200 times. Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes. (This is when I let my KitchenAid at it for perhaps too long, as I wasn't counting at all.)

Add 4 cups flour and beat well, then begin to mix with your hands. Add about 1 more cup flour or enough to produce a consistency of dough that can be turned out onto a floured board. Knead for 5 minutes. (Go, Kitchy, go!)

Put dough into a well-oiled bowl and let rise for 1 hour. Punch down and form about 12 rolls. Place them on an oiled cookie sheet and allow to rise for 1/2 hour.

Bake at 375F for about 20 minutes or until the bottoms are brown and the tops are beginning to turn golden brown. Brush with honey and let dry. Rolls will be a little sticky, but that's okay. 

Marathon Training: Week 1

To aid in my quest to run a four hour marathon on March 18, 2012, I'll be writing training recaps each Monday, documenting the previous week. This is week one!

Despite some scheduling weirdness, week one of marathon training went really well. It was Writer's Week at UNCW so all my classes were canceled. I thought this would free up my time and I would get so much done (catch up on school work, grading, reading, running) but in actuality I spent more time on campus, attending sessions and readings, than I have since I got to Wilmington. It was an amazing week, so I'm not complaining. It just wasn't the week I was expecting.

That said, I managed to complete all my runs and squeeze in my strength training. A word about my training schedule: I plan to run four times a week - one long run (unless it's a step-back week), one speed workout (intervals or tempo runs or a race), and two easy runs (which will get longer as the weeks go by). If I have to skip a run at any point, as I'm sure I will, it will be one of the easy runs. The long runs and the speed work are non-negotiable, but I can do any of my runs on any day of the week, as long as I complete them between Monday and Sunday. Obviously, I won't do speed work the morning after a long run, but otherwise I am free to shift around as needed.

And last week, I needed to shift! Here's how it all shook out:

Monday: An easy five mile run around the neighborhood. The plan called for a 10:30 pace; I ran a 9:30. Too fast, but it felt so good!

Tuesday: Rest day. I would have preferred a rest day later in the week, but Tuesday was crazy-busy and it made the most sense.

Wednesday: Easy five mile run, followed by a 30 minute kettlebell class at the YMCA. The run was, once again, faster than called for (plan said 10:30, I said 9:39) and kettlebell seemed okay, until I woke up the next day and was so sore I could barely walk. I was supposed to do a six mile tempo run this day, but it was warm and humid so I decided to swap it with Friday's easy run.

Thursday: Vinyasa Flow Yoga at the YMCA. I had to leave before savasana, as there was a craft lecture on campus I needed to attend, but it was worth it. Stretch. It. Out.

Friday: My training plan called for a 4 mile tempo run, at 9:00 m/m, with a one mile warm up and cool down. So, six miles total. My splits:

1 mile warm up: 9:59
Tempo mile 1: 8:44
Tempo mile 2: 8:53
Tempo mile 3: 8:49
Tempo mile 4: 8:52
1 mile cool down: 10:48

My splits were a little fast but mostly consistent, so I am pleased. I have a really hard time regulating my speed and will be working on this for the next 18 months.

Saturday: Kettlebell at the YMCA. The Saturday class was combined with an aerobics class (they were short on instructors) so the moves were easier but faster. Which made them seem harder. Go figure.

Sunday: Long run! I headed to Greenfield Lake with a group of friends. My plan called for a 10:30 pace and, as opposed to my too-fast easy runs, I really wanted to get close to this target. Long runs are not about speed - they're about time on your feet, plain and simple. Our group split up after about two miles and I stayed back, running the first four miles with Lucy. Then I caught up to Emily and ran another mile with her. Then I was alone until mile eight, when I saw Nathan, Carson and Mel, and we finished out the ten together. The first five miles were a 10:40 pace (average) and the second half was about 9:50 (I wanted to be done). Overall average pace: 10:18, which is close enough to 10:30. Success!

Total miles: 26!

Final thoughts: So far, so good. As I told Emily during the long run, everything on this plan seems totally manageable, except for the part where I'm supposed to run a four hour marathon. Oh, well. I am putting my trust in the plan and whatever happens, happens! My sole disappointment this week is that I only made it to one yoga class, which is a shame - my goal is two to three classes. I might have to get a home practice going one day a week, which will be a new sort of adventure. I've always done yoga in a class or at a studio, but I'm far enough along in my practice that a solo session should be okay. I'll let y'all know how it shakes out.

As for week two of marathon training: here we go!

Third Time's A Charm

In keeping my goal of running one marathon a year, I've already chosen and, as of this week, started training for marathon number three: The Quintiles Wrightsville Beach Marathon, right here in Wilmington, North Carolina.

(Ignore the 2011 date - I couldn't find a logo for the 2012 race, but rest assured that it will take place Sunday, March 18th.)

I'm excited about this race for a few reasons. The first is that it's been nearly a year since I last trained for 26.2 miles and I actually kind-of-sort-of miss the sweet exhaustion that running 30-ish miles a week can offer. The second reason is that this race is in Wilmington. After traveling four hours to run Austin in 2010 and two hours to run Houston in 2011, rolling out of bed a few hours before the race and driving less than twenty minutes to the starting line will seem downright luxurious. The third reason is that, according to Runner's World's handy SmartCoach tool, I should be able to complete my third marathon in just under four hours.

Yes, that's right. My goal for the Wrightsville Beach Marathon is 3:59:59. 

Is this a lofty goal? It is. Will it be difficult to achieve? It will. Will I have to be dedicated to my training, on top of my nutrition, smart about cross-training, and willing to turn down invites to the bar? Naturally. Am I physically and mentally capable of finishing a marathon in four hours? I like to think so.

I ran my first marathon in 4:43 and my second in 4:20. This year, present-Chrissy has a few advantages over past-Chrissy, which makes me think it might actually be possible to knock another 20 minutes off my PR. Those advantages are as follows:

1. I'm currently in graduate school. While I am busier than I used to be, my schedule is much more flexible. In the past, if I missed a long run I had to use vacation time to make it up during the week, if I was lucky. Now, I can easily adapt my training plan to suit my needs as they arise.

2. I have two marathons under my belt already. I know what to expect. Sure, I'll learn a few more things this time around, but I'm way better off than when I started. Case in point: I now understand the concept and importance of speed work. This is huge.

3. Wilmington is much flatter than East Texas. Flat = fast.

4. I now consider cross-training just as important as running. Kettlebell will make me stronger and yoga keeps my body flexible and limber. Kettlebell + yoga + running = the holy trinity of physical fitness.

5. I have an inflated sense of ego and confidence to spare. Plus, I like a challenge and a four hour marathon is definitely a challenge.

So there you have it. The goal has been set, the intention has been announced - now all I have to do is train like a mofo, run 26.2 miles at a 9:10 pace, and collect my medal on March 18th. Easy as pie. (Wait. 9:10? Oh jeez. This is going to hurt.)

In case you were curious, here's a link to the training plan I'll be using to get myself across the finish line. (I hope that link works - if not, let me know.) I also plan to write a marathon post each Monday, with details about the past week's workouts and progress. I've missed blogging about training almost as much as I've missed training, so this should be fun. Painful, but fun.

Do you have any big races planned for 2012? Do you love the feeling of a freshly generated training plan? Are you blogging your progress and goals? Let me know and we can cheer each other on!

Writers Week

Here at UNCW we are in the throes of Writers Week - an annual event, occurring each fall semester, during which all creative writing classes are canceled and we are instead treated to panel discussions, Q and A's with authors, agents and editors, craft lectures from visiting professors, and nightly readings. The events are open to the public and free, and students can go to as many or as few events as they want. So far, I've made it to everything but the nightly readings (I had bee school on Monday and missed last night's due to a hair cut that ran over) and so far, everything has been amazing.

Today, I'm taking the morning off from sessions in order to actually get some exercise in (I officially started marathon training this week - more about that tomorrow!)  and I have a six mile tempo run and a kettlebell class to attend before a 12:30 session on breaking into print journals (exciting!). So I'll just leave you with this tidbit from yesterday's panel with the talented Tom Grimes, who wrote the book Mentor: A Memoir, which is now on the top of my to-read list.

"Fiction asks, what if? Memoir asks, why? Both seek to uncover the mysteries of the human experience." (I'm paraphrasing, but creative nonfiction says that's okay.)

I mostly write fiction, but I dabble in nonfiction on occasion. (Hello, blogging!) I think the what ifs and whys are equally important, and I love looking at story-telling from this angle.

Now to run, lift, and seek out more gems like the one above. Until next time! 

The Bread Challenge: Amish White Bread

"I don't want to kid you: To make great bread, the kind that makes you think you should be eating bread at every meal, the kind that makes you really proud, is an accomplishment. It takes practice, even skill, good ingredients, much more time (though not much more work once you get the rhythm down), and even a bit of luck. More than most foods, bread is alive; yeast, even today's standardized yeast, is a little unpredictable."

~ From How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, by Mark Bittman

I have a complicated relationship with bread baking, which lies in the fact that every time I've attempted it - the kneading, the resting, the rising, the resting again, the kneading again - I have failed. The bread doesn't rise and lays like a brick at the bottom of my pan. The bread does rise, but I leave it in the oven too long and the crust is hard and impenetrable, even with the sharpest knife. I get half way through the process and forget about the dough, abandoning it on top of my refrigerator for three days before I remember. Okay, so the bread isn't to blame for all my failures, but still - that quote from Mark Bittman made me feel a little better about my struggles. Bread is hard to get right, but that doesn't mean we should stop trying. 

Enter my new favorite blog, Brooklyn Homesteader, and her recent Bread Challenge. The rules are simple: bake a loaf of bread every week all winter long; document the bread by photo or video; eat and enjoy the bread, wasting none of it. For the novice bread baker, this seemed like a perfect challenge, and so I committed myself on the spot. By spring, I hope to emerge from the cold clutches of winter an accomplished baker of bread.

And because we all have to start somewhere, I present my effort for week one. I searched the Internet for a recipe that contained only the most basic ingredients and the shortest list of directions. I ended up baking this Amish White Bread, which came out perfectly - fluffy, light, with just a hint of sweetness. I alternated between marveling at the finished product and devouring it, slice after delicious slice. I can only hope the rest of my experiments in bread turn out half as well as this one.

Amish White Bread
recipe from allrecipes.com  

You will need:
1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1/3 cup white sugar
2-1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 envelope)
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 cups bread flour (I used unbleached, all purpose flour because that's what I had)

Directions (and my notes!): 
In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar in warm water, and then stir in yeast. Allow to proof until yeast resembles a creamy foam. (I tossed my first attempt at proofing the yeast because it didn't look foamy enough and I didn't want to take any chances. This tutorial helped put my mind at ease.)

Mix salt and oil into the yeast. Mix in flour one cup at a time. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth. (I used my KitchenAid mixer's bread hook for perhaps the first time ever, which made this part literally effortless. Why did I wait so long?) Place in a well oiled bowl, and turn dough to coat. Cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. 

(My house is kind of cold so I ended up letting it rise for closer to three hours. I learned this tip from a fellow MFA student and talented bread baker. I'm glad she shared this tip with me, because it worked beautifully.) 

Punch dough down. Knead for a few minutes. Shape into a loaf, and place into a well oiled 9x5 inch loaf pan. Allow to rise for 30 minutes, or until dough has risen 1 inch above pan.

Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes. (Allow to cool completely before cutting into thick slices and slathering in Earth Balance. Try not to eat the whole loaf in one day.)

Nine Years and An Anniversary Garden

Today (11-11-11!) is my and Nathan's nine year anniversary. Yes, nine years. We have been dating since I was just 20 years old and couldn't even buy myself a bottle of wine. (Okay, fine, a 40 of Old English. I was young and had much to learn.) Because we're broke, we've decided to go out to dinner tonight and spend the rest of the weekend at home, working on our future garden. Yes, in addition to bees and chickens, we plan to have a kick ass vegetable paradise come spring time - which means there is a lot of work to do now. Here's what we're currently working with:

We have a very long back yard, and only the half closest to the house is fenced in. Which is fine with us - the back area will be separate from the dogs, which will keep the garden and chicken and bees safe from their grubby paws. In the photo above, I am standing in the furthest part of the yard, looking towards the house.

Nathan has already thinned out the scraggly trees, which were unhealthy and competing for space and sunlight. Our next step is to dig up the roots that were left behind and clear space for raised beds - this will be our weekend goal (very romantic, I know). When faced with a yard such as this, it can be hard to imagine a gorgeous end product. This is where Pinterest comes in - inspiration and motivation, all in one easy to use, cleanly designed, and highly addictive website. Here are just some beauiful gardens I'll be picturing while swinging my pick axe this weekend.

Source: ducotedechezvous.com via Chrissy on Pinterest

I LOVE the matching beds and fence, but I doubt Nathan would go for something so... well... cute. He's a bit more rustic than that. Still, a girl can dream.

Source: online-gardening-courses.com via Chrissy on Pinterest

This is actually much close to what we'll be doing. One large bed lined up against our back fence, with delicious rows of vegetables and herbs. I like this version because it uses less wood, which means it will be less expensive to build.

Source: popularmechanics.com via Chrissy on Pinterest

If money is no object, however (ha!), then smaller and more numerous beds is also quite fetching. Easier to reach across for weeding and harvesting as well!

Source: shelterness.com via Chrissy on Pinterest

Well now, that's just adorable. Little pots, hanging on a fence and housing herbs and flowers? Is it possible to swoon over plants? This would also be a nice compromise to satisfy my affinity for color. Note to self: raid thrift shops for terracotta flower pots and invest in some paint.

Source: diyideas.com via Chrissy on Pinterest

More adorable colors! This garden is actually too small and a little crowded, but damn if it isn't pretty.

Source: google.com via Chrissy on Pinterest

If we owned rather than rented, this is what I imagine our house would resemble after a year or two. Grass is nothing but a missed opportunity. Super Garden Takeover is where it's at.

I can't wait to start tending my own garden and growing my own food. It's been a dream since we lived in a our apartment in Texas, which got no sun and in which we could not even coax peppers and tomatoes to grow in a container. (We tried. They died.) And soon that dream will come true, but first we have to deal with this:

Yes, we'll be busy this weekend. But that's okay, because we'll be busy together. <3

PS NINE YEARS. Oh my god, we're getting old.

Kill Your Darlings

The cornerstone of the MFA program (in my eyes) is the workshop. This is when we share our writing with our classmates and professors, discuss what's working and what's not, question the choices we make as writers, and find ways to improve our craft. I can't tell you how many times I've written a piece, tweaked it until I have the thing practically memorized, convinced myself there is not one more thing I can do it to, not even move a comma, and then hand it in for workshop, only to have it torn to pieces by my astute and talented peers and professors and sent home with the shreds of my "masterpiece" and a very long to-do list.

Workshops are not for the faint of heart, but if you want to become a better writer they. are. vital. Stories require tough love to get them from first draft to finished product and it can be nearly impossible to follow the twisted path of revision on your own. It's ironic, actually - I can read someone else's story and identify exactly what's not working. But when trying to diagnose my own work? Forget about it. When you're too close to the source, it's nearly impossible to see the big picture.

There are two idioms that people in workshops love to throw around. The first is "show, don't tell," which is meant to encourage a person to put things in scene instead of exposition. For example, writing that "Kate's eyes narrowed and a furrow appeared in her brow. She gritted her teeth and felt her body grow hot," is infinitely more interesting than, "Kate was angry." The other idiom is my favorite, if only for the poetic punch it packs. "Kill your darlings." This one speaks to the fact that often, the part of a story you love the most - the paragraph that inspired the whole piece, or the line that you slaved over to get just right - is the precisely the part that needs to be cut to make the story, on a whole, stronger. Workshop is one of the best places to identify such darlings, and a post-workshop revision is basically a murder scene, no consonant or vowel safe from the decisive stroke of the delete button.

All of this is to say that tomorrow, I am starting a month long workshop with visiting writer Steve Almond, who just published a new book with UNCW's own press, Lookout Books. I am the only first year in the workshop and I volunteered to go with the first group, so last week I emailed my story to the class. One person sent me a critique already, and I already read it, and now I wish I had submitted something else - something more polished, closer to finished, with less darlings ripe for the killing. I don't usually get rattled by workshops but I think the combination of upperclassmen that I admire and a writer I respect, tearing my story to (much needed) shreds, is more nerve-racking than I anticipated.

On the other hand, what better time to submit a story then when it's raw and rough and mostly potential? I have a bad habit of writing something and then revising it for at least a year (literally) before I let someone else see it. By that point, my darlings are so entrenched that killing them is nearly impossible. So I will look at this workshop as an experiment - get my feedback early and finish the piece with those suggestions in mind, and hope my stories will be stronger for it.

How do you deal with criticism? Do you have a thick skin or do you only pretend, weeping in the corners when no one is looking? I usually welcome any attention someone wants to pay my writing, good or bad (along with workshops, a big ego is also vital to a writer's success) but I also think it's important to feel vulnerable once in a while. An adventurous life demands risk.

A Day in the Apiary

BEES!

Yesterday, Nathan, Sally (fellow MFA-er and bee lover extraordinaire) and I spent a day in the apiary as part of our beekeeping classes. You're not supposed to open the hive unless it's above 40 degrees (70 is ideal) because the bees will lose the heat they've built up and a cold bee is a sad bee. Luckily, we had great weather yesterday and the bees were buzzing!

First, we learned how to use the smoker. You want to get thick, white, cool smoke and then gently blow smoke into the hive before opening it. This masks the scent of the bee pheromones and keeps them docile and calm while you perform your hive maintenance. Nathan was a natural at building a tiny fire that produced the perfect type of smoke.

Once the bees were sedated and we were wearing adequate protection, our instructors opened some of the hives and we watched the bees busy at work. The quiet drone of buzzing was divine and I loved watching them flying in and out of the hive and crawling all over the frames. We spent some time identifying eggs and larvae, looking at the different stages of the comb, and searching (unsuccessfully) for the queen.

Nathan makes a friend.

Bees flying in and out of the hive, carrying pollen or water to their sisters.

Hello, bees!

Looking down into the hive, at bees crawling on the frames. There are usually ten frames per hive body.

More experienced beekeepers generally wear just the veil and don't bother with the whole suit, which was a little disappointing. I love the suit! And yet, I have to admit - wearing the veil alone was much more comfortable. In the photo above, Sally is wearing the fashionable veil plus jacket combo, which I think will be my outfit of choice. It's much more chic than the bag that I am wearing.

Searching for the queen. Photo by Nathan.

Sally and a bee!

All in all, a very educational and hands-on day. While I've been learning a lot in our Monday evening classes, seeing the bees and their hives in person suddenly made it all seem so possible. We've already put in an order for bees, though they won't be available until April at the earliest. This is actually ideal - we have a lot of prep work to do, such as gathering equipment and building our hives, and starting a hive in the winter is big no-no. Spring is definitely best and I'm happy with waiting. I plan to have the best bees on the block and after yesterday's field trip, I feel like we're well on our way. 

Now, to plan the gardens and the chicken coop...

Teachable Moments: A Classroom Update

Teaching manual for next semester. Eek!

Back in September, I posted about my less-than-inspiring experiences as a brand new teaching assistant of creative writing. I realized today that after holiday breaks and special events I am only teaching TWO more classes, and so it seemed a good time to give y'all an update on my progress as a teacher.

To make a long story short: things have improved, greatly.

To make a short story a long blog post...

In those first few weeks, my biggest issues were nervous nausea before class and dealing with students who seemed to have no opinions, thoughts, feelings or ability to speak out loud. While I am still terribly nervous prior to teaching (I hear this never really goes away - yay?) my students have improved so much. We still have our awkward stretches of silence, mostly following the question, "What did you think about this piece?" but I no longer think it's because they hate writing, reading, school, and/or me. I'm pretty sure they have come to accept the fact that I will randomly call on someone and they are content to wait me out. Nine times out of ten, the person I call on gives a great answer, so I know the opinions are in there. Luckily, I'm getting better at drawing them out.

My students seem to like workshop best, which is no surprise. Workshop is awesome and in my class, we keep it pretty traditional. Students write a short story or an essay and distribute copies to everyone in the class. The class goes home to read and comment on the stories, and the following week is workshop time. First, I ask someone to quickly summarize the plot of the story and then we go around in a circle so everyone has a chance to speak, first discussing what worked in the piece, and then discussing what the writer might need to consider while revising. Finally, the writer gets to ask us any questions they might have (or talk about what gave them the idea for the piece - they really like talking about that, and honestly I like hearing it. Process is fascinating!)

Port City Java = lesson prep, writing.

In my pedagogy class, we spent a few minutes writing down our strengths and weakness as a teacher. My strengths are definitely in the workshop - I feel like I'm good at keeping everyone focused, summarizing what they've said, and phrasing things in a way that is supportive yet constructive. So far we've workshopped their fiction stories and their creative nonfiction essays. I think reading and talking about each others' work went a long way toward making my students feel more comfortable with and connected to one another. And even though they don't like discussing published works, they love talking about their own. Which, in an intro level class, the first time many of these students have ever written creatively, is definitely preferable. I've also been impressed with how much their writing, on a whole, has improved since those first few weeks. So: yay, students!

As for my weaknesses as a teacher: lack of confidence, being an easy grader, accepting too many excuses (missed classes, late work, etc), and a basic inability to ask a question and then wait for someone to answer it - if it's quiet for more than six seconds, I can't stand it and jump in, giving them the answer. Six seconds of silence in a classroom seems like an eternity. I'm okay with most of these issues - I know the bulk of them will be resolved through time and experience. I'll probably always be soft when it comes to late work and grading due to my bleeding heart, but don't tell my students that.

Overall, I like teaching. It's time-consuming and nerve-racking and frustrating, but it can also fun and rewarding. Yesterday, as she was leaving, one of my favorite students told me mine was her favorite class, and that alone made every moment of nausea worth it.

Change of Race Plans and Kettlebell

After three solid weeks of sub-par running (documented here) I've decided to back out of the half marathon I'd spent the last few months training for. I haven't done a long run since early October and and I don't feel comfortable running a race for which I'm not properly trained. A bit of a bummer, but that's the risk of running. On the bright side, I hadn't registered yet (one of the perks of being the world's worst procrastinator) so at least I'm not out $70.

As a consolation prize, I've decided instead to sign up for a the Wilmington Roadrunners Turkey Trot. It's a four mile trail race that takes place in and benefits Carolina Beach State Park. The race is Thanksgiving weekend and my knee seems to handle shorter runs just fine, so I think this is the better choice for my body right now. Plus I'd like to get to know the Roadrunners (they have weekly workouts I want to join) and this will be the perfect opportunity. Good stuff.

Since deciding to skip the half marathon, I have been running less and doing more cross-training. I had to quit the yoga studio I joined when I first moved here (turns out I was crazy to think I could afford to pay $99 a month for a membership) and instead joined the YMCA (which offers a very affordable membership plan for poor people/grad students). The yoga classes there have been so-so, but that's because I have yet to drag myself out of bed at 6:00 AM for the Ashtanga offering. I have a feeling I'll love that class, if only I could get myself there. Maybe Thursday.

A modern instrument of torture.

Yesterday morning, after a somewhat disappointing yoga class, I met my fellow MFA student and very good friend Erica for a kettlebell workout. Being a kettlebell virgin, I knew what they looked like and that one was expected to swing it around, but that was the extent of my understanding. Needless to say, we were quickly schooled. I could not believe 1. how heavy the kettlebell was (just over 8 pounds! and that was as light as they came!), 2. how fast we were expected to swing it around, or 3. how close to death I came. I am not kidding when I say that my legs were shaking, my arms were screaming, and when we laid down for an ab work I had a hard time getting back up again. It was one of the most intense and difficult workouts of my life and I was miserable for 30 straight minutes.

This was not my instructor.

I thought I was sore yesterday, after class, but then I woke up this morning to new levels of pain. My legs. My ass. My shoulders. My arms. My abs. Everything is screaming at me just dragging myself out of bed felt like a workout.

I can't wait to go back on Wednesday.