I haven't done one of these monthly recaps in a while, but we've been super busy this summer. I always plant my garden a few weeks later than I should, so my zinnias just started blooming in August. For some reason, only the pink ones bloomed at first!
I bought my first Iowa-grown apples of the year in early August. These "Pristine" apples are from Wills Family Orchard in Adel. I also ordered 10 pounds of peaches, grown at Wills Family Orchard, for canning. The Iowa peaches are a little smaller than the grocery store variety, but very sweet and juicy.
I won a free entry to the Sweet Corn 5K in Adel in mid-August. I've never signed up for the race before, because it's in the hottest part of the summer and it's during State Fair week, when I usually have to work. It was a fun race, and we got to run on the Adel's brick streets, which felt a little strange under my feet. I tried not to twist an ankle on the cracks between the bricks! But the weather was perfect, and I ended up finishing with a pretty decent time (for me). Plus, it was neat to see all the costumed runners.
This summer was my first attempt at growing "White Beauty" tomatoes. I'm a little disappointed in them. They take forever to ripen, the plants don't bear much fruit, and the tomatoes are a little mealy, for some reason.
I'm having way too much fun with my garden tomatoes this year.
With the late-August heatwave, my peppers are finally turning color. I started these mini orange lunchbox peppers from seed way back in February! The peppers are a little bigger than the mini sweet peppers at the grocery store, but they have a better flavor, I think. I like to dip the sweet peppers in Anderson-Erickson lite party dip for an afternoon snack.
One more random photo: I bought a new pair of running shoes after I ran 300 miles in my old shoes! I downloaded the Shoedometer app on my iPod to keep track of my running shoe mileage. You're supposed to buy new running shoes every 300 to 400 miles. I'm going to rotate between the old and new shoes until I hit 400 miles with the older pair.
I buy my running shoes at Fitness Sports in Windsor Heights. They fitted me with Asics running shoes several years ago, after I complained about getting blisters on the big-toe side of my feet. The Asics are designed to keep my feet from rolling inward. Fitness Sports has my name and shoe type in its database, so whenever I need a new pair of shoes, the salesperson just looks my name up and gives me the latest model of Asics. The shoe colors keep getting wilder every year!
Hope you enjoyed your Labor Day holiday! Can't believe it's fall already!
Is Fitness Sports in that strip mall across from the Windsor Heights HyVee on University? If so, I think that's the place a friend told me about where she buys her athletic shoes. I'm looking for a good place to buy athletic shoes, where they KNOW how to fit shoes and don't just sell them, so I'll have to try that place.
ReplyDeleteA few weeks ago I picked up Wills' apples at Wheatsfield Coop in Ames. I bought a bag of their "Zestar" apples, and wow! Do they make your face pucker! We really like them because they are crisp, juicy, and perfect for caramel dip!
So do you prefer the peaches from Wills over the peaches at Center Grove Orchard? I've been to both orchards for apples (and pumpkins), but want to try some Iowa peaches this time. Thanks!