"Soup-er" Six: Six Ingredients + Six Steps = Black Bean and Chicken Soup

Last weekend, my husband and I were at the grocery store together. I snagged a box of Dole Garden Soup--the black bean and corn variety--to try for lunch one day, and mentioned to my husband that I wanted to get some canned black beans and corn to add to it (I like to have something to chew in my soup).

My husband's eyes lit up.

"Oh, yeah!" he said. "Good idea--and we can get some chicken and marinate it in some kind of southwestern sauce and grill it up and slice it up and put it in the soup, too. And then we can get some of those colorful tortilla ribbon things and sprinkle them over top and it will be SO GOOD."

"Umm...I was just gonna eat this for lunch one day next week, but if we're gonna do all that, I guess we can make it into dinner..."

So that is just what we did. It was an excellent collaborative effort culminating in a really flavorful soup. Here is how you can make it, too.

What You'll Need

1 to 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
half a bottle of Lawry's Santa Fe Chili Marinade
one box of Dole Garden Soup: Southwestern Black Bean and Corn
one can of black beans, drained
one can of corn, drained
tortilla ribbons or crumbled tortilla chips

Pictured above are four of the just six ingredients needed to make this fast, tasty soup. The two ingredients not shown here are the chicken and the crumbled tortilla chips.

 What You'll Do

1. Place chicken in dish and cover with marinade. Cover dish and place in refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
2. Grill chicken.
3. Pour soup into microwave-safe bowl. Add black beans and corn. Stir.
4. Microwave soup with added beans and corn for five to seven minutes.
5. After chicken is grilled, slice into small, bite-sized pieces and add to soup. Stir.
6. Ladle into individual bowls and top with crumbled tortilla chips or tortilla ribbons.

This tasty bowl of black bean and chicken soup has yet to be topped with crumbled tortilla chips, which add some salty flavor and a delightful crunch.

Healthier Holiday Baking: Cranberry Orange Muffins

According to the December 2014 Taste of Home, the typical muffin boasts 274 calories, 12 grams of fat, and 7 grams of saturated fat. These Cranberry Orange Muffins, which can be found on page 34 of the December issue, offer only 153 calories, 5 grams of fat, and 1 gram of saturated fat. In addition, they are 100% whole wheat, and contain 3 grams of fiber, where the typical muffin contains only 1 gram. So, enjoy the festive flavors of citrus and berries without the extra calories! Find the (easy and quick!) recipe below.

What You'll Need
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 1/2 cups orange juice
1/4 cup canola oil
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, halved

What You'll Do
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In another bowl, whisk egg, orange juice, and oil until blended. Add to flour mixture and stir until moistened.
4. Stir in cranberries.
5. Spray muffin cups with cooking spray or line with paper liners. Fill three-fourths full with batter.
6. Bake 15-20 minutes.
7. Cool 5 minutes and then transfer to wire cooling rack.

What You'll Get
one dozen muffins (I made two batches)

This recipe for Cranberry Orange Muffins from the December Taste of Home is festive, tasty, and nutritious. These muffins have fewer calories, fewer grams of fat, and less saturated fat than typical muffins. Plus, they're 100% whole wheat! I used colored sugar, green food coloring, and the remainder of my halved cranberries to make mine look a bit more festive.

Choco-Cranberry Macaroons

Every year at Christmastime, my husband and I host what we have come to know as The Great Annual Cookie Exchange (our guests just call it "the cookie party"). For this festive occasion, everyone is asked to bring at least one dozen of their favorite, homemade holiday treats per person in their party. Then, at the end of the evening, everyone is given a big freezer bag to fill with as many goodies as they didn't have room to try during the party.

Every year for the "cookie party," I make two of my favorite family recipes, The Wreath Cookie and Chocolate-Dipped Macaroons. Last week, though, my grandma sent me a new recipe--one that, at least this year, will take the place of the Chocolate-Dipped Macaroons. I call it, "Choco-Cranberry Macaroons," and this is how you make it:

What You'll Need
1 cup finely chopped cranberries (I mashed them with a potato masher instead...)
2/3 cup flour
1-14 oz. bag of shredded, sweetened coconut
1/4 tspn. salt
1 tspn. vanilla
1-14 oz. can fat free sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional--unless you're me, in which case they're mandatory)

One cup of fresh cranberries gives these macaroons a hint of festive color and a twinge of tang.

What You'll Do
1. Toss cranberries with flour. Stir until well coated.
2. Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
3. Place by teaspoonfuls onto parchment paper-covered (or very heavily cooking spray-sprayed) cookie sheets. Bake for 20 minutes at 325 degrees.

The mixture before it begins to take shape as macaroons

What You'll Get
Approximately 35 chewy, delicious macaroons

Choco-cranberry macaroons cooling

Finished macaroons, ready for the cookie party

Richmond's Latest Honors: Runner Friendly Community and Frommer's Top Destinations

This year has been a good one for Richmond. Two of the honors it received of which I am particularly proud are its designation as a Road Runners Club of America 2014-2019 Runner Friendly Community and its appearance on Frommer's list of Top Destinations for 2014.

Runner Friendly Communities

Every five years, the Road Runners Club of America designates new Runner Friendly Communities. This year, Richmond was among just five cities added to the list. The other four cities honored were Belleville, Illinois; Rockwall, Texas; Safety Harbor, Florida; and Spokane, Washington.

One reason RRCA added Richmond to its elite list is the Virginia Capital Trail. Set to be complete on September 1, 2015, the trail will link Richmond and Williamsburg with a multi-use path, catering to runners, walkers, and cyclists.

Richmond, Virginia, was named to the Road Runner Club of America's Runner Friendly Community List for 2014-2019. Here, the skyline is viewed from the suspension footbridge to Belle Isle. September 2014.

RRCA also gives credit to the many runner-friendly businesses in the area, a strong Sports Backers organization, a strong YMCA presence, various organized running clubs, and the myriad running events Richmond hosts every year, such as the Anthem Richmond Marathon and its associated races each November, and the Monument Avenue 10k each spring.

(I have to add here that Kalamazoo, Michigan, where my mother grew up and where I have often visited throughout my life, is included on the 2013-2018 Runner Friendly Communities list.)

Frommer's Top Destinations in 2014 

This year, Frommer's named fourteen places around the world as Top Destinations for 2014. Only three of these destinations are in the United States, and Richmond, Virginia, is one of them. The other two U.S. destinations included are Big Island, Hawaii, and Palm Springs, California.  A few of the international destinations include Berlin, Germany; Liverpool, England; and Rio de Janeiro. Having visited Berlin, I have to say I am pretty thrilled to see Richmond listed as a city on par with this colorful, fascinatingly historic, and "multikulti" city.

Class IV and V rapids in downtown Richmond, Virginia, as viewed from the Pipeline Trail on October 2014.

Frommer's included Richmond on its list not only due to its Civil War history, but also because of its close proximity to Petersburg, Williamsburg, and Spotsylvania, also hot spots for Civil War hobbyists. The Civil War is not the only draw to Richmond, though. Frommer's also cites the Jefferson Hotel as a reason to visit, as well as the many new craft breweries that have been bubbling up along the river, the increase in farm-to-table restaurants, and the white-water rafting right through downtown.

A view of the James River from the Nickel Bridge, September 2014.

I think the folks at Frommer's sum it up pretty well when they say, "While you weren't looking, Richmond got cool." 

Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos

Baby, it's cold outside! Warm up with this oh-so-easy chicken taco recipe. My younger sister originally recommended this recipe to me after she found she and her family loved it, so I tried it, and much to my satisfaction, it pleases even my husband's picky palate. Below is my modified version of the recipe, but you can find the original recipe here. 

 

What You'll Need

2 or 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1-2 pounds)
1/2 jar of garlic
1/2 cup of salsa
1/2 small can of chipotles in adobo sauce
1 tablespoon chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
8-10 soft tortillas

Suggested toppings:
sour cream, salsa, guacamole, avocado, tomatoes, shredded cheese, garbanzo beans (chickpeas), corn, cilantro, field greens, lettuce, green peppers, olives, black beans, pinto beans

What You'll Do

1. Spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Place chicken breasts in slow cooker and top with garlic, salsa, chipotles, chili powder, salt, and pepper.
3. Cover; cook on low for 8 hours. (You can also cook on high for 4 hours.)

These slow cooker chicken tacos are extremely easy to make. Just place the chicken breasts in the bottom of your greased slow cooker and top with garlic, salsa, chipotles, chili powder, salt, and pepper before covering and cooking.

 

 

4. Transfer cooked chicken onto a large plate or serving dish and shred. Serve on soft tortillas with desired toppings.

Aside from being easy, these tacos allow for a lot of variety, as anyone at your table can top them with anything on your table. In the ingredients list above, I provided several ideas for optional toppings. I prefer to top mine with corn, garbanzo beans, shredded cheese, field greens, green pepper, and cilantro. I also spoon on some sour cream to subdue the spiciness.  My husband prefers nothing more than corn, salsa, cheese, and cilantro.

Slow cooker chicken taco topped with garbanzo beans, corn, cilantro, shredded cheddar, and sour cream

Waste Not, Want Not: Christmas Decorating

Here are some practical, efficient ways to make the most of the Christmas season--and all its trappings!

Christmas Cards Turned Gift Tags...or Garland

I love--and I mean L-O-V-E--getting Christmas cards in the mail. In fact, the end of December through the beginning of January might be the one and only time of the year when I actually enjoy checking the mailbox and seeing what's inside.

But short of stashing them away in a box at the end of the Christmas season, or taking them out with the recycling, what can we do with these festive little greetings?

Here's an idea--clip them up and use them as gift tags for next year's Christmas gifts, as shown in a few examples below.

These Christmas-cards-turned-gift-tags are from http://imeengreen.blogspot.com/2010/11/repurpose-old-christmas-cards.htm. To read more from this blog, click here.

The above examples, which I love due to the creativity of the cut-out hat and stack of gifts, are from http://didterest.blogspot.com/2011/12/christmas-cards-turned-gift-tags.html. To read more from this blog, click here.

Of course, some Christmas cards may be so meaningful and make you so sentimental that you are reluctant to cut them up. For these special cards, create a fun, festive, and whimsical garland to drape across your mantle or some doorways in your home. Simply fasten a string or some twine where you plan to drape your garland, and as cards come in, add them to your garland by taping them to the string, as shown below.

Above is the beginning of my Christmas card garland for this Christmas season. Eventually (hopefully!), it will string across the top of this threshold and down the opposite side.

Christmas Tree Clippings  

Every year, my husband and I get a real Christmas tree, and every year, my husband has to trim a little off the top and a little off the bottom. A few years ago, I started using these clippings to create fresh, homemade Christmas decorations for some of the fences and gates at our home. It's very simple, and allows for a lot of creativity. All you have to do is tie the clippings together with some string, twine, or fishing line in the shape you desire--you can create wreaths, garland, or other arrangements, and then adorn your creation as you see fit.  I like to use ribbons or bows and shatter-proof ornaments. Below is one of this year's creations.

Use ribbons, bows, shatter-proof ornaments, etc. to transform Christmas tree clippings into festive decorations.

Seven Ways to Wallop the Winter Blues

Perhaps you've heard of--or even experienced--Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, its all-too-appropriate acronym. According to Dr. Norman Rosenthal, SAD affects about 6% of Americans, though another 14% suffer from a less intense variation, known simply as the winter blues (Rosenthal and Targum). If you find yourself tempted to succumb to SAD-ness this winter, here are some ways to fight back.

1. Get Outside

Yes, it might be cold. Yes, it might be windy. Yes, it might even be snowing (fingers crossed!). Despite the wintry weather, "studies show that time spend outdoors boosts mood, even on a cloudy day" (Sanity Savers). Natural light is a natural mood improver, but even when the sun is hidden behind a curtain of clouds, "research proves being outside lifts spirits" (Prestidge). If you absolutely cannot abide the cold, even opening your blinds or curtains to allow in as much natural light as possible can help boost your spirits.

Studies have found that spending time outside can significantly boost your mood--even when the weather is cold and cloudy. I took this picture of the James River from Belle Isle on the sunny Sunday after Thanksgiving, 2014.

2. Get Moving

When asked about treatments for SAD, Dr. Norman Rosenthal recommends an array of things, including a regular exercise program (Rosenthal and Targum). If you're adverse to outdoor activities in the cold, working out at a gym can also help improve your mood. "Exercising produces endorphins while also reducing stress hormones" (Prestidge). So, the next time you're feeling a bit down, lace up your shoes and take a stroll, go for a jog, or jump onto the elliptical.

If you're in the Richmond area, here are some upcoming activities in which you might consider participating this winter. To learn more about any given event, simply click on it to be taken to the event's page.

December 13--The CarMax Tacky Light Run
December 14--Richmond Road Runners Club Toy Run 5k
December 17--Poinsettia Run
December 31--Resolution Run 5k
January 1--First Day 5k
January 27-March 28--YMCA 10k Training Team

3. Get Snackin'

Feeling down? Indulge in a favorite holiday treat--the candy cane. "Peppermint will help lift your spirits" (Sanity Savers). Enjoying a freshly-peeled orange can also help, boosting not only your immune system with its jolt of Vitamin C, but also your mood. "Researchers have found that citrus scents boost joyful feelings" (Sanity Savers). Chocolate is a third feel-good treat. Like exercising, nibbling  a bit of chocolate can release endorphins (the latter, of course, should likely not operate as a substitute for the former...).

4. Get Tuned Up

"Even if you're out of tune, the act of singing has been shown to elevate mood" (Sanity Savers). So, pick your favorite Christmas carol and spread the joy!

5. Get Away

If you're among the fortunate few who have vacation time left this close to the end of the year and money left this close to the end of the Christmas shopping season, plan a get-away. Researchers have found that planning for and looking forward to a vacation "can raise spirits for as long as eight weeks" (Sanity Savers).

Researchers have found that planning for and anticipating a vacation can elevate your spirits for up to eight weeks. The above picture shows a view in Cudjoe Key in the Florida Keys in August, 2014.

6. Get Friendly

Hugging people you love (or anyone at all, apparently, but I recommend sticking to those you know) can release the mood-boosting hormone oxytocin (Sanity Savers). In her article "The Fives: Surviving Winter Blues/Seasonal Affective Disorder," Holly Prestidge explains that surrounding "yourself with a support network" can also be very helpful in maintaining a positive mood.

Spending time with friends and family can have beneficial effects on your mood. Above, I share a festive girls' night with two friends in downtown Richmond at the Grand Illumination of the James Center on December 6, 2014.

7. Get Oriented, Spiritually

Probably the most inspired and lasting way I have come across to combat the winter blues is to remember where you are--what your location is. Not in a physical sense, but as a spiritual child of God. According to Jill Grimes, a member of the Christian Science Board of Lectureship, instead of locating ourselves in a season, such as the holiday season or winter or summer, we can pray to recognize that our true location is always in divine Love, regardless of what our human location may seem to be. To hear a two-minute recording of this idea in Jill Grimes's own inspired words, click here. 

Sources

Prestidge, Holly. "The Fives: Surviving Winter Blues/Seasonal Affective Disorder." The Richmond Times Dispatch 7 December 2014: G2. Print.

Rosenthal, Norman and Steven D. Targum. "Seasonal Affective Disorder." Psychiatry MMC. May 2008. National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine. 7 December 2014. Web.

"Sanity Savers, Timeout Tips and Holiday Highlights: December." Discover Health: The Richmond Times Dispatch December 2014: 8. Print.

Hurricane Season: Is Your Pet Prepared?

August 26 was National Dog Day. If you missed it, here is one way you can belatedly celebrate: Make sure your pet is prepared for hurricane season--or any natural disaster or emergency that could jeopardize your normal situation.

Here are some tips to keeping your pet safe during an emergency or evacuation.

According to The Humane Society of the United States, a basic pet disaster kit should include:

• A five-day supply of food and water for each pet
• Bowls and a can opener (for canned food)
• A gallon of water (in case you need to rinse or bathe your pet and do not have access to running water)
• A five-day supply of medications 
• Medical records in a waterproof container
• First aid kit
• Pet First Aid kid (The American Red Cross offers one, and a local organization, Alpha Dog Club, offers a Canine First Aid and CPR class.)
• Cat litter box, littler, litter scoop, garbage bags to collect waste
• Leashes, harnesses, and carriers (I would also recommend extra collars.)
• Blankets and/or towels
• Current photos of you with your pets and descriptions of your pets in case you and your pet(s) become separated
• Toys and beds (if possible)
• Written information about your pets' feeding schedules, medical conditions, and behavioral issues
• Name and phone number of your vet
• Newspapers
• Paper towels
• Bleach
• Grooming items

Things to consider in advance of a possible emergency:

• Find pet-friendly hotels, boarding kennels, vet clinics, and friends' or family members' homes where your pets could stay with you if you cannot stay at home
• In case you are not at home when an emergency occurs, make sure you display rescue stickers on a window or door so emergency workers know a pet (or pets) is (are) inside
• Know of friends or family members who could help evacuate your pets if you are not home
• Make sure your pets' tags are up-to-date
• Keep contact information in or on pet carriers

Useful Sites:
humanesociety.org/disaster
humanesociety.org/beprepared

Other Sources:
Lieberman, Shaina. "Exit Strategies: Preparation Can Help Keep You And Your Pets Safe And Calm
       In A Crisis." All Animals September/October 2014: 41 and 43. Print.

The Joy of Doing Right: The Story of Ray the Dog

Yesterday, I was thumbing through my diary, reading old entries, when I happened across one from last August that made me feel happy, uplifted, inspired--and a little sad, all at once. I can't quite shake the feeling that I am somehow exploiting the poor little guy, but I think the entry I wrote last year about Ray the dog is one that imparts an important and oft-forgotten lesson. Here it is, as written on August 29, 2013.

"Today, one of my fellow RAL volunteers texted me to let me know that Ray passed away. Ray was a little blondish chihuahua. Despite an intimidating looking head tilt, Ray was adopted after only my first encounter with him. I think his adoption was already pending when I met him, a huge comfort to me, because I otherwise would have worried if he'd be able to find a home; his head tilt could appear so off-putting to potential adopters.

"This was my experience with Ray: He was in an upper crate, as the little dogs always are. When I peered in at him, I noticed that not only had he soiled his linens, but that his head tilt so affected his balance, he'd also fallen into the excrement, and it was matted in his fur. I couldn't leave him like that. It was so humiliating for the poor little guy. So I scooped him out, got him clean linens, and gave him a bath.

"Although Ray was small, quiet, gentle, and not very mobile, the bath was an ordeal for both of us; his head tilt caused him to have trouble standing. But he never complained. He just patiently let me clean him up.

"We should take advantage of every single chance we get to be loving, kind, and good--to do the right thing. We will never, ever regret the good things we did, but we may very likely regret the good things we knew we could do, but did not."

"I've thought about Ray several times since that night. I teared up this afternoon when I learned of his passing--even though I knew that night at RAL that he would soon be adopted and I wouldn't see him again, regardless.

"Aside from my sadness, I felt very glad that I'd helped Ray--that I'd made that one night a little more comfortable for him. I could've overlooked his predicament, but I didn't. I helped and I'm glad I did. After that thought of gratitude occurred to me, this insight followed. It may sound cliche, a nice platitude, but I really felt it. It means something. It's not just words. This is what it was: We should take advantage of every single chance we get to be loving, kind, and good--to do the right thing. We will never, ever regret the good things we did, but we may very likely regret the good things we knew we could do, but did not.

"Maybe if my fellow volunteer had not seen the attention I paid to Ray, I wouldn't even know he'd passed away, and maybe if I hadn't taken the time with him, I wouldn't care much either. But I would've missed out on the chance to express love. And if I'd known of his predicament, not helped, and knew he'd died, I'd probably feel pretty guilty for not having done him the small kindness of bathing him and getting him clean towels.

"Ray's gone, but I feel blessed to have helped him. That right, good, loving decision made me a better person. With each right decision we make, we become better people, we bring more good to the world."

From Backyard to Bowzer's Bowl

Near the end of the school year, a co-worker of mine gave me a few vegetable plants--two cucumber plants and a zucchini plant. When I got them, they were tiny, but they didn't take long to blossom into large-leafed, fruit-producing machines. We have already harvested and consumed more cucumbers than I can keep count of, and our zucchini plant just burst forth into fruit last week, though none of its yield is ready to harvest yet.

Between our two cucumber plants, we have already harvested at least a dozen cucumbers, and the plants currently boast at least half a dozen young cucumbers, like the one shown above, which will be ready for harvesting within the next week or so. Like people, dogs can safely enjoy cucumbers. The vegetable can be blended into Froyo, chopped up and added to their food, or eaten as a treat by itself.

Earlier this evening, as I was slicing up some just-snipped-from-the-vine cucumber for myself and considering the fact that there were only two containers of froyo left in the freezer for my dogs, it occurred to me to find out whether or not dogs can safely eat cucumbers. They can--and thus a new, summery froyo flavor was born tonight: cucumber peanut butter. The dogs have also recently enjoyed watermelon peanut butter froyo and cantaloupe peanut butter froyo, a couple other seasonal favorites, though the melons were not grown in our own backyard. Maybe next year.

Cucumber Peanut Butter Froyo is super easy to make. All you need is:

Five to seven large spoonfuls of plain yogurt or plain Greek yogurt
Two or three spoonfuls of Jiffy Whipped Peanut Butter (it's easier to mix and stir than regular peanut butter)
Six or seven slices of cucumber, peeled

All you do is:

Put ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.
Pour into individual, freezer-safe containers (Rubbermaid makes some pretty durable ones).
Cover.
Freeze.

Also see...

Homemade Dog Treats in Three Easy Steps

and

FroYo for Fido!

Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle...Your Clothes

When we think of going green, most of us think about recycling our paper products, driving fuel-efficient cars, picking up litter, shopping locally, or conserving water and energy. What most of us probably do not think about is what we are wearing. Apparently, we should.

Earlier this week, in preparation for a class observation I will conduct at a local community college in an effort to help me plan for a new class I will likely be teaching next year, I read an article called "Why It's Time to End Our Love Affair With Cheap Fashion," by Lucy Siegle. Judging by the title alone, I thoughtlessly concluded this piece would be an entertaining, pop culture article. I should have known better; it was paired with an article by Rachel Carson, environmentalist and author of Silent Spring, among many other books.

Fast Food Fashion

Siegle, a journalist for The Observer, asserts that most of the clothing we buy will be thrown away or donated within a year. One year. This statement was made in the first paragraph of the article, and gave me reason for pause. I still wear a few sweaters I bought fourteen or fifteen years ago when I was in high school. Recently, I wore to a wedding a dress I bought five years ago and had already worn to at least two other formal events. I still own a T-shirt that was given to me when I was four years old (it fits me a little differently now). One of my favorite cardigans is a hand-me-down from my great grandmother. My great grandmother. And most of us will purge our clothes within one year of purchasing them?! This was a wake-up call for me. I had no idea I was such an oddity (at least not in this context).

Siegle refers to this phenomenon as "fast fashion," or "McFashion," mentioning "one-night-only T-shirts." One-night-only T-shirts?! Do people really DO THAT? That's a little bit like throwing away a bottle of shampoo after washing your hair with it in just one shower. Or taking one bite of your sandwich and throwing it away. Almost as startling as the concept that people might actually get rid of a T-shirt they had worn one time, was the assertion that so-called McFashion "was found to translate into more than three million tons of carbon dioxide emissions." Next time we worry about our carbon footprint, we might want to think twice before buying new shoes. (Incidentally, I bought one of my favorite pairs of shoes in Germany eight years ago. I still wear them.)

Investment Dressing

Along these lines, Siegle recommends "investment dressing," which refers to the practice of "buying one piece and loving it for a long time." This does not seem like a novel idea to me, actually, but apparently, it is. Despite the economical and environmental benefits of investment dressing, "just 2 per cent of the average clothing budget goes on services that repair or lengthen the lifespan of our garments and accessories." In the years between 2003 and 2007, the cost of clothes fell dramatically, and the rate at which we purchased clothing increased rapidly, resulting in our getting rid of two million tons of clothing every single year!

Cheap and Fast: Not Sustainable

The problem, Siegle asserts, is not entirely due to a shallow desire to keep up with every changing fashion trend. A large part of the problem is a "fall in fibre quality and finishing." Clothing manufacturers can often produce clothing for such low prices, that buying already-worn clothing is not necessarily going to save a consumer all that much money. In addition, because the clothing is produced so cheaply, its quality has declined, and it may not be likely to last very long after resale. "Fast fashion is scarily dependent on cheap fibres, namely polyester and cotton," both of which are "dogged by sustainability issues."

As for me, my last clothing purchase happened to be at a Salvation Army. I got four pairs of jeans for $36. I felt good because the jeans were long enough. I felt good because I averaged $9 per pair. (I felt better after I had washed the jeans in hot water and dried them in the hot dryer... Twice.) Now I feel good because I didn't contribute to an environmental threat I did not even know existed.

New Favorite Chili: Easy and Delicious!

I admit it's been a while. Between wrapping up the school year, buying a new car, traveling to Washington, D.C. to meet my newest niece, traveling to Michigan to attend my cousin's wedding, working a summer job, and trying to finish a library book I had to renew three (maybe four?) times just to finish it before its third (or fourth) due date, I have been a little...busy.

Now that I have finished the school year, driven my new car for a week or so, gotten home from my travels (for now), finished the book (just a couple hours ago), and gotten home from work, I thought I would take a moment out of my crazy schedule to share with you my latest culinary experiment, a recipe I like to call our New Favorite Chili. Even my husband likes it. In fact, he likes it better than what I guess I can start calling our Old Favorite Chili.

Here is what you'll need:

1 lb. lean or extra lean ground beef
1 15-oz. can kidney beans, undrained
1 15-oz. can pinto beans, undrained
1 14-oz. can tomato sauce
1/2 a green pepper, chopped
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried oregano or Italian seasoning
Accent flavor enhancer to taste
McCormick hamburger seasoning to taste

What to do:

1. Brown beef in skillet, seasoning as desired
with Accent flavor enhancer and McCormick hamburger seasoning.
2. Add remaining ingredients.
3. Cover. Cook on low 8 hours.

Above is a photo of my husband's and my newest favorite chili. It requires only three easy steps to make, and my husband declared he liked it "like, a lot" after just one spoonful.

Serving Suggestions:

I enjoyed my bowl of chili with crackers. My husband topped his bowl with a generous helping of shredded cheddar cheese. We both enjoyed some freshly-baked honey cornbread, as well.

So You Blog, Do You?

You may have noticed it's been a while since my last blog posting. Between working the press box at

To read about how to juggle all your obligations, check

 

out this article.

the soccer games one or two nights each week, preparing to wrap up another school year, starting my part-time summer job before summer break even begins, and the normal business of everyday life, I haven't had much time to even consider what subject matter I might want to include in an upcoming blog post, much less write one. In fact, I've felt a little bit like the girl pictured to the right.

And while I am still busy beyond belief, some subject matter presented itself to me earlier this week in the form of a shared post on LinkedIn about how to create the perfect blog entry. My initial intent was simply to read the article and try to implement some of its suggestions. Today, two or three days after happening across the article, I finally found a few spare minutes to read it, and it occurred to me that I could not only try to apply the information, but that I might also share it with you in the case that perhaps you yourself are considering creating a blog.

Here is what I learned:

Lucky Number Seven

Apparently, there are seven essential elements to any good blog entry. They are...

1. The headline
( I used one of eight tactics mentioned below in my headline.)
2. The anecdotal hook
(I think I achieved this with my first two paragraphs.)
3. Shorter lines (at least in the beginning)
(I tried this by including a visual near the top and allowing my text to wrap around it.)
4. Visuals and graphics
(This post already has two.)
5. "Scannable" subheadings
(Like "Lucky Number Seven" for this section.)
6. Short and sweet content
(I might fall short here...No pun intended.)
7. It's all in the timing: knowing when to post
(I'm totally breaking this rule, simply because I am so excited to finally be posting again, and I can't wait until the alleged best time.)

Begin at the Beginning

Let's start with one of the most important elements of any blog post: your headline, or title. According to the article I read regarding this topic, "The Anatomy of the Perfect Blog Post," by Kevan Lee, readers remember the first three words of a headline and the last three words of a headline.

Something else to keep in mind: In order for your headline to fit entirely on a search-results page, it should be 55 characters or fewer.
 
Eight Ways to Write a Headline

1. Surprise – “This Is Not a Perfect Blog Post (But It Could’ve Been)”
2. Questions – “Do You Know How to Create the Perfect Blog Post?”
3. Curiosity gap – “10 Ingredients in a Perfect Blog Post. Number 9 Is Impossible!”
4. Negatives – “Never Write a Boring Blog Post Again”
5. How to – “How to Create a Perfect Blog Post”
6. Numbers – “10 Tips to Creating a Perfect Blog Post”
7. Audience referencing – “For People on the Verge of Writing the Perfect Blog Post”
8. Specificity – “The 6-Part Process to Getting Twice the Traffic to Your Blog Post"

 (I did not create the above samples. They are directly from "The Anatomy of a Perfect Blog Post.")

The Magical Formula

Lenka Istvanova's findings with regards to the most effective headlines found that headlines that got the most "clicks" generally followed this formula:

Numbers + Adjective + Target Keyword + Rationale + Promise

For example, a headline might read something like:

5 Easy Ways to Boost your Self-Esteem Right Now

Tell me a Story: The Anecdotal Hook

As an English teacher, I am constantly advising my students to begin their papers and essays with an anecdote, so I was pleased to read that blog posts that begin by telling a story receive 300% more readers (Lee). I try to begin most of my blog posts, like this one, with some sort of personal anecdote, as doing so adds interest.

Shorter Lines (At Least at First)

In this blog post, I tried to follow the advice in the article I keep referencing by placing an image in the upper right corner of the entry and allowing the text to wrap around it. According to Lee, "Placing an image at the top right/left of your blog post forces the first few lines of the post to shorten in width. This shortening leads to fewer characters per line. Fewer characters per line has a psychological effect on the way we view content: The fewer the characters, the easier the text is to comprehend and the less complex it seems."

Subheadings

You may have noticed that each topic of this blog entry is set apart by its own bolded, enlarged title, or subheading. Sectioning your blog post off by topics makes it more readable and more scannable. In other words, it makes your blog more reader-friendly.

Short and Sweet?

For whatever reason, I have always been under the impression that the shorter the blog post, the better. I thought a post that looked too lengthy would turn readers off. Contrary to my intuition of the shorter, the better, it turns out that blog posts of 1,500 words or more typically provoke more shares, and blog posts of 700 words of fewer typically provoke far less shares. (Lee).

It's All in the Timing

A recent study revealed that post-shares increase early in the morning and late at night.

In terms of trying to get more views, the best time to publish a blog entry is on Saturday or Sunday. "Only 13 percent of the 1.2 million blog posts in the Track Maven study were published on the weekends," and blog entries posted over the weekend also received the most shares on other social media sites (Lee). In addition, most shares happen either very early in the morning, or very late at night.

Source
All of the valuable information above came from the source listed below, and is dramatically simplified and shortened. To read the whole article, view charts and graphs, and get even more information on creating the perfect blog entry, click here.

Lee, Kevan. "The Anatomy of a Perfect Blog Post: The Data on Headlines, Length, Images, and More." Bufferapp.com. 28 May 2014. <http://blog.bufferapp.com/perfect-blog-post-research-data>.

 

Three Tips for Spring Cleaning

April showers have brought out the May flowers and it is time for us to start airing out our homes, breaking out our spring wardrobes, mowing our lawns, and digging out from a winter during which, due to colder-than-usual conditions, many of us may have spent more time huddled in our houses than we usually do.

Here are three cleaning tricks about which I have recently learned, and I thought you might find them helpful, too. Happy Spring Cleaning!

Coffee Filters
Use coffee filters (instead of paper towels) and glass cleaner to get a streak-free, lint-free shine on windows and mirrors.

Paper Towels
Since you're not using them to wash your windows and mirrors anymore, place them between fragile dishes to help prevent chipping and breaking. You can also layer them between pots, pans, and skillets to help prevent scratches.

To reduce waste, reuse the same paper towels between dishes as long as possible. When they have worn out their usefulness as protective barriers, use them to dry handwash-only dishes, or to wipe down your counter-tops or table-top.

Two Years
If you find yourself cleaning out your closet, abide by the The Two-Year Rule: If you haven't worn it in two years or more, donate it.

Tea: It's Not Just to Drink Anymore

We all have our favorite hot drink. For some of us, it's coffee. For others, hot cider or hot chocolate. For still others, hot tea is our go-to. You might be wondering why in the world I am writing about hot drinks--a topic that might seem more appropriate in a post written in the colder, more wintry months--in May, as the weather warms and the summer approaches.

Well, recently, tea has begun to occupy a much broader range of culinary uses. It's not just a warm-me-up for cold, winter days anymore.

Bravo and Food Network's Elizabeth Falkner tauts tea as one of 2014's biggest food trends, citing first bold, new flavor creations such as lemongrass and pineapple, and second, the use of tea as an ingredient in various foods, as opposed to limiting it to its traditional role as a beverage ("Fusion teas to super seaweed"). For example, Peachy Seiden, a chef instructor from The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Cincinnati-Ohio recommends using brewed green, white, oolong, or black tea in stews, soups, or sauces. "This adds another flavor dimension, along with protective antioxidants," Seiden says ("Healthy, tasty food"). In addition to adding beneficial antioxidants to your meal, adding tea as an ingredient also provides flavonoids.

Though white, green, and black tea all come from the same plant, in terms of how processed they are, white tea is the least processed, followed by green tea, followed by black tea. To learn a bit more about how tea is processed and the plants from which various teas (such as rooibos, red, etc.) come, visit this site.

Sources

"Fusion teas to super seaweed: Top food trends to watch in 2014." Richmond Times-Dispatch 16 February 2014: H6. Print

"Healthy, tasty food substitutions from culinary experts." Richmond Times-Dispatch 20 April 2014. H5. Print.

"Indulge in skin-loving winter foods." Richmond Times-Dispatch 9 February 2014: H5. Print.

Three Cheers for Mom! (and Three Races of Three (point one) Miles)

Good things always come in three's, right? Little pigs, billy goats gruff, stooges, blind mice, ...miles? That's right, at a manageable 3.1 miles, the 5k race has become an increasingly popular event. With Mother's Day less than two weeks away, you might consider honoring your mom with a Mother's Day weekend 5k. Here are three you can run to show your mom how much you appreciate all the running around she has done for you since Day One. Honor her with one of these three nearby, upcoming Mother's Day weekend races.

Nags Head Woods 5k Run
May 10, 2014 8:30 AM
Kill Devil Hills, NC
*Features a "Fastest Mom on the Beach" trophy!
Click here for more details!

Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure 5k
May 10, 2014 9:00 AM
Richmond, VA
Click here for more details!

Mother's Day 5k
May 11, 2014 9:00 AM
Fredericksburg, VA
Click here for more details!

Seventeen Ways to Celebrate Earth Day

Earth Day is right around the corner--Tuesday, April 22, to be exact. Unfortunately, it's a holiday not many people celebrate--at least not actively, not the way many of us celebrate say, Christmas, Thanksgiving, or Halloween. There are, however, lots of ways to actively celebrate Earth Day--on the day itself, and throughout the year. Here are seventeen ways to celebrate. The first five apply to you only if you live in the Richmond area, or have plans to travel here, but the other twelve can be done anywhere. (Actually, the voting portion of #4 can be done anywhere.)

If you live in the RVA...

1. Attend the Enrichmond Earth Day Festival from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Saturday, April 26. The event features live music, local food and drink, a vendor marketplace, and more, some of which is mentioned below. Learn more at http://www.earthdayrichmond.org/.http://www.earthdayrichmond.org/.

2. As part of the Earth Day Festival, tour the heron rookery . The heron rookery walk begins at 3:00 PM and runs until 5:00 PM. A $5 participation fee benefits the Virginia Audubon Council and the Richmond Audubon.

3. Run the Race Without a Trace 5k at 10:00 AM on Saturday, April 26. The finish line is at the Enrichmond Earth Day Festival, which begins at 11:00 AM.

4. Vote for your favorite rain barrel in three different categories at http://cordpurainbarrels.wordpress.com/. These rain barrels were decorated by local elementary school students and will be on display at the Earth Day Festival, after which they will be put into use around the city. Voting ends on Friday, April 25.

Above is just one of the many rain barrels decorated by local elementary school students. Visit http://cordpurainbarrels.wordpress.com to vote for your favorite by Friday, April 25. The rain barrels will eventually be placed around the city.

5. Volunteer for local, environmentally-minded organizations, such as Friends of Pocahontas State Park, which is currently seeking new volunteers, or the James River Advisory Council, which hosts an annual clean-up of the James River.

No matter where you live...

1. Recycle any used materials you can, such as paper, plastic, aluminum, and glass.

2. Wash clothes in cold water.

3. Don't run the dishwasher until it is full.

4. Walk, bike, carpool, or use public transportation whenever you can.

5. Buy locally grown produce--or grow your own!

6. Pull through the space at the parking lot. Doing so can save gas, as your car uses more gasoline when in reverse than it does when moving forward.

7. Pick up after your pets. Doing so helps prevent waste from ending up in local waterways.

8. Turn the heat down (or the AC up) when you go to bed or leave the house.

9. Pick up litter.

10. Hang laundry dry.

11. To save both time and gas, run all your errands in one trip.

12. Turn the water off when you brush your teeth.

Happy Earth Day!

A New Twist on Tuna

When I was growing up, I always ate tuna salad the way my mom made it. Hers is a simple, easy, and delicious recipe that includes all-white meat tuna in water, mayonnaise, and sweet relish. In my adulthood, I continued to make tuna salad that way.

Until about a week ago.

I had a craving for tuna salad, but to my dismay, opened the fridge to discover we had no mayonnaise. How was I going to make tuna salad without mayonnaise? After I spent a few minutes lamenting my lack of mayonnaise, an idea occurred to me: Why not use ranch dressing? I admit that at first, my idea repulsed me, but as I warmed to it, I decided to try it, and in the spirit of my culinary adventure, I decided to add celery and pine nuts, as well. The result was quite delicious, so I decided I'd share it with you.

Celery and pine nuts add a crispy crunch to this tuna salad, while ranch dressing and sweet relish add tang.

What You'll Need...
all-white meat tuna in water, drained
sweet relish
ranch dressing
pine nuts
celery, chopped into small pieces

What You'll Do...
Just mix all the ingredients together in any ratio that pleases you. Serve with crackers or on bread in a sandwich.

Serve this crunchy, tangy tuna salad on crackers or whole wheat bread.

FroYo for Fido!

You might remember a post I shared back in January about "Frozen Pumpkin Treat," one of my dogs' favorite (healthy!) indulgences. I started making frozen pumpkin treats after discovering, while baking my first-ever from-scratch pumpkin pie, that my dogs find pumpkin rather tasty. Well, more recently, I discovered that one of my dogs is equally enthusiastic about cantaloupe, so I have created a "springier" version of Frozen Pumpkin Treat--Cantaloupe Frozen Yogurt. As with Spring Pizza, there are no real measurements here, I just kind of mix everything up and freeze it.

What You'll Need...
plain yogurt
cantaloupe, chopped into small chunks
Jiffy whipped peanut butter (you will want to use the whipped peanut butter because it is easier to mix)

Using whipped peanut butter in these frozen treats makes the stirring easier and the treat smoother.

 What To Do...
1. Mash the cantaloupe chunks into a juicy, lumpy pulp. 
2. Add yogurt; mix cantaloupe pulp and yogurt until well combined (See Figure A below).
3. Add a little bit (maybe a spoonful or two) of whipped peanut butter.
4. Stir together until evenly mixed.
5. Dish into individual, freezer-safe plastic containers (such as Gladware, Rubbermaid containers, etc., as shown in Figure B).
6. Freeze.

Above: Figure A. Mix cantaloupe pulp with plain yogurt until combined evenly.

Above: Figure B. Spoon mixture evenly into durable, plastic, freezer-safe containers. Be sure to supervisor dogs as they enjoy this treat to prevent them from consuming any plastic. Dogs should always be supervised when enjoying any treat.

*Note: It is very important to supervise your dog while he or she enjoys this froyo in order to ensure that he or she does not choke on anything, or chew the plastic container. Do not leave your dog unattended while he or she enjoys any treat.

Spring Pizza

Maybe you're wondering why so much time has gone by between my last post and this one. Truth be told, now that the weather seems finally to have broken, I've had a hard time making myself stay inside to do, well, anything--from cleaning to cooking to blogging.

In the spirit of spring, though, I did muster up enough will power to stay inside for a few minutes and compose this post to share one of my favorite sping-time recipes, Spring Pizza (which I ate alfresco last night). It's my own original recipe, so pardon the fact that there are no exact measurements. I just kind of wing it every time. Because of that fact, the final result is always a little different--but every time it's been good!

Enjoy!

My own original creation, Spring Pizza just looks nice and fresh and springy! The yellow of the corn is reminiscent of yellow daffodils springing up and yellow forsythias in bloom. The green of the pesto and asparagus makes me think of the grass greening up and the trees beginning to bud. Not to mention--it tastes great! The mild, tangy taste of goat cheese compliments the nutty crunch of pine nuts.

You will need...
refrigerated pizza crust 
Alfredo sauce
prepared pesto
fresh asparagus, chopped into small pieces
corn (drained if it's canned)
pine nuts
crumbled goat cheese
shredded mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese

What to do...
1. Spread pizza crust out on greased cookie sheet.
2. Spread dough with as much or as little Alfredo sauce as desired.
3. Spread Alfredo sauce with as much or as little pesto as desired.
4. Top with asparagus, corn, pine nuts, crumbled goat cheese, shredded mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan cheese.
5. Bake according to directions provided on pizza crust package.

Serving Suggestions
Last night, I served this pizza with salad, quinoa, and cantaloupe with orange slices.

Grace at the Race

This morning, one of the markers in my Bible lesson came from Ephesians 4:7. It reads, "unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ." Another marker came from a line in Science and Health that reads, "Each successive stage of experience unfolds new views of divine goodness and love."

As I was sitting in my car in a dimly-lit parking deck in downtown Richmond waiting for the Monument Avenue 10k to begin, dozing a little in the driver's seat, the two lines I recalled from my early morning reading merged into one idea in my idea: "Each successive stage of experience [life, age] reveals new evidence of God's grace."

With this idea in the back of my mind, as well as ideas about an unlimited body, I began my race--my first Monument as a thirty-year-old.

I had three main goals. The first was to finish in less than an hour. (This is a staple goal for 10ks.) The second was to enjoy my run. (This is an easy goal to achieve.) The third was to remember that my purpose was to express and glorify God, not myself. (This is the hardest goal to achieve.)

As I came upon the first mile marker, I was not surprised to see that I was running at a pretty good clip. I usually start off too fast. It's a bad habit.

When I came to the second mile marker, I was still on target to finish far faster than anticipated--but it was still early in the race.

Then I reached the half-way point--and found I was still running quite fast, at least for me. Now I was surprised. How could I be running so fast with seemingly so little effort? Especially now that I'm thirty? Wasn't I sure to be slower now that I wasn't in my twenties anymore? I was just hoping for a finishing time of 57:00 or 58:00. At miles four and five, I was still running faster than 9-minute miles.

As I pondered this apparent anomaly, it occurred to me that I was able to run so fast because I was buoyed up by grace. I'm not older--I've just experienced more grace. If time is measured in the good we experience instead of in minutes and hours and days and years, then each day, I--we all--grow in grace.

So for the rest of race, I tried to open my eyes to even more grace. Here is what I saw and heard:

•  Just after the halfway point, I passed two women discussing their goal of holding to a ten-minute pace. One said, "You might have to hold my hand, but I'll hold the pace." The other agreed. Then a third woman, who had apparently also been listening in, said, "Who's running that needs support?" She was willing to support these complete strangers in any way she could.

• Around mile five, a father was encouraging his eight-year-old daughter. "I am so proud of you," he was saying. "Look what you did! And you decided to do this! You made the decision and you stuck with it. There were days you didn't want to go, but you did, anyway. You did all the training."

•  As I passed by a man in a wheelchair, I heard multiple people cheer him on.

•  At the end of the race, I was able to demonstrate grace myself. A woman who had finished ahead of me had somehow missed the water being handed out as we crossed the finish line. She was thirsty, and was practically begging a race official or volunteer to allow her to return to the finish line for water. The official told her she could not, and did not know where else she might be able to get water. I still had my unopened bottle in my hand, and knew I had water from home just a few blocks away in my car. "Would you like my water?" I asked, "I have my own in my car." The woman smiled a very genuine smile and gratefully accepted my offer.

• As I walked back to my car, the music of the live bands fading away behind me, I watched two homeless people approach a fellow runner. He didn't have much to offer them, but he did give them the Gatorade (or was it Powerade?) he had received at the race finish. I caught up to him just after he had given away his drink. "That was nice of you," I told him. He admitted to feeling bad that he hadn't thought to also offer the people his banana.

I finished the race this morning faster than I ever finished it throughout my twenties, knocking minutes off my time. I certainly did not do it by myself. There is no explanation other than the grace and love that were all around me, supporting me, motivating me, and lifting me up. This grace is accessible to all of us, all the time, in every situation. We just have to avail ourselves of it.

Race Day in the Rain

This Saturday, thousands of runners from all over the world will converge on downtown Richmond for the annual Monument Avenue 10k. Because the race always takes place in late March or early April, the weather conditions can vary greatly from year to year. This year, at least as of today, the forecast calls for rain. The soggy forecast is likely discouraging to many people, but it doesn't have to be--even if you don't own any high-end, waterproof rain gear. (I don't, and I run in the rain all the time.) Running in the rain really isn't that bad. I mean, a torrential downpour might not be ideal and is not my favorite condition for a run, but you're going to get wet as soon as you start to sweat, anyway.

You might actually be surprised by some "rain gear" you already have around your house that can make running in the rain a lot more comfortable and a lot less inconvenient.

The Baseball Cap
For a chilly, cold rain, a baseball cap can serve multiple purposes. First, it can help you retain body heat lost through your head. Second, it can help keep the rain out of your eyes. Third, it can also help keep the rain off your head and out of your hair.

The Visor
For warmer temperatures with rain, a visor can allow heat to escape from your head, and thus reduce the risk of over-heating, while still keeping the rain out of your eyes and off your face.

The Trash Bag
Your run-of-the-mill large trash bag can act as an excellent disposable poncho. You can wear it while walking to the starting line, while waiting for the race to start, and for the first few miles of the race if you wish. That way, at least you do not have to start the race sopping wet. (You can warm up a little first!) Simply cut a hole in the bottom of the bag for your head, and, if you wish, holes in the sides for your arms. The plastic bag will help keep your torso dry (and warm!) until you are ready to remove it, at which point you can simply strip it away, perhaps throwing it into a trash can at a water stop.

The Sandwich Baggy
If you run with a phone in your hand, simply seal it in a plastic, ziploc-style sandwich baggy to keep it dry.

Saran Wrap
If you run with an iPod or other MP3 player and do not have a waterproof case, wrap it in Saran Wrap to keep it dry. Providing only one layer of Saran Wrap covers the touch screen or touch pad, the screen/pad will usually still register and respond to your finger taps.

The Shirt
My one piece of advice regarding what to wear (other than the trash-bag poncho) is NOT to wear a cotton T-shirt. The cotton absorbs the rain water, and then sticks to your skin, stretches out, and gets a little heavy. If you do wear a cotton shirt, wear it underneath something waterproof, or be prepared to be wet. :-) Like I said before, your sweat is going to be wet, anyway, and I have worn cotton on many a rainy race and come out just fine.

Running in the rain can be fun, even if you don't have high-end rain gear. Above, my brother-in-law Remy and I pose on Brown's Island after his first race, the HCA Virginia 8k. Although we did experience a drenching rain at the starting line and throughout much of the race, we both enjoyed our run.

Canine and human participants and spectators at the 2012 Richmond SPCA Dog Jog 5k and One-Mile Walk wait at the starting line in the rain. If you are a participant who plans to walk the 10k, don't underestimate the power of an umbrella!

The All-Weather Runner: 2014 Winter Training Season

Richmond has had an interesting winter. The common weather pattern has basically consisted of a day or two in the 60s or 70s followed by several days in the 20s or 30s, complete with snow and/or sleet. While some will call me crazy, I have to admit that I think this winter has been the perfect winter. Every week or so, we have gotten a nice break from the cold and can enjoy a couple days of warm weather, and then we get a nice taste of winter and some novel snow.

But for the outdoorsy type--we runners, hikers, walkers, etc.--these types of weather changes can sometimes pose problems. Among them: what to wear to stay warm enough or cool enough when the temperatures fluctuate so drastically. If you peruse this blog, you will find several posts about how to dress for the cold, so I won't go there today. What I want to make a case for today, is the fact that this winter has actually provided ideal training conditions for the upcoming Monument Avenue 10k.

Typically, people begin training for the 10k, which will likely draw between 30,000 and 40,000 participants, in January. The race itself takes place in late March or early April (this year, race day is March 29). 

Running outside in the winter can take a bit more gumption for most people, anyway--due to freezing temperatures, brutal wind chills, and shorter daylight hours, but pair those factors with a snowier, sleetier, colder, and almost completely unpredictable winter than usual, and many people, especially those who may be new to running or walking, feel discouraged and frustrated, and, unfortunately, resign themselves to the treadmill.

There are many reasons why running outside can prove better preparation for a race than can running on a treadmill, but this post will focus on the weather.

Mainly, there is this to consider: You never know what hand Mother Nature is going to deal you on race day. Especially in March.

For this reason and this reason alone, Winter 2014 has been ideal preparation for the upcoming Monument Avenue 10k.

If you have been training outside this winter, you have run in the sun, the wind, the warmth, the cold, the snow, the sleet, the rain. You have run in temperatures close to 0 and you have run in temperatures approaching 80. You have come home with wind-chapped lips, and you have come home with sunburn shoulders. You have run in leggings and fleece and gloves, and you have run in shorts and tank tops. In short: You are prepared for whatever weather combination Mother Nature can concoct on March 29. You will know what to wear, because you have had to employ your entire running wardrobe in the course of the last few months, from summer gear to winter gear. That is, of course, if you have been running outside...

In closing, I leave you with this cartoon from last Sunday's Richmond Times-Dispatch, which was actually the impetus for this post. I can't lie; I know the feeling--but if I am going to be completely honest, I'm glad the weather hasn't made up its mind. Its indecisiveness has left me well-prepared.

The above cartoon can be found in the March 16, 2014 Richmond Times-Dispatch. I found it both true and amusing, but was actually intrigued to note that I was more grateful for the unpredictable weather than frustrated with it.