Following Foliage to Umstead Park

Our 30 for 30 is officially over, but we're still trying to check out new spots and new things to do around the Triangle.  Today, we headed to William B. Umstead State Park in Wake County to check out some of the foliage.

The trees are just starting to peak around here, and it's the perfect temperature for walking (mid-60's).  We hiked Sal's Branch Trial which is about 2.8 miles.  It intersects with Big Lake where people can rent canoes in the summer (sorry, Mom, no swimming allowed.  What's with that?  Maybe there are snakes.)

It was another place that reminded us of some of the parks we used to walk in Massachusetts.  It's nice to still be in a place that changes with the seasons and has quiet trails that are not that dissimilar from what we're used to.  The three of us are big fans of fall and all the parks are perfect places to go this time of year.

30/30: Finishing with Food Trucks

October 30th

We'll finish the month off the way it began--with food.  Always with food.

Carrboro had a mini food truck rodeo tonight so we stopped by and grabbed a pork butt with asian style slaw sandwich from The American Meltdown and an NC cornbread chill bowl from Foster's on the Fly.

It was a nice warm night (around 70 degrees) and we ate in the square.  

Sadly, our birthday month is coming to an end, but I know we will continue to eat well and celebrate the rest of the year.

30/30: Checking out City Parks

October 20th

Durham's city parks are great--and there are a lot of them.  Sandy Creek Park is close to where we live but we hadn't been to it yet assuming it was small and too close to a busy road, but we decided to venture there today and were pleasantly surprised to find a nice field with picnic areas (even a bocce court) and multiple trails to walk along the creek and woods.  

 It was the perfect fall morning to be out in the sun and crisp air.

30/30: Happy New Era!

October 16th

For my last photos in my twenties, I wanted to pay homage to my running status as the world’s last young, old person.  Though, if it wasn’t a Wednesday night in North Carolina (and probably if my sister was around)…I’d prefer to be spending my last hour watching the Thunder Down Under.

I tried to think of something ceremonious I could do.  People like to plant trees.  I recalled a seedling packet for a Japanese Red Maple (I love those trees) that we received as a favor during a wedding we attended when we first moved to San Diego.  I have no idea if the seeds will still sprout, but I planted it right before midnight and made a wish.

Of course, I had to stay up until midnight of my birthday just like you do on New Year’s.  Only I’m the only person cheering, “Happy new era!” like the crazy old lady I now am.

30/30: Suspended

October 6th 

We checked out the Eno River State Park today (I'd been to the West Point on the Eno so it was nice to see the "other side").  

We walked a trail along a quiet creek then went over to the suspension bridge.

While it's sometimes hard to tell it's fall in Durham, here in the park the leaves were falling and it seemed more like October.  Part of what we like about where we live is that we can drive 15 minutes and feel like we're in another state--maybe even pretend we're in New England for a little while.

30/30: Party Planning

October 4th 

We're officially throwing ourselves a 30th Milestone Birthday Masquerade.  For some reason, I've always wanted to have a masquerade ball and I feel like I'm getting a little old for it--this could be my last shot.  I envisioned having it in a dark hall with spiral stairs and balconies, but since we bought a house and spent all our money on that, we're having it in our living room.   

Today, I printed the invites which I created using this super easy (and free!) template from Greetings Island.  

Tonight we took advantage of this warm October weather (mid-80's which still takes some getting used to when you're from the north), and ate Chipotle on the deck with Maya.

30 Days of Turning 30 Kick Off

October is my birthday month and this month I'm turning 30.  It's impossible, but apparently true.

My late twenties were not easy on me, so in a way, that's the silver lining--I'm not dreading the milestone of entering a new era.  Still, I feel like I should be doing something to commemorate the moment.

I wish I came up with the idea sooner, but last night (September 30th) at 11 p.m.  I decided my husband and I (he is turing 30 this month too) should challenge ourselves to "30 Days of Turning 30."  I don't know exactly what this means, but it currently means thinking of something fun and creative to do each day of our birthday month.  Some days it can be as simple as taking a good walk or cooking a good meal, other days it should be more elaborate.  If my sister were here, she'd call it her "30-Day Shit Show."  We're a little more sophisticated (and lame) than that.

October 1st

Seafood sales at Harris Teeter prompted us to cook a fish dinner with a "side" of baked lobster tails.  Fish is a rarity of us nowadays because it's hard to get wild caught, fresh(ish), affordable fish in the middle of the state.  

Lobster is always a good way to kick off a birthday month.