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: Last Pictures of a Young Man

October 15th 

(Tommie's Birthday)

I made Tommie take pictures before the clock struck midnight on October 15th to capture his last moments in his twenties.  Then I woke Maya up and bothered her too.

This is the first birthday that's sitting heavily with me--it feels substantial and scary, which is why I'm trying to disguise it as "fun."  

At 10:30 last night, I suddenly felt anxious about Tommie turning 30, as if he might drop dead the second it happened and I told him he should be spending his last hour doing something crazy--he should go to a strip club or something!  He said I wasn't making him feel better.  So, his last moments of youth were spent doing work on his computer and yelling at me for taking annoying pictures.

And just like that, we're halfway through 30 to 30!

30/30: Storms and Shipwrecks

October 7th 

The remains of Hurricane Karen filtered through North Carolina today so we had a movie night in and watched Life of Pi.

While Pi had to share his lifeboat with a feisty Bengal tiger, we had to share our couch with an equally defiant little "tiger."  Why are animals always the boss?

30/30: Birthday Books

October 5th 

The day started off with a trip to the Durham Farmer's Market followed by a stop by Durham County Library's fall book sale.  

I bought a book of poems by writer's dogs, which reminds me of the time my mom wrote me a postcard in college from our cat.  I also got a book with ideas for day trip ideas from the Raleigh-Durham area.  We're still learning the area so it might help give us some good ideas for exploring.

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.

Weekend in Wilmington

Last weekend, we went on a short getaway trip to Wilmington along the coast of NC.  I missed the ocean, and seafood, and I even missed my husband who spent the past month married to a grant deadline and not me.

Of course it rained most of the time we were there and we ended up watching far too many Retro Real World episodes.  Luckily, the place we rented was a cozy and comfortable place to hole up while it stormed.  Maya tested the bedding first to be sure it met standards.

During a random clearing of sunshine, we zipped over to Wrightsville Beach and took a stroll along the water, took deep gulps of salty air, and snapped pictures of surfer bums.  Well, I did that part on my own while Tommie looked on disapprovingly.

The rest of trip was filled with seafood delights of lobster, tuna, salmon, and calamari from Catch and Circa 1922. We also tried a Thai/Vietnamese restaurant Indochine, which we highly recommend.

Sometimes getting away is the only way to really leave work and home behind.  We have to do it more often.

Puppy Business

I kind of started a puppy sitting business by accident.

I was looking for a side job to help supplement my writing gig and watching a puppy while writing seemed like a fantastic way to double-dip.

So, I started walking and sitting for one little guy and then the owner recommended me to her friend who wanted me to take her new puppy too.  The first day of watching both was pandaemonium.  To top it off, a woman walked by me on the street and asked if she could have my e-mail address in case she needed someone to walk her two dogs!  Mind you, I do still have my other job.  This thing was spinning out of control.

Anyway, I think I have it worked out now so that I watch only the one dog on most days, and the two of them one day a week.  I'm still able to get work done during nap times and at home.  

The pups and I are getting used to each other.  I think that puppies are like babies (only puppies are cuter)--they are often crazy for no apparent reason, they loose bodily function often, they slobber on you, and they try to eat everything.  Older dogs and older children don't get enough credit in this world.

Christmas in Charleston

It's hard to go home for the holidays when you move away from home.  Our families live in different states in the Northeast which means planning a long, costly trip; trying to avoid snowstorms; stressing about finding a potential dog sitter during a busy time; and chaotically traveling between celebrations trying to please everyone, and in turn, pleasing none.  So, with a half-guilty conscience, we found a dog-friendly vacation rental and drove five hours in the opposite direction to Charleston, South Carolina.

The truth is, we needed it.  We haven't had a good vacation since our honeymoon over a year ago, and I have barely seen my husband since he started his new job.  Tommie needed some time away from his computer to unwind.  

The place we rented for four days was located on Folly Beach (about 20 minutes from downtown Charleston).  Being able to get up each morning and walk Maya along the ocean in mild December weather was perfect.  We miss the coastline most living in Durham.  We liked going during the off-season because the beach community was quiet.  Restaurants were still open, but there wasn't any traffic.

Charleston was a charming place to spend the holiday.  I do feel bad knowing I wasn't with my family, but I'll just have to work on convincing them the south is better in the winter months.  After a couple big snow storms, I don't think that will be too hard.  

My Mom would have liked peeping over people's walls and into their windows with me.  The houses and yards in that city were the most adorable and stunning places I have ever seen.  (More Charleston creeper photos to come.)

Thankful For Warm Winter Days

I need to make a concerted effort to blog more often. I spend my days on assignment writing about things I don't very much care to write about, and sometimes that makes me cranky. Letters From A Libra is a side outlet for me to write about anything I want, and it helps keep me grounded.

I also want to keep my friends and family up-to-date on our lives in the south. This is the first time Tommie and I have truly been on our own with no family around, so its' a good way for us to share what we're up to with them...and with complete strangers on the Internet. Good thing I like over sharing with strangers.

I also don't want to loose sight of all the good things about our new life here. Like the fact that on December 3rd it is a balmy 73 degrees. I went for a run in shorts and a t-shirt; I have the slider open for fresh air, and Maya is laying in the sun. There is still a semblance of seasonal changes here, but we don't have to stop enjoying the outdoors in October.

This is Maya after she fell asleep in the sun and was so zonked she didn't notice when it turned to shade. Anyone looking outside would think we had a dead dog in our yard (I put the blanket over her earlier so her belly wouldn't burn). Luckily, no squirrels crossed her path and woke the dragon. Clearly, she's learning to like it here.

The Grass is Sort of Greener

As I mentioned in a previous post, raking our yard was half the battle--the next part is a lot more tricky, for one because we don't own the property so we don't want to (nor can we) put in a lot of thought and effort, let alone money. The second reason is that I have no idea what I'm doing. I've never had my own yard, so most of what I do involves putting down seeds, watering them, and seeing what happens.

I decided to try to make a couple "puppy patches" of grass--one in the fenced in area that I am assuming was a garden at one point (but it gets way too much shade so I'm not entirely sure what would grow well in there), and one abutting our patio for Maya to lay in and to help buffer the mud.

First I tried to just put down some Scott Patch Master near the patio to see what would happen. I know it's technically to patch existing grass, but I thought, "Well, what if I just want a patch?" Well, nothing happens, that's what.

Plan B was putting down a thin layer of top soil and seeding it with Scott Dense Shade Grass Seed. Just as I was beginning to give up, I saw the little spouts of hope coming up. Week two and it's slow growing and spotty, but maybe with another light reseeding it will fill in.

All I did in the fenced in area was put down the same Dense Shade mix (no top soil because the dirt is better in there). That started to grow quickly with some regular watering, however, it too is spotty, probably due to the lack of sun.

Before

 After

At least it looks a heck of a lot better than when we got here!  (Did I mention how many leaves we raked!?) And from far away, it certainly looks green, you just can't look up close.

I recently mixed in some Scott EZ Seed to see if it helps fill in the gaps. I got all my seeds on clearance at Target or 50% off at Lowes so I'm not loosing lots of loot even if my little yard patches never fully catch. Hopefully over time the grass keeps getting greener.

Sometimes The Dog Has The Most Fun

We tried to take a little escape trip this past weekend to Lake Norman in Mooresville, NC. It's only a couple hours away from Durham and I found a small cottage online for rent that was within walking distance to the shore.

We were going to take a dip in the water, read outside on the patio, let Maya sprawl out on the grass in the sun, and go out to dinner at a nice steakhouse. You know what they say about the best laid plans...

The sun never came out, and staying inside the cottage was not appealing. Tommie kept referring to the house as "arachnophobia." He didn't much care for getting hit in the face with cobwebs everywhere we turned.

The one positive was that the place had a really big fenced in yard so that in between the rain we could throw the tennis ball with Maya and kick around a soccer ball. Maya also got to sleep in bed with us, which always equals a good night sleep for her and a poor sleep for those who have to share it with the little medicine ball. The dirty furniture and dead spiders on the floor didn't bother Maya either (I think she ate a couple), but the spiral staircase did. She would climb up slowly one paw at a time then wait at the top for Tommie to rescue her.

We only made it one night and decided to come home early. One nice thing about the trip is that we realized how much we were looking forward to coming back to our place. We've only been here for a few months now but it already feels nice and comfortable and it's (mostly) cobweb-free. Maya, however, votes for a big backyard one day, and I agree. Sometimes she is the only one who enjoys herself.

Day at Duke Gardens

During past trips to Durham we would make a stop at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens--a beautiful, vast park/garden on the Duke campus that does not charge an entry fee (only pay to park during some daytime hours). It's weird to know that we are now living five minutes away!

The garden has made a lot of cosmetic and structural improvements since the last time we visited. There are more stone walls, maintained pathways, and shady benches. There is a Japanese Tea House now, and an overlook above the expanded terrace and koi pond.

One lucky couple was getting married there today. As with our garden wedding, I think about the pretty photo ops they have.

These lily pads are about five feet wide...I wish I could sit in them.

Maya is even allowed in the garden on a leash. She loves gardens...buses never drive through them.

I can see us spending some time in this place.

Day Trip to Little Washington

We didn't do anything crazy for our one-year wedding anniversary...we figured moving to North Carolina this summer was crazy enough. Plus, we've been together something like 13 years (I've lost count), so we've had many an anniversary already. 

I did manage to drag Tommie away from work on Sunday to take a day trip to Washington, North Carolina. It's a small town about two hours from Durham on the Pamlico River. They call it "the heart of the inner banks," and people in Durham call it "Little Washington"...I'm guessing because DC is "Big Washington."

We decided to bring Maya with us, and thankfully she was on her best behavior. I had read that Washington had a nice fenced-in dog park so we made our first stop there. Maya had the entire park to herself. It was Sunday morning and I guess all the other dogs were at church.

Afterwards, we grabbed brunch at a little cafe/restaurant by the river. We sat out on the back porch with Maya who poked her head out from under the table when people walked by in their Sunday best. She shared the deck cordially with another dog, and a lizard who contemplated jumping on her head.

On a cooler day, we would have liked to take a walk along the waterfront. We stopped by Goose Creek State Park on our way out and I waded in the water with Maya. We didn't stay long--children were screaming and it made the peaceful park, well, less peaceful. It did seem like a nice, well-kept park for families camping and hanging out along the river.

It was a beautiful day and good to get out and be along the water for a little bit. There are so many big and little places to check out around here.