In the wheelhouse

I love running. I try to get out 2-3 times a week. I started back in the winter running 1.5 miles once a week. I have slowly increased that to the point where my average run is now 3.5 miles.

I love how the first quarter mile and the last quarter mile are the hardest. Right after the first quarter I hit this very zen like moment in my run. Alot of things in life come into focus. Towards the end I just stop thinking. That doesn't happen very often.

Things have been going well at work. I am getting promoted. I am exceling at what I do. And I am enjoying it.

I recently started going back to school for accounting. Yahoo is paying for it as part of a tuition reimbursement program that they have. I need stability in my employment. Though I love what I do, there is too much uncertainty.

We are buying a house. We made an offer and it was accepted. It is a very nice and we are really excited about it. http://www.johnlscott.com/propertydetail.aspx?GroupID=203398606&ListingID=300237654

I have some big plans to do some big spending after the purchase. The idea of buying a home has dominated the structure of our life over the past 2 years. We have done alot of research, saving and planning for this.

It is funny how many more things you need or want once you are about to own a home. A short list includes:

Washer/Dryer

Lawn Mower (push reel)

Ladder

Shovel

Wheel Barrow

Hoe

Compost bin

Manure

Starter Compost

Bed Frame

Cord of Wood

Curtains

Sitting Chair

Book Shelf

Gardening Gloves

And so much more....

We have been reading books on gardening and growing vegetables in the northwest. I am really excited about creating gardens, growing vegetables and improving our lawn. I just finished a chapter on sustainable lawns in the northwest.

Priority number one, for me, will be to get the lawn on the right path. This will include "overseeding" the lawn with grass seed and blanketing that with a 1/4 inch top dressing of compost and top soil. There are seed mixes that you can get that grow better in this climate and do not need lots of water and chemicals.

The overseeding and top dressing is designed to crowd out weeds. The seed mixture can handle the very wet winters and dry summers.

Priority number two, for me, is to get going on the vegetable garden. We have to dig up the plot this fall. Several inches of organic and manure compost then need to be laid down. Fava beans are grown over the winter and tilled into the land in the fall. More compost is laid down and then we are ready to plant.

We need to have two plots that we use in three year alternating cycles. Each plot is then divided further into spring/summer vegetables and fall/winter. Some of the things we plan on growing the first time around include:

Strawberries

Squash

Tomatoes

Spinach

Arugula

Beets

Sweet Onion

Garlic

Carrot

Fava Beans

Peas

And possibly more

Priority number three, for me, is to get beds of plants going. Again, this will include a healthy dose of compost and composted manure to the soil. We already have some rosemary and sage growing in pots. I would like to build out a nice healthy herb garden. I would also like to grow some beds that combine evergreens, perennials and flowers. Lauren has mentioned roses. There are alot of plants that grow really nicely out here.

The main point that I have been picking up from the books is that you can't go with traditional gardening ideas or books. Most books were written for gardeners in the northeast. The northeast has almost nothing in common with mild rainy winters and dry summers.

I think Lauren has some sort of priorities pertaining to the house itself. But I am going to be pretty busy with the outside for quite some time