After working for a while this AM, Matt and I set out on a run. Another attempt to find a nice running path along the Rivanna Trail. So far our only encounter with the trail was an overgrown, rocky, narrow path. A candidate for hiking, but definitely not running. A reader told us that the trail around Fontaine Ave was flat and runner friendly, so headed that way.
The Fontaine area was neither flat nor runner friendly! It was wider and not overgrown, but very, very rocky and steep. It was a struggle to "run" (read, hobble) to the top and we got pretty lost! I think we took a few wrong turns because there were so many unmarked paths. All the rocks and hills were like an obstacle course (and we did stumble upon the UVA high ropes course in the woods!)
We ended up somewhere on the UVA grounds and made our way back home, covering about 5 miles total.
Matt pretty much summed it up with: "That felt like a strength run to me!"
When we got back, Matt had me come tour his sprouting garden.
Swiss chard buds!!
Sugar snap peas
What he thinks is squash
A plant that SEEMS to be like asparagus (that he did not plant!)
Look at the bottom tips:
Emptiness in the collard greens area
MAYBE kale (does anyone know what baby kale looks like?! Is this a weed?)
Something random – we’re hoping it’s a vegetable of some sorts from the previous garden:
MAYBE butterhead lettuce (or a weed :mrgree: )
Have a mentioned that the owners of our house are landscape architects? They have the most beautiful flowers planted in hidden places
Even a fig tree, but unfortunately it probably won’t produce for a few years
I was extra hungry for lunch on our run! Funny because one of you commented this morning that it seemed like my pancake serving was HUGE. I will add that serving sizes and plate/bowl sizes are really hard to gauge in photographs. Once I clarified that my breakfast was served on a salad plate, it made more sense 🙂
I made a salad with the last of our lettuce, a yellow tomato, green and purple bell pepper and the last of the Caromont Smoked Goat Cheese – plus a few walnuts. Drizzled in olive oil, honey and salt.
And a yogurt bowl – Oikos with a small peach and some Galaxy Granola from my new sample pack.
Headed out now to tend to my friend Jess who just had surgery and needs peanut butter to help speed healing! It works!!
Heather (Heather's Dish) says
oh my gosh, that shot of matt is HILARIOUS! i love the garden! i so wish i had the guts to try for those things…i’m still kinda burned from the hail eating my basil last year…sniff…
Christie {Honoring Health} says
It took me a minute to really see that picture of Matt but once I did, I about choked on my lunch.
Whitney says
hahahahahaha
Wei-Wei says
Hahhahahhahah! I choked, but on my water. 😛
Holly @ couchpotatoathlete says
Yes, bring PB to your friend, it cures all ailments! 🙂
It took me a second to figure what the heck Matt was doing to that tree…now it makes sense. Ha!
Bethany @ More Fruit Please says
It must be hard to figure out if a little sprout is going to grow into a plant or a weed. Can’t wait to see your garden’s progress in a few weeks!
Rachel (Two Healthy Plates) says
looks like things in the garden are coming along, so jealous – I wish i had a green thumb but i kill everything =(
Jessica @ How Sweet says
I wish I had a garden. It will be exciting to see what sprouts up!
Brittany (A Healthy Slice of Life) says
All those veggies- how exciting! I’ve never seen asparagus grow… let us know if that ends up being what it is.
What’s going on with Great Harvest? I haven’t heard you mention it in a long time…?
Kath says
We are location hunting again. It takes a while.
barefootgirl says
Garden looks great! I would definitely say that that was asparagus :).. I do believe that it grows back year after year.. lucky you! The pic of Matt is too much!! Good luck to your friend 🙂
Samantha @ Bikini Birthday says
5 miles is pretty short considering that the trail seems to cover so much distance on the map. The area must be pretty well concentrated eh?
Christine says
Oh I am not the only one who “LOL”‘d at that picture.
How colorful–a YELLOW tomato and a PURPLE bell pepper! Nice!
Freya @ Brit Chick Runs says
oh it really miffs me when people comment on serving sizes sometimes..the smallest things can look giant and vice versa!
aahh it must be so exciting, not knowing what’s growing though! surprises are good 😀
Camille says
I love that picture of Matt!
Hilarious!
Michelle says
Matt & the fig leaf – so funny! One of my favorite things about gardening is watching the stuff you planted sprout & grow 🙂
Michelle @ Turning Over a New Leaf says
Wow! Such a great garden! I planted some seeds outside earlier this year and they never grew. The sun’s rays were too intense and the wind is always a problem here. I’d love to plant a fall garden, but we move in a few weeks, and the whether here is always unpredictable. Our first frost might be in December or late September. We never know.
I’m so jealous of the asparagus though!
Katie O. says
Hi there…that is totally asparagus! How cool…I’m so jealous. You guys are very lucky to have a garden. 🙂
sweetersalt says
Love your little garden – cute! I haven’t tried planting from seed, but am hoping to next year hopefully when we buy a house with a yard.
Laura
Melissa @ HerGreenLife says
I’m jealous if you already have established asparagus in your garden bed — very lucky! Those little sprouts could be kale — don’t pull them as weeds just yet. And the 3rd picture does look like a squash sprout. Lovely little garden Matt has there 🙂
Stacey@http://stacey-healthylife.blogspot.com/ says
I think some of those are weeds, but give it a little time to determine further. I also eat my meals on salad and appetizer plates. It’s more portion control friendly and photographs better.
Anna @ Newlywed, Newly Veg says
That picture of Matt…lol.
That run sounds intense!! Glad you’re getting out and exploring the area!
Angela @ Eat Spin Run Repeat says
I wish my friends would bring me PB! It looks like you’ve got a great garden growing there. I just tried pea shoots for the first time and they’re so delicious on wraps and salads. Can’t wait to see all of your produce growing!
Chelsea says
Peanut butter heals everything, I swear! And I laughed out loud at that picture of Matt, so funny!
Hope your garden turns out good, sounds yummy! Too bad about the running trail, hopefully you find a good one soon. In the mean time, hiking is always fun!
Chelsea
Sarah S-F says
LMAO on Matt’s picture. Too funny!!
Heather says
I hope you have a prosperous garden! we did an experimental one this year an it did so-so
Rachel S. Gerber says
Hi Kath–if you are still in the market for Rivanna trail running, try catching the trailhead in Riverside Park. (I wrote previously about this a few posts ago.) If you know where Onesty Park (new waterpark close to intersection of Meade and E. Market) is, take Chesapeake St. to the very end. Right before it bends around to the right, turn left into Riverside Park. The trail is beautiful, flat, paved, and runs by the river.
Good luck in your search…
Kath says
Thanks !!!
Erin Jones says
I love sugar snap peas…wish I could find some fresh ones! And a PURPLE bell pepper??? Never seen one. How neat!
ronnie says
Awww, I want a garden. 🙁 Your lunch looks so fresh and tasty, as usual. LOL @ Matt.
Kathy W. says
That picture of Matt goes well with your Adam & Eve painting!
(Notice I refrained from making any asparagus joke.:)
Sarena (The Non-Dairy Queen) says
I am jealous of the garden. That is what mine all looked like until the friendly critters from the woods behind us made a tasty meal out of it! I hope your friend heals quickly. Have a great afternoon Kath!
Jenn @ LiveWellFitNow says
Photographs zoomed in always make our plates look plentiful and much larger than reality. 🙂 I have to remind myself of that often!
Laura @ Blogging Over Thyme says
That definitely looks like asparagus! That’s really exciting, it takes a really long time to harvest asparagus, something like three (?!) years!
Colleen says
Hi Kath,
Thanks for clarifying about your serving size. I have often wondered about that…
Love the fig pic, lol.
Sarah @ EatRunGarden says
Hi, I love your garden and I love to garden and I thought I would help you out.
pic 3 definitely a squash but you won’t know what kind until it starts to fruit
4 & 5 Those are asparagus plants, they grow back every year for about 10-15 years
7 I am not am not sure what that one is but to me from the photo it kind of looks like oregano
8 I think that might be a dandelion (but you can eat the leaves of it as long as you do it before it flowers)
9 sorry those are too small for me to tell.
I could be wrong about any of all of these but I based these on my experience and your photos.
Good luck with your garden!!
Christine | Money Funk says
Fig leaf…very funny!
This post makes me realize I really need to start my garden. And if I am going to make it for fall… I need to start NOW.
Sarah K. @ The Pajama Chef says
bummer about the trail. we have 5 miles of trails about 2 minutes away and went to run on them one day… only to discover they’re mountain bike trails! def. not for running. 🙁 and the garden looks great!
erica says
how hilarious is that fig leaf pic?!?! hahahahaha!
i really want to grow my own veggies/herbs/garden…apartment living isn’t so great for that…
Tess says
Hey Kath!
Those pink flowers in your garden are Cosmos! We have them all over our yard as well. They are perennials, resead themselves every year, and usually bloom in August (at least in my part of the country 🙂 )
Love your veggie garden too!
neen@ Broad Bean to Runner Bean says
oh i love your garden! how great, we’re eating all home grown produce this year and its amazing!!
Lauren at KeepItSweet says
I would love a veggie garden! Your lunch is so colorful today
Matt says
The “vegetable of some sorts from the previous garden” looks like wild horseradish. It’s edible, and pretty mild. We had some in our garden!
Jasmine @ Eat Move Write says
I laughed out loud at that picture of Matt. Too funny.
My ex-husband was a landscape architect. He could do amazing things in the garden. It will be cool to see what surprises crop up this year for you!
Liza @ Health Nutting says
Such GOURGEOUS flower pics, and a veryyy yummy looking lunch!
So cool to have some real veggies growin!
Mary @ Bites and Bliss says
Well..they always say the only way to help with flat runs is to run on hills. Ya’ll just went for rocky, steep hills. 😉
Chelsea @ Strawberry Sweat says
Good work covering 5 miles on that rocky/hilly path! A workout is a workout, right?
I totally agree with you on the pictures and gauging how big something is. As long as you know what you are putting in your body, that is all that matters 🙂
Amanda says
Your garden looks amazing! I have been wanting to start one for a really long time but am afraid that the Texas heat won’t allow for much growth unfortunately
Rachael says
Peanut Butter Healing – can we turn it into a song a la Marvin Gaye?
Love the fig leaf photo!
Smuddpie says
Mmmm, my dessert of choice the last couple nights has been a peach with plain Chobani, but instead of granola, I sprinkle on a little FiberOne (your choice is probably better) and just a dab of pancake syrup. Yummy. Do believe I’ll do that again tonight, but maybe I’ll try making up a batch of your buckwheat granola first.
lynn (The Actors Diet) says
can’t wait to see your figs in a few years!!! i am sure i’ll still be reading and loving figs then.
Michelle @ Give Me the Almond Butter says
I actually laughed out loud at that picture of Matt. Too funny.
Stephanie says
Good for you guys planting a garden! More people should do it, it’s not as hard as you think. That looks like a squash to me, and I *think* the kale sprout is actually a weed. We planted kale this spring and our sprouts looked different but it could be a different variety maybe? Good luck with the gardening!
Alycia [Fit n Fresh] says
Your meals always look so photogenic. I’m jealous!
Annie@stronghealthyfit says
I want to start copying your lunches and making them for myself! Salad + yogurt and fruit always looks so appetizing.
Kasey says
That salad looks delightful! I heart anything involving goat cheese.
Gabriela @ Une Vie Saine says
HAHA, I love that picture of Matt!! Hope you have success with finding a good running trail soon!
Brooke - One Healthy Cookie says
I LOVE Galaxy Granola. Not too sweet or crunchy!
Sarah (Running to Slow Things Down) says
I *Love* your garden! Asparagus? Kale (possibly)? Sounds so perfect. 😀
Chelsey says
Salad plate or not… you do your thang girl!!! 🙂
Chelsea @ One Healthy Munchkin says
LOL that picture of Matt is hilarious!
Hannah says
I’m glad you’ve finished the smoked goat’s cheese… now it can stop taunting me! 😀
Rose-Anne says
Oh my God, Matt! He is so naughty!
Make Roux says
Great post, as always! That plant that looks like asparagus is an asparagus fern. For the love of god, PULL IT BEFORE IT CHOKES OUT YOUR GARDEN! LOL! Sorry to get carried away — I pull TONS of these from my veggie garden every few months or so! They will go nuts in no time at all!
Danielle says
I laughed out loud at the picture of Matt!
Kassi says
That plant which you identified as possibly asparagus — I would advise you to be careful! They look like they could be horsetail. Horsetail is the most horrendous invasive weed I have ever encountered. We have been battling it for almost 7 years. It grows like mushrooms with a crazy underground root system and I swear the only way to get rid of it is to dig up your entire yard! We’ve tried everything. It’s hard to tell from those pictures whether that’s what it is, but it grows like CRAZY. I’m not even kidding. Ugh. I hope it’s not horsetail! I’ll cross my fingers for you. (Note that there are several varieties of horsetail, so if you search for images, be aware that you could see upwards of 20 different looking plants — and I bet the ones where you are don’t look exactly the same as those out here in the Pacific Northwest.)