I visited the administrative office at Martin Luther king Jr. Elementary when I arrived to check in as a visitor and was greeted by Roz, a very friendly receptionist. I told her it was my birthday today, and she and a parent in the office were so kind, wishing me a very Happy Birthday. Roz even sat in on part of my presentation! Thank you, Roz!

Imagine 60 ultra energetic kids singing Happy Birthday (as loud as possible) in a an echo-filled theater. Wow! Pure joy is what I felt as the After School Program students of Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary in Lauderhill, FL did just that for me today. And to top it off, the little ones were wearing Halloween costumes. So cute!

The new cafeteria/theater building at MLK Jr. Elementary is gorgeous – the nicest one I’ve seen at any school.

Learning about the word “inspiration” and how authors come up with ideas for their stories.

We all danced to “Granny Wears a Wig.”

Lots of oos and ahhs about how beautiful watercolor pencils are and how magical it is when you brush water on them.

So many terrific questions! Are insects the most colorful animals? Are there any lions in the rain forest? What gave you the idea for the story? Is an author a real person?

I want to thank Jane O’Connell from After School Programs for inviting me to MLK Jr. Elementary School , and ASP Site Director Ms. Keshia Halls for welcoming me, helping me with my equipment and taking photos. The entire After Care staff were all very welcoming and did a great job ensuring the students were paying attention. There’s nothing better than speaking to a group of curious kids, who are interesting in learning, and the kids here at MLK Elementary are truly awesome. I loved seeing all those smiling faces on my birthday, and the sound of them singing to me will stay with me for years to come. I hope to visit the school again some time in the near future.

I visited the administrative office at Martin Luther king Jr. Elementary when I arrived to check in as a visitor and was greeted by Roz, a very friendly receptionist. I told her it was my birthday today, and she and a parent in the office were so kind, wishing me a very Happy Birthday. Roz even sat in on part of my presentation! Thank you, Roz!

Imagine 60 ultra energetic kids singing Happy Birthday (as loud as possible) in a an echo-filled theater. Wow! Pure joy is what I felt as the After School Program students of Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary in Lauderhill, FL did just that for me today. And to top it off, the little ones were wearing Halloween costumes. So cute!

The new cafeteria/theater building at MLK Jr. Elementary is gorgeous – the nicest one I’ve seen at any school.

Learning about the word “inspiration” and how authors come up with ideas for their stories.

We all danced to “Granny Wears a Wig.”

Lots of oos and ahhs about how beautiful watercolor pencils are and how magical it is when you brush water on them.

So many terrific questions! Are insects the most colorful animals? Are there any lions in the rain forest? What gave you the idea for the story? Is an author a real person?

I want to thank Jane O’Connell from After School Programs for inviting me to MLK Jr. Elementary School , and ASP Site Director Ms. Keshia Halls for welcoming me, helping me with my equipment and taking photos. The entire After Care staff were all very welcoming and did a great job ensuring the students were paying attention. There’s nothing better than speaking to a group of curious kids, who are interesting in learning, and the kids here at MLK Elementary are truly awesome. I loved seeing all those smiling faces on my birthday, and the sound of them singing to me will stay with me for years to come. I hope to visit the school again some time in the near future.

It’s October 24, 2013, my 53rd birthday. How did I get to be 53 already?

I won’t let the fact that I wasn’t all that cute of a baby or the fact that the shape of my head has significantly changed in my old age get me in a bad mood, because today is my birthday! Oh gosh! Look at the little purse I was holding!

Well, I started my day with a hug from my best friend, Darwin, an 84 lb. pure bred standard poodle. He knew it is my birthday!

I checked my emails and the first one I read was from my daughter (who is away in college), who wrote me the best letter wishing me a Happy Birthday. Then I logged into Facebook and saw a bunch of birthday wishes from other friends and family, which is really the best thing about Facebook – getting birthday messages from people who would never bother to wish you a happy birthday if it were not for Facebook telling them to do that. Don’t you agree? At about that same time, my husband of 25 years woke up and got up to give me a big hug and told me what a “young 53 year old” I am and he is well aware that I am strong enough to kick his ass if need be. What older-than-middle-aged-woman wouldn’t love hearing that on her birthday?

Then I put my workout clothes on and walked to the courthouse steps. On my way down my alley, the pigeons that usually sit on the roof at the courthouse flew overhead, circling. It was as if they knew it is my birthday!  I saw Johnny, a man I see walking most mornings on my way to the courthouse. He always wears a clean, white, short sleeve t-shirt and navy blue shorts and a captain’s hat. I told him to put out his cigarette (he had recently told me he started smoking again after quitting five years ago).  I told him it is my 53rd birthday today and I was on my way to the steps to workout, and he told me his best friend used to run five miles every day, and when I asked him what that friend is doing now, he replied, “Nothing. He is dead. He died at age 54 from a brain hemorhage!!” Well, I guess I deserved that since I told him to put out his cig, but I certainly didn’t let that bother me or the fact that he blew smoke in my face. It’s my birthday!

At the courthouse, I ran 53 innings (get it? 53rd birthday!), which equates to 2968 steps. (On Sunday I ran 10,000 steps in celebration of my birthday, so today I could take it a bit easier today.)  The pigeons arrived in the middle of my workout and positioned themselves in some interesting flying formations overhead. I was sure they knew it is my birthday too. I decided to tell every employee and courthouse goer who walked by as I was running that today is my 53rd birthday. This resulted in 50% of the people looking at me like I am a crazy woman and not responding and the other 50% reluctantly saying, “Happy Birthday” and also looking at me like I am a crazy woman. I was wearing purple leggings and a hot pink shirt, and I run barefoot. I also had my kitchen broom leaning up against the steps because I needed to sweep rainwater off the steps before I could run. This may explain the strange looks I got from strangers. But I did not let this bother me, as it is my birthday! I didn’t even care when a truck drove by me and a man yelled out some obscenities about body parts.

Then I came home and made myself a delicious coffee drink with melted chocolate in it and walked my dog. I rarely drink coffee because I don’t like it unless it is loaded with cream and sugar. Plus it makes me crawl out of my skin. I didn’t get upset when it started raining, even though there was no sign of rain clouds up above, because it’s my birthday. When I got to the bottom of my coffee drink, I pleasantly discovered that the chocolate I melted resolidified and sunk to the bottom. Eating that was pure heaven.

By the time I got home, it was raining pretty hard. I chose a book to review that was totally awesome called Ike’s Incredible Ink. It inspired me to be creative today, my birthday!

Now I am going to soak in a hot tub, followed by a lunch consisting of chocolate, because it’s my birthday. Then I will put on my millipede costume, load up my car with books and props, and drive to Lauderhill, FL where I have a 1:30 p.m. author visit with my book, The Travel Adventures of Lilly P. Badilly, for 60 elementary age children. You better believe I am going to tell them it’s my birthday!

Starlight Cove Elementary in Lantana, greets students and visitors with this awesome artwork

My author visit presentations were held in the cafeteria/theater of the school. Outside the doors was this sign, proof that the students were taking the rainforest theme seriously. I love it when a school uses my visit for creating further learning opportunities. And there is much to learn about the rainforest!

The children made this colorful poster of the rainforest.

Gotta smile when you see the monkey on stage! Perfectly fitting as we talked about Howlers and how much territory they need in the rainforest

And it’s always nice to receive a special welcome. Thank your for that homemade sign!

The visit included two presentations. The K-2nd graders of this group asked some of the best questions ever presented to me:

1. “How do you actually start writing a book? I mean, how do you choose your first words?”
2. “How is a book cover actually made and how do the pages stay together in there?”
3. “Does being an author make you rich?”

Notice the rainforest leaves lining the stage

The older students were quite taken by the fact that the Rhinoceros Beetle is the strongest animal on earth, able to carry 850 times its weight on its back. “If you drop a brick on it, will it survive?” one asked me.  Well, I suppose it’s possible. They also loved hearing about leaf cutter ants and were shocked when I told them how huge the queen ant of a colony can be.

I always seem to look pretty silly when singing in my Lilly Badilly voice

Showing the students my grandfather’s paintbrushes which are more than 35 years old

Several students came up to me after the presentations to tell me they cannot wait to write their own book and paint with watercolor pencils. They all seem to love the magic of how the pencils turn into paints with just a little bit of water. One boy told me maps are his favorite things, so refreshing to hear!

I so appreciated the terrific, respectful behavior of these students. There were no interruptions, so everyone got to hear what I was saying. I am excited for these students to read my book, listen to the CD and continue to learn about Costa Rica and the rainforest. The after school program at this school was so well staffed and the children here are so fortunate to have the opportunity to learn something fascinating and fun after school every day.

I’d like to thank After School Director, Christian Carerra for inviting me to the after school program. Also, I received a warm welcome from Ms. Gabby, who helped me bring my bulky, lightweight props inside in strong winds, which is no easy task. Ms. Shelby helped me lug them back out to my car and Ms. Jennifer assisted me with the book signing. Thanks to all!

Please visit my book review site to enter to win free Halloween themed children’s books.

I learned something interesting as soon as I walked into Binks Forest Elementary School in Wellington, FL. The school and the area surrounding it got its name “Binks,” because it was the nickname of the man who used to own the land there. I also couldn’t help but be impressed with how helpful the staff was as soon as I opened the front door. Several smiling people helped me drag my books and props in and out, and they couldn’t be any friendlier.

Well to say the least, this was a very special author visit, as I did two presentations with 500 students in each group! Talk about an energetic crowd!!! You never know what will get kids going, and every author visit I do is different. Well, when the 2nd-5th graders learned that many trees are planted by birds because they poop out the seeds, this caused a hilarious uproar that lasted some time. Naturally it put a huge smile on my face.

With the school’s terrific technology I was able to show my animal posters on a big screen so the crowd could see them better. I was asked some terrific questions about those animals, and one 4th grader let me know he had just been to Costa Rica, where he saw a Howler monkey!

One of the highlights of this visit was telling the children that the paintbrushes I used for my illustrations belonged to my grandfather, and I’ve kept them for 30 years. They sure do love watching the magic of watercolor pencils blending with just a touch of water on a brush.

The students are always shocked when I give them statistics on how “Geography Illiterate” Americans really are. I encouraged them to ask for a wall map for the holidays or their birthday. They’re very affordable, and oh so fun to look at and learn about the world.

Media Specialist Sharon Wedgworth absolutely loves her job and it shows! Her library is big and inviting and the students are welcome to browse the shelves at various times throughout the day. She works with readers of all levels and comes up with creative ways of motivating reluctant readers.

Tell me you wouldn’t want to linger in this library for a few hours! Notice the pile of Lilly Badilly books on the table I autographed.

Binks Forest Elementary’s music teacher, Devon Heinrichs has an incredible music program and provides the children with live performances from every genre of music. His classroom is full of interesting instruments, and his students are so fortunate to benefit from his passion for music. It’s teachers like Mr. Heinrichs who can inspire a child to master a musical instrument or sing like Broadway star. And we all know how much music ability and math success go hand in hand.

Music is not the only wonderful part of the Fine Arts classes at Binks Elementary. Check out these impressive painted self-portrait tiles made by students a few years back.

There are many aspects to being a children’s book author that make it so fulfilling. Without a doubt, one of the best parts is visiting a harmonious school, where the teachers truly care, the parents are hands on, the students are curious, and the resources are abundant. Binks Forest is one of those schools, and how lucky these students are to have the privilege of attending!

Thank you Mrs. Wedgworth for inviting me to your school and putting together such a well organized event. Thank you, too, to all the teachers I met, who were so kind and welcoming.  And of course, I must express my gratitude for 1,000 beautiful, smiling, giggling children, who were eager to learn and who told me how much they enjoyed the visit.

Tonight I returned to Liberty Park Elementary for my 5th author visit!

Liberty Park Elementary in Palm Beach County is passionate about books, so it’s no wonder that students and parents love to flock to their beautiful library for Literacy Night. Tonight’s theme was “Reading Oasis: A Cool Place to Discover Hot New Books!” What was really cool about this event is that parent volunteers came to read books to the children in different classrooms.

Tonight I spoke to a classroom full of very curious and perfectly behaved fourth and fifth graders. It was a nice, small group so we were able to interact a lot. It never ceases to amaze me how much the children know about animals and the environment. They even knew definitions to vocabulary words that even surprised their teacher!

What seems to interest the students the most wherever I go is learning about how watercolor pencils work as I run a wet paintbrush through the colors and they see how they blend together. The beauty of speaking to this age group is that they can understand more about the process of publishing a book, and I love to share that experience with them. They were also eager to get up to the maps and play the geography game.

Where is the Gulf of Mexico and what is the name of the hurricane that devastated New Orleans?

I’ve been to so many schools in the past five years and I can tell you that Liberty Park is outstanding. This is a school with such dedicated teachers and administration. You can sense that in the way everyone works together and strives for excellence in teaching their students. The library is beautiful, much like a classy book store, and the lovely classrooms are perfect settings for learning.

I send a big thank you to Media Specialist Michaelina Oliva, who worked so hard to organize tonight’s event and invite me back to the school for the 5th time! She makes me feel so special and welcomed, and I so appreciate it! It takes a lot of planning and physical work to keep a library like that updated and also to put together a big literacy event such as this one together. Another thank you goes to fourth grade teacher, Ms. Ali was so kind and even helped me drag my big maps back to the car. I’d also like to thank Principal Joseph Schneider, who is the most friendly and hands-on principal anyone could ever ask for.

Many gluten-free baked foods taste funky to me.  This one is delicious through and through. I include links to the brands I used, so I cannot testify to the outcome if you substitute these for other brands.

Ingredients:

• 3 large ripe or 6 extra small ripe bananas (FYI-I Live in Miami so we grow the small ones here)
• 3/4 cup All Purpose Gluten-Free Baking Mix (I got mine at Home Goods on a fluke but you can buy online)
• 1/4 cup Raw Coconut Flour (Can buy at Whole Foods)
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 stick of butter (No margarine!) Melt in microwave for 40 seconds.
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. If you have a convection oven, set it to the bake/convection combination setting. Spray 2 muffin tins liberally with baking spray. I use Baker’s Joy. Or you may use butter anf gluten-free flour to coat. You don’t need an electric mixer for this. You can just use a whisk.

In large mixing bowl, mash bananas well with potato masher. Add eggs and mix well. Add melted butter slowly so you don’t cook the eggs. Add brown sugar and mix well. Add vanilla. Combine dry ingredients – flour, coconut, salt, baking powder, cinnamon. fold into wet ingredients. Mix in chocolate chips.

Spoon in muffin pans. I put batter all the way to the top of opening so they bake with a nice big muffin top. (This is the only place in life where a muffin top is a good thing!) This recipe will make between 16 and 20 muffins. Bake until tops are light brown, from 20-25 minutes. If you have a convection oven, they will bake faster so check after 15 minutes. Cool on a rack. Eat when it’s still warm! These freeze well.

I am proud to announce my latest venture! I have created a brand new website called Smart Books for Smart Kids. Here I will review non-fiction books for all ages and select picture books that teach. Also look for author interviews, articles, book lists and more.

To learn more about the website, click on the pages listed about the header. Thanks!

Running the Rocky Steps in Philly

Even more than January 1st, I look upon the day after Labor Day as the first day of my “new year.” Children are gathering new school supplies, leaving them with that wonderful feeling of a fresh start. Along with them, I feel like starting over too. But it’s not always easy to get motivated. I am disciplined with my healthy diet and workouts, but there are other areas of my life that need some motivation. For that I’m going to take what I’ve learned from what I’ve accomplished and apply it to these new uncharted territories.

1. Make a list of reasonable goals, but not too many.
2. Research meeting those goals. (For example: You want to lose weight. First check the BMI Index to see what a healthy weight for you would be.)
3. Write down the final goal, but also break it into steps. (For example: Lose 30 pounds by Christmas. Lose 8 lbs per month, 2 lbs per week.)
4. Research and write down your plan to achieve your goal. (For example: Do 5 45-minute aerobic workouts per week. Introduce more fruits and veggies to diet. Omit fried foods, cut way back on sweets. Drink more water. Stick to 1500 calories per day)
5. Share your goals with a friend or family member and ask them to be a stickler about checking up on you. Sign a document stating what you plan to do to reach your goals by a certain date so your partner can hold you to it.
6. Surround yourself with the tools you need to get the job done and get rid of the things that might prevent you from reaching those goals. (For example: You want to lose weight so you stock your fridge and pantry with fresh, whole foods and lots of fruits and veggies. You get rid of the junk food and sweets. You make a small investment in workout videos or join a class.)
7. Find what motivates you best – either positive or negative. (For example: I run the steps 5 times per week, 1 million steps per year. Every day I wake up and feel like staying in bed. I motivate myself to get up and do it by thinking of my parents, who both passed away prematurely from bad health issues. That motivates me to fight my bad genetics and get moving and stay healthy.)
8. Track your progress and celebrate your accomplishments, both big and small. (For example: There are days when I get to the courthouse steps and just feel lethargic or have an injury and struggle through the workout. I may do less repetitions, but I still go out there and do it. Then I celebrate that despite my lethargy, I did it anyway.)
9. Concentrate on the benefits. (For example: I am 52 years old and weigh the same as I did in my 20s. I am right on target with my weight on the BMI Index. I can wear skinny jeans. I have a lot of muscle and a ton of energy. I look younger than most people my age.)
10. Remind Yourself of the Consequences of quitting. (For example: If I quit this new habit of running steps, I will turn to mush and gain weight and have health problems. I will look back and remember how fit I used to be and will be so angry at myself that I didn’t keep it up.

Like everything else positive you set out to accomplish in your life, you’ve got to have a plan and find out what motivates you to get it done. If you fall off track, it’s not the end. Just pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and remind yourself of the incredible benefits you will have when you reach and maintain your goals.

Pure joy = being hugged by a group of 40 happy K-1st graders who have all made me gifts!

Yesterday I was reminded that being a children’s book author is a privilege to be treasured. I visited two After School Programs Inc. in SW Miami-Dade. As I stood before all those smiling faces who had been reading Lilly Badilly and listening to the CD for a few days before I arrived, I could feel their excitement and eagerness to learn. Kids are indeed like sponges waiting to soak in the world around them. And when they read my book and listen to the CD before I arrive, it makes the author visit all that more special.

I love it when the kids are eager to ask questions and share personal stories, and the behavior of these kids was PERFECT!

For starters, After School Programs, Inc serves thousands of children daily in Broward, Miami-Dade, Collier and Orange Counties. I instantly felt connected to the local Program Director Nikki Elliot, who hired me to do the author visits. Her energy, dedication and vision for educating the many children in the After School Programs is to be highly commended. She travels through Broward and Miami-Dade Counties from end to end every week, ensuring that the teams have what they need to thrive. She is a wealth of terrific ideas and realistic solutions. Likewise, the Site Directors, Ms. Moorley and Ms. Clark, running the programs at the two schools I attended, were wonderful too. The grant-based resources the organization provides, offers children in our communities opportunities that may not be available otherwise to learn and thrive. I love the fact that After School Programs uses their time with the children to educate them beyond the general school day, yet in a ways that are also entertaining and enriching.

The children love it when I show them the paint brushes, given to me many years ago by my late grandfather, I used for my illustrations in the book.

I’m disappointed that there’s more negative than positive information in the press about education in Miami-Dade in general. From where I stand I see dedicated, caring and patient teachers and aides in our schools, camps and after care programs, who work tirelessly to educate our children and ensure their safety. Teachers and administrators obviously cannot control the home environments of the children, but they can and do work miracles; I see it all the time. If only our residents could experience what transpires where children are being educated, they too would be more appreciative of those who care for them on  a daily basis and discover that there is a whole lot of good out there.

Highlights of the day included dancing and shaking our booties, being asked by a 2nd grader how I got so famous (I wish!!), being given stacks of hand drawn thank you notes and Costa Rica illustrations by the students and being treated to an excellent performance of one of the songs on my CD by four children. I also had an opportunity to share some ideas about how to read more and practice writing, in creative and fun ways.

I was presented with piles of thank you notes and illustrations I will cherish for years to come!

A proud student shows me her special thank you card.

Four darling students perform a song they learned by heart from the Lilly Badilly CD entitled “I’m on my Journey.”

So this is why I get out there, dressed as a millipede and do author visits whenever I can. These kids are our future, and I’d say our future is looking bright.

Many thanks go out to to Nikki Watkins for inviting me to visit the After Care Programs, to Julia Banks from West Perrine Park for recommending me to the After Care Program, to Principal Wright and Site Director, Ms. Moorley from R. R. Moton Elementary and Site Director and teacher, Ms. Clark at Beckford/Richmond Elementary. Thank you so much for  making me feel so welcome and giving me the opportunity to speak to your wonderful students!

There are only 6 hours left in my Lilly Badilly Literacy Project. I did not meet my goal, but I am thrilled to have raised enough to give 300 books and CD’s away to needy young readers! I am so looking forward to the author visits.

Thank you everyone for your support!

On a recent trip to Fernandina Beach, I took photos of different textures in the sand:

Portuguese Man-O-War

Seafoam

Crab

Perfect footprint

My dog Darwin’s huge foot prints

Shells

Jeep tracks

Darwin’s shadow

This entire week is dedicated to Teacher Appreciation, and today is National Teacher Day! As an author who has met so many teachers, I have often thought about how much I appreciate all they do. The responsibility of a teacher is far far greater than the recognition or pay. If you think about how much teachers can influence their students, thus helping them shape their futures, it really is remarkable. I’m not saying that all teachers are outstanding, but I do believe that the vast majority care about what they do and set out every day to make a difference in children’s lives.

So go out and thank a teacher today!

There are 37 days left of my Lilly Badilly Literacy Project. Let’s make it happen!

I am very excited about my interview with paper engineer extraordinaire, Bruce Foster. Read the interview here. If you love pop-up books like I do, you will be in awe of the painstaking process it takes to make a book like America’s National Parks: A Pop-Up Book.

© Bruce Fosster

Bruce Foster with a pop-up of Grand Canyon National Park

Our IndieGogo campaign is up to 220 free books for kids! Thank you for your generous support! Please like our Facebook page.

We’ve raised over $1,000 on the IndieGogo campaign! Also, my article was posted about the Lilly Badilly Literacy Project on Wandering Educators. You can read it here.

If you want to learn more about literacy rates in your state and county, visit the National Center for Education Statistics website.

This is an exciting day – the first day of the Lilly Badilly Literacy Project!

Our goal is to raise money to cover the cost of printing 3,000 books and CDs so we can give them to students who cannot afford to buy them. Please check out our IndieGogo campaign and help us spread the word on Facebook, Twitter and by emailing your friends and family.I promise our video will make you laugh!

Thank you for your support!

Today is Earth Day, and I wanted to share with you some links to some amazing children’s books I’ve reviewed that celebrate our great earth and science.

Stronger than Steel – Today I reviewed a book for gifted readers about transgenics that is fascinating. It explains how scientists are experimenting to create orb spider silk, a substance that is stronger than steel and more flexible than nylon.

America’s National Parks: A Pop Up Book – You’ve never seen a pop-up book like this one! It’s the most sophisticated and beautiful 3D book I’ve ever seen, and it celebrates our country’s greatest natural treasures – our National Parks.

Friends of the Earth: A History of American Environmentalism – This outstanding book highlights 11 key people who made notable contributions to America’s environmental movement.

This is the best year I’ve ever had for my tomatoes, and I’ve been growing them for at least ten years. The photo you see above is a sampling of the tomatoes I just picked from my third and last harvest. The plant themselves look warn, yet there are still quite a few tomatoes ripening, and it appears as though I’ll get at least 100 more before I pull the plants for the summer.

I credit my success this season to the fabric growing bags I used, that breathe and drain better than any clay or plastic pot can. I used organic fertilizer, alternating every week with epsom salts, which are rich in magnesium.

It never ceases to amaze me how nature takes its course. It appeared as though some of the plants stopped producing tomatoes, yet tiny buds of deep green leaves began to emerge, followed by yellow flowers and fruits. I’ve never had a season such as this where the last harvested tomatoes tasted as delicious as the first. Each harvest yields fewer and smaller tomatoes, yet this year the tomatoes of the last harvest also tasted as delicious as the first. In a few weeks I’ll pull out the plants and dump the soil into flower beds as I wait for September 1 – the date I plant my seeds for next season. I just received my seeds in the mail, so I’ll be ready to get started by then.

The challenges of nurturing and growing delicious healthy tomatoes can be compared to many other challenges we face in life – such as raising our children, building a business or taking care of our health. It all boils down to research, patience, experimenting and a whole lotta work and love.

I’ll sure miss eating my homegrown tomatoes this summer, but I’m actually looking forward to a gardening break. You can bet I’ll be itching to get started come September though. Every year brings new gardening experiences with new varieties and new discoveries.

I went to Philly this weekend and ran the Rocky Steps. The weather was perfect, and it was such a pleasure to run in cool temps with no humidity! I ran up and down 65 steps, 30 times.

I’m taking these homemade desserts to the neighbor’s house for dinner tonight.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Mousse Filling!

Meyer Lemon Cheesecake!

To celebrate this great milestone, Maria and I went to Jaxson’s Ice Cream Parlour and ordered the biggest sundaes we could find

Monday marked my One Year Anniversary of Running Stairs. I have been doing aerobic workouts for more than 17 years, but a year ago I started running up and down the courthouse steps with my neighbor, Maria. She and I had been walking our dogs together for a while and decided to try running the stairs after my husband told me he tried it while on a midnight run.

There are 28 steps. We call it an “inning” when we run up and down once (56 steps). The first time I ran, I strained to do 13 innings. Stepping of this sort is one of the most strenuous exercises. Over the course of this past year, I ran more than 1,000,000 steps, up and down, that’s more than 17,850 innings! The most innings I ran at one time during that year were 100, or 5,600 steps. It took about an hour. On a regular basis (5 X per week), I ran 60 and sometimes 80 innings, 40 at the least. We ran in the rain, extreme heat and some cold (for FL) weather.

Some tips if you want to try this: Bring a towel for sweat and plenty of water. Buy a cheap stopwatch to time yourself so you can mark your improvements. Stretch your calves on the steps before you run. Have a cell phone in case of emergency. Take 60-90 second walking breaks between innings. We break after 20 or 25 innings. Don’t stop moving when you take a break or when you have just finished! We walk 1/2 mile to and from the courthouse, so it is a great warm up and cool down. Make sure you stretch when you’re done or your calves and quads will get very tight. I run barefoot due to plantaar fascitis. When I wear any type of shoes it causes heal pain and even knee pain. No shoes = no pain for me.

Let’s see how many steps I can run in the next 12 months and hopefully I can accomplish some other milestones unrelated to working out.