I finally made it out to that new park you mentioned. The trails were well marked and not too crowded on a Tuesday afternoon. I walked the loop around the lake and saw a family of ducks plus a couple of turtles sunning themselves on a log. The path was mostly flat so it was an easy stroll. There were benches along the way where you could just sit and watch the water. I brought a book but ended up just enjoying the quiet instead. The parking lot was nearly empty when I arrived around two. I think next time I will bring a picnic because there are plenty of grassy spots with shade. You should come with me sometime. Let me know if you want to go this weekend. I can pack us some snacks and we can make an afternoon of it. It was really nice to get out of the house for a bit.

I finally tried that pasta recipe you sent me last week. It turned out really well even though I made a few substitutions. I used penne instead of spaghetti because that is what I had in the pantry. The sauce came together nicely with garlic and fresh basil from the farmers market. I added a bit of red pepper flake for heat which gave it a nice kick. The whole thing took about thirty minutes from start to finish which is perfect for a weeknight. I served it with a simple side salad and some crusty bread. My family cleaned their plates so I will definitely be making it again. Thanks for sharing the recipe. I have been trying to cook more at home and this was a great addition to my rotation. Let me know if you have any other easy weeknight dinners I should try.