Seasons of Growth: Running, Writing, and Tending to my heart.

July 11, 2025 Lulu LeeLeave a comment

On the Run: Training and Races

Running has become more than a routine — it’s been a return to discipline, breath, and strength. Over the past few months, I’ve trained consistently and challenged myself in new ways. I’ve completed a few races so far. The first was the Shamrock 5K in March. Then there the Race Towards Autism Acceptance 5K in April, Marine Corps Historic Half Marathon in May. The Father’s Legacy Inaugural 5K was held first. The most recent race was the Fallen Heroes 5 Miler on July 4th, 2025. Each race brought its own lessons — in perseverance, in honoring the moment, and in trusting my body’s quiet power.

Some mornings were hard. Some finishes were emotional. But every step has been worth it.

Right now, I’m deep in training for something big — my very first full marathon! I’ll be running the Richmond Marathon this October. I couldn’t be more excited. I am also a little nervous for the journey ahead. It’s a milestone I’ve dreamed about for years, and I’m ready to meet it head-on.

On the Page: Stories Taking Root

Writing has been both refuge and revelation. I recently completed my debut novel, Songs of the Eleven Suns. It is the first book in a trilogy that explores the delicate balance between land and sea. It delves into memory and myth, as well as love and legacy. It’s a story rooted in ancestry and longing — and one that’s been with me for a long time.

Working on this book stretched me in every way. I poured so much of myself into its pages. It was not just the craft of writing, but the emotional truth beneath the story. Seeing it finished felt like watching a dream step into the light.

Alongside that, I’ve been working on a deeply personal poetry chapbook titled Dark, Still Rising. It’s a collection centered on themes of defiance, self-love, childhood, ancestry, and healing. It is written as a lyrical tribute to dark brown skin, identity, and survival. These poems have helped me rediscover voice, power, and presence in the quietest corners of myself.

Now, I’m continuing the journey with Book Two of the trilogy. I am expanding the world, deepening the characters, and raising the stakes. It’s thrilling to return to a place I know so well and keep discovering new depths.

There’s more to come — and I can’t wait to bring you along as these stories continue to unfold.

Below are the links for the books…if you are interested!!

Songs of the Eleven Suns https://a.co/d/iALittq

Dark, Still Rising https://a.co/d/43TsNRY

Thank you for stopping by and for the support 🙂

Health & Fitness

Born to Run? Maybe Not. But I Chose To.

May 3, 2025 Lulu LeeLeave a comment

Running never came naturally to me. I wasn’t the fastest or the strongest. From the moment I stepped onto that dusty field in Sierra Leone as a kid, I felt inspired. I knew I wanted to run. What started as a way to follow in my siblings’ footsteps became a personal journey. It has taken me across continents and through setbacks. It has led me toward a deeper understanding of who I am.

Some people are born with a natural talent for certain things. Others have to work hard to excel at whatever they choose to pursue.

I fall into the latter group. Running has always been a part of my life, but it’s something I’ve had to work at consistently. My earliest memory of running goes back to grade school in Sierra Leone.

I believe I was in second grade. Back then, we had a huge event called Field Day. It was more than just a school event. It brought together the entire town. It felt almost like a mini Olympics. Students were divided into four teams, each represented by a different color. We trained for various track and field events leading up to the big day.

This is a great race to raise funds for Veterans.

I was on the same team as my older brother and sister. I was thrilled to compete alongside them. I was clearly one of the slowest kids on the team, but that didn’t dampen my excitement.

I don’t remember which team won that year. I do remember falling in love with the feeling of pushing myself. My brother and sister were standout runners, and I wanted to be just like them.

From that point on, I became my brother’s shadow. He was my hero. I watched him train with his friends and thought, I can do that too—if I put in the work.

Over the years, running became more than a hobby—it became a passion. Not sprinting or track events, though. My love is long-distance, cross-country running. I was never fast, and I’m still not, but that’s okay. What matters most to me is endurance and connection.

Long-distance running helps me feel connected—to nature, to myself, and to my limits. It challenges me in ways nothing else has.

I moved to the United States in 1993. By 1996, I had joined my high school’s cross-country team. In college, I pushed to help form a cross-country program. Later, my love for running helped me thrive during my time in the military.

I’ve had my fair share of physical setbacks. These include injuries, a surgery to repair torn tendons and ligaments, and bursitis in my hip. I’ve also had plenty of physical therapy. None of it has taken away my love for running. I continue to work at it because running is a part of who I am. I always feel most alive during and after a run.

Are you just as obsessed with running? If so, when did you get hooked—and what keeps you going?

Thanks for stopping by!

Recipes

A taste of home

May 2, 2025August 23, 2025 Lulu Lee2 Comments

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This post may contain affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting my writing and this blog.

Growing up in an African household, cooking was woven into our daily routine. My grandfather was a radical in a sense. He knew how to cook, bake, make his own moonshine and so much more. I spent a small part of my childhood with him and my grandmother. Those two shaped my life, my love of learning, gardening and cooking. Grandma didn’t write down her recipes. Neither did my mom. I am grateful that I have kept the recipes of many childhood treats. These meals are among my favorites.

In the attached video you will see me frying puff-puff, and this is such a versatile dish. It can be an appetizer, breakfast, or dessert. My kids especially liked it when I made puff-puff for their multicultural events at school.

To make puff-puff the way I remember it, you don’t need much — just flour, yeast, sugar, and warm water. But what makes it even better is having the right tools. I use a sturdy mixing bowl to combine the ingredients. I use a heavy cast-iron Dutch oven to fry them to golden perfection. When the puff-puff is done, I rely on a slotted spoon to lift them safely out of the oil. I do this just the way my grandmother did with her old kitchen tools.

My Kitchen Essentials for Puff-Puff

Slotted Spoon – makes lifting puff-puff out of hot oil simple and safe.

Mixing Bowls – for stirring and letting the dough rise.

Cast-Iron Dutch Oven – keeps the oil hot and steady, perfect for frying puff-puff evenly.

These are almost ready.

Puff-puff is a simply dish that I like to the menu on a regular basis.

African Puff-Puff Recipe

Ingredients:

2 cups plus 2 tbsp of warm water

2(1/4) tsp of active dry yeast

3(1/2) cups of all purpose flour

3/4 cup of raw cane sugar

1/2 tsp of salt

Olive oil or any vegetable oil

Optional items

1/2 tsp of nutmeg
1/2 tsp of powdered ginger
1/2 tsp of cardamom

Instructions:

Mix 2 tbsp of sugar, warm water, and active dry yeast in a large bowl. Set the mixture aside for 5 minutes, or until it becomes foamy.
In another bowl sift the flour then add the remaining dry ingredients.
Pour the dry ingredients into the yeast mixture and mix with either a hand held mixer or with a spatula.
Cover up the batter and sit it in a warm place in your kitchen. You can use a proving draw of you want. Wait for about 1 to 2 hours and the batter should have doubled in size.
In a large saucepan, pour your oil until it is about 1/3 to 1/2 of the way full. Warm it up on low heat.
Test your oil by scooping a small amount of the batter and pour into saucepan. If the batter remains on the bottom of the pan, wait! Your oil is not hot enough. If your batter rises to the top of the pan within seconds then you are good to go.
Most Africans scoop the batter with their hands and simply drop small dough balls into the hot oil. Don’t overcrowd the pan. It will affect cooking time. In some cases, it will make your puff-puff chewy.
Fry the dough balls for a minute before turning them and cooking for a few minutes. Wait till they are golden brown.
Placed the dough balls on a tray/plate covered with a paper towel to soak up excess oil.
Set aside and cool off before serving with either powdered sugar, a savory sauce or just as is.
This treat is prepared differently , depending on which part of Africa you are from.
I am a product of Sierra Leone and this is how I remember it being made.

Thank you for stopping by 🙂

Gardening · Gardening

Lessons from My First Year of Gardening: Successes and Mistakes

April 29, 2025April 29, 2025 Lulu Lee3 Comments

Last year was the first time I truly committed to designing and creating a small garden. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. All I knew was that I wanted to grow fruits and vegetables my family and I would enjoy. I spent a lot of time at local stores. I hunted for gardening tools, supplies, and starter plants that were on sale. Looking back, not trying to grow everything from seed was a smart decision. It made the whole process much more manageable.

Here are some pictures from my garden last year. I plan to share more photos and lessons I’ve learned. I’ll also share how I’m working to avoid repeating some of the mistakes I made. If you have any tips to simplify the issues I’ve shared, please feel free to pass them along!

This was the first tomato plant in my garden. It produced so many tomatoes. I managed to make pasta sauce. I shared some with my neighbors. I used the rest in plenty of stews and salads. One lesson I learned the hard way was the importance of checking the weather before planting. I’m in a Zone 7 gardening area. I didn’t realize that until I joined a Facebook group. This group helped me understand when to start my seedlings and when to transfer them outdoors.

The apple tree I germinated and transplanted is still growing and thriving. I’m hoping to get some fruit from it in the next year or so. The idea for this tree came after enjoying a delicious apple one day. I saved most of the seeds and then researched ways to germinate them. As an experiment, I prepared just one seed, and I’m so grateful it worked. Now, I have a few more seeds in the process of germination.

It was my first time trying my hand at landscaping, and it turned out better than I expected. I do wish I had used weed barrier fabric—that was a rookie mistake I won’t be repeating this year. I’m still working on removing the rocks from this part of the garden. I’ve realized they are not the best choice. This year, I plan to try red mulch and see if that helps the plants thrive.

These were my green bell peppers and habanero peppers, and they yielded much more than I anticipated. I even dehydrated some of the habaneros for later use—and I still have some left! I bought these peppers from a local store. I only had to prepare the garden bed and then transplant them. I made sure they got plenty of water, sunshine, and fertilizer. Still, I’m still figuring out the right fertilizers for my garden. I tried using egg shells and kitchen scraps, which worked well. This year, I plan to start composting to guarantee my fruits, vegetables, and plants get enough nutrients.

Thank you for stopping by, I hope you do come back! I have a lot more to share. Leave tips if you feel incline to do so.

-Lulu

Uncategorized

Hello World!

October 27, 2022April 29, 2025 Lulu Lee4 Comments

Welcome to my little corner of the internet—a space shaped by love, healing, and growth. After losing my mother in early 2024, I began to take my health more seriously. I became more intentional about how I care for myself and my family. Gardening and cooking quickly became grounding practices for me, offering calm after long days spent looking after others. I also find joy in getting lost in a great book. Clarity comes in the quiet rhythm of running. Being outdoors has always felt like home. These everyday rituals, rooted in simplicity, have helped me navigate grief, stay focused, and rediscover purpose.

This blog is where I share that journey, one season at a time. It began with my first real try at gardening. Over time, it has evolved into a space for so much more. This includes homegrown recipes, health and fitness tips, book recommendations, and reflections on the ups and downs of daily life. Whether you’re here for practical advice, a little inspiration, or simply to follow along, I hope you feel welcome. This space is about growth in every form—and I’m glad you’re here to be a part of it.