Love seeing these beauties pop up throughout the neighborhood. I must plant some in my own yard for next spring!

Like any kid who likes to get dirty, shove their pockets full of pebbles and build amazing creations out of dirt piles, growing up in the country for me meant a fair amount of work that involved getting some dirt on my clothes. Quite often that dirt came from the garden – the MASSIVE garden that was situated right down the hill to the east of our house. Every spring we helped our parents till up the soil, part the rows and plant the seeds. Then we waited. And waited some more until the tiny sprouts finally emerged. That garden was a place we coveted as kids. We’d get lost among the raspberry patch just sitting and picking off the berries one by one. We’d pluck the sweet peas right from the vine and pop them into our mouths. And once the corn got tall enough, there were endless races down the rows.

My garden is a little bit smaller than the garden I played in growing up. Actually, a lot smaller, but perfect for my backyard nestled in the city. When we bought our home more than six years ago, we were excited to have built-in garden boxes already constructed and ready to go. I worked the soil that first summer and warranted a few tomatoes and zucchini. Then that fall, we got a puppy. Needless to say, our planting times came to a halt for a few years, especially after he chewed out the drip system!

Once puppy got big enough to understand right from wrong, I returned to my garden boxes and filled them with veggies that overflowed the tiny boxes that started to show their wear. So this spring, before having a new drip system installed, the hubby and I embarked on a woodworking project to construct beautiful new garden boxes – but this time, raised up for a professional finish.

Thanks to the helpful sales guy at Home Depot in Firestone, we loaded up on pressure treated lumber that was already treated, stained and ready to go! KJ got to pull out the power tools and zipped through the boards, cutting them to perfect length.

Assembling the first box proved to be a challenge. How do you make a 4-by-8 foot box that is 16-inches tall and then try to move it into place? You don’t – at least not with only KJ and I! Note to self: Build boxes in place. As the sun set around us, we finished assembly. Installation would have to be another day.

A week later with some sunshine overhead, we dug the holes for the corner posts and nestled the boxes into their new home. The wood matches our fence perfectly, and the boxes are ready for me to fill with vegetables this season. But first, I need some dirt!

With a kiss to the hubby and a pat on doggie’s head, I hopped a plane and headed east to visit my brother and his family in Pittsburgh. After 10 years in the U.S. Navy, Ryan, Maria and the cutest niece in the world – Paige – found their new home in the suburbs of the big city.

Living in Maria’s hometown, her entire family is diehard Steelers fans – my brother now included! And when winter moves in, the Penguins take the ice. Thanks to Maria’s cousins, we scored tickets to a Penguins game while I was there that were six rows off the ice! Now I’ll admit I’m not the biggest sports fanatic. I’ve watched games on TV, but haven’t really ever gotten into one particular sport. But when you put me in a hockey arena where I can hear the sticks hitting the ice, the puck clank off the goal post and bodies slam into the glass, I’m going to be cheering with the rest of them! This was my first NHL game, and one that will never be forgotten with the game coming down to a shoot out. Talk about edge of your seat! Penguins win!!

Pittsburgh is an amazing city with incredible views of the skyline from Mount Washington. The unique characteristic shape of Pittsburgh’s city center is a triangular tract carved by the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers, which meet to form the Ohio River. The city features 151 high-rise buildings, 446 bridges and two inclined railways, making it not only know as “the Steel City,” but also “the City of Bridges.”  Pittsburgh is also home to Heinz ketchup and the famous Primanti Bros. Restaurant, where sandwiches come piled high on homemade bread with your choice of meat and cheese topped off with fresh cut fries and coleslaw. It truly is an entire meal in one bite!

I’m excited to return and explore more of this city. Soon there will be a new reason to visit, as Paige will be a big sister!

It’s been said that no one is poor who has friends. That statement was very true when 17 of us meet up for an early March snowshoeing trip to the Indian Peaks Wildnerness above Boulder. That day, as we bundled in our warmest gear to fight off the chilling winds swirling around us, there was a sense of warmth that surrounded me. Warmth found in your familiar friendly faces.

I meet my husband at my first job out of college. For him, it was his second, but one that brought him great joy by living in the Rocky Mountains. After all, skiing, hiking and outdoor fun was right up his alley! The two of us were at that job for more than a decade before moving onto new adventures. But what we gained (besides a marriage!) were friends who will last a lifetime.

Many of the faces with us that day in the mountains were there when we first meet – some even at our first conversation! You filled the room at our farewell party, and grace our backyard barbecues. With the many others who weren’t able to join us that day, we just want to say thanks. It’s each one of you that we are grateful to have in our lives.

Petting an alpaca on its head is similar to touching a cottonball – fuzzy, soft and very fluffy. I really didn’t know what to expect from these animals during my first glimpse, but it was their fuzzy little faces that beckoned me closer as we toured the Alpaca Extravaganza at the Boulder County Fairgrounds.

I had seen alpacas in photos and knew they resembled a smaller version of a llama, but what I did not know is that these animals are not a fan of being of being grabbed. But despite this trait and their intuition to turn away as you reach for them, they were still pretty fascinating to watch. And I did manage to get my fair share of petting their fluffy fleece.

During the two hours that we spent at the event, we chatted with alpaca breeders about the animals and toured the many booths set up to display alpaca products. I found the perfect alpaca scarf that is one of the softest I own! I was also mesmerized by the hands-on demonstrations showing weaving of the fiber into beautiful pieces of art, and watched careful as women knitted the fibers into handmade creations. I was so inspired that I’ve now set a new goal for myself – knitting 101. Stay tuned for future posts on my adventure of learning to knit my own creations. This might be interest.

I’ve learned over the last few months to not have such a squeamish stomach. Not that unslightly displays ever made me too sick, but I wasn’t about to hang around and learn more about the situation.

Enter my husband. A former journalist, who is now studying to be a nurse. He’s also a hospital employee who works in the operating room. Five days a week he transports patients, get instruments, cleans up the OR and watches some pretty amazing stuff. I’ve already heard stories about how hammers are used in orthopedic surgeries and the process involving the removal of a gallbladder, which is pretty fascinating since I’ve also had gallbladder issues. The opportunities he’s already seen in the OR will surely help him be a better nurse.

At home, I’ve seen him put in hours of studying, staying up way past my bedtime. The piles of books in the office and on his desk - including the Pathophysiology one next to me! – remind me of his passion and desire to travel down a new career path. Growing up, he spent many summers as a camp counsel which allowed him to care for children. His desire to help those kids conquer their fears by climbing ropes and paddling a canoe is much like his passion to help a patient through an illness.

While the next two years will continue to be filled with textbooks, late night tests, clinicals and hospital stories, I know he’s heading down the right path. From his expressions and excitement, he knows too that he’s doing what he loves.

For me, I’ll be the faithful wife who takes care of the house, cleans the laundry and keeps our lives moving forward. After all, there’s exciting times ahead! I’m proud of you hubby!

There is nothing better than filling a house with wonderful smells from the kitchen. So today, as I enjoyed a holiday off (which I must admit is great since my last job never allowed me that luxury), I whipped up several batches of banana and zucchini bread that made my house smell splendid!

I think the desire to bake today came from the fact that my freezer was overflowing with bananas that had seen their better day, and zucchini that had overgrown my garden this past summer. Last summer’s bounty ended up netting me about 52 cups of zucchini – diced and grated in the freezer for future use. And that was on top of the zucchini we had already cooked, grilled and given away to the neighbors! The poor kids next door didn’t know what they had gotten themselves into when they started accepting the zucchini over the fence. I planted two zucchini plants last year, which started off slow and then spiraled out of control. They soon wiggled their way through the fence that I had placed around the box, and then spilled over the top. Needless to say, next year, the zucchini gets its own box. When my hubby got tired of me picking zucchini from the garden, I came home one day last fall to see my beloved plants gone. Interesting enough to note, all of my zucchini had come from one plant. Maybe I will only plant one next year.

In addition to my love of growing zucchini, I also love bananas. But if they get to the point of turning completely yellow, and even further a bit of brown, I won’t touch them! The crunchy texture to green/yellow bananas is when they are best. So if the hubby doesn’t eat them in time and they turn completely brown, into the freezer they go – minus the peel.

Then comes days like today, when frozen bananas and grated zucchini get mixed together with flour, sugar, eggs and spices to create tasty breads that fill our house with scents of cinnamon and nutmeg. It’s the kind of smell you want to last, but always fades. But for that time when it wafts through the house, you feel comfortable and happy.

What I have found to be a successful breakfast for me, is to combine two or three food groups.
- bread and grain (cereal, muffin or toast)
- dairy (fat-free yogurt or reduced-fat cheese)
- fruit or vegetable (banana, apple, carrots)

My mom has made these Bran Muffins for years, not only because they’re quick to grab, but they taste great. And the best part is, you can make the batter and keep it in your fridge for up to six weeks. Combine one of these muffins with yogurt and an apple and I’m set for the day!

6 Week Bran Muffins

1 17-ounce bran flakes (I used raisin bran)
2 cups sugar
1 cup oil (I substitute half of this with applesauce)
5 teaspoons baking soda
5 cups flour (whole wheat flour gives it a great nutty texture)
1 quart reduced fat buttermilk
1 teaspoon salt
Dried cranberries and chopped walnuts (optional)

Mix all the ingredients together and drop into pre-lined muffin pans. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Keep the rest of the batter in an air tight container in your fridge and bake as you need. They also freeze great!

Rocky Mountain National Park

Ever since my husband took me on our first date to Estes Park, this quaint mountain town nestled in the Rocky Mountains has had a special place in my heart. Once you add snow to the mix, this beautiful backdrop becomes a majestic destination we love to escape to for the day.

With our recent snowstorm, Estes Park was covered in a fresh layer of white fluffy snow. But before we hit Rocky Mountain National Park, we stopped at our favorite restaurant in town – Ed’s Cantina. If you haven’t eaten there, YOU HAVE TO TRY IT! In the winter, the Buffalo Stew is a must! But if it’s summertime that’s calling, I suggest the Chicken Lime Tacos or a burger piled high with tons of pickles – it’s the only way to have it!

Bear Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park

Inside the park we headed to Bear Lake, which is one of our favorite spots at any time of year. With all the fresh snow, the lake was completely covered in a fresh blanket of powder. The silence that echoed throughout the area almost allowed you to hear the creaking of the tree bark as it struggled to hold the snow among its bounty. And even with the ice warnings clearly marked, people had braved the frozen cover and walked across this open canvas.

Rocky Mountain National Park

Moraine Park, Rocky Mountain National Park

Alluvial Fan, Rocky Mountain National Park

Elk in Rocky Mountain National Park

Elk in Rocky Mountain National Park

On the way home, we took an alternative route down the Big Thompson Canyon and were guided down by the moon.

Big Thompson Canyon

Double Irish Chain quilt I made at age 13

As a little girl, I’d watch my mom sew for hours at her machine making new clothes, dolls and quilts for our home. Often, it was new matching dresses for my sister and me to wear for an upcoming holiday that would allow family members to comment at “how cute” we looked in our matching attire. Mom careful picked out the perfect pattern for every dress she made and then measured each of us to make sure she’d get just the right amount of fabric. We’d gather at the kitchen counter and watch her cut out the pieces, and then became models as she’d fit us throughout the process making sure each step was just right.

One Easter, I remember mom using peach-colored fabric for our new dresses. The dresses came right below our knees and were edged with white eyelet around the wrists and neck. A pretty sash at the waist completed the look as we twirled in our new dresses, showing them off for everyone who glanced in our direction.

Mom’s handy sewing skills came from her mother, who taught her at a young age the importance of learning to sew. Combine that with my other grandma’s sewing skills and I was destined to become a sewer for life.

I learned at a young age how to sew a button and stitch a hem. As I grew older, my projects got more advanced, starting with a pillow, then a shirt and finally my own dresses. By the time I was about 13, I started quilting and first making traditional block quilts out of leftover fabric from other sewing projects. As I got more confident I tackled my first big quilt – a Double Irish Chain, following the book Irish Chain in a Day. It was a twin-sized quilt in pastel pink and aqua tones – the color of my room at the time. I was so excited about that quilt that I entered it in the county fair that summer through my 4-H club and earned a grand champion ribbon. I earned another grand champion ribbon for a pillow that I sewed. That first quilt encouraged me to make others throughout the years with some large enough to cover a bed, but most perfect for wall hangings and table runners.

A favorite columnist of mine who writes for the local newspaper wrote a column last November entitled “The quilter who dies with the most fabric wins.” I had to chuckle reading her words, because every quilter I know has their own stash of fabric leftover from projects. In my recent quilting project, I looked through the dresser now houses all of my own stash and I couldn’t help but remember each project that brought that piece of fabric into my collection. There are pieces from the quilt I made my nephew, the patriotic wall hanging for my mother and the bright shining star that graces a table runner for my in-laws.

My in-laws were here to visit this holiday season and like to settle in like they’re at home, which is the way we like it since we only see them a couple of times a year. The first evening they got here I heard my father-in-law say, “I tried to put some clothes in the dresser we usually use, but it’s full of fabric.” All I could do was laugh and defend the importance of my stash as a key to the memories from the projects I’ve made.

I’ve already started coming up with new sewing projects that involve fabric from my stash. Now I just have to pull out the machine and grab some thread.