Parris are not in France

It's a funny sort of thing

2012-02-04T17:10:00.000-08:00

How the same day I took the pic

from the previous post it started snowing....

and 2 days later we ended up with over 22 inches.

see more snowy photos here

A view of Boulder

2012-02-02T19:44:00.000-08:00

I ran some out-of-town

errands this morning,

and this is the view that

welcomed me back to Boulder.

Lucky me :)

The Fast & the Flurry-ous

2012-01-29T07:43:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Z ran in a 4 mile

cross country race

with his running team.

It had snowed the day before,

(thankfully not too much),

but it was really cold,

at least to me, since I was just

standing around watching.

The cold made it harder to get

really good photos

(because my fingers wouldn't cooperate),

but here are a few that I liked.

I spy...

2012-01-15T15:01:00.000-08:00

So it turns out that

Eldorado Canyon State Park

is a rock climbing park,

and even in mid-January,

there were plenty of climbers making

their ascent.

It became a game for me to spot them

in the tiny crevices of the giant rock faces,

and then I loved seeing the families

out teaching their kids to climb.

Can you find all the climbers?

Go to my Flickr set

to see all the

Eldorado Canyon pics!

Eldorado Canyon State Park

2012-01-15T08:55:00.000-08:00

Just about 15 minutes from our house

is a lovely state park.

We spent a few hours there Saturday morning.

Z, of course, found places to run,

while I hiked a couple of trails &

followed the creek

for some photos.

PS. Have you ever seen a black squirrel?? I was amazed!

Frozen

2012-01-14T17:36:00.000-08:00

The weather has been warming up

lately and melting the snow

during the day.

Then the melted water freezes again overnight...

Z goes to the Orange Bowl

2012-01-08T13:19:00.000-08:00

Z recently got back from his

week-long trip to

NC, SC, GA & FL

where he saw lots of

family & friends,

ending with roadtrip

to the Orange Bowl

with some good college friends.

They just did a great post

with lots of photos

from the trip...

so go check it out

HERE!

In remembrance.

2012-01-07T19:03:00.000-08:00

This morning was grey & cold

with the promise of snow

rolling in over the Front Range,

seemingly mirroring my own

state of mind.

As I walked along the paths

by the Boulder Reservoir,

my thoughts turned

to my family in NC.

This afternoon they buried my

Pop Pop,

and I was saddened not to be

there with them to celebrate his life.

Being out in the brisk fresh air, though,

I was reminded that even in the

grey midwinter, we are surrounded

by beauty & life,

and I am thankful.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T10:30:00.000-08:00

Happy 7th day of Christmas

& New Year's Eve!

Z & I celebrated a quiet, cozy

holiday that included a couple of church services,

savory artichoke, olive, & onion pizza,

& homemade pasta and creamy basil tomato sauce

with shrimp & scallops for Z.

We also went with some of Z's students

to the famous Casa Bonita,

which was definitely an experience

we will not soon forget.

Now Z is off to the Orange Bowl

with some good friends,

so we had to eat our New Year's

black-eyed peas & braised greens

before he left.

Happy New Year everyone!

It's beginning to look..

2011-12-23T12:40:00.000-08:00

a lot like a white Christmas.

Over the last couple of days

over 14 inches of snow fell here,

and there are massive drifts all around,

over 2ft on our deck!

Inside the house, though,

things are all decorated & cozy.

I love our little tree...

it's tiny, but we didn't

have room for a large tree.

I think it's adorable.

oooh..holiday bokeh time.

Almost all of our Advent chocolates

have been consumed...

Christmas is almost here!

Thankfully the sun is out with clear skies today,

so the snowy mountains are amazing!

Family photo

2011-12-22T12:21:00.000-08:00

Just another photo I like

from the recent visit

with Z's family.

We took a day trip to Estes Park

and I snapped this shot of the 4 of them.

It makes me happy.

Party like Bernie

2011-12-22T09:04:00.000-08:00

Oh my, I have been a terrible blogger...

how is it already almost Christmas?!

These last few weeks have been filled

with juggling work, crocheting & making gifts,

cleaning, throwing a little get-together,

decorating our tiny Christmas tree,

interviewing (more later),

& shopping.

Whew!

Also, I had a little issue with my

camera that's made it difficult to

actually take photos of all these

goings-on.

I did use Z's iPhone to get a few shots

of the open house we had for

Z's students.

Of note:

1. Our tree is so small that Z's head completely blocks it out

in this photo.

2. It's obvious that we know how to party...

Z is reading to everyone.

They were all so tired from exams that

they were happy to sit, drink warm cider,

and eat some holiday treats...

oh, and of course there was the

first annual Christmas viewing

of clips from

Weekend at Bernie's II

& the subsequent demonstration

of the hit dance craze,

The Bernie.

Yes, holiday cheer & tradition abounded.

Anatomy of a sunset

2011-12-01T08:50:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Z & I took advantage of some warmer weather

by getting outside. I took a lovely hike, and as I waited

for him to return from his long run,

I chronicled the sunset's progression on his iPhone.

It was simply stunning.

And this morning...SNOW!

House Tour: Downstairs

2011-11-30T12:11:00.000-08:00

I'm probably a little overdue for a tour

of our townhouse since we've lived here since August,

but our recent Thanksgiving guests

meant that we finally got around to hanging up

more artwork & doing a top-to-bottom

cleaning, so I thought it the perfect time to

share some photos.

Here is what you see immediately upon entering.

The front door opens to the living room,

with a small hallway leading to the

kitchen, tiny eating area, back deck,

and a couple of storage closets.

Our small, bright kitchen is nice,

but I do miss having a gas range.

Back in the living room, this is the view

from the front door.

And coming back to the living room from the kitchen area.

I love how the high ceiling opens up the space!

Looking at the space from the bottom of the stairs.

The ample wall space & crazy angles

are wonderful for displaying the eclectic pieces

we've picked up along the way.

Fun fact: Mr. Wilson likes to use that mirror

on the landing

to look up the staircase instead of turning his head. :)

And finally, here's the view of the living room

from the top of the stairs.

Currently the upstairs is functional

with its two bedrooms, bath, and laundry closet,

but not at all styled.

I've got some DIY projects planned for those areas,

so hopefully they will come together sooner rather than later.

I will post about my progress as I go!

This is dedicated...

2011-11-29T13:56:00.000-08:00

to the one I love.

Happy Birthday

my love.

Photo credit: Andy Noise

Thanksgiving 2011 OR Diary of a Turkey Virgin

2011-11-29T07:59:00.000-08:00

This Thanksgiving was a day of firsts:

our first Thanksgiving in Colorado,

our first visitors (Z's parents & brother from NC),

our first time hosting the meal,

and my first time cooking a turkey.

As a long-time vegetarian

I was a little nervous about cooking a

Thanksgiving turkey,

but as a food/cooking enthusiast,

I felt up to the challenge.

I decided not to take any chances with a frozen turkey

and ordered a fresh one from our local market.

Then I searched online for recipes.

After reading that brining is the best way to avoid

dry meat, I settled on a recipe from

The Pioneer Woman.

Hard to go wrong with her

(unless you are on a diet).

So the brine was made and the turkey guts pulled out

(I didn't use them in the gravy, so I just tossed them out),

but then there was the little problem of

finding a brining bag.

I could not find them in any grocery stores.

A couple of specialty food stores had them,

but they were outrageously priced,

so I had to be resourceful.

I bought some Ziploc XL bags (10 gallons)

poured in my brine & my 11 lb turkey,

then fit it all into my biggest stockpot, cinched it

with a chip bag clip & let it soak overnight.

Thankfully it fit perfectly, so I didn't have to turn it!

I also made the cranberry sauce &

chocolate caramel tart ahead.

Thanksgiving morning,

with the turkey thoroughly rinsed & the potatoes cubed,

we headed over to watch Z run in the Turkey Trot.

It was a glorious 65 degrees & sunny,

which was great for the spectators but too warm for the runners.

A very Parris Thanksgiving.

Back at home, we had to get down to business.

Z & his brother baked a pumpkin pie from scratch

while I got the turkey going and worked on the

fontina & parmesan potato casserole.

Here's the turkey part-way through.

Unfortunately since I was keeping so busy

basting the turkey, making the casserole,

brown sugar shortbread, brussels sprouts, & raspberry tea,

I didn't have much time to take pictures,

but believe me, that bird was golden brown in the end.

The set up was a little crazy, too.

We don't have any real eating area in our place,

so the plan was to set up two tables

and all 9 chairs that we own in the living room &

use the side table as a buffet.

It actually worked well, but since everyone was gathered

in the living room watching football we didn't get to set it up

until right before we ate, so again I failed to take any good photos.

This gives you an idea, but it actually looked much cozier & pretty.

Some friends of ours brought some delicious sweet potato casserole,

2 types of dressing, and Z's cousin brought the rolls.

I really enjoyed cooking everything, and aside from

an issue with the gravy (really hard to season something properly

when you can't taste it...oh well) I thought I did pretty well...

for a turkey virgin.

Hope your Thanksgiving was wonderful, too!

Sneak Peek

2011-11-21T14:47:00.000-08:00

I've been keeping my crochet hook

very busy lately with some new projects!

Another crocodile ruffle neck cozy.

(My first commissioned piece!)

A long (4-5ft) stripey scarf

And some fun, candy-inspired hats

I've also got some crocheted home decor items,

baby & kids hats, and even some baby cardigans

in the works!

p.s. It is really difficult to model & photograph at the same time :)

Giveaway winner!

2011-11-21T09:14:00.000-08:00

I plugged all the entries into a random number

generator and lucky number 13 is our winner.

So congrats to Ledford Land!

Thanks to everyone who entered,

and check back soon for another giveaway...

I had so much fun, I'm already

planning the next one!

Crochet giveaway!

2011-11-16T09:50:00.000-08:00

(giveaway now closed)

That's right, it's my first blog giveaway,

and I'm pretty excited about it!

Recently I had the good fortune to win

two different blog giveaways,

and I decided that I wanted to host one myself.

When I realized that this was going to be my

blog's 300th post,

I thought it would be the perfect time to

give readers the chance to win

one of my handmade crocheted neck warmers.

I love this little neck warmer. It'll perk you up & keep you

warm on those gray winter days without the bulk of a full scarf.

It features crocodile stitch ruffles & a shiny blue button

for an adjustable fit.

Simply leave me a note in the comments to enter.

Be sure to include an email address (if not already in your profile)

so I can contact you if you win!

The winner will be selected on Monday, November 21st.

Good luck!

Sports Weekend continued

2011-11-15T09:12:00.000-08:00

Not only did we attend the Buffs' basketball game on Friday,

but we also made it to the football game the following day.

It was a gorgeous, sunny day...

except for the wind.

We're talking gusts around 70 mph.

Thankfully the stadium protected us from

being hit by tree branches

but there was still plenty of dirty & leaves

blowing around,

and the strong wind cut right through our layers.

The good news: a Buff win...

finally.

It's always fun to see the students so excited,

especially after such a disappointing season for them...

we just had to stay to see them rush the field

to celebrate the win with the team.

But then we made our way back home as quickly as possible

to thaw out in blankets with piping hot tomato soup & sandwiches.

Yum.

Friday night fun

2011-11-13T10:45:00.000-08:00

Z & I are always on the lookout

for fun & inexpensive things to do,

so we jumped at the $1 tickets

for Friday night's CU basketball game.

Not the most comfy seats,

but a really fun atmosphere,

and our first basketball of the season!

What are your favorite cheap date ideas?

Malibu Beach Party

2011-11-11T07:39:00.000-08:00

Z went to a short work conference this week

in Malibu, and he sent me this shot

of the sunset from his phone one evening.

I didn't mind staying behind too much, though,

since the weather here has been gorgeous lately.

I'm just glad he's back to enjoy it with me!

On finding motivation

2011-11-04T14:05:00.000-07:00

Does anybody else lack motivation to exercise?

I mean, I always want to get in shape;

I identify the areas I want to tone,

pick out some cute workout gear,

and then...

It's too cold outside, or the laundry needs to be done,

or I just walk a little bit when it was my intention to run.

Then I end up feeling lazy in addition to feeling out of shape.

Not a good place to be,

especially since I'm married to someone who is

very motivated when it comes to his running.

And hello, I live in Boulder,

mecca of all things fitness.

This week I may have made a breakthrough,

or at least learned a thing or two about

what motivates me.

I already posted about doing a costumed Halloween fun run on Monday.

It was really fun, and while I finished at the back of the pack, I wasn't alone.

Being able to talk to others & start making friends helped me keep the pace.

Some folks there told me about another group run that meets on Tuesday nights.

I was a little nervous (I went by myself since Z was working), but they

were so friendly & encouraging that 4 miles felt more like two.

Lesson: The social aspect of working out is key for me; the actual exercise is a bonus!

Since I can't do a group run every day, and I have a hard time running on my own,

I looked to ExerciseTV to find something to do this week.

I get bored easily with workouts,

but I saw the Butt Bible, and had to see what it was about.

It is definitely challenging, but the trainer is no-nonsense

and kept me motivated with her Russian accent.

My favorite gems from the workout include:

"Crack de nut with your cheeks."

and

"If it burns too much, ignore it. Is good."

It worked, though. I came back for another Butt Bible workout today.

Lesson: Sometimes I need an intimidating Russian woman to keep me going.

What motivates you to exercise?

Do you have any tips to share?

Oh, and let me know if you try the Butt Bible,

I'm so sore!

Happy November!

2011-11-02T09:26:00.000-07:00

Last week's snow only lasted a few days before melting.

It was up to 70 degrees again by Halloween!

And that was great for us,

since we decided at the last minute to dress up

& do Fleet Feet's Halloween Fun Run.

That's right, 2.5 miles in costume...

it was so silly & fun!

Inspired by FF's fun run,

I checked out the Lululemon running group

last night, and did another 4 miles.

It's amazing to me how much easier it is

to keep running when I'm with other people.

But as we've learned,

the weather changes quickly in Colorado,

and this is what we woke up to again.

So, happy November to you all;

I hope your month is off to a great start!

By the morning light.

2011-10-27T09:51:00.000-07:00

A few more snow shots for you

from my walk this morning.

You can find the rest right here!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/quaidie/

How was your day?

2011-10-26T15:48:00.000-07:00

Two days ago Z & I were out riding our bicycles

on a sunny, 75 degree afternoon.

Today we awoke to snow, snow, and more snow.

We both had to work

(I can't complain too much about having to work, though),

but I snapped a few photos when I got home this afternoon.

Mr. W really loves snow...he just leaps right into it!

The tree right by our deck.

Some of the major tree damage on our block.

Our deck.

And as a little contrast,

some gorgeous flowers leftover from

Z's installation on Sunday.

And finally, getting mail always brightens my day.

So I was thrilled to find a little package

from my friend Kerri...

It was a teensy-tiny Kleenex box!

So there's my day.

What did your day look like?

When did we get old?

2011-10-23T20:58:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I know that we are not really old,

but on Thursday night Z & I went

to see the Blue Scholars,

a hip hop group out of Seattle,

and I realized just how different

my late 20s are from the early 20s.

We've been fans for a few years,

so when we saw they were coming to Boulder,

we really wanted to go see them.

Then we realized that the show didn't start until 9pm.

And it made us hesitate to buy tickets.

And that made us feel really old.

Ultimately we decided it would be worth it to stay up late

for the show, so Z got the tickets.

As we where getting ready that night,

I discovered (via Twitter) that there were two

opening bands instead of just the one we expected,

so the Blue Scholars wouldn't even start playing until 11:15.

We are usually in bed by 10:30pm,

so...yeah.

Once we got there, though,

the show was awesome,

and I remembered how much I love dancing,

especially to live music.

It's three days later,

and I'm still feeling that lack of sleep,

but it was worth it. :)

Window shopping...

2011-10-23T13:09:00.000-07:00

Have you seen Boden's Winter 2011 collection?

I just got the catalog in the mail this week,

and it is gorgeous.

I love all the rich jewel tones & textures.

It's hard to choose favorites, but below are some

pieces that really caught my eye.

Dots in two ways

Colorful skirts

I've been looking for some new cords,

but I can't decide if I like the wide-leg or skinny cords better.

Of course for now I can only window shop,

but I've had some luck with Boden's sales in the past,

so I'll be keeping an eye out for sure!

What are your favorites?

All images via www.bodenusa.com

A perfect morning.

2011-10-20T08:29:00.000-07:00

A few nights ago, Z & I went up to

Chautauqua Park.

He stayed on a lower-elevation trail to run,

and I ventured up the trail towards the

1st Flatiron.

It was a blustery day,

but the late afternoon sun

made the fall colors just pop.

Unfortunately, I was thisclose to the end

of the trail when I realized that I only

had 15 minutes until I was supposed to

meet Z back at the car.

Whoops!

As I hurried down the mountain,
I passed tons of spots I wanted to photograph,

but I didn't want Z to worry,

so I vowed to return as soon as I could.

Yesterday morning I set out again

with my camera,

only this time without a deadline.

The trail wends its way back behind the 1st Flatiron

to reveal the snow-covered back range.

I started getting hungry, so on the way back down the trail

I spotted a perfect little place for a snack.

There was a small outcropping shaped just like

a small bench, so I scrambled over some

rocks and enjoyed my apple

while overlooking Boulder.

Perfect.

I had a really hard time choosing which photos

to put on the blog, because there were so many good ones.

Be sure to go see them here!

Airborne

2011-10-16T08:52:00.000-07:00

Sometimes in life you find yourself

inexplicably filled with joy

over something completely surprising.

For me, I have found that something to be

early morning hot air balloons.

I have never been particularly interested

in hot air balloons,

and to be honest, the thought of

flying through the air in just a basket

rather terrifies me.

So I was completely caught off-guard

by how enamored I've become

with my morning sightings.

From our tiny kitchen table we don't have much

of a view; we look east and face a busy road

and a hospital across the street.

But over my daily bowl of cereal

I began to see balloons,

sometimes just a couple,

but other times five, ten...

today nearly 15.

And with each sighting, I grow

more enchanted.

I'm still not sure what it is about them

that strikes me: the rainbow of colors,

the way they can sneak up, drifting & soaring,

imagining the view their occupants

are experiencing.

No, I'm not sure what it is about them,

but I know I will continue

to search for them,

seeking the joy they bring.

I hope that you all find your own

hot air balloons in life,

surprising as they may be.

I'm a winner.

2011-10-11T16:10:00.000-07:00

While living in Chicago, I really got

into contesting & sweeping.

I would look for online contests,

mostly through local radio stations,

and enter to win prizes that I actually wanted.

Right away I started winning movie & concert tickets,

and I loved it!

So I entered some more contests,

and won some more,

including tickets to the Sweet Sixteen

& Chicago Bulls tickets.

It was fun, free

(don't enter a contest if it makes you pay),

it makes you feel good to win something,

and it makes you feel good when you get

a prize in the mail!

I don't do much contesting anymore,

mostly because it takes up time

that I'd rather spend

doing other things,

but I still enter a contest now & then

(although I prefer to find them

hosted on blogs rather than radio stations

these days).

Anyway, right before we moved to CO,

I won a contest sponsored by Mary Kay

& Blogher, and today my surprise prize package arrived!

Since I had no idea what they would be sending

I was pretty excited to open the box,

and I was not disappointed.

The pack included lipstick, mascara, face wash,

eye makeup remover, lip exfoliant & lip balm,

but I think I'm most excited for the multiple moisturizers

because living in Colorado = dry skin.

Yay for the little things that help brighten a day.

Brrr...

2011-10-10T08:38:00.000-07:00

On Saturday we went down to Denver.

Z wanted to run in a 5k put on by a

local Lutheran camp, raising money

to fight hunger.

The week before, Z had run in a cross-country

race in Boulder, and it was hot.

This week, though, things were a little different.

As in, really cold and really wet.

Not far from us it was snowing,

but at the race, it was just pouring down rain.

Z was wearing his shortest shorts.

I was wearing 4 layers of shirts plus a jacket

and was still freezing.

So I told Z to just finish as fast as possible

and I would be waiting with a towel

and warm(er) clothes at the finish.

Evidently that was motivation enough,

because he. was. fast.

And he won.

Here he is looking miserable waiting to start.

And here he is looking only slightly

less miserable, but with considerably

more clothes on, displaying his medal.

After the race we tried to go watch

the Clemson game with the

Clemson Club that meets in Denver,

but we got the time wrong

(hey, adjusting for time zones can be tricky)

so we ending up hanging out with some

Wake Forest folks for part of their game

before heading home to thaw out.

Even though it was really cold,

I have to say that the snow-covered

back range is amazing.

I'll try to post a photo soon!

Until then, don't forget to see all my Colorado Fall Color

photos on Flickr.

File under things I'm grateful for...

2011-10-06T10:50:00.000-07:00

A few photos from last night's walk

on a nearby path.

I know, I know...it's a hard life. ;)

A Rocky Mountain Drive

2011-10-01T12:26:00.000-07:00

Fall is my very favorite season.

Growing up in North Carolina meant

being treated to a gorgeous showing of

Fall colors each year, especially

during drives in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

There, the leaves burst into a multitude of

warm hues that highlighted the peaks & valleys

of those rolling hills.

Here in Colorado, we'd started hearing

tales of spectacular Autumn foliage

making it's debut in the mountains,

and it immediately pushed to the top

of my to-do list.

So on Z's day off, we took a leisurely morning

drive along the Peak to Peak Highway,

and we were not disappointed.

Rather than the multicolored Fall palette

found in NC, however, we discovered

the surprising, yet breathtaking gold

of the Aspen trees. These gems seem to

crop up unexpectedly among the evergreens,

making them all the more amazing to behold.

Don't forget you can find the rest of the photos here!

I'm on the Internets!

2011-09-26T11:12:00.000-07:00

Ok, so obviously I'm on the Internet...

this is a weblog, after all.

But I just got posted on one of our favorite

websites, and I'm pretty excited about it,

so check it out!

http://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/letters-from-2011

Around campus

2011-09-26T11:01:00.000-07:00

Saturday morning we were at CU for a bit.

Z ran in a 5K that looped wildly through campus.

By wildly I mean that it ended up being more of an

obstacle course than a regular race.

1. The roads were not closed for the race,

so the runners had to stay on the sidewalks.

2. There were students/people/golf carts using the sidewalks

who did not know there was a race going on.

3. The course was marked only by chalk arrows,

some of which had been washed away by the sprinklers.

4. The bicycle that was leading the runners accidentally

took a wrong turn & led them off course.

5. And my personal favorite: It was high school band day

at CU, so there were marching bands parading

straight at the runners at various places during the race.

As a spectator, all of this was rather amusing,

but probably not so much for the runners.

Oh well.

Here's a few photos I shot while waiting to see Z running.

And here he is now!

And finally, here's Z heading into the finish,

catching some serious air.

Happy Fall, Y'all!

2011-09-24T12:44:00.000-07:00

Autumn is upon us &

the landscape is changing accordingly.

We haven't made it up to see the aspens yet,

but I did snap some photos on a little hike this week.

Check out the rest of the photos here!

Under the weather.

2011-09-19T12:22:00.000-07:00

We've been having some drastic temperature

changes here this past week,

one day it's close to 90 & sunny,

the next it's rainy with a high in the 50s.

Unfortunately for us, the crazy changes

mean that we're both feeling a touch under the weather.

So while we're fueling up on orange juice

& hot tea, here are a couple of

pictures of our verdant surroundings.

College football time!

2011-09-14T17:35:00.000-07:00

College football has returned.

I mostly know this because of a certain person

with whom I reside...and share a last name.

Z lives & breathes college football;

he plays college football trivia games

(anybody need to know the size ranking

of any college football stadium?),

constantly reminds me to 'make my picks',

listens for hours to college football talk radio,

and then, on GAME DAY, we have at least

3 games playing on various TVs & laptops.

So...yeah.

Luckily for Z, I enjoy some college football, too,

especially when it comes to my Tigers.

But since Clemson is pretty far away,

we decided to take advantage of living in a college town

& experience the local fan scene.

The evening before the first home game

was the Pearl Street Stampede,

featuring an antique CU fire truck

carrying the 2001 championship team,

and a parade with the current team

and marching band

that led the way to a pep rally.

On Saturday we rode our bikes to campus

to check out the game day atmosphere.

I have to say that my favorite part of CU football

is Ralphie, the live buffalo mascot!

CU didn't win, it was hot, and we got sunburned,

but I have to admit...

it was really, really fun.

I think I've missed college football, too.

(Just don't tell Z I said that.)

Oh yes, another hike!

2011-09-04T16:23:00.000-07:00

Since moving to CO,

I have realized that I really love hiking.

So far we haven't done any major hikes,

but I have been looking up more

trails & convincing Z to explore with me.

On Saturday we did Lost Lake Trail,

4 miles gaining around 800 ft. so we ended up

right about 10,000 ft elevation.

It was a gorgeous sunny day,

but thankfully not too hot.

Look! We found the Lost Lake!

I heart nature.

Settling in...

2011-08-28T10:07:00.000-07:00

Moving to a new place,

Z starting a new job,

more job hunting for me...

all of these things can be overwhelming & stressful,

so it's a good thing we moved to a place

that's so darn pretty.

Here's a rainbow seen from our deck last week.

And a good friend from high school

that lives just an hour from here!

And scenes from a Saturday afternoon hike...

This is my favorite. The deer was getting really

annoyed with the birds landing on it.

Click on over to Flickr to see these photos bigger

& check out lots of others!

Oh what a beautiful morning..

2011-08-13T16:41:00.000-07:00

For our 2nd Saturday here in CO,

Z & I decided to explore a bit.

We woke up early & made our way to

a trail head to catch the sun hitting

the mountains as it rose.

Z, of course, was there to run,

but I brought my hiking boots &

camera and ventured along a different path.

What I found was mountains, plains,

floating hot air balloons, deer, flora,

rainbows, cyclists, runners,

and a train coming 'round the mountain.

Spectacular.

After our morning exercise, we were both ready to eat.

We indulged a bit by having a large breakfast

at The Buff.

Then we realized that the Saturday morning

farmer's market was going on just down the road,

so we meandered through the tents

drooling over all the produce.

We picked up some tomatoes, mushrooms & cantaloupe,

but I couldn't resist snapping

this stunning display of jewel-toned beets!

Oh what a beautiful day.

We are here!

2011-08-10T14:10:00.000-07:00

Quick update:

We made it to CO

& are settling into the new place.

I don't have photos from the trip

because

1. Z drove the whole 1st day,

which means that we didn't stop much.

2. Z ate something bad & got really sick,

meaning I drove the whole 2nd day.

Thus, no pics.

So instead, here's some photos of Z watering

the lawn in Cali for the last time,

and some new friends we made along the path

near our new place.

Colorado nature

2011-07-27T16:32:00.000-07:00

Just a few shots from my recent trip to Colorado.

There were rabbits & other wildlife everywhere!

We took a short trip up into the mountains

for lunch one day.

We ended up in the adorable town of Nederland,

where we ate delectable dishes

at The Savory Cafe.

I got to shoot a few pics of the area before we

headed back to Boulder.

We are moving early next week,

so I'm busy with packing,

but look for more pics soon from Colorado!

Road Trippin'

2011-07-21T12:50:00.000-07:00

Last week my mama flew to CA to take a road trip with me.

Our mission was to find a place for Z & I to live in CO,

where Z has gotten a new job.

But instead of taking the quickest route,

we decided to take advantage of the opportunity

to visit places we'd never been.

Just like Thelma & Louise

(minus the guns, murder, theft, Wild Turkey,

and the whole driving over a cliff thing)

we set out for an adventure!

We found out that the name Grand Canyon

is a bit of an understatement,

and know that we will have to return some day

when we have more than 2 1/2 hours.

Then we made our way through

the Painted Desert, Monument Valley,

and past Arches NP before

heading over the Colorado mountains.

Love this shot Mama took of the arch

out the car window!

It was such an awesome trip

seeing part of this country I had never seen,

laughing and talking with my mama,

and getting to know our new home.

Click on the Flickr link on the sidebar...
there are tons more photos from the trip!

Running in the heat

2011-07-06T13:31:00.000-07:00

Last night Z ran in another race,

even though it was still at least 100 degrees.

It was part of a summer series of races

where your time in the first race

determines your start time in the following races.

I ran the first one, but wasn't ~~crazy~~ hardcore

enough to run when it was so hot,

so I just brought along my camera.

Anyway, since Z was a top finisher in the first race,

he was one of the last racers to start last night,

meaning that he had to spend the whole 5k

passing slower folks who started before him.

Here he is wondering if this is such a good idea, after all.

And....he's off!

Here's a long line of runners/walkers

making their way to the finish.

As if the heat isn't enough punishment,

the course ends on an uphill.

(And no, I have no idea why that guy

is dressed as a ninja.)

And finally, with the sunset comes a little relief.

Challah recipe!

2011-07-03T18:55:00.000-07:00

Ok, dear friends,

here is my challah recipe,

as given to me by my father.

(Thanks, Dad!)

Ingredients (Makes 2 loaves)

Group A: 2 Tbsp yeast

4 tsp sea salt

3/4 cup honey

1 3/4 cup hot water

Group B: 2 cups all-purpose flour

Group C: 1 1/4 cup canola oil

3 eggs (lightly whisked)

Group D: 5-6 cups all-purpose flour

Group E: 1 egg (for wash)

Instructions:

(I prefer to to this by hand/fork/wooden spoon.)

Mix together Group A & let sit for about 5 minutes.

Mix in Group B until incorporated, then stir in Group C.

Start adding flour from Group D to mixture 1 cup at a time until

it forms a sticky dough.

Start kneading the dough in the bowl (you can turn it out

onto a floured surface if that is easier for you), adding flour as needed

until dough becomes an elastic ball.

Cover & let dough rise in a large bowl until doubled.

Punch down.

Divide dough into 6 equal portions & roll into smooth strands/snakes

about 12 inches long. (Just like playing with Play-Doh!)

Take 3 strands & place them parallel to each other

& vertically to you |||

*Important*

Start your braid in the middle of the strand.

I know it sounds weird, but it will make the braid

more even & your loaves will turn out much better!

Starting in the middle, braid one side of loaf & then the other.

Tuck ends under the loaf.

Repeat with second set of 3 dough strands.

Place braided dough on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper,

cover and let rise until doubled again.

Whisk 3 eggs from Group E & brush onto the doubled loaves,

covering as much as possible of the tops & sides.

Position oven rack in the middle of the oven & bake for approximately

50 minutes at 350 degrees.

This will vary according to your oven, so be sure to

check on the bread while baking.

I typically rotate the pan for more even baking.

When done, the top should be golden brown (not too dark).

This bread is definitely time intensive,

but so delicious that it is absolutely worth it!

(If you want to cut down on time,

quick-rise yeast works just fine for this.)

I hope you enjoy and let me know if you have any questions!

In the kitchen...

2011-06-27T17:34:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted much about food lately,

but rest assured that I've still been

busy with culinary creativity!

Here are two of my recent favorites.

Challah (braided egg bread) is so pretty

that you almost don't want to eat it,

almost.

It has the best sweet aroma when baking,

making the whole house smell divine.

I also recently had a wild & crazy time teaching

six kids (aged 4-8 years old)

how to make challah & homemade grape juice.

It was a mess, but really fun!

Oooh, just look at that orange zest!

This beauty is a citrus zest & blueberry olive oil cake.

I used oranges for the zest & fresh juice,

a meyer lemon olive oil that we picked up on our wine country trip,

and finally some fresh blueberries from the farmer's market.

The result is the perfect summer cake!

Would you like me to post the recipe? I'm happy to share!

Whimsical Guest House love

2011-06-23T15:44:00.000-07:00

I am so enchanted with these tiny guest cottages

made of recycled & reclaimed wood.

Doesn't it look like it's straight out of a childhood storybook?

There are more styles here, including

saunas, playhouses, and even outhouses!

Just thought it was too fun not to share :)

Vacation!

2011-06-16T17:35:00.000-07:00

Sooo excited to be heading back to Chicago

for vacation & some friends' wedding...

can't wait to be back in the city!

Catch y'all on the flip side :)

A little surprise

2011-06-10T14:17:00.000-07:00

These little beauties popped up

seemingly overnight.

I had no idea that these particular plants

would produce blooms,

so it was definitely a fun little surprise!

In other news, I have been having some

difficulty with my camera lately,

so that's why there have been fewer posts.

I'm working on it, so please keep checking back!

When art meets science.

2011-06-02T09:01:00.000-07:00

Just came across this print & wanted to share it with you.

Isn't it awesome?

I adore the vibrant colors, the range of subjects,

the style, everything about it.

I would love to see it in wrapping paper form,

or even matted in a frame.

What about you?

via ScientificIllustration

Charles Harper- “Giant Golden Book of Biology”

Vacation Road Trip

2011-05-27T17:27:00.000-07:00

When it was time to leave our

lovely Sonoma Valley hideaway,

we made our way over to Napa.

We stopped by

the Oxbow Public Market

where we picked up some

cherries from the farmer's market,

some of Kara's Cupcakes,

a fresh loaf from

the Model Bakery,

& Z's favorite,

some charcuterie delicacies from

the Fatted Calf.

We took our yummy treats

& headed for San Francisco.

It was raining as we drove over

the Bay Bridge...

But by the time we arrived at

Golden Gate Park,

the precipitation had paused.

We had a cozy picnic in our car

before taking a stroll around the park.

We hit the road again,

driving along the coast on the

gorgeous 101

until we reached Santa Cruz.

Finally, we stopped for

a bite to eat before heading home

& came across this fellow.

We could have used a few more days of vacation,

but what a fabulous way to end the trip!

Life Breathing feature!

2011-05-21T20:47:00.000-07:00

My friend Emily over at

Life Breathing

asked me to write a

guest post for her

Fashionista feature this week.

Be sure to check it out here!

Sonoma Valley: What to do...

2011-05-21T10:20:00.001-07:00

...or at least what we did!

There are so many vineyards & activities

in wine country, that it can be overwhelming

to decide what to do.

Since we didn't have a lot of time,

and we really just wanted to relax,

I made sure we didn't schedule too many things.

First off, we were really glad that we

stayed in Glen Ellen instead of Sonoma.

Glen Ellen is a gem,

just 10 minutes from Sonoma,

but it's quiet, picturesque.

It truly feels like you are in a story book.

One vineyard that I knew we had to visit

was Valley of the Moon.

I had some of their wine on our honeymoon

and loved it.

They were so incredibly nice to us,

explaining the finer points of wine tasting,

talking to us about what wines we normally

liked & making suggestions.

Our favorites here were the Cuvee

and the Port...oh my goodness, the Port.

It was overcast & rainy for nearly our whole trip,

but the sun would peak out every now & then,

allowing us to snap a few photos of the gorgeous area.

Grapes everywhere.

If it had been sunnier, I would definitely have been

tempted to rent bicycles.

We also visited B.R. Cohn,

where we tasted some fabulous

Cabs & olive oils made on the property,

& took a short tour where we learned

the winery's connection with

the Doobie Brothers,

as well as how the wine is actually made.

But the rain started to pick back up,

so no photos from there.

Both of these winerys were just a few miles

from our Secret Cottage.

Glen Ellen also has some

gorgeous parks that are wonderful

to run or stroll through,

as well as tree-lined streets

& quaint bridges.

We drove through the Sonoma Developmental Center

which is a campus for folks with

developmental disabilities

that boasts some gorgeous historic buildings.

It was there that we came upon Tuggy,

& I just had to get a picture.

Other Glen Ellen musts

are lunch at The Glen Ellen Village Market

& dinner at The Fig Cafe,

both just steps from where we stayed.

Of course we wanted to visit Sonoma, too,

so one evening we headed down to the

town plaza for some scrumptious

thin crust pizza at The Red Grape

& browsed through the many

shops selling vintage wares, kitchen goods,

and our favorite: books.

Glen Ellen Inn Secret Cottages

2011-05-20T14:40:00.000-07:00

Z & I just returned from

our 5 year anniversary trip

up to Northern California.

The goal of the trip was

RELAXATION,

and the Secret Cottage

that we stayed in definitely

helped us with that!

Secret Cottage #3

was tucked away,

hidden away from the entrance

to the other cottages.

We had an awesome view

of a one-lane bridge over

a bubbling creek.

And a big basket of fresh fruit,

cookies & scones that

was replenished daily.

One more racing post

2011-05-18T21:28:00.000-07:00

Ok guys,

I really hope you aren't too tired

of posts about Z's running.

It's just that I blog about

what we are doing,

and that's been a big part of life lately.

The next post, though,

will be pictures of our road trip

to Northern California,

so stay tuned for that.

Anyway, last Saturday

we drove up to Kernville

for Z to race a 10K on a very

crazy & difficult trail.

I wanted to get some shots along the trail,

so I went ahead of the runners

to this awesome spot...

it definitely made the runners slow down

as many of the planks were loose

and the whole thing was uneven!

The setting was really gorgeous,

which made waiting for the

finish easier for me.

Z headed to the finish line.

(Z wins again!)

Winning the race

2011-05-07T14:00:00.000-07:00

Z ran another race this morning...

It was a 5k on a fairly difficult course.

The first half or so is up some pretty

steep hills, and the finish

is in a narrow canyon gully.

And he won!

His prize? A race medal

& a free pair of running shoes.

The race was a fundraiser for scholarships

for local high school students.

The school's mascot are

The Blades.

I'm still not sure what

a Blade is, but Blade Man

was there, so we had to get the

race winner in a photo with him!

Z is part of a running group in town,

many of whom raced this morning, too.

They are obviously the group to beat,

as most of the overall, gender,

& age group winners

were Donut Shop racers!

Finally, there's a local photographer

who covers lots of races.

If you want to see more fun pics from the race,

check them out here!

On finding clues.

2011-05-05T11:58:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday Z & I arose before the sun

to drive up to Visalia for Z to run

with his running group.

While he was getting in about 12 miles,

I meandered around the park.

The park was lovely, but I wouldn't

say it was peaceful.

You see, it is evidently home

to large, large numbers of geese &

other water fowl,

so the noise level was rather high.

Even so, the park was interesting,

with several waterways, ponds,

picnic pavilions, playgrounds,

open green spaces,

and historic buildings.

I think my favorite thing was near the picnic pavilions.

I was really just cutting across one of them to

get to a bridge, when something in the grass caught my eye.

It was part of a coloured eggshell.

At first I just chalked it up to the recent Easter holiday,

assuming that this park would be a likely spot

for a large egg hunt.

But then I saw some other eggshell remnants,

and beyond them a vast rainbow

of forgotten confetti

scattered all around the pavilion's

concrete edges.

I love images & stories,

and I especially love little clues that allow

me to piece together a small history.

It became obvious to me that this was way

more than just your ordinary Easter egg hunt.

This was an epic Easter egg celebration.

Someone had taken the time to hollow

the eggs, dye the fragile shells,

fill them with paper confetti,

and seal them off with tissue paper.

Can't you just imagine all the participants

running through the grass, armed with

eggs of all hues,

and then chucking them at each other!

The rain of color that floated down

in a cloud after each egg burst!

It made me laugh aloud,

standing all by myself, to think of

what a joyous scene that must have been.

Evening scenes

2011-05-03T08:58:00.000-07:00

Holy Week review

2011-05-03T08:47:00.000-07:00

Z & I are still recovering from Holy Week,

definitely the busiest time ever

for a pastor (& family).

My favorite parts of the

week were the

Good Friday Bluegrass service,

and the Saturday evening

Easter Vigil,

which included multiple baptisms

and a huge celebration.

The following morning we all

gathered together again

for a beautiful Easter service

and children's Easter egg hunt.

When folks at church asked us what

we were doing for Easter (afternoon)

I replied, "Take a nap."

I think some of them thought I was joking,

but that's exactly what we did.

On my relationship with baseball.

2011-04-28T12:06:00.000-07:00

So Z has always enjoyed watching baseball.

While I've never really shared this particular

interest, I thought I'd accompany him to a

Dodgers game anyway.

Z picked me up from LAX

after my trip to WA

& I got in a little city-style shopping

(Oh how I miss shopping in Chicago)

while he worked on his

Holy Week sermons.

Then we just had to eat at

The Oinkster...

soooo good!

Then off to Dodger Stadium!

The young guys from

The Deadliest Catch

got to throw in the first pitch.

Z knew that I wasn't super thrilled to

be there, so he decided to get a scorecard.

Neither of us had ever kept score before,

but he thought it would appeal to

my librarian self.

And,

he was right.

I really enjoyed keeping score...

it gave me a purpose during the game

and made things seem to move faster.

I will concede that this game was

the most enjoyable baseball game that

I can remember.

But don't call me a baseball fan just yet.

Up in Washington state

2011-04-20T13:49:00.000-07:00

I'm just back from my sister's house in Washington,

where we packed in as much visiting, play time,

and adventures as possible into just a few days.

The first day I visited both boys' preschool classes

and built train tracks with my nephews.

But we decided we should get out & see

some nature while I was there,

so we headed down the road to

the Dungeness Spit to hike around.

It was gorgeous, but pretty overcast & windy,

making it feel VERY cold!

So we played in the sand for a bit,

had a little picnic, & hiked back up to the car.

The next morning I let my sister & her husband

go out for a long run all by themselves,

while the boys and I had a party - complete

with party hats and noisemakers - before

we went outside for some quality chalk usage.

We even had time to dye Easter eggs while I was there!

Simon demonstrated some innovative

cooking techniques.

(Be sure to wear a helmet & oven mitts

when using a light saber to heat your next meal.)

There was also plenty of hide and seek going on!

Simon likes to count to 2 before coming to look for you,

so you have to hide quickly!

Please, no more pictures, Auntie H.

I adored seeing these guys

and of course my big sister, too!

When the kiddos went to bed,

we had a great time catching up

& watching silly movies.

I'm so grateful that I got to sneak in a

quick visit with them!

Palms

2011-04-12T19:29:00.000-07:00

Once a month

we help run a program

for kids living in the neighborhood

around our church.

This month our craft was making

palm crosses since

Palm Sunday is coming up.

I used palms from our yard &

taught all the kids how to fold them

into these crosses.

They loved it!

I'll be away visiting my sister (yay!) for several days,

but look for lots of new photos next week.

In the meantime, I've uploaded tons of old

photos onto Flickr.

Some of them have been posted on the blog

but some have just been hanging out on my memory cards.

Feel free to check them out!

Park Life

2011-04-08T10:18:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week I went with Z to a park

to hike around with my camera while he ran.

The interesting thing about this particular park

is that it sits up on top of several bluffs,

so you have a panoramic view of the mountains

to the east, and the oil fields stretching out to the north.

But there is also a river and canal that run

directly below the bluffs with a running trail,

and there are dirt paths

all along the bluffs that lead down to the water.

So you are left with an unusual combination of nature & industry

not typical (in my previous experience) of a park setting.

Best wishes

2011-04-06T09:27:00.000-07:00

I hope you all got a fresh start

for a good day today.

Orange slices from our backyard tree

enjoyed on our front porch one morning.

A closer look at some favs.

2011-04-05T16:17:00.000-07:00

So I know that I just

posted the entire set of

photos from The Huntington, but

I want to highlight a few of my favorites anyway.

I hope that you've been enjoying these photos, too!

The Huntington & Beyond

2011-04-03T18:39:00.001-07:00

The Huntington & Beyond, a set on Flickr.

In addition to our coastal adventure, we also spent an day in LA & Pasadena before Matt & Chris had to leave.

We met up with our friend Jen for a delicious Greek lunch where we dined just a few tables away from one Dan Aykroyd & his adorable parents. Then we made our way over to The Huntington Gardens.

Unfortunately we didn't have near enough time to get through all of the gardens covering the sprawling grounds, much less make it into any of the indoor art galleries. But I completely fell in love with the gardens, so Z & I will definitely be going back to spend more time there.

It was a bit chilly, so we stopped by Intelligentsia in Old Pasadena to warm up over coffee & tea. We noticed a cupcake shop nearby and could not resist picking some up. Then we followed the signs to the Rose Bowl (Z loves stadiums.) and had an awesome cake break while watching the sun set over the stadium. Even after the cupcakes, we were hungry, and thankfully we found the Oinkster...so good and so much fun!

Don't forget to click the link under the photos to see the whole set on Flickr!

A Cowboy morning

2011-03-29T09:27:00.000-07:00

One morning while Matt & Chris were here,

we decided to take a road trip adventure.

Z & Matt donned their hats

& we set off to the West to see what we could see!

Fortune quickly showed her face.

Pretty soon the straight roads of the valley floor

gave way to the rolling hills. These winding mountain

lanes offered us vistas that we couldn't refuse.

Z perfected his cowboy pose.

Matt & Chris wondered what we would find beyond these hills.

A horse stared at us.

Romance movie cover shot.

Everything was so green & flowers blanketed huge swaths of the hills.

Our curvy, rolling trail.

Finally Matt couldn't contain himself any longer.

Yeehaw! Westward Ho!

Welcome to Cali!

2011-03-27T15:49:00.000-07:00

Our friends Matt & Chris

just came to visit us for a week,

so these next several posts will be photos

from their visit.

First, shots from around Bako, including

antiquing & a hockey game!

To see any of these photos full size,

visit my Flickr page.

There's a link on the side bar or go here:

flickr.com/photos/quaidie

Birthday Blast

2011-03-24T11:55:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago I celebrated my birthday.

We really didn't have any major plans

Z took me out to dinner the night before my big day,

gave me a new pair of Toms shoes,

& then surprised me with a set of 3 pasta attachments

for my Kitchen Aid.

The reason we didn't make any big plans

for my actual birthday is that we were already

committed to working at a fundraiser for

an organization with which Z is involved.

The event? Oh, it was a clay shoot.

I am not a gun person by any stretch,

but the event did raise quite

a bit of money for a very good cause,

and it was a really interesting and new experience, for sure.

It was a cloudy day, but the landscape was

scenic & peaceful,

at least until the shooting began.

We were both cold & tired after the morning's events,

but finding this lovely package in the mail

from friends Matt & Chris was the best surprise!

I decided that I couldn't wait to try my hand

at pasta making, so I took a trip

to Trader Joe's (of course)

to pick up the necessary ingredients

& a bottle of wine.

At the check out, the cashier found out it was

my birthday & gave me a beautiful bouquet of flowers!

It was definitely a birthday of firsts,

but a very good day, indeed.

(oh & the pasta was divine!)

A few things...

2011-03-22T14:52:00.000-07:00

Please forgive me for not posting as much lately!

First, I hit my limit for uploading photos

on Blogger,

a pretty big problem for a photo-based blog.

So I will now be hosting my photos on a Flickr

account. For you, this means that not only will

you get to see pics on here, but you

can also visit my Flickr page to

see other photos, too!

Second, the reason I haven't posted as much

is because Z & I have been extremely busy

since we returned from NC.

As we head toward Easter,

there are more & more church events, meetings, etc.

We also just had our dear friends visit us in Cali

for a week, so I was spending time catching up

with them and having lots of adventures

instead of surfing the interwebs.

Which is good news for you guys, since you know

I took TONS of photos to share!

I am working on some awesome posts and

will get them up as soon as I can sort through

all the photos!

Kerri!!

2011-03-14T16:56:00.000-07:00

My BFF since 4th grade

brought her sweet little guy to

my folks' new place while we were in NC.

Typical.

Love them so much!

I only wish we could have had

boatloads more time to hang out :(

A brief Clemson respite.

2011-03-13T13:12:00.000-07:00

In the midst of our crazy/busy week in NC,

Z & I decided to take a mini vacation

from our vacation

& visit Clemson for a day.

Fun Fact:

Z proposed to me in the bank parking

lot that's just up those stairs behind us.

It was very romantic.

Ahh. Spring.

We mostly just met up with our

dear PC to have some lunch & catch up

while walking around campus.

Z reminisces about his engineering nerd days.

The stadium was open,

so we were pilgrims to Howard's Rock.

Quick stop at the ice cream/coffee shop

to do some sermonating.

Then we felt very old as we attended

Lutheran Campus Ministry

where we used to spend every Wednesday

evening during college.

We spent the night & awoke early to

eat at the fantastic bakery in Pendleton.

We picked up a delicious baguette, snapped

a few photos after breakfast &

drove north, our mini vacation come to a close.

NC trip: Family

2011-03-09T11:49:00.000-08:00

Since the majority of our family

live in NC, our visits there are packed

with seeing lots of relatives.

This visit was extra special because

we got to meet our new niece, Cyprus,

who was just 2 weeks old when we got there.

Here she is rocking the new dress I made her :)

Granma & G-pa came down the mountain to see us, too!

G-pa of course had plenty of stories & jokes to tell.

So special to visit with G-ma & see her with

one of her great-granddaughters.

Mamaw & our nephew reading his new book!

Baby Cyprus visited Z's house & family, too.

Z's beautiful aunt getting some cuddle time.

Z's mama hosted a delicious dinner for both our

families. We had a great time!

Mason putting on the saddle so he can ride.

Mother - Son time makes me happy.

We absolutely loved getting to see so much

of our family, but wish we had had a little more

time to see the ones we missed.