Happy Spring!

Hiding kitty says, "Happy Spring!"

 Today is officially the first day of spring!  It has been so warm and sunny in Santa Fe the past few weeks and I've just really gotten in the mood for being outside, riding my bike, and getting started on my garden.  We have been in our house one year this week!  I didn't do a lot with the garden during our first spring and summer but I am motivated to brighten up the yard a little more this year.  Frankly, I am completely clueless when it comes to gardening and I don't even know where to begin, but I'm trying to just start small and not overwhelm myself.  I welcome any advice and/or tips about successful gardening in the high desert climate!  Other home improvement projects this spring include painting the guest and master bedrooms, shopping for ceiling fans and a dining room chandelier, and reorganizing book shelves.  (The fun never ends.)

 Last weekend I ran a 5K trail race in Los Lunas, NM.  While the elevation change was not significant, there were a few rolling hills.  I always enjoy a race that has some variety and a few challenges.  We enjoyed brunch after the race at San Marcos Cafe, where peacocks roam the grounds like they own the place!  In the spirit of spring and getting back into running, I did another local 5K yesterday to support one of the elementary schools.
King of the Hill trail race
Amy Biehl 5K run


Brunch with the birds at San Marcos Cafe
Today I got my bike out for the first time this season!  It's rare to have a spring afternoon in Santa Fe that isn't really windy.  It felt good to get the pedaling going.  I hope to get in shape in time to do the Half Century ride (50 miles) at the end of May!

 In the kitchen I've been really into springy spinach salads with strawberries, almonds, goat cheese and raspberry vinaigrette.  Yum!  I am definitely craving my favorite scones this week too - Vanilla Bean Rhubarb Ginger scones - and I can't wait to try this Strawberry Pie recipe from my favorite food blogger.

 What's on your menu for Easter weekend?

 In other news, I'm last place in my March Madness bracket group (c'est la vie), but I'm still holding out hope that at least 5 or 6 of my Elite Eight teams will make me proud.
Happy Spring! :-)


Spring is blooming!  Enjoy beauty while it lasts.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Pacific Northwest Bachelorette Party

Image
I just returned home from a memorable weekend in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, celebrating my sister, Katie, who is getting married in just a few short weeks.  Four years ago she, as my Maid of Honor, planned the most unforgettable and fun-filled bachelorette weekend for me:  San Francisco and Sonoma Bachelorette , and now it was my turn to do the same for her!  We gathered together a group of twelve women from Boston, Chicago, New Orleans, Salt Lake City, Manchester, Santa Fe, Denver, and Seattle to celebrate the Bride to Be.  I wanted to have some organized, pre-planned group activities, but also plenty of down time for games, lounging, and drinking wine.  While we wanted most of the weekend to be spent at a cozy cabin overlooking the serene water of Puget Sound, we wanted one exciting night out on the town, and I think we achieved that balance.  Here's the breakdown of our weekend events: 1)  Night Out in Capitol Hill We arrived in Seattle on Thursday and checked into the
Read more

High Altitude Baking: Coffee Cake

Image
Happy January!  I have two weeks left of my maternity leave and I'm trying to make the most of it by spending lots of quality time with Baby Ady before she starts daycare.  It's going by so fast!  While I'm home I've been using my crock pot a lot, working on some yarn projects, taking long walks with Ady and Kua, reading, and doing some baking.  I have struggled with high altitude baking since moving to Santa Fe 5 1/2 years ago.  Cookies turn out okay, but I usually have to make some adjustments with cakes, and my breads are often mushy in the middle and crispy on the ends.  I can get by okay with a few of my favorite recipes that I have practiced multiple times, but it's often hit or miss.  For Christmas, my secret santa got me this amazing cook book, Pie in the Sky: Successful Baking at High Altitudes, that explains the chemistry behind high altitude baking and gives suggestions for adjustments to make at various altitudes.  Ingenious!  The idea for the book ac
Read more

My Bachelorette Party: San Francisco and Sonoma

Image
I have the best Maid of Honor in the world!   Between grad school, work, and preparing to move into a new apartment, she miraculously found time to plan THE BEST bachelorette party ever (and 3 time zones away, I might add).  I had such a fabulous time being surrounded by (and loved and adored by!) all my best friends for four days. The weekend started at 4:30 a.m. Thursday when my Santa Fe friends and I drove to Albuquerque (a 50 mile trip made possible by Panera breakfast) to catch our early flight to the Bay Area.  After a 2 1/2 trip (complete with Bloody Maries, Tequilla Sunrises, Coffees with Baileys, gossip and a few bridal magazines) we landed in Oakland!  One of my dear bridesmaids from Chicago who had arrived a few days earlier picked us up and we headed into San Francisco.  We met up with the other gals, checked in early to our hotel (Parc 55 Wyndahm in Union Square) and set out to explore the city by foot.  Some locals recommended Mama's in North Beach fo
Read more