300 Days of Sunshine

At the hospital where I work there's a big, east-facing window in a little-used corner stairwell with a gorgeous scenic view of the foothills, and right outside the window is a large Aspen tree.  I love seeing that tree as I come down the stairs every day and watching the leaves turn a little more yellow each day as we get closer and closer to the first day of fall.  And fall was definitely in the air this week!  The temperature is dropping in the high-40s at night and I can almost smell the change in season (not to mention the aroma of roasting green chile!).   There are a lot of fun things going on around town this month including Fiestas de Santa Fe, the Renaissance Faire, story time at the library, and lots of park play now that the weather is cooling off.  We're hanging onto the last few (official) days of summer! Speaking of summer, one of my favorite new warm-weather recipes this year is these mind-blowing lemon-limoncello cupcakes with a lemon tar...

For the second year in a row I had the unique opportunity of attending the Santa Fe opera .  I enjoy musical productions and feel fulfilled by a night of artistic expression.  The creativity and the emotions portrayed in a theatrical performance have a way of renewing my faith in humanity, and I find art to be increasingly important to reflect and reframe our world during trying times.  What better way to celebrate creativity and art than through Puccini's La Boheme , depicting bohemian lifestyle in nineteenth century Paris.    It wasn't until I read the synopsis prior to the show that I realized that RENT  was a modern day re-telling of the story, which made me even more excited for the show! La Boheme  tells the story of a group of four impoverished artists in Paris, navigating  a society that values industry over art,  plagued by class divides, and struggling with financial hardship,  love triangles, relationship woes,    ...

I took an extra day off work for my birthday, determined to spend the weekend doing all the things that bring me joy.  I had a lovely weekend that allowed me to really be present with my friends and my little family, while also enjoying some much-needed "me time."  I had a coffee date and park play with my favorite toddler, saw La Boheme with the hubby at the Santa Fe opera, got a pedicure, enjoyed a yummy dinner out with good friends, and caught up with some friends and family across the miles.  I made time for reading, journaling, and knitting, which always helps me feel balanced.  I didn't let myself get caught up in mundane chores, social media, or work-related tasks.  And I did all the things I love. On my birthday morning we went for a family hike to La Vega in the Pecos Wilderness.  This is one of my favorite medium-distance hikes and one that is largely underrated, in my opinion.  The hike begins with uphill switchbacks along the Windsor T...

Happy August!  I love this month, and not only because it's my birthday month.  The weather is starting to cool off in Santa Fe, with lots of impressive thunderstorms and beautiful morning skies lately, and school is starting this week.  While summer is definitely still in full-swing, I've already observed the hint of fall colors on some trees, previewing the season ahead.  My softball team had our final game of the season last week, and my favorite summer tradition of Music on the Hill wrapped up a few weeks ago.  Later this month I'm looking forward to seeing La Boheme at the Santa Fe Opera ! Some of my favorite flavors of summer are berries and rhubarb, especially when I can find ingredients at the local farmers' market.  This Pink and Green pie is a festive and flavorful combination of sweet strawberries, tart rhubarb, and crunchy pistachios, but my favorite part might be the oatmeal crumble on top!  Jaycob enjoyed it with cool whip (which, in my...

Happy summer!  During weeks like this I'm extremely grateful that we had the wisdom to install air conditioning when we bought our house.  It has been 90 degrees and sunny in the afternoons and I feel the overwhelming urge to do nothing more than lie on the couch after walking the dog around the block.  It is sure nice to be home, though, after two weeks of travel.  We had a laid-back 4th of July.  I worked my normal schedule at the hospital and Jaycob and Ady enjoyed Pancakes on the Plaza.  That evening we made dinner on the grill and went out to hear live music on a patio at a brewery before coming home to comfort a  frightened dog during the fireworks.  I'm not that enthusiastic about the 4th of July lately, maybe because of the state of the country or maybe because I find fireworks irritating, but I'm sure I'll enjoy it more when Ady is old enough to enjoy the fireworks and festivities.  What I do feel patriotic about, however, is the US...

We just returned from Alaska, a trip of a lifetime.  I  am in awe of this beautiful, massive state and all the unique wonders and experiences it has to offer.   I think it requires an extended period of travel to truly experience a change of perspective and renewed sense of self, and I'm so appreciative to have had two full weeks away from home to broaden my horizons.   We traveled between Anchorage, Denali, Seward, Juneau, and through the inside passage to Vancouver, and despite all of our many adventures and excursions I still feel as though we only experienced a very tiny piece of Alaska. Our trip started in Anchorage, where we explored the city and learned a bit about its history.  We stayed at the Lakefront Anchorage , located on Lake Hood, which happens to be the busiest seaplane base in the world.  The rugged, lodge-style hotel is also conveniently located near the airport.  During our time in Anchorage we  took a long walk ...