300 Days of Sunshine

I still consider myself pretty conservative when it comes to Santa Fean cooking.  I'm fearful of big words (Calabacitas and Chicharrones and Chimichangas, oh my!), I steer clear of excessively long ingredient lists (like the 24 ingredients needed for the Veracruz-style Fish), and I am   years  away from even attempting homemade tortillas or sopaipillas.  That being said, I am really growing to appreciate the flavors of green and red chile, chipotle seasoning, crushed red pepper, jalapenos, and other tastes of the Southwest. These aren't the type of fajitas you'd see in a Tex-Mex restaurant with peppers and onions and sizzling skillets of meat.   Fajita  is basically a general term for any type of grilled meat served in a tortilla, and the salsa  (broadly defined as sauce) is more like guacomole.  These steak fajitas have a yummy chipotle garlic marinade and are quick and easy to prepare.  Enjoy! Chipotle-Marinated Steak Fajitas with C...

Map of the Santa Fe Half Century Yesterday could not have been a more perfect day to ride 50 miles -- my first Half Century!  Comfortable temperature, minimal wind, and no need for layers.  I felt well-prepared and strong throughout the ride.   The course started at the hospital, and the beginning was a lot of stop-and-go out of town.  The first hour or so was very congested with all of the Half and Full Century riders together.  I tend to be a little antisocial during athletic endeavors -- I like to run, hike, and bike alone -- and I'm not used to group riding.  It was nerve-wracking riding so close to others and not being able to see more than one or two bikes ahead of me at times, but I got good at listening for brakes and staying focused, trying to anticipate changes in pace.  I was eager to break out of the pack during the first hour, but it was probably good in the long run that I was forced to go at a slower pace and save energy ...

We made it!  My 3rd through 5th graders finished their Girls on the Run season (my first as a coach) and completed their 5K this morning!  We were faced with numerous challenges throughout the season with cliques, a multitude of excuses to avoid running, language barriers with parents and even the girls at times, 30 mph winds during practice (as well as occasional rain and hail), school commitments, after school detention, varying motivation levels, and other occurrences in the lives of 10-year-olds.  But despite the obstacles I was also blessed and overjoyed to see bright, beautiful girls come out of their shells throughout the season, meaningful friendships formed between several of the girls, bonds between girls and coaches and we got to know each other, and some really kick-butt runners too.  These girls never ceased to surprise me, and the other coaches and I were ecstatic that all of the girls who showed up for the race were able to cross the finish line. ...

Two days ago I was all geared up to write about how much I loathe  spring in the southwest.  I was adamant to get on my bike on Wednesday after it had been in the shop for a week, and I was rudely greeted by absurdly ridiculous wind gusts -- the kind that threaten to knock you right over into traffic at any moment.  Some would deem me suicidal to be on my bike that day, and I was more than a little Tourettes-like with my outbursts of four-letter words.  The very next day Mother Nature decided to produce hail (not belated April showers, but full-on ice chunks) during the Girls on the Run practice 5K.  I waved my white flag in surrender. Then the sun came out, and the last two days have been gorgeous !  Yesterday I dashed out of work exactly on time to take Kua on our favorite trail run up Picacho Peak.  It was definitely tshirt and sunscreen weather, even at 5:30 in the evening.  Today I had absolutely pristine conditions for my last long bike ri...

The hospital where I work is a sole community provider, meaning that we are the only major hospital in this part of the state.  We have the highest level trauma center in the area and provide surgeries that the smaller and more rural medical centers can't offer.  We also have a highly diverse patient population in terms of culture, race, language, socioeconomic status, insurance, home setup, health status, etc.  On most days, I love that we are such an important part of the community.  We are the first name that people in Santa Fe turn to for healthcare, and we are involved in every major event in the community.  However, this also means that we play a role in all the tough stuff too -- major traumas and accidents, taking care of the prisoners and drunk drivers, and finding ourselves face to face with the people we read about in the newspaper. Bad news doesn't just come in threes, but it definitely comes in bundles.  The past few weeks have been especiall...