300 Days of Sunshine

After a warm and mostly snow-less December, we have had a beautiful January with several weekend snowfalls!  In the past week the Santa Fe Ski Basin has recorded 27 inches, and I've been able to enjoy several snowy walks through my neighborhood during the final few weeks of my maternity leave.  Earlier this week I went up to the Aspen Vista trail for some snowshoeing with Ady in her Ergobaby carrier.  It was so peaceful and serene, and exactly what I needed after the stressful and shocking events of the past week.  I needed to just forget about the world and all its chaos and turmoil for a couple hours.  I encountered a few groups of fellow snowshoers and cross country skiers whom I imagine were doing the same. Kua had a blast running through the fresh powder, and Ady slept with her warm body nestled against mine in her carrier.  I love my girls!   The sky was a really interesting color that afternoon, very dark and cloudy with small patches of brigh...

The past year has been monumental for me in terms of the way I see the world, comprehend and respond to events in my community, and stabilize my own beliefs.  The months leading up to November 8th and the events that have followed have been precipitous and unbelievable at times.  During the tumultuous and fierce election, I wholeheartedly supported a strong, intelligent, female presidential candidate whom I had seen repeatedly become the victim of sexist remarks and attitudes, yet who never faltered in her dedication and determination, and I looked forward with excitement and pride to the day when she would become the first female President of the United States, just days after my own daughter was born.  I was then shocked and dismayed as the election results were confirmed.  I was up in the middle of the night feeding my three-day-old baby when I saw the announcement of the election.  I couldn't stop crying as I held my girl.  Was this a joke?  Who co...

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!  ...