I've always said that every season is welcome when it arrives. I still believe that mantra so much.
Sure, winter gets a little old when I'm itching to plant things, but no one can deny that the the cozy cuddling under blankets feels good, and first snowflakes taste good on your tongue.
Whenever I talk about the seasons, people ask me what my favorite one is. I struggle to pick a favorite. Each one is so great. Spring is obviously wonderful...things growing, and color exploding after such a long term of whites and browns. Green never looks so bright as it looks in spring.
Summer is so much fun. The garden starts to really produce, filling your table with yummy tomato plates and grilled zucchini. The hiking is amazing, and I can't forget to mention swimming...I love summer swimming. We found the greatest swimming hole this summer (well, I can't say found, it was shown to us by friends.) It's a beautiful swimming hole right below a tame waterfall, with great circles cut out of the rocks, cutting the water to a surprising depth of 25-30 feet. The water's crystal clear to the bottom, and the natural water slide can't be beat.
Fall is a wonderful collage of sweaters, crisp leaves, and wonderfully chilly breezes. There's always work to be done, between canning, freezing, and drying. I love putting food away for the coming year, knowing that I will be eating of the earth's bounty all year. When winter comes, scarfs feel good around your throat, boots are nice and cozy, and a fireplace, if you have one, is the best place in the world. The world is blanketed in a beautiful layer of white goodness, making even the most mundane areas sparkling and beautiful. Snowshoeing is almost more fun than hiking, and sledding is some of the best fun ever had.
Each season is great, in its season, so how could I pick a favorite.
Right now, between the ripe life of summer and the crisp chill of fall, is probably my favorite time of year, if I had to pick, although it's not really a season. It's at the end of summer, and on the cusp of Fall. You can feel the change of the seasons in the air, the very sunshine looks and feels different. The leaves haven't changed yet though, and the fields, full of goldenrod, queen anne's lace, and my favorite: black-eyed susans, are just throbbing with life. There isn't the smallest spot but something is alive there. You're still enjoying the beauty and warmth of the summer, but the excitement of the coming harvest and the nights beginning to feel chilly, are so satisfying. I just love the earth. It's so versatile, and I'm so happy to live in a place where I get to experience every season, drinking in it's beauty and wealth. The Lord sure knew what He was doing when he made this place.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Green Acres vs. Park Avenue
This past weekend, Brian and I visited my dear friend Rosa in New York City. The city's over 4 hours away, but that's a heck of a lot closer than UT, and she's worth the drive. For those of you who know my friend Rosa Gardner, you know I'm right. It was wonderful to see her.
I've only been to New York City a few times in my life. It's always an overwhelming experience. I'm a country girl, so I'm not city-savvy. Brian is more comfortable in big cities (he lived in downtown Denver for a while), so we manage ourselves pretty well. This time however, we hadn't planned things out, so we were pretty out of our element. The natives could tell, too. We rode a ferry to the island, and our relaxed, non-dressy clothes immediately gave us away. Then to top of it off, we said "thank you" to the ticket counter guy...when we got off the ferry he said, "are you guys gonna be ok?" I guess saying thank you is a rarity in NYC.
Whenever we go to NY, we bee-line for Central Park. It's the only place in that whole place I feel comfortable, and it is beautiful.
The buds were literally growing on the bark of some of the trees. We hid in there until Rosa found us and gave us the best NYC visit of my life.
We walked through the Met, which is super cool, and afterward we crossed a couple of things off of my bucket list.
Ever since I was a little girl, I've wanted to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, so when Rosa casually mentioned that possibility, I just about lost it with excitement. I didn't realize how easy and accessible the bridge is. It was awesome. I was so excited the entire time.
Man is that bridge magnificent. And the view of the city really helps you realize how packed it is. It's amazing they fit roads between those tight buildings, and it's even more amazing that those taxi drivers navigate them so well.
We walked the Brooklyn Bridge because we were on our way to Brooklyn (duh), and some fantastic NY Pizza! I've always wanted to have real Italian Pizza. I'm not the biggest traveler, least of all across the globe, so going to Italy to eat pizza in Naples isn't an option, but there's a place that is just as good in Brooklyn, NY. It's called Grimaldi's Pizza, and man is it good...best pizza I have ever had, by far. We waited an hour and a half to get in (which was super annoying at the time), but once I took one bite of that delectable pizza pie, my tired feet didn't ache at all. I was living in the moment. I wish I'd taken a picture of it...it looked just like the pizza she's eating in that clip I mentioned in an earlier post from Eat, Pray, Love. And just like her, I was having a relationship with my pizza.
After our bellies were full, we headed back to the ferry, and said farewell to my dear friend. It was great to see her, and I am so excited that she will be moving a short 5ish ours away in the fall. (The same goes for you Steph, I hear you'll be in the area sometimes, so I am absolutely stoked for a reunion).

We were feeling pretty positive about the city at that point, but then we tried to navigate our way out of that concrete jungle, and one wrong turn put us in an irreversible line to enter the Lincoln Tunnel. We actually considered crossing that middle area between the entering and exiting lanes, but then we realized that paying an $8 fee to go through the tunnel was a better idea than paying a $200 fine for driving over cones and doing a U-ie in a very restricted area. So, we drove through the Lincoln Tunnel, dreading the traffic on the other side. The heavens were smiling on us that night though, because we flipped a quick U-ie and made it out fast, alive, and not entirely in tears.
It was good to get back to wide open spaces. We car-camped that night, and finishing the drive in the morning, I thanked my lucky stars that I grew up in such a beautiful place. It's fun to visit the city, especially for the culture you can experience there, but I am so happy to live out in the open, friendly, and unbridled nature of Upstate New York.
I've only been to New York City a few times in my life. It's always an overwhelming experience. I'm a country girl, so I'm not city-savvy. Brian is more comfortable in big cities (he lived in downtown Denver for a while), so we manage ourselves pretty well. This time however, we hadn't planned things out, so we were pretty out of our element. The natives could tell, too. We rode a ferry to the island, and our relaxed, non-dressy clothes immediately gave us away. Then to top of it off, we said "thank you" to the ticket counter guy...when we got off the ferry he said, "are you guys gonna be ok?" I guess saying thank you is a rarity in NYC.
Whenever we go to NY, we bee-line for Central Park. It's the only place in that whole place I feel comfortable, and it is beautiful.
We walked through the Met, which is super cool, and afterward we crossed a couple of things off of my bucket list.
We walked the Brooklyn Bridge because we were on our way to Brooklyn (duh), and some fantastic NY Pizza! I've always wanted to have real Italian Pizza. I'm not the biggest traveler, least of all across the globe, so going to Italy to eat pizza in Naples isn't an option, but there's a place that is just as good in Brooklyn, NY. It's called Grimaldi's Pizza, and man is it good...best pizza I have ever had, by far. We waited an hour and a half to get in (which was super annoying at the time), but once I took one bite of that delectable pizza pie, my tired feet didn't ache at all. I was living in the moment. I wish I'd taken a picture of it...it looked just like the pizza she's eating in that clip I mentioned in an earlier post from Eat, Pray, Love. And just like her, I was having a relationship with my pizza.
After our bellies were full, we headed back to the ferry, and said farewell to my dear friend. It was great to see her, and I am so excited that she will be moving a short 5ish ours away in the fall. (The same goes for you Steph, I hear you'll be in the area sometimes, so I am absolutely stoked for a reunion).
We were feeling pretty positive about the city at that point, but then we tried to navigate our way out of that concrete jungle, and one wrong turn put us in an irreversible line to enter the Lincoln Tunnel. We actually considered crossing that middle area between the entering and exiting lanes, but then we realized that paying an $8 fee to go through the tunnel was a better idea than paying a $200 fine for driving over cones and doing a U-ie in a very restricted area. So, we drove through the Lincoln Tunnel, dreading the traffic on the other side. The heavens were smiling on us that night though, because we flipped a quick U-ie and made it out fast, alive, and not entirely in tears.
It was good to get back to wide open spaces. We car-camped that night, and finishing the drive in the morning, I thanked my lucky stars that I grew up in such a beautiful place. It's fun to visit the city, especially for the culture you can experience there, but I am so happy to live out in the open, friendly, and unbridled nature of Upstate New York.
April Showers
I love this time of year. Spring may not be the prettiest season, but it is definitely the most welcome. After a long hard winter, there is nothing more exciting than a patch of bright green grass. The color is shocking after so much brown and white.
Brian and I don't have a spot of ground to plant in, so we are improvising. We built a cold frame, filled it with dirt and rocks, and we're planting in that, right on top of our cement patio.

Spring comes slow in Upstate NY. When I lived out west, Spring time was beautiful and sunny, with flowers popping out of the ground and trees laced with blossoms. Here, it really starts with rain...lots of rain. It gets a little warmer, but it's the rain that really gets rid of the snow. It's a wet season, and it's not until it's ending that the sun comes out and the flowers really show their colors. I don't mind the rain though...that's why it's so green here. I know that the rain means good crops, and running streams. I missed the sound of water so much when I lived in the desert, I don't mind it at all now. I especially love it when the spring storms happen. I like the sound of thunder, and the unexpected crash of lightning. There's something really comforting about sitting in your safe house while the wind and the rain are whirling outside.
We got a lot of rain this spring, so planting was a little difficult. We had to literally fit it in between storms. I was eager to put something into the ground, s
o we planted beets, lettuce, and a few tomatoes in the grow box halfway through April. They germinated slowly in the cool weather, but it was gratifying to see something peek it's green leaves through the soil.
Whenever I see that, I think, "I helped make that happen!" And I excitedly anticipate the steamed beet greens and the fresh garden salads from my very own garden...there is really nothing better.
Brian and I don't have a spot of ground to plant in, so we are improvising. We built a cold frame, filled it with dirt and rocks, and we're planting in that, right on top of our cement patio.
We got a lot of rain this spring, so planting was a little difficult. We had to literally fit it in between storms. I was eager to put something into the ground, s
Whenever I see that, I think, "I helped make that happen!" And I excitedly anticipate the steamed beet greens and the fresh garden salads from my very own garden...there is really nothing better.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
March Madness
Seeing this title, I'm sure you are all surprised that I would dedicate an entire blog post to college sports, and you'd be right. I'm no sports fanatic...I enjoy watching sports sometimes, but let's face it: I am not a sports buff. So, this post is about a different kind of March Madness.
March is what I like to call the "bi-polar" month. It's the month when all of us are inflicted with Spring fever; where we thrill at the sight of any green peering through the melting snow. Spring is on its way; there's no mistaking it. The days and nights are warmer,
the birds are singing their beautiful melodies, squirrels and chipmunks are skittering about excitedly, and the green is indeed expanding its territory over the once prominent blanket of snow.
Regardless of the sure signs of Spring however, none of us really settle into Spring in March in New York...there's no point. Spring in New York comes in stages. One day it'll look and feel like we should dig into the ground and plant things, and the next day we have to shovel ourselves out.
Now, because it's March, this snow is totally bearable. Spring is on its way; we won't see much more of it, so we might as well enjoy it! The best snow hikes always happen in March. Although I will admit, one of our latest March hikes was almost unbearable because the snow was so wet...I almost didn't make it out of there!
In March, Brian and I always feel an incredible amount of restlessness. We've been still all winter. We hike whenever possible, but the bulk of our time is spent reading. Cabin fever is just as strong as Spring fever these days, and the only way to cure it is to get outside and do something.
The other day, Brian's dad mentioned that he needed to split some wood. He was surprised when Brian and I jumped at the chance to help. This was exactly what we needed! There is really nothing better than working outside. So on Saturday, we bundled up a little, cleared a spot in the snow, and split wood. It was so invigorating!
(Doesn't Brian look like such a country guy. Oh don't worry, I have my very own red plaid barn coat that I was sporting that day...I just didn't get in front of the camera)
We could have gone on a hike to ease the cabin fever, but to tell you the truth, it wouldn't have helped nearly as much. There's something about working that really makes you feel better; especially if you're working outside. This might sound totally weird, but that's what Brian and I love. We enjoy working in the garden as much, and perhaps more, than hiking. In the Lord of the Rings, when they are describing hobbits, they say that the hobbits "had a love for things that grow", or something like that. I guess we're just like hobbits in that way. We really love to see things grow, and we love to help them along the way. In fact, this summer
, on our little cement slab of a back patio, Brian and I are going to grow: pumpkins, beans, tomatoes, zucchini, yellow squash, lettuce, beets, cucumbers, and a bunch of herbs. I'm so excited, I can taste them already.
There's no real point in getting so excited yet though. I can't even plant them for at least another month. So in the meantime, Brian and I are busying ourselves looking for work to do. This weekend, I think we're going to make a cold frame so that I can plant in early April, then maybe we'll start ripping out last year's fencing, then maybe we can take out those trees in Brian's parent's yard so we can expand the garden...and then who knows? I can't wait to get my hands dirty everyday. I guess we've decided to live by Calvin's life motto: "I say, if your knees aren't green by the end of the day, you ought to seriously re-examine your life.” Sounds like a good mantra to me.
March is what I like to call the "bi-polar" month. It's the month when all of us are inflicted with Spring fever; where we thrill at the sight of any green peering through the melting snow. Spring is on its way; there's no mistaking it. The days and nights are warmer,
Regardless of the sure signs of Spring however, none of us really settle into Spring in March in New York...there's no point. Spring in New York comes in stages. One day it'll look and feel like we should dig into the ground and plant things, and the next day we have to shovel ourselves out.
Now, because it's March, this snow is totally bearable. Spring is on its way; we won't see much more of it, so we might as well enjoy it! The best snow hikes always happen in March. Although I will admit, one of our latest March hikes was almost unbearable because the snow was so wet...I almost didn't make it out of there!
In March, Brian and I always feel an incredible amount of restlessness. We've been still all winter. We hike whenever possible, but the bulk of our time is spent reading. Cabin fever is just as strong as Spring fever these days, and the only way to cure it is to get outside and do something.
The other day, Brian's dad mentioned that he needed to split some wood. He was surprised when Brian and I jumped at the chance to help. This was exactly what we needed! There is really nothing better than working outside. So on Saturday, we bundled up a little, cleared a spot in the snow, and split wood. It was so invigorating!
We could have gone on a hike to ease the cabin fever, but to tell you the truth, it wouldn't have helped nearly as much. There's something about working that really makes you feel better; especially if you're working outside. This might sound totally weird, but that's what Brian and I love. We enjoy working in the garden as much, and perhaps more, than hiking. In the Lord of the Rings, when they are describing hobbits, they say that the hobbits "had a love for things that grow", or something like that. I guess we're just like hobbits in that way. We really love to see things grow, and we love to help them along the way. In fact, this summer
There's no real point in getting so excited yet though. I can't even plant them for at least another month. So in the meantime, Brian and I are busying ourselves looking for work to do. This weekend, I think we're going to make a cold frame so that I can plant in early April, then maybe we'll start ripping out last year's fencing, then maybe we can take out those trees in Brian's parent's yard so we can expand the garden...and then who knows? I can't wait to get my hands dirty everyday. I guess we've decided to live by Calvin's life motto: "I say, if your knees aren't green by the end of the day, you ought to seriously re-examine your life.” Sounds like a good mantra to me.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
A Healthy Food Culture
I've been thinking about food a lot lately. Why? Because for the past 9 years of my life, I've been obsessed with it. Now, I'm not talking about being obsessed with loving food...I'm talking about being obsessed with hating it. Like almost every other woman in the world, I was obsessed with avoiding, loathing, and disdaining food...especially if it tasted really good. The reason? Because my attitude about food was that it was a necessary evil. I have to eat to stay alive, but in the process of staying alive, I can't help but gain weight.
I'm no skinny-minny. My brothers called me "Sturdy" growing up. I'm still not sure if they meant that to be a compliment, but regardless of their intention, I didn't take it that way. I never really liked my body much, but it didn't really bother me until I went to college. No offense to BYU or anything, but if you've got problems with body image, it's really the worst place in the world. Seeing all of those skinny beautiful people gave me reason to really begin a silent attitude of self-loathing. I went vegan, worked out and danced like a crazy person, and constantly watched everything I was eating. It did nothing for my size; not only that, it did nothing for my body image. When my body has been in better shape, I've still hated it. I used to think those anorexic girls who thought they were fat at 83 pounds were crazy, but it looks like I wasn't that different from them. No matter what I looked like, I hated myself. This kind of attitude is unhealthy.
I've done some reading (In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan - highly recommended), a lot of thinking, and even more praying, an I've come to a new ideology about food. It is based around having a healthy food culture. Here it is:
Staying healthy is the least important reason to eat. Eating is for identity, for social opportunities, for expression, and for enjoyment. In the book I mentioned, he talks a lot about guilt. We have a serious problem with guilt. We guilt ourselves out of enjoying things. I watched a movie that talked about it too, called "Eat, Pray, Love" (loved it!). This movie talked about it too. Check out this awesome clip. Like she says in the clip, it's not healthy to always feel guilty; to remember each night every little thing we ate and guilt-trip ourselves about everything (I've even felt bad about eating broccoli before).
From here out, I'm going to have a healthy food culture, and if that means I'll have a "muffin top", then that's OK. I look good. Brian loves the way I look, and so should I. Instead of focusing on self-deprivation, I'm going to treat myself. Now, I don't plan to binge on crap food or anything. That's not at all what I mean. I want to be healthy for my future and for my present. I'm happier when I feel healthier. And besides, eating like that is gluttony. If you're eating so much that you can't actually appreciate each bite, you've gone too far. It's about health and pleasure. If you're not really enjoying it, there's no reason to eat it. You see what I mean by a healthy food culture? Food should be a wonderful part of my life; not a necessary evil! I remember someone once saying that they wished food didn't taste...that it was just tasteless. Then no one would over-eat, and we'd all be skinny. As much as I totally see where that's coming from, that would be horrible! Food is a wonderful, beautiful part of life, and I'm determined to enjoy it.
Feeding yourself is loving yourself. Besides, being skinnier doesn't make people like you more. They'll like you if they're going to, regardless of your size. A lot of the people I know met their future spouse when they were in the worst shape of their life. When I was engaged to Brian, I was really out of shape, and you know what? He didn't care. Not only that, he didn't notice. I complained about my belly almost non-stop, and it was the complaining that got on his nerves. He wanted me to see myself like he sees me. I realize that's probably impossible, but the basic idea is right. I needed to learn to love myself, and to see myself as a beautiful daughter of God. Not only that...as a beautiful, sexy, desirable woman. There's a reason why men are attracted to confident women. The complaining only shows insecurity. Confidence attracts them because when you feel beautiful, you look beautiful.
Ever wonder why every bride looks beautiful? It's because in that moment, she feels beautiful. She feels desirable, and she feels confident. That confidence is beauty. When I think this, I feel such a sense of relief. It's a lot of pressure to carry around so much self-loathing, guilt, and deprivation. Those feelings have only ever led me to hate myself, binge, and then hate myself more because I binged. Also, depriving myself of something only made it more attractive, rendering it impossible to resist. It's a never-ending cycle. Feeling hungry isn't healthy. Feeling stuffed isn't the greatest, but feeling satisfied is good, and depriving myself of satisfaction is unhealthy.
I have a beautiful, healthy body. I am blessed to have that. And feeling that way only makes it more true. Like she says in the clip, I'm through with the guilt. So that's it: a healthy food culture. That's the ticket. Forget everything else.
I'm no skinny-minny. My brothers called me "Sturdy" growing up. I'm still not sure if they meant that to be a compliment, but regardless of their intention, I didn't take it that way. I never really liked my body much, but it didn't really bother me until I went to college. No offense to BYU or anything, but if you've got problems with body image, it's really the worst place in the world. Seeing all of those skinny beautiful people gave me reason to really begin a silent attitude of self-loathing. I went vegan, worked out and danced like a crazy person, and constantly watched everything I was eating. It did nothing for my size; not only that, it did nothing for my body image. When my body has been in better shape, I've still hated it. I used to think those anorexic girls who thought they were fat at 83 pounds were crazy, but it looks like I wasn't that different from them. No matter what I looked like, I hated myself. This kind of attitude is unhealthy.
I've done some reading (In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan - highly recommended), a lot of thinking, and even more praying, an I've come to a new ideology about food. It is based around having a healthy food culture. Here it is:
Staying healthy is the least important reason to eat. Eating is for identity, for social opportunities, for expression, and for enjoyment. In the book I mentioned, he talks a lot about guilt. We have a serious problem with guilt. We guilt ourselves out of enjoying things. I watched a movie that talked about it too, called "Eat, Pray, Love" (loved it!). This movie talked about it too. Check out this awesome clip. Like she says in the clip, it's not healthy to always feel guilty; to remember each night every little thing we ate and guilt-trip ourselves about everything (I've even felt bad about eating broccoli before).
From here out, I'm going to have a healthy food culture, and if that means I'll have a "muffin top", then that's OK. I look good. Brian loves the way I look, and so should I. Instead of focusing on self-deprivation, I'm going to treat myself. Now, I don't plan to binge on crap food or anything. That's not at all what I mean. I want to be healthy for my future and for my present. I'm happier when I feel healthier. And besides, eating like that is gluttony. If you're eating so much that you can't actually appreciate each bite, you've gone too far. It's about health and pleasure. If you're not really enjoying it, there's no reason to eat it. You see what I mean by a healthy food culture? Food should be a wonderful part of my life; not a necessary evil! I remember someone once saying that they wished food didn't taste...that it was just tasteless. Then no one would over-eat, and we'd all be skinny. As much as I totally see where that's coming from, that would be horrible! Food is a wonderful, beautiful part of life, and I'm determined to enjoy it.
Feeding yourself is loving yourself. Besides, being skinnier doesn't make people like you more. They'll like you if they're going to, regardless of your size. A lot of the people I know met their future spouse when they were in the worst shape of their life. When I was engaged to Brian, I was really out of shape, and you know what? He didn't care. Not only that, he didn't notice. I complained about my belly almost non-stop, and it was the complaining that got on his nerves. He wanted me to see myself like he sees me. I realize that's probably impossible, but the basic idea is right. I needed to learn to love myself, and to see myself as a beautiful daughter of God. Not only that...as a beautiful, sexy, desirable woman. There's a reason why men are attracted to confident women. The complaining only shows insecurity. Confidence attracts them because when you feel beautiful, you look beautiful.
Ever wonder why every bride looks beautiful? It's because in that moment, she feels beautiful. She feels desirable, and she feels confident. That confidence is beauty. When I think this, I feel such a sense of relief. It's a lot of pressure to carry around so much self-loathing, guilt, and deprivation. Those feelings have only ever led me to hate myself, binge, and then hate myself more because I binged. Also, depriving myself of something only made it more attractive, rendering it impossible to resist. It's a never-ending cycle. Feeling hungry isn't healthy. Feeling stuffed isn't the greatest, but feeling satisfied is good, and depriving myself of satisfaction is unhealthy.
I have a beautiful, healthy body. I am blessed to have that. And feeling that way only makes it more true. Like she says in the clip, I'm through with the guilt. So that's it: a healthy food culture. That's the ticket. Forget everything else.
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