Recently in Ramblings

It's been a great summer for us. After years of wanting to raise my own organic food, we were able to make some strides towards that goal. We built and installed some raised beds. Finding a space for the beds was never an issue as we are fortunate enough to live in a rural area in the mountains west of Boulder. But Colorado is a very dry state and we've had water issues in our area. Our neighborhood recently built a reservoir to enhance our water storage and as long as water isn't wasted... we can now plant our gardens.

This may not have been the best news for my husband who is the "builder" in the family. He put a lot of work into not just raised beds but spent several weekends converting an old somewhat useless shed into a chicken coop.

One of the many things I love about him is he always does things the correct way (vs. the fastest way.)  Plus he looks great in a toolbelt! Everything is built to last and is made from good quality materials. And, he was a very good sport about the whole experience. Working on my little projects took time away from his outdoor passions like mountain biking. But he'll be happy when we're enjoying fresh heirloom tomatoes and our own backyard organic eggs. Thanks Honey.

One little surprise was discovering that one of our cute little chicks wasn't a little hen but a rooster. Oops! Meet "Rooster Cogburn." A name suggested by several people on my Facebook fan page. He's definitely full of True Grit wouldn't you say?

We already loved spending out free time at home. With our little rural farmstead it's even tougher to get us to leave home! As you can see we have some unique "neighbors" like the local elk who like to spend summer and fall in our neighborhood. Our son Wyatt calls them our "elk buddies." Not everyone in our family is thrilled about the elk visiting. One of our dogs made this about-face when she got just a little too close. Although we laughed, she could get hurt so we're glad she had a quick change of heart! Fortunately, the elk buddies have stayed out of the garden beds... so far. A fence is probably in our near future.

Even July 4th was spent at home. It's hard to be motivated to fight all the crowds who are up here visiting Rocky Mountain National Park. So we opted to barbecue and watched Wyatt conduct his own fireworks show. I love the look on his face!

As I look at these photos I feel a deep sense of gratitude for our wonderful life and home. We're lucky. We're happy, healthy and live in a wonderful place. Sometimes it's good to remember to be grateful as the world can be challenging to navigate. This beautiful cloud that appeared over our house yesterday reminded me that even in a storm the proverbial silver lining always appears. I know. It's a corny cliche'.. but so true.

I hope you and your family are enjoying a happy and fun-filled summer too!

-Laura

I'm not an actively political person. I have my beliefs... but I try not to pollute this website with politics. This site is a pleasant retreat for me and hopefully for my readers. But I must share some thoughts regarding the origin of our food in this country. And why it's time for me to really take control of what I'm feeding my family.

We are living in an amazing age of technological advances. It's hard to keep up with the latest phones, cameras and laptops let alone comprehend what's happening with medical and scientific discoveries. But sometimes we try to outsmart ourselves and our planet to a fault. This is especially true with our food. Companies like Monsanto take a beautiful and naturally perfect seed and attempt to morph it into a Frankenstein that will resist their own pesticides and yield an unnatural amount of crops. Or in the case of a poor hardworking cow... produce more milk through hormones. Is this really better for us as consumers? Is it better for our farmers, animals and plants? More importantly, is it better for my family to digest these genetically modified super seeds or milk? No. It's not ....and because it's not... I'm going to do my best to "keep it real" when it comes to what my family eats.

Good cooking is all about the ingredients. Can we really improve the quality of a farm fresh egg or a perfectly juicy organic heirloom tomato? I don't think so. So, rather then buy produce from large chain grocery stores I'm going to grow my own in my backyard garden. And because we're in a rural location we can have chickens! Our eggs won't come from Safeway (or even Whole Foods) but our own wonderful family hens.

Yes, I know we can buy "organic" produce now in the big grocery chain stores like Safeway and King Soopers or Kroger. But these stores are so huge and their suppliers are even bigger. There is a processing to everything they sell ... even the "organic" foods. And with genetically modified crops surrounding these large organic growers, how do we really know what we're getting? We don't. But I do know what is coming out of my own backyard. Everything will be grown from heritage organic seeds. No RoundUp or other chemicals. No genetically modified or processed anything! And I know my family (and especially my son) will enjoy the fruits of our labors... literally.

To begin this quest, I have 18 baby chicks in a heated wooden box in my living room. Yep. You read that correctly... my living room. The basement just seemed so cold and lonely. The "girls" are hilarious to watch and have become part of our family. My husband and some of our friends are planning the construction of a chicken coop and a large fenced in garden. The chicks will move into their new "estate" in 2 months.

Next on the list... Bees! Locally harvested honey is one of nature's best immune-building foods. Did I mention I have a 6 year old who brings home every bug possible from school? We need anything to help keep us healthy during the cold and flu season. Plus, bees are quite possibly the coolest and most important creatures on this planet. Some of our beekeeper friends say they are so much fun to watch. It's kind of like being near a major airport runway each morning and evening. We have a new hive on order and are just waiting for a swarm to become available. Our wildflowers will love having them as neighbors.

Am I going "off the grid?" Nope. I like my modern conveniences a little too much for that! But I do want to go off the processed food grid as much as I can. Am I crazy? Yes...probably. This will take work.. and it surely won't be as convenient as buying food in packages. I realize not everyone will have the space or desire to take these steps.. and that's just fine. I'm not an activist and I don't expect anyone to do what I do. In fact, I'm a big believer in freedom and "to each his own." But maybe if we all pay a just a little more attention to the origin of our food... read the labels.... know the companies... understand the fine print.....we can make informed decisions for our families. Maybe we'll be more supportive of our own local farmer's, CSA's and farmer's markets. And we can give our families the best tasting and most nutritious foods.... kissed by nature but untouched by science. Prepared with love.

And that's what it's all about.

Nope.  I did not take that photo.  That was taken by Reuters photographer, Doug Murray. I did stay up late to see it and I did take photos..... But, they don't look like that.  My mother, husband and I sat on our chilly Colorado deck at 1:00 AM to witness this truly once-in-a-lifetime event.  The last time a total lunar eclipse took place on winter solstice was 372 years ago. On June 25, 1638 a similar solstice eclipse became the first astronomical event recorded in the United States... well what would become the United States.  The next time it will happen is in 2094... just shy from my now 5 year old son's 85th birthday.  So, we decided it might be worth losing a little sleep to witness such an occasion. 

I'm a rookie photographer with great equipment and little experience.  My Canon 5D was up to the challenge.. if only it had someone behind the lens who knew what to do!  My lenses are meant for close-up food photos, not something that is over 238,000 miles away. So, my efforts were handicapped but I didn't care.  I felt like an adventurous astro-photographer and had a blast.  Here is one of my crowning photographic achievements....

Ok, so I'm no Ansel Adams... but who cares?  I was thrilled just to locate on the moon in my viewfinder!  It's not easy and the  moon was directly overhead so I looked like I was doing a complex yoga position while trying to look through camera on my tripod.  It was pretty cold out and at some point I stopped feeling my toes.  But... it was fun and truly a remarkable sight. At 2:30 AM I ran to my computer to see if I captured anything on my camera and was so excited to see my pics... and then I saw Jennifer Yu of www.userealbutter.com had posted a stunning image on Facebook.  Sigh... she is so talented and I have so much to learn.... 

Many people across the country weren't as lucky.  Winter weather obstructed the view with clouds.  So for those of you who didn't get to watch it from the comfort of your homes... here are some photos you must see including this gorgeous time-lapsed video of the entire eclipse. Oh, and for those of you who think I should always include a recipe... here is one for Fly Me to the Moon Pie... just for you!

Foodspotting.com - Smart New Website to Find the Best Restaurant Food

I was inspired to follow in Michael Ruhlman's footsteps on this Father's Day morning.  He posted a very simple and heartfelt post on his blog with photos of his father.  Like me, he lost his dad and Father's Day for those of us without fathers is about remembering.  It can be sad and a bit heavy-hearted.  His post was dedicated to Father's Without Fathers.  Mine is dedicated to Sons and Daughters Without Fathers.... 

My dad was killed in an airplane crash when I was 11 years old.  He loved to fly his Cessna 310 in air-shows and was in an accident while practicing for one in California.  On July 25th, 2010 it will be the 30 year anniversary of that fateful day. It was tragic... more than you know. I guess he was fortunate that he died doing what he loves... but we all wish it he had stayed around just a little longer.

I'm was very lucky to have had such an adventurous and fun-loving father.  He was that guy... outgoing and a "guy's guy" with a personality that was contagious.  

Richard Merrill was everyone's friend and he was a great dad who did what he could to make the universe revolve around his little girl.  Like everyone, he wasn't perfect and made his mistakes but at the end I'm lucky to be his daughter.

My dad is survived by his brother, Ken... the best uncle anyone could have.  He has been like a father to me in many ways and even walked me down "the isle."  Well, more like a dirt path since I was married next to a waterfall in Kauai.  He has been like a father to most of us in my family. We're lucky that he also has all of the fun-loving, adventurous (also a private pilot ... he once had a full grown 500 lb tiger as a passenger in his airplane ....another long story) and caring qualities we loved in my dad.  

So, Happy Father's Day to you Ken... and thanks for filling in during those special moments ... birthdays, graduations, christmas's, marriage... when my dad couldn't be there.  I love you!

For those of you who find yourself this Father's Day without your father . . . I wish you a very happy day of remembrance filled with only sweet memories . . . not the sad ones.  And I hope you had someone else who was there for you during those important mile-markers in life.  Not all "fathers" are biological but they are just as special and should be celebrated.

If you feel like sharing a memory about your own dad, I would love to read about him and your memories.  Just post those thoughts in the comments section below.