White Christmas

Happiest of holidays to you and yours! So much love and glad tidings! We'll be venturing out for a hike and some Frisbee golf, but then I'm sure we'll cuddle up with some blankets and hot coca. May your days be merry and bright!

Citrus and Sage

For K+G. Happy wedding, happy Christmas, happy life!

Pattern here:
https://www.brooklyntweed.com/shop/umaro/

Everglades

In Palm Beach Florida for work these two weeks. Adventured down to shark valley in the Everglades which is an amazing national park - I had no idea it was so expansive, barren at first glance and then surprisingly and full of beautiful and strange wildlife.

From the top of North table mountain

Love my backyard. Happy December!

Give thanks

Everything is a gift. Life itself was given to us! My grateful heart is astounded every day; the beauty of the place I live, the kindness of friends and family, the love I know and cherish. I stand here today and I am equal parts grateful and humbled and terrified by the world at large. Thanks for being my friend. Please pass the pie!

First snow

View from the back patio looking towards north table mountain. Morning after the first snow. We made pumpkin spice cookies. Happy November!

The planting of a sycamore tree

Grandpa's house, Jefferson City MO
November 7th 2015
DD and cousin Chris for Mark's wedding

Open season

     Hunting season in Telluride! DH got an elk and a deer, and BIL got his first ever elk. I picked apples and made pie and and apple sause and went hiking with the dogs and did so much knitting and drinking of coffee. It was perfect and lovely. Happy beautiful autumn, friends!

New home

We've moved! To Golden Colorado. The view is spectacular, the trees are changing, and the inside is full of boxes. We're going to miss the cottage but we're also excited about the bike paths and Frisbee golf and kayaking nearby. Please come visit!

It's fall!

Pumpkin spice coffees, falling leaves, brick and stone, sun through the trees, beautiful happy couple, amazing friends, awesome wedding! So full of joy today and so happy for K+G. Happy wedding, happy life!

Farm to table

Happy birthday mom! We went to the three leaf farm for a tomato explosion dinner complete with a wine flight and music from a live band. Delicious food and great company as the sun sets outside and the chickens chatter, the coolness of the evening as summer comes to a close. Awesome to autumn friends!

The final 14ers

The Chicago basin: Sunlight, Windom, Elois

This was the most amazing weekend. First, an awesome group of people agreed to accompany me on our final adventure. Then, we drive to Silverton, got on a train, got off the train in the middle of nowhere, and hiked for 6 miles in the rain to base camp. It took us two days and all our energy to bag the peaks in the basin, and it was so great to have the support of our friends! On the last day, it was looking like we might not finish due to weather. When my Dad and I stepped up onto the summit of Mt Elois, I was so overwhelmed I actually cried. This has been the most incredible adventure. I am so proud of us and I feel so lucky to have been able to share this journey with my Dad, and with all of you!

Thank you all for your support!! I love Colorado!

Reunited

Mini McKelvy reunion this weekend. And we found a mini library, of course! Too little time to spend with some of my favorite people, but looking forward to seeing everyone again soon in Philly! Hooray! The weather is beautiful and we are heading out for brunch. Thanks to JS for this lovely picture.

Thirty

I've heard good things about thirty, and so far it's amazing. I had an awesome party with great food and drinks and lights and puppies and delicious cake with candles and smores and around the fire pit and games including giant jenga! But the best part was the people who came to celebrate with me, my people who are awesome and wonderful and have made all these years what they are. I am so grateful to have you in my life. Cheers!!

Pyramid

We've heard some scary stories about this peak, the last of the elks. So we got on a waiting list to go with an experienced team, but it never panned out... So, we decided to hack it on it own... And we killed it! We had a perfect day, beautiful weather, great route finding, awesome summit. Feeling so amazing! We can actually do this!!!

Three fourteeners remain on the list.  THREE.

Garden journal; end of July

Things that are going like gang busters: SQUASH (yowza), tomatoes, kale, mint, carrots, potatoes, chives, onions, rhubarb, oregano, tyme, basil, weeds.

Things that are not so much: Brussels sprouts haven't sprouted. Lettuce went to seed. Not sure sure what the arugula is up to. Broccoli turned out to be peas and then died. Strawberries get stolen. Zucchini looks great but has yet to do much.

Dinner tonight was SQUASH stuffed with quionia and veggies, and was awesome! Friends, I love this but I'm pretty sure I'm terrible at it! On we go, hands are dirty hearts are full...

The bells

What an incredible weekend. These two peaks were so beautiful and also terrifying. I'm exhausted and exhilarated. We had an amazing team of people without which I wouldn't have summited (see north bells, the chimney). We were careful but we were also lucky, and the reward was astounding.

Four more peaks remain on our list! Wow!!

Little bear

The mountain and the bear.

We had quite the adventure on little bear mountain this weekend. After the backpack into lake Como, we meet the bear himself, who was quite happy to help himself to most of our food for the weekend, all tied up in a nice little package for him.

The next day, we got up at 3am and started hiking. Up the gully to the notch, across the traverse, and to the hour glass. This is a step section of terror, and I was glad I brought some gear to do a prusick up! Then it's not too far to the summit, which means you're half way there. By the time we were down, out, and back to Denver it was 3am again. What an amazing hike. This was truly a physical and mental battle, and I feel so awesome for having made it through safely.

6 more to go!

Oregon

Weekend in Portland and Newport. I would recommend eagle Creek trail, breakside brewery and seeing old friends, powels city of books and coffee, time with family and local ocean and rouge, Frisbee on the beach and hiking by the light house, a beautiful wedding and awesome beach bonfire. Happy and exhausted we return.

Little man hat

Also there's this; yup, it's a beard and mustache hat for a soon be baby boy of friends of ours. Awww! Basic baby hat, then some fun shaping in moss st for the beard and mustache. To much fun.

Dogs playing

This is happy. Happy weekend!

Little cone kitty

Radiation starts this week.  Fingers crossed. Let me know if you have any questions about pet insurance - I'm now an expert. Extra snuggles for the cat are in store this month.

Garden journal: May

Look! Things are growing!

Strawberries, potatoes, chives, carrots, arugula, lettuce, broccoli, brussel sprouts, onions, kale, cherry tomatoes, basil, mint, oregano, thyme, rhubarb, squash and zucchini, and a puppy. Special shout out to S+A for all the help planting and weeding. I'm still hoping to install some beans and flowers before were done. Yay!

How are things growing with you?

Summer soon?

Between the down pouring rain, we spent the weekend on rocks, on rappel, celebrating DH's birthday with Frisbee golfing, spontaneity, beer, naps, games, BBQ, and a lemoncello coconut ice cream cake.  30 years of awesome and more to come! Cheers

Flowers for your weekend

Dear friends,

Here are some flowers for your weekend. It's been a rough couple of weeks, and you deserve some yellow daisies. And there is light at the end of the tunnel; the end of the school year is nearing, the sun is coming out again, we've made our decisions, it's time to move forward.

Here's to warm days and weekends!

Dandelions

Dearest friends just had the most beautiful baby! I made her this blanket in the dandelion colorway:

http://www.purlbee.com/2011/09/15/whits-knits-chevron-baby-blanket/

The pattern is simple and fun and the yarn is soft, delightful to knit, and machine washable.
So happy for them; sending congratulations and warm fuzzies!

Saguaro lake ranch

Wonderful wedding weekend in Arizona. Just outside Phoenix in the mesa desert, there is an amazing place called Saguaro Lake Ranch. Go there. Spend Saturday tubing down the river with the sun on your face. Spend the evening laughing with friends in the rain and playing games and dancing. On Sunday, have a lovely breakfast and then pack a lunch and go hiking up the valley. Come back exhausted and exhilarated. Happy wedding Jon and Kat!

Sunday brunch

Looking for something wonderful to make for brunch this weekend? You can stop looking, this is it:

http://joythebaker.com/2014/09/sausage-cheddar-grits-crust-less-quiche/

you're welcome.

~ Enjoy! ~

Springing

Garden journal: week 1. I got a tip that this was the weekend to start planting cold weather crops. Here you can see my carrots and broccoli, and I also started onions, potatoes, and Brussels sprouts! I'm so excited! I hope I can keep them alive.

To be continued...

Snap shot of a marriage

Actual conversion between me and my husband while I was in Indiana:

Me: so what have you been having for dinner?
DH: oh, you know, taco bell.
Me: what?? But I left you a bunch of easy meals to make!
DH: where??
Me: .... In the fridge.
DH: <opens fridge>... Oh...
Me: ....
DH: next time you go to Indiana, can you make me a list?

Pictured below: a list.

The good news is - we finished a major deadline for my project today! I plan to celebrate with at least a month of not being in Indiana.  

Yup.

So... We bought a motorcycle.

I'm somewhere between panic and pride. Riding a motorcycle is so fun you guys... But I know that we've now accepted an uncomfortable level of danger into our lives. We have mitigated or risks, to be sure, but the baseline remains. And truly, the same can be said of the mountains I climb every weekend and the rivers we ride in the spring. What can we do except accept the risk in exchange for joy? Maybe I'm being naïve, but we are not reckless people. We have calculated our level of crazy, and found it acceptable. 

Snowshoe adventures

The Locke in RMNP. Fantastic hike and a beautiful day. Things we have learned: summer trail maps in the winter = useless, frozen waterfalls coveted in snow look like hills, and it's difficult to jump in snowshoes. Good times had by all.

March

Back at it. This time as an instructor! So excited to get outside - Let's go.

Hump day

Happy Wednesday! I'm stuck in Indiana, so to cheer you up here's a picture of us riding a camel in the dessert, in India. Another happy thought: the two humans pictured here have, as of today, been together for 11 years. Cheers!

India

Just got back from an amazing experience. There was a train ride and cows and elephants and forts and palaces and jeep rides in the dessert and riding camels and a truly  incredible wedding. More pictures to come, but for now I'll leave you with this picture of me geeking out in a spice shop. In India. Wow.

February

Happy February!

Sending love and puppies your way for this valentines season. This happens to be an adventure puppy who has yet again managed to hurt her foot playing in the backyard and had to get stitches. But she is on the mend, and look and her pretty purple foot with the pink heart! Adorable.

Butternut squash pizza

This is the most amazing gf pizza ever! Our new favorite. Try it out you won't be sorry:

http://www.wholeheartedeats.com/2013/12/incredible-squash-pizza.html?m=1

Iceland yarn!

Awesome brother went to Iceland for 3 days and brought me back this amazing yarn. This is what I want to make:
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/sundottir
International knitting! Hooray! Thank you brother and char! (Credit char for the picture ... wow)

Weasly kitten sweaters

What's better than Weasly sweaters? Weasly kitten sweaters. For cold Weasly kittens in this the Colorado winter weather.

Check out this awesome pattern which lets you custom knit a sweater for your favorite cold furry friend:
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/perfect-fit-dog--cat-sweater-pattern-generator-top-down

And stay warm out there!

Happy new year

2014: things that happened. I got a job in my field, and rocked it for a year. Learned some serious mountaineering skills, and applied them to successfully summit seven peaks, leaving only seven more 14,000ft mountains for us to climb. Bought a house. Rafted the grand canyon. Learned to ride a motorcycle. Failed at gardening. Celebrated some awesome weddings and birthdays of friends and family. I had an amazing time.

2015: things to do. Get promoted, and start networking again. Walk Soca at least 5 times a week, and brush her teeth. Go to India. Celebrate weddings. Climb some more mountains, practice knots and ice axe technique. Try gardening again. Knit some things. Read some books. Be present and joyful.

Thanks for being part of my year friend! Here's to 2015!