Trying to Catch a Breath

Yeti Chase 5k

2012-01-29T10:05:00.001-07:00

I ran my first 5k yesterday. I was really nervous. The race was in Denver so Evan and I got up early to drive down and meet some friends who'd stayed down there the previous night.

My goal was to run the entire thing, which I accomplished. I finished the race with a pace of 11:11, which is about as fast as I've ever run.

I haven't done a great job running (or doing any other physical activity) the last few weeks, so I need to get back at it.

Birthday

2012-01-27T09:40:00.000-07:00

I had a birthday this week. I actually kind of hate birthdays. I don't mind getting older, but they always feel like they should be a really fun and special day. And when they aren't, because it's just another work day, it's disappointing. You'd think since I've had 31 of them, I'd lower my expectations.

One really awesome part of my day was receiving a present from Evan, his parents, and my parents. It's a print of the Tetons with a refinished barn wood frame. It's so gorgeous. It's hanging in our front room and looks fabulous. I really love it.

Seeing Everyone

2012-01-24T09:49:00.000-07:00

We were in Atlanta last week for my grandpa's funeral. (More on that later.) Despite the reasons for the trip, it was a really nice visit.

My brother and his wife live in Atlanta and my cousin lives in NYC. We rarely get to hang out. I think this was the first time all three of us were together since my brother's wedding two and a half years ago. It was a lot of fun. I wish we'd had a couple more days to hang out.

I got to see my bff Emily. I got to see her and her kids (who I didn't see this time) when we were in North Carolina last June. She was coincidentally visiting her parents in Georgia when we were back so I was thrilled we were able to get together.

We also got to see Marie, Michael, and Libby. Marie had been in Athens (home of UGA) earlier that day and had picked up Inoko (Japanese steakhouse take-out) for dinner. She and I must have eaten there about a million times in college. (Which, as I think about it, seems a million years ago.) Sadly I didn't get a picture with them.

We also hung out with the rest of my family, some family friends, and Evan's cousin who lives in Atlanta. Bad reason to be there, but a great time otherwise.

Smart Dog

2012-01-21T09:18:00.000-07:00

Moose is a smart dog. He's figured out that the vents deliver hot air. Penny has figured this out too.

I used to do the same thing when I was little. I would sit in the kitchen by one of the ducts while my breakfast was cooking.

Bernerd

2012-01-16T19:00:00.000-07:00

On vacation with Evan's family this summer, Evan and F, our nephew, started calling each other Bernerd. I'm not really sure where it came from, quite possibly the three year old, but it might also been Evan.

For Christmas we got F an "I'm not Bernerd" shirt at the same time he (and his parents) gave Evan a "Hello! My name is Bernerd" shirt. It was so funny.

Happy New Year!

2012-01-12T18:50:00.000-07:00

We rang in the new year with some new friends that I made back in September when I went on a university sponsored trip.
We already have so many wonderful friends here and we've been blessed with even more.
I've got a few goals for 2012. A couple are boring financial things, two related to exercise (run 366 miles, one for each day of 2012, and move 2012 miles by biking, skiing, running, walking, hiking, etc), and I've got to finish the dang house painting stuff sometime. Every year I say I'm not going to buy more books, but every year I fail miserably. I really would like to put a large dent into the books I already own but haven't read.

In the immediate future, I have some school related things I need to get done: an application and submitting an article for possible publication.

And I wasn't even being chased

2012-01-10T20:31:00.000-07:00

I started running. Not because I was being chased.

Evan's always on me to exercise more and after a snowshoe trip that kicked my butt, I came home, found the Ease into 5K app and went out the front door. I about died. Running for a minute was so hard.

I am now up to running 30 minutes straight. I can hardly believe it. I'm sure having this app kept me at it. It tells you when to run and walk, creates a schedule, and records stats.

At the end of this month, some friends and I are running a 5k. I'm nervous because despite the fact I can run for 30+ minutes at a time, I'm slow.

I have an account on dailymile.com. If you are on there, let's be friends!

Basset Hounds and Hiking

2012-01-07T17:14:00.002-07:00

Inevitably, when we hike with the dogs, someone says something along the lines of, "I can't believe their short legs got them this far!" If you don't know about bassets, it would be easy to think this. Bassets have such a lazy stereotype.

It's only partially true. If you overfeed your dog and don't walk him, he's going to be lazy. If you walk your basset, you'll see just how much they love to walk.

I'd always loved basset hounds. I grew up with beagles so I knew I like hounds and bassets are so damn cute. Evan and I do lots of outdoor activities including hiking. We researched on the internet about bassets and hiking when we got our dog and were excited to read accounts of bassets being great hikers. Ours have lived up to our hopes.

Granted, they are still young and I'm sure they'll slow down, but for now, they will hike forever. I really hope we can keep them hiking for a long time.

What I say to those people on the trails: They'll hike their faces off. On a recent hike, 6.5 miles out and back with 1700 feet of elevation change from the trail head to the top, the dogs were still feeling good. I don't know where their energy comes from. They LOVE to hike.

We've also taken the dogs snowshoeing and we've begun to take Molly cross country skiing.

One note: Seamus is rarely, if ever, off leash. He would catch a scent and be gone. He's really stubborn and does what he wants, regardless of whether we want him to come back. Molly is sometimes allowed off when we are in places with few people. She stays in eye sight and will come if called. It took us a couple years to trust her enough to do this.

Skiing

2012-01-03T17:08:00.001-07:00

Back in February, one of the outdoors stores in Laramie closed and sold off its inventory. Over the past couple winters, Evan has been cross country skiing a lot. I decided to get a pair at the store's sale since they were a good price. I'm really glad I got some because it's been a fun activity.

We're very lucky to have groomed trails just east of town, and we can be skiing within 15 minutes of leaving home. We've started taking Molly since she will stay close. (Seamus would follow smells and be gone in 2 minutes.) When I go, we only do about 2.5-3 miles because we are classic skiing which is slower than skate skiing. When just Evan goes, he skate skis (to me it looks like roller skating with skis) and goes further. Molly has done 6+miles when it's just the two of them.

Even though I've only been out a few times this winter, I can tell I'm getting better and that's exciting.

French Onion Soup

2011-12-31T16:53:00.000-07:00

I made French Onion Soup from a recipe from A Year of Slow Cooking. It was super easy and to die for yummy.

3 T butter
2 sliced yellow onions
2 15oz cans beef broth
1/2 T sugar
1/2 t salt
1/4 cup dry white wine
toasted bread
cheese (I used swiss.)

I toasted bread and covered it with cheese. I broiled the bowl for a few minutes to make the cheese bubbly.

I love soup. This one was so yummy and perfect for our cold winter nights. It is as good as any I've had.

Photogenic Moose

2011-12-27T13:04:00.000-07:00

"Engagement" shots

2011-12-25T21:25:00.002-07:00

My mom wanted to get some good pictures of me and Evan while she was here, so we went out and took a bunch. In most of them, my eyes or Evan's eyes or both of our eyes were closed, but we did manage to get a few good ones.

I love the background of this one. It's a mural of hollyhocks painted on a wall downtown.
I'd like to think we clean up pretty nicely.

End of the semester!

2011-12-13T14:58:00.001-07:00

This is so true. Seriously, SO true.

I'm done for the semester! Thanks for hanging with me during this busy semester.

My Dogs are So Damn Cute.

2011-12-09T13:50:00.000-07:00

This toy has 14 squeakers in it. The dogs love it.

An Early Christmas Present

2011-12-07T13:42:00.004-07:00

When we bought our house almost 5 years ago, we immediately remodeled the bathroom. Everything old was removed except for the tub.

We're pretty sure the tub is original to the house which was built in 1958. After years of use, the porcelain had been rubbed off and stained. The above picture is as clean as the tub would get.

My parents paid for the tub to be resurfaced as a Christmas present. What a difference!

Exam Week!

2011-12-04T20:38:00.002-07:00

Hot Damn!

I am going to make it through this semester! I give my last test on Thursday and plan on having my grades in asap.

Yay!

Pumpkin Treats

2011-11-29T12:50:00.000-07:00

We had a big Thanksgiving meal with friends, and we each brought something. Someone made dog treats from pureed pumpkin. The Ms enjoyed.

Tree hunting

2011-11-27T12:38:00.002-07:00

We drove up to the Snowies with some friends yesterday to harvest our Christmas tree. The Forest Service sells $10 permits and for the last 5 years we've gotten our tree this way. This year we took some friends who also wanted one and made an afternoon out of it.

Once you cut your tree, you have to drag it back to the car. Luckily, since our trees all resemble Charlie Brown trees, this isn't too difficult.

We finished the day off in Centennial at the Beartree with some pizzas.

We think this year's tree is smaller than the ones we've gotten before. I couldn't even put all of our meager ornaments on it.

The Hounds

2011-11-21T00:39:00.000-07:00

Goofy, goofy, goofy

Why yes, I would like a glass of wine with my whine.

2011-11-18T10:11:00.001-07:00

My lovely yesterday...

I found out that I'm not getting to teach on campus next spring.I know it's an issue of scheduling more than anything, but it's still really disappointing.

I got an email from some jerk dealing with the library book sale who accidentally (?) forwarded an email saying he was "knocking us down." When I responded nicely he didn't apologize and called me Kenny. Not my name, jackass.

I'd just like to tell the world to leave me alone. Really frustrated and discouraged with things right now. Is it too late to buy tickets to some tropical place with fruity drinks for Thanksgiving?

Cowgirl Boots

2011-11-14T23:51:00.000-07:00

After living in Wyoming for nine years, I finally bought some cowgirl boots for myself. I love them so much already. Surprisingly, they have been comfortable since I first put them on.

Riding Bikes

2011-11-12T00:02:00.003-07:00

I've been riding my bike more this fall than I have in the past. One day I got to campus and noticed that my front tire looked like this. I don't know a lot about bike maintenance, but I'm pretty sure tires aren't supposed to be bent like that.

Luckily, my husband knows lots about bikes and fixed it for me. The tire itself was blowing out the sidewall. I kept thinking it was going to explode while I was riding on campus and I'd crash spectacularly.

Winter

2011-11-09T15:38:00.000-07:00

I don't think it's the cold that gets me. It's the dark. Bleh.

Hey!

2011-11-07T16:11:00.000-07:00

Are you awake?

You should get up.

hey. hey. hey.

Labor Day Weekend, Day 3

2011-11-05T22:00:00.000-06:00

We finished our Labor Day weekend in Denver. We started off the day at the Taste of Colorado.

Shrimp tacos. yumyum.

Then, we went to Coors Field for a Rockies game. My parents watch the Braves all the time and baseball has always been at the back of my childhood memories though I don't really pay attention to it any more.

The game was pretty fun even though the Rockies lost. Maybe next year I can go when the Braves are in town.

All in all, it was a great weekend.

Halloween

2011-10-30T21:57:00.003-06:00

Super Kennedy and Evan, here to save the day.

Medicine Bow Peak

2011-10-25T22:06:00.000-06:00

Back in September, Evan, the dogs, and I climbed Medicine Bow Peak. It's the tallest mountain in southeastern Wyoming at just over 12,000 ft. It's got a beautiful view.

The dogs are such amazing hikers. They pulled us all the way up the mountain and then all the way back down. Practically everyone we pass says something along the lines of "Are those bassets?" I think people are always surprised to see a dog that has such a lazy stereotype running up the sides of mountains.
Moose on top of the world:

On this trip, we spread the ashes of Duncan, our old dog. When he died (3.5 years ago) we said that we should take him to the top of Medicine Bow Peak, but until this point, I couldn't bear the thought of letting go of his ashes. He, like M&M, loved hiking and the Snowies seemed to be a great place for him.

It was terribly sad. I cried a lot. But, I can't imagine a nicer place to spread his ashes. And every time we look to the west, we can see the peak and know where he is.

Molly

2011-10-17T16:02:00.000-06:00

Remember when I said bassets were the clowns of the dog world?

Labor Day Weekend, Day 2

2011-10-15T21:56:00.000-06:00

Day 2 of our Labor Day trip, we got up to a brisk morning and warmed up breakfast burritos Evan had made at home. Definitely the best way to start a day after camping.

We then had a nice 7 mile hike in the park. It was a beautiful day for being outside. The trails were fairly crowded, but since we were up early, it wasn't too bad. (Another good thing about national forests--they aren't as busy.)

After our hike, we drove to Denver for the Band of Horses concert and a nice dinner.

Labor Day Weekend, Day 1

2011-10-12T21:47:00.000-06:00

Somehow, Labor Day was only a little over a month ago. It feels like it was about 12 years ago. Evan took me on a trip down to Colorado for the long weekend and didn't tell me what we were doing ahead of time.

Our first stop was in Estes Park, Colorado, east entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park. Evan had planned for us to immediately go into the park and hike, but we came upon a craft fair and then a wine tasting.

We both enjoyed this little dog sitting in his owners' pottery tent. We didn't think there would be any pottery in whole pieces if M or M had been leashed up with all of these people and dogs around. They would have gone nuts and knocked over the tables and shelves.

Then on to the wine. We'd never done a wine tasting before and we really enjoyed ourselves.

After walking around downtown more, we headed into the park. We used to visit the park fairly often, but since we got the dogs (who aren't allowed to hike on national park trails) we've been hanging out in the national forest near home. The dogs stayed at home with a dogsitter.

Our last event of the day was a presentation at one of the visitors centers about a book. A ranger from the 50s had written a series of young adult/childrens books about a fictional ranger. The ranger's daughter was republishing the book and spoke about it with a a park employee who was dressed the part of the fictional ranger.

Then, we camped. Sadly, it was the first and only time we did all summer.

So Long Sweet Summer

2011-10-09T11:42:00.000-06:00

7 inches of snow. Starting off winter with a bang.

Yup

2011-10-07T23:06:00.001-06:00

Been busy. But I did manage to see the Wienermobile.

Cowboy Football

2011-09-25T22:09:00.000-06:00

Evan and I hadn't been able to make it to the first two Cowboy home games since we've been so busy, but we were able to make it to the big Wyoming v. Nebraska game yesterday. Lots of gold and red. Being next door neighbors, we saw lots of people with a Wyoming t-shirt and a Nebraska hat, or a couple with one person wearing Wyoming and one person wearing Nebraska stuff.

Not many people wear cowboy hats to the games. Evan and I both did. We also wore the same t-shirt and jeans. We are that old married couple.

People were really friendly. Every hotel in town was booked. When the stadium is full, it becomes the 3rd largest city in the state so Laramie was crazy all weekend.

With Pete Simpson, who I TAed for in grad school. He's part of the illustrious Wyoming Simpsons.

It was a really fun game even though we lost. There was so much excitement that it was almost like being back in the SEC. Evan's parents and some friends of theirs came. It was a super quick trip for them, but it was a beautiful day and lots of fun, so hopefully the 17 hours in the car were worth it!

I'm so vain.

2011-09-22T15:59:00.002-06:00

I bet you think this post is about me.

I gave a presentation today at a conference on campus and I'm ridiculously proud of myself. It was on using facebook in my large lecture class.

I thought it went really well, and obviously I'm an unbiased observer.

Zombie Moose

2011-09-16T23:43:00.000-06:00

Not only will he eat your brain, he'll also eat all of your food.

Tonight we're going to party like it's 1999.

2011-09-11T20:55:00.000-06:00

Well, 1999 might be a little harsh, but we FINALLY got curbside recycling. My parents have had curbside pick up since the early/mid 90s, so I'm thrilled we now do.

So glad I don't have to make trips to the recycling bins anymore.

It's my favorite new possession.

Michael's Mom's Chicken

2011-09-09T20:31:00.000-06:00

At my wedding shower, my mom gave me a cookbooks of recipes complied from friends and family.

One of my absolute favorite recipes (in this cookbook and in general) is from my friends Marie and Michael. When Marie sent the recipe to my mom she noted that it's Michael's favorite recipe from his mom. Michael, it's also my favorite recipe from your mom.

Chicken with Basil Cream Sauce

2 large boneless chicken breasts
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup milk
3 t. butter
1/2 t chicken bouillon granules
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sliced fresh basil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 t pepper

Split chicken breasts in half or use 4 cutlets. Flatten breasts for even heating. Dip chicken in milk and then coat with bread crumbs. Put chicken in pan with melted butter and cook til golden on both sides. Remove chicken from pan and keep warm. Stir 1/2 cup water and bouillon into the pan. Bring to a boil for 1 minute. Stir in cream, bring to a boil and cook 1-2 minutes stirring frequently. Reduce heat and add cheese. Melt cheese and add basil and pepper. Pour sauce over chicken and serve.

Don't forget the important step of licking the serving bowl.

Meow.

2011-09-07T23:34:00.000-06:00

Alberta Falls, Rocky Mountain National Park

2011-09-05T20:42:00.000-06:00

2004 or 2005 (not sure)

2011

Farewell, Old Life

2011-08-31T21:31:00.001-06:00

While we were in the south this summer, I noticed something I've never noticed on any of my trips back home: everyone has accents. Some a lot, some just a teeny bit. But it's there.

The more I've thought about this, the sadder I've felt. I've been in Wyoming for nine years and those years really hit when I heard people talking. The accent of the south stuck out. It was no longer normal. It was something I recognized as being different.

The life I had in Georgia seems--and sounds--like a different world. Don't get me wrong, I love Wyoming and life here. It's just sad when you realize the past is just that--the past.

Craaaap.

2011-08-30T21:15:00.003-06:00

My pay schedule is wacky. I don't get paid when I don't teach, so with one summer school class this year, you can imagine what my paychecks have looked like for the past three months.*

I thought I'd start getting normal paychecks again tomorrow since school started, but it looks like this year everything will be delayed until September. Tomorrow, for the five classes I'm teaching, I'll take home a whopping $325.

I'll appreciate the paychecks for the rest of the semester, but ouch in the meanwhile.

*It's really hard to complain when I did next to nothing this summer. It'd just be nice not to be feast or famine with my paychecks.

1 week down, 15 to go.

2011-08-28T12:44:00.000-06:00

It's been a busy week for me. (It's hard not to feel busy after the weeks and weeks I had off this summer.) I'm teaching 5 classes this semester, all of which started this week. I have taught all of them before and 4 are the same class, so the prep is minimal, but the first week is always filled with lots of wrinkles. They are gradually getting sorted out. I have 320ish students this semester (250 are in a big lecture section) so imagine all the wrinkles that can pop up.

I'm trying some new stuff this semester: a facebook page, a scavenger hunt at the library, and some videos of lectures. I expect the rest of the semester will be as busy for me since I've got these new things going on.

Phew!

2011-08-23T23:36:00.003-06:00

It's been a crazy last week and a half. School started on Monday. I've been getting ready, going to trainings, moving into my office, and madly working at getting everything ready.

sign I saw on campus. love.

This is the end

2011-08-14T22:59:00.001-06:00

While classes start on the 22nd, I've got school stuff starting tomorrow. For whatever reason (I think the new class I'm teaching) I've really been dreading the beginning of this school year. I think once I get in to the swing of things I'll be good, but it's for now my only friend, the end.

Yorke's Quilt

2011-08-12T10:02:00.000-06:00

I finally finished the quilt for my friend Emily's son. I have this self imposed deadline that baby quilts need to be done before the child is six months old. I only missed it by a few days, but I'm frustrated with myself. I have another quilt that I really need to get done before school starts (in less than two weeks). I better get to work.

"Don't push me cause I'm close to the edge, I'm trying not to lose my head"

2011-08-10T21:43:00.005-06:00

Someone donated this CD to the library book sale, so I borrowed it for a couple days and have been listening to it non-stop. Some of the songs:

"California Love" 2 Pac
"Fantastic Voyage" Coolio
"Jump Around" House of Pain
"Nuthin but a G Thang" Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg
"The Message" Grandmaster Flash

Someone gorged himself on dog food.

2011-08-09T21:27:00.004-06:00

Seamus got into a bag of dog food while we were out.

Before:

After:

I feel sick just looking at him.

She's so cute.

2011-08-08T22:09:00.001-06:00

Gutters

2011-08-06T01:32:00.000-06:00

We're replacing our gutters. This is so boring I don't know why I'm even wasting your time with it.
Our house is 50 years old and the fascia boards were original, peeling, and water damaged. The gutters on the house did nothing. So, home improvement project.
Every time we do something to the house, I'm amazed that we're still married at the end of the project.
I wish I was writing about something fun, like a new kitchen.

A Big Muddy Mess

2011-08-04T11:36:00.004-06:00

Our water main broke again. (This is only the 6th time since we bought the house 4.5 year ago.)

The hole:

The water main is the pipe at the bottom. The black pipe about halfway up is the gas line. The ladder is 20 ft.

The patch:

There's a rubber layer beneath the metal. The screws are as tight as they go. For some reason, it seems surprising to me that the piece is able to hold the water.

The activity:
The orange figure closest to me is one of the neighborhood kids. He watched just about the whole thing. We were chatting while we watched and he said he was going into 7th grade. I about had a heart attack. He was in 2nd grade when we moved in so I always think of him as a little kid.

That's the excitement around here today.

How Does My Garden Grow

2011-08-03T16:44:00.000-06:00

August?!?

2011-08-01T16:02:00.003-06:00

The next time someone says that summer is almost over, I'm going to cry.

Not ready for this again.

Yellowstone: Hot Springs and Geysers

2011-07-31T21:59:00.000-06:00

There are so many things about Yellowstone to love, and the thermal features are at the top of the list for me.

Yellowstone has approximately half of the world's geysers.

Bacteria Mat. I loved its stripes.

Travertine terraces at Mammoth Hot Spring.

When pools are blue like this one, they are too hot for bacteria to grow.

4 Years

2011-07-28T10:51:00.001-06:00

It was written that I would love you
From the moment I opened my eyes
And the morning when I first saw you
Gave me life under calico skies
I will hold you foras long as you like
I'll hold you for the rest of my life

Always looking for ways to love you
Never failing to fight at your side
While the angels of love protect us
From the innermost secrets we hide
I'll hold you for as long as you like
I'll hold you for the rest of my life

Love live all of us crazy soldiers
Who were born under calico skies
May we never be called to handle
All the weapons of war we despise
I'll hold you for as long as you like
I'll hold you for the rest of my life
I'll hold you as long as you like
I'll love you for the rest of my...
For the rest of my life

Calico Skies, Paul McCartney

I was on a boat.

2011-07-23T17:50:00.000-06:00

The last day Evan and I were in North Carolina, we took a canoe ride down the French Broad River.

scary rapids

Climbing

2011-07-21T23:48:00.000-06:00

Evan and I have been rock climbing numerous times this summer. It's been really fun. (Well, except for the part when I ripped my hand open.) I can tell I'm getting better at it.

I'm glad we've found this new thing to do together.

Confession

2011-07-20T13:18:00.000-06:00

I still have my electric blanket on the bed.

And I used it this morning.

Vedauwoo

2011-07-19T23:46:00.000-06:00

20 minutes from our front door.

Actually got a quilt done!

2011-07-17T23:20:00.001-06:00

One of my friends asked me to make a baby quilt for her. She picked out the fabric while I supplied the talent. (ha.)

It has Amy Butler fabrics, so I knew it'd turn out well. These pictures are kinda washed out (cell phone), but the green on the polka dot fabric was a pretty lime color.

She said she loved it, which was a relief. I get so nervous about what the owner will think.

Ouch

2011-07-15T11:09:00.000-06:00

It actually doesn't look too bad in this picture, but I scraped multiple layers of skin off my hand while climbing the other day. I shouldn't need surgery though, like last year's falling off my bike debacle. Evan will probably have to do the dishes for a week too.

Sneaking Around After Dark

2011-07-13T17:12:00.003-06:00

Two of our friends got married on Sunday. They only invited their immediate families and didn't tell anyone else til afterwards. Evan and I got the notification Sunday evening (you can do anything thru facebook these days!) and decided we should decorate their yard.

We ran to walmart to stock up on supplies (spray paint, TP, posters, shoe polish-for writing on car windows, fake flowers, etc) and stopped by to get a bottle of champagne.

Some friends joined us and we had a lot of fun sneaking around in the dark.

They didn't hear us at all, so it was a surprise when they woke up Monday morning. A neighbor did hear us and came out asking what we were spray painting. I half expected the police to show up while we were out there.

I still have my sign making ability from my days as a cheerleader and Evan still has his TPing skills. Who says you don't learn anything in high school?

What I've Been Up To

2011-07-12T14:24:00.002-06:00

The library book sale

We had a quick sale over the weekend and sold $5250 worth of books. It was a good total, but I wish we'd moved more books off the shelves. Our next sale isn't until the end of October and we already have so many books. (The picture is just one of the dozens of shelves we have.)

P Flowers

2011-07-05T14:57:00.001-06:00

Charlotte and a lot of fish

2011-07-03T11:56:00.000-06:00

When we were in North Carolina, Emily and her two kids, Yorke and Charlotte, came to Brevard to visit me. Emily is one of my oldest friends and she lives so far away, so getting to see her is always a treat.

After lunch we went to one of North Carolina's fish hatcheries. Charlotte had a great time feeding the fish. It was lots of fun watching her.

It was also fun watching the fish. They go crazy when food is thrown in.

It was a great day. I wish I'd taken more pictures. Hopefully I'll get to see Emily's crowd again soon!

Moose has big paws.

2011-07-01T21:03:00.000-06:00

Rock Climbing

2011-06-30T21:34:00.000-06:00

Evan and I went climbing Sunday with Evan's cousin Ryan. We had a really fun time.

I don't remember the mountain being turned in this direction...

Ryan's life depended on me. Luckily, I didn't drop him. Belaying makes me nervous, but I felt a lot better after the day was over and I'd had more practice.

It was fun. I can't wait to go again.

Family Visitors

2011-06-28T14:47:00.000-06:00

Evan's mom and our niece, R, visited us for a week.

Mountain Biking

Snow at one of the parking lots in the Snowies.

In the Snowies.

Making chocolate mint oreo ice cream.

Fun was had by all.

Poor Molly

2011-06-26T00:04:00.003-06:00

Evan's been gone this weekend. He is hiking in Colorado with one of his cousins.

Molly did not get to go. Molly does not like when Evan leaves her. After he left yesterday, anytime she heard a car drive into the alley (where we park) she ran to the window to see if it was him and stared at the front door waiting for Evan to walk in.

Soon, though, he will be home and all will be right in Molly's world again.

mmmmporkbunsmmm

2011-06-24T12:48:00.000-06:00

Evan and I love pork buns.

We loved eating them in China, especially because they were so cheap. One breakfast of pork buns cost 10 yuan. Five buns for about $1.60. Not bad.

When we got back, we were picking up cheese at our local specialty foods place for our wine and cheese party and saw a dim sum cookbook. The book had a recipe for pork buns. Feeling adventurous, we pick it up along with a bamboo steamer.

It took a few months, but we finally had pork buns for dinner. Evan did all the work, (Go Evan!) and I enjoyed the fruits of his labor. They were really good. Granted, it has been several months since we ate real pork buns, but they tasted pretty authentic to me. It couldn't have hurt that I ate them with chopsticks I bought in China.

Our recipe made 16 buns. We ate our selves stupid and still had leftovers.

Pork buns are relatively basic--bread and seasoned ground pork, but so so yummy. I'm already salivating at the idea of having them again. Next time, we'll try to make buns with some different fillings.

Moose's Butt: The Good, Bad, and Ugly

2011-06-22T14:05:00.002-06:00

The Good:

Moose's tumor was benign and his incision is healing up really well.

The Bad:

It was a kind of tumor than can turn cancerous. It was not a fatty tumor that dogs frequently get. The vet said we'll have to be proactive about any bumps that show up, in the same place or not.

The Ugly:
It was much uglier when the staples were still in.

So it's good news it was benign, but bad news it wasn't just a harmless fatty tumor. Sometimes I feel like I overreact to things and worry too much. I'm glad I didn't wait and got him in as soon as we got back from our trip.

North Carolina: Hiking

2011-06-21T23:01:00.001-06:00

My parents have a house in the mountains of North Carolina outside of Asheville. (They live in Atlanta.) My family has been going to the area as long as I can remember. (I specifically remember being in a room at the Pisgah Inn watching the Baby Jessica in a well drama unfold.)

Evan and I have been talking for years about how we should go stay there for a couple of weeks since he can work remotely and my school schedule has plenty of open time. This year we finally actually did it. We drove, with a stop in Iowa at Evan's parents' house first.

The mountains of North Carolina are so different than the Rockies, but I love them so much. We hiked a lot. Two of our big hikes were Mt. Pisgah and Looking Glass Rock.

Mount Pisgah:

Pisgah is a three mile hike with a 750 foot gain in elevation. Mt Pisgah is 5730 feet.

The dogs are such good hikers. They run up every trail.

As soon as we got back to the trail head, the mountain was covered in fog.

The view from the top of Mt. Pisgah. The road is the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Looking Glass Rock:

The Looking Glass Rock Trail is 6.4 miles. It is 3969 feet. The hike gains 1649 feet in elevation. We frequently hike, so I'm not sure why I got hung up on the gain in elevation. The Shanghai World Financial Center, the second tallest building in the world and where we ate dinner our last night in China, is 1614 feet. I just kept thinking, I'm climbing that building. And that building was so so tall. I don't need to think like that while we're hiking.

A view of Looking Glass Rock from the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Flowers From My Front Yard

2011-06-18T19:03:00.003-06:00

Evan and I recently got back from a three week trip to Iowa and North Carolina. Evan is able to do his stuff online and I was off as it was between the end of spring semester and summer school. We had a house sitter come to watch Penny and to water the plants.

When we returned the grass looked like a jungle and everything had finally turned green! It takes summer awhile to show up in Laramie. I've been in the yard all week, pulling weeds and planting more things.

Look at the sky! So beautiful.

These flowers are from a small bed in the front yard. Soon it will have blooming poppies, dahlias, and peonies. I have lots more flowers in the back that I'll post soon. I'm really enjoying this hobby.

Flora from the Blue Ridge Mountains

2011-06-18T16:43:00.001-06:00

Yellowstone: Animals

2011-06-15T10:43:00.000-06:00

Yellowstone is a a huge national park surrounded by national forests and wilderness areas, so wild animals are able to thrive with minimal intervention from people. It's really remarkable. You are virtually guaranteed a buffalo sighting and should see other animals like elk, coyotes, foxes, bears, bald eagles, deer, and more.

Bears:Luckily (and unluckily too) we missed this bear, but look at those those prints!

A black bear
Sadly, no humans were harmed in the taking of this picture.

Coyote:
Buffalo:
Buffalo fur

Pretty cool!

The Moose

2011-06-14T14:53:00.003-06:00

Moose had surgery today. He had a fast growing bump on his rump. The vet said she'd like to take it off so we could know what it was. She said it looked like a benign cyst, so that's good. They sent it to a pathologist. We should know for sure by this weekend. He's wiped out and feels lousy so we're cuddling right now. It does us both good.

Southerners and their Alcohol

2011-06-13T17:47:00.000-06:00

I'm a southerner who is now a Wyomingite. I moved to Wyoming pretty soon after I turned 21 so I hadn't had many opportunities to buy alcohol in the South. Wyoming is very different from the South in this aspect.

So being in the South for a bit, I've been open-jawed at the insanity of alcohol sales.

Our beer and wine had to be bagged for leaving the store. The bagger put a six pack in a bag and I told him we didn't need it bagged (what a waste of a bag) and he told me he had to because it was the law. Hmm

Then in NC, liquor is only sold in state owned ABC stores.

I guess the downfall of society will start in Wyoming where you can buy alcohol on Sunday and aren't shielded from seeing someone walk out of a store with a bottle of wine.

Clowns of the Dog World

2011-06-09T13:27:00.001-06:00

Supposedly bassets are the clowns of the dog world.

I can't imagine why.

Final China Thoughts

2011-06-06T20:49:00.001-06:00

(Somehow I didn't post this earlier.)
I really loved China. I loved the fact that we went. I loved the fact that we did something different. I love the fact that I thought we could go visit China on our own, having virtually no international travel experience--and it all worked out. It was truly a trip of a lifetime.

It was easier than I expected to find our way around. The people were really friendly and helpful. If you've thought about going, go! It was so much fun.

I loved Beijing to the point I think I'd like to live there for a year. I'd have to get over my squeamishness about the food though. And I do like my lungs healthy...

It'll be hard to find a trip that will beat China, but we'll try our hardest!

Books

2011-06-02T20:16:00.003-06:00

Usually Molly likes to eat them.

Tonight she just wanted to curl up with one. Such a good idea!

Pics from our trip

2011-05-30T22:04:00.004-06:00

Sweet!

The Iowa Polka Music Hall of Fame. Read it and weep, people. My life is so much more glamorous than yours.

Oooh! Look! A Wedding!
Molls's barf face. (Luckily no barfing yet!)

A very big cross.

Moose was so good with the kids, even when they wanted to ride him.

No. God no. Anything but that.

Dinner?

As you can see, the joys of the midwest are bountiful.

My New Friend

2011-05-29T14:37:00.000-06:00

My one friend in Omaha had a baby last year right after I saw her and I recently got to meet Blythe.

Sarah and I had a good lunch at the greenest restaurant in the US, The Grey Plume. I always look froward to seeing Sarah when Evan and I are in Iowa and now I can look forward to seeing Blythe too!

Bassets and Fences

2011-05-27T14:14:00.002-06:00

Bassets need fences. The rescue we foster for doesn't allow dogs to be adopted to families without fences because they follow smells and end up lost. Their noses lead them to trouble.
But, Evan's parents' house doesn't have a fence. My solution was to tie the dogs together with a leash splitter. I use the leash splitter when I walk them because two dogs on two leashes is hard for me to hang on to. When they are tied to one another, it's hard for them to get anywhere fast.

I can easily follow them around the yard without worrying too much.

As if they weren't goofy enough already.

Family Fun

2011-05-24T09:32:00.005-06:00

We're visiting my in-laws right now. Evan's siblings all have kids. We all had dinner last night so we got to see our nieces and nephews.

We made a parade around the neighborhood: 3 adults, 3 kids, one tricycle, one bike, 2 dogs. I'm sure we were quite the scene.

The kids wanted to hold the leash for the dogs, but I had visions of Moose and Molly seeing a rabbit and taking off with the kid bouncing on the ground behind them. 80 pounds of basset hound is nothing to mess around with!

F on sitting on the trike, E holding on to him, and me pushing them up the hill. F & E are cousins and their bond is so fun to see.

Bikes

2011-05-22T19:01:00.002-06:00

Evan mountain bikes. I fall off my bike. Today, he did a race at Gowdy State Park. Since there was no way in hell I was going to race, I volunteered.

I got a bright orange vest and flag and directed everyone where to park. It looked like a nice day, but was windy as you wouldn't believe so I was cold most of the time. My face feels windburned. Maybe, one day, it'll finally warm up. The wind will never stop blowing though.

Evan didn't do that great, but he did have to help out and ride the course this morning to make sure all the markings were still up and had to follow one of the groups to change signs after they passed a part. It could have been better for both of us (me the chill and the wind, him his riding), but it was still a fun day.

Highly Food Motivated

2011-05-20T11:24:00.002-06:00

We recently switched Penny's food. Apparently it smells very strongly because Moose has been going nuts. Bassets are highly food motivated, and Moose has a very good sniffer.

Penny's food and litter box are behind this baby gate in our laundry room. We've never had an issue of Moose or Molly busting through, jumping over, etc to get to Penny's stuff.

Since we got the new food, Moose has jumped over the gate several times and runs to the food. Yesterday I moved the gate up to prevent him from doing so again. He spent some time trying to wedge himself in the 5 inch gap under the gate and then realized that wasn't going to work.

Instead he jumped over the gate. It was amazing. You can see how short he is in comparison to the height of the gate. This is the dog who wouldn't/couldn't jump up on our bed so we just put the box spring and mattress on the floor. I almost feel sorry for him. It's got to be tough to have so much of your brain yelling at you because all it can process is the strong food smell.

Yellowstone: Old Faithful Inn

2011-05-19T22:07:00.000-06:00

We stayed at the Old Faithful Inn during our recent Yellowstone trip. When we've been before, we've stayed outside the park in West Yellowstone, MT.

The fireplaces are huge.
This was our room. We stayed in the original part of the building. These rooms do not have bathrooms. Instead there are shared bathrooms in the hall.

There are plenty of rooms that do have bathrooms en suite.

This is a view of Old Faithful from the hotel's balcony. Pretty nice view! We saw the geyser erupt five times.

One night we took a bottle of wine and sat out in the lobby on one of the balconies. Lots of other people were doing the same. It was a lovely evening.

Our first night, we ate in the restaurant. It was a disappointment. The food was ok, and the service was pretty lousy.

Overall, it was a fun experience and I recommend staying at the Inn.

Monday, Monday

2011-05-17T11:47:00.000-06:00

I'm not even working right now as it's between spring and summer semesters, but yesterday was still a Monday.

Sometimes a pina colada helps. Molls agrees.

You may find this gross. I prefer to think of it as an immune system building exercise.

The trip of 600 antelope

2011-05-16T21:44:00.000-06:00

Evan and I took a quick trip to Yellowstone this past weekend. If you haven't been, you need to add it to your to-do list. (We saw 600 antelope during our drive.)

geysers!

historic buildings!

bear tracks!

more geysers!

buffalo!

hot springs!

Curt Gowdy State Park

2011-05-15T18:50:00.000-06:00

When Evan's parents were here for graduation, we went to Curt Gowdy State Park for a hike.

Flowers and a Nice Day

2011-05-10T15:51:00.000-06:00

We have had a beautiful couple days here. We got out in the yard to work on our gardens. I know it's going to snow again, so I'm a little more excited than I should be about spring.

Daffodils are my favorite flower. I planted a bunch last fall and we're finally seeing them come up. We've also got tulips that should be blooming soon.

My basil and sage plants are from last year and wintered in the house. They both look pretty sad. I hope they make it.

I'm continuing my tomato challenge this year. (Last year's bounty.) I planted one in a big pot and one in the ground.

Basil, Tomato, Sage:

The red thing is a water wall for a tomato. I hope I didn't jump the gun and plant it too early.

Poppies are a new favorite of mine. I don't ever remember seeing them in the south. Out here, however, they are pretty common. I think they are so pretty.

Poppy:
Watering stuff on the other side of the fence.

Evan Graduated!

2011-05-08T20:50:00.004-06:00

Evan graduated yesterday with his masters in civil engineering. He's been working full time since he got his bachelors and doing grad school part time.

Getting hooded:

With Evan's proud parents:

Beer Cheese Soup

2011-05-06T21:37:00.000-06:00

I don't like beer. Evan does not like Velveeta. We shouldn't like this, but we do. Plus, it's a crock pot recipe so it's super easy.

4 cups chicken broth
1 12 oz bottle of beer
16 oz Velveeta, cubed
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 cup half and half
blue cheese crumbles

Combine chicken broth and beer in slow cooker. Add the cheese , Worcestershire sauce, and Italian. Cover and cook on low 4-6 hours or until cheese has fully melted. Stir well and slowly add the half and half. Garnish with a handful of crumbled blue cheese.

I have an immersion blender so I used that to mix the soup when I was ready to serve it. We used Easy Street Wheat beer. I got this recipe from A Year of Slow Cooking. She's got tons of great recipes.

She's so pretty.

2011-05-04T21:54:00.000-06:00

China: Day 8, Shanghai

2011-05-03T13:07:00.001-06:00

Our last full day. We visited the YuYuan gardens. The area was crazy. Outside of the gardens, there were so many people and lot of stalls selling food and souvenirs. The gardens were beautiful. There were rock and water features. It was yet another of the sites we visited that I wish we could have seen when in was in full bloom.

We ate lunch in a mall next to the gardens at a restaurant recommended by the travel book. It was one of the best meals we had. Pork buns, dumplings (I was feeling like I could handle them again), tea, and fried rice. We enjoyed the food so much, we ordered a second round of buns and dumplings.

The Shanghai World Financial Center, just across the river, is currently the 3^rd tallest building in the world. There is a hotel on floors 87-93, which has a restaurant and bar. You can go to them instead of paying for the observation deck. We decided to end our trip with dinner 90 floors up. The views were great. Dinner was a splurge, but it was very good. I was worried that they wouldn’t let us in because of our clothes, but they were more than happy to have us and our money. (The way Shanghai seemed with money, you’d think that was what mattered more than what we had on.)

Pictures from my phone

2011-05-01T23:40:00.000-06:00

Some random photos from my phone.

A moose we saw last summer in the Snowies.

Penny likes Christmas decorations.

Looking at the sun at last year's solstice.

Evan and Penny looking at a moth.

Our niece, pointing at her brain.

50 Free Things to Do in Wyoming

2011-04-30T22:25:00.000-06:00

From Wyoming Tourism:

Check out mountain man, Native American and mining artifacts at the Fossil Country Frontier Museum in Kemmerer.
Explore one of Wyoming’s incredible prehistoric rock-art sites at Castle Gardens, near Worland, where carvings in the sandstone are thought to date as far back as 1250 A.D.
Take a short hike up Medicine Mountain, about 30 miles east of Lovell, to see the amazing and mysterious Medicine Wheel, a ancient arrangement of boulders in the shape of a wheel that measures 80 feet in diameter.
Enjoy the collection of more than 7,000 works of art at the University of Wyoming Art Museum in Laramie.
Marvel at the White Mountain Petroglyphs in southwest Wyoming’s Red Desert.
Read the signatures and inscriptions left by pioneers at Independence Rock, near Casper.
Tour Point of Rocks Stage Station in southwest Wyoming, a key outpost on the historic Overland Trail.
Walk in the path of pioneer wagons at the Oregon Trail Ruts, near Guernsey, where the wheels gouged the sandstone as deep as four feet.
Drive along one of Wyoming’s amazing Scenic Byways and Backways.
Pose for a prime photo-op under the famous elk-antler arches in downtown Jackson.
Tour the Historic Governors’ Mansion, built in 1904, in Cheyenne.
Drive the Pilot Butte Wild Horse Scenic Loop Tour, between Rock Springs and Green River.
Relax along the Bighorn River in Worland’s Riverside Park.
Take a self-guided tour of the Wyoming State Capitol Building, a National Historic Landmark in Cheyenne.
Absorb the spirit of wild west women at the Cowgirls of the West Museum & Gift Shop in Cheyenne.
Learn about Wyoming’s history at the Wyoming State Museum in Cheyenne.
Get a 3D lesson in Wyoming and Montana frontier history with Tecumseh’s Old West Miniature Village & Museum in Cody, where dioramas made from thousands of miniatures tell the story.
Stand under Ayers Natural Bridge, a 100-foot-long rock arch spanning LePrele Creek, near Douglas.
Head to Jackalope Square in downtown Douglas and get the lowdown on this mythical creature that roams Wyoming.
Learn about pioneer life in the unsettled West at the Homesteader Museum in Powell.
Peruse the astounding collection of rare manuscripts, books and historical documents relating to the American West at the University of Wyoming’s American Heritage Center.
Explore the numerous art galleries in downtown Jackson.
Walk among prehistoric rock etchings at Legend Rock Petroglyph Historic Site (just getting there is an adventure).
Fish for free on June 4, Wyoming’s Free Fishing Day, when a fishing license is not required.
Walk the 1.5-mile interpretive Gooseberry Badlands Scenic Overlook Trail, 25 miles west of Worland, where otherworldly rock formations rise from the desert soil.
Enjoy free summer concerts in downtown Rawlins’ Washington Park, every Thursday night beginning the second week of June through the first week of August.
Join the Grand Teton Music Festival’s free Inside the Music concert series on Tuesdays, late June through mid-August.
Join Sheridan Ice for free ice skating — and free skate rentals, too!
Celebrate the holidays by attending one of the state’s many December parades and celebrations.
Take an easy hike to the Intermittent Spring near Afton, which runs for 18 minutes and then abruptly stops for another 18 (it’s one of only three such periodic springs in the world).
Stop by the Occidental Hotel in Buffalo and explore the Wild West artifacts displayed in the lobby.
Get a vivid look at living history at the Aladdin General Store in northeast Wyoming, which has been selling wares for more than a century.
Soak up some Wild West spirit in Sundance, the town where The Sundance Kid, formerly Harry Longabaugh, received his famous nickname after being thrown in prison in for stealing horses.
Get spooked at the Sweetwater County Library in Green River, which locals say is haunted by the spirits of those buried in the old cemetery underneath the building.
Walk, run or bike the Sheridan Pathways System. Seven miles of paved paths connect parks and open space to shopping, dining and more in the town of Sheridan.
Stroll among the fresh produce, crafts and more at one of the many welcoming farmers markets across Wyoming.
Visit the excellent gallery at the Community Fine Arts Center in Rock Springs, which houses works by Norman Rockwell, Grandma Moses and other important 20th-century artists.
At Saratoga's historic Hobo Pool, have a soothing soak in the same waters where warring Native American tribes used to sit together in peace to enjoy the pool's healing properties.
Catch a free summertime performance of Cheyenne's Shakespeare theater, Shake in ChyWY.
Climb Snow King Mountain in Jackson. It's free, but the spectacular views are priceless.
Take a leisurely drive along the roads in the National Elk Refuge, where thousands of elk migrate each winter.
Hike through Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge for the chance to spot 220 species of birds as well as bald eagles, trumpeter swans, moose, mule deer, white-tailed jackrabbits, coyotes, foxes and more.
Visit the historic man-made CCC Ponds — which include ponds for beaver, frogs, ducks and fish — near Pinedale. An adjacent six-mile path provides opportunities for walking, biking and cross-country skiing.
Stop by the Pryor Mountain Wild Mustang Center in Lovell and learn about the horses that run free in Wyoming.
Explore the Weidner Wildlife Exhibit at Western Wyoming Community College in Rock Springs.
See the work of Wyoming artists at Cheyenne's Wyoming Arts Council Gallery.
Look up at the monumental, 180-ton Our Lady of Peace Shrine in Pine Bluffs.
Meet "Big Al," one of the most significant Allosaurus specimens ever found, at the University of Wyoming Geological Museum.
Attend one of Wyoming's numerous free arts and crafts fairs, such as the annual Big West Arts Festival in Sheridan or the Buffalo Bill Art Show and Sale in Cody,
Learn all about Yellowstone National Park and the surrounding area (without paying park entrance fees) at the Jackson Hole Greater Yellowstone Visitor Center.

We've done 4, 9, 10, 14, 16, 19, 21, 22, 29, 33, 35, 36, 38, 40, 47, 48, & 50. Clearly there's much more for us to do!

Hey Bubbs,

2011-04-29T14:13:00.000-06:00

Looks like bassets can jump.

So take that.

Long Day

2011-04-27T20:29:00.003-06:00

Today was the first day of the book sale and I was nervous about it. There was sorority dramz. I didn't sleep much last night. I waited at Walmart for ages for my medicine surrounded by gross sick people.

But, then on my 'commute' home (I say 'commute' because it's a whole mile.) after my LAST CLASSES for the semester, I saw these guys hanging out.

Antelope, about 25 of them

And things magically felt better.

Cute Babies on My Quilts

2011-04-24T22:00:00.000-06:00

I've made several quilts with this same pattern and prints. I love how they look so much, I can't stop making them.

Here are pictures of two more of them!

Library Book Sale

2011-04-21T20:01:00.002-06:00

Earlier this year, I was selected to be the new chair of my library's book sale. The sale raises about $30,000 a year. We have three a year: April, July, and November as well as some shelves in the library year-round. We are lucky enough to have a dedicated space in the library basement.

Classics

Cookbooks

Wyoming and the West

The first sale I'll be in charge for starts next week. I'm a little nervous, to say the least!