Under a Red Roof

Last Look at 2024

January 10, 2025 in Celebrating, Cooking + Baking by Colleen | Permalink

Hey, hi, and Happy New Year! I hope you are off to the races! Also, all kinds of hugs and prayers to anyone in peril of fire at the moment. Jeepers.

I thought I’d start with the cutest end and beginning with dear Juniper. We did some math and realized she may be a year older than previously thought, so happy, happy to your tenth year in the universe!

Despite achieving elder pooch status, she is still quite the puppy, eager to walk, spinning three times for breakfast, cuddling on the couch , bolting about the back garden, chasing wild creatures, and always, always wanting a nibble, from whomever will offer.

We got another round of vaccines (so many jabs!), Hepatitis B and Pneumonia 20, in mid-December, and the following day, I was down for the count. Tired and achy, Greg went to the store for provisions and bought me flowers! They lasted weeks, which was pure delight.

Jeff came for a visit, and we made burritos. Delicious as, usual. Since it was also Christmas treat season, I also made starlight mint sugar cookies, peanut butter fudge, walnut fudge, and Dutch letter bars, for more deliciousness. This is Jeff’s take home tin.

For Christmas dinner, I made Beef Wellington, with steaks that looked normal, but once layered with mushrooms and encased in puff pastry (store bought!) were HUGE. We ate them over a few days and weren’t in the least disappointed.

The little plate at the top was made with all of the scraps and a delicate sprinkle of sugar. The shapes on the Wellingtons are acorns, but dang, from certain angles really look like fish. Ha!

Our post-Christmas adventure was a trip to my parents’ house, and this was my Basque cheesecake contribution. It was basking in a homemade orange caramel with cute mandarin slices. The tops!

New Year’s Day homemade pizza and sparkling pear cider. We have zero complaints in the food department, my friends.

Isn’t this the ultimate 80’s look? Also, made in Colorado! The man is a dead ringer for Keith Hernandez (hello, Mets fans!) or Eric, my uncle’s kindly ex. I am going to make a propolis throat spray with the contents.

My parents’ house – the Christmas tree has been put in the same location since 1976!

Our holiday lights and a new minimalist Christmas tree. I made the wonky little trees out of stacks of buttons and find them rather adorable. My friend Mary made the tiny mitten, which I wish you could see better.

Happy 2025 to one and all! May you be safe, healthy, and happy the whole year long…

Happy Thanksgiving!

November 28, 2024 in Celebrating, Quoting by Colleen | Permalink

The most fortunate are those who have a wonderful capacity to appreciate again and again, freshly and naively, the basic goods of life, with awe, pleasure, wonder and even ecstasy.

Abraham Maslow

Tags: Quoting

What’s Been Going On…

September 18, 2024 in Celebrating, Eating by Colleen | Permalink

Hello, and how do you do? We’ve been busy and occasionally lazy with the usual sorts. Greg planted a pepper and tomato garden again this year, and these are the gorgeous fruits of his labor. They are a super drought tolerant variety called Cosmonaut. Yuri Gagarin would be most proud. They are as delicious as they look and especially fine in salsa! We used both home grown jalapenos (seen below) and green chiles (fresh and roasted) for a mouthful of magic.

As it is peak season, I also did some canning: apple butter that Grandpa would be delighted to eat, strawberry jam, a few jars of salsa, and I candied our jalapeno (on top of the burger), which turned out ridiculously spicy.

This Wilson’s Warbler has been tweeting up a storm in the back garden.

I like old fire trucks.

Another change in the living room – new art. The paintings are by Carolyn Dailey. We bought the Cowboy and Cowgirl in Nashville at Hatch Show Print, and the others are a random assortment of lovely finds. I love how it looks! Also, Juniper sunbathing.

Juniper sunbathing again.

We had a fun visit with my parents about a month ago. In addition to our usual game play, we introduced them to the wonders of Dungeons & Dragons with a little Legends of Drizzt. Now they know.

And finally, a little trip to one of our favorite local spots – Juniper Valley Ranch. Open since 1951, with hardly a menu change. It is always worth the trip!

Happy Fall…

Peak Peeks

May 20, 2024 in Celebrating, Loving by Colleen | Permalink

Unless the weather is wretched with cold or wind, we walk Juniper, and stroll the high path, with the best views of Pike’s Peak. Nature’s balm and wonder, we never never ever tire of the majestic beauty. These are a weekday’s walk worth at nearly the same time. I love how the sky changes!

Laundry Room Organized!

February 9, 2024 in Admiring, Celebrating by Colleen | Permalink

Hey all! Will you take a look at this mahvelously organized laundry room?! After having “a mad as hell (*not technically) and I’m not going to take it anymore” moment at the sheer mess of it, Greg and I spent four hours the other weekend, taking everything off of every shelf, wiping the dust and debris, purging necessary items, and then putting it all back together.

I am also including what it looks like with actual laundry. Because, let’s get real, there’s nearly always something hanging up. We are definitely not the go-getters who take everything down and fold it neatly the moment it dries. More often, it is an I’m out of something, so I better get to it occasion.

Also, if you would like to have the crazy-awesome hanging racks (at left) that also can be placed flat against the wall when not in use, you are out of luck. IKEA discontinued them, much to the chagrin of many a shopper. As a result, whenever the magic moment arrives for us to move to Taos, we are taking them with us. Indeed.