The 500-year Flood

Within days of our arrival in Longmont, massive flooding occurred throughout Boulder County, to include Longmont, Boulder & Lyons.  Roads and bridges suffered extreme damage and some will take months, if not a year, to rebuild. 

 

We didn't have internet or TV hooked up at home, yet.  We had limited internet via a hotspot, so I would check Longmont's Emergency Management page for all updates, especially to see if we were to evacuate. 

 

Our townhouse faces the St. Vrain River and it had surpassed its boundaries.  We could see it from our place, which isn't normally the case according to the neighbors we spoke with during this time.  We could also always hear it raging.  There is a retention area between us and it, thankfully.  Chris wasn't worried and I told him that he was my gauge for concern.  I watched the water...a lot...but also kept my eye on Chris and kept busy unpacking and getting our place decorated.

 

We did place all of our boxes in the basement atop our plastic storage totes, just in case.

 

We even ventured out to Walmart, just a few streets east of us, one day because we were in dire need of groceries and it was a ghost town!  So eery!  Very few customers and even fewer employees, I believe!  The bakery wasn't even open because the person scheduled couldn't make it in. 

 

Things began to calm down with the rain slowly subsiding and the evacuees allowed to return home.

 

However, there is a ditch very near our front door and one morning I awoke to find water flowing down it, where it had been completely dry!  THIS started to freak me out!!!  This was now actually close to us and could overflow and then come toward us and our basement...our things, which we only just moved in days earlier!!!

 

We were, again, spared!  I am so very thankful!  We certainly didn't get the "welcome" we had anticipated when we arrived for our new life in Colorado!  I mean, Where was the sunshine?

 

I have to admit that I am very glad we didn't have TV access because I know me and I would have been 100% freaking out had I seen the coverage and the aerial pictures!!  We were so close to the devastation without realizing just how close and how devastating! 

 

We had family and friends checking on us via Facebook, phone & texts and we certainly appreciate everyone's concerns, prayers and positive thoughts.  We know you helped to keep us safe and dry!  Thank you isn't enough.

 

Here is a link from the Longmont Times Call (the local paper) of photos from that historical event.



Fall Flavors

Here are a couple of recipes that lean toward Fall flavors, but can be eaten all year round.  Additionally, they can both be made vegetarian by subbing in/out several ingredients, to your preference.  Both I came across from different sources and have tweaked to our tastes.  Feel free to do the same for you & yours.  Enjoy!

 

Winter Squash with Beans & Bacon

 

4 slices bacon (thick-cut, preferably from the deli)

1 small sugar pumpkin or acorn squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1' pieces

1 c broth

1 T oregano

1/2 t salt

1/4 t pepper

1 15.5 oz can cannelini, pinto, black or kidney beans, rinsed

1 T red wine or balsamic vinegar

 

Cook bacon until crisp.  Let cook.  Reserve skillet.

Add squash to skillet; cook until browned.

Add broth, oregano, salt & pepper to squash.

Cover & cook, stirring occasionally, until squash is tender.

Add beans & vinegar and heat through.

Place in large serving bowl.  Top with crumbled bacon.

 

**Don't forget to save the seeds from your squash.  Rinse and allow to completely dry.  Mix with some oil and seasonings (whether savory or sweet) and roast.**

 

Sweet Potato Hash

 

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced fine

1 T olive oil

1/4 t salt

1 t pepper

4 sausages (breakfast patties or links, or any kind of sausage removed from casing), crumbled after cooking

1/4 c onion, diced

1/4 c bell pepper (red, green, yellow or orange), diced

5 large eggs

1/2 bag frozen peas, cooked

 

In microwave safe bowl, combine 1/2 T olive oil, sweet potato, salt & pepper.  Microwave 5-6 minutes (until fork tender). 

In skillet, add 1/2 T olive oil and cook up sausages.  Remove from skillet and crumble.  Do not drain skillet.

Cook onions and peppers in skillet.

In separate skillet, scramble eggs.

Microwave peas.

Combine sausage, eggs, onions, peppers and peas in sweet potato bowl.  Microwave another minute.

 

**You could add or top with shredded cheese**

 

 



Day of the Dead

We visited the Longmont Museum and Cultural Center for the first time yesterday.  We wanted to see the new Dia de Los Muertos exhibit.  It did not disappoint.  Apparently, the City of Longmont has a great interest in Day of the Dead and, I believe, this is its 13th year celebrating the holiday.

 

The exhibit consisted of very colorful (of course!) altars, both personal and famous persons, plus created gravesites, most of famous individuals of the Latino community.  There were informational posters in each of the exhibit rooms, from which I learned some new things.  Like why soap and water are part of the display and why marigolds (a flower that I haven't ever really liked in the past) are the flower of choice. 

 

It was also interactive in that guests could write a note to a deceased loved one and hang it from a paper marigold-covered arch.  (I left one for my dad.) 

 

I have liked the art of sugar skulls for many years, but after seeing this art installation, I have an even greater appreciation now that I connect more with the meaning behind the holiday.

 

We can make sugar skulls at the museum on October 20th.  I believe they will be used for an event being held at the museum on Dia de Los Muertos (November 2nd, All Souls Day) that I hope we can attend.  There will be live music and other activities.  I think it will be a blast to actually celebrate the holiday this year.  To that end, I want to create a small "altar" in my dad's honor, just a few things that remind me of him and, hopefully, some marigolds. 

 

In Lafayette, a nearby city to us, there will be an event on October 18th, that includes art and sugar skull decorating.  We have this on our calendar, too.

 

My cousin, Mona, and her husband, Mike, have been into calacas for quite sometime and I believe they may have decorated a bathroom with the art.   I would like to add sugar skulls to our decorating scheme...perhaps just mixed in with our Halloween stuff, but maybe our everyday.  We did buy a sugar skull decorated rubber duckie at Cost Plus World Market a couple weeks ago that is on the counter in our bathroom and will remain there.  Oh, and I do have Skelita Calavares, of Monster High fame!  She will be on display (along with our other collectibles) again one day. 

 

I hope that in addition to celebrating the Samhain holiday, you can incorporate the similar, & deeply-rich in history and tradition, Dia de Los Muertos this year.  There are many books you can find at your local library and bookstores, as well as the volume of information available on the internet.  You may even find that right in (or very near) your own community, there are art displays, sugar skull projects and other group events honoring this day. 

 



Go Buffs!!

We attended our first CU Boulder football game yesterday!

 

Well, not really attended.  We did walk the campus before the game!! 

 

The day was sunny and, somewhat, cool (altho, it was a bit warmer than we had expected and I think it's the bright sun simply warmer things up!).  We were able to walk around the campus, past the stadium (Folsom Field) and on to the college area of Boulder.  This was a far better day for a football game than when we attended the Notre Dame game, this time last year (rain, rain, rain and cold)!   

 

Even tho the Buffs aren't a good football team, it would have been delightful to be in the stadium!  I did enjoy all of that at the ND game, despite being soaked!!  If only someone had given us tix or sold them for cheap!  There were people selling them outside before the game and we should have asked the price, tho I didn't have a whole lot of cash on me because the thought didn't even cross my mind that we might score a deal. 

 

Then we headed to "The Hill" in the hope that one of the college bars would be airing the game.  We landed at The Sink.  This place had the college vibe from the get-go!  And while I don't think we actually went underground after entering, it felt like a dungeon!  Weird!  Apparently, the TV show "Diners, Drive Ins and Dives" visited The Sink in 2011!  So we made an awesome pick!!!  We enjoyed more craft beers, this time from Prost Brewing and Left Hand Brewing.  I tried the Oktoberfest from Prost and it was pretty good (I wanted the Prost hefeweizen, but they were out!).  Chris got Left Hand's Milk Stout and it was dark and pleasantly, albeit surprisingly, delicious!  We also ordered one of their specialty pizzas, The Slaughterhouse Five (it is a college bar!!), which is chockfull of meats, to include a creole chicken!  The crust, we chose wheat, is handmade and our pizza arrived quick and hot!  We ordered the medium and each devoured our 3 large pieces!  We finished the meal with a Left Hand Milk Stout for each of us. 

 

We have been spending quite a bit of money just on beer in our (almost) 4 weeks here!  Sheesh!  But when one is surrounded by so many breweries it's hard not to try an ale or a lager whenever we dine out.  However, Chris said he is done, done, done with beer ~ the empty calories and the ~ahem~ bloating!  Especially with my exercise being nowhere near where it was in Indiana, I, too, need to keep an eye on what I am consuming, in both food and drink.  I would definitely go back to The Sink, especially during Happy Hour, which happens daily during the week and ALL day on Sundays! 

 

We have done fairly well snagging Happy Hour pricing at many of the brewpubs in both Boulder and Longmont. 

 

I hope to attend a game for real, maybe this year or after one (or both) of us get jobs at the University!  We'll dress in all black and sit among the fans, where I will quickly learn the songs and cheers and get totally involved in the traditions that are indicative to each and every college sports event!

 

In the meantime, I want to go back to the campus and walk it some more, especially as the leaves continue to change.  Next time, tho, I am wearing my tennis shoes or, better yet, my ever-so-stylish and super comfortable Doc Martens!  ;)  (My "new" black boots gave me a killer blister...bummer.)



Anything Goes

One of the things I have noticed and LOVED since arriving in Colorado is the "anything goes" attitude when it comes to attire!

 

Seriously!! 

 

Maybe it's the fact that the temperature accommodates shorts, jeans, tees, sweaters/sweatshirts, flip flops, sandals, shoes, boots...in any combination!

 

You see it all here...at the same time!  A guy in a short-sleeve shirt and shorts passes by, while another is dressed in jeans, long-sleeve shirt and jacket!  A woman in a flowy skirt, sandals and tank passes by another who is in workout wear!

 

Me, I have worn shorts and a tee with my rain boots!  And jean skirt, tights, tee and knee-high brown boots!!!  Sometimes, I have to change outfits because it's chilly in the evenings.  When we were in Boulder yesterday, we stopped in one of the many thrift stores (Colorado seems to be full of them, lucky us!) and Chris found me the most perfect pair of black boots!  I have a heeled pair, but wanted something slightly flatter.  These are going to work with so many outfits (shorts, skinny jeans, skirts), as well as my "new" dress purchased at a retro resale shop in Niwot, Rockin' Robin's! 

 

We have been wearing shorts, up to today.  (I was in shorts and a tank top on Monday...the last day of September!)  The weather is changing as I type, actually.  It is getting very chilly.  Rain is expected tonite into tomorrow and may even be a rain/snow mix by tomorrow with a high temp in the mid 40's!  Yikes!! 

 

Saturday will still be cool, high 50's/low 60's.  We are going to Boulder for the CU football game and it will be nice to dress Fall, not summer.  We aren't actually going to the game, but I want to be there during all the football hoopla, amid the colorful trees, the babbling creek and the chill!!  I've been looking forward to wearing one of my many lighter weight coats. 

 

Sunday starts the 70's for the week, so who knows what I'll be wearing next week when I am not working.  (Working!!!)  

The Leaves Have Started to Change

And so, it seems, am I!

 

I believe it started right before we left Ogden Dunes.  I guess I could "blame" our wonderful neighbors, Ken & Curt, whom we affectionately called "The Guys"!

 

Blame is too strong a word, tho...

 

In so many ways, they enhanced our life.

 

This is one of those ways:

 

I am now drinking dry red wine!  I (we, actually) have always been sweet and semi-sweet oenophiles.  Dry wines were such a turn-off.  I felt as if I needed a water chaser! 

 

However, The Guys would serve drier wines (red & white), so when they had us over for dinner (which was always Top Chef quality) I would go for the red.  And it would go down easy! 

 

We needed to restock our wine "cellar" after moving and went for some Cabs, a California red and a lambrusco.  Right now, they are covered in Halloween wine bottle tags, like: Cats Prowl, Zombie Virus and Red Blood, and mixed in with our Halloween food & drink table décor ~~ Eat, Drink and Be Scary!

 

One of my favorite wines, and it only comes out this time of year, is Leelanau Cellars Witches Brew!  Unfortunately, it is a winery in Michigan, so I won't find it here in Colorado!  (Perhaps I could have it sent to me....hmmmm!)  In the meantime, tho, I have made my own spiced wine, using a Cab and mulling spices! 

 

I'm going to try it right now to see how it compares ~~ the verdict:  aromatic fall bouquet with a deep blood-red color, but not enough flavor.  Maybe I would need to add some sweetness....apple cider, perhaps?! 

 

In addition to the dry wines, I am now wanting a darker roast coffee.

 

I even asked for the special dark to be brewed at Waffle House Sunday morning!!!   HA!  We bought a single-cup coffee maker on clearance at Walmart right after we moved in and found an espresso ground coffee at Big Lots (yep, Big Lots) that helps to give me the richer flavor I now desire.  So, we will now be on the lookout for deals on darker roasts for home brewing as I will continue to seek out the same when at a coffee house!  (My new gig at Starbucks should help me learn more about coffee roasts, while also affording me a discount on bags of coffee!!)

 

I used to be a "the lighter the beer, the better" kinda gal, but now, when we are making our microbrew selections, I am looking at the ales with malt and described as having a toffee flavor!

 

What?What?  Who am I?!?  It's crazy! 

 

Tho, I still love a hefeweizen and Oskar Blues has a very flavorful one! 

 



Howling at the Moon

Where we live in Longmont is the far east side, right along the border between the counties.  Our townhouse is at the back of the complex and we face an open field that backs up to the St. Vrain Creek.  There are prairie dogs all around and even a few rabbits, that, strangely, aren't that afraid of people!

 

We also have coyotes!

 

Yep!  Coyotes!!

 

We were hearing them pretty regularly around 8:45/9PM.  We even heard them during the full Harvest Moon.

 

However, some nites when our bedroom window is open, they wake me up! 

 

I have to choose between being awoken around 2AM from the howls or closing the window and waking up because I get too hot! 

 

The weather is due to change and get colder, so I don't think I will have to make the choice of leaving the window open or closing it.  (There is a ceiling fan in the room, anyway!!)  And it isn't every nite I hear the coyotes.

 

I do wonder where they go to during the day, tho...

 

Oh, and please don't share this info with my mother!  She is a worry wart!  :)