Tourists in Our Own City

It's a beautiful, blue sky day in Boulder today as you can see in this photo from my neighbor's amazing garden.

This afternoon we're heading down to the Open Arts Festival downtown. A sunny afternoon in Downtown Boulder always reminds me why I live here.

We'll enjoy some choose-your-own-adventure cocktails at Salt.

And we'll stop at Savory Spice to pick up some Alderwood Smoked Salt for a recipe we're making later this week.

How are you spending the day?

Grow What Inspires You

When the crisp fall weather passes and snow and cold temperatures move in, I always start to dream about next year's garden. What will we grow next year? What will I do differently? Over the last several years, we've had some successes and a few failures in the garden. Here are a few tips for getting your garden planning off on the right foot.

1. How much space to do you have? Whether you have a few acres or just a few window boxes, calculate the amount of space you plan to use for your garden.
2. Draw it out. I never do this, but I should. Grab some paper, a pencil, and a ruler, and sketch out your garden space. This will help you get a realistic idea of how many crops you can plant in a defined amount of space. Don't forget to think vertical. Can your space be expanded by adding trellises?
3. How much time do you have to devote to gardening? In my fantasy world, I have 2 hours/day to spend in the garden. In the real world, I maybe have 20 minutes on an average day.
4. Think about what your family will eat. This is especially important if you are working with limited space. If there are two people in your family, do you really need to give up a quarter of your garden space to an enormous cucumber plant? Do the two of you need a gajillion cucumbers?
5. Research your potential crops. Are you planting veggies, flowers, herbs? How much space/light/time do they need? Are they right for our zone?  What do you expect to get from your CSA?
6. What will you raise from seed? Starting from seed is more of a time commitment, but very rewarding.
7. Write it down. I never do this either. As you're spending the winter months dreaming about all the time you'll spend in the garden next year, write down your ideas. As you come across different varieties, make a note of the name as well as the pros and cons of grown that particular plant.

The most important thing to consider when planning your garden is to be REALISTIC about what you can do. That said, grow what inspires you. If you're not interested, you won't stick with it.

For your scheming and dreaming pleasure: Jason build this raised garden bed from a Sunset magazine tutorial. Our raised bed is taller and smaller - 2' tall x 4' x 4'.



A Saturday Meditation

Louie Schwartzberg: Nature. Beauty. Gratitude.

The video quality may be better for you at the TED site.

Firefly Handmade Market - December 14-16



http://fireflyhandmade.com/handmade-market/





















What: Firefly Handmade Holiday Market

When: December 14-16, Friday 6p-10p, Saturday and Sunday 11a-6p

Where: Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art (BMoCA) 1750 13th Street in Boulder

Why: Because it's the most amazing market full of 70+ vendors selling their super hip handmade goods. Support small business!

Grab some friends, load up on pumpkin spice lattes, and head to Downtown Boulder to finish (or start) your holiday shopping. There's something for everyone here, even the guys. Not in Boulder? It's well worth the trip for you out-of-towners. What's better than the perfect gift with a handmade touch?

Tele-Monster



Young people in France watching television, 1954, by Anonyme



















(Be prepared: This post really has nothing to do with anything local.)

So we like to watch a little TV at our house. It's not the cool thing to do, but I sure do like it. I've heard it suggested that people in Boulder don't have TV's just so they can tell you about how they don't have a TV. This is totally true. I even brag about the days when I didn't have TV. Although the truth is that I couldn't afford it. It wasn't that I was so far above having cable, my roommates and I were just too broke.

We dig the crime dramas at our house - Castle, Law & Order, Blue Bloods. Sometimes the TV gets stuck on Food Network - Restaurant: Impossible, Chopped, Triple D. You really can't beat Saturday and Sunday morning HGTV (Yard Crashers!). And of course, there's my own guilty pleasure Gossip Girl.

Jason suggested we schedule a TV-free evening. I'd been thinking about this as well. And to be honest, we're both a little nervous. We'll make dinner and eat it at the dining room table. Do people do that?

I'd love to hear how your family manages a TV-free evening. (And I'd also like to hear about your favorite shows!) Please share!

Kale

Lovely edible container from yougrowgirl.com

So I'm a little hungry right now, and I'm dreaming of kale chips. Seriously. We don't have any kale, but I'm hoping my luck will turn with tomorrow's CSA pick up.

Kale is great so many ways. It's great raw in a salad, in soups, and as baked chips. Here's the best (easy!) recipe for kale chips. This is possibly the best food ever...

You'll need:

• Kale - Use as much as you want. It will cook down A LOT.
• Oil - We like a light mix of Peanut and Sesame. Olive oil is great, too.
• Sea salt
• Fresh ground pepper
• An oven, baking sheet, and parchment paper (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
2. Wash, chop, and salad spin the kale. I discard the less-leafy parts of the stem.
3. Pour on a tiny bit of oil - less is more. Add salt and pepper to taste. Toss to coat evenly.
4. Spread kale in a single layer on a baking sheet. Line baking sheet with parchment paper first of you like.
5. Bake for 4 minutes. Pull out the baking sheet and toss the kale around a bit. Finish baking for about 3 minutes. Your cook time with depend on the type of kale you have. Bake until thin and crispy.

Happy eating!

Etsy Love

We all know and love Etsy, but did you know they have a "Shop Local" option? Find the link on the Etsy.com home page, or go here to type in your city or state.

I'm digging this table, this print, and these sweet mugs.

Check out the Denver shop vital for the pint glasses above and lots more!