Enriching Your Life

A Winter Picnic

You don’t need a summer day to enjoy a twist on this seasonal activity!  Look ahead in the forecast to determine if a local park close to home or a mountain park will be best suited for your Winter Picnic.  Check out the site for an open pit fireplace (and regulations) for an impromptu warm-up station and maybe a few roasted marshmallows.  As with any... Read More

Candlemas Day

“Pleasant wit, and harmless fun, And a dance when day is done, Music friends so true and tried, Whispered love by warm fireside, Mirth at all time together Make sweet May of Winter weather.”                         ~Alfred Dommett, 1811-1887 There exists a centuries old custom called “Candlemas Day.” This was the time where families would... Read More

Name These Christmas Tunes

Each of these synonyms is a common Christmas song or saying.  How many can you translate?   Check your answers now!       Move hitherward the entire assembly of those who are loyal in their belief. O Come All Ye Faithful Listen, the celestial messengers produce harmonious sounds. Hark, the Herald Angels Sing Nocturnal time-span of unbroken quietness. Silent Night Small municipality in Judea... Read More

Old-Fashioned Buttercream Mints

These buttery-sweet mints resemble the ones served at Grandma’s house during the holidays. Package some in festive containers to give away or keep some to share with your special guests this holiday season!     ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened 4 cups powdered sugar 2 tablespoons heavy cream 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract, or to taste If desired, Food coloring 2 large baking sheets... Read More

A Holiday of Thanks

“Blessed are those who can give without remembering and take without forgetting.” Elizabeth Bibesco Hosting a gathering? New guests coming to visit?  Help them find you easier!   Whether your invite is electronic or delivered through the mail, include a map.   Mapping devices are useful…to a point and not very festive.  Welcome guests by letting them look for a “sign.” Brightly colored or shaped balloons tied... Read More

All I Want for Christmas – Garden Tools

A tool is a simple machine that makes work easier by allowing to push or pull over increased distances.  The right tool for a gardener makes all the difference when it comes to a gardening task.   High quality construction and materials are key to selection.  Look for a guarantee/warranty on any tool.  This is helpful for any moving parts, handles, breakage, replacements or sharpening.... Read More

Mug Cake

MICROWAVE ‘CHOCOLATE’ MUG CAKE AS THE FALL EVENINGS BEGIN TO COOL, WE TURN OUR THOUGHTS TO THOSE SPECIAL TREATS THAT WARM OUR INSIDES AND SATISFY OUR TASTEBUDS.  THIS RECIPE IS A GOOD WAY TO “EAT ONLY ONE” OR INDIVIDUALIZE FOR A GROUP!  HAVE FUN EXPERIMENTING WITH YOUR FAVORITE CAKE FLAVORS, TOO! DRY INGREDIENTS 4 TABLESPOONS CAKE FLOUR 4 TABLESPOONS SUGAR 2 TABLESPOONS COCOA WET INGREDIENTS ONE... Read More

Preserving Autumn Leaves

Nature’s first green is gold, Her hardest hue to hold. Her early leaf’s a flower; But only so an hour. Then leaf subsides to leaf. So Eden sank to grief, So dawn goes down today, Nothing gold can stay. – Robert Frost   A fitting poem for a  beautiful Colorado autumn season.  The second freeze has occurred in the Denver metro area, but there is... Read More

To Say Farewell, Not Goodbye

“When words are inadequate, have a ritual.”                                        by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. Various cultures have used plants and flowers to denote the changing of the seasons, to symbolize the cycle of birth and death. Like our bodies, plants and flowers do not last forever. But the symbolism can be more than just meanings and metaphors. It can be a language. The variety and color of... Read More

Audubon Society of Greater Denver HOOTenanny

Audubon Society of Greater Denver 6th Annual HOOTenanny Owl & Bluegrass Festival Saturday, September 24, 10am-2pm   Register Here               Get Outdoors and Explore Nocturnal Wildlife Hike – Owls of Chatfield Friday, September 16 from 6:30-8:30p Join us for this ever popular program in search of bats, beavers, owls, and more. Listen for coyote calls, check out the bat... Read More