Enriching Your Life

Phytophthora infestans and Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!  This was not the cry of the Irish in 1845. The potato’s (genus: Solanum) history takes us from the mountains of Peru to the hills of Ireland, only one of the many migrations this lowly tuber has traveled. Initially, during the 1600s, the potato was enjoyed only by royalty and nobles.  That all changed as the Industrial Revolution... Read More

While we wait for the beauty and bounty of the 2016 garden season outside, a fun blooming project can be brought inside.  If you have access to crabapple, lilac, honeysuckle, apple, plum, forsythia, dogwood, chokecherry or pussywillow then your garden can bloom inside!  This technique is called “forcing branches.”  Follow these 5 simple steps for a jump on spring: 1.        CUT – Select branches that have fat... Read More

Now you may be thinking this article has something to do with a certain football team and a hugely popular television event on February 7th, and you would be partially correct! It is about one’s perspective when faced with what could be defined as a monumental, life changing task. Expect the best, not the worst. The negativity of self-doubt and thinking the worst doesn’t allow for wholeheartedness. When you... Read More

An old year has come gone and we look upon a new year and all the “white spaces-of time” in 2016 to be filled in the calendar. UrbanDictionary.com defines ‘Time in a Bottle,’ as the most valuable thing or something we can never have or even that moment you wish you could have back and live in forever. We might get sentimental and misty-eyed when we hear the lyrics;... Read More

Eggnog, or egg nog is a chilled, sweetened dairy-based beverage traditionally made with milk and/or cream, sugar, whipped eggs (which gives it a frothy texture) and spirits such as brandy, rum or bourbon. The finished serving is often garnished with a sprinkling of ground cinnamon or nutmeg. Eggnog is often provided to guests in a large punch bowl, from which cups of eggnog are ladled. Eggnog is traditionally consumed throughout Canada and the United States from American... Read More

The wonderful aromas of Christmas are in the air and to keep the holiday smells fresh is to add a little bit of humidity to our dry, indoor environment during the Colorado winter. The following DIY recipe will do both! Make an extra batch (uncooked) to share or freeze the recipe ingredients and pull out at a moment’s notice. Ingredients • 3 cinnamon sticks (3″-6″ long) • 2... Read More

After consuming all the wonderful dishes which adorn most Thanksgiving tables and with stomachs full “hibernate” is a very welcome thought. To hibernate is to be inactive or in a dormant state or period. Although this sounds delightful after a large holiday meal, it is a survival mechanism for a number of species. When food is scarce or temperatures severe, a light sleep (torpor) or a deep sleep (true... Read More

Brussels sprouts, or Brassica oleracea gemmifera, are related to other better-known vegetables in the Brassica genus like broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower. They are part of the cruciferae or mustard family, so known because of a four-part flower in the shape of a cross. HISTORY: Sprouts were believed to have been cultivated in Italy in Roman times, and possibly as early as the 1200s in Belgium. The modern Brussels... Read More

Chestnuts (Fagaceae – Beech species) are a cool season crop; available in the markets from October through March, peaking in December. In Asia and Europe, they are now harvested and processed employing traditional methods. Early in the 20th century the American chestnut trees were almost wiped out by a pathogenic fungus! In the stores, choose big sized, fresh nuts. Since they are rich in starch and fewer fats... Read More