2014 New Year's Resolutions

2014 New Year's Resolutions

Last year I made New Year's resolutions and publicly posted them on my blog. I tried to make them reasonable resolutions, but even so, I was a bit surprised that I really was following them when I checked in on them a couple times during the year and again now.

Last year I made five big goals for the year, and I really liked how that worked. In fact, I liked that so well that I will be using that strategy again, with some minor tweaks.

Here's a brief rundown:
1. Play more music. I wanted to play an hour a week, and although I might have fallen a little short, I have improved a bit on piano. I did play a trumpet solo and also with the local orchestra, and it felt so good to play! I also started Desert Boy on piano, with five-minute lessons each day. He's progressed really well, and I hope to continue that into 2014, along with spending about 10 minutes a day on my practice.

2. Exercise regularly. Check. It's definitely harder in the winter, so I did a variety of exercise videos when I couldn't make it outside. This fall I gave P90X a try, and while I liked the workouts, I had a hard time fitting them into my day. Fortunately P90X3 has just come out, with 30 minute workouts, and I'm looking forward to them. In addition, for 2014 I'm not just exercising to feel better and be healthier, my husband and I have also set a goal: climb Mount Rainier in September. To reach the top of this 14,440 foot peak, we're going to have to do a lot of training. I'm looking forward to being in the best shape of my life come September!

3. Organize my house. We made good progress in 2013 on getting more organized. Getting more stuff out of the house made the biggest difference. We still have a ways to go to be where I'd like to be, so we'll keep working on it one corner at a time. If the house is organized, it takes less time to clean, which means we have more time for fun! It also makes me feel better and less stressed, and I'm more apt to have visitors come to the house, which also improves how I feel. (We'd love to have more visitors in 2014!)

4. Eat healthier. We've made good strides in eating healthier. I felt really good this year, and I think a large part of it was having a more natural diet. We have cut out a lot of processed food from our diet. One of our easiest changes was to freeze 100% fruit juice in special containers. When the kids want a special treat, they ask for the frozen juice instead of a popsicle or other packaged food that contains too much sugar and/or artificial flavors or colors. We're going to continue on our journey of eating healthier in 2014.

5. Give more. In 2013 we enjoyed the program We Give Books throughout the year, where we got to read books for free and the organization that sponsors the website gives books away. We also gave of our time in various ways. In 2014, we'll continue many of those efforts, but the one I particularly want to focus on is to give more time to my husband. Specifically, I want to figure out a way we can have one date night a month. That might not sound like much to some, but for us it would be huge.

Of course I still have plenty of other things I want to do: read the Bible in one year (I started last year but didn't make it through, maybe this year will be better!), write more, self-publish a children's book about the Great Basin, spend more quality time with friends,  learn a lot more about structural fire fighting and emergency medicine, improve my birding skills, find more ways to enjoy the outdoors with my kids, learn how to raise chickens, take some trips, and keep learning. To name a few. I'm sure I'll find more things to do throughout the year. As I get to know myself better, I find that I feel most alive if I'm learning something new, having an adventure, and sharing my knowledge.

I don't want to have such a long list of resolutions that it becomes burdensome, though, so I'll stick to my list of five and everything else that I get done will be a welcome bonus! I'd love to hear some of your resolutions, if you're willing to share, either in the comments or on the Desert Survivor Facebook page.

Thanks for being part of the Desert Survivor family. We wish you and yours a wonderful 2014!

Happy Thanksgiving!

We hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Here are some things we've done to get in the proper spirit.

1. Turkey shoot.
Nope, we don't shoot turkeys (although that is very tempting, especially since the non-native ones introduced here a few years ago are wreaking havoc on the ecosystem). We went to our local Turkey Shoot (a fundraiser) and shot at targets; the winners took home turkeys.

We let the kids participate, as where we live guns are important tools for getting your food. We want them to respect guns and learn how to use them properly. The turkey shoot turned out to be a very family friendly event, and we enjoyed spending time with each other outdoors. Bonus: we did some good shooting.

2. Turkey dissection.

Well, since we won some turkeys, we had to check one out more thoroughly. The giblets were our area of focus. We looked up information on the neck (tasty for soups), gizzard (special organ at top of stomach to grind up grain since turkeys don't have teeth), liver (largest organ), and heart. Then we dissected the organs. The kids thought it was really cool.

Here's pre-dissection. I did take a post-dissection photo, but what's the fun in showing that when you can try doing it for yourself!

Looking forward to eating some turkey tomorrow! Have a super holiday and weekend!

A Quick Desert Hike

 It's been a crazy busy week, hence the infrequent postings. The good part is that I have plenty of material now to share! It seems that every September gets so busy as we try to squeeze in all the things we wanted to do during the summer but didn't have time, plus enjoy the fall colors, get into the swing of school activities, and meet all the end of year deadlines (if you have a calendar year like me of October-September).

We make it a priority to get outside as much as possible (especially since Desert Boy is showing a tendency to become quite attached to computer and iPod games!). I cajoled the kids to go on a bike ride. That was okay, but I heard a bit of complaining. But then we came to a fun-looking arroyo and decided to take an impromptu hike.

 Desert Girl was fascinated with the sparkly golden rocks. She wanted to take them all home, but was agreeable when I told her she could pick just one and it had to fit in just one hand.

 We have had so many mushrooms coming up with the recent rains. They are quite fascinating, but I don't know hardly anything about them.

 We continued until we found a little pool of water. The kids were really happy.

 Desert Girl found some stones to throw in. I started getting a bit concerned that this could end up really messy and we would have an uncomfortable ride home.

 The kids did fine, but I ended up in a bit of mud. (As you can see by my footwear, I really wasn't planning on a desert hike! Fortunately these sandals are up to almost anything.)

 I found the new erosion from the recent rains interesting. The downcutting exposes roots, which are usually deeper than I think they will be.

 Some of the downcutting was a bit deeper, but nothing like what they recently experienced in Colorado.

 Desert Boy thought it was a lot of fun to find steep banks to conquer.

 We saw a little bit of flood debris in the arroyo bottom, but not much. Nevertheless, we made sure to have a conversation about flood safety and where you should go if water starts coming down a canyon. (up!)

The impromptu hike put us all in a really good mood. It's amazing how a little time in the outdoors and a feeling of exploring can make you feel so good!

Your Most Important Gear for a Hike

(This is a post sponsored by The Clymb. Although I am being compensated for this post, all ideas and content are my own.)

What's your most important piece of gear you take with you or wear when you take a hike? Take a minute and think about your priorities. (Are you really taking a minute? How about 15 seconds? Okay, maybe just 5?) What hiking gear or clothing can't you leave behind? What is the deal breaker for you, something that if you don't have, you simply won't go out hiking?

Although I usually grab my backpack, water bottle, chapstick, camera, and sunglasses, I would have to say that I wouldn't even be going for a hike unless I had something for my feet. Long ago, I could go about anywhere barefoot. Summertime included the ritual of stubbing my toe at the public swimming pool, to which I walked barefoot, getting stung by a bee as I ran through a clover patch in the backyard, and not worrying about shoes at all.

Now I'm not so tough. I might tiptoe around the yard occasionally, but I live in the desert, where there are lots of poky, spiny, nasty plants (even around my not-so-well-manicured yard). If I venture further, I definitely need to have some foot protection. And if I want to go for a hike, I want some footwear that's going to be comfortable and keep my feet safe.

I get along well with my hiking boots. In fact, for a very early Fourth of July run, so early that I was clearly not thinking straight, I managed to arrive at the race start without my running shoes. They sat near my front door, forgotten in my early morning daze (some days I wish I drank coffee!). What was I to do? I was wearing flip flops, which clearly wouldn't be appropriate for a trail run. Fortunately I had my hiking boots with me, and they worked just fine for the race. I didn't have any blisters, sore spots, or other problems afterwards. That's when you know you have a really good hiking boot.

Finishing the run in my hiking boots. Photo courtesy of Sharon Conrad.

Maybe you already have your perfect hiking boot. If you don't, or you'd like to grab a deal on a new pair because yours are in imminent danger of wearing out, you might try www.TheClymb.com . This is an online retailer that offers deep discounts. I always like sales, and many of their prices are half off or even more. I couldn't resist and just ordered from them a couple weeks ago. I was so happy when the box with my shoes arrived. I smiled when I saw that the box said that it had been delivered carbon neutral. Why should that matter? Because when I go out hiking, I want to enjoy my outdoors, and when a company is environmentally responsible, that's one step towards a better world for all of us. If you need some hiking boots, or other gear on your top priority hiking list (or for that matter climbing or cycling or yoga gear), check out The Clymb.

Then head outdoors and enjoy a hike!

Escaping the Heat

 We've had a long stretch of hot, which leaves three natural options to escape it: go to water, go underground, or go up high. We decided to rise above the heat this last weekend and drove up to 10,000 feet. When we left the house it was 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Two miles above sea level it was a very comfortable 75 degrees.

Our basic plan was to meet some friends from a nearby town (nearby being relative in our remote part of the high desert) and camp out together. Lots of other people had the same idea of escaping the heat; we arrived at the campground at 2 and by 2:15 it was full. Whew, just in time!


Despite the temperatures, what Desert Boy wanted to do most was make a campfire with his flint. We both tried for a long time but eventually had to use a lighter.

 Then the fun was to make a torch and watch the smoke.

 Desert Girl managed to get filthy. Imagine that.

Our friends arrived and the girls played dress up. It was pretty funny.


After dinner we went to the campfire program.


The kids were all excited, but alas only Desert Boy lasted the whole presentation.


He even volunteered to be a helper. I enjoyed the campfire program, it's fun to see a topic be explored in a creative way.

Afterwards we meandered back to the campsite. When we got there it was clear to me that the kids needed to go to bed. We all slept well. I woke up really early and wandered around taking some photos.

 Then I went back to sleep until the kids woke me up. I told them to get up, be quiet, and feed themselves. Instead they wandered over to our friends. At least they managed the get up and be quiet near mom part. I guess I've trained them well!

Desert Girl decided to be a fashionista. I so loved it that it was cool enough for a winter coat (in the 50s)! I knew we were heading back down the mountain later in the day, but I was really wishing we could stay a lot longer.

 We were back to trying to start a fire with a flint and magnesium shavings, and although three of us adults tried it and got some good sparks, we couldn't keep a fire going. I've watched a YouTube video about how to do it, but I guess I need to watch some more!

 In the meantime, Desert Girl played with the baby.

 Then it was time for THE HIKE. The kids were ready, the adults were ready (with patience), and off we went. The first stop was the bridge, where Desert Girl spotted fish. Or maybe not, since fish don't live there. But we went along with the fish idea.

 We had to stop for a Bandaid moment. Dr. Desert Girl helped her friend. It was a charming moment.

 We had plenty of logs to balance on. And a good-humored Dad who didn't mind wearing his daughter's pink hat.

 We eventually had to limit the girls to how many logs they could walk on.

We arrived at the paltry Teresa Lake. Desert Boy called it a pond, which is about right. Nevertheless, it was water, and water means fun!

We promptly rolled up pants legs and went wading. Our friends were geniuses and brought water guns, which made the kids very happy.

Eventually Desert Boy fell in. Then Desert Girl did, too. My kids are somehow good at that.

We decided we didn't want to to the whole sub-alpine lakes loop, but we did want a little shade, so we went to the other end of Teresa Lake.

The Parry's primrose was blooming and beautiful.

I challenged Desert Boy to make a shelter with his emergency poncho. That kept him busy for awhile.

The girls liked it too. We had our picnic lunch, except Desert Girl wasn't eating or drinking well. So I told her to go have a tea party.

That worked well. The girls found a quiet place where they could talk and drink their "tea" and "cookies."

Eventually we decided it was time to head back.

But instead of rushing we dawdled, especially at the bridge, where Desert Boy did his Bear Gryll's impersonations and started jumping off the bridge and pretending he was on a huge adventure while I filmed him. It's so wonderful how their minds grow in the great outdoors. It's also so wonderful to put your feet in a cold mountain stream on a hot summer day. I look forward to heading back up high in the near future!

A Sunday Picnic

We wanted to get out of the house on the weekend, so we decided for a little picnic. Once we found our spot, we settled in. And Desert Girl made faces. She's good at those.

Desert Boy was quite contented with carving sticks with his pocket knife. He's managed to nick his fingers a few times, but overall he's been doing well with the knife.

One of the fun parts of picnics is eating foods we don't normally eat. The kids love Go-Go Squeezs, but I cringe at all the extra packaging that is thrown away. Fortunately, some enterprising companies have made refillable squeeze containers, and on Ebay I was able to get ten new ones for about $15.

After we ate, it was time for a nap. At least that's what we parents thought!

 The kids had some other ideas in mind. Eventually we told them to go climb the trees. Or something like that. Whatever we said, the next thing we knew, they were actually in the trees.

 Up, up and away!

 Desert Boy figured out how to slide down the smooth white aspen bark. It was a rather fun diversion and he did it several times.

Of course if her big brother does it, Desert Girl has to give it a try! (Even if she is wearing sparkly red dancing shoes.)

Sometimes I wonder if the picnics and hikes are worth all the effort. It's a lot of work to pack up and then clean up afterwards. But when we're in the great outdoors, something memorable usually happens, like the tree climbing on this trip. I think that makes it worth it, even if I have to go home and take a nap afterwards!

A Jaunt through the Woods

 Back in mid-May I took the kids and their friend Charlie for a quick hike on the trail between Grey Cliffs and Baker Creek Campground in Great Basin National Park. It was a cold day, so we had to bundle up, but we were all eager to get outdoors.

 I had my camera in tow and took a lot of flower photos. A lot. But I'll refrain from posting them all and just include a couple of the best, like this beautiful Erigeron (fleabane--such an ugly name for such a beautiful flower!).

 This short trail has a fun bridge on it. Bridges are always fun.

 We stopped and took a closer look at these tent caterpillars (at least I think that's what they are) on the rose bushes. I was surprised how many tents were there, and when I got closer I saw the caterpillars crawling. The kids loved that!

 Charlie and Desert Boy puzzled over the huge skeleton under a pinyon pine. They examined the very large hoof, and with some help determined that it was an elk skeleton. A few years ago a mountain lion killed it, and it's so cool to still see the remains. The reminder of the mountain lion makes me tell the kid to stay close enough that they can see me.

 We progress further up the trail to a huge meadow with a pyramidal contraption in it. I know it's part of an old grazing study, but the kids decide it's a trap. They take long sticks to poke whatever might be in it.

After a long snack break, we head the short distance up to the trailhead. We get to it and I tell the kids we can turn around.

 They take off running down the trail. I guess I hadn't worn them out enough!

 I really like the aspens with their newly leafed-out appearance. They seem so gentle and romantic. The kids actually pause long enough that I can take their photo.

Okay, one more flower photo, a shrub with reddish bark that is now bright with white flowers: Saskatoon serviceberry.

Just thinking about what other flowers makes me want to grab my camera and head back in the woods. In fact, we're going to do that in just a couple hours. Have a great weekend and week, and I hope you can get out and enjoy some wildflowers!