*

Humans, like all other creatures, must make a difference; otherwise, they cannot live. But unlike other creatures, humans must make a choice as to the kind and scale of difference they make. If they choose to make too small a difference, they diminish their humanity. If they choose to make too great a difference, they diminish nature, and narrow their subsequent choices; ultimately, they diminish or destroy themselves. Nature, then, is not only our source but also our limit and measure.

Wendell Berry, “Getting Along With Nature,” 1987

Since reading this quote I can't stop thinking about it.
Every word he says is stop on, & I agree with this passage entirely.
I love Wendell Berry's writing as well as his mind.
Moving forward I will try to remember these words on a daily basis as a constant to live by.

*   *   *
Have a wonderful Sunday
<3

potato, leek, apple, & carrot soup with buttermilk honey biscuits

*I made this meal on our first snow day, & it was just what I needed - so warming & savory. Enjoy!

Soup 

Ingredients 

*all organic 

Olive Oil
1 head of garlic
1 large sweet onion
3 carrots - I had a rainbow bag so I used purple, orange, & yellow
1 bunch of leeks
2-3 cups of potatoes - I just had a bag of multicolored fingerling potatoes in the house, so I used them, but I think it's fine to use whatever potatoes you like/have around.
2 sweet apples - I used Gala
4 cups water
4 heaping tablespoons of vegetable base - I use this one
1 cup whole milk
Salt, pepper, garlic powder, & turmeric to taste

Directions 

Drizzle olive oil in the pot you are going to make the soup in so it coats the bottom, I used this Le Creuset. You want into be able to hold 5 cups of liquid + the volume that the ingredients will add.
Peel & press all the cloves in your head of garlic right into the pot.
Cook the garlic & olive oil mixture until the garlic turns golden, stir frequently.
Chop the onion & add it to the garlic & olive oil mixture, stir frequently until the onions are also golden - add more olive oil if needed to insure everything is evenly coated.
Next chop the leeks, using only the white part & add to the pot.
Peel & chop the carrots into bite sized pieces & add to the pot.
Stir everything together.
Add your liquids - water + whole milk.
Add the vegetable base, & stir until evenly incorporated.
Peel & chop the potatoes & apples into bite size pieces & add to the pot.
Bring everything to a boil & then reduce to a simmer.
Add salt, pepper, turmeric, & garlic pepper to taste throughout the cooking process, tasting along the way.
Cover the pot so that only a sliver is exposed allowing the steam to vent out.
Simmer until the ingredients are soft - I like to let it simmer for about 2 hours so that all the flavors really come out
Use an immersion blender to blend the soup into a creamy consistency.
Serve & Enjoy!

Buttermilk Honey Biscuits

*all organic   

*recipe adapted from here

Ingredients 

*all organic 

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
3/4 cup cold buttermilk
3 tablespoons honey

Directions 


Preheat oven to 400 F 
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking power, & salt.
Add the chilled butter to the mixture - I just use my hands breaking up the butter into pea sized pieces & incorporating it as I go.
One incorporated place the bowl into the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

While this chills in the fridge whisk the buttermilk & honey together in a measuring cup.
Prep a work surface to roll the dough out on & coat it with flour, also coat your rolling pin with flour *this dough is very sticky, so keep the flour on hand.

After 20 minutes add the liquid mixture to the bowl until evenly incorporated - once again I just use my hands & lightly coat them with flour before mixing.
Place the dough ball on to the work surface & roll into about a 9 x 5 inch rectangle *it's ok if this isn't perfect.
Fold the dough into thirds, like a letter, & then roll into another 9 x 5 rectangle.
Repeat this folding & rolling out process one more time - this step = flaky layers.

Use a round cutter - I just used a lid of a mason jar - to cut the biscuits.
Place on your baking sheet about 1 inch apart.
Gather the scraps together & re-roll into a sheet until your dough is gone - my last 2 biscuits I just rolled the scraps into a ball with my hands.
Bake for about 11-12 minutes, or until the biscuits have risen & are golden brown on top.
Allow to cool for a few minutes & serve warm - I ducked my into the soup :)

*I felt like this meal was missing some greens, so I added a large handful of mixed greens to the plate & ate them raw.

first snow

milo

I have been dreaming of getting a dog for sometime now, but Jon & I both felt that we weren't yet able to provide for one the way it deserved. However, our circumstances recently changed when Jon was promoted because he now works from home :) Before this change we just wouldn't have been able to give a dog, especially a puppy, the time it needed. So, as a result I began to do more serious puppy research & probing. We heard about Colorado Puppy Rescue through a friend, who had recently adopted a puppy from this location, so we went on the website & I discovered that there was an adoption day that very weekend. Although, I was working I suggested that Jon go to just check out the organization & see what it was all about in more detail first hand. I didn't have high expectations, but knowing Jon I knew that if the right puppy presented itself it would be hard for him to walk away. Jon was drawn to Milo right away & after stepping away to call me (of course my response was yes!) he scooped him up, filled out the paperwork, & brought him home. Being a rescue puppy the information we received was limited & really just their best guess, which concluded Australian Shepard & Catahoula Leopard Mix. He has really cool stripes & reminds us of a tiger. We think he may have some other breeds mixed in as well & once he gets older we're curious to have have the DNA test done to know for sure. Either way we couldn't be happier, he is such a wonderful addition to our lives :) We love him so much already <3

<3

colorado - independence pass & the continental divide

So, this is the last post from our Aspen weekend, & it is about our drive home through Independence Pass. This road was so scenic & beautiful, we pulled over a handful of times to admire the views & take photos of course :) If the pass is open, which depends on the seasons & weather, I highly recommend taking this route.