Happy 4th of July!

This is the first 4th of July I can ever remember wishing for it to rain. They've canceled the fireworks in most cities in CO due to fire danger, so no fireworks for us this year. No rain, either. Just more hot, dry weather. It's strange for the 4th to be so quiet.. No bottle rockets, big explosions, or even kids squealing about their sparklers. Oddly flags did appear at the end of everyone's driveways last night. We think it was this weird realtor who is always putting ads on the porch? Not sure, but it is pretty festive!

We did have a lovely day - yard work, preparing for tomorrow's overnight guest (Yay!), painting dining room chairs, and BBQ. I also made my first blueberry pie, and it turned out better than I could have hoped. I tweaked my Mom's pie crust recipe to make it gluten free, and it actually worked! Here is the recipe, because I know that GF pie crust is a bit of a holy grail:

GF Pie Crust

1 c sorghum

½ c glutenous rice flour

½ c almond flour

1 tsp salt

2/3 c oil mixed with 4 T cold milk (coconut milk works too!)

Mix dry ingredients directly in pie plate. Mix milk and oil until combined, and then add to dry ingredients, reserving 1 tbsp. Once dry and wet ingredients are combined, press into pie plate, reserving some for top crust. Mixture should be a bit sandy, but when you press into the side of the plate it should be sticky enough not to crumble. If necessary add the extra milk/oil to achieve the right texture. Bake at 425 for about 10 minutes until the crust is a little toasted. Add filling. For top crust: either just crumble the reserved crust on top of the pie, or first mix in 1 tsp sugar, 1 tbsp oats/quinoa flakes and a bit of butter, and then crumble on top of filling. Bake per pie directions.

Hope everyone had a good holiday!

Not on fire!

There has been a lot of focus on the wildfires in CO, and the Flagstaff fire is actually only 7 or 8 miles from here. I have pictures of that too, but wanted to share some photos from our hike yesterday that show just how lush some of the state still is.

Colorado Columbine

These are from up near Nederland, on the Woodland Lake trail. I cannot begin to describe how beautiful the entire hike was (I've never seen such wildflowers!), but hopefully the pictures will give you some idea.

So many wildflowers by the stream!

Skyscraper Reservoir

Neat little flower!

Field of wildflowers, extra lush by the stream.

The flowers even grew on a log!