Snow Day Hits And Misses

It’s no secret that introverts do well on our own. So a Level Three snow emergency that keeps me at home is basically something I have spent a lifetime training for.

I was awake some Saturday night checking out the snow so I slept later than normal yesterday. After a shower and fresh pjs, I went stomping around in the snow for a while and fed my birds before settling down to work on a new puzzle.

Then I flipped on the television for some noise and found myself captivated by a show called The Last Wright House. A mother/daughter duo had purchased a Frank Lloyd Wright residence in northern Ohio and it came with plans for a second home on the same property. These plans were for the last home that Wright designed and were on his table when he died.

That was over sixty years ago and the home never got built.

The show follows this unlikely duo as they attempt to build the house true to Wright’s specs and preferences. He was notoriously particular about literally every detail.

This was quite a chore in this modern world where building codes and materials are drastically different than in the fifties when the house was designed. Asbestos boards didn’t make it past the modern code enforcement board.

You see them agonize over materials, tour other Wright homes, and even chat with the 100-year-old original owner of a Wright home. It was fascinating, sometimes painful to watch, and absolutely inspiring that they really pulled it off.

You can stay there and I’m desperate to do it. Tragically, it’s far outside my budget and not something I’ll be doing unless I hit the lottery – not a big lottery – just a really big scratch off ticket and I feel like treating myself.

Sigh. Someday.

Next I watched Samantha Brown on PBS as she traveled on Route 66, toured the World War II Museum in New Orleans, explored Michigan’s lower peninsula and hit some of the highlights in South Dakota.

I have been desperate to visit that World War II Museum and am sort of dying to go back to Michigan. I didn’t want to leave Petoskey, Michigan or Sleeping Bear Dunes or really anything else I saw there a couple of years ago.

Touring these places with Samatha Brown didn’t help this at all. My feet are now miserably itchy and I am months away from being free to travel.

Sigh. Later.

In my quest to use up some things that are languishing in my freezer, I got the bright idea to make a breakfast casserole using a sad bag of frozen blueberries. A while back, I picked up a boxed protein pancake mix that was positively awful. I typically like Aldi brand products but these appear to be the knock off of Kodiak brand protein pancakes. They’re also awful.

But everything can be dressed up, right?

Wrong.

I used the mix as a base for the blueberries, some maple syrup, peanut butter, vanilla and just a smidge of stevia. I mixed it well and baked it in a 13×9” cake pan thinking it could be paired with scrambled eggs for breakfasts this week. I knew I couldn’t use it all but figured leftovers could be frozen for another day.

Friends, I’m not convinced that I want to preserve the leftovers. It’s not terrible, exactly. It just doesn’t taste good enough to enjoy.

Honestly, I’m not sold on this notion that protein needs to be added to everything and am especially not sold on the value of so many processed foods in the first place. If I want pancakes, I have a wonderful, easy recipe that uses real ingredients and nothing that can’t be pronounced.

I don’t know what possessed me to try this mix other than blind optimism and a flash of stupidity.

We learn.

So now I have a pan of questionable something-or-other and a desire to pack a bag and point myself south to New Orleans. North to Michigan would be a terrible idea in all this snow.

But, I will stay put and enjoy the solitude of my snow globe world. There are puzzles, books, and kitchen experiments in waiting!

The Mecca Motel

Location is everything according to this fabulous sign at the Mecca Motel in Colorado Springs. The motel dates to 1930 when its traditional motor court design was popular with a growing group of tourists who had automobiles and leisure time,

The sign, though, is classic mid-century. My only regret is that I had to snap this picture from the car while snow swirled around us on a very gray morning. I would love to see it on a blue sky day.

But you get the gist. Ain’t she a beaut?

In case you’re in the market, you can still stay at the Mecca. Book your room or get more info here.

Manitou Springs Signs

Trips to Colorado nearly always are rich in cool vintage signs. One morning we had a tasty breakfast at a little mom and pop restaurant called Mo’s Diner in Manitou Springs. That’s their sign pictured above.

From this spot, I was able to grab a snapshot of the LaFun Motel sign across the street. I thought for about two seconds that I might cross the street for a better view but it was snowing and slick and there were people waiting for me to get in the car.

Still, you get the gist.

And just down the street was the Ute Trading Post sign. It’s in pretty rough shape but it’s still a fantastic example of mid century creativity.

One spot, three signs, loads of charm. I liked it.

Spotted

This isn’t a car you see in southern Ohio everyday. I liked it well enough to go around the block for this snapshot. Google says that it’s a 1969 Austin America. It reminds me of the Mini Cooper which my little nerd heart adores.

Friends, go around the block when you see something worth a second look! It’s worth the trip.

Silent Sunday: Garden Of The Gods

Broadmoor Sunrise

Today is threatening rain, I’m tired, and it’s a No Spend Challenge Month. Exactly how I will spend my day is still uncertain. I could work on the Herculean organizing project in my messy craft room or maybe do some decluttering and experiment in the kitchen. Maybe I’ll watch a movie or pull out a puzzle. You can bet I’ll do some reading.

None of it will be too taxing but you can bet I’ll enjoy having the free time to do as I please. My favorite days, in fact, are the ones where I get to do just that. No plans. No stress. I can just putter around and do what I feel like.

The photo above was taken one morning in December at the famed Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado. I was wandering around on the cold when they turned off the Christmas lights.

A new day had dawned. The sky was starting to look like a bundle of cotton candy. Ducks, geese and swans sang their little hearts out as they splashed around. it was awe inspiring to stand in the cold and see nature at work all around.

If every day were so magnificent, it seems that the majesty would be lost and it all would become… well ….. everyday.

That’s partly why I’m grateful for these regular days with rest and chores. They make the special ones seem that much more special! So, whether you’re home cleaning a closet or out on adventure, I wish you the very best day.

Enjoy!