I once said I'd never go caving.

photo of Waitomo Caves in New Zealand. 

Our experience wasn't like this at all, but oh my, wouldn't this be amazing?!

I seem to be on an adventurous kick!  I like to think of myself as a risk-taking lady but lately, I've been even more so.  There used to be certain boundaries I wouldn't cross.  No longer. 

This past weekend I went climbing (normal), mini golfing (not out of the ordinary) and CAVING.  Yep, as in squeezing my claustrophobic self through tiny, tiny spaces.  As in getting stuck and mildly freaking out, and then getting unstuck.  As in climbing in dark, damp, thin crevices, ten feet above a small stream for a long way.  It was completely scary, but I felt completely tough after I made it back out.  I also felt completely bruised, but mostly tough.  And the greatest thing about it is that I didn't flip out, and I even had a good enough time to want to do it again. 

Have you ever gone caving?  What's something you've done even though you were terrified to do it?

it's time for an update.

via On a High Note

Since I've last written, so many things have happened! 

I dressed as Yoshi for the 1st Annual Mario Kart Pub Crawl!  It was so much fun.  About 12 people dressed up, and we made it to 9 out of the 10 bars we planned to go to.  All characters were represented except Mario and Luigi! Funny, right? 

photo by the boyfriend

The mixer was used yesterday to make a delicious lemon cake.  The recipe I used is called "1, 2, 3, 4 cake"  and I got it out of my new cookbook "Pie in the Sky".  It's a cookbook specially designed for those that bake at high altitude.  For each recipe, it gives different proportions based on your altitude and breaks it down by sea level, 3K, 5K, 7K and 10K.  I'm at 7,200 feet, and I've tried making other recipes that are typically baked at sea level.  My cakes always come out deflated and way too dense.  But not with this new cookbook!  The cake turned out perfect.  I couldn't be happier! 

Pie in the Sky    Susan G. Purdy

This past weekend, the boyfriend and I celebrated the big ol' one year anniversary!  We spent the day in Denver checking out the Science Museum, eating at awesome restaurants, and shopping (because Laramie is void of decent stores).  We also decided to move in together!  It's true.  And, as luck had it, the place where I had already signed a lease (the one with the split kitchen apartment) was really flexible about letting me out of the first apartment.  As more luck would have it, they told us that they also manage a few houses around town.  And as even more luck would have it, they had one house available.  And it was perfect.  And we took it!  It is red with white trim (and lovingly called the gingerbread house), has two bedrooms upstairs, one bathroom, a large kitchen with a gas stove AND a washer and dryer (my favorite part) and a huge yard.  Oh! And it has a balcony off the bedroom upstairs, and a front porch.  It really is exactly what I wanted.

photo by yours truly

I can't wait to show you all the projects I have planned for the new house.  We don't move in till August 1, which means the growing season will be nearly over so no planting this year, but next year a garden is definitely going in. :)

i have a crush on my apartment.

 photo by yours truly, showing front entrance to my lovely apartment.

i can't find interior shots right now, so this'll have to do. :)

I really do!  It boasts wood floors, charming arches, windows overlooking trees and the beautiful Courthouse.  The windows let a great deal of light in and are perfect to have a cup of tea under or read a book by.  In the summer, I keep the windows open to hear the constant rustle of leaves.  I can't wait until I can do that again! 

Of course, there are things my apartment lacks.  A large bathroom.  It definitely lacks that.  A mirror in the bathroom that I can see my whole face in.  It must have been built for a very tall person...or maybe just a regular sized person.  Either way, I can't see myself!  A large kitchen.  Yep, it's a small one.  Okay, okay.  It seems what it's lacking is SPACE but isn't that how apartments are supposed to be?  They challenge you to find new ways to create space out of no space.  It's a little test of your ingenuity.  So far, I'm passing.  But I'm a lady that likes change so when my lease is up, I'll probably move along and find a new space to fill up.  It's just the type of bird I am.  But for now, I've got a crush on and miss my apartment (and super comfortable bed)!

I'm in the field: 5 hours north of my humble abode.  I'm not sure when I'll be back but I hope it's at least by the weekend.  Quality time is need with the apartment.  And with the boyfriend.  But that's not what this post is about. :)

Apartment-I'll be seeing you!

leaving, again.

 photo of me by RR during a past field project

I'm heading into the field today for the first field project of the season.  I'm itching to stretch my legs and walk miles and miles, all while getting paid.  Oh the joys...

Tomorrow I'll do a full fill-in on the Vail weekend (aka super awesome weekend).  Keep your eyes peeled!

but I thought it was green.

photo by jbrownell

I hail from all over the place.  I'm an Army brat and being one means that there are many places I call (or have called) home.  My most recent, and longest, is Arizona.  I'd had the itch to move on for a while, but education called so I stuck around.  After I graduated college, I decided it was time to hightail it out of there.  I got a job in Wyoming, found it on a map, and drove north to start my new life.  Upon entering the state that is now my home, I was struck with how brown it was.  Wait.  I just left brown.  Arizona is brown.  But this is brown too! I expected green.  Sadly, I naïvely assumed that everywhere outside of Arizona was some lush oasis.  But all that means, is that Wyoming certainly isn't the last stop in finding the place to lay down some roots.  And I'm sure that whatever that place may be, it'll definitely be green.

Why do I need green so much?  There's something about a green, wet, lush landscape that makes everyday feel magical.  You can smell the life in the air.  It makes me feel alive.  I think Washington/Oregon/Vancouver B.C. would be perfect.  You have the ocean, the green dense forests and mountains to ski.  That sounds pretty perfect to me.