All Local, All The Time
All Local, All The Time
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Ok. You have probably heard the phrase, "The power of the written word." Somehow putting words on paper packs a punch. The law clearly recognizes the impact of and the difference between the written word and the spoken word when they made "slander" (a spoken defamatory statement) and "libel" (a written defamatory statement) two distinct bad acts. Libel has historically been treated as the more egregious of the two, and it is not hard to see why. Writing something down gives it a bit of...
Ok. Do you remember when you first learned about Thanksgiving? It probably included the tale of Pilgrims sailing to America and befriending some Indians, after which they had a turkey feast in thanks for the Indians’ help surviving the winter. Wow, that was a lot to unpack as a child. In a nutshell, this song, sung to the tune “We Gather Together,” I learned in first grade summed up all I knew about Thanksgiving: “The year 1620 the Pilgrims came over. The good ship Mayflower brought them ac...
Ok. Life can bring great joys and great disappointments. In the face of adversity, do you despair or embrace it? For example, last week, I was wearing sandals and a tank top. This week I was planning to hike Mt. Sanitas but instead found myself bundled in a sweater cuddling my electric blanket. By the way, it is only in the high thirties. By February the mid-thirties will seem downright balmy. Abrupt changes can be a jolt. But before long, we get used to the change and fluctuations in the...
Ok. Was I the only one who thought "trunk-or-treat" was a typo? Seriously. I soon realized I saw the words too often together for "trunk" to be a typo. But I still didn't understand what trunk-or-treat meant for longer than I want to admit. What was happening here? And was there really an elephant involved? I figured it had to be a social distancing remnant of COVID. But after a little googling, I learned trunk-or-treating has been around for at least 10 years, well before COVID. Where have I...
Ok. Halloween is just around the corner. It is the only time of year when that much-maligned color, orange, is front and center. Orange somehow connotes "scary," doesn't it? When did orange get such a bad rap? After all, it is a completely natural color. Orange is found in pumpkins, oranges, flowers, and Tang. I am not talking about peach or coral. I am talking about straight-up orange. Yet, it is hard to find orange so predominant at any other time of year. Nowhere is this more obvious than in...
Ok. Back in my minivan days, my children would sit next to each other in the back seat. It was never long before I heard, "Stop touching me, Joey." This would be answered with, "I am not touching you." "Yes, you are!" "No, you are touching me!" Then, "Mommm, make Joey stop touching me." I would then usually reply, "Both of you, sit on your hands!" People feel strongly about their personal space. We have all instinctively taken one step back when someone talks too close to you. If someone sits...
Ok. Here comes the rain again. Who didn't love that sweet smelling, ground drenching rain that fell on Saturday night and into Sunday? Didn't we all sleep well under the sound of a soothing blanket of water falling gently on our homes and gardens? It wasn't a torrential downpour, and it wasn't accompanied by near hurricane force winds. It was just rain. What a relief! I love a rainy night. But you know what that means? The grass will once again be green, the flowers will perk up and we will...
Ok. Remember when we used to read Time, Newsweek, TV Guide, People, and Rolling Stone? I am talking about magazines and newspapers made from paper. The kind you hold in your hands. My parents had the LA Times, the Sunday New York Times and the Wall Street Journal delivered to our front door. Reading the newspaper was a welcome ritual. They collected every issue of National Geographic. That magazine's stunning photos singlehandedly opened the world to small town America. We learned about African...
Ok. File this under "Men are From Mars, Women are From Venus." It is a big filing cabinet so make a little room for this. Men buy things. Women buy things. People buy everything from houses to rubberbands. Women tend to be the purchasers of items that fit into a bag. I am thinking about groceries, clothes, and household goods. This is why in many households, it seems men take for granted that certain household items simply appear. For example, tissues, food, toilet paper, underwear, and band...
Community members met on Sept. 7 to discuss the proposed development of three homes on the 39.5-acre rural residential zoned property at 6184 Niwot Road, located on the southwest corner of 63rd Street and Niwot Road. One home and a barn are currently on the property. The Boulder County Land Use Code allows one home per 35 acres in the area. The community group "Stop 63rd Street Subdivision," organized by Chris Ennis and Karen Mandery, met to listen to and discuss the organizers' presentation...
Ok. I bet at some point on Labor Day you said, "It feels like a Sunday, doesn't it?" That happens all the time. And then Tuesday feels like a Monday and Wednesday feels like a Tuesday and so it goes, messing up your whole week. Except it isn't just Labor Day that might confuse your routine. Often a Saturday feels like Sunday and if Friday is a holiday, it can feel like a Saturday. The good news in that case is that you get two Saturdays in a row. First, let's address the obvious - days are just...
Ok. We all love our phones. We don't go anywhere without them. We can hardly leave a room without taking our phones with us. We text, get our news, play games, share Instagram stories, and regularly go down the TikTok rabbit hole on our phones. Where we used to have an encyclopedia, now we have Wikipedia and all that Google has to offer. We take pictures and videos with abandon. You can just as easily make a hotel reservation in Tokyo as you can call your mom. We are all oddly attached to our...
Ok. Can we all take a deep breath after the first week of school? That first week is a little rough, don’t you think? All the fuss, anxiety, and logistical planning comes to head with the start of school. Whether you are a parent of a student or the student, it’s a tumultuous time. In the blink of an eye, the lazy days of summer end and the regimen of school begins. I am also sure you are familiar with the sleepy, whiny, anxiety that permeates the house around the start of school. Yes, it com...
Rock & Rail's penultimate summer concert welcomes back Niwot native Nalani DeMarco Clisset and her band, The Nalani Effect. Nalani, a bassist and vocalist, is a Niwot High School graduate and has deep roots in the Niwot community. "Rock & Rails is my home," Nalani said. "I remember when they built the gazebo and feeling that it was an anchor point for a community space. I just stood up on it, with my arms wide open, and wondered what the space would be like with the crowd, vendors, and...
Ok. My daughter once told me that to make friends, you should always say "yes" to invitations and overtures. I thought that was very good advice. And it is. Of course, until it isn't. Saying "yes" is something many of us do constantly. Do you want to have lunch? Will you stay late after work? Will you work this weekend? Will you join the parent teacher organization at school? Will you be the president? At some point, you must have some boundaries. They must be clear and respected. But first you...
Boulder County Community Planning & Permitting is inviting residents and cyclists to participate in a survey aimed at gathering input on the proposed N. 63rd Street Bikeway Overpass. Initial design of the bikeway called for an underpass in the median between the northbound and southbound lanes of CO 119 where the bikeway crosses N. 63rd Street. But planners discovered that a large water main under the highway would be very costly to relocate if an underpass were to be constructed, and opted...
Ok. Do you remember when you believed that consuming anything with fat was bad for you? How about when eggs were "the perfect food?" And we all had a friend who wouldn't give up their Blackberry because it was superior to anything else on the market. And don't get me started on Betamax. Well, we all know what happened to those beliefs. Fat became a necessary part of nutrition. It turns out eggs have a lot of cholesterol (well, the yolk anyway). And those Blackberry users now have iPhones. I...
Ok. Remember watching "Bewitched" and "I Dream of Jeannie" on television? Remember Aunt Bea on "The Andy Griffith Show?" I couldn't get enough of any of those shows back in the day. Samantha, a witch, could clean the house with a twitch of her nose. She could transport to Paris, call her parents, call Doctor Bombay, and turn people into animals in a snap. Jeannie, a genie, just had to blink and anything she wished for appeared. How great was that? They were the most powerful women on TV in the...
Ok. You know how they say color influences your mood? Stores are decorated in colors that apparently make you want to buy. Casinos are decorated to make you gamble. School walls are a color that is supposed to help concentration. You catch my drift. So, when it comes to decorating your house, you have to think about your goals. Serenity? Cozy? Creative? A friend of mine who recently moved to Niwot told me she is struggling to decorate her home. No kidding! It's difficult and fraught with...
Ok. Although summer may have just officially begun, with the 4th of July upon us, it feels like we are smack in the middle of summer. Which makes me think of summer camp. Maybe you went to summer camp, or your children went or are going to summer camp. No matter your perspective, you probably have an opinion about the experience. Some people loved going to camp as a child, some loved having their children go. Others, like me, felt going to summer camp was a miserable experience, and I have never...
Ok. Was that the summer solstice that just passed by? June 20 was the day when the sun hit its northernmost spot in the sky. You know what that means? It is just a slow downhill ride to winter. We are told the longest day of the year was just a week ago. Are we to believe that today is shorter than yesterday? Let's just pause right there and remind ourselves there are always 24 hours in a day. So, days aren't really getting longer or shorter at all. Are they? That is one of those concepts that...
Ok. Let's talk a little bit about ice. Ice? Yes, ice. Ice is one of those love 'em/hate 'em items that we take for granted. Here is what I mean. We love our ice. We love it in our summertime lemonade and iced tea, in our coolers, in a bag held against a sprain. If you have ever had a party, you understand the cry of "Did you get ice?" Followed by "Go back and get another bag!" If you have ever traveled to Europe, you know that ice is just not a thing there. There will be no ice in your Diet...
Ok. Travel season has officially begun. Whether it is a trip to the Bahamas, Tokyo, Disney World, the Grand Canyon or Denali National Park, many of us are planning, buying and packing. It is the packing part that is most vexing. I have been packing for a trip to Arizona for two weeks. Well, when I say "packing," I mean packing in my head. I tend to overthink these things. I have found if I put things in the suitcase too early, I tend to take something out to either use it or exchange it for...
Ok. You know how they say, "April showers bring May flowers?" Well, it is May and for color-deprived Coloradans, May can never come too soon. Suddenly trees have a welcome aura of green and then the parade of flowers begins. First the crocus, then hyacinth, then daffodils and tulips. We are currently at the iris stage in the lineup with peonies on deck. They will soon be followed by daisies, roses and everything else batting clean-up. Instant lift to the gray winter spirits! Mother's Day...
Ok. It is graduation time of year again. Niwot High School, CU Boulder, various preschools and elementary schools are all celebrating the launch of a flock of graduates who have completed the requisite tasks to "level up." Let's talk about that for a moment. "Graduate" means to complete. Commencement means to begin or start anew. So, a graduation commencement ceremony marks both an ending and a beginning You "graduate" to the next level while at the same time "commence" something new. While you...
Ok. I believe that there are no such things as coincidences. Merriam-Webster defines coincidence as "the occurrence of events that happen at the same time by accident but seem to have some connection." However, the Oxford Dictionary of English's definition is "a remarkable concurrence of events or circumstances that have no apparent causal connection with one another." Connection or no connection? I think there is usually a connection. Of course, some things happen "by accident" like dropping a...
The City of Boulder Planning Board held a public hearing on April 16, 2024, where it reviewed a Concept Plan Review and Comment application regarding a proposed Boulder Housing Partners redevelopment of nearly four acres located at the corner of Gunpark Drive and Spine Road in Gunbarrel. The proposed development by Boulder Housing Partners and Coburn Development would include eight buildings around a central park area. The "Sunset Park" proposal includes three 3-story townhome buildings, five...
The City of Boulder Planning Board held a hearing on April 16 regarding the Concept Plan Review and Comment application submitted by Sopher Sparn Architects on behalf for GPIF MT Boulder Land LLC, a real estate opportunistic fund based in Fort Worth, Texas, and managed by Crescent Real Estate, to build 10 new buildings containing 79 two- and three- bedroom townhomes, totaling 177,458 square feet, at 4600 Highway 119. The development is tentatively called "Longbow Park." The 7.86 acre site is cur...
Ok. There is nothing like a long power outage to put things in perspective. Recently, in anticipation of what became nearly 100 mph wind gusts, Xcel shut down the power in many areas to avoid potential wildfires. The wind itself also took out other power lines resulting in over 150,000 customers without power for anywhere from a few hours to four days. I was one of them. Maybe you were too. We think we are ready for something like that, but are we really? Even with (very) little notice, there is...
At a hearing on April 2, the Boulder County Commissioners conditionally approved Boulder Country Club’s (BCC) application to recognize the membership club as a Use of Community Significance. BCC has been designated as a “non-conforming use” since 1991 when Boulder County determined a membership club was non-conforming to the land’s “rural residential” zoning designation. The new designation as a Use of Community Significance will allow the club to make changes to its approximately 190-acre facility without a heightened approval process req...
Ok. How do we feel about artificial intelligence? First, the term "artificial intelligence" sounds like something from outer space to me. So, I approach the whole concept with some trepidation at the outset. Artificial intelligence, or "A.I.," has many common uses including self-driving vehicles, fraud detection by your bank and facial recognition. And don't forget that our friends, Alexa and Siri, are complete products of artificial intelligence. But, for now, let's talk about the kind of A.I....
Randy Bare can often be found sitting on a bench next to the community-built dog companion memorial with his dog, Mia, at Coot Lake in Gunbarrel. Many refer to him as "the mayor of Coot Lake." Bare knows most of the dogs that enjoy Coot Lake and many of their owners/guardians. Coot Lake and the trail surrounding it is well known as dog friendly, beautiful, and accessible. Located on 63rd Street between the Diagonal and Monarch Road across from IBM, it is enjoyed as a "dog playground." Bare, a...
Mountain View Fire Rescue recently announced that the full service fire department will be moving its headquarters from Longmont to Niwot. In anticipation of the move, Mountain View Fire Rescue acquired the office building located at 6328 Monarch Park Place near Niwot. The building has hosted offices for both Crocs and Lucky's Market in the past. Following renovations, the new headquarters will support the department's Administrative, Training, Wildland, Operations, Wellness and Logistics...
Ok. For some reason, lately the subject of haircuts keeps coming up in conversation. Maybe because spring is springing, we all want to spruce up a bit. Often the topic revolves around the rising cost of getting shorn. Add color to the mix, and you can pay a lot more than an average car payment. People spend some big money on their hair. A woman's haircut used to be about $30. Now, it can be as high as $250. For just a cut. Add color and you might be in the $400+ range. Plus tip. Don't get me...
Boulder Valley School District (BVSD) has been experiencing declining enrollment since 2018, a decline exacerbated by the Covid pandemic. One of the schools most notably affected is Heatherwood Elementary School, which has approximately 226 enrolled students as of Oct. 1, 2023. Heatherwood is running at just above 40% of its 500-student capacity. To address declining enrollment throughout the district, BVSD has implemented a long range planning process, an "Enrollment Advisory Phase" and a...
Ok. It's that time of year again. You know what I am talking about. No, I don't mean Daylight Savings Time even though that is always worth a discussion. I am talking about that other "spring-ahead" event this time of year. You know what I mean. As the weather warms, robins hop around your yard, crocuses appear and the air smells irresistibly fresh. If you are like me, you can't stop yourself from throwing open the windows and giving in to the urge to do a little spring cleaning. Just to be...
Ok. When was the last time you went out to play? I don't mean the last time you went out to a play. I mean like when we were kids. We used to go out to play in the morning and come home for dinner. A day of play. Every day. Neighbor kids would ring the doorbell and ask, "Can Joey come out to play?" When was the last time a friend of yours called to ask you to come out to play? I bet it has been a long time. "Play" has taken on a whole new meaning as an adult. Swimming or skiing used to be...
Ok. We have all misplaced something at times. Well, some might say "lost" something. One term is just more hopeful than the other. You can't find your keys. You can't find your wallet. You can't find your purse. But are they really "lost," or are they just not yet "found?" Recently, I couldn't find my glasses. I knew I had them the night before. I looked in the car, both under the seats and between the seats. I emptied my purse three times. I looked in every room and retraced my steps. It was...
Ok. Three of my siblings just went to the Sphere in Las Vegas to see U2. They all agreed it was an incredible show. And as good as it was to see Bono, the star of the show was the Sphere. Interestingly the demographics looked to be people between the ages of 35 and 70. Think about it. U2 was formed in 1976 and the band had its heyday in the 80s. Still, 40 years later, they pack the Sphere night after night, with seating for 18,600 people (older people don't stand or it would hold 20,000). The...
Ok. Snow laid a thick coat over Niwot this last weekend and reminded me of the excitement of "snow days." Whatever happened to "snow days?" Remember those days when you would wake up to a blanket of snow and listen to the radio or watch the T.V. at 6:00 a.m. for "school closures?" We would huddle in the darkness of dawn desperately hoping they would name our school. We waited to know if we had to go get ready for school. We would cheer when we came to "St. Vrain Valley Schools." Sadly, that...
Ok. I consider myself a pro at supermarket shopping. I started "going to the store" for my mom since I could drive. Things have changed since then. I recently went to the market and after frantically trying to find that particular chocolate brownie Quest bar my husband likes, the special kale and avocados my daughter prefers, and a jar of tahini so I don't have to make it myself, I was inevitability faced with the dilemma of how to check out and still make my dental appointment on time. So, I...
Ok. I have a friend whose primary language is not English. Sometimes she will ask me to explain something she heard that just doesn’t make any sense to her. For example, she recently asked me what “long in the tooth” means. She couldn’t figure out why someone thought long teeth were either an appropriate thing to comment upon or that it had anything to do with anything. Of course, I responded by telling her to get off her high horse and look it up. Well, needless to say, that didn’t go swimmi...
OK. We have all seen the 1937 Disney animated movie “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” Or have we? My son says he has never seen it, but I assure you, he has. I grew up going to the movie theater whenever “Snow White” was showing, with great excitement. It may not be “Avatar,” but it was a breakthrough miracle of animation in its time. Of course, I related to Snow White, the beautiful housekeeper who happens to be a princess. She was beautiful, could sing with the birds, had an Evil Queen stepm...
Ok. January looms ahead. Is it just me, or does it feel like January is the longest month of the year? After all the hoopla of the holidays, January tends to be pretty quiet. You have pushed the reset button on the year and now it's time to get your life back to "normal." The visitors have left, your kitchen is relatively back in order and aside from Martin Luther King Day, not much to look forward to. I like to have something to look forward to on the calendar. And I have nothing on the...
This week’s casserole submission comes from Leni Checkas. It is a vegetarian take on the classic tuna casserole. Enjoy! Next week we will feature your best hot toddy or mulled wine recipes fit for cold January evenings. Send your recipe to [email protected]@lhvc.com Mock Tuna-Noodle Casserole Mock Tuna Ingredients ½ cup chickpea flour 2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast ¾ tsp salt ¼ tsp pepper 2 Tablespoons olive oil 2 tsp lemon juice ½ cup water ½ cup chickpeas, cooked 1 tsp vegan fish oil (optional; see notes) Casserole Ingred...
Ok. 2023 is just about over and 2024 is patiently waiting to arrive. It is the time of year usually set aside for reflection. At the same time, it is the time of year when we are pretty exhausted from the holidays. The week between Christmas and New Year's is when work is slow, visitors start to leave, and the house is a mess. In other words, you are out of your routine and don't really know what to do with yourself. I am not sure that this is the optimal time to be making new year's...
The theme for the week is New Year's celebrations. So we asked our readers for white cookie recipes and festive new year's cocktail recipes. As usual, they did not disappoint. We received recipes for Russian Tea Cakes, Italian Christmas cookies, Mexican wedding cookies, and German Lebkuchen. Who knew how many New Year's cocktails there are? Here are our top picks: Russian Tea Cakes Ingredients 1-½ cups butter 3 cups powdered sugar 1 egg yolk 1 tsp. vanilla ½ cup chopped pecans...
Gunbarrel residents met at the Niwot United Methodist Church on Lookout Road on Dec. 17 to discuss the "Tennis Center of the Rockies" proposed to be built at 5701 N. 79th Street in unincorporated Boulder County. The 19.73-acre property is located just north of Lookout Road on the west side of 79th Street adjacent to the Church of the Lookout (formerly Vinelife Church). That area is sometimes referred to as "Gunbarrel Hill." A Planning Application dated Nov. 22, 2023, and filed Dec. 5, 2023, for...
Let's talk about gift giving. 'Tis the season, after all. But, whether it's Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, a birthday, a baby shower, or a wedding, gift giving can be fraught with peril. Gift choices seem to fall into two camps: Easy and hard. When offered a gift registry, it is easy. You simply look at the price point, the category and decide. Help for a honeymoon? Part of a $1000 stroller? Or a cookie sheet. You know it will be welcome and the recipient will be pleased because, well, they...
Ok. We are in the middle of that hectic time between Thanksgiving and New Year's where the vast number of tasks staring at you can be overwhelming. Tasks in addition to your normal life's tasks. It doesn't help anxiety levels when everywhere you go, someone asks, "So, are you ready for Christmas?" Do I look ready for Christmas? My hair is standing on end, and I have twenty notes with Christmas present ideas falling out of my purse. Let's streamline the process a bit. What makes the holiday...
