Antietam National Battlefield: Hiking and History

Moving to Maryland, we were stepping right in the middle of American history. Getting onto the highway by our house there are signs to Gettysburg and Washington D.C.- it's everywhere here. Last weekend, we decided to take advantage of our location and hike the bloodiest battlefield of the Civil War- Antietam National Battlefield. 23,000 soldiers died in one day there in 1862. One day! Of course I didn't know about any of this before I Googled hiking trails... history has never been my strongest suit.

We took advantage of the free film and museum before we set out to give ourselves a brief overview of the events that took place. Then we were off with our lunch and water bottles in tow, ready for the long trek! Even if you're not a history buff, this place has gorgeous views all over.

The park has a driving tour that will take you all around the grounds, but if you're looking for exercise and nature you can get out and take a hike. There are many hiking trails on the grounds that are less than two miles, but we decided to do all of them- we were expecting eight miles! Here is a list of all the trails and a map of the grounds.

All around the grounds are monuments to the fallen soldiers as well as placards explaining a part of the battle. But I didn't seem to need any reading material, I had D to narrate what he thought the soldiers might have said...

And for some reason he loved the "war fencing" as he called it. Wants to put one in our next backyard.

As we were walking, we tried to imagine what be like to see rows of thousands of men with rifles marching towards you.  And 23,000 dead in one day? It's unfathomable in this day and age. I was baffled alone by how you would feed that many people. I guess we could have asked these guys:

No battlefield is complete without it's share of appropriately costumed fans. And did you notice the kid has a Batman costume on? Wrong era there, kiddo.

On the south side of the park, the hiking trails became more wooded as you walk along the river. There were some uphill climbs but for the most part it was easy terrain. We saw some canoes pass by while we were skipping rocks on the river (more like I was trying to skip rocks)- something else to check out!

I was just dying to see some animals all day long. I love seeing animals in the wild (and this includes a bunny in the backyard), I get so excited! All in all I saw 3 deer, a mockingbird, and 4 honey badgers. I mean, groundhogs. Score!

One of the most picturesque spots on the battlefield is the Burnside Bridge. It looks frozen in time. Unfortunately, it happens to be the home of a swarm of bees, so we ran across it. 

By the time we reached this tower, we were at mile 9 of our hike. There was no way I was going to climb those stairs- but it was pretty!

All in all it was a perfect day. The weather couldn't have been better- warm but with a cool breeze. We got great exercise with a 10 mile hike. Yes, TEN miles! If only those dang gnats hadn't been EVERYWHERE! We had to have swallowed/inhaled a hundred of those babies!

This definitely wont be the last time we go hiking- the next place we found has a waterfall! And if you're looking for exercise that isn't boring, get your boots on! We had a blast!

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Privacy Please: Our Quick Deck Makeover

One of the best features of our new house is the deck. It's spacious, comes right off the kitchen, and unlike a lot of decks in the area, it actually has stairs to the ground level for the pups. We spent the majority of Saturday basking in the great sunlight it gets which was all it took to convince us to invest in some privacy!

This is what you see when walking out the back door. I'm sure the neighbors are nice, but I really don't want to see their backyard- even if they have gotten rid of the piles of old furniture and the rusty 50 gallon drums.

When deciding how we were going to solve this little problem, we ran through a few ideas. The first was a row of tall potted evergreen trees- like this:

I was thinking a long, sleek, rectangular plantar to line one side of the deck. Of course, this idea was a little too costly and we probably aren't going to be in this house long so it wasn't ideal.

D's idea was to put up some lattice work.

Not really my style. And if we were installing it ourselves, it would have lovely unfinished edges I'm sure- we're not exactly equipped to do a project like this correctly. I want something nice to look at!

So, off we went to Lowes and we found the perfect solution- a privacy screen! It had a sleek look to it, matched some of our other furniture, and we can take it with us the next time we move. And the best part- it hides our neighbors perfectly! D attached it to the deck railing with some screws and wire so it wont go anywhere. He's so handy!

In addition to the privacy screen, we picked up a couple of black pots and trellises with clean lines. To climb up the trellis, some jasmine that will smell great when it blossoms and some trailing petunias and dusty miller to fill the bottom. They will provide us with some extra privacy and a pop of color.

To make the deck look more inviting, we arranged this little nook with all of the potted herbs and the rocking chair. Very cozy and it gets great sun for the plants. 

Here's the view from the back door after our little makeover:

The deck that once felt too big and exposed is starting to feel intimate and inviting- and after only purchasing a few items! Sorry, no before pictures- the neighbors were out in their yard when we were putting the screen up and I felt bad! 

The next task is to pot the tomatoes and peppers and put them along this rail. They will still get long days of sun and also provide more shading from the neighbors on the other side. Also, I think we're going to put a tall evergreen in the corner where the grill is so you don't have to see the neighbor behind us when you're standing at the kitchen sink.

Is it obvious that D and I came from the Midwest where backyard privacy is a given? Now this place is starting to feel like home!

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What's in Your Garden?

Oh, how I love spring. The days get longer, things are green again, and you can grow delicious things right in your back yard. This is what's growing on my back deck:

From Garden Trug I picked up some sweet basil, and lavender...

And some thyme and dill...

Also cilantro, Italian parsley and mint from Urban Garden...

Let's not forget the tarragon I got at the farmers' market:

  Little did I know, some of the herbs I planted last year were perennials!

The sage and chives came back in abundance, both bearing flowers. Did you know sage flowered?

And slowly, but surely the rosemary and oregano are making a comeback.

I'm debating also planting some meyer lemon trees. I never seem to have a lemon when I need one!

What's growing in your garden? Do you have any green thumb tips?

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Cherry Street Farmers' Market

What do you do with your Saturday mornings? If you haven't been to the Cherry Street Farmers' Market- set your alarm next weekend! This is well worth the early rise!

This was my first time to visit the farmers' market- I know, I know. But before entering the working world, I'm not sure I saw Saturdays before noon. Now, I am sure to make it a weekly habit! I recall the market in years past being located in a parking lot but now it has taken over Cherry Street itself. Blocking of through traffic every Saturday from 7-11am, the market now stretches multiple blocks. Way to go, Tulsa!

My expectations were far exceeded when I realized you could purchase almost all of your groceries from fresh, local sources right there on Cherry Street! I expected to see a lot of produce, but I was impressed by the vendors selling meats, eggs, cheeses and breads. Not to mention all of the herbs and plants! While you're doing your weekly shopping, don't forget to grab some breakfast- I saw plenty of people munching on breakfast burritos and other tasty treats.

The thing I loved most about the farmers' market is that there is no guessing what produce is in season- you're looking at it! This weekend it was mainly greens- arugula, fresh lettuce, cilantro, bok choy, mustard greens and Swiss chard. Radishes were also in abundance. Except for a small offering of strawberries, fruit did not make an appearance but I am looking forward to it!

I decided to pick up some items that I haven't tried in my kitchen along with some other tasty treats:

I finally was able to locate some tarragon plants! At $2.50 each, they were a great deal and I'm going to enjoy it in my chicken salad all season long.

Though many stalls had fresh radishes, only one offered French breakfast radishes. I'm quite unfamiliar with this root so I am looking forward to trying out some new dishes with these pretty things!

Oh creme fraiche... I have heard about it for so long yet have never tasted it or been able to track it down in Tulsa. But the folks at Wagon Creek Creamery  have changed that!

They may be a franchise, but Great Harvest Bread Co. makes a great loaf of bread! This High 5 Fiber was soft and tender and packed with nuts and seeds.

Last but not least, I could not resist the meat. Perfect for grilling are Cattle Tracks Beef onion garlic bratwurst- can't wait to fire up the grill. And the chorizo I got from Pork and Greens will make a tasty dish! Any suggestions on how I should use it?

Next weekend, do yourself a favor. Wake up early, grab your dogs and head down to Cherry Street to stroll the market. Beginning May 4th, the Brookside Farmers' Market will be open every Wednesday as well! I cannot wait to see what the season has in store!

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Snow Shoeing: City Girls Take On the Mountain

On a recent trip to Colorado to visit my dearest friend from college, Emily, we decided to get a little wild. We could spend our day tooling around the cute shops in Vail, lounging around fire pits and sipping hot toddies. Instead, we decided to go out of our comfort zone and go snow shoeing.

Note: No one was harmed in the making of this blog post. 

Neither of us had ever gone snow shoeing but we were excited to try something new. I was particularly glad it did not involve flying down a mountain at uncontrollable speeds (see: me skiing). Unprepared for this adventure, we put together some hodgepodge mountain get-ups and borrowed some snow shoes and poles. Unfortunately, Uggs do not fit in snow shoes so we went to the rental center to find a pair of boots.

After procuring the proper foot equipment and purchasing a lift ticket, we were ready to hit the slopes! On our way out the door, the man behind the counter asked if we knew how to actually put the show shoes on. Did we look that obvious? He gave us a quick demonstration- we hadn't exactly thought about that part yet!

Up the lift we went to McCoy Park at Beaver Creek- reserved for snow shoeing and cross country skiing.

At 10,000 feet elevation, we strapped on our shoes, careful not to chip our freshly manicured nails, and took off through the tree-lined path. We felt a little awkward at first but quickly got into a rhythm.

The trails were marked as they are for the ski slopes: green for easy, blue for intermediate, and black for don't even think about it. We mapped out our course and took off with confidence- all green trails of course!

It was fun to go a little off the beaten track and walk though the fresh snow- it really got your legs working! Going down hill, we thought snow shoeing was a piece of cake! We decided to park it on the slope of the mountain and enjoy the lunch we packed. We could not have had a better view!

We continued trekking down the mountain until we reached a gulch and had to start going back up. This was definitely a game changer! Our pace slowed as we climbed the narrow trail up the mountain. It didn't help that I kept slipping and stepping on the backs of my shoes. It's very hard to walk when you're doubled over laughing!

We looked back and saw the path we had made in the fresh powder- the sense of accomplishment was growing.

Just as we cleared the trees on the top of the mountain, we realized that we still had a lot of uphill trail to go. Em whipped out her iphone and put some tunes on speakerphone. There's nothing like The Devil Wears Prada soundtrack to keep your motivation up!

Normally, an incline like this wouldn't look so daunting. Add in snow and high altitude and it is quite challenging. We would power through about 10 yards only to stop and rest again- what a work out!

We finally made it back to the chair lift after two hours of hiking feeling exhausted but accomplished. Without a doubt, all the hard work was worth it!

After our workout, we needed to relax so we headed to the Ritz-Carlton at Beaver Creek and snagged the last two chairs around the fire pit that had a great mountain view. With a cold one in our hand, we enjoyed some live music and great people watching. This is the life! Can I do this every weekend?

Snow shoeing is a great alternative to skiing or snowboarding- give it a thought next time you're in the mountains. It's a great all-body work out and an experience you wont forget!

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Grown-Ups Have Snow Days, Too

I thought I would never see a snow day now that I am all grown up and have a big girl job. I mean, hospitals are always open! So when we got the prediction that there would be a blizzard rolling in Monday night, I was so prepared to dig myself out the next day that any Girl Scout would be proud.

And then I looked outside Tuesday morning. Snow. Wind. Buried Car. Bad news. And that piece of cardboard I had placed on my windshield to give me a head start? No where to be found.

There was no way I was going to be able to make it to work. I wasn't complaining-I very much enjoyed staying home and doing as I pleased. Except for the fact that it didn't pay anything.

The dogs enjoyed running laps in the backyard and getting covered in balls of snow for me to clean off.

This is as good of a picture I could capture of them- they never stayed still!

Most of the time, they were just wanting to come in from the cold!

When the snow stopped falling, I decided to get my snow gear on and start shoveling. I figured I'd be finished in the couple hours of daylight left, no problem!

And then I saw this:

And this:

And the worst- this:

With snow drifts above my knees, there was no way I was going to clear all that snow unless my neighbor happened to own a snow blower.

Adult snow days are far different than that of a kid. The latter is let off of school to make snow angels all day and get greeted with hot cocoa at the door. As a grown-up, you have to worry about making sure you have enough food, milk, and toilet paper to last your confinement. And you get to shovel snow.

That is exactly what I did today. For 5 hours. By myself.

And now my ski slope of a driveway looks more like a half-pipe:

So, tomorrow morning I will see if I can make it out of my street to work. I'm bringing my shovel just in case.

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