Two seasons at Peebles Island State Park

Last summer, my sister Julie came to visit us before Olivia was born. We weren't able to do too much because I was so pregnant, but we did take her on several outings throughout upstate New York. On my due date, I decided we should go on a nature hike to try and get labor going. We went through my stack of day trip brochures and found one on Peebles Island State Park. It looked like it would be the perfect place for enjoying river views and having a picnic. It's also only about 20 minutes from Albany. The park is situated where the Mohawk River meets the Hudson and the scenery is spectacular. In July, the sun was really hot and the humidity was intense. We found a path down to the river so we could cool off. We discovered that it was actually really shallow, so Julie and Adam walked out quite a ways. Gavin and I watched, while throwing rocks into the water and soaking our feet. It was a great outing, but I had sort of forgotten about it until Adam mentioned it might be a great place for a winter hike.

Over the weekend, we got another foot of snow. This weather is starting to get depressing, but we made the most of it by getting outside. We decided to go check out Peebles Island again and invited our friend Toyin to join us. The views were even more impressive than our previous visit. The trees were heavily coated in fresh snow, which created archways to walk under. We have invited Toyin and her husband to join us out hiking many times this winter, but they have opted to enjoy the comfort of their heated home instead. I don't think Toyin expected it to be so beautiful. She said, "The next time you invite me to go hiking, and I say I'd rather stay in bed, please remind me of this day!" It was only a two hour hike, but I can say with confidence that it made all of our weekends. Sometimes you just have to leave your house to realize what all of the seasons have to offer. We now have two completely different memories of this park. I thought I'd include pictures from both hikes so you can see how much the landscape varies from season to season.

Peebles Island State Park, July 2010

Had to throw in a "big mama" photo- this was 5 days before Olivia was born

Julie and Adam wading in the river

Beautiful summer day

Peebles Island State Park, February 2011

Toyin and Gavin

Toyin making her way through the winter wonderland

Olivia is here! So much has changed since July!

Appreciating winter, while forcing spring

Spring is a little less than a month out and I am getting anxious. While I really do enjoy winters in the northeast, by the end of February I am ready to be warm. I am more than ready to see color outside. We have had snow on the ground for nearly two months. It's no longer that pretty, fluffy snow. That snow has become crusty and covered in filth kicked up by cars and snowplows. I am ready for it to melt completely and for the trees to bloom. As March gets closer, I am beginning to make plans for my gardens. I have been flipping through magazines and drawing up plans. While I was reading last month's issue of Better Homes and Gardens, I came across a couple of ideas. (If you don't subscribe to this mag, it's a great deal at $5.99 for 12 issues- it is packed with great information and not very many ads) Anyhow, one of the ideas was to make bouquets from branches that have berries on them. The other idea was to force branches to bloom inside for an early spring. I decided to try both. I have been using foliage from shrubs to compliment summer bouquets for a while, but hadn't thought to make a "winter bouquet." I really like how mine turned out. It's very simple, but appropriate. I do not have many evergreen plants in my yard. The ones I have planted over the past two years are still too young to take clippings from. My guess is that my Pacific Northwest readers have plenty of excellent shrubs in their yards to create stunning winter bouquets. Still, my bouquet is very New England and makes me happy. *PS- Pottery Barn would probably charge $20 for a similar arrangement.

Meanwhile, I clipped branches from some of my favorite flowering shrubs and trees. The article instructs you to immediately put them in a pail of water. Then, place the branches in the shower and soak them for a few minutes. Then, you wrap the branches in plastic and move the bucket to a cool and dimly lit place (mine are in our fabulously rustic basement) until the buds swell. This step can take a few days to a few weeks. Once the buds are ready to pop, you put the branches in a big vase. We shall see... I am four days into this experiment and see only a couple of buds. I will follow up in a couple of weeks to let you know how it turns out! It's a fun way to get through this transitional period of exhausting winter and welcoming spring. We are going to get out for another winter hike over the weekend. Maybe I'll find some cool branches to bring home...

Cooperstown: A Visit to the Baseball Hall of Fame

Last weekend we headed over to the town of Cooperstown to visit the Baseball Hall of Fame. Adam had it on his list of things to do and we live relatively nearby, so we decided to check it out. Cooperstown is about 90 minutes west of Albany, located at the foothills of the northern Catskill Mountains. It's a small town, population just over 2000. Its slogan is "big city excitement, with small town charm." I don't know about the big city excitement, but it definitely delivers small town charm. The buildings and houses are all beautiful colonials. There is one traffic light through Main Street and all of the shops and cafes are baseball themed. We had lunch at Double Day Cafe, which was actually a pretty good place for a burger and a beer (or a coke, or a glass of milk). After lunch, we walked over to the Hall of Fame. It is a really cool museum, and I'm not even a fan of baseball. After visiting and seeing all the memorabilia, I definitely have a greater appreciation for the tradition of the game. I especially enjoyed seeing the collection of uniforms- I just can't believe they wore knit sweaters originally. I know- leave it to me to pay attention to the clothing instead of the baseball statistics! Hey, just pointing out that there is something for everybody!

After visiting the museum, we made our way through a mini-blizzard to check out Glimmerglass State Park for some snowshoeing. It was a further drive than we anticipated, and by the time we arrived, both kids were asleep. Everybody knows- you never wake a sleeping baby and you definitely don't wake a little boy who tends to get carsick. So, we snapped a few pictures and drove home. It was another fun outing through Upstate NY. Cooperstown has their own baseball team that plays at the original Double Day Field- might be a fun thing to check out in the future. Here are some photos, enjoy!

Main Street, Cooperstown, NY

Outside the Hall of Fame

Covered Bridge at Glimmerglass State Park

Life with Olivia at 7 months

Little miss is 7 months old now. Her hair is beginning to come in and we're debating whether she'll be blonde or brunette. We still can't tell what color eyes she has- they are very dark. Sometimes they look green and other times they look blue. Olivia is getting so big and is chattering like crazy. We have taken to calling her our evil genius. She has a way of causing trouble. She likes to pinch at our skin and seems to think it's funny that it hurts. When we try to catch her rolling around on video, she sits still. Yet, when nobody is looking, she'll roll over and destroy the puzzle that Gavin is working on.

She is still not sleeping very well. Some nights are better than others. Just when I think we're turning the corner, she'll have a night where she is up four times. It's frustrating. But, aside from the sleeping issues, she really is an easy baby. She has a playful personality and continues to wear a big grin on her face. Gavin loves to play with her. They have their own little games where he shows her all the toys and she grabs them from him. He can't wait for her to get bigger so she can play in his bedroom. There is something really sweet about witnessing their interactions.

Liv is starting to scoot herself around but isn't crawling. I have a feeling that once she attempts it, she'll get it. I'm starting to think about what we'll need to do to get this place babyproof again. Amazing how time flies. It doesn't seem that long ago that I was writing similar things about Gavin. We moved to Albany when Gavin was 9 months old - crazy to think that not only is he almost 3 1/2, but we have a 7 month old too! Here are a few pictures of our evil genius from the past month.

Hello Chicken- Let me cook you right! Review of Coriander Chicken and Fennel Tostadas

Over the past weekend, I realized that I have been in a serious culinary rut. So, I decided to mix things up and start selecting three new recipes each week. This is not that difficult- you'd gasp if you saw how many magazines I subscribe to. I also have a ridiculous cookbook fetish and the list of food blogs I follow is constantly growing. It's just a matter of stepping outside my comfort zone and executing. Viva! Or whatever...

On Saturday, I selected my three recipes and made out my shopping list. I did not anticipate blogging about any of these recipes, just simply listing the successful ones to the sidebar on the right. However, tonight's recipe was worthy of a blog post. I found the recipe for Coriander Chicken Tostadas with Refried Beans and Grilled Fennel in January's issue of Bon Appetit. We love Mexican food around here so this one caught my attention. I am making an effort to bring more vegetables into our diet and thought this was an interesting use of fennel. The recipe comes from Sue Torres, owner of Suenos restaurant in Manhattan. In the introduction to the recipe, she makes a commentary about how people constantly overcook chicken breasts in fear of salmonella. I am guilty of this, so I decided to follow her instructions and use an instant read thermometer, cooking the chicken to exactly 165 degrees. The result was moist and flavorful chicken. I had respected my chicken by not drying it out! It's amazing how the simplest adjustment to method can take one's cooking up several notches.

Now, to the specifics of the recipe- the flavor combination of the coriander rubbed chicken, the pinto bean puree with cumin and chipotle peppers, and the grilled fennel is subtly addictive. Coriander* really is a lovely seasoning for chicken, as she states in the recipe. It would work nicely in a salad. I really wasn't sure how fennel was going to taste on a tostada, but it had a nice texture and mild sweetness. The meal took me about 45 minutes to prepare, which included me frying up corn tortillas to use for the tostada shells. We served them with shredded iceberg lettuce, cilantro sprigs, and a little sour cream. Adam added a little shredded cheese to his, but they honestly don't need it. I skipped the radishes, but might try them once gardening season rolls around. Anyhow, even if you don't want to try the recipe, click on the link and read her comments about cooking chicken- made a huge difference for me.

*I did not have coriander seeds, only ground coriander. It worked fine, but I suppose was lacking some texture that you'd get using crushed seeds.

Winter Walking

Yesterday's snow adventure was just a simple walk along the Hudson River. We decided to check out Schodack Island State Park, which is about 15 miles from Albany. It was not the most exciting park for hiking, although it'd be a great place to cross country ski. Still, it was nice to get outside and stretch our legs. The trail was very flat and the scenery was pretty. Winter walking is so peaceful- very quiet, not at all crowded, and the very best way to clear your mind. I love seeing how the landscape changes. In the dead of winter, the trees are bare and the river is partly frozen. While on these walks, it almost feels like we're living in a different time. It's just simple beauty.

On our way to the park, we saw this icebreaker on the Hudson... had a cool video to show  but had trouble uploading it. 

Chilly Chili

We are now over a month into winter and it is definitely cold here. Sunday night, the temperature was 19 degrees below zero! I'm not a big fan of that kind of cold. We have warmed up to the high 20s finally, which feels almost balmy. Because I love comfort food, this is my favorite season to cook. It's cozy and inviting. There are days when I never leave my house, except to maybe play with the kids outside. Instead, I like to curl up on my couch and go through cookbooks. My most recent purchase was the Clinton St. Baking Company Cookbook . This restaurant is located in the lower east side neighborhood of Manhattan. When my mom, Sarah, and Julie visited a while back, we walked quite a distance to get to this place and it was definitely worthwhile. Nearly two years later, I can remember what everyone ordered. My favorite was their award winning pancakes with maple butter, which Julie ordered. The restaurant has been featured on Throwdown with Bobby Flay, and luckily for all of us, they just released their cookbook. I purchased it for my mom for Christmas and then decided I needed a copy as well. I recently made an adaptation of their chili recipe. I only adapted it because I had already bought ingredients that didn't match up with the recipe exactly. The Clinton St recipe calls for ground turkey, chicken stock, crushed tomatoes, red bell pepper, and chipotle. Instead, I used ground beef, beef stock, whole tomatoes, and added chili beans in addition to the kidney beans. The recipe could easily be made vegetarian by using vegetable stock, more tomatoes, corn, and more bean variety, such as black beans. It's pretty spicy and warmed us all up after an afternoon of sledding. Enjoy!

Chilly Chili, adapted from Clinton St. Baking Co.

Ingredients:
Olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 medium carrots, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1lb ground beef
2 cups beef stock
1 28oz can whole plum tomatoes
2 cans chili beans, with ranchero sauce
1 can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 T chili powder
1/2 T garlic powder
1/2 T dried oregano
1/2 T cumin
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 bay leaves
2 shakes tabasco
1/2 T kosher salt
1/4 T black pepper

Method: Brown meat, until nearly cooked through, drain the fat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and the vegetables and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add spices, stock, tomatoes (which I crush a little by hand), and beans. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer on medium low for an hour.

Nor'easter Fun

The east coast has been getting hammered with storms this month. We have had nearly 2 feet of snow, maybe more. I'm not a very good judge of snow measurement. Anyhow, we have a lot! It has required a lot of shoveling and a lot of ice melt. But, for the most part, we are really enjoying ourselves. I put together a little video that captures all that we've been up to. It was interesting making this little movie because I spent quite some time looking for a song that conveyed the spirit of winter. Well, aside from holiday carols, most winter songs are extremely depressing. I finally found one that seemed fitting...

Warning: video might convince you to visit Albany in the winter.

Life with Olivia at 6 months

Olivia is now six months old and an absolute joy. She is one happy girl, always smiling! She still wants to be held or interacted with most times, but she is enjoying her jumperoo and other toys. I had forgotten how fun this age is- personality is in full effect. We are all enjoying getting to know her and figuring out what makes her laugh or smile.

She has been a mama's girl from day 1, but has really taken to Adam over the last month. She gets so excited when he gets home from work and if he doesn't come say hello immediately, she gets mad! It's very cute. Olivia is fascinated by Gavin and also her beagles. It's so fun to watch her take everything in. We just love our little gal!

Here are her 6 month stats and a few of my favorite pictures from the last month:
Weight: 17 lbs, 12 oz (75th percentile)
Height: 26.8 inches (76th percentile)
Sleeping Habits: Still up twice at night, but getting better.
Developmental skills: Sitting up supported and for short amounts of time without support. Rolling. Eating bananas and squash. Yum!

Winter in Albany

After traveling to the Pacific Northwest for the holidays, we are now settled back in Albany. Adam is back at work and the kids and I are getting back into our routine. January has welcomed us with six inches of snow. I absolutely love it. It is beautiful! Once the trees lose their leaves, our landscape turns drab. The snow just brightens it up. If it's going to be cold, we might as well have snow. Adam does not agree, as he hates shoveling. It's supposed to stay cold here, and another storm is heading our way on Wednesday. The only challenge is that because the temperature stays below freezing, the snow never melts. If we get too many storms, it becomes difficult to figure out where to put the snow from our driveway. In related news, Gavin was tossing Buzz Lightyear around in the snow and Buzz lost his hand. His hand is now buried somewhere in the backyard and could easily remain there until late March.

Adam is on a 24hr shift today. I just put the kids to bed after a fairly relaxing day. We played in the snow for a while and sat out on the porch. Every now and then, I start to freak out that they are growing too quickly. Gavin is so needy right now and even says, "Mommy, I need you, a lot." He puts up such a fight about bedtime and begs me not to leave his room. I have to remind myself that he will not always feel this way. Before I know it, he'll be kicking me out of his room, or pinning up a sign that says, "Keep out!" So, when he asks me to sing one more song or tell him one more story, I do it. He is manipulating me, but that's ok. At least he's not trying to borrow my car yet!

Well, that is about all that is going on. I sometimes struggle with what to write on here. But, I always come back to this blog's original purpose- to stay in touch and post consistently. So there you have it. I understand that the west coast is supposed to get some snow as well... enjoy it. Happy winter!