Beaver Creek

Snow covered aspens

April at Beaver Creek.  Snow is falling and everything is white.  Even though warm weather is emerging, April is still filled with snow surprises.

Elderberry

Elderwhat?  That was my reaction to finding out that all those pesky dark purple berries that stained my deck every September growing on a dozen or so trees in my yard were actually an edible berry packed full of nutrition and medical promise.  Called elderberries or sambucus, I tasted a few against my husband's advice before I fully researched these little pencil eraser size edibles and they are not all that sweet by themselves.  You need to cook them with sugar to sweeten them so maybe they have drawbacks but they sure do grow plentifully and without pesticides and fertilizer here in Colorado.  They make excellent jams and jellies according to a variety of jelly/jam makers.


photo courtesy John Nyberg

Let's look at them from a nutritional perspective though.  According to the ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbence Capacity) scale that measures antioxidant power, blueberries have a very good ORAC rating of 6,552.  Elderberries have a super impressive ORAC score of 14,697! One cup of elderberries provide 52 mg / 87% of the RDA of Vitamin C.  Elderberries are also high in Vitamins A and B6.

According to a monograph I read at thorne.com, elderberry appears to have significant antiviral properties.  This monograph states that an Israeli virologist Madeleine Mumcuoglu, Ph.D. discovered that elderberry neutralizes the abilility of the influenza virus to replicate, thus shortening the life of the flu virus significantly. 

Elderberry has been around for ages.  It's nutritional and medicinal abilities somehow fell off the mainstream radar for awhile.  As I researched this shiny berry, there does seem to be a resurgence of favor towards it.  Fortunately you can now find elderberry through Nature's Way products available at your local health food store. 

Saturday at Stargazer Ranch - Loveland, CO

Open Barn?  Say no more.  I know, you feel the same way too.  This beautiful Colorado fall morning my husband Mark and I (lovers of all things agricultural) set off on our much awaited "Open Barn" day trip to the Stargazer Ranch in Loveland, CO.  We wanted to experience the feel of...yes...an alpaca farm.  You know, the animals you see on those commercials that show the white fluffy lamb like baby alpacas grazing in green meadows that beg you to leave behind corporate life for the simpler more peaceful pleasures of raising this fleeced livestock.  Well, we were taken by it and had to go check it out. We of course took our two year old grandson Noah on the outing.


Upon arriving, we were greeted by John who welcomed us and made us feel quite at home.  As we entered the grazing pasture, we met John's very hospitable wife Cindy.  I could tell within moments that I was going to enjoy my visit.  Many of the alpacas walk right up to you.  The urge to restrain your hand from reaching right out to pet the silky looking fleece is soundly defeated.  The feel of the fleece these oddly beautiful creatures possess is like petting butter.  You want to just hug it and then you remember you are hugging livestock.  Ok, pause.  The animals have fleece in colors ranging from pristine white to ebony black and all colors of beautiful brown in between.  As we walked through the pasture there were plenty of places to just sit and watch these interesting animals while enjoying the magnificent scenery.  These alpacas definitely have the life!  They live on twenty green acres and enjoy views of the Rocky Mountains every day!

During my visit with Cindy, she shares that she and her husband left the corporate world quite a few years ago to devote themselves to full time ranching.  They appear to have become quite successful at managing "the herd."  Cindy tells me that the genetics mapping of each alpaca is something that is just getting well established over the past few years.  This mapping gives breeders access to genetic history so they can breed animals with the most favorable traits which include things like fleece fineness. The alpaca produces a luxury fleece. The fleece of an alpaca is measured in microns and is sold by the ounce.  According to one alpaca association, "No other animal produces fiber that has the softness of cashmere, the luster of silk, the lightness of goose feathers, the durability of wool, and the warmth of a cozy fireplace. The alpaca has been domesticated (as versus its kin llama, which is primarily a work animal) and carefully bred for over 5,000 years as a luxury fiber-producing animal. Alpaca wool has been prized for centuries for its incredible combination of softness, lightness, and warmth."

Cindy and John also breed and sell alpacas.  Cindy shows me both the Suri alpacas that have shiny long fleece and the Huacaya that has a more sturdy, fluffy fleece.  Both are fine for spinning. 



Noah bonds with the animals.

We spent the better part of the morning at Stargazer Ranch and thoroughly enjoyed our visit.  We came away refreshed and with dreams of a more back to the land lifestyle and look forward to watching alpaca ranching grow.  Cindy and John were so knowledgeable and kind. For anyone interested in alpacas, they would be a "must know" couple.  Their Stargazer Ranch website is  http://www.alpaca.net/index.htm.  

Eagle's Nest - Conifer, CO

Eagle's Nest

Just returned from a R&R weekend stay at the Eagle's Nest atop Conifer Mountain in Conifer, CO.  To say that every detail of our stay was looked after is an understatement.  From the breakfast basket in the refrigerator to the chocolates on the tray on our bed to the flowers on the counter, my husband and I were pampered and cared for in the most hospitable way! 

Eagle's Nest

The Eagle's Nest could easily fall into the category of a lodge style B&B but without the official designation.  The host family is amazing.  The care was so exceptional and every detail thought of in advance.  The views were panoramic...you are 10,000' high on top of a mountain!  Views to Denver reveal city lights at night that are quite spectacular.  Views towards Pike's Peak are just plain and simple nature's majesty!

Morning above the clouds.

Prices are around $200 / night and well worth it!  You have your own fully epuipped suite,(approx. 800 sq. ft), complete with private bath, hot tub, big screen HD tv, wireless internet, stocked kitchen, king size bed with cozy down comforter and a private balcony for taking all of the view in at your leisure!

The Eagle's Nest is a former recording studio built inside a 5,500 square foot very nice lodge style home.  The artists quarters are now the very relaxing suite available for rental.  Check out their website at http://www.eaglesneststudio.com/.