While I can’t believe it’s already August, looking back on July… it also felt like it lasted forever. Work has been particularly stressful this summer so it’s nice to look back on some of the more fun highlights.
One thing that S and I wanted to try to do more this summer was to take advantage of our grill and the subscription to Bon Appetit that randomly started showing up in our mailbox. We started bold with their Grilled Spiced Snapper with Mango and Red Onion Salad recipe.
So we invited a few friends over, grilled some fish and followed a charred grilled cabbage recipe for a side. It was such a great dinner! How’d we do?
A few days later S and I wanted to check out the new art installations at Green Mountain Falls. Check out my last post
about the Green Box Arts Festival that happens there each year and brings new amazing art to the small mountain town.
This year we were a little too late to go to any of the shows or performances but we did to check out the new art pieces including a huge musical swing set. Each swing plays a different note from an instrument that gets louder the higher you swing. As people swing together, the sounds create a melody. It’s such a cool piece by a group called Daily tous les jours, They describe it as “an exercise in musical cooperation.” So far it’s traveled to several cities across the country and Canada.
We also had to revisit Footprint in Green by Patrick Dougherty. It’s a living structure outdoors that somehow is still standing after a few years now.
After spending time with one of my newly engaged friends in Denver the following weekend, I was able to swing by my parents’ house and take our lil pug Hank for a quick dip in the pool.
The next weekend two of my friends and I miraculously had the same day off and were all in town. It had been a scorcher so far that month so we hung by the pool, went out to dinner and took a late night ride to the bars on the city’s new rental bikes they put downtown. They were too much fun, definitely worth the $2. I clearly need to work on my one handed bike riding skills…
Weirdly enough, that was the last clear weekend before crazy severe weather moved in. One week there was severe thunder storms, hail and flash flooding every single day. The first storm was especially bad. Even though it was July, it looked and felt like it was the middle of winter… except that’s not snow, it’s hail! Roads had to be closed because there were places where hail piled up inches high. Might have been the worst summer hail storm I’ve seen in person.
The final weekend of July was a very special one! It was my friend Matt’s 30th Birthday! S and I drove up to his homestead near the Rocky Mountains in the most ridiculous traffic and bizarre thunder storms. Fortunately the sun was shining by the time we got there.
Matt showed us some great additions he and Chris have made to the homestead like a new porch and a meditation trail they built that leads to a serene platform on a hill over looking the area. I was already obsessed with their property and it’s great to see it evolve each time I visit.
To help prepare for the party the next day, Matt and I wandered around collecting wildflowers to put in mason jars wrapped in twine… #Aesthetic.
The next day everyone was up bright and .. really.. really early to set up for Matt’s birthday. His sweet mom showed up with decorations and 500 side dishes. Chris made fresh herb burgers with parsley and some mint from their greenhouse. It was so wonderful to celebrate that milestone with him and his family.
The fish looks delish!!! And those musical swings AND PICS OF MY FAVORITE COUPLE!!! 😍😍😍
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Ooohhh THANK YOU for stopping by friend!! 😘😘😘 Miss you!!
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Awe what a wonderful month! SO many great and stunning pictures! I hope work gets better and that August is amazing for you hun! ❤
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Thank you!!
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Aaaah! The pug swimming is too cute! Lovely photos and post! 🙂
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Thank you! Hank is so adorable we just couldn’t help ourselves. He doesn’t necessarily hate swimming…but he’s not really amused by it either haha
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Looks like you’ve been having a blast this summer!
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What a great July. You guys must be having a real hot Summer for Hank to have a swim!
Enjoy 🙂
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It has been hot! Although -full transparency- he did have a little help getting into the pool though haha
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😆
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Firstly, that snapper looks amazing! And how do you char grill cabbage!? That sounds awesome! And the art piece with the swinging music is freaking awesome!? I love the whole idea of this serene mountain place and there are these amazing art installations, I could die happy in such an ethereal feeling! The new addition to Chris and Matt’s homestead is so bohemian and coool, urgh, I hope one day I get to invite my friends over like that too! You’ve had such a lovely July! Here’s to an even better August! Hope you’ll post more about your work life too? I’m really curious! ❤
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Thanks for reading!! So, chargrilling cabbage is kinda a game changer! You take a head of purple cabbage, cut it in half- and cut each half into smaller wedges… rub with olive oil, salt and pepper and grill it like you would with meat on each side and it’s so goood! At my job the assignments I go to are often serious or sad (another reason why I started my blog, to be able to write about happier things!) BUT maybe I’ll do a post in the future about my work life in general :]
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Thats so cool! I’ve heard of grilled romaine but not purple cabbage! Oh wow, that only piques my interest even more actually! But I understand if you want to keep your blog separate! HOPEFULLY (:
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So first, that fish looked chef-prepared. It looked so good. The swing set idea is great. I’d like to try it. I’m sure my music will be slow, soft and cautious. “S” playing hide and go seek. Hehehe! Say Happy Birthday to Matt from me! His home looks beautiful. You need to have him as your guest writer next time. Tell us about life where he lives. Glad you had a fun time during this long hot month of the year.
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He has his own blog that I keep bugging him to write in! He hasn’t in a while though.. Their home is so cool! The swings are staying until Sept if you guys wanna come visit!
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That grilled fish looks so fancy! The teeth are a little creepy though lol but it’s still cool looking. That porch and little trail are very nice. It looks like such a relaxing place.
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Haha! Yea the little teeth were definitely the creepiest part. Thanks for reading!
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You are certainly enjoying your Summer! That musical swing set is so cool. It must have been such fun to try. Can’t get over that hail storm though. How crazy… and in July no less! I wish you a few more weeks of summer fun before the chills set in.
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