Star Party in the Fort Collins Area on (NEW DATE!) January 22

UPDATE: JAN 15: Due to clouds over Waverly, the Star Party is postponed until next Sunday evening, January 22.

A few weeks ago, I renewed my interest in stargazing on a cold, clear Colorado night. I was frustrated at my ignorance of the constellations and overall lack of knowledge of the skyscape, so I was excited to hear that the Northern Colorado Astronomical Society is holding a Star Party in a few weeks-- on January 15 (January 22 if the weather is bad). Sponsored by the Waverly (CO) Community Group, the gathering meets at the Last Resort Equestrian Center, 851 County Road 70 at 6 PM. A potluck dinner and presentation kick off the evening, and at 7, telescopes will be available for all to view the night sky. What a great idea. If you're interested, here's the email for reservations, directions, and more information: luannlresort@aol.com. Hope to see you there.

"Gopher" A New Experience: Underground Hotels

Here's a quick share/post for Christmas Eve Eve. I love reading about unusual inns, hotels, and bed & Breakfasts. Ones reported to have ghosts, for example, or those located in strange or remote places. Well, here's an article from Gadling (Huffington Post blog) about 10 underground hotels. They look pretty cozy to me. Here's an example from the piece:

Woodlyn Park
Waitomo, New Zealand

Lord of the Rings fans will love this hobbit-inspired accommodation. Woodlyn Park includes 4 types of motels, including a plane motel, train motel, boat motel, and the underground hobbit motels that have circular windows poking up out of the ground. The rooms include a kitchen, bathroom, furnishings, and decor. While this is by no means a luxury hotel, it is a fun and unique accommodation option.

While I don't plan on visiting many of the countries listed in the article anytime soon, it's fun to think these quirky accommodations are out there.

Happy holidays to all, no matter what you celebrate--off to make pie crusts for the upcoming weekend of eating. Cheers.

Springerle Cookies--A Huge Success

Last month I blogged about the arduous task of making holiday springerle--ornate tea biscuits that date back to the 15th century. You may (or may not) recall that the recipe suggest keeping the baked cookies (which hold detailed relief designs from a special wooden mold) in a tin for at least three weeks so that the cookies can "cure." I promised I'd write after that time had passed to let people know how they turned out. Well, they are fabulous. Crunchy yet weirdly chewy, with that subtle lemon and anise flavor. Perfect with Earl Grey tea, and they're gorgeous. Some pics of the finished product:

Blogspot has been giving me some problems posting, but I think I have the bugs worked out now, so hopefully I'll be able to post the springerle recipe I used (I invented a recipe by combining 3 different ones) on food.com soon, and share the link to it here.

Happy holiday baking to everyone. I think I just surpassed the 300th cookie baked in our house last week.

Black Friday Shopping Alternatives

Every year, merchandisers ring in the holiday shopping season with "Black Friday" (day after Thanksgiving) deals and early morning shopping hours. Well, this year, they've already started with the "special" deals, and stores will open as early as Thanksgiving morning for the annual mad rush to the malls.

I have to admit, I avoid this yearly stampede. That doesn't mean I don't appreciate getting discounts and deals on holiday gifts. And of course, I share a lot of my art around the holidays! Even if you do enjoy the Black Friday experience, perhaps you'd like other ideas to fill out your gift list. Just a few--

• Consider shopping online. Many retailers with etail storefronts will be offering deals the Monday after Thanksgiving: "Cyber Monday." What could be more relaxing than surfing and shopping from home? Your gifts will be delivered right to your door, often with free shipping. Try the website http://www.naughtycodes.com/ to find discount codes for almost every store before you shop.
• Dover Books is a great idea for those who are on a tight budget but still want to give a meaningful gift. The high-quality books from this publisher include thrift editions of classics for under 5 dollars, great activity books for kids, and new, lavishly illustrated hard-cover collector's editions. Plus, you can search their extensive library (over 9,000 titles) online, from the comfort of your couch. Here's a wonderful coupon code, but it's good only until November 29: $20.00 off an order of 40.00 or more. Enter code: NOVE. (There's free shipping with any order of $50.00 or more.) Be sure to check out their holiday collection featuring Christmas classics from Dickens, coloring and sticker books for kids, and vintage wrapping papers.
• Shop local and shop small on Saturday, November 26--it's the official "Shop Small Business Day." In this tight economy, small shop owners are really feeling the pinch. Join the effort by making just one purchase from a small, independent business owner, whether online or in a brick-and-mortar store.
• Consider hand-crafted gifts this year. Everyone loves to add a new, handmade ornament to their collection (google "salt dough ornaments" and gather the kids around), and who doesn't love cookies at this time of year? Don't feel intimidated by fancy cut-out gingerbread men and ornately decorated sugar cookies; people like those simple-to-make chocolate chip cookies just as much.
• Give your time! Someone you know might be able to use a little help, such as dog-walking, babysitting, or house-sitting. Older friends could often use a hand with lawn mowing and debris removal. Younger people could benefit from your skills as a tutor. Writing your offer in a festive holiday card and affixing a bow to the envelope completes this gift.
• If you exchange gifts with family, co-workers, or a friendly group, remember that half the fun of presents is the unwrapping and the surprise. Most people we know have just about everything they need, so the the gift of the fun and unexpected is more important than the item. How about agreeing that all gifts in the exchange come from thrift stores or rummage sales? You'll be repurposing and recycling and the treasure hunt for truly unique presents will be more fun for you. And everyone will spend a fraction of what they would buying new. In many cases, thrift store operations benefit charities, like the Salvation Army and Goodwill, so your purchases will help these organizations as well.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. Whether you venture out with the masses this weekend or not, enjoy your friends, family, good food, and a little bit of relaxation. Keep in mind those you know who may be lonely this time of year. The gift of hospitality, of sharing your holiday with someone else, is the most precious gift of all. Is there someone you know who needs a last minute invitation to your dinner tomorrow?