33 Years Deserves Some Relaxation...and a Shit-Ton of Pictures, Apparently

Hugh and I celebrated our 33rd anniversary this weekend. Luckily, Hugh had a rare break from work and we were able to take advantage of it by booking a few days at a resort several hours from Petticoat Junction. 

The drive to the resort includes some of the most scenic views in our state, so we took our time, stopping in an historic mining town for lunch along the way. Hugh had eaten at a restaurant in the town earlier this summer while on an ambulance transfer in the area, so he was familiar with the menu. Specifically, he knew one of their signature desserts, which we definitely indulged in.

 

I had the French onion soup, which was really, really good, and then helped him devour that dessert.

After lunch, we walked the historic downtown area and then got back on the road, arriving at the Springs Resort just in time to check into our room, explore the resort, and grab dinner at a Mexican restaurant across the river from the resort. 

The view of the resort from across the river is spectacular and highlights how many hot spring pools surround the property.

Dinner was a true Mexican feast, and we were pleasantly stuffed before we went back to the resort to begin our relaxation journey with a good long soak in several of the warmer pools available in the adults-only section of the resort, including one situated in a naturally formed grotto that was outfitted with soft twinkle lights that mimicked starlight. Très romantique.

Following a good night's rest, we hit the resort for a full day of soaking in hot pools, plunging into cold pools (Hugh, anyway. I am not a fan of cold water and was content to watch from the comfort of a lounge chair in the sunshine), detoxing in the sauna, and generally wandering about in plush robes that made us look like we were patients in a mental institution (we may, or may not, have accidentally made it home with said robes but I will neither confirm nor deny).

One of my favorite features of the resort was the reflexology pathway, which was such a treat for my feet.

Hugh braved the coldest part of the resort, which was a pool in the actual river, which I was only able to tolerate up to my mid-thigh. No thank you, cold water. No thank you.

We had lunch on the property, as well as drinks., before taking a good long nap back in the room (the water really takes it out of you).

Before our nap, however, Hugh participated in a couple of the resort's activities, including the Warrior Plunge, which consists of soaking in one of the hotter pools (108 degrees) before standing under a waterfall feature that fluctuates between 74 and 112 degrees.

He also did an aromatherapy breathing activity back in the grotto, and I had to chuckle at how much he got into it. 33 years, who knew Hugh was a hippie at heart? Ha!

Dinner that night was in the main restaurant on the property. I had the roasted half chicken, which was cooked to perfection.

Saturday morning, we spent a few more hours in the pools before checking out of the resort and heading back to Petticoat Junction, stopping for lunch in the town of my Alma Mater. 

Lunch was at a food truck park, which was new to me, as it's been several years since I visited the city.

Our final indulgence of the trip was ice cream and a shake at a local ice cream parlor. 

Then, we finished the drive home, where we were greeted by a very grumpy cat who clearly thought he had been permanently abandoned by the assholes who are meant to answer his every beck and call.

So, back to normal life, if you will.

Recipes From the Porch: Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Muffins

It's been a hot minute since I posted a recipe, and today I have a really good one. It comes to us courtesy of the bountiful supply of sourdough discard I have at the moment and is a fine example of my willingness to bake almost anything with my sourdough starter, except for an actual loaf of bread.

Bread takes time, and I am more of an instant gratification type girlie. And these muffins? Instantly gratifying, you have my word on it.

Besides, who doesn't love a good muffin?

The ingredients:

Dry ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp corn starch

1 cup fresh blueberries*

Wet ingredients:

8 tbsp butter, melted and cooled

2 large eggs

1/2 cup sourdough starter, unfed

3 tbsp sour cream

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp lemon emulsion*

1-2 tbsp water

Crumb topping:

3 tbsp butter, melted and cooled

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup all purpose flour

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and grease a muffin tin (I use an extra-large muffin tin, but you can use a standard-sized pan).

Crumb topping:

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl, using a fork. Break up large crumbs, but don't make the crumbs too small. Crumble with your heart, if you will. Set aside.

Dry ingredients:

In a large bowl, mix together all dry ingredients, adding blueberries last. Toss blueberries in dry mixture to coat. Set aside.

Wet ingredients:

In a medium bowl, mix all wet ingredients except the water.

Batter:

Slowly combine wet ingredients into a large bowl of dry ingredients, mixing gently but thoroughly. Now add water, several teaspoons at a time, until the batter reaches your desired consistency.

Spoon batter into the muffin tin and gently press the crumb topping onto each muffin.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out cleanly when inserted into the center of the muffin.

Allow to cool. Store muffins at room temperature or eat those babies right away, like Hugh does.

*Lemon emulsion is thicker and more flavorful than lemon extract, and less sour than lemon juice, making it the perfect muffin flavoring. I buy my emulsions on Amazon, but you may sub in lemon extract or lemon zest, if you prefer.

*Frozen blueberries can beused in place of fresh, but I would make sure they were completely thawed before adding them to the dry ingredients.

Good Things Come to Those Who Wait...Eventually

Last September, around this same time, Hugh and I went to Home Depot to purchase a greenhouse kit that I had been asking for since roughly the Dawn of Time.

Ok, maybe not quite that long, but definitely since 2020-2021, when I decided that something I wanted was worth the expense, considering how much of our shared income Hugh had spent on four-wheelers and his side-by-side.

The kit came in about one hundred boxes, which sat in a stack in our backyard for six months until Hugh finally took pity on me and began assembling the structure late this spring.

For the record, I had stopped nagging him about the project months earlier, having jumped on what I have dubbed the "No Naggin' Bandwagon" because, frankly, I was tired.

 I'm still sitting high on the wagon, in case you were wondering.

Anyhoodle, I now have the Taj Mahal of greenhouses, so all is well that ends well, even if it takes six years.

The greenhouse has been a lifesaver for my sanity, given the issues I have had with rodents in the raised beds this year; not only have I grown a variety of tomatoes, peppers, and herbs, but I've sat in the warmth and silence beneath the glass and just...existed.

I highly recommend a greenhouse for the peace and tranquility, alone.

Ten out of ten, highly recommend.