Blizzard of '08?

I'm sticking to it: it's good to be back in RI. But 14 inches of snow? C'mon. I hope everyone is taking the snow in stride, and catching up on some reading. I am hooked on East of Eden by John Steinbeck. While working on trails in the desert we lived very close to Salinas, where Steinbeck grew up. I could not imagine farming this land! We learned that people needed to farm thousands of acres just to scrape by. A beautiful spot, and lots of neat birds, but the lands is bone dry.



This week me and mom took a ride to the Wintertime Farmer's Market in Pawtucket, RI. What a great time. The market is held in an old mill building and has vendors from RI and MA.



We picked up some fresh spinach, cheese from 'Gansett, and a pound of coffee (shade grown for the birds) that was roasted in the same warehouse. While at the market, aside from chatting with lots of interesting people, I learned of a new food co-op going up in the west end of Providence. I am excited to get involved! Here's a flyer for the farmers market.




Recently, I've taken a couple of trips to Boston to visit some old BU friends. A couple of weekends ago a few of us braved the cold to run in the 2nd annual Jingle Bell Run 5k. I won't lie, I've hiked around lots of California, but taking it from hiking pace to running wasn't as smooth a transition as it was in highschool. My old roomie Mark Foelster made it look too easy! The important thing: regardless of our finishing time, we all got sweet medals.


I hope everyone is staying warm and well during the snow. And if you are in warmer climates send some of it up this way.

First post/six months to go

Back in RI after 6 months in northern California working on hiking trails! I worked with 5 other recent college grads through a group called the Student Conservation Assocation (www.thesca.org). They were, needless to say, an amazing bunch, coming from all over and with varied interests. We created many memories while out on the trail: long hikes, bread baking tips and pumpkin carving among them. And we covered lots of ground, working trails from up in the hills of Humboldt County to the deserts (and dumps) of the Carrizo Plain National Monument.



It is good to be back on the east coast and near friends and family. Though we ate well while out on the trails, and sleeping on the ground became the norm, it has been easy to settle in at home and visit local italian institutions (ie. Mike's Kitchen of Cranston). I must admit, good food and strong coffee were simple adjustments, but daily showers will take some time to get used to.