2015 Subaru Legacy road trip: Red Rock Canyon Open Space

/

Disclosure: I was provided a 2015 Subaru Legacy free for one week for review as part of the #SubaruLegacy blogger program. Opinions are my own.

As regular readers know, I once owned a 2015 Subary Legacy 3.6R Limited. For a week. As part of the #SubaruLegacy blogger program.

During that week, I had a fun-filled day with my friend Ruth, part of which included a road trip in the Subaru Legacy to Paint Mines Interpretive Park.

#SubaruLegacy Red Rock Canyon

What regular readers may not know is that at the end of that week, Jim and I took a road trip in the Subaru Legacy across town to Red Rock Canyon Open Space—one of the many...

Read More

2015 Subaru Legacy road trip: Paint Mines Interpretive Park

/

I was provided a 2015 Subaru Legacy free for one week for review as part of the #SubaruLegacy blogger program. Opinions are my own.

Last month, I had a sleek and chic sedan for a week. A 2015 Subaru Legacy 3.6R Limited, which I told you much about in this post right here.

During the week I had the Subaru Legacy, I visited a few places nearby that I'd never been to before despite having lived in the area for more than thirty years. One spot I toured: the Paint Mines Interpretive Park in Calhan, CO. My friend Ruth of Cranium Crunches—a devoted fan of minerals, gems, and geological wonders of any sort—was in town for a day and was delighted to sit back in the comfy passenger seat of the Legacy and head off to the Paint Mines with me.

The Paint Mines Interpretive Park is an overlooked gem of a place many folks in Colorado and beyond may not...

Read More

'The 50 States': 50 surprising facts from an engaging, trivia-stuffed, oversized tome

/

I've never been good at geography, not even United States geography. Those states beginning with vowels located in the center of the country trip me up every time.

I think part of my problem with geography not sticking in my brain is because it was never presented to me in a fun, memorable manner. A book I recently received free for review, though, is fun, is memorable, and is all about the 50 states—even those midwest ones that begin with I's and O's and are situated beneath and between two that begin with M.

The book is aptly titled The 50 States: Explore the U.S.A. with 50 fact-filled maps!, written and researched by Gabrielle Balkan and lavishly—and whimsically—illustrated by Sol Linero. This is the kind of book that encourages kids to learn and remember maps and more, the kind of book that makes a perfect family gift (and school report resource).

the 50 states 

In addition to colorful, informative front and back inside covers...

Read More

2015 Subaru Legacy 3.6R Limited: Out and about in a sleek, stylish sedan

/

I was provided a 2015 Subaru Legacy free for one week for review as part of the #SubaruLegacy blogger program. Opinions are my own.

subaru legacy

My friend Ruth, author and creator of CraniumCrunches.com, visited me for one day last month. It was perfect timing as I had just received a 2015 Subaru Legacy 3.6R Limited free for review as part of the #SubaruLegacy blogger program. The sleek sedan was the ideal vehicle for our day of adventure.

Ruth and I packed tons of fun into our time out and about together in the comfy car. We started off visiting—and walking—a labyrinth downtown...

subaru legacy 

Followed by a drive to the top of Palmer Park so I could treat Ruth to...

Read More

Kids and cameras: 9 tips for beginner photogs, from National Geographic Kids

/
Kids and cameras: 9 tips for beginner photogs, from National Geographic Kids

kids and cameras

As long as my grandsons have known me, I've had a camera in my hand more often than not. I may not be a pro, but taking photos is one of my favorite activities.

I like to think it's my penchant for taking pictures that encouraged my grandsons to enjoy using various cameras—from their kid camera to smartphones to my DSLR—for shooting shots around their place now and then. 

I'm pretty good about explaining to my grandsons the basics of using a camera, but as a true and untrained amateur photographer myself, I'm not the greatest at sharing with them sure-shot techniques for composition and more, in easy-to-understand snippets they'll understand and remember.

Enter National Geographic Kids book Guide To Photography by Nancy Honovich and National Geographic Photographer Annie Griffiths (which I...

Read More

The good and bad of a 2015 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Hard Rock arriving at my door

/

Last month a 2015 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Hard Rock was delivered to my door for review. I was excited as can be—until I realized it was a standard transmission.

jeep wrangler rubicon hard rock review 

Now, I can drive a standard. I learned to drive on a manual transmission. I haven't driven a standard transmission in decades, though, and I didn't want to practice...

Read More

6 best bits: West to Westcliffe and my week driving a 2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R Limited

/

The town of Westcliffe is one of my favorite spots in Colorado. My mom had property outside of town for quite a few years, and my husband and I used to take our daughters camping there a few times each summer for several summers in a row. Some of our most memorable family fun took place in Westcliffe, with the Sangre de Cristo mountain range providing a spectacular backdrop.

Though our favorite camping spot was sold many years ago, my family and I still enjoy the scenic trip west to the tiny town—where my dad now lives. Coming around the curve just before town and seeing the Sangres spread out before us never fails to take our breath away.

subaru outback sangre de cristos

The trip to Westcliffe, with its steep grades and twisty-turny pass through the...

Read More