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I’ll Take A Little Cheese With That Wine

It’s not uncommon for me to travel to a place and immediately feel some sort of connection to it. I guess I’m just weird like that. No matter where we end up my first order of business is to explore my surroundings. In a nutshell, that means locating the nearest Walmart and Hobby Lobby.

However, high priority falls on finding Chick-fil-A and the local ice cream shop because if there is anything I can’t live without it’s the “number seven” (without tomato and lettuce) and my weekly peanut butter and hot fudge shake, heavy on the whipped cream.

My second undertaking is to begin what I do best…Googling stuff.   Did I mention that I “Google” everything and that includes, but is not limited to, restaurants, local points of interest, scenic hiking trails, and those one-of-a-kind “must sees.” That’s how I stumbled upon one of my all-time favorite places ever…Ruidoso, New Mexico.

The name, Ruidoso (which means “noisy) not only rolls off the tongue sweetly and easily but it’s also fun to say out loud. It’s a village in New Mexico (more of a tourist town) nestled in the middle of the Sierra Blanca mountain range. Although it’s an hour and a half drive from our campground, we’ve never minded because the drive is not only scenic, with multiple mule deer and elk sightings,  it’s also extremely peaceful because the highway winds through the mountains and the view are breathtaking.

Despite having experienced it before, there are just some familiar places that touch your heart so much that you want to go back and relive it. Ruidoso is that for us. When our second wedding anniversary strolled around this past December neither Wes nor myself, had to think twice about where we wanted to spend it. It was unanimous.

Trying to find something we had never done before was going to be challenging but after a lot of discussions, we both realized we had NEVER been to a winery so I began searching. The Noisy Water Winery and Cellars had a high rating so we ended up giving it a go and it did not disappoint. In spite of not knowing what to expect, we found that there was more to wine and cheese tasting than we thought.

First, there were endless choices of cheese to sample and I was drawn to the “garlic” and “green chile” ones. I can honestly say that I have NEVER SEEN so many different kinds. I was at the point I couldn’t make a decision to save my life. However, Wes and I managed to select several and ordered an entire tray, with crackers, to snack on. I will say that it was the BEST cheese I have ever put in my mouth. You can even buy it by the pound and yes…yes we did!!

Sampling wine is not exactly what I expected, though. When you walk in the atmosphere is a little intimidating.  Against the wall, behind the counter, is a diverse collection of wines to choose from and to begin the tasting you select three flavors that you want to try.  They give you a brief rundown of the wines…dry, sweet, red, white, customer favorites, and seasonal. I picked three. My husband picked three. I didn’t think that the small amount they put in the glass would give me buzz but boy… was I wrong!

Looking back it might have been because all we had that day was CHEESE to eat. Regardless, it was a lot of fun and we made some fun memories at that winery. Just about every review I read was five stars and our experience at The Noisy Water Winery was every bit of that and more.

We finished the day window shopping on the main drag in town.  I even stopped in a hiking store and picked myself up a walking stick and some trail medallions.  That’s another blog in itself that I will save for later.

Ruidoso is very popular and if you are ever fortunate enough to see it first hand you will instantly know why.  It has personality and warmth…an unexpected country charm in the mountains of New Mexico.  There are snow skiing opportunities, as well as casinos (Inn of the Mountain Gods and Billy the Kid Casino) and Ruidoso even has horse racing…Ruidoso Downs Racetrack.   

If you’re into hiking,  which we are, there are countless trails that range from easy to hard with unforgettable sights that you won’t see just anywhere. 

For me, winter is a great time to be there because although December is a colder month, the quaint little hamlet is a winter wonderland and perfect for the Christmas season. 

More than just a tourist stop, Ruidoso, New Mexico is a little slice of heaven.    I’ll always go back to visit when I’m in the area.   I’ll always carry a piece of it in my heart when I head back home and have to say goodbye.

Until the next time, New Mexico…ADIOS AMIGO!

xoxoxo,

Kelly     

 

Who Knew That A Carmel Latte Could Be Medicine For A Lonely Soul

Whenever I am down in Springfield, Missouri I generally try and find a quiet, out of the way coffee shop to pass the time.  It’s especially inviting on rainy days when I need to slow life down a bit.  When I’m in town I try to make sure I have time to stop at some of my favorite spots.  Lifeway Christian Bookstore and  Barnes and Noble are on that “must stop at”  list.  However,  The Press Coffee and Juice Bar ranks at the very top.  It’s one of my best-loved places to frequent and if I’m needing to waste time you better believe that I’ll somehow find my way to a caramel latte  with extra whipped cream and a seat right by the window.

One of the reasons I love it so much is because of the atmosphere.  It’s low lighting and “windows for days”  ambiance keeps reeling me back for more.  The jazzy music playing quietly in the background, along with
having perfect access to the Farmer’s Market outside, makes it ideal for just chillaxin’.   People wander in and out for that quick cappuccino fix and it’s common to observe others intensely on their laptops doing the same as me…just hanging and doing whatever in a relaxed setting.

The food is also a favorite.  The Press has the most amazing basil mint lemonade!!!!  Oh my goodness…it’s the best!  However, my absolute favorite item on their menu is the Rice Quinoa Bowl!!!!!!!  Lawd, lawd!!!  I’ve tried both versions:  Slow Roasted Marinated Chicken and the Fresh Vegetable with a Kick (vegan).  Both are so yummy that I’ve tried to duplicate them myself but haven’t been able to crack that code.  I never knew what “quinoa” was, or even how to pronounce it, until Kirsten suggested one day that I try it.  Thank you, Daughter, because I’ve been hooked from the first bite.

The owner and the friendly staff is another reason I keep coming back.  The woman, who owns it, is extremely nice and always goes out of her way to strike up a conversation.  I have a lot of trouble making selections when I get to the counter but every question I have (which is often) I am met with an answer and usually a suggestion to try something new and so far I haven’t been disappointed.   Plus, it’s just a cute little place that almost feels like home…well sort of.

I had never been to a juice bar before and when my daughter suggested one day that we meet here for our Bible study I have to admit that I was a bit leary.  It was OUT of my comfort zone.  I’m glad I’ve got people in my life to PUSH me out of that “box” from time to time because the world is big and there are things to see besides my four walls.  If you ever make it to the south side of Springfield make sure you make the time to stop in and sit a spell with either a hot latte or that basil mint lemonade I was talking about.  You’ll be glad you did!!!!

Show some love today and give them a “like” on Facebook @ The Press Coffee & Juice Bar!!!!

Kelly 🙂

 

Raise your hand if you are tired of wearing layers of clothes! Raise your other hand if you’re so over being stuck inside and not being able to enjoy the sunshine and your shorts! I don’t know about you but here in the Midwest it’s been into the single digits and I, for one, am SICK OF IT. I love winter for about a day, right after the first snowfall, and then I’m done with all the frosty merriment and am anxiously awaiting

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Jeremiah 17:9 says “The heart is deceitful above all things and wicked.”  Proverbs 4:23 tell us to guard our heart.  “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”  However the world tells us to FOLLOW our hearts and do whatever we want, whenever we want.   As a human being, that is a lot to process because

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Stay The Course

Don’t let the fear of success or failure keep you from going after what you want. Having goals is healthy and pursuing them ignites a fire in us to stay the course and take the necessary steps to see them become real. For me, I have a checklist
I go through when I have a goal in mind that I’m want to pursue:

• Decide what it is that I want to do
• Pray about it to make sure it’s in God’s will for my life
• Patiently wait and listen for direction

Once I know where I’m headed I jump in with both feet and focus on my goal and work toward attaining it. I’m even a big believer in searching Pinterest for an inspirational quote or two to post on my refrigerator for added motivation.  It’s hard not to let outside influences or the fear of failure alter your course but you have to.   It’s a must to stay that course and adopt the “no quit” attitude. Take one day at a time. Take one step at a time.  However,  most importantly don’t give up! You can do whatever you set your mind to. Set your mind on achieving your goal and the success that comes with it.

Show some 💘 today,

Kelly 😃