2018
Happy winter from Colorado and welcome to our 14th annual Year in Photos! We hope this virtual greeting finds you all well. Despite starting 2018 with a lean snow season, followed by drought and wildfires, we are closing the year on a high note because the snow has returned and WE GOT ANOTHER PUPPY!
Feel free to comment at the bottom of the post and visit previous years listed in the sidebar.
The northern mountains of Colorado fared better than the rest of the state snow-wise and we took advantage of our below-average snowpack as much as we could. Jen in the backcountry, looking for turns. (January – Arapaho National Forest)
Jeremy enjoys a rare powder day at Eldora Mountain Resort. (February)
Catching a spring storm in Crested Butte. (March)
This year could have easily been called Fun with Fermentation! or The Magic of Microbes! Jen discovered the joys of homebrewing kombucha and baking sourdough breads. A bâtard, an épi de blé, and a roasted garlic, olive, rosemary, lemon zest, olive oil, and sea salt crown (boule).
Our neighborhood moose and her yearling make quick work of a neighbor’s aspens in Nederland. (April)
Jen finally found blonde morel mushrooms this spring! A lovely prize hiding in plain sight went into making this plate of handmade lobster morel agnolotti. (May)
Our summer monsoons never materialized to bring relief from the heat and unhealthy smoke from a relentless wildfire season. Hot winds whip up a yellow haze of pine pollen in Nederland, Colorado. (June)
In June, Jen noticed a shy puppy at RezDawg Rescue who had been waiting a while for her forever family to find her. We found her, fell in love with her, and brought her home. This is our sweet Yuki (means “snow”, “happiness”, or “courage” in Japanese) starting her life as a Colorado mountain dog. (July)
Yuki getting used to swimming and paddle boarding at Brainard Lake. (July)
Learning the scent of fresh porcini mushrooms in the backcountry. (July)
As it turns out, Yuki and Neva (aka Wingus and Dingus) help one another cope with their individual issues. Neva gives Yuki the confidence to be brave in this world while Yuki has a calming effect on Neva’s anxieties. A quiet moment in Crested Butte. (August)
Testing sleeping with two dogs in the tent overnight on our deck in Nederland. Neva shows Yuki the ways of hogging the sleeping bags and later stepping on the humans’ faces at 4 am. (September)
Building up Yuki’s hiking mileage in the Indian Peaks Wilderness. (September)
Colorado’s fall colors came on in a slow and steady burn. Admiring the glow under an aspen canopy in Crested Butte. (September)
Nature’s colorful display isn’t limited to the changing leaves. Nederland. (October)
With the arrival of early season snowfall, we were anxious to see if Yuki would live up to her name. She did! Adventure buddies at Lake Isabelle. (October)
Our pack in our happy place — in the mountains, in the snow. Indian Peaks Wilderness. (October)
Giving thanks. Crested Butte. (November)
Yuki prepares to experience her first Christmas. It’s old hat for Neva. Crested Butte. (December)
May your year ahead be filled with good health and much happiness!
with love,
Jen, Jeremy, Neva, and Yuki
Pssst! Yuki has a joke for you on The 2018 Cutting Room Floor.
December 24th, 2018 at 6:35 pm
May your year be filled with the same!
December 24th, 2018 at 7:10 pm
What an amazing year! Congratulations on your growing family! Merry merry, from one Jen Yu to another.
December 24th, 2018 at 7:33 pm
What a year! Wishing you and yours all the best for the new year x
December 24th, 2018 at 8:14 pm
As always, fabulous pictures of your amazing home. Feels like we’re there and can definitely feel the cold! :) It’s so great to follow your adventures with your growing family. You’re all beautiful and Happy Holidays to you four. Love you lots!
December 24th, 2018 at 8:22 pm
Thank you for another year of enhancing the lives of your faithful readers with such beauty, in so many forms! The photos, the storytelling, and of course the recipes…all so artfully presented. That Yuki…Loved the Joke. And the 2 of them on the deck is a perfect exemplification of a “pup tent”! :-)
December 24th, 2018 at 9:30 pm
Thank you so much for sharing these! I look forward to it every year! Happy Holidays to you and yours!
December 24th, 2018 at 10:30 pm
Beautiful pics as usual! Welcome Yuki!
December 25th, 2018 at 7:04 am
Love these photos & the highlights of your year! Also… “wingus and dingus” will never not make me cackle. ? Happy 2019 to you!!
December 25th, 2018 at 2:26 pm
Lovely photos as always. Merry Christmas!
December 25th, 2018 at 6:22 pm
What a lovely year. Thanks so much for sharing. Wishing you all of the best for 2019!
December 25th, 2018 at 11:32 pm
I always look forward to these updates from you guys and it looks like you had another beautiful year! Someday we’ll have to figure out a way to meet up when I’m out your way in summer. Thanks so much for sharing, and have a wonderful 2019!
December 26th, 2018 at 1:15 am
A native Denverite living in Brussels for years, your photos are wonderful to see! Now I need to try your recipes as well.
Thank you for the ‘taste of Colorado’ your photos give me.
December 26th, 2018 at 4:56 am
a talented photographer!
December 26th, 2018 at 10:33 am
May this be a stellar year for snow. Thank you for sharing your adventures with us. Enjoy the holidays and Happy New Year! xoxo, jill and tom
December 26th, 2018 at 11:43 am
Thanks for taking the time to post your pics. The bring a smile to my face every time
December 26th, 2018 at 12:01 pm
Thank you so much for your wonderful posts – the photos, recipes, news of the pups.
Wishing you everything of the best for 2019 with much joy and good health
December 26th, 2018 at 12:37 pm
always look forward and always enjoyed. would have viewed sooner if you send to my gmail account. happy new year!
December 26th, 2018 at 6:45 pm
Beautiful family, beautiful photos — wishing you and Jeremy a happy, healthy 2019!
December 27th, 2018 at 9:07 am
Always such a lovely walk through your year. Wonderful photos! Here’s hoping for a fantastic 2019! ❤️
December 27th, 2018 at 11:48 am
Love the photos. It seems you have gone from zone parenting to one on one defense approach with two pups. Two pups have about 3 times the mess but about 10 times the love. Very cool. So glad to see your smiling faces happy and healthy. Big hugs and belly rubs to all four of you :)
December 27th, 2018 at 8:55 pm
Gorgeous photos, as always. We miss you and Germany! Wish you both a great 2019.
January 3rd, 2019 at 10:17 am
Thanks for sharing your year with us in pictures. Wishing you continued health and happiness in 2019.
January 5th, 2019 at 7:54 am
LOVE LOVE LOVE your year in pics!!! So happy we got to see you both while in CB :))). Your food looks amazing as always! Best wishes for a healthy & blessed 2019 ?