After an unfortunately dry winter, El Paso County is once again likely to be at high risk of fire over the summer. In a drought environment like ours, it’s important to be prepared for the possibility of fire evacuation. Below is an evacuation checklist to help you know what to expect in the worst-case scenario. You can also download it as a PDF here.
Keep in mind that during times of particularly high fire danger, it’s a good idea to have your go bag ready before a fire starts or an evacuation notice is issued.
Another thing that can be extremely helpful here in Colorado is advance fire mitigation. If you have trees with low-hanging branches on your property, trimming those low branches will make it more difficult for fire to overtake the whole tree. Similarly, any dead trees or shrubbery should be removed. If you need referrals for yard services, don’t hesitate to leave a comment and I’ll be happy to give recommendations.
If you’re looking for something to do with the kids for Easter, here are a few events happening around Colorado Springs from April 9th through the 16th. Click the event titles for more information.
Sunday, April 10th, 2022 at Metcalf Park, 618 E Ohio Avenue
A free event featuring an Easter egg hunt, the Easter Bunny, live music, food trucks, bounce houses, and more. You can also register for a chance to win one of three prize giveaways. The event runs from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. If you can’t make this one, they’re hosting another on the 16th at the Glen (details farther down this list).
Saturday, April 16th, 2022 at the Garden, 401 South Nevada Avenue
Lil’ Miss Story Hour is hosting an Easter egg hunt, silent auction, and story time. The egg hunt (which includes a pair of bunny ears and some treats for participants) costs $15 and features tiered age groups so the younger kiddos can get a head start. The silent auction runs during the egg hunt. Afterward, the story time is free. Masks are required at this event and tickets need to be purchased in advance.
Saturday, April 16th, 2022 at the Glen at Widefield, 7822 Dutch Loop
A free event featuring an Easter egg hunt, the Easter Bunny, live music, food trucks, bounce houses, and more. You can also register for a chance to win one of three prize giveaways. The event runs from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 16th, 2022 at the Colorado Springs Flea Market, 5225 E Platte Avenue
Admittance to the Colorado Springs Flea Market is $2 for adults and free for kids 12 and under. They’re open every weekend, but April 16th promises extra family fun, candy, and activities. The flea market currently encourages visitors to wear masks.
Spring is almost here, and with it comes an opportunity to pull out the vinegar and baking soda and do some spring cleaning.
If the idea sounds daunting, I sympathize. It’s been a tough couple of years. Who has the time or energy for deep cleaning the entire house?
However, if you’re already feeling overwhelmed, that’s a great reason to pull on some rubber gloves and get scrubbing. Research shows that there’s a connection between cleaning and good mental health. According to this article, benefits of cleaning include improved physical health, a sense of control over one’s surroundings, improved mood, and increased focus.
If you want to shake off the winter blues or restore a sense of peace in your life, a deep clean may be the way to go.
To make the task less daunting, consider using a checklist to help you work through the house. Here’s an article with several checklists to choose from.
Finally, a few ideas to make spring cleaning more approachable:
Clean at your own pace. If working through the whole checklist in a weekend is too much, space it out.
Try turning spring cleaning into an opportunity for mindfulness. This can provide even more of a boost to your mental health and keep cleaning from feeling like a chore.
Recruit your spouse and/or kids to help out. If everybody shares in the work, everybody feels the positive benefits.
Outsource tasks that are too big, time-consuming, or require specialized equipment. For example: cleaning out gutters, power washing siding, and shampooing carpets. I’m always happy to recommend home care services in the Colorado Springs area, so if you need suggestions for any of the above, please leave a comment.
Just because it’s cold doesn’t mean we can’t get outside and enjoy our beautiful state. If you’re feeling confined to the house this winter, consider bundling up and getting some fresh mountain air. Below are some activity suggestions. See what intrigues you!
Skiing
First and foremost, Colorado is known for its excellent skiing. Check out this list of 17 ski resorts to give you some ideas for planning your next ski trip. The article even includes helpful tips, such as which resorts are the most beginner-friendly, which have the best lifts, and which one offers complimentary chocolate chip cookies.
Snowshoeing
If you’re looking for a more meditative experience, why not give snowshoeing a try? Here’s a list of 10 great places to snowshoe in Colorado. If you don’t have snowshoes, rentals are available from places like Routes Outfitter and Pikes Peak Outfitter.
Hiking
Finally, if you’re looking for a more budget-friendly option, consider winter hiking. Here are 20 fantastic winter hikes to choose from, organized by difficulty. With our comparatively mild weather this season, a lot of these trails probably won’t have as much snow to contend with, making them easier to access and hike.
Whether you’re a master outdoorsman or looking to learn something new, now is the perfect time to begin planning your winter adventures. So grab a thermos of your favorite hot drink, bundle up, and have fun out there!
Here in El Paso County, we’re blessed with the large and hardworking Pikes Peak Library District. They provide patrons with everything from books to yoga classes to state-of-the-art technology. A lot of people think of libraries as dusty old crypts. I don’t know if those sorts of libraries still exist, but PPLD is not one of them.
There are so many wonderful services available for free to library card holders, but the service I want to highlight today is the Pikes Peak Culture Pass. This program lets patrons visit various museums and cultural institutions throughout the Pikes Peak region for free*. Locations currently in partnership with PPLD include:
The Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center
The Money Museum
ProRodeo Hall of Fame
Rock Ledge Ranch
The Space Foundation Discovery Center
The Western Museum of Mining and Industry
Glen Eyrie Castle
* Note that the number of people admitted per pass varies by location.
If the cold weather has you and your family anxious to get out of the house and have some fun–without breaking the bank–the Pikes Peak Culture Pass is an excellent way to see what Colorado Springs has to offer.
To take advantage of this service, stop into your nearest PPLD location to set up a library card. Or, if you already have a library card, you can reserve a pass through their website here.
Colorado is a wonderful place to live. We have abundant hiking and skiing, most of our days are sunny, and so many of us have the beautiful Rocky Mountains right at our doorstep. No wonder this is such a popular bumper sticker:
However, even in such a beautiful place to live as this, there are safety concerns homeowners should be aware of. A critical element of home safety here in Colorado is radon testing.
Fortunately, the colder months are the recommended time to test your home for radon. Keeping your windows shut against the cold means radon tests can gather more accurate readings.
In El Paso County, the Colorado Springs Radon Measurement Lab can supply home testing kits and analyze the results. They’re located at 1675 W. Garden of the Gods Road. More information and pricing is available at their website.
Testing your home this January or February is the best way to keep you and your family safe from radon. If you haven’t had one yet, why not start the new year with a potentially lifesaving test?
I love to indulge my sweet tooth, and the holiday season gives me ample excuse to do just that. Here are five of my favorite holiday-themed treats this Christmas season.
Okay, this one’s actually pretty healthy while still feeling like an indulgence. The recipe calls it, “A healthy green smoothie that tastes like a milkshake.” If you feel like you need a little break from sugar this holiday season, this one will let you stay festive without the extra calories.
This recipe is extremely easy, yet results in a cute final product that’s perfect for sharing with friends and family. It’s kid-friendly, too, so everyone can participate.
For anyone with gluten sensitivity, this pie is perfect for your holiday baking. It takes a little longer to prepare than the other recipes on this list, but the results are worth it.
If you have any favorite holiday recipes, I’d love to hear about them. Wishing you a warm December full of delicious goodies.
With so many people wanting to spend less on gas with current rates I was thinking about an area that I have totally taken for granted.
20 minutes South of Pueblo is a small community on the verge of discovery yet doing nicely on its own right now. Make a quick trip North to Denver or South to Santa Fe New Mexico. The location is great with access right off of pavement.
5 acre estates are available here less than 5 minutes to a grocery store, golfing and reservoir fishing. Prices starting at $59,000 you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
Knowing you want to live in Colorado for all the beauty, recreation and sunshine offered is easy. Understanding where properties advertised on the internet are and deciding where you want to be in entirely another.
Southern Colorado continues to offer affordable land — both in in the mountains and along the Front Range for those wanting a lower altitude or access to bigger cities for work, medical care, schools, etc.
Where Do You Start? Often the best place to start is finding the look & feel of the property you think you want. Then talk to a Realtor who specializes in mountain property in Colorado versus a specific area. By doing that they will ask you questions to help clarify several important points. For example: what does remote and seclusion mean to you? How close/far from town do you want to be? Access to an airport? How much snowfall/seasonal living do you want to have or not have?
The advantage to taking this approach is having someone on your team that can weed out areas and properties and perhaps introduce you to a community you otherwise would not have known about.
We went out past Florence (45 Minutes South of Colorado Springs) earlier this week to find and mark property corners on a ranch for sale just down the road from a great National Forest trailhead. I was reminded of how good a hard days work can feel after carrying the materials for the corner (ie rebar, PVC pipe, etc.). One of the most rewarding parts of this job is the opportunity to really get to know properties and their unique features. Standing there I felt like I was out in Canyonlands Utah. I was on a ridge overlooking an awesome canyon. We found a unique rock formation that would make an awesome outdoor firepit from a deck. All of this and yet 3 miles from pavement and under 1 hour to Colorado Springs. I really love this job.
Colorado Springs Real Estate Facts & Fun 