Author: ajeanneinthekitchen

The whole purpose of our trip to Belize was to DIVE!!!! And Yes, I did get to dive 4 days, and as expected, the diving was GREAT! However, due to high winds that closed the channel, I couldn’t dive as much as I wanted to. 😦 On the days I did dive, I saw everything I was expecting to see.

We saw lots of nurse sharks, especially at Hol Chan, an area where they swarm because the fisherman have been feeding them there for years. Hol Chan is now a protected marine park. All the marine life is protected by law and no one is allowed to fish those waters. Divers call nurse sharks “the puppies of the sea”. They are curious, friendly sharks. They even like to have their bellies rubbed like dogs do.

We saw black tip reef sharks. Black tips are also curious, non-aggressive sharks. They look way more intimidating than they really are.

We saw hawksbill turtles. The average lifespan of the hawksbill is between 50-80 years, but some live to over 100 years old.

We saw large green moray eels. Again, green morays look scary, and they can bite if they feel threatened, but they are not usually aggressive. Just like with anything, if you leave them alone, they will leave you alone.

We saw a few spotted eagle rays and a lot of southern stingrays.

And of course, we saw a lot of other tropical reef fish found in all the Caribbean waters. The only thing that I noticed different were the toadfish. We see splendid toadfish in Cozumel all the time, but they are a different color than the ones in Belize.

This one is what we see in Cozumel.

These are what we saw in Belize.

So even though we see a lot of the same marine life, there are differences too.

No. None of these pictures are mine. We have ruined so many underwater cameras. We think because we live at a high and dry altitude, and when we store the cameras, the O-rings dry out, but we forget about it until it is too late. So when we take the cameras underwater, they flood. Even after as many dives as we have, from all over the world, we still have a lot to learn. 🙂

This is what we saw underwater in Belize. This is why we continue to keep going back there.

Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.

We saw so many iguanas, of all sizes, all over the place. Before leaving to catch our dive boat, there were a whole bunch of iguanas on the rocks. We also had a few that called our deck home too, and visited with us everyday.

Iguanas were on almost every rock here.

Look. He’s smiling at the camera.

Iguanas, and reptiles in general, are NOT my favorite, but as you know, I will take pictures of anything and everything I see, and we saw LOTS of iguanas. We even saw a large crocodile. All the marsh/swampy areas are full of crocodiles, but we only saw one, off in the distance. He was a big boy too. I’m glad he was a ways away. I think we saw a few more as well, but I only got pictures of one.

Look at his BIG teeth!!!!! He was lying in wait behind some bushes. I don’t mind seeing them at a safe distance, but I like the ones that don’t run so fast, like the wooden ones at our resort, when up close.

Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe, don’t get too close to the crocodiles, and stay well. ‘Til next time.

Travel days are necessary evils if you like to travel. They are long, frustrating and very taxing and tiring. But until we can transport people from place to place like they did in Star Trek, there is no other alternative.

After a long travel day, we finally ended up at our resort, Captain Morgan’s. To get there, we flew directly from DIA to Belize City. Once in Belize City, we took a cab to the ferry terminal that would take us over to Ambergris Caye. Then we had to get our golf cart and drive to our resort, at the northern part of the caye. By the time we arrived, the people at the reception area were just about ready to lock up for the evening, but we made it in time and got settled into our home away from home for the week. We had a nice, comfortable little studio apartment. Our unit was where the golf carts are parked, right on the first floor.

After getting settled in, we went to the restaurant. We always like to check out all the local varieties of ceviche when we travel to tropical places, and the front desk told us we could get some at the restaurant. It wasn’t on the menu, however, the chef prepared us some delicious shrimp and octopus ceviche that hit the spot perfectly, especially when served alongside the complimentary rum punch.

At was a long day, but we made it, safe and sound. Now, let the adventures begin. 🙂

We’re back home from Belize. We got home Saturday evening and hit the ground running, as I always do. Of course there was laundry and shopping that had to be done. I have also edited all of our pictures already (I didn’t take nearly as many as I usually do), and now I am tackling all the “bazillions” of emails I received while gone. I have made quite a dent, but I still have about 3000 left to weed through.

We went to Belize for diving. The diving in Belize is great, if you can do it. Unfortunately however, I could not dive as much as I wanted to due to high winds that closed the channel for a few days. But we made the most of it, and still had a good time. We always do. 🙂

One of my fellow divers took this picture of me making friends with a large grouper. I was telling the group about a black tip reef shark coming in.

We have now been to Belize 3 times, and have seen most of the island, both from above and below. We toured the island again, going all the way North, as far as we could, heading up towards Mexico, and then back down south, as far as we could go too.

The road north, heading towards Mexico.

We took the same food tour we took the last time we were in Belize, 3 years ago, and ironically, there was another couple who took the same same tour with us both times too. After we were talking, the husband pulled up a picture of me from the last tour we all took together. It’s a small world after all. 🙂 We even took a chocolate making class. I will go into more details of all of our adventures later.

We had a very good time, even though I didn’t dive as much as I would have liked, but it is always good to come back home too. I can never stay away for too long. I miss my fur babies too much, and vice versa. 🙂

Greetings from Belize.

Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay tuned. I have a lot of fun adventures to share. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.

Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States for honoring and mourning the U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. It is observed on the last Monday of May. It’s a day of remembrance, reflection, and grief, rather than a holiday of celebration. The holiday’s origins trace back to the aftermath of the Civil War, when citizens began decorating graves with flowers and placing flags.

Thank you to all who paid the ultimate sacrifice to protect our country and our freedoms. We are forever in your debt.

I have lived in Colorado for over 25 years, and had never been to the Wild Animal Sanctuary until just a couple of weeks ago. Now I have already been twice. 🙂 The Wild Animal Sanctuary

Janet and I went this time, while Larry was at work. We got there earlier in the morning, and many of the animals were wide awake and very active. It was also breakfast time. We saw bears running and playing around. We saw foxes and wolves on the prowl. We saw the black leopard parading around and we heard the lions roar. Yet again, it was a fabulous experience for both of us. I’m sure I will be back again before too long. 🙂

We saw lots of foxes running all around too. I love these silver and gray foxes. Last time, both the foxes and wolves were all sleeping.

A coyote hiding in the brush. There were at least 5 or 6 coyotes in the pen, but they were all resting under the trees, and I couldn’t get good shots of them.

A mama bear playing with her cub.

Just more bears horsing around.

I love the tigers and big cats in general.

These two kings were protecting their kingdoms. They were quite vocal about it too.

They were protecting their kingdoms until it was nap time that is.

Maybe this is the regal sleeping position. 🙂

The tigers like this position too.

Even the birds were enjoying themselves. This is a Western Kingbird.

I didn’t take nearly as many pictures this time as I did the first time. Some of the animals were close by and others were way off in the distance. But we still thoroughly enjoyed our visit with them, all the same. 🙂

We are back to Belize, for more diving of course. We leave tomorrow morning. So once again, I will be off the grid and out of touch. I will tell you all about our trip once we get back. But for now, I am bound for Belize. 🙂

Last night we celebrated Bob’s birthday at a cute and charming little bistro in Erie (only about 20 minutes from us), called Piripi. Janet and Bob had given me a gift certificate for my birthday in February, and we helped celebrate Bob’s birthday with our gift card.

Piripi is located at the top of the stairs in an old two-storied building. This painting of the big bull looking at the Flatirons greets you as you first walk up the stairs. Piripi serves Latin and Mediterranean foods, with an emphasis on tapas and glute free options. I love tapas!!!! Piripi in Spanish means ” tipsy”. Piripi, the restaurant was established in 2020 by chef/owner Hugo Meyer.

Chef Hugo is an international chef. He was born in Argentina, then traveled to Germany at 17, where he began his culinary journey. Hugo has owned and operated several restaurants internationally, including Spain and Belize, before settling in Erie. Through his extensive travels and life in Europe, South America and the Caribbean Hugo has developed a palate reflective of his life abroad. His authentic plates showcase local ingredients.

As soon as you walk through the doors, you are welcomed by the friendly, professional staff, who all make you feel right at home.

There is a small patio as well, but it was cold and rainy, so inside was the only choice.

There is a full bar, to serve whatever libations you desire.

The birthday boy chose a delicious bottle of Pinot Noir for all of us to enjoy with dinner.

We all ordered some tapas to share, then Bob and Janet ordered an entree to split, as did Larry and I. There were four of us, and each plate of tapas had four pieces. It worked out perfectly.

We had albondigas, or meatballs, in a delicious tomato sauce, served with grilled bread,

Falafels with a spicy salad and dressing,

Grilled bread with a chimichurri butter,

and Papas or Patatas Bravas.

Everything was cooked to perfection and absolutely delicious! But we didn’t stop there. No, no. Larry and I split an order of almond crusted fish and chips, with a tasty carrot and cauliflower salad on the side.

And Janet and Bob split an order of curried chicken and rice.

By splitting everything, even though it looks and sounds like a lot of food, it really wasn’t. We were definitely full and very satisfied, but not overly full. Because it was a special occasion, we even saved room for a bite or two of a couple of desserts too. Bob ordered an espresso pie and creme brulee. We all had our spoons ready and passed both desserts round the table, each taking just a couple of bites of each. Happy Birthday Bob. 🙂

The whole meal and experience were both fabulous. We all had a great time with very good food. There is no better way to celebrate any occasion than with good food and good friends. 🙂

Erie is a suburb of Boulder, and Boulder isn’t that far from Denver. So whenever you are in the area, you need to experience Piripi. You will definitely be in for a delicious treat.

Piripi is located at 615 Briggs Street, Erie Colorado. If you go during the week, you don’t need to make reservations, unless you are requesting the patio. But if you are going on the weekend, reservations are a must, otherwise you may be waiting for a long time before getting in and enjoying this fabulous international culinary experience. You can call 720-328-0787 or go to their website at info@piripirestaurant.com !Disfrutar!

Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. Life and food are always better when shared with good friends. ‘Til next time.

I had some time on my hands, and felt like painting. My neighbors have these two gorgeous plants that I have admired for years. At this time of year, they are always so vibrant with their bright red and yellow flowers. I always hope that some of the seeds will plant themselves on my side of the fence too, but so far, it hasn’t happened. 🙂 This year, they are very prolific and full too.

This year, I decided to capture it as best as I could on canvas. I am definitely NOT an artist, and have serious limitations with my “talents” and ability, but I enjoy painting and try my best. Here is my interpretation.

Never criticize someone for trying. The only way we can improve on things is to try, try, and try again. Practice makes perfect. And if you enjoy doing something, do it for you, and don’t worry about what anyone else thinks or says. We all have to start at the beginning, and are never perfect, so just keep on doing what makes you feel good, and don’t worry about the rest. 🙂

Anything curried is always going to be a big win for me. I love curries of all kinds, but my favorites are the Indian and Thai curries. Those are the most popular versions over all too. The general definition of curry is a dish that is made with a spiced “gravy” or sauce. But curry also means the types of spices used to create these dishes.

All of the Asian countries have their own versions of curry, and there are regional differences within each country as well. They all have their own specific characteristics that make them unique. Thai and Indian curries are some of the most popular versions of curry. Indian curries tend to use more dry spices and yogurt in their curries, whereas Thai curries tend to use more fresh spices and herbs and more coconut milk. Some Indian curries also use a broth or tomato base. Indian curries are also slow cooked, to release all the flavors of the spices, and they tend to be thicker because of the slow cooking process, whereas Thai curries tend to be cooked quickly, as a stir-fry, and their sauces are not as thick as the slow cooked curry versions. Thai curries also tend to all be very similar to each other, with one of the main differences being the types of chilis used- red, green or yellow. The different chilis determine the heat factor of the curry. A Japanese curry is a tamer, milder version of an Indian curry. Indian curry was introduced to Japan in the 1800’s.

We had pork down, and Larry wanted something Asian. Cool beans. I made a pork and vegetable curry with it. I served it over rice with some fried spring rolls on the side. To complete the meal, I served a cool, crisp Pinot Grigio on the side.

Curried Pork And Vegetables

There are so many different recipes for curried dishes. This is but one of an infinite amount from which to choose. As with anything I cook, I use what I have on hand at the time too, which means, there will always be variations to the same dish or recipe. I always add a lot of vegetables to any curry I make. But then again, I add a lot of vegetables to just about anything I make. 🙂

1-2 lbs pork, cut into thin strips

1/2 bell pepper, any color will do just fine

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1/2 onion, sliced very thin

1 cup broccoli florets

1-2 carrots, sliced Asian style or at an angle

1 jalapeno, diced fine

1 TBSP garlic

1 TBSP ginger

4 tsp curry

1 tsp turmeric

salt to taste

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste

1/2 cup coconut milk

oil for cooking

2-3 TBSP lime balsamic vinegar, optional

Combine the lime balsamic vinegar (if using), coconut milk and spices together and set aside.

Get a large skillet or wok very hot, add the oil, then cook the pork (or chicken or shrimp if you prefer). Once the pork is cooked, remove it from the heat and set aside. Keep warm.

Add the vegetables to the oil, adding more if necessary, and cook for about 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently.

When the vegetables are softened and the onions are translucent, re-add the pork to the mixture.

Add the sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and continue to cook for an additional 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Serve over rice and enjoy. Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.