The Winter Bird Blurb
We’re back for an update on winter birds with our favorite birding expert, Scott Menough, co-owner with his wife, Sandy, of Wild Birds Unlimited in Lakewood since 1989. Scott is the host of BirdTalk radio on Saturdays from noon to 1 p.m. on 710 KNUS and 1690 KDMT, and also hosts a podcast at www.BirdTalkGuys.com. An Abundance of Winter Birds We’re fortunate to have lots of birds that stay with us here all winter, Scott said, although of course not all of them will stick around. Birds that only rely on insects, such as hummingbirds, swallows and flycatchers, head south for warmer weather, while still other birds head down here from the north. (Everything is relative!) Fish-eating birds, for instance, such as ducks and herons come in search of open water and stay until it freezes over. Winter birds need high-protein, high-fat foods. Fat helps them stay warm and keep their energy up. Chickadees, woodpeckers, nuthatches, bushtits and other insect-eating birds that stay year-round rely more heavily on fat-rich seeds in the winter. Finches and some[...]
Vehicle Winterization and Safer-Driving Tips
When it comes to winter driving, an ounce of prevention and preparation, as they say, is truly worth a pound of cure. It’s no fun getting stranded in below-zero temps or a blizzard, and the best way to handle a fender bender is to avoid one. Use this checklist now to keep you and your family safe on the road during this frigid season. Safer-Driving Tips for Winter Always give yourself extra time to get where you’re going. This is not the time to rush. Drive slowly and carefully and be extra aware of your surroundings. Safety really does come first. DO NOT TEXT while driving in winter conditions. If you must make a call, find a safe spot to pull over and stop driving before you pick up that phone. Stopping distances are much, much longer on snow and ice. Give yourself extra room and time to be able to stop safely. Allow ample room between you and the vehicle in front of you. It might seem counterintuitive, but steer into a skid. Once you[...]
A Season of Gratitude
It’s that time of year again, when we collectively pause and take a moment from our busy lives to reflect on the many things we have to be grateful for. No matter the ups and downs of our lives – and we all have some – there’s always so much to appreciate if we just look. We’re blessed to live in an unusually beautiful place full of cultural and recreational riches. The economy is strong and has allowed DeckTec to grow and even expand. (And, if you’re anything like me, you’re probably grateful that the elections are over!) It’s hard for me to believe that 30 years have passed since I founded DeckTec. I was just a spry pup when I started this thing! I still feel young at heart, but the reality is that I’ve grown older and hopefully a bit wiser. With the holidays, I find myself reflecting on the past and I've come to realize that they have taken on a different meaning to me. My children have grown and now I'm a[...]
Deck Worthy Dinners: Beer-Brined Turkey with Onion Gravy & Bacon
Ingredients ¼ c. yellow mustard seeds 2 tbsp. black peppercorns 8 bay leaves 1 c. dark brown sugar 1 c. kosher salt 2 onions, cut into thick wedges 1 lb. bacon slab, skin removed, sliced 1/3-in. thick six 12-oz. bottles Guinness stout one 12-14 lb. turkey 1 c. turkey stock or chicken broth 1 tbsp. unsalted butter 1 tbsp. all-purpose flour Directions In very large pot, combine mustard seeds, peppercorns and bay leaves. Toast on moderate heat until fragrant, about 2 mins. Add brown sugar and salt, remove from heat. Add 4 cups water, stir until sugar and salt dissolve. Let cool completely. Add onions, bacon, Guinness and 16 cups cold water to pot. Add turkey to brine, breast side down, keep submerged with heavy lid. Cover and refrigerate 24 hours. Preheat oven to 350°, put rack on bottom shelf. Lift turkey from brine, pick off spices, pat dry. Transfer to large roasting pan breast side up. Scatter onion wedges, add 1 cup water. Secure bacon with toothpicks on turkey breast. Roast about 2 hours, turning[...]
That Golden Glow: November 30th Candlelight Walk
A not-to-be-missed event! Catch that true Golden Glow and walk off that big Thanksgiving meal at this year’s Candlelight Walk in charming and historic Old Town Golden, Friday evening November 30. Kick off the 2018 holiday season with thousands of joyful others on a walk down Golden’s main street, Washington Avenue, lit only by candles. If you haven’t gone before, you’re in for a real treat. Folks gather at 6 p.m. outside the Foothills Art Center, 809 15th Street, and start walking at 6:30 p.m. to the Visitors Center at 1010 Washington Avenue for a holiday show and short fireworks display above the roof of the historic Golden Hotel. This annual event has something for the whole family. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be on hand for kids’ photos from 3-5:30 p.m. at The Dove Inn, 711 14th Street. After that take the kiddos in hand and walk over to the Golden Library at 1019 10th Street for cookies, cider and children’s crafts from 5:30-8 p.m. And for the grown-ups, the Golden History Museum at 923[...]
Off the Beaten Path: Cortez
About seven hours from Denver, but just 46 miles from Durango is Cortez, population 9,007 (and, yes, they’re counting!) Cortez has a quaint Main Street with brew pubs and coffee shops and goes to show that good things are found near small packages, at least when it comes to mountain biking. This little town (believe it or not, they call it the “City of Cortez”) is home to the 26.8 mile Phil’s World Mountain Bike Trail system. Phil’s World offers views of the Sleeping Ute, La Plata and Mesa Verde mountains and is ranked #2 for best mountain biking in Colorado and 10th for “all-time best rides” by the MTB Project and the International Mountain Biking Association – now that’s something to pop a wheel about. What else do you expect from trails built for and by mountain bikers and maintained by the Kokopelli Bike Club? Phil’s World parking lot is located at 9450 Road 30.1 and fills up fast, so get there early. Head west and just 10 miles from Cortez you’ll find the 176,000-acre[...]
Eric Veronesi: DeckTec’s Mission Control
Little known to clients these days, Eric Veronesi, head of DeckTec’s estimating and design department, is actually the company’s “mission control” man behind the scenes. A mechanical engineer by training and a former painter and home improvement specialist, Veronesi started off in sales at DeckTec in 2010. His current position makes perfect use of his broad-based background and widely-known addiction to perfection. Whether he’s determining the best approach for constructing a complicated deck or pitching in with a final copy edit on the newsletter, one golden thread runs through everything Veronesi lays his hands on – getting it done right. With his impeccable standards and unwavering commitment to excellence, Veronesi has found a professional home for himself and his talents at DeckTec. He answered an ad for a salesperson, was immediately impressed with the company, and hasn’t looked back since. “I have pretty high attention to detail with the construction work I’ve done. It was clear that DeckTec, just from looking at pics of the decks the company’s built over the years, had very high-quality standards.[...]
Deck Worthy Snacks: Homemade Soft Pretzels
Ingredients 1½ c. warm (110-115°) water 1 tbsp. sugar 2 tsp. kosher salt 1 package active dry yeast 22 oz. all-purpose flour (about 4½ cups) 2 oz. unsalted butter, melted vegetable oil, for pan 10 c. water 2/3 c. baking soda large egg yolk beaten w/1 tbsp. water pretzel (or other course) salt Directions Combine water, sugar and kosher salt in mixer bowl. Sprinkle yeast on top. Let sit for 5 mins. or until mixture begins to foam. Add flour and butter. Using dough hook attachment, combine on low speed. Knead on medium speed until dough is smooth and pulls away from sides, about 4-5 mins. Remove dough, clean bowl and coat with oil. Return dough to bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let sit in warm place for 50-55 mins. or until dough doubles in size. Preheat oven to 450°. Line 2 half-sheet pans with parchment paper. Lightly brush with oil. Set aside. Bring 10 cups of water and baking soda to rolling boil in 8-qt. sauce or roasting pan. Place dough on slightly-oiled work[...]
My Scary Personal Story: What a Long, Strange Trip It’s Been
I’ve never liked horror movies or scary movies of any kind. But like most everyone, I’ve had to face some pretty scary things in my own life. When someone once asked me about the scariest thing I’d ever experienced, I told him, “When you have a wife and three small kids and no job, let me tell you, it doesn’t get any scarier than that.” Thirty years ago, before DeckTec, that was me. Broke and scared, I launched DeckTec on a prayer and a maxed-out credit card. It all started back in the late 80s, during one of Denver’s infamous energy-related bust cycles. The economy was so bad at the time that when I cold called people as part of my job selling prefabricated cedar homes, my leads would call me back not because they wanted to buy a home, but because they wanted me to buy their land from them. I wasn’t getting any traction. And this was after having been laid off from a company selling prefabricated curved glass aluminum sunrooms. It wasn’t looking[...]
Oktoberfest In September?
Ever wonder why Oktoberfest happens in September? Well, true to name, Oktoberfest was originally held in October – or Oktober, in German. The first Oktoberfest, held on October 12, 1810, was a wedding celebration and parade honoring the marriage of Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig to Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen . Six days of festivities took place on the outskirts of Munich on fairgrounds named “Theresenwiese” (Therese’s meadow) after the princess, concluding on October 17 with a horse race. The festival was such a hit that it was repeated in following years. Additional features such as a Bavarian agricultural show and carnival booths were added as the festival grew. In 1819, Oktoberfest became an annual event run by the city fathers. This year marked the 211th anniversary of the world’s largest beer festival, with more than six million attendees consuming more than one million gallons of beer. Oktoberfest still takes place on those original festival fields and now runs for 16-18 days. The last day of the festival is always held on the first Sunday of October.[...]
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