Hiking Through Home

My adventures the past couple of years have flown me all of the world, from a political theater stage in Serbia to a hammock hanging over washed up coral from the Great Barrier Reef. In Colorado, I skied a 55-degree chute, and I skied naked, both for the first time. And I camped in Chaco Canyon National Park for a week for an archaeology and cosmology class.

So when I had to return home to Connecticut this summer after five weeks in Australia and a year at Colorado College (which is another, crazy, almost indescribable planet in itself), I’ll admit, I was not all that excited. My plans were simple to work and work out. There’s nothing to do in Connecticut besides that….right?

Wrong. Absolutely, 100% wrong. Whereas in Colorado, the mountains stole a piece of my heart, the trees in Connecticut have always enamored me. In the summer, the canopies of green leaves contrast with the lush brown of the bark and have an effervescent glow around them when the sun hits. And in the fall, it’s as if a woodland fairy painted each leaf. The honeycomb yellows look sweet enough to pick right off the branches and eat; the oranges could be glued to a styrofoam oval and be mistaken for a pumpkin; and the reds seem to emit heat like a fiery blaze. When the leaves are on the trees, every step feels like I’m venturing further and further into my own secret garden.

With inspiration from these trees, I discovered a whole other life to turn to on my days off from work. Twice a week I would pack a baggie of veggies and nuts, spray tick and mosquito spray all over my dog and me, and drive to explore another secret garden for the day. Part of me wants to say it was my escape, but I learned that it was really just the fulfillment of who I am.

The woods of Connecticut and the Hudson Valley area in New York are small comparatively speaking in terms of acreage and altitude, but they compensate in their deep richness. The Arthur Butler Memorial Sanctuary in Mt. Kisco, NY borders the 684 highway, but as soon as I stepped on the trail, the thick fence of oak trees defended the interior from rumbling engines and beeping police radar detectors. 

In the seven weeks I spent home this summer, my dog, Brewster, and I chased each other through the winding woods of twelve different state parks, sanctuaries, preserves, and reservations in Connecticut and the Hudson Valley area. I found an untapped love for the place I spent the first eighteen years of my life. This love reminds me to be thankful every day of where I was lucky enough to grow up, and as much as Colorado is a home, my roots will always be buried in the rich soil of Connecticut.

That love will only grow as I continue to plant more seeds in my secret garden in future summers and winters. I can’t give you the whole picture, for what is a secret garden if not fully kept a secret? Hopefully these highlights will encourage you all to find your own reasons to love where you came from. After all, it shaped who you are now for better or for worse.

To pay homage to Connecticut, here’s a recipe for streusel muffins with blueberries picked in state. Enjoy.

Blueberry Streusel Muffins

Makes 16 muffins

For Cinnamon Streusel

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

3 tbsp granulated sugar

2 tbsp all purpose flour

1 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, cold

For Muffin

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla

2 cup blueberries

1 tbsp all purpose flour

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a muffin pan with muffin liners or spray with nonstick spray.

2. For streusel, cut butter into sugar, flour and cinnamon. Mix until the dry ingredients are fully incorporated into the butter and resembles a crumble. Set aside.

3. For the muffins, in a small bowl, mix together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside. In a small measuring cup, whisk together buttermilk, vanilla, and egg. Set aside. In a small bowl, toss blueberries and 1 tbsp of flour.

4. In a large mixing bowl, beat softened butter with sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Beat in buttermilk-egg mixture until just incorporated. Turn mixer on low, and gradually add flour mixture until just incorporated. Fold in blueberries. Sprinkle about a teaspoon of streusel over the top of each muffin. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.