“Just look down and keep going,” I told my 10-year-old son, Will, this past weekend as we hiked up Chick Hill in Clifton. It was as much for his benefit as my own.
Though the hike route we took was up a wide road, that didn’t ease the difficulty of the endeavor. At times steep, and almost entirely up hill, the hiking trail wasn’t easy but we got a little closer to the breathtaking views at the top with each step. With severe asthma that’s aggravated by both allergies and exercise, hikes like that are challenging for me. Medicine helps though, and so does exercising my lungs through walks like that.
“You can do it. Just keep going,” I told him, again, as much for myself as him.
And in the end, we did. At the top, we paused to enjoy the views and he agreed that it was breathtaking.
I love hiking, especially with my kids. Nature is beautiful, and there’s so much to explore. Looking out from the summit of Chick Hill, distant mountains, blue lakes, evergreens and trees that haven’t yet woken from winter’s slumber created a patchwork that was stunning.
You just have to pause to take it all in.
There’s so many ways to have fun in life, and I’m finding more and more that it’s the adventures that take us out into the world — up trails, out on the water and into places you might not see if you only stay to the beaten path — are my favorite.
We’re approaching the warm months here in Maine, and I can’t wait to have more of these adventures together. You simply can’t build a view as amazing as the natural ones you can find at the top of a trail like the one we took up Chick Hill.
The warmer months also mean more fresh, local food. Bangor’s weekly outdoor farmers market opens for the season on Sunday in the parking lot across from the Bangor Public Library from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. And it’s just in time too.
I’m just about out of everything local.
The last of my potatoes from the winter farmers market were a good start for this hearty, crustless quiche. I combined them with broccoli, cheeses and eggs to make a light but satisfying egg pie perfect for brunches and lunches. Breakfasts too … and heck, why not dinner?
Seasoned with a touch of thyme and nutmeg, in addition to the standard salt and pepper, it’s delightful and gluten free too. Though the top turns golden thanks to the cheese, the inside is appropriately light. Serve this with a salad.
- 1 cup diced fresh potatoes (I used two small purple potatoes, but any will do)
- 1 cup chopped fresh broccoli
- 1 tsp butter
- 8 large eggs
- ½ cup milk
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- ¼ tsp dried thyme
- ¼ tsp nutmeg, freshly grated preferred
- 1 cup cheeses (use a mix -- I chose an Italian blend that combined asiago, parmesan, mozzarella and gouda)
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- In a medium saucepan, cover the diced potatoes with water and boil to tender, about 10 minutes. For the last 2 minutes or so, add the broccoli to the pan as well. Drain well, immediately, and set aside to cool while you prepare other ingredients.
- Use the butter to grease a glass pie dish all over the inside (including the sides!).
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, pepper, thyme and nutmeg until combined.
- Arrange the potatoes and broccoli in the bottom of the pie pan. Top with the egg mixture and then the cheese.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes, until golden all over. Let cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.