Nicole Clark
Position: La Plata County Extension Office

Routines enhance well-being, including routine fun

We’ve slipped into the first week of June and school’s officially out for summer. Sleepovers, lazy mornings, lemonade stands and a summer tan are all that matter now. For a moment, I ride th...

Date marking on food is misleading, but the nose knows

There comes a time in every kitchen when you’re faced with the question, “Does this smell bad?” Without hesitation, I feel my yuck face take shape and a strange combination of dread and curi...

Celebrate food to nourish the mind, body and soul

While it doesn’t get the attention of holidays like St. Patrick’s Day, Halloween or April Fool’s Day, March is National Nutrition Month. How could this special occasion go unnoticed when we ...

Steps to follow in a case of stolen identity

True story. Last week, I received a debit card in the mail, which was odd because I hadn’t applied for credit. First red flag. At first, I wondered if it was related to recent insurance chan...

Spend, eat too much over holidays? Time to regroup

By now, evidence of the holidays is down to a pile of evergreens at Santa Rita Park, a random sparkle of glitter and the occasional piece of tape stuck to your floor. Settling back into life...

Restless teens rely on melatonin to initiate sleep, but should they?

It’s December. Darkness engulfs us 11 hours a day. It’s not even 5 p.m. and the world’s biggest light bulb retires for the night. This should leave plenty of time for our eyes to communicate...

Consider nutrition security when donating to a food drive

Somewhere out there, a handbook has been passed down from generation to generation advising that parents instruct their kids to clean their plate. The carrot on the stick was that you got to...

What the future holds may improve your mental well-being

Choosing the topic of pumpkins or Halloween for this month’s “From The Extension Office” seems too predictable. It may be relevant, but predictable nonetheless. Now, where’s the excitement i...

Despite shorter days, colder weather, we can still be active

You know fall and winter are approaching when ... golden leaves emerge, you leave 10 minutes early to get ahead of the school bus, shadows lengthen, you’re shopping for firewood, it’s pumpki...

Throw in late summer mushrooms for a healthful meal

Mother Nature, if you’re listening, this article is a friendly reminder that our summer monsoons could use a little boost. August is a wonderful time of year to find mushrooms in nature, but...

Cooking for one: Simplify and satisfy

Where does inspiration come from? It’s a question I ponder every month in preparation for this column. When two different people presented the same idea, I couldn’t help but hear the calling...

Why you should embrace discomfort

Raise your hand if you find pleasure in discomfort. In bewilderment, you ask, what kind of ridiculous question is that? If people liked discomfort, there would be no such thing as slippers, ...