If you grew up in Colorado Springs, you probably came here for a free pumpkin in kindergarten. Then in 2016, PFAS contamination from the Air Force's firefighting foam made it impossible to grow food on the land, and the future of the last working farm in the community went completely dark.

This week we're recording on the farm itself with Sam Clark (Pikes Peak Real Estate Foundation) and Nikki McComsey (Gather Mountain Blooms) about how a beloved pumpkin patch became a two-acre flower farm hosting weddings, music festivals, and monthly bloom celebrations, while still giving away free pumpkins to every kindergartner in El Paso County.

In this episode:

• Who Nick and Bambi Venetucci were, and why they gave the whole farm away
• The 2016 PFAS discovery and the winter Sam thought the farm was finished
• Why flowers were the perfect answer to contaminated soil and water
• How a conservation easement protects the land from development forever
• Nikki's path from debilitating concussion to full-time flower farmer
• The kindergarten pumpkin program, and the education requirement attached to it
• Rocky Mountain Flower Fest on August 8 with Patchwork Jack and Grass It Up
• Monthly flower festivals: ranunculus, sweet peas, zinnias, sunflowers, dahlias
• Colorado Youth Outdoors' new CORE program on the property
• The spreadsheet math behind making sure every event has enough blooms
• The barn renovation and bathroom project (and why it matters more than it sounds)

Picks of the week: Anglers Covey's $10 intro to fly fishing (they hand you a $15 gift card) and Pizzeria Leopold in Old Colorado City.

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Ever watched your stress melt away next to a 300-pound fuzzy therapist? This week, Carly and Lauren visit Luxy Llama on the west side of Colorado Springs (a bucket list item two summers in the making) to chat with owner Terry McConnell about the magic of these quirky, calming animals.

From llama hikes through a hidden pocket of stunning terrain to wine and cheese events where strangers become friends, Terry shares how Luxy Llama is helping people slow down, unplug, and reconnect. Plus: the truth about llama spitting, a partnership with UCCS therapists using llamas for trauma resilience work, brunch llamas at Garden of the Gods Club, and why gardeners treat llama manure like gold.

In this episode:

• (00:00) A peaceful welcome from a secret spot on the west side
• (01:30) How Luxy Llama began (and Terry's love of camelids from Patagonia)
• (03:30) Llamas at corporate events? Yes, really
• (04:15) Why llamas make humans slow down and feel grounded
• (06:30) Debunking the llama spit myth
• (07:45) Meet the herd: Chloe the matriarch, Zorro the class clown, Pedro the teenager, and a baby on the way
• (10:00) Experiences for ages 5 to 75, plus the UCCS Institute of Human Resilience partnership
• (12:30) Wine & cheese with llamas + brunch at Garden of the Gods Club and Resort
• (13:45) Llama bean manure: a gardener's gold
• (15:30) Terry's most satisfying moments as a business owner
• (17:00) Pick of the Week: Marigold's, plus a forest bathing walk at Mueller State Park (July 19)

Connect with Luxe Llamas:
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Only 6% of exercise science research is done exclusively on women, so most of the training advice you've been handed (looking at you, TikTok) was never built for your body. This week Carly sits down with Dr. Marissa Baranauskas, exercise physiologist at UCCS and lead investigator at the 6% Performance Lab, to fix that.

Fair warning: this one's for the women. If you run, climb, ski, or grind the Incline year-round in Colorado Springs, this episode is packed with practical, do-it-at-home science on how your cycle, altitude, fueling, and hormones actually shape your training. (Guys, you can listen too, you'll just learn why she gets to skip the second hike.)

In this episode:

• Why "general" training advice isn't female-specific, and what to do about it
• How your menstrual cycle phase can affect recovery, energy, and performance week to week
• The study showing women's recovery lagged a full day after hard intervals, and when to back off
• Why women desaturate at altitude (hello, 6,000+ ft) and how respiratory muscle training helps
• Losing your period is NOT a badge of honor: amenorrhea and the warning signs to catch early
• At-home hormone monitors (like Mira) and why drugstore ovulation sticks fail active women
• Low Energy Availability, explained (and how to spot underfueling without a lab)
• Perimenopause & menopause: why to prioritize intensity and strength training as you age

Timestamps:

• 00:00 – Meet Dr. Marissa Baranauskas + why this episode is a little different
• 01:00 – The 6% problem: research isn't built for women
• 02:42 – How your cycle phase shapes workouts, energy & recovery
• 05:26 – The study: why women's recovery lagged after hard intervals
• 07:49 – Training at altitude: desaturation & smaller airways
• 11:00 – Respiratory muscle training strategies
• 12:32 – Losing your period isn't normal: amenorrhea & RED-S warning signs
• 17:02 – At-home hormone monitors vs. drugstore ovulation sticks
• 19:23 – Low Energy Availability, explained (and how to check at home)
• 25:48 – Working WITH your symptoms instead of pushing through
• 27:43 – How everyday stress shows up in your cycle
• 29:39 – Perimenopause & menopause: prioritize intensity + strength
• 31:57 – Two things to start doing today
• 34:02 – Marissa's Colorado Springs pick + where to learn more

Learn more / Connect:

• Lab: 6% Performance
• Email Dr. Baranauskas: mbaranau@uccs.edu
• Springs Pick of the Week: Aravaipa Group Runs

Enjoyed the episode? Leave a 5-star review, share it with a friend, and subscribe on Apple or Spotify. See you next week on Springs and Things!

This episode is for general education, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about your individual health.

Summer is flying by, and July in Colorado Springs is packed. In this episode, Carly and Lauren kick off a new monthly segment, a rundown of what they're excited about, what they're checking out, and what you should put on your radar for the next four weeks.

In this episode:

CO 150 Film Festival — Colorado is turning 150, and to celebrate, 150 films made in Colorado, about Colorado, or by Coloradans are screening statewide all summer long. Think The Hateful Eight, Dumb and Dumber, True Grit, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, and more. Many Colorado Springs screenings are at Lulu's downtown.

Green Box Arts Festival — Lauren's favorite. This beloved annual festival in Green Mountain Falls kicks off July 4th and runs two weeks, featuring stunning outdoor art installations, live music, yoga, naturalist hikes, wine tastings, classes, and more. New installations are unveiled on the 5th. This year includes an immersive 30-minute audio experience called The Unexpected Literary Journey.

James Turrell's Sky Space, Green Mountain Falls — A permanent, awe-inspiring light installation that's worth making the drive for.

Royal Gorge Whitewater Festival, Cañon City — July 17–18. SUP parades, kayak races, raft sprints, mountain bike rides, live music, and general outdoor-adventure vibes. A great day trip or quick staycation.

Monsé's Pupusería — New Downtown Location! The beloved Colorado Springs spot has a second location downtown. (And a passionate plea: please bring back the edible bears on the boba.)

Por Favor Tacos & Tragos — Lauren's finally going, and she's making it a July mission. More Mexican food in the Springs? Always a yes.

Taste of Pikes Peak — Thursday, July 9, 6–9 PM at Hillside Gardens. Unlimited tastings from local restaurants, breweries, and distilleries. First year at this venue. Go. Just go.

United We Rock at Rockledge Ranch — August 1st (but on the calendar now!). Part of the Colorado 150/USA 250 celebrations. Bands, food trucks, arts and crafts, whiskey tasting, and more!

Ladyfingers Letterpress — 10th Anniversary! This beloved downtown stationery shop and activist creative space is celebrating a decade. Take a risograph printing class, or stop by any Saturday morning for a free community create session.

Pick Of The Week

• VIsitCOS Crafts & Drafts Passport
• Pure Distilling

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What happens when a bird bought to guard a backyard flock becomes a full-blown local celebrity?

This week, Carly sits down with Billy-Sue Mitchell and her six-foot emu, Dennis, at their charming Colorado Springs home, surrounded by ducks, two chickens, and two dogs.

Billy shares how Dennis went from a duck-harness-wearing baby to a leash-walking icon spotted everywhere from Garden of the Gods to Manitou Springs, Old Colorado City, and beyond. Along the way, we get the heart-stopping story of the time Dennis went missing for 24 hours (and the German Shepherd who tracked him down), the truth about the Great Emu War of 1932, and why male emus make such gentle, devoted companions.

Most movingly, Billy opens up about how Dennis helped pull her through a deep depression after losing her brother, and how sharing his joy with strangers became its own kind of healing.

In this episode:

• Why Billy originally got an emu (hint: foxes)
• How public walks and a chance reporter photo made Dennis famous
• The 24-hour disappearance and dramatic rescue
• Dennis the dog: fetch with sticks, elevators, and bathroom stalls
• Male vs. female emus, and why dads do all the parenting
• Emu FAQs, therapy-animal questions and Dennis's empathy for crying kids
• How Dennis changed Billy's life after loss

Catch Dennis in person! Our picks of the week:

• Donkey Derby Days (Cripple Creek)
• Monument's Fourth of July Parade
• Green Mountain Falls' Bronc Day Festival

A sweet, surprising, genuinely moving conversation about animals, community, and the unexpected things that heal us.

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• Pikes Peak Library District Summer Adventure Program — All you have to do is spend 30 days reading, creating, and exploring to win prizes.
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Is Colorado Springs a bike town or a car town? Carly sits down with three people who are quietly reshaping how the Springs gets around: Tara McCarthy, Executive Director of PikeRide; Torie Giffin, owner of the Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort; and Kerry Childress, a city transportation planner who turns out to be one of the unsung heroes building the bike network behind the scenes.

From midnight rides through Garden of the Gods to the e-bike boom changing who can ride, this conversation covers what it really takes to move a sprawling, car-centric city toward two wheels, and why it matters whether or not you ever clip in.

In this episode:

• The single rides that made each guest fall in love with cycling in the Pikes Peak region
• Whether the Springs' "outdoor town" reputation actually holds up
• Why your tax dollars on a bike lane matter even if you never use one
• Planning a bike network for a city built on hills and sprawl, not a flat grid like Boulder
• The bike tourism money the Springs may be leaving on the table (think Fruita and Bentonville)
• Transportation equity and what it means to be "time privileged" with a set of car keys
• Pike Ride's expansion into Southeast Colorado Springs and the $35-a-month e-bike program changing lives
• The truth about what's actually being sold as an "e-bike"
• How to make cycling culture welcoming to anyone, no spandex or Strava required
• Everything you need to know about Bike to Work Day on June 24th (yes, there's bacon)

Mentioned in this episode:
Pedal the Springs podcast • Colorado Springs Cycling Club • Trails and Open Space Coalition • Kids on Bikes • Visit Colorado Springs • PikeRide Episode of Springs and Things

We Love Our Sponsors

• Pikes Peak Library District Summer Adventure Program — All you have to do is spend 30 days reading, creating, and exploring to win prizes.
• Vanguard Aesthetics — Skincare treatments with real, noticeable results.
• Core Collective — Our favorite spot for pilates! Use code SPRINGSANDTHINGS for 3 classes for $30.

Grab your bike, take a ride, then come back and join us, because by the end, that "e-bike smile" might just make an addict out of you, too.

This summer, we're trading coffee dates for library dates! In this episode, we go behind the scenes of the Pikes Peak Library District's Summer Adventure program, recorded live from Library 21C on kickoff day.

First, we sit down with Melody Alvarez, Director of Programming, to break down everything families need to know about Summer Adventure: this year's "Unearth a Story" theme, how simple it is to sign up, what the program entails, and the prizes that had us giddy (hello, Cloud Camp).

Then we head into the library's own podcast studio for round two with Christa Funke, Senior Librarian in Programming and 16-year PPLD veteran, who reveals just how much a modern library can be.

In this episode:

• What Summer Adventure is and how to sign up (it's free, and you can start anytime in June or July!)
• This year's "Unearth a Story" theme
• Why over 18,000 people participated last year (with a goal of 20,000 this summer)
• The free PPLD summer concert series in Manitou Springs, Palmer Lake, and beyond
• Non-traditional library finds: seed libraries, makerspaces, gross-motor toys, cameras, and equipment
• Free lunches for kids ages 0–18 at the East Library this summer
• The Colorado 150 / US 250 passport program (visit every library and earn prizes)
• A heartfelt patron story that captures what Summer Adventure is really about
• Pick of the week: Theatreworks' The Garbologists at the Ent Center for the Arts

How to register for Summer Adventure with PPLD: Visit any PPLD location, sign up online, or use the BeanStack app.

Whether you're a lifelong library lover or haven't walked through those doors in years, this one's for you, because as Christa says, everyone belongs at the library.

Loved this episode? Please leave a 5-star review, and share it with a friend you want to join you for Summer Adventure this year!

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Pikes Peak Library District Summer Adventure Program — All you have to do is spend 30 days reading, creating, and exploring to win prizes.
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Why Wait Stories — Legacy films and brand films that capture the stories that matter most.

After a year and a half of spotlighting the best people and places in Colorado Springs, we're flipping the script. This week, we answer the questions listeners ask most, from what we do outside the podcast to our favorite local restaurants, most emotional interviews, and the food spots we're still grieving.

In this episode:

• What you might not know about your two hosts
• The local events every Colorado Springs resident should experience at least once
• Favorite restaurants for out-of-town guests
• The episodes that stuck with us long after recording
• What people from out of state consistently get wrong about Colorado Springs
• Plus so much more

Mentioned in this episode:

• Green Box Arts
• Garden of the Gods Market and Cafe
• Ivywild
• Sushi Row
• Ristorante del Lago
• Stratton Open Space & Mount Cutler Trail
• Penrose Heritage Museum
• Sara Van Hecke
• The Peaks2Plains Weather App

We Love Our Sponsors
Pikes Peak Library District Summer Adventure Program — All you have to do is spend 30 days reading, creating, and exploring to win prizes.
Vanguard Aesthetics — Skincare treatments with real, noticeable results.
Core Collective — Our favorite spot for pilates! Use code SPRINGSANDTHINGS for 3 classes for $30.

Connect with us: Leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, subscribe so you never miss an episode, and share with a fellow Colorado Springs local who needs to know what's going on in this city.