Spring, with a Side of Donuts

In spite of this week’s snow (rude), spring is making a quiet case for itself around here.

A few daffodils pushing through.

Hills starting to turn that early, tentative green.

Bear Lake West Golf Course is officially open—Bob has already managed to sneak in a few unofficial rounds on the back three over the past few weeks, because of course he has.

And down in Garden City, restaurants are beginning to unshutter for the season.

It’s happening. Slowly. Unevenly. But still.

And then there are the donuts.

One of our go-to spots, El Camino Donuts, reopened earlier this month. When we first moved here, we barely registered that it existed. Now it’s firmly in rotation.

Partly because the baked goods are genuinely good. The sourdough is the kind you build a meal around—perfect for dunking in soup or sitting next to eggs and bacon like it belongs there.

And then there are the donuts.

Bob, for the record, considers himself something of a donut connoisseur. If that were a viable career path, he’d be updating his résumé immediately. Instead, we practice restraint. Allegedly.

This week’s lineup: a lemon-filled hand pie and a couple of chocolate glazed.

No notes. Just happiness.

But the donuts aren’t the whole story.

The shop doubles as an art studio and gallery, which feels exactly right for a place like this. From what we can tell: he makes the donuts, she makes the art—and also runs the register and, realistically, probably everything else that keeps the place going.

That “she” is Caren Goodrich.

Her work fills the space—western wildlife, birds, horses—painted in a style that’s primitive in the best sense: simple, colorful, a little playful.

You can also find her work (and tutorials and advice for artists) on Etsy, YouTube, Instagram, and Substack, if you want to take a piece home—or at least see how it’s made.

It’s one of those places that reminds you what “local” can actually mean:

a little food, a little art, a lot of real life happening in one small space.

If you’re a local, you probably already know it—or you should.

If you’re visiting, it’s worth adding to the list.

Not as a must-see.

Just as a place worth noticing.