a perfectly perfect long weekend....

this weekend
had a little bit of
everything
i could want
in a long weekend.

Trails, beaches,
a little bit of family time,
some productive time
around the house -
lawn cut and whippersnipped,
house cleaned up,
pop tent moved to a it’s new location…

Sunburns, fireworks,
fresh strawberries,
lemon sugary donuts,
new headphones,
blogging in bed,
fans full blast,
reading books every chance I get
and trying to
absorb every second of this weekend.

As I write this I am 100% happy
but also exhausted
and wondering if 7:30 is too early for bed….
cause it’s definitely
too late for a nap
and I still have one day of this
sweet long weekend left.

I hope your weekend
was full of all the
little things that
make you smile.
♥

friday i'm in love

It’s Friday and I am off until Tuesday…
and then off most of next week, too.
I am feeling a strong
hello summer where have you been vibe
happening in my life
right now.

Today I spent 3 hours on a trail
and just lost myself in flowers
and butterflies and rainstorms
and the smell of sweet clover
and fresh cut grass
and watched the clouds pass by.

And I realized
I am a
meanderer.
Which is not a real word
but it aptly describes who I am
so I am owning it.
I meander. Aimlessly.
I explore. I mosey along….
I lollygag….I putter….
I get lost in the details of bark on a tree
or see dragon heads emerging from clouds
and then I make up stories
in my brain as I
meander.

It’s why I am alone so much. :)

All in all, it was a very good Friday.

THINGS I AM LOVING:

• i love miniatures

• this. i am considering doing this for myself….as I STILL often reach for my no longer existent wedding ring.

• this feels appropriate right now…and honestly, all of the time.

• my perfectly perfect new adventure backpack that got fully broken in on today’s hike

• i know if you follow me anywhere else, you will already know this but THIS BOOK. I am loving this frigging book….I took book breaks while walking today. And also, Finnegan loves the book but was slightly distrustful of the hammock. :D

I kinda feel like this is how I want summer to be…
books, yummy food, hammock, trails, books, photography,
beaches, bare feet, messy hair….just leaning into summer
with all my might.

What’s on your list? ♥

tuesday truths....thinking out loud...

you ever feel like
a struggle?

not like you wanna
get into a struggle
but
like you
yourself
are literally
a struggle
in human form…
in bare feet and a polka dot dress….

like you are
just a bundle of mixed messages
and live wires….
full of messy contradictions
and your
cables of communication
can suddenly fray and frizzle
and you are bouncing
back and forth between
shouting
leave me alone
and whispering
but
i don’t want to be
alone.

and then you drink some peppermint tea
in a snoopy mug
and feel the grass you should be cutting
under your bare feet
and the birds are singing
and the cat is purring and rubbing against your back
and the sun is starting to set
and you think meh….whatever…
everything is pretty a-ok….
and you go watch a cartoon before bed.

♥

whatcha readin'? {goal 40::book 6}

this book.

i did not know
anything about this book
and bought it on a whim
but holy catfish
it was good.

i read it back
in april
so i can’t remember
hardly anything about it
but i know i loved it…
and that it reminded me of
mulan
a little bit…

i loved it so much
i want someone to make a
movie of it.

♥♥♥♥♥ 5 out of 5
NEXT UP:: WHISKEY IN A TEACUP - REESE WITHERSPOON

slow living in the big orange house...

I am not sure that this is
really a
new
direction for me…
but I am definitely
leaning into it hard
right now.

slow living.
living with intention.
mindfulness.
whatever you would like to call it,
it is my new happy place.

I am taking life slow
and really trying to savor
all the small moments…
and experience all the things,
from the most mundane dish washing tasks
to the bracing icy cold showers
I have been attempting to add to my day.

I have been watching a lot of Andrew Huberman
on youtube…
and trying to incorporate some of what
he talks about into my daily routine…
(hence the cold showers)
but also getting out into the sun in the mornings,
trying to catch the sunset (while getting in a walk),
yoga nidra (which I just tried today and LOVED)…

proof of a sunset walk….

And at the same time,
I am really trying to embrace my life.
I am working on things -
my house, my career, my health,
my relationships with family & friends
and making sure I fit in the fun creative stuff, too.
(like crochet WHICH I AM ADDICTED TO
even though I still kinda suck) :)

There are so many things that make me happy right now.
The heat pump making my living room so toasty,
fuzzy socks, silky pjs, ice cold water (in a glass, not in the shower),
a quick evening walk in the rain, lilacs in a jar of water,
talking to the plants, watching the Office with 27,
trips to the dollar store and finding the cutest pillow case ever,
doing the 30 day declutter challenge with friends and making this
area a little less stressy (poor girl fix, heh).

This feels good.
For a little while, I was feeling
out of sorts…wrinkles, weight gain, strike, money and stuff…
but I feel like I have settled a bit.

I have found a bit of a groove.
And I like it. I think I am gonna stay here for a while.
♥♥♥