#178 - oregon coast

Saturday July 24 8:00 AM - Saturday July 31 11:00 PM

With the boyfriend's family packed into two cars, we headed to the coast. Eight adults and six kids under the age of 10 all made the long drive to a family-owned beach house for a week vacation. Being just a few blocks away from the beach, we walked to the ocean every day!

Our mornings were filled with child-voice wake-up alerts, delicious breakfasts (including picture perfect blueberry pancakes adorned with slices of banana and flowers on top, crafted by boyfriend), and smiling faces and kisses.

Our afternoons were filled with trips; trips to the beach, trips to New Port, trips to the Aquarium, trips to a lighthouse, trips to caves, trips to delicious lunches, trips to walks down shop-filled streets, taffy, sea lions, ice cream, and chocolate.

Our evenings were filled with too much delicious seafood, trips to the movie theater, walks along the beach, bonfires in the sand, game nights, birthday celebrations, dessert, and snuggling.

Our nights were filled with laughter, sleeping babies, and the shedding of wet sand filled pants and sweatshirts while we exhaustedly fall into bed.

Each day was perfect: the weather was Oregon-expected (chili, foggy, windy) except for the last day which was sunny, warm, and allowed for a relaxing nap on the sand. Lots of pictures to come!

#175 - on a dare

There are many reasons why John Steinbeck and I are friends, besides the obvious fact that we were both born in the beautiful Salinas, California. He saw the world in such a way that, we the people, tend to overlook. He wrote dozens of novels, short stories, and powerful nonfictions, and in 1962 he won the revered Nobel Prize for Literature. He pulls his readers in and challenges them to see more, see beyond. A few of his great works are: Of Mice and Men - check. The Grapes of Wrath - check. East of Eden - in the process of. Cannery Row - next on the list. The Pearl - the future. Here is an excerpt from Cannery Row:

"Once when Doc was at the University of Chicago he had love trouble and he had worked too hard. He thought it would be nice to take a very long walk. He put on a little knapsack and he walked through Indiana and Kentucky and North Carolina and Georgia clear to Florida. He walked among farmers and mountain people, among the swamp people and fishermen. And everywhere people asked him why he was walking through the country. Because he loved true things he tried to explain. He said he was nervous and besides he wanted to see the country, smell the ground and look at grass and birds and trees, to savor the country, and there was no other way to do it save on foot. And people didn’t like him for telling the truth. They scowled, or shook and tapped their heads, they laughed as though they knew it was a lie and they appreciated a liar. And some, afraid for their daughters or their pigs, told him to move on, to get going, just not to stop near their place if he knew what was good for him. And so he stopped trying to tell the truth. He said he was doing it on a bet—that he stood to win a hundred dollars. Everyone liked him then and believed him. They asked him in to dinner and gave him a bed and they put lunches up for him and wished him good luck and thought he was a hell of a fine fellow. Doc still loved true things but he knew it was not a general love and it could be a very dangerous mistress."

I bring this up for a reason. I am 83 days late for a new finding: This man, Matt Green, is walking across the United States. I think this is magical for a few reasons. Just as he describes in his blog, there is so much of the world you can see, taste, feel, and experience while walking that you just can't appreciate while you are zooming by in a car, plane, or even a bicycle. There is something just so innately human and simple about walking. I love to take walks, especially at dusk, so I just can't image what an experience this will be for him. Everyone he has thus far come in contact with, has been incredibly hospitable and welcoming. It makes me look forward to my adventure next year with even more anticipation. Biking my way around Ireland.

#170 - pushing up daisies

With the intent not to freak you out...

My house in New York boarded a very large cemetery (pictured). My friends and I used to play hide-and-go-seek in it and most every time, ended up scaring one another. It also had a gorgeous jogging path that ran around and through it that I was too young to appreciate. My mother has always been entranced by cemeteries and I too have thought them interesting, in an eerie romantic sort of way. My parents (and grandma) have done the disturbing task of selecting their plots and stones, etc. Something I don't want or like to think about. However, I remember my mother saying once, that she wanted to live her life so that the phrase she wanted on her tombstone would be true, "She was kind to everyone".
It got me thinking about what I would like on my gravestone (also came to mind after a recent visit to a father's grave with one of my close friends). Currently I've got my thumb on, "She turned her can'ts into cans and her dreams into plans".

Thoughts? Creepy? What would you have?

#161 - tumtum tree

Today is a special day. The Day of the Earth!

Earth is so captivating! She has grand mountains, picturesque fields, vast blue oceans, rivers, streams, flowers, trees; beauty for sight, sound, taste, smell. And today, Earth. Today we salute you.

My salute:

riding my bike everywhere today instead of driving my car (except for work... that would take an hour and I could quite possible die on the freeway) ** not turning on the lights today... home by candlelight ** turning off the water while I'm brushing my teeth instead of letting it run ** unplugging my phone charger and other unnecessary cords **start my vegetable garden on my window sill ** opening the window instead of turning on the air

It has been easier to minimize my carbon footprint, living downtown and being able to bike all over instead of drive, but I can still do more!

Hooray Lady Earth!

#146 -illustrious Jump Creek

Page by page, I'm going to adventure through "Trails and Canyons of Western Idaho" - A book my friend has. A group of us marked off one such chapter: Jump Creek. It was a beautiful hike with plenty of fun rock climbing and aqueous beauty. Saturday morning: Up at 5:30 am, arrived at 9:00 am - hiked until maybe... 2:00 pm? That early in the morning, we were the only ones out on the trails, which made it all the more magical. Anyone who knows me can tell you, I am an absolute sucker for waterfalls. They make my insides wooshy with excitement and magic, and this was no exception.

#138 - deep and dark

Last weekend I went adventuring again! There seems to be only a few more adventure days left, as the weather is getting crisper and wetter. I went with 17 new friends to "Smith's Crack" about 30 minutes outside of Boise. I really love caving! Being inside the earth, in such a dark, hidden place... it's very exhilarating. I love climbing around and discovering new tunnels and crevices. My brother is, hopefully, on the verge of finding a sweet new cave in Washington, which I will be excited to explore with him.

I think the trickiest cave excursion I've had thus far was called the "Birth Canal" (it wasn't in Smith's Crack). It consisted of a tube, roughly 200 yards long. You had to have your arms above you, because of the tightness (laying down, there was a wall inches from your nose, and inches from the left and right sides of your body). To get through, you had to methodically move your heels, knees, butt, back, shoulders, head, repeat. You inch-wormed your way through to a 90 degree corner, which opened up into a small room. After hanging out in there, you went back, inching along. Once you reached the end of the tunnel, you had to hang down, head first for about 5 feet, until you could reach the ground with your hands and hand-stand your self free. GIVE ME MORE!

#115 - frowned upon

Over Memorial Day weekend, our kitchen received some company that has since well worn out its welcome. There is a daily massacre; a flood of Windex leaves hundreds of black ants struggling to survive, only to heave them in heaps of carnage. A few weeks ago, I had a bonding experience with one of the aforementioned ants. I had just finished windexing all of his friends to death, when one lonely solider caught my eye. He was crawling along the wall from the kitchen to the living room. Before smashing him to death, I took a closer look. He was making his way to safety, carrying the dead body of a fallen compadre. I sat on the stairs, unable to take my eyes away from this noble creature. Maybe it was devotion: his true love had fallen by the way of the toxins and he was carrying her away, to pay his respects and bury her live-less body. They had spent a life-time together; digging, scavenging for food, and looking out for each other -- waiting for a time when they could leave the hill and build a home of their own. Or perhaps a long time best friend -- defending their queen along side one another, warning each other of impending hazards and toxic odors. But one time, out on the hunt, his friend was just too slow and his leg got caught in a pool of window cleaner.

Whatever the reason and whatever the relationship these two had, I thought Little Ant's devotion should be recognized and supported. I took numerous pictures, all of which did not come out (Little Ant was too tiny), and finally helped the only way I knew how. I put these two on a piece of paper and carried them outside to the driveway so Little Ant could find an appropriate burial ground. Upon paper-release, they got separated. Little Ant, confused and lost, wandered in circles for a while before finally finding a course and headed, alone, friendless, loveless to the safety of the grass.

Fast forward to this morning. I was wiping up the remains of hundreds of more ants when again, crossing the sink counter was another noble wanderer, carrying the lifeless body of a fallen friend. I quickly called Sami down to look at this amazing feat, when she then proceeded to tell me that they do that all the time and he's just carrying the dead ant back to the house so they can eat him. EAT HIM! I was appalled! Can this be true?! He's not a noble or respectful hero at all?! He's a bloodthirsty cannibal!? And to think, I was led astray... lied to by Little Ant! I was encouraging him to EAT his less than lucky fellow ant. I was so disturbed -- I killed that cannibal carrier and with more force and hatred than I had all the rest.

If this is true: that ants carry and eat their fallen friends, then I want nothing to do with them ever again and now take much more pleasure in their utter destruction! Horrid little creatures...

#78 - wind in the wheat

I'm searching for a little 'me'. Something that can begin when I begin a new stage in life. This stage being graduation, moving, working and living. I'm thinking it's either going to be a plant of some sort, filling the home of my dead bamboo tree, or an animal of some kind.

First, the plant. I don't think I want it to be a flower. Don't get me wrong, I love flowers! But I want to have something more substancial, something that won't die so easy, something like a little tree. Or maybe a food of some sort. Also, the challenge here is it has to start when the new phase starts, so I'm on the hunt for a little seed.

Option two, the pet. Obviously this cannot be birthed and begin life when I do, like a plant. It will have to be a little further along than that, but it can start it's new life with me, just the same. I was debating between a dog or a cat. A dog will be more loving and give more back to me, but also takes a lot more work. Walking, washing and the like. A cat would be less maintance and would allow me to go out of town without too much trouble. There is always the option too of a really big fish (extrememly less exciting), a turtle (if its time with me doesn't end tragically like Tardy's did), or maybe a bunny (possibly too much stinkiness and cage cleaning), or a baby chick (what happens when he grows up!?)

The main goal here is to not be so lonely and bored, to take care of something, and to not have my apartment smell like a zoo. If you have ideas or suggestions, please feel free to help me.

#60 - tiptoe through the tulips with me

Happy Spring! It's so exciting - the night and day are exactly the same length (almost romantic)! I found a website on how to celebrate the Spring Equinox, and to me, this was nothing short of magical brilliance:

Step 1: Get in the "mood" by taking a walk in a field of flowers. Pick some fresh flowers and take them home to bring the spring into your house (my residence in Rexburg might require a floristial purchase... we've got slim pickins... unless I want to pick brown/tan grass. SLASH feel free to bring me flowers-that is always welcome).

Step 2: Reflect on the meaning of spring. It is a time to plan what you want to accomplish in the coming months. Decide what new things you want to bring into your life (I would like to add less crazy people and more cookies).

Step 3: Wear colors of a pastel nature that are traditional for the Spring Equinox (I think after the spring break I'll invest in some yellow and orange shirts. There is a yellow/orange void in my life).

Step 4: Paint hard-boiled eggs as a symbol of fertility, rebirth, and spring. Deviled eggs are also appropriate, as well as nuts and seeds - symbolizing the planting of new ideas and life (mmm sounds like nuts and eggs for dinner tonight!).

Step 5: Ask the goddess of spring for guidance in carrying out your wishes in the coming months (this one is my favorite. I like to imagine her with hair made of flowers wearing big leaves in the form of a very stylish party dress).

BYUI is celebrating in their own way: the studiers have emerged from the desks of solitude and homes of silence to study on the hills and lawns on campus; short sleeve shirts and toes that we haven't seen in months. It is positively glorious weather - and listening to the birds loving the weather, almost reminds me of waking up in New York in the summer to beautiful chirping (only to quickly be extinguished by the death-grip from my cat). Ahh spring.....

Taste it

Feel it

Love it