thanksgiving

As I sit here basking in the glowing warmth of Christmas Day, I'm finally getting a chance to process photos from Thanksgiving. My favorite holiday held up again for an amazing vacation. We took our annual Thanksgiving Day hike with the dogs, we drank good beer, and shoveled our bellies full of home-cooked favorites. 

The vacation lasted for a full four days. Amidst the recent chaos, I had no idea quite how busy I was until I took the time to hit pause. I was reminded what boredom felt like. I enjoyed it too. Had it gone on longer, I might have gone crazy. Instead, its brevity gave me just the right amount of time to process. You don't realize how fast you're running, how much you're putting out instead of taking in, until you s-t-o-p. Sure, yoga allows me to pause each day, but it also involves rushing to the yoga studio, getting in my physical practice, sweating, and then biking home to quickly wrap things up before bed. It's not exactly stopping. 

So, thank you Thanksgiving for giving me the break I needed. For reminding me that the best creativity is born from moments when you have nothing to do. For surrounding me with fresh air. Let's remember to stop every once in awhile.

Happy belated Thanksgiving.

4 tips to actively slow life down

Note: This post was previously published here as a part of my freelance work.

You’re in the thick of it, summer. The season when life is like a semi-truck, barreling down a hill at 90 miles an hour. The speed is all good and great, it’s thrilling in fact, but problems arise when there’s a deer crossing at the bottom of the hill and you have no way to avoid a crash. Not to mention, you’re going so fast that you miss the road signs telling when you need to turn or watch out for traffic ahead.

That speed, aka summer, can easily create a life that is out of balance — a life that pushes you forward with such immense force that you need to actively remember how to slow down. It’s up to you to pump the breaks, and it’s important to do so. Slowing down to school-zone speeds will enable you to get more enjoyment out of the highway joy rides. It teaches you to find control and to know when you’re exiting the fun zone and entering into dangerous territory.

Here are tips for actively slowing down, and taking time out. Now, more than ever, it’s important to teach yourself how to do so.

1. Walk, Bike, or Take Public Trans: I recently got rid of my car, and it was the best thing I’ve ever done for my piece of mind. Not only did it take away the extra stress of money, but it created space in my life. I find that I’m walking more, riding my bike more, and taking public transportation. The empty time to think, read, and listen to music does wonders for my brain. It clears my head like a meditation, and allows me to unwind from my day (or settle in before my day starts). It’s also forced me to do less and to prioritize. Because I can’t zip here and there, I have to think about what I really want to get done. I do less running around like a crazy person, and more intentional activity. If you’re in need of a slow down, I urge to go even one day without using the car. Every little bit counts.

2. Cook: Making time at the end of the day to cook a meal and share it with the ones you love, is a great way to take time. The beautiful thing about food, is that it can’t be rushed. Watch it cook, smell the aromas, and taste test it along the way. Evenings spent unwinding in the kitchen are a great way to clear your mind, and to get you back to a well-grounded place in life.  

3. Wake Up 20 Minutes Earlier: Rushed mornings are sure to make you feel out of control. It’s not a good way to start the day. Do yourself a favor, and wake up just twenty minutes earlier than you usually do. Take the extra time to read in bed, sip coffee, or simply stare off into space. The slow start to your day will make getting to work that much easier. You’ll find you feel more ready to take on whatever comes your way. Craziness or not, you have the balanced mindset to tackle anything.

4. Treat Yourself: Once in a while, you need to drop it all, and focus on you. Book a massage, stop in for a pedicure — or if you can’t spend the money — create an at home treatment. Whatever you do, it’s important to give back to your body and thank it for all of the brutal stress that you put it through. If you want it to perform when the going gets tough, you have to give it the TLC it deserves. 

And there you have it, four tips to actively slow down. I hope you’ve found some tools that help you feel more balanced and in control. Life is really beautiful, we need the fast moments and the slow ones, it’s just important to remember how to create a bit of both. 

What tips do you have for slowing down?

open space

The other day, I read an article that talked about negative space. It described a hand. The negative space in-between each finger defining the edges, and allowing our brains to make sense of physical matter. "Without nothing, there cannot be something," it explained. The negative space allows us to make sense of what is.

It got me to thinking about other ways in which this is true. I decided that it also holds beyond the physical. Without sadness, we could not understand happiness, and moments of quiet help us make sense of the chatter. That, is why it's so important to relax, to meditate, to do yoga, and to get out and hike in nature -- even if it's the middle of a snow-ridden winter. We need moments to free the mind, so that we can then reign her in. We need mother nature and her wide open spaces, so that the world and all her clutter can make sense.

That is why I return.

weekly scenes: a winter hike

Our first snowfall happened over Thanksgiving this year. We went home, hoping it would come. Crossing our fingers and holding out for its magical presence to start sprinkling down. Sure enough, rise and shine Wednesday morning, and there it was -- flurrying in the skies and making its presence known. All day it snowed, and bit by bit the landscape was blanketed. Come Thursday, we strapped our hiking boots on and went out to enjoy it. Off to Highland Forest with three dogs, Adam, and my brother. We hiked the expansive trails for about three hours. Working up a sweat with the uphill climbs, and losing our breath from the utter beauty that surrounded us. There is something about a snowy landscape that makes your heart drop. It's a quiet presence. The snow brings peace and sheer awe in one fell swoop. 

Upon arriving home, we warmed up in front of the fire and set some cider to brew with cinnamon and clove. It was truly one of those days. You know, the ones where you feel like everything is just perfect.

weekly scenes

The indoors are getting cozy. Do you feel it?

Winter has moved her way in, making morning toast and heartfelt gifts all the more warming to the soul.

Not that I don't enjoy nature in winter. Oh, very contrary. 

She's quiet. She's exposed. She's beautiful.

But she's cold. And she circles her cool breeze around pockets of warmth, creating small cocoons for living creatures to find refuge.

Bright lights ignite rooms while snow crystals fall outside the window.

Four walls are a tightly wrapped blanket of love, light, and happiness.

Here, we find our comfort and what it means to be cozy.

climbing to pinnacle overlook

As I was trying to wake last Friday, Adam whispered in my ear, "just stay, take the day off." I thought a minute, and after determining that there would be nothing pressing that day, I declared it a three-day weekend. On one condition: that we finally go climb to Pinnacle Overlook.

The highest point in the area, the hike had been on my bucket list for a while. The internet has little documentation on climbing to Pinnacle Overlook, and prior to this day, we had gotten lost on our first two attempts to find the trail. The third time's the charm, and today, we would finally make it.

Instead of going back to sleep, we got right to it, determined not to fail. Every good hiker knows that the morning needs to begin with a sturdy breakfast, and so we biked to our favorite spot for biscuits, eggs, and coffee. Afterward, we hit the road and made it to our destination by noon, just as the sun was directly above the earth.

Everything was perfect. We couldn't have asked for a more majestic day. I'll admit I was a little scared, having heard it was a tough climb and rather rocky. The one trail review to be found listed it as "advanced." 

But when we got to it, I was kicking ass. I charged up the mountain, fueled by the challenge. My heart was beating and the sweat began to bud on my temples. The burn in my buttocks felt so good, and everything around me was peaceful as could be. The experience made me feel like I could do anything.

We reached the first overlook at Pulpit Rock in about an hour. I hadn't had a view like that in years. One thousand feet above the farms below, patches of brown and green farms stitched together with tree lines. Everything looked so soft, like I could reach out and pet it. And to think, I would have been at a desk had the day gone any differently.

Onward from Pulpit Rock, we continued along the Appalachian Trail’s white blazes. The path was fairly flat from there, with little dips and ascends to keep you from getting bored. We ran into two duos who were in it for the long haul. They were both attempting the entire Appalachian, from Maine to Georgia on foot. Talking to them, I had to keep myself from bursting with jealousy. Inside I as all bubble and fizz. What I would give to be able to leave it all for the woods like that. Are they loaded with money, or just plain brave?

At a man-made pile of rocks we finally ran into the blue blazes that would take us to the Pinnacle. Following their direction for less than one-hundred steps led us to the view I’d been waiting for. How many times, how many fits had I thrown, wanting to make it to this spot. It was worth every huff and puff. This was the climb I had been waiting for. The best view in the state. The mecca of Pennsylvania climbs.

We lingered and climbed around like playful children before deciding to move on. Another hour and we were back at the car, a five hour hike in total. We immediately b-lined for town to find a cheap diner. That’s two diners in one day, we know how to live.

weekly scenes

Life is good, boys and girls. My favorite season is here, and I've been enjoying every last drop. My parents came to visit for the weekend, and they stayed here at the house. I loved welcoming them (and their two dogs) in. Watching guests relax on the couch and preparing lunch made it feel like a real home. It allowed me to sit back and admire the space Adam and I have created. It really is homey and cozy.

With my parents here, we also went out to several delicious meals. Brunch, dinner, as always, we ate well. Of note, we got to try out new local spot, Noord. Their Scandanavian plates were creative, elevated, and completely original. Unlike anything else in the city, compliments were flying out my mouth the whole meal.

The following weekend, Marley and I went on a solo walk in the woods. We found the Indian statue at Wissahickon after many attempts to do so. It was great to enjoy this beautiful season as thoughts worked themselves out in my head. There is so much to think about, to figure out. Nothing bad, but I find there's a constant need to question, to mull over ideas, and to plan for the future. Without time to do so, I can get a bit lost. It makes me feel very grounded getting back to nature with my thoughts and my dog.

It's been a good string of days.

4th of july adventures

Fourth of July was Adam's and my first whole day together since New Years Day. We made the most of it, waking up early to bike to our favorite brunch spot. Afterward we made our way out toward Reading, PA and explored French Creek State Park. The long hike worked up our appetite, and we ended up at an adorable ice cream parlor in the middle of nowhere for dinner. The adventure kept rolling into the next as we explored the rural area full of beautiful farms, old homes, and expansive spaces. God bless America, it was a day well spent. :)