THE UPPER RIGHT : DAY ONE

So about those weekly posts!!!! My b.

A thing happened (more on that later, promise). To make up for it, I'll give you a daily update this weekend of what happened basically in the past month. So sit tight and.....

LET'S GO!

About a month ago (shortly after that lengthy entry) the boyfriend I went on a little getaway outside our normal hustle and bustle. We planned this trip at the beginning of the year and after deciding that we weren't moving to Portland this fall, this trip kinda carried more weight to it. Not that it was "second best" at all, it turned out to be an amazing trip that we won't soon forget.

So where did we go? Well I'm going to break it down by day because it feels like there is too much to write about for one post. Let's just call this THE UPPER RIGHT trip. (hint hint)

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THE UPPER RIGHT : DAY ONE ITINERARY

- LEAVE AT UNGODLY HOUR AFTER NO SLEEP

- SHARED WAWA BURRITO (FIRST BREAKFAST)

- STILL HIT RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC

- FIND A DINER FOR SECOND BREAKFAST (6/10 NOT BAD)

- EAT TOO MANY CHOCOLATE COVERED ESPRESSO BEANS

- FIND A LEGIT TIM HORTONS STATESIDE

- ARRIVE AT OUR DESTINATION (AFTER DRIVING 10+ HOURS)

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And that destination was...

ACADIA NATIONAL PARK

Stoked.

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After we rolled through town, we headed to Seawall Campground to set up our site. Which we did under 30minutes including the queue to sign in. For our first time, not too shabby! But let's just say, we were definitely not prepared for how cold it was going to get that night. Boyfriend forgot his sleeping pad so he ended up using the blankets as a mattress. That coupled with the abnormally cold summer night (and the campsite located not even 500ft from the ocean) made for another sleepless night.

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But before before jump straight into day two, we did other things before trying to get in some shut eye!!

After setting up camp, we went on a short 3 mile hike along Ocean Path and the Great Head Trail. Then drove to Cadillac Mountain to scope out how long of a drive it is from our camp site and where we can set up the next morning. Let me tell you how it must have been destiny for us to arrive at the summit when we did. The sun was just starting to set over The Bubble Mountains with the sun reflecting onto Eagle Lake and the Somes Sound in the distance. That was bliss.

I'm not sure if you can tell, but took a few photographs with the D40x that day. It felt great holding that camera again after a 7 year break, BUT... I am in serious need (okay okay "want") for an upgrade. My plan is to give my brother the D40x body along with one of the lenses so I can get a new rig. I made a deal with the boyfriend that if I do this, he can buy a new guitar. It's pretty fair.

MMXVI : HALFWAY THERE

Hey. It's been awhile.

There has been a lot of changes going around. Some major. Some not so much. But I figured I would give you an update about how the year is going since we somehow the year is halfway gone. At the beginning of the year I made this list of INTENTIONS (like everyone else and their mom did) and well....

Life Happened.

Not that it feels like I've done much in the grand scope of things (I probably have). But that's okay. Nothing ever really plans out the way you think they would. Life is this beautiful adventure of windy roads and breathtaking moments. And instead of being discouraged, I feel motivated to accomplish more of what I intended to get done this year. Even a small step forward is a step in a good direction.

This will be a very wordy post. I'm sprinkling in some rando pictures to keep those visual-only people interested. But, it's my life and my journey so far this year. Anyways. You have been warned.

MOVE TO PORTLAND

This is one of the sadder things that I have had to come to terms with. Not that Portland is off the board by any means. Just not this year. It's probably the better decision, but it doesn't make the situation any less disappointing. HOWEVER, I will be moving out of my parent's home this fall, so that will be exciting and I am beyond eager for the next chapter in my life.

DEVOTE MORE TIME TO MORNINGS

Seriously morning people, how in the world do you do this? You early birds need to teach me your ways and tell me your secrets. Sleep is just too sweet. Although I do have to give myself some credit. I have figured out an efficient, 5 minute basic beauty routine that gets me out the door relatively on time. AND my road rage has been kept to a minimum since the beginning of this year. So, there's a plus.

GET BACK INTO PHOTOGRAPHY

Finally something that I actually have been actively working on. If you have been reading this lately, you will notice that in my LAST POST I have required a Fujifilm Instax Wide 300. And I have been using it a bit lately. If you ask anyone, they will tell you that instant film is super fun because 1. for its nostalgia and 2. the instant satisfaction without going digital. But for me, it makes me be more aware of what I'm photographing. There's only one shot and one moment, then it's gone, never to happen in the exact same way again. I guess it's more of a commentary of how I want to be living life. To be more purposeful and deliberate. That every action I make or word I say has an effect and a weight to it. There's responsibility in that.

Woah. Deep.

Anyways. This weekend, the boyfriend and I will be heading to Acadia National Park. I'm hoping to wipe off the dust from my 35mm and old (like really old, haven't touched it since sophmore year of college old) DSLR and put them to work. So that's fun. I'm thinking about getting a new digital set up later this year, but we'll see.

START LEARNING FRENCH

Yeah. This one I haven't even touched. I've used Duolingo in the past and all I know is how to say "le chat noir" and "je mange une orange" (nailed it). However, my best friend is moving to Paris for a year or two. So that's kinda french related. Kinda bummed about it because she'll be so far away, but I am super stoked for her and this new opportunity. Oh and another french related thing. I recently watched "The Steak Revolution" on Netflix (it's ace, you should watch it) and that's mostly french. Maybe I'll continue to watch french documentaries and just soak in the language (I know that's not how it works). Any one have any tips on how to learn a new language? Get at me!

SPEAK LESS, DO MORE

Alright we're weighing out the good with the bad as we go through this list! I added this to my MMXVI Intentions list because I felt like I was all talk without having anything to back it up. The laundry list of things I wanted to do kept piling up without getting any of it done. It was that type of scenario at the end of MMXV. So this year, I got out more. I went on more hikes and chased a few waterfalls. I started making more. Instead of leaving these ideas as figments of my imagination, I have created a few things that I can't wait to share with you when they're all done.

I could say that it is also because of this bullet point that you haven't really heard much from me. But that would only be partially true. I'll try to at least do weekly updates to the Fieldnotes from here on out.

SHOP SMALL OR SUSTAINABLE ONLY

In my effort to be more deliberate in all aspects of my life, I added this to my list. If I'm being honest, I haven't been shopping small/sustainable/ethical 100%. I currently am debating on these two tops from H&M I bought last week in a last minute buy. I'm trying to weigh out if they would pass the WEAR30 RULE (I'll probably be returning them). The only other things that I have purchased this year were a pair of UNEEK sandals by KEEN, sage toner and an exfoliating mask from Fat & the Moon, a dress from ASOS that is made from vintage fabric, another dress from Skargorn that's made in LA, organic cotton underwear from H&M's Conscious Collection, and pre-ordered my first pair of rigid denim. Which sounds like a lot, but for someone who used to spend too much on throwaway junk, it's refreshing that most of my purchases this year has been responsible shopping.

HIKE A BIT OF THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL

Although it wasn't as much as I wanted to. I guess I can technically cross this off my list. On the way back from a hike at Dingman's Ferry with my brother, we stopped by this little overlook in Bangor that we had to hike about 2 miles of the AT to get to.

VISIT ACADIA NATIONAL PARK

The boyfriend and I are leaving tomorrow! We are so stoked for this adventure.

CLIFF DIVE OFF PEACE ROCK

Summer isn't anywhere close to being over. I'm already making plans to cross this off the list.

TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF

I'm not really sure how to measure this. I guess I can say that I have had more positive and good vibes this year. Being thankful for at least three things daily. Finding joy in every moment and stillness in the chaos. I'm taking care of my body and mind with yoga and healthy eating.

READ DAILY

Well lately I've been doing better with this one. Whether it's reading fellow blogs or slowly knocking off books from the READING LIST, I'm reading almost every day. I added another one of my favorites to the list: The Neverending Story. It's definitely helping me get back into the habit.

I'm looking forward to the next half of the year. I can feel it in my bones that there will be great big changes ahead.

WATER ON THE MOUNTAIN

MMXVI is for chasing waterfalls. In three months, I have hiked 24 waterfalls and it is just the beginning. Granted 21 of those waterfalls were along the Falls Trail at Ricketts Glen State Park over the past weekend.

Ricketts Glen State Park is located across 13,000 acres across Luzerne, Sullivan and Columbia counties in Northern Pennsylvania. Just a short, but scenic drive from where the Adobeau and I had a hearty brunch at Canteen900 in Forty Fort. (We highly recommend getting a fresh pressed orange juice and the protein smoothie bowl if you're ever in the area.) The park is named after Robert Bruce Ricketts, an American Civil War colonel who owned the land.

My research of the trail told me that it was a difficult trail to hike, but Adobeau and I found it pretty easy. However, it is pretty wet in most spots from waterfall mist and winter's melted ice so shoes with good traction will probably be your best friend. We took the seven mile hike is a loop down Ganoga Glen,  a little downstream from Waters Meet and back, up Glen Leigh, and then back to the Lake Rose Trail Head through the Highland Trail. With so many waterfalls to stop and stare at, the 7 miles doesn't feel so long.

The tallest of the waterfalls in the park is the 94 foot tall Ganoga Falls. Robert Bruce Ricketts named the waterfall for what he thought was the word that meant "water on the mountain" in the Seneca language. But it ended up that "Ganoga" is the word in the Cayuga language that means "place of floating oil". Woops! Well, "Water on the Mountain" sounds more poetic anyways.

We will definitely be coming back with some friends, maybe even make it a weekend camping trip and hitting up the other trails in the park. Wonder what other goodies we will find before leaving the east coast for the PNW? Stay tuned for the next adventure. For now I'll leave the obligatory #yogiinthewild pic here. Vriksasana with happy sun welcoming branches. On a tree for added redundancy.

READING LIST

So I mentioned in my last post that one of my MMXVI INTENTIONS was to "Read Daily". Part of that is to be in The Word daily, through either devotionals or just trying to see what God has to say to me. But the other part of that is to really get back into reading. It used to be one of my favorite things to do when I was growing up, but ever since the birth of social media and general growing up, it has become something I never made time for. In the past year, I have probably only read 5 books max, when before it would be like 25 books during summer break (#nerdalert).

I have a bit of Reading ADD. Meaning, I never really just read one book at a time, more like 3 or more. Granted, WALDEN by Henry David Thoreau is a mainstay, but I'm excited about this particular copy that I found this past month in a really cool book shop in Easton, PA.

To be more honest with myself, I'll be writing posts here and there with where I am in each book. I hope to share with you how it strikes a chord in my soul or is inspiring products for WALDEN&co.

So here is my current reading list:

WILD - CHERYL STRAYED
GARDEN CITY - JOHN MARK COMER
WALDEN - HENRY DAVID THOREAU
EAST OF EDEN - JOHN STEINBECK
THE BOOK OF THE SEA

MMXVI

Oh Hello 2016. You're going to be a good one, I'm going to speak that one into motion. Into truth.

Last year was a meditative year. A year of figuring out what I really want in life, where I want to be, and who I want to be. I spent more time outside and created more, and I know I will continue to do that in the coming months, but with more passion. I've learned how freeing it is to know that many things just do not matter. And that what does matter the most makes life so simple. This past year, I started my journey of learning the importance of alignment, dominion, and that joy is a mindful choice.

Now 2016.

Long lost are the days of solemn introspection. Instead, I am trading it in by taking the year by its horns. I know this year has a lot of responsibilities ahead, thanks to a new title at my day job and just general growing up, and a lot of change of scenery. The latter is my main focus. I'm trading in my little slice of Bucks County for a place that stole my heart a little over a year ago: the Pacific Northwest. I am both excited and terrified for that move later this year, but there is much else I would like to get done. I don't do resolutions because it sounds so finite, so here are some intentions I'm setting for 2016.

MMXVI INTENTIONS

MOVE TO PORTLAND

DEVOTE MORE TIME TO MORNINGS

GET BACK INTO PHOTOGRAPHY

START LEARNING FRENCH

SPEAK LESS, DO MORE

SHOP SMALL OR SUSTAINABLE ONLY

HIKE A BIT OF THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL

VISIT ACADIA NATIONAL PARK

CLIFF DIVE OFF PEACE ROCK

TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF

READ DAILY
 

HMT

So today is fun hump day post, because it's a hump day that is basically a Friday, well semantics.

Over the weekend the beau and I made our way to Christkindlmarkt in Bethlehem, PA. It's a cute little flea with different vendors that his held all season long. It was cool to meet fellow makers, especially this witty and sarcastic candle maker behind Little House Candles. There were ice carvers and glass blower, whittlers, and ornament painters. It was quaint, and if you're in the North East Pennsylvania area this time next year, you should stop by.

But the real gem of going there is walking the Hoover-Mason Trestle (HMT). Just as the original Steel Stacks has been renovated and re-purposed to be an entertainment center, casino, and hotel, the HMT also got a new face. Think of how New York introduced the High Line to Chelsea to bring a new look to the overgrown abandoned railway, the HMT did the same. Originally it was a small half-mile long railroad that helped transport coke and iron ore to the blast furnaces. Now, it's this very short walkway where you you can learn a bit of history and enjoy the nice weather of December. There are little gardens and cute benches, along with a walking tour and small museum in the visitor center. Not to mention, it makes a nifty background for the new addition in my closet.

WALDEN&CO. Pine Crest Beanie (Webstore Coming Soon!!) | OLD NAVY Denim Jacket (stolen from boyfriend's closet) | FENNEC DESIGN Back Patch | JCREW Coated Denim (similar) | DOC MARTENS Clemency Boot

ANTHRACITE

I don't know what it was about this Holiday season that's got me feeling weird. Maybe it's the fact that it has been a WARM December here in Pennyslvania. Or maybe it's exactly how Daria says it is:

Either way, Christmas Week is upon us. And now that the Star Wars craze is over (Who am I kidding? That was ridiculous and I'm still obsessed...), It's time for non-stop Christmas carols courtesy of August Burns Red and Emery, A Charlie Brown Christmas, and Disney's Christmas Carol. All that good Christmas cheer. But there is a song that got me gut this year: The Killers "Joel, The Lump of Coal". I know it sounds like an odd song to hit you in the feels, but hear me out.

I first heard the song last year. Thought nothing of it, but a cute song with a new character that had a great agenda behind it. But another once over, it just reminds me of what Christmas is all about. You know. That baby in the manger. Jesus. Ring a bell?

Now this is a VERY LOOSE and probably not at all accurate interpretation of the song. But this is mine, and it got me freaking out.

So Joel is this lump of coal, that no one really likes. He gets made fun of by the other pieces of anthracite, like a little reindeer we know. Oh and like Jesus. Everyone is after the guy since before he was born. Rough Life. Then, Joel finds out he drew the short straw and is sent to a boy on the naughty list. Kinda like how Jesus was sent to our sinning lot. Now Joel gets to the kid, and the kid knows he's been bad so he kinda comes to term with whatever happens to him. BUT THEN Joel realizes (after crying a bit) why he was sent to this naughty kid, to sacrifice himself and give the boy something that he did not deserve. DOES THIS SOUND FAMILIAR?!?! Like how do you not have the feels. Oh and did I mention that the name "Joel" comes from the Hebrew that means "YAHWEH is God".

Jesus, man, Happy Birthday.

In honor of the birthday boy, enjoy a nice plate of anthracite.