my brother has goats
That’s it. Just had to share because he is ridiculously adorable.
Love your local farmer!
#CountryLove #FarmersRock #MyBrotherIsTheCutest
Blue Lollipop Road
May 12, 2015
In
Photos
maybe i’m not cool anymore?
If you know me at all, you know I wear the same 10 things over and over again. I think less is more and I like my whole wardrobe to fit in one big suitcase. Mostly I’d rather spend my money on gas, plane tickets, and delicious food- not clothes. It’s all about the experiences & people, not the stuff, baby! (If you’ve followed here for any amount of time, yes, that’s probably the same $8 mint green cotton tank top in nearly every photo you’ve seen me in during the past 2 years.)
As the weather has warmed and I’ve started to pull out my summer-wear I decided it was time to force myself to take on my find a new wardrobe to make sure I am halfway presentable in public including shoes for $200 or less wardrobe, challenge. My current clothes are actually getting pilly and look awful- that’s how much I’d rather spend money on life than clothes. And…
I hate shopping.
Did I mention I hate shopping?
I’d rather be taking a road trip, going for a run, drinking a beer at a picnic table with friends at a park, writing, sipping wine in Napa, dancing, camping, sitting at the beach, eating chocolate, planning an event- anything.
So forced-shopping-fest-because-I’am-starting-to-look-homeless, happened this past weekend. Places like T.J. Maxx, Marshall’s, Ross, Old Navy and Target are my jam for the $15 or less sundress, skirt and tank top search. So there I was, begrudgingly piling my cart miles high to try a million things on, and what do I see?
Notice the sweet additional acid washed option below this triple-button pair. Yeah!
Apparently the cool kids are wearing these again. I’m thinking my Mom could pull out something that I wore that looked like these from 4th grade in 1988.
Let’s just say I steered clear and ended up with nothing at this particular T.J. Maxx. Typical try on piles of things and lucky if I end up with one. Perhaps I missed the boat not trying these awesome jorts on. I could’ve made a killer outfit with my clear jelly shoes that used to get rocks stuck in the heels when I was 10 years old if I could somehow dig those up again.
Oh, full-circle fashion. We can’t even hate you, you are so funny.
Memories.
What’s your style?
#TheEightiesCalled #Fashion #AcidWash
May 8, 2015
In
Photos, Strong Mojo
reflection
From my walk yesterday:
I definitely needed some fresh air to think. This was perfect stop.
How are you remembering, celebrating, and living?
Today is the day. Don’t wait.
#MojoAndMirrors #SpringWanders #CherishYourMinutes
May 4, 2015
In
BLR Play It Forward 2013, Blue Lollipop Road Memorial Scholarship, Do good, Inspiration, Links, News & Updates, People, Photos, Vermont
blr do-gooders!
Well happy Monday to me to wake up to an email from my 6th grade (and might I add, favorite) teacher of all time, Mr. B this morning:
Diane,
Here is a picture from the front page of today’s Banner. I thought you’d like to see. Nice t-shirt, eh? Good choice for the scholarship. Hope you are well.
And then there was a link to this:
Yay! How proud are we of our July 2013 Blue Lollipop Road Memorial Travel Scholarship Winner, Mercedes Chen?!
We thought she was deserving of our scholarship dollars in 2013, and to find this surprise today in May of 2015? That. Is. Awesome. I love that someone we chose for a winner, who embodies the spirit & zest for life our friends had, continues to do good for the community we grew up in.
High-fives & BLR love to you, Mercedes! Glad you are wearing the BLR colors with pride. Keep doing what you’re doing!
#GreenUp #HometownPride #NeverForgetWhereYouCameFrom
April 25, 2015
In
Photos, Travel, Washington
i love you too, seattle
First coffee since arriving in Seattle just a few hours ago and I got a heart:
Random? I think not. Travel is my love. The Barista must have known I’m flying high today in travel mode. Oh how I love adventure! (And good coffee.)
What do you love?
#EmeraldCity #Coffee #LifeOfATraveler
pour some sugar on me
Meet my friends, Jon & Dana:
These two started making maple syrup as a hobby a couple years ago. (You’re looking at a toast of the good stuff, above.) They’re now cranking out a serious production as a tiny team. As far as I remember, it takes 25+ gallons of sap to make one gallon of maple syrup. That’s right, twenty five plus gallons of sap! Talk about a labor of love:
*(Side note: Jon has been a travel buddy of mine for a long time. We’ve back-country camped, hiked, and road tripped across the USA together. We’ve both been writing our respective books for many years, and we’ve shared much great conversation about life over good beers. We’ve eaten Mexican food for Easter in Pueblo, Colorado after getting a speeding ticket as we drove through the middle of nowhere Kansas. Oh the adventures! Imagine my delight when he found and married Dana. It’s totally awesome when your bff guy friends find the coolest women to share their lives with. Lucky me to have such great friends.)
So what did these friends send in the mail last Friday?
A mega maple syrup surprise!
Do you see the drops on the outside of the jug? Don’t tell anyone, but I definitely took a little taste of those because I was so excited. Finger-lickin’ good!
Saturday morning we made a huge batch of pancakes and found that our jug was so full, we had to dip some pancake pieces first:
…to make some room to pour. Mmmm:
(As you can see, I got so busy eating, I almost forgot to snap this photo.) Ohhh…sooo…good!
Are you jealous? You should be- this stuff tastes amazing!
Do you want to get your own? You can! Sweet! (See what I did there?:)
Jon & Dana’s School House Maple is still available to buy from this season. Here’s what they have:
Plastic Jugs:
Sampler ~ $3
1/2 Pint ~ $5
Pint ~ $10
Quart ~ $17
1/2 gallon ~ $32
Gallon ~ $58
Glass Growler or Tin:
Sampler ~ $5
Half Pint ~ $8
Pint (tin only) $14
Quart ~ $22
Half Gallon ~ $36
Gallon ~ $62
These prices are crazy good, so get some while it lasts! If you have any questions, you can email Dana directly: [email protected]
Thanks Jon & Dana! You guys are the best!
What’s your labor of love?
#MapleSyrup #Sweetness #BestKindOfFriends
April 17, 2015
In
Books to read, Inspiration, Links, Photos, Projects & Organizations I dig, Today Is The Day, TTAA
b*tch stole my book title/subject/vibe! (again.)
From a friend this morning via text:
I went to a bookstore yesterday to try to find this book I’ve been wanting to read…they were sold out of that book, but I came across this in my search and had to get it for you:
(The photo came in on my phone screen and the text continued…)
I don’t know anything about it, but it seemed too Peacock-esque to pass up:)
Do cool sh*T? Quit your day job, start your own business and live happily ever after?! Does this author live inside my head or what? (And I guess my friends know me pretty well, too.)
Recently, I wrote this post after my sister sent me Jen Sincero’s Badass book that I read in about 22 seconds. That was just a couple months ago and here pops in the above book. (I see a pattern here.) I haven’t yet read a page in this one, but I have a feeling based on the title and what I read about the author, I’m going to love it.
Did Jen Sincero or Miki Agrawal “steal” anything from me? No, of course not, they just beat me to the punch on finishing & publishing books like these, and jumping out to the world in a focused way asking for people to pay for sharing their knowledge & experience. (Man I have to get better at that whole charging for the value I bring to the table, thing.) At least I’ve been plugging along with my book, so sometime this century you will see me shamelessly self promoting my written words all typed and bound so pretty on shelves around the world.
This will happen.
Until then, I will take extra motivation and inspiration from badass & cool (see what I did there? HA!) author ladies like these.
Are you doing cool sh*t, or at least trying to?
Thanks for the book, A!
#LifeIsShortDoCoolShit #TodayIsTheDay #BeatOfMyOwnDrum
holy crawfish boil
They say don’t play with your food, but I couldn’t resist the other day when the first of two crawfish boils began:
Those suckers didn’t have long to live in that bucket before getting boiled up and spread out for the feast:
And I thought I got excited about food? Well, this sweet Cajun could give me a run for my food love money diving in the way he did:
Could his face be any closer to the table? I love it the pure focus. Three men put down 15 pounds of crawfish that night, and the next night? Another 30 pounds with a different crew at a camp site:
I’ve been to Louisiana before, but boy this time I realize, it is indeed like a whole different country down here. My “No thank you, I don’t eat any fish/seafood” responses to meal-offerings, have left many of these kind, generous locals horrified (but I think secretly glad they can have my share of the clawed crustaceans:) I’ve opted to indulge in the 9 billion doughnuts available at various unexpected roadside shacks we’ve encountered:
Here are two of the four we noshed on in the sunshine at the picnic table:
Needless to say we aren’t going hungry this week here in Cajun Country.
How do you feast locally?
#RoadFood #CajunCountry #LifeOnTheBlueLollipopRoad
April 3, 2015
In
Food, Georgia, Links, Photos, Recommended reading, Restaurants, Travel, Travel Tips and Tricks
headin’ down to the bayou
There’s a Cajun in my life, so we’re heading down to where crawfish is a main food group, and hot sauce is believed to be the only condiment needed.
ROAD TRIP!
After a night in the tent at the Jellystone Campground (HA! Yes, for real) where the bathroom and shower doors were on lockdown, we stopped for breakfast feeling nice n’ greasy at the Georgia Express Diner:
…where couldn’t wait to take a bite:
“Y’alls” were swirling around this place like the Tasmanian devil on his fastest day, and we were out the door filled with pancakes, cheesy-egg biscuits, omelette’s, grits, toast, and too much coffee for $12.89:
Our waitress fully fit the southern stereotype, sweet as pie as you’d imagine. Mornings like these I absolutely love; The randomness on the road and connecting with strangers hearing their stories in a place unfamiliar.
Tent camping, cheap diner breakfast, and learning about how other people live. Ahhh…travel.
How do you find adventure?
#RoadTrip #Georgia #Diner
go solo
Love articles like this and couldn’t agree more. Want to find your inner badass? Just go. Go alone, and don’t wait for anyone. You’ll surprise yourself.
Here’s an article I contributed to a few years ago. I wrote about jumping out of your cozy comfort zones, too:) Even Vanilla Ice said I’m on a roll and It’s time to go solo.
Where do you go alone?
#LifeOfATraveler #SoloTravel #LifeOnTheBlueLollipopRoad