big sur road trip.

These are some of the sweetest memories with the sweetest people, and I will keep them and pull them out when I need to remember the absolute beauty of my life.

Now I see the secret of making the best persons; it is to grow in the open air and to eat and sleep with the earth. - Walt Whitman 

P.S. Many of these photos were taken by my incredibly talented brother-in-law. Go check out his other work and let his talent blow you away.

the (fabricated) story of my ring, part iv.

Quite some time ago, I posted a fictional series on my previous blog about the origin of my engagement ring. Truthfully, we found the set in an antique store in Micanopy, a small town outside of our college town. The woman who sold it to us knew very little about the set, other then when it was likely made. I have always been enamored with history, mostly because I love imagining people's lives and the goings-on during different time periods. The series is still one of my favorite things I've ever written, and for that reason I'd like to re-publish it here. It is entirely fictional and has no truth to it whatsoever, although it is fun to imagine otherwise. 

Part 1, here.
Part 2, here.
Part 3, here.

 
A few days had passed since Nadine had placed her small, handwritten letter on the lobby mailboxes. Her attempt to be mysterious had resulted in the purchase of a pair of bright yellow shoes and a hideous blue hat. She realized almost immediately that mystery could not be purchased. She thought of her dear mother who had never tried to be anything but herself. Nadine sighed.

George had spent minutes, hours deciding what to write back to the woman in the floral skirt. The letter sat on his empty dining room table, as if it needed all the space it was given. He sat down. He stood up. He felt a little ridiculous over the nervousness he felt. He sat back down.

Dear Woman In The Floral Skirt (Nadine),

It is you, right? Your letter was not intrusive. Quite the opposite, actually. I am sorry to report, however, that I have no experience in tools or handywork or anything else like it. I, myself, was trying to repair my typewriter, which now sits broken in the corner of my living room. A shame, really.

Yours,
George (Apartment 2B)

He looked at the letter. It seemed cold, distant. But he didn't know how else to write it. And then he looked at the way he had signed it. He wondered about Yours. It seemed too intimate. Oh well, he thought. And with that, he walked down to the mailboxes and taped the letter to Apartment 3B's mailbox. Nadine, he thought, what a lovely name. Just then, he realized she was living right above him. He walked back into his apartment and shut the door. He stood in the center of his living room and looked up. Suddenly, he felt less alone as he imagined what Nadine was up to. It was a comfort he had not felt since the day before he had broken his typewriter.

Although Nadine was trying not to care, she had checked her mailbox incessantly over the last few days for any kind of sign that The Man With The Bright Red Socks had been there. On this particular trip to the mailbox, she realized he had been. She read the letter. A brilliant idea crossed her mind.

january favorites.

1. Vans Classic Slip-On Core Classics (in True White [Canvas]) || I have been wanting these shoes for ages, but have been dragging my feet (ha!) on purchasing them. Then I was happily gifted them for Christmas and I've been wearing them ever since. These are my dream shoes because they look so crisp with jeans, which is basically my only requirement when purchasing clothing of any kind.

2. 7-Day Pill Planner* || I am the worst at remembering to take my vitamins, but this pill planner takes all the guess work and brain power out of the equation. Since picking this nifty little gadget up, I haven't once forgotten to take my vitamins. (* This is not my exact version, but I bet you can find it during your weekly [you know it's true] Target run.)

3. Badger Sore Muscle Rub || This salve isn't Tiger Balm strong by any means, but it does the trick for the occasional stiff muscle and it has a pleasant scent.

4. California Baby Everyday Lotion (in Calendula) || I realize this is technically meant for babies, but baby products are often void of some of the harsher ingredients found in lotions geared toward adults. This will always be a bit of a mystery to me because no one needs the addition of harmful ingredients, but as long as they're being added anyway, I reach for this lotion instead of the others. This is my nightstand lotion and I adore it. It smells heavenly and it's super hydrating.

5. Letters of Note: An Eclectic Collection of Correspondence Deserving of a Wider Audience compiled by Shaun Usher || My parents gave this book to me as a Christmas present, and if there was ever a book written for someone just like me, this is it. The only way I can think to describe this book is that it is so full of heart. It is full of wisdom, love, joy, hurt, encouragement, faith, loss, hope, and every other human emotion you can dream up. I cannot recommend this book more highly.




P.S. Other favorites here.