Much Long Time, Very Silence

This blog has been a desolate void for officially over an entire year now. I'd like to change that, but I also don't even really know where to begin. I've spent this past year struggling with adulthood and identity, and I think a big part of my battle has been my lack of writing and absence of the self-discovery that inevitably comes with recording one's thoughts. I don't want to be a phony and tell you that not coming here was a creative choice. I want to be the most genuine me I can be, as I'm sure we all do. That's what I wanted for this blog, and I think that's what I'm going to attempt to bring back- a sense of realness in an all too fake world.

So, for the record, I'm still here chugging along and noticing the little things that bring me happiness.

LOTS OF NIGHT RUNS.

LOTS OF MEANDERING THROUGH THE FOREST.

LOTS OF HAIR DYE AND RED HUES.

Dark January | Inevitable Spring from juiceboxgraveyard on 8tracks Radio.

LOTS OF TUNES.

Freshwater and Forests

I hadn't originally planned on posting so many nature photos here in my little corner of the web, but it's become clear to me that there is really no other way to have this blog reflect my true self. Nature is such an important part of my life and is probably involved in over half of what I'd consider to be my happy murmurs. I know that living in Michigan has played an incredible role in my development as a person, and I couldn't have asked for a better playground growing up. Sand, rock, freshwater, and forests- these are the things that make me feel like a carefree child again. I continue to connect with the philosophies of naturalists like John Muir and Henry David Thoreau, and knowing that I've yet to the mountains and forests they loved so dearly gives me a deep fervor for my future. 

The simple adventures that can be had in nature are infinite, whether it be spotting a rare bird, uncovering a hidden trail, or finding a fossil along the beach, and each brings me the purest kind of happiness. Although I will eventually get around to crafting more exciting posts for the blog (I plan to have a DIY section in the near future!), I'm loving having a place to share my daily adventures and reflect on the beautiful places that I'm so lucky to have encountered. If even just one other person stops to admire the natural beauty that I've struggled (and probably failed) to capture in a photo, I feel like I've done something important. I'm going to save up for a real camera and hopefully that will increase the quality of my photos and make them easier to style and take, so that's something to look forward to! Here are a few pictures I've snapped haphazardly in the last couple days:

I went home for a few days to spend time with my family for Mother's Day (I'm heading back downstate tomorrow morning). We spent most of Sunday by Lake Huron with a lovely picnic at Cheboygan State Park and saw this ghostly ship in the distance.

I love foraging for wild edibles, so I was delighted to see these fresh wintergreen berries peeking out of the dried leaves that covered the forest floor! Now, if only I could find some morel mushrooms...

Sophie loves playing in the water and fetching sticks. She's great at fetching but not so great at bringing anything back- she loves to make you chase her while awkwardly carrying a giant stick in her mouth.

I get so excited whenever I encounter any form of wildlife. Words cannot express how much I love animals, and I do mean all animals- even snakes! Spiders give me the willies sometimes, but that's about it.

Anyway, that's all I've got for now- I hope you're having a wonderful week!

<3