Arikok National Park: April 8, 2015

At some point, we got lost on a rugged two track trail through the hills in our little rented sedan.  You may be surprised that much of Aruba's landscape is arid and sparse- the opposite of the tropical paradise typical at self- contained resorts.  Thank God I have off-the-beaten-track (literally) type of parents.

Question of the Day

Ladybug or Japanese Beetle?

Summer

Missing the light of summer right now.

*Picture taken last summer in the back gray barn

Spring Things

Bits and pieces from our lives in the past few weeks.  Is it just me or did we skip spring and go straight to summer? 

1. A picture of me on a spring walk before graduation.
2. My ever faithful companion.  He is currently passed out next to me as I write this still covered in the mud from today's creek escapades.
3. Are dandelions really a weed if they're actually such a pretty little flower?  This one was picked on a walk in Matthaei Botanical Gardens.
4.  These are my "go to" tacos that I make.  Corn tortilla, cilantro lime rice, black beans [duh], home made salsa and guac, monterey jack cheese, and chopped spinach.

5. Spring in bloom in Bird Hills.
6. Partners in crime.
7.  A daredevil husband that likes to climb everything.
8. More beauty. 
9. The beautiful trillium flower that always blooms right around for my birthday.  Although this flower is endangered (this is one of two that I saw in Ann Arbor this year) there are hundreds in the woods surrounding my house.  My mom would always pick a few and put them in a vase for my birthday.

Spring around the apartment.

Our spring has come at last with the soft laughter of April suns and shadow of April showers. ~Byron Caldwell Smith

 A few snap shots of Spring and my life intersecting. 

My doughnut loving husband just found out that the supposed #2 best doughnuts in the country have been within a 1/2 of a mile from us for the past 2 years.  It was a travesty that we had never experienced them.  So we did, last Saturday.  And if you ask me, I think they're trying a little too hard. 

Finals week is better with ma sistas. 

I have this superstitious belief that Mother Nature will only keep bringing you good weather if you go outside and play in the beautiful weather she's already given you, to show her that you appreciate it.  So on Monday I headed out down to the river for a hike to pay proper hommage.  I stopped to notice the tiny buds on the brush and trees.  The grass has suddenly gotten greener, flowers are blooming, which means the trees will soon follow.

Homemade Larabars.  Shout out to my friend Cortny for introducing me to this new way of life.

Buddy with a spring hair-do.

I've been trying to take pictures of the apartment lately since we will be moving soon.  I'm going to miss our newlywed apartment, it has really become home for us.

This is the new basket I got from the Ann Arbor antique show this past weekend!  I was excited to see one of the baskets had the number "5" on it since it's been my lucky number since kindergarten. 

My succulent.  Unfortunately, the only plant I can keep alive. 

Light

A lot of my favorite moments are the simple ones.  Ones that remind me to take in my surroundings, to be mindful, to just be.  Often they're traced with bits of beautiful light that make the more ordinary (and sometimes overlooked) a little bit more magical.

Light from an afternoon spring walk.

A chair at sunset.

Thought of the Day

I really want it to be summer so I can feel whimsical and light like this:

...and additionally, be wearing this awesome sunhat from J Crew: 

Approximately one more month until "spring"!

*Pictures from JCrew.com and google

Some Spring Inspiration..

Only about seventy seven more days until I get to wear these....

Outside!  Also- I would never actually buy these in the store.  However, I got them for ten dollars on ebay (instead of the original price of $120)!  I love getting good deals and I love wearing cute shoes.

Winter Blues

The lighthouse in South Haven from Summer 2009.

Now that Christmas, New Years and the beginning of the Winter semester freenzy is over, I'm starting to feel the Winter Blues.  The snow is no longer cute or a novelty, now it's just dirty or slushy.  I am definitely not looking forward to the next three months of dull, gray folorness that is a Michigan winter (Michigan winters tend to hold out until the end of March/beginning of Spring). 

I've already started to dream of wearing summer dresses again, going to South Haven for the weekend and drinking sun brewed ice tea. 

So in order to treat (they're aren't curable) the Winter Blues, I've created a Plan of Action:

1) Study so much that I don't realize there is still snow on the ground.

2) Go snowboarding in the arb with Mike aka get a nonexpensive winter hobby.

3) Download bird noises.  Real bird noises are my favorite, they instantly make me happy, so I figure that fake bird noises are the next closest thing.

4) Have a beachy/summery background on my computer to "inspire" me.

5) Start my annual countdown to Spring- my favorite season.

Anyone else feeling the same way?  Any suggestions?