The Open Road

It's been awhile hasn't it? I was busy preparing to move to Growing Things Farm out near Carnation, Washington. We took four days to drive from Lincoln to Seattle, stopping in Estes Park, Colorado for a few days to visit with friends. It was a beautiful drive full of sunny days and the open road. Here's a few photos from the drive out to the Northwest.

Lily Lake near Estes Park, CO
Rocky Mountain National Park, CO
Water sitting on the Bonneville Salt Flats = a neat reflection
In Nevada
Base jumpers over the Snake River in Two Falls, Idaho
Catherine Creek in Oregon

Photos of the farm and the valley I am now calling home will be coming soon . . . :)

Radio Waves

Today I was a guest (along with two others) on a local radio station, KZUM, to talk about the school gardens that the Environmental Studies program has been working on this past year. It was very exciting to get the word out about what we're doing, hopefully we'll have more contacts for resources and help this spring! Now all I can think about is it being warm enough outside to be planting, gardening, biking, and soaking up some of those marvelous sun beams. Ok, well, I suppose that's what I'm typically always thinking about! :) In any case, here are a few photos from this past summer when I was in Moab, Utah to ease my longing for warmer weather.

A Gift

I've been thinking a lot lately about my future travels, and Bali keeps coming to mind. While researching eco-retreats in Bali I came across Surf Goddess Retreats and instantly fell in love with the place. It would be an 8 day all inclusive retreat where I would learn surfing, practice yoga, have six hours (or more) worth of massages, a bike to get around on, and all in all a place to relax, rejuvenate, and explore Bali. The thing is though is that it costs almost $3,000.00 for the retreat, and airfare is another $2,000.00. So as soon as I have an extra $5,000.00 laying around you'll know where to find me! I'm hoping I'll be able to take this trip as my 30th birthday gift to myself. Here's a link to a video about what a day at the retreat is typically like.

Seattle

To welcome in the new year I flew to Seattle, Washington to be with my boyfriend and to enjoy my semester break. I was expecting Seattle to be a dark gray place with bustling crowds of people. But I was pleasantly surprised that the sun shined most of the days and that the crowds of people weren't too overwhelming.

One of my favorite places that I visited wasn't the downtown area, but Alki Beach. I was amazed at how much drift wood there was (and about all the possible crafts I could use it for).


For my birthday we went on the Bill Speidel's Underground Tour of Seattle in Pioneer Square. I'm kind of a dork when it comes to these kind of tours and really enjoyed learning about what all happened in the underground. Though if I were to go on it again I would have done the 21+ tour (cocktails are included!) that goes more in depth about the 'seamstresses'. One really cool thing about the underground sidewalks is that the sidewalks above often have glass tiles to let light into the underground.

Most of my time in Seattle was spent walking around Pike's Place Market and the downtown area. I enjoyed shopping at Lush, All Saints, and Free People, as well as eating my way through the market. Here are a few of my favorite shots from my wanderings.

The gum wall near Pike's Place Market.

A giant squid I came across in an atrium. One of my favorite things to do when in a new city is to buy a cup of tea and maybe some sort of croissant and just meander the streets. The day I cam across this guy I had spent most of the day walking down interesting alleys, popping into spice stores, and munching on street food.

Ok, so obviously there isn't a 270 foot waterfall in Seattle, but there is one just a few hours drive away. We went to visit a farm near Carnation, WA and came across Snoqualmie Falls on our way back. It was gorgeous there - the air was crisp, the sun was out, and a rainbow appeared.


If I had the money to I would definitely want to stay a few nights in the lodge/spa that sits near the top of the falls. I believe that each suite has a fireplace and a hot tub, plus an awesome view.

Anyways, I'm now back in Lincoln watching snow fall and enjoying the fact that classes were canceled for tomorrow. Seattle was an amazing city and I am looking forward to future strolls downtown and being able to explore more of the city this summer. Oh, did I forget to mention that I was offered and I accepted an internship at the farm I visited near Carnation? Yes, that's right I will be working and living at a small organic farm (Growing Things Farm) for the summer/early fall this year. But more on that later . . .