as of late |June|
This June is a month filled with birthdays, family celebrations, places old and new, and the first taste of warmth under the Summer sun.
Home Life
When I first slumped into this new reality of life at home I was sad, upset, and constantly wished I could go back to the life I knew in Boston. But after a bit of time passed, and I grew more comfortable with this day to day, enjoying the simple moments in life became easier. This bit of a break or moment of pause has become a time of reflection. Currently, I am spending my time with the people that matter most and growing myself from the inside out. A lot of my accomplishments may be intangible at the moment, but that doesn’t make them any less valuable. I repainted my childhood bedroom, started expressing myself more truly, and recently chopped my hair for that feeling of “change” that we all crave as humans. I’m beginning to appreciate this mental pause and allow myself to settle into the slowness.
creativity
A lot of my creativity used to lie with my school work; new assignments kept my mind fresh and filled with projects. Now that the term is over and Summer has started to set in, it’s been a battle trying to keep me actively creating while being at home. I’ve started working more graphically and designing on a digital basis. Half is due to it being more easily accessible during this “stay at home” period, and the other half is that I wanted more practice on the digital software to keep my skills up to par for next year. It has been fun creating something out of nothing, editing my poetry and sharing it on social media for others to view. I continuously find joy sharing the things I create with others, in the hope that people can connect in the same way I do.
inspiration
Most of my daily dose of inspiration is gifted to me from Instagram accounts or Pinterest images in which I find beautiful. One part of my daily routine is flipping through social media, or an architectural magazine, or maybe even a travel blog, and getting inspired for my day.
travel
Tybee Island, GA
In the beginning of June I had the opportunity to safely travel and join a few family members on an RV road trip down to Tybee Island, Georgia. It was so nice to break up my everyday routine and spend quality time with people I love. I had never been to Georgia before so everything was new and inspiring for me. One of my favorite moments was watching the dolphins swim at sunset with my aunt. I’m going to be writing an in depth blog post of my time there so I won’t say too much until then, but above are a few of my favorite photos.
Acadia National Park
My friends and I returned yesterday from a very fun and adventurous five day trip on Mount Desert Island to explore Acadia National Park. This is our second Summer coming as a group, and Zach & I’s third. Coming here now feels so natural and special and I am hoping it stays a yearly tradition for a while. I love being able to bond and venture out with some of my best friends. Seeing the world and sharing it with others is one of the fastest ways to make me smile. Even if we packed the wrong tent, were unable to cook eggs on the campfire, woken up by screaming squirrels and a 5 AM downpour, we still are able to enjoy the experience.
recipes
I wrote a blog about my favorite baking recipes which I’ll link here. However, I’ve also been getting invested in cooking dinner for my family. I love finding new vegetarian recipes and getting creative with flavor combinations. Here are a few of my greatest hits…
beetroot pasta
made by blending up pickled beets and adding crumbled feta + dill over the top
roasted veggies
a weeknight favorite in my house
spaghetti
faux-lognese
a tasty lentil based sauce
potato gnocchi
a fairly simple homemade pasta dish
soft pretzels
the perfect friday night snack…served with dijon mustard of course
fashion
Getting out of the house seemed to be a folktale a few weeks ago. I was living in sweats (not common for me) and leisure wear. I would occasionally dress up just to feel human again and put on fancy earrings for fun. As things are slowly creeping back to what they used to be, I’m returning to visit people safely. My Summer wardrobe is finally playing peek-a-boo. I’m playing more with neutrals and appreciating the cut of clothing to create statements rather than bold colors.
everyday adventures
Especially during March-May when quarantine was in full swing, it became necessary to think outside the box. Weeknight dinners and post 5 pm activities became monotonous, and I can only watch Netflix for so long…so car picnics, long drives, and backyard brunches kicked in to break up all this daily sameness.
things I miss most
my people — our laughter. my places — the memories. my routine — and the mindset that came with it. the energy of the city — the everyday adventure of the daily rush.