Celebrating Fall

I am proud to actually have pictures to post with my text this week! I feel as if I have neglected my camera over the past few months. I know it's weird feeling sorry for inanimate objects but I feel sorry for my camera for not giving it the attention it deserves. Not only does is deserve my attention but I love spending time with it. I find it amazing how the wind can be howling around my camera and it will not affect the image it captures because it's just sound. I often feel like sounds and smells should also be captured in a single image but this way just leaves room for imagination. It always amazes me how a camera works to capture beauty that sometimes smacks us in the face and says "look at me" and sometimes you have to look at the overlooked and sometimes the ugly and draw the beauty out of it.  I am reminded that everything is beautiful in its own way. Sometimes it just takes a special eye to see it that way. 

This past weekend I went hiking on Tinker Cliffs in Roanoke, VA. Round trip it was 7.2 miles. While I was not as energetic going into the hike, it was a really good trail! There were fun bridges for creeks, ladders to climb over barbed wire fences, cow pastures to walk beside, and a variety of elevation grade. I wish it wasn't as cold and windy when we got to the summit so that we could have explored the amazing rocks more but it was a fair trade off for the autumnal coloring. There were a fair amount of people on the trail but from what we heard it was just a popular hiking day all around. Overall, it was a great hike and I would definitely recommend it.

Old News

Wow, I definitely had intentions of blogging much more in the past several months but as you can see, that didn't go too well. Though summer wasn't completely hectic, it was a whirlwind. An amazing whirlwind though. 

Tomorrow I am embarking on the fourth week of classes of my senior year. After procrastinating for the past year, I have actually been seriously researching grad programs and am going to get my applications as soon as possible. I'm just taking it one step at a time. I'm starting to get excited about what next year is going to hold but need to make sure that I continue to live in the present. 

Besides emotionally preparing to move into the next phase of life and whatnot I have also decided to take charge on my eating philosophy. I partially consider myself paleo now. If paleo is unfamiliar to you check this out.  I say partially because I am not 100% and feel guilty calling myself a true paleo. I have adopted it as my philosophy of the ideal way to eat but I'm not able to always perfectly execute this goal. I say this after I ate a delicious salad for lunch followed by a couple delicious cookies. I have made great improvements in my diet but I still adore sweet things and am not planning on giving that up anytime soon. 

I would like to take a paragraph to make a note-to-self: Mackenzie, you LOVE the outdoors! Think about how this weekend you went for a trail jog, hiking, and then the Mud Run for four consecutive days! Ohmygosh, wait... it didn't kill you? Who are we kidding! So what if you're a little sore. You still have energy and could probably do it all again tomorrow. 

Speaking of outdoors, here are some recent pictures:

View from the almost-summit of Dragon's Tooth. Catawba, VA

Andrew and the very top of Dragon's Tooth.

Dragon's Tooth... Before the rain came.

Hiking Angel Peak with Kelsey. Pearisburg, VA

Probably the creepiest thing ever.

Thanks for reading :)

Nature

I love being at school. I love how productive I feel and all of the people I am around every single day. I love how I am so close to everything and can walk everywhere I need to go. I am truly grateful for the life I have here.

However, there are some things about being in college that are not my favorite. It is extremely difficult to find a place of complete solitude. A place where I am able to be alone and look around without seeing any man made structures. I miss that. I am also dissatisfied with not being able to live a natural life. There are many days where I am so busy that i am not able to take a few minutes to enjoy the beauties of nature or amazing weather. I am constantly seeking out many little ways to satisfy this, such as growing plants in my room, picking fresh flowers, and constantly admiring the many beauties that are outdoors. All of these things help, a lot, but they are not the same as living with constant opportunity to plant, water, grow, harvest, and eat things. I love being on the farm and working with animals, fruits, vegetables, and flowers. When I am in that environment I soak it up as much as possible to ensure that even when I am removed from it, I will be able to carry with me the joy that it gives me. 

Spring break this year was really nice because I was able to spend some time hiking. Honestly, of all the fun things I did over break I think that the day I spend the entire afternoon in the woods was a highlight. Opportunities like this bring me joy that I can carry through when I am cooped up in buildings all day.

Andrew and I packed a picnic lunch and found a really cool rock to eat it on. The rock was sticking out into the creek so the water was rushing all around. So fun!

Along the trail these trees had fallen over creating a perfect archway! It was so pretty.

One of the last (or the last) in the county. Makes me think that we are still somewhat connected to our old-fashioned ways.