Manitoulin Island

I was able to visit Dan's family cabin on Manitoulin Island in Canada for the summer, and I brought Tuesday along for the ride. The island is located in Lake Huron, and is the largest lake island in the world. It also has the largest lake on an island in a lake, Lake Manitou, which has two islands itself. Therefore, "each is thus an island in a lake on an island in a lake." Anyway, the family cabin was built by Dan's great grandfather, and was just incredible. It sits on a peninsula where one side is home to an unceded indian reserve, and the other has similar cabin properties like this one. Here are some snapshots of our great Canadian adventure.

Hello, Spring Weather!

The weather in Ohio this week has been amazing! I haven't been able to get enough of our 70 degree days, the cool, soft breezes, and the blooming flowers that are shooting up everywhere I turn. Spring has finally (truly!) found us, and it is glorious. Even our thunderstorms and rainy afternoons are making me happy, as it's just as wonderful and calming as the bright days. 

This has all left me feeling massively inspired to build myself a sanctuary, and I've been able to do just that by gutting out my room and doing a little remodeling. I took my overcrowded walls and stripped them bare, moved my furniture around, purged a good amount of my belongings, and filled my space with flowers, plants, and bright white window treatments. I made it so that my open windows are the focal point of my room, and the natural light that spills in is just magical. To say that I feel instantly refreshed and happy just walking into my bedroom now is a total understatement. The only thing left to do is to build my library space, and fill my room with a few more plants. Until that's done I'm holding off on any pictures, but for now I'll leave you with a teaser of my new Venus fly trap. It's name is Rachel. 

Hi, Rachel!

Aside from all of that, I've been putting effort towards finding a balance with everything that I'm doing, and everything that I want to be doing. Over the last year I've discovered the importance of not doing too much at once, and giving yourself time to just be. I try to balance what's currently on my plate as much as I can, and I've found so much fulfillment in just doing that. Lately I've been dividing my time between farm, home, work, and quality time with Tuesday. If I spend two nights at the farm volunteering or working with May, then I spend two days of quality time with Tuesday. If I clean the farm, I spend a night cleaning or organizing, or crafting at home, and then I take two days to just be lazy and do whatever I feel like. It leaves everything in my life dealt with, and gives me a sense of calm. So far it's worked wonders!

Of course, I'm not the only one that's been getting spoiled by spring. I've been taking Tuesday on impossibly long walks all around the neighborhood, to dog parks, and to parks around my house where we can just explore. We've also been going on picnics and car rides, and oh god, does he love them. 

I hope you're enjoying the season as much as we are!

Until next time. <3

Life, According to my iPhone.

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Life has been really sweet lately, full of small dinners, intimate get-togethers with friends, and quality time with Dan and Tuesday. Every day feels like this fantastic miniature blessing, and each one is more lovely than the last.

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On that note, my relationship with Dan seems to grow by the second, tightening into this incredible hope of a future. Our little moments together are some of the best I have ever known, and the idea of how many more we have yet to experience makes me so excited. You know? He's such a big part of my world these days.

Okay, enough mush. Here's a brief glimpse into my life lately, according to my iPhone....

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Dan recently joined a men's soccer league (he's been playing on a co-ed league forever), and I've been trying to make as many games as I can. It's such a treat getting to watch him play!

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So many creative meetings with so many creative people lately. It's lovely!

Besides all of that, my rampant cleaning and reading, I've been busy getting things together for my next phase in life. I have my volunteer organizations, my work promotion, my new roommate, and new furnishings for my apartment. I also have costuming, new stage routines, and upcoming trips and vacations that I've been looking forward to for months. All of these things have been filling my head with anticipation, and I couldn't be more excited. Life is beautiful!

Happy Monday!

Happy Friday!

While I have an incredibly busy weekend ahead of me with friends coming to visit, and Ohayocon taking place, I thought I'd leave you with a few lazy pictures of Tuesdsay. Everytime I look at these (or at him for that matter) I just want to curl up on the couch and snuggle forever.
Unfortuantely that's not really in the cards for me, but maybe a low-key, snuggling weekend is probable for you! No matter what hectic scale your weekend falls on, I hope that it is lovely, long, and peaceful!

^^^Note:  His overlicked paw is doing much better since these pictures were taken =]

Winter Wonderland.

I was hoping to get images from our first snow storm of the season, but by the time I was able to the snow was grey and sludge-like. Not living in the country and being swallowed whole by a blizzard left me with little options but to sit and wait for more snow.

When it came, Tuesday and I were both outside at 9am, pouncing snow mounds and barreling through untainted landscape like maniacs. I caught snow with my tongue, threw snowballs for Tuesday to chase, and walked around in wonderment over how beautiful everything looked.

We haven't had a real winter in so long that it all took me by surprise. Driving around in it has not been joyous, but playing in it sure has been!

Happy Holidays!

(Image courtesy of Taryn Cook)

Love, Tuesday and I.

A New Face Lift!

I am thrilled to have a new header image courtesy of What Peggy Said, which features my dog, Tuesday!

Tuesday is a 4 year old Welsh Corgi who I absolutely love and have had since he was just a puppy. He was named after the day in which my "golden birthday" (where I turned 21 on the 21st) fell, and was really the only name he ever responded to anyway. So, it all worked out.

Creating a blog about happiness was going to be impossible if I wasn't going to make him a top subject, so obviously I had to go a step further and put him in the main image, too. Having him up there makes me so happy I can barely stand it. I mean, look at that face!

I thought I'd share one of my most favorite pictures of him, which was taken by Taryn Lindsey just a few weeks ago. She got him to smile for the camera so many times, I just watched in jealousy. Anytime I've ever tried to take a cute picture of him, he just turns away from me and manages a grumpy face or a scowl instead. Silly dog. Nevertheless, I'm happy to have little illustrations of him on just about everything, including my new blog! =]