Author Archives: Brittany

• Ashford Castle

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on June 16, 2017

  Have you ever wondered if the castles from Disney movies were real? I’m here to tell you they are, and I know where you can find one. BUT FIRST – the drive from Northern Ireland to Galway. We departed our farm house B&B and headed south east.

  

  

  The final destination would be Galway, but before checking in for the night we were to have tea at Ashford Castle. Oh yeah, put your pinky’s out. The drive was around 220 miles total, and would be the first of a few “longer treks.”

  It was on this drive I was introduced to Bewley’s and when I decided Ireland was going to steal a large part of my soul.

  If the gas station coffee is better than most “real” coffee shops, you’re home. 

  

  The drive was long because of distance, and long because we stopped a few times along the way, but in the grand scheme the distance between most anything in Ireland is similar to a day trip to the mountains for me.

  You know, minus the whole random castle on the way there thing.

  

  

  Ashford was not at the top of my list to visit, when looking at the website it was much too bougie looking for my “I rarely wash my hair and don’t wear deodorant” lifestyle. Plus the castle is rented out as a hotel for up to $4000 a night – HARD PASS.

  Alas, I was open to visiting because compatible travel partners compromise for each other, like when I wanted to walk to the end of the Cliffs of Moher. More on that later. With all that said, this was one of the highlights of the entire trip for me.

  Just goes to show you can NEVER judge a book by its cover. Or by its size. 

  

  The outer grounds of the castle are never ending. Miles and miles of exploration. I still can’t justify that nightly price tag, but I can spend 40 euro for some kick ass tea and tiny sandwiches on fine china. Are your pinky’s up yet?

  

  

  

  

  Our waiter was French, and so unbelievably sweet. He even tried to be modest with his shock when he saw how quickly we consumed our food. I think he thought we were joking when we initially asked if there was another tray of food coming.

  #Americans. 

  

  

  

  

  

  The top two and bottom left photo were split between the two of us, the scones were all mine. The plates came out on a three tiered display, and the scones came a short while later. Initially the amount of food didn’t look like much, but I left Ashford in euphoric pain.

  It’s a good thing they have so many acres, because I needed a walk before driving the rest of the way to Galway. 

  

  

  The castle was once home to the famous Guinness family, and according to one of the castles many employees, it was later used as a “party house” for the royal families. Must be nice to have a castle of this size as your getaway home.

  

  If you want to experience royalty, but would rather spend your euros on gas station coffee and deep fried Irish grown potatoes, skip sleeping here and just go for the afternoon tea. It was worth every euro cent.

  

  Americans – we might eat a lot, but we also tip well.

  Travel Tip: Budget extra time in your schedule for unplanned stops. Some of the best sights are unplanned.

  

  | 35 Comments Tagged Ashford Castle, Castle, Ireland, Tea

• Causeway Coastal Route, N. Ireland

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on June 14, 2017

  We said our goodbyes to Dublin, and headed to HERTZ to pick up our rental car. This was the moment of truth, just how bizarre was it going to feel flipping my driving muscle memory? Renting a car allows for freedom you cannot get when on someone else’s schedule.

  

  I’d say it only took me the entire first day to become comfortable with the driving situation. My copilot might tell you otherwise, but I successfully drove the entire trip and dare I say miss driving opposite?

  From Dublin we were to head north for a few days, starting in Belfast and settling down for two nights at Glendona House – the B&B that would forever change my views on quality food, and allowing someone else to make my breakfast.
  

  I was sold on staying in bed and breakfasts because I wanted to meet locals. The hosts of this house were so kind, and the food was delicious. The house was in the heart of the country, you can’t get much more Ireland than this.  There were horses, and pigs, and cows, OH MY.

  The real selling point though? The swings. 

  

  

  

  Our plans for Northern Ireland were to visit a few of the destinations on the Causeway Coastal Route. In writing this post I’ve discovered there are so many stops, which just means I need to go back. I will highlight the Six that we visited.

  Belfast

  I recommend starting the route in Belfast. There are a few ticket items you can do here, but the big kahuna, and the reason we went was to visit the Titanic Exhibit. I am a history novice, and had no idea that the Titanic was built in Belfast. Learning more about the process of this historical ship was surreal.

  Not to mention looking at the exact spot that it was built and sent off? Yes. 

  

  The building was meant to replicate the actual size of the ship. Woof.

  

  The exact location the Titanic was built, and sent off. Surreal.

  Dunluce Castle

  Because a historical castle the size of a small town on the edge of the coast? Done. Plus the drive there was full of green rolling hills. With cows.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  Giants Causeway

  Unique rock formations, 100% nature made. With large green cliffs. Must I continue?

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  Carrick-a-rede Rope Bridge

  Built to assist fisherman in catching Atlantic salmon many moons ago, this rickety rope bridge is open to the public for brave souls to walk across. It’s only a 100ft drop. No big deal. Oh, and the walk to the bridge? Breathtaking.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  The Dark Hedges

  Any Game of Thrones fans out there? These trees were so legit. Plus per usual – the drive there was full of sheep and greeeeeen.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  Caves of Cushendun

  Another GOT filming location, I’m glad my copilot Sam is a fan of the show. Regardless of if you watch the show (I do not), the caves were cool and the town was cute. Cushendun even has a town goat. Like a pet. Because, why not?

  

  

  

  

  When nature calls….top two coolest places I’ve ever…yea.

  Aside from the Titanic Exhibit which we visited on the drive into N. Ireland, we were able to hit the other five locations in one fell swoop. We planned a driving loop in the order listed above – it was perfect. Needless to say we were pretty hungry by the end of this day.

  It was here, in Northern Ireland, that I had the best fish and chips of my life. And of the trip. I warned you all, I ate EVERYTHING. I went plant based for ethical reasons, but in Europe the standards are much different. I’m also rewiring my brain after a two year journey of disordered eating.

  If you’re interested in hearing more about my views on ethical agriculture in Europe and why I chose to partake in foods I wouldn’t touch with a 10 foot pole in the states, I’ll be sharing more in future posts. No this is not my new norm, but in Europe I made a conscious decision to eat it all. 🙂

  

  Mushy peas both sound and look like something you’d find in an infants diaper, but I assure you the taste is astronomical. Who’da thunk it. This plate of finesse was found at Harry’s Licensed Restaurant. Worth the wait, I can still taste the quality.

  Travel Tip: When given the option of GPS or WiFi for your rental car, choose GPS. WiFi doesn’t work in all county’s. We chose WiFi, were not told it didn’t work up north, and momentarily panicked when we had no idea where we were (yes we had a real life map, but we’re also millennials.) HERTZ to the rescue with a complimentary GPS. So we had both. Still, get the GPS.

  

  | 57 Comments Tagged Ireland

• Howth, Ireland

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on June 12, 2017

  After 10+ hours of traveling, we laboriously flop into an airport taxi. Initial laughter and shock commence after seeing the steering wheel on the opposite side of the car, it’s much different mentally envisioning what it might look like than actually seeing it.

  My copilot Sam sits in the front seat, after initially approaching the drivers side out of habit. Our driver asks us where we’re going, and away we drive. A short few minutes into the drive Sam asks the question. The question. The question that is imperative when traveling to a new location.

  “Where do you like to go around here?”

  

  With minimal hesitation our adorably accented cab driver spits out the word “Howth” followed by instructions on how to get there. “Take the DART to Howth, go to The Summit Bar, and walk to the back of the pub. From there you’ll see a grand view of Dublin.”

  Knowing nothing of what a “DART” was, I quickly wrote HOWTH in the note pad of my phone, after asking him twice to spell it aloud due to his unique pronunciation (of which we discovered everyone said slightly different, and I’m still not sure of the correct way to say the word.)

  

  After a little bit of research, and lots of asking for help/directions we figure out how to get to Howth. We spend the morning exploring the tourist attractions of Dublin, and head for Howth around 2p.

  The DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) is an electric rail system that takes you all over Dublin, and into other cities as well. The ride itself was grand, giving views of other areas, but upon pulling into the final stop we were greeted with a view we were not expecting.

  Howth is located at the outer edge of Dublin, and is the last stop of the DART. The peninsula views were breathtaking. 

  

  We had no plans on this peninsula, other than finding The Summit Bar. Until we saw the island in the above photo. We sat, we stared, and then we saw the ferry boats.

  “You guys want to go to the island?” 

  

  Ten euro later we stepped foot onto Ireland’s Eye. No second thoughts. Impromptu adventures to accompany the already impromptu trip to Howth. The procedure for getting from the boat to the island was simple. Just climb up the rocks like a spider monkey.

  

  The instructions from the captain were straight forward, “be back before the boat leaves, and watch out for the Gannet nests.” I thought nothing of the last instruction partly because I had no idea what the hell a Gannet was, and partly because I was so enamored by the castle.

  

  

  That’s when I saw them. The illusive Gannet. A bird that looks much like a Seagull. And they.were.everywhere. The nests were like landmines, one wrong step and the Gannet would cry a sound that haunts your dreams.

  Rightfully so, this island is where they breed and raise their young. I tried to communicate to them that we came in peace, but they didn’t quite understand human language.

  

  

  Every step became a calculated equation. Don’t get too close, and don’t make eye contact when the mother starts gurgling at you. My focus was turned to the top of the island, I wanted to step foot on the summit of it.

  Uncertain of why no one else seemed interested in climbing the island, we found two other brave souls to follow. The four of us carefully avoided being blown up by the landmines and headed towards the summit.

  

  Look close – upper right of the hill. A GANNET FACE.

  The closer we got, the harder it was to find a designated path. Not that this has stopped me before, so I attempted my own. I momentarily deviated from the pack, and when trying to catch back up I slipped on a rock. And fell. On my ribs. Hard.

  Too concerned with reaching the top I pushed the pain out of my mind. The pain never went away. The entire trip. In fact the pain is still here as I write this post. Over two weeks later (albeit they’re not as painful as they were at the beginning.) I definitely bruised them, and my luck would cause this to happen on the second day of the trip. HA.

  

  Pain aside, we discovered the summit was LOADED with nests and the four of us decided to head back to the center of the island where the smart people were. But not before one of the other guys was DIVE BOMBED by the part of the equation we forgot.

  Daddy Gannet. 

  Walking turned to jogging as we tried to avoid a painful death by Gannet. With the luck of the Irish we made it back to civilization unscathed. Never have I seen a sight like these nests, but I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything.

  Bruised ribs and all.

  

  We made it safely back to the mainland and set our sights on finding The Summit Bar. The Cliffs Notes version of this part of the story is that the bar was far. Really far having already walked around for the entire day. Alas, over an hour and many large hills later we found it.

  

  On the walk to the bar

  I ate my body weight in potatoes, which tasted like angel tears and fireworks. Potatoes in Ireland are TOP NOTCH. From here we made our way to the “back of the pub” which turned out wasn’t literal, and we had to walk a little further to find the Cliff Path Loop.

  Worth every mile. 

  We took the scenic path back to the DART station, and I slept very hard that night. I didn’t get to thank our cab driver for the suggestion because we ended up taking the bus out of Dublin to obtain our rental car the next day, but I hope the universe somehow lets him know we appreciated his suggestion.

  Thanks, Jay.

  

  Travel Tip: Always, always ask the locals where they like to hangout. Often times it’s off the beaten path allowing you to fully submerge yourself in their culture.

  

  | 38 Comments Tagged Dublin, Howth, Ireland

• Trinity College / Guinness Storehouse

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on June 8, 2017

  While gallivanting around Dublin, it was unavoidable to partake in some of the popular tourist activities you can find in the city. I like to live a life of balance, and this comes into play in all areas – including explorations.

  When exploring new places I like to balance tourist activities with hidden spots discovered from the locals. 

  

  On this day we did just that – wandered the city visiting big ticket places like Trinity College and the Guinness factory, as well as visiting a hidden gem. On this day I logged just under 20 miles of movement (I did squeeze in a short run, but most of this was from walking. I love vacations).

  This post will cover the former.

  

  

  Why Trinity College? Well initially because the Google said it would be a must see. I wasn’t enthralled by The Book of Kells (sorry), but the library was like something out of a fairy tale. Beauty and the beast to be exact.

  

  

  Rows and rows of old historical books, guarded by ancient philosophers. It was like stepping into a time warp. I tried asking one of the statues for a book on mail order husbands, but he didn’t deliver. Owell, looks like I have to return to find my Irish soul mate.

  

  

  

  If you’re not keen on wandering a hall full of old books (but you really should) the campus alone is simply gorgeous. I find college campuses to have a unique beauty. Of course they are slightly more enjoyable when I’m not an actual student, but they are lovely nonetheless.

  

  

  

  After wandering the campus for a bit, it was time to get drunk on dark, sweet smelling, smooth and balanced Irish made beer. And by get drunk I mean take one tiny sip from the sensory rooms free sample.

  Why the Guinness Storehouse? Because nothing says Ireland more than drinking beer in a pub on a Monday night (seriously, weekdays are just as busy as weekends out on the town) and every lad and lass will be drinking a Guinness.

  Hometown pride.

  

  

  We had a brief moment of, “eh – do we really want to go? Neither of us drink beer?” But oh boy O’berto I’m so glad we didn’t skip. This was a great experience for anyone. Even kids, just don’t give them your beer. Or maybe do. I don’t judge.

  The tour goes through a series of self guided levels showcasing the brewing process, the history, the passion in the product, but the coolest by far was the sensory room. I’m not a beer drinker, but the sensory room tickled my food/drink/science loving soul.

  Plus, free samples. 

  

  Of which I didn’t even finish. 🙂

  You walk into a room that smells like sweet candy mixed with cocoa. Here you learn how to properly “taste the beer” and although I don’t care much for the flavor, I appreciated the art and science of it all. We all have a niche, mine just happens to be the science of coffee.

  

  The storehouse is huge, and we spent a solid couple hours here (not including our post touring feast in one of the onsite restaurants, where our adorably kind waiter sold my friend on the Guinness infused cheese sauce.)

  Your ticket comes with a free pint of beer, but neither of us partook.

  

  Despite passing on the free beer, we still went to the Gravity Bar on the very top level. From here you’re met with a panoramic view of the city. It was beautiful. I was able to locate the spire in the city center, and realized just how far we walked.

  Or maybe it just felt far because I had to ask five people for directions on the way there. Regardless, this satisfied my travel tip from the previous post. I loved asking for directions.

  

  After hours of exploring the inner city tourist attractions, it was time to venture to the outskirts of Dublin. My next post will share why I believe it’s imperative to ask the locals where to explore.

  Travel tip: Wear comfortable shoes. The best way to explore Dublin is by foot. 

  

  | 40 Comments Tagged Explore, Ireland, Vacation

• Dublin City Center

  Posted at 7:00 AM by Brittany, on June 6, 2017

  My trip to the Emerald Isle both started and ended in Dublin. My flight left Seattle and landed in London, then from London to Dublin and vice versa. Despite the 8hr time difference, our first night in Dublin we went out to explore. This was both an attempt to get on schedule with their time zone, and because…well…Dublin!

  

  We arrived around 3pm Ireland time, 11pm Seattle time. And stayed awake until 9pm Ireland time…you can do the math.

  

  The city center itself reminded me of a slightly smaller, less busy Seattle. That is if Seattle had random castles and cathedrals at every corner, and if Dublin had 10x more Starbucks locations. Dublin was the only area I saw a handful of Starbucks locations until I reached Cork nearly a week later. I didn’t mind though, who wants Starbucks in another country?

  Not I.

  

  Dublin Castle

  

  

  The city itself is very walk-able. We chose not to get our rental car until leaving Dublin, which was a good move. There is limited parking, and I can assure you I would have been 5.76% more stressed if I had the car. We chose a hotel close to the city center and covered over 30 miles on foot in the first two days.

  

  

  

  There is a pub on every corner in Dublin just like there is a Starbucks on every corner in Seattle. You don’t have to worry about getting thirsty, or hungry. We stopped into the iconic Temple Bar, but didn’t stay long. Just enough to say we went. 😉

  

  

  

  After wandering the city and grabbing a bite to eat, we retired to our hotel for the night. We chose hotels and B&B’s for this trip, all of which were fantastic aside from the two Dublin locations. They weren’t terrible, but they weren’t great either. The following morning after day one in Dublin I went for a run around the city.

  

  

  

  Irish people seem to come alive a wee bit later than I’m used to, and it was great to run through the city with minimal people. The weather was cooler than the previous day giving perfect running temps. I ran by the city river, through the streets, passed cathedrals, and donut shops. Mmm. Donuts.

  

  

  

  I didn’t worry about getting lost because on day one we located a large spire that quickly became a point of location. No matter where we were, we could always see the spire, and from there it was easy to find our hotel. Navigation level expert.

  Even if I did get lost, the people in Ireland are so friendly. I lost count of how many times I asked for directions in Dublin. Without a cell phone to navigate location we relied on good ol’ fashioned verbal directions. It was fun.

  

  The spire

  

  Doors of Dublin

  Where we stayed: Nights 1-2 we stayed at Hazelbrook House B&B, but we were disappointed to learn that we had to pay extra for the second B. No breakfast, small room, and uncomfortable bed. Alas the location was perfect so it was fine.

  

  Night 10 (final night) we stayed at Dublin City University, because they rent out the dorms in the summer. It sounded awesome, but the beds were worse than Hazelbrook. The walking paths nearby were lovely though, and it was very close to the airport. Again, not so bad.

  

  

  Edible Highlights: The donut that broke the camels back was found at Off Beat Donuts. Before departing Dublin at the beginning of our trip we wandered the city a bit more. Not much was open (remember, everything comes alive later than in the states) but the donut shop was.

  This was the catalyst to my “eat everything” mantra. 

  

  

  

  Sweet mother of pearl. That donut filled my soul in ways I cannot describe. It gave me the green light to put away my food fears and just eat. Everything. My vegan friends would be horrified, but I was liberated. The food in Europe is nothing like in the states, and I felt better physically than I had in years. Yes…years.

  Cheers to that.

  

  Live music, mini farmers markets, friendly people, Dublin was a great start to the trip. My next two posts will share more of Dublin with my trip to Trinity College and the Guinness Factory, as well as a spontaneous adventure to the outskirts of Dublin.

  Travel tip: Ask for directions. The people in Europe are very friendly, and this allows you to gush at their awesome accents. 

  

  | 50 Comments Tagged Donuts, Dublin, Ireland, Travel, Vacation

• What’s to Come

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on June 5, 2017

  And just like that, I’m back from Ireland. To say this trip was life changing would be a severe understatement, but my mind is still a jumble of emotions so that will have to do. I am struggling with some intense post vacation blues, but I look forward to the blog posts to come in regards to my trip. This trip stripped my soul and rebuilt it in ways I cannot explain, and I am forever thankful.

  The lifestyle in Ireland is something I will continue to chase – the slow moving days, the treatment of animals, the quality of food, the friendliness of the people. And the green. OH the green. The next handful of posts will break down my trip by locations and highlights, so if this is not your preferred read then I suggest you check back with my blog in a few weeks.

  Cheers to the next few weeks of recap.

   

  

  

  | 43 Comments Tagged Ireland

• Early Morning Confessions

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on May 22, 2017

  1. I leave for Ireland tomorrow, so this post will be extra scatterbrained. You’re welcome, and yes, I am so beyond excited. No words can describe the dance going on in my stomach.

  2. I bought myself a new travel pack for the trip, because I will be carrying all my things on my back. By “my things” I mean enough Larabars for a buffalo and three outfits. And my Sonicare. Basically my bag will probably be too big for my minimalist travel.

  

  3. In my 28 years of life I had never been to an official concert. I have been to the symphony twice to see my boyfriend play, but I’m not sure that counts. This changed last week with an impromptu trip to see Mercy Me. Oh.My.Gosh. What have I been missing all my life!?

  4. At said concert I felt my soul come alive when a room full of strangers came together as one with similar life struggles. Oh the beauty of a christian concert.

  

  5. When I was 18 I got an impulsive tattoo on my wrist that was poorly done. Last Thursday I got an impulsive tattoo on my wrist to cover up the old one. It turned out much better. Moral of the story: being impulsive with a permanent decision has 50/50 odds.

  6. When I was a child my sole purpose for life was to sing and dance with my best friends Bert and Ernie. I finally found how to get, how to get to Sesame Street.

  

  7. I quit coffee. Again. But this time I actually wanted to. The withdrawal headaches were so real, and enough to ensure I made the right move. My adrenals are shot, and overall I feel very flat when I drink it. I also get more tired later on when I have coffee, so BYE FELICIA! Healing my body from the inside out.

  8. I saw this gem a couple weekends ago when she came to Seattle. Blog friends are the best of friends. Aside from Bert and Ernie.

  

  

  9. My mom, sister, and I went to a Joyce Meyer conference this weekend, and for dinner we went to Whole Foods. We spent $60 on three bowls from the hot bar. What even…Whole Paycheck indeed.

  10. I’m out. Follow my Ireland adventures on my Instagram. If the stars align just right I won’t be coming back. 😉

  

  Not Ireland. Photo from a hike last week. But it’s green, sooo…

  Q: What’s your confession?

  

  | 60 Comments Tagged Bloggers, Early Morning Confessions, Hiking, Ireland

• Where I Find My Therapy

  Posted at 10:15 AM by Brittany, on May 4, 2017

  A couple weeks ago I went to the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival, an annual celebration of all things tulips. I had never been before, but it was a gorgeous sight to see. The drive is not close, but my family and I were able to turn the adventure into a full day trip.

  This post will showcase those photos, but the topic will be completely unrelated. 

  

  

  Today I want to talk about therapy. Counseling. Seeing a shrink. There comes a time in most peoples lives where this is a necessary step to take in order to heal from trauma. Trauma can take many shapes and forms from loosing a loved one, to loosing yourself.

  

  Because you never know when you need to locate the garlic.

  

  I’ve gone to therapy a few times in my life, but usually because I was forced to go. I went when I was very young, probably around age 6-8 to help me process my emotions because I was an outspoken child from the beginning of time.

  The next time I went to therapy was age 17. I was ordered to see a counselor because I had a few bouts of skipping school. It was a court order, so there was no negotiating this one. I’ve come a long way from my high school escapades. 

  

  

  My only memories of tiny Brittany therapy are playing with animal figurines in a sand box. I also remember this was the first time I learned my arms were double jointed. Random. My 17 year old memories were strictly check list related. I showed up, talked very minimally, got my check for being there, and left. I didn’t like it much.

  

  

  The older I get the more I understand the power and value of therapy, but I also realize that this is not always the answer for everyone. Society tells us that if we are experiencing troubles that we need to go talk to someone about it, and there is complete validity there, but I don’t think there is a one size fits all method for everyone.

  There is no shame in going to counseling. These people are specialized in pulling us out of our funk in ways we may not be capable of doing alone. But is speaking aloud about our trials the only way to heal our wounds?

  

  

  Black tulips. My life is complete. I need dis.

  Long time blog readers will know I’ve been going through a phase of life where I feel lost. I’ve always been an open book about my struggles because we ALL have them, and there should be no shame in speaking about them. In fact sharing my life on this blog has been hugely cathartic for me, and many of you guys relate to the words I share.

  There is no time limit on when we will heal from pain, and we are each on our own journey, and we each heal in our own way. Per the request of friends and family, and eventually from my own mind I decided to try speaking to a therapist the last few months about things I’ve been dealing with.

  

  I have a hefty amount of residual trauma from relationships, friendship, not properly dealing with my stress, anxiety about what I can and cannot eat (thanks to an autoimmune disease and restrictive/binge eating habits), and occasional depression that accompanies isolation and poor weather.

  SAD is real ya’ll.

  None of these feelings or emotions define who I am, and I have stayed extremely positive (for the most part) throughout all of this because I know it will pass. I also know that traditional therapy has not been for me. I find my therapy outside in the woods. I find my therapy on a run with rain falling on my face. I find my therapy drinking coffee with a friend. I find my therapy by believing all things happen for a reason.

  I find my therapy by just breathing. By being. By living in the moment. By eating a balanced diet that works WITH my body.

  

  I was on a solo hike last week and my mind looked like a bee hive at the peak of honey production. There were so many thoughts and emotions swirling around my brain, and I left that mountain feeling so calm, and so at ease. My therapy doesn’t come from sitting on a couch with a specialist that may or may not know what I need, my therapy comes from diving deep within myself and allowing myself to sit with my emotions, the happy, the sad, the good, and the bad.

  I’ve been in a really good place lately, and this post is coming to you from the tail end of most of this, but the revelation of these thoughts just came to me. I in no way think standard therapy is a bad move, in fact I’m glad I tried again because it confirmed this isn’t the only answer for me. I took some of the tools I learned and was able to utilize them on my own.

  

  Ultimately the moral of every story is that we need to do what is right for us as individuals, not what is right for someone else. Sometimes we need a push, and sometimes we need to be drop kicked off a cliff. Whatever that shove may be for you embrace it fully and chase after what makes you come alive. When one area of life gets out of balance it can turn into a snowball.

  Spirit, mind, body. All must be balanced.

  Our world has tucked mental health under the rug and topics of depression, anxiety, fear, and loneliness are taboo. No one wants to talk about them and no one wants to admit they feel them, but we ALL feel them. We wouldn’t be human if we didn’t! We are molded to believe there is something wrong with us if we aren’t feeling like a cast member of The Wiggles all the time.

  But that’s not real life. 

  

  

  The next time you find yourself in the midst of chaos, trauma, or pain, remember these feelings and experiences are serving a purpose. Don’t try to run from the pain, but instead try running towards it. Let these natural human feelings work their way through your soul and morph you into someone new. Let them teach you about who you are.

  Find what works for you in moving through this time of your life whether it be therapy, painting, meditation or hiking. Eat well, rest often, and stress less. When all else fails, find a field of tulips to tip toe through, I dare you not to laugh in the process.

  Where do you find your therapy?

  

  | 98 Comments Tagged Hiking, Life, PNW, Tulips

• Early Morning Confessions

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on April 27, 2017

  1. I had a coffee date with a woman I met through pet sitting last week, and she is such a gem. She gifts me with things each time I watch her cat and on our date she gave me a card with ten euros inside for my upcoming trip.

  

  2. I get overly excited when I enter a bathroom other than mine and find the toilet seat up. To me this means the bathroom was freshly cleaned (usually at 6am when I arrive at work) and mine will be the first fanny of the day to grace the seat.

  3. I have been trying to get back into a running groove lately, and had a few runs last week that really made my soul sing. I managed a 5 miler that I didn’t think I had in me. Proof that whether you think you can or can’t, you’re right.

  

  4. I’m writing this to kill time before my bimonthly massage. I’m anticipating the jello like state my body will be in post rub down. The woman I see is a magician. Update: this massage was so good I couldn’t think straight.

  5. I have some kind of OCD when it comes to containers of food. Specifically nut butter jars. I need the sides clean of product as the jar is used. I do not like when there is butter all up the sides when the jar is half gone.

  

  Possibly hard to tell, but the top of the PB must have an even line. Minor residual remnants at the top are OK, but clumps are no no no.

  6. I’ve had this song on repeat. Tell me, would you dive with me?

  7. One of my runs last week was along the water. In the pouring rain. After a 15 hour work day. It was awesome. 

  8. I watched La La Land for the second time, and it was just as depressing as it was the first time I watched it. The end makes me feel sooooeemmpptyyy.

  9. I’ve been riding the veggie train haarrrddd lately because they make me feel good. I love when I share photos with my friends and their reply is, “looks good, but where’s the protein?” Then I proceed to school them.

  

  Legit this plate of plants has over 35g of protein. Thanks for the concern though. 😉

  10. Asparagus pee. That is all.

  Q: What’s your confession?

  

  | 61 Comments Tagged Early Morning Confessions, Ireland, Peanut Butter, Plant Based, Run, Running, Vegan

• Lena Lake – Getting My Feet Wet

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on April 19, 2017

  Lately my hiking adventures have taken me places I’ve already been before. There’s nothing wrong with this, but I have missed the excitement that comes with seeing a new trail for the first time. When I go on solo hikes I prefer going to trails I am familiar with, but sometimes a hike with a friend is what the soul needs.

  

  My favorite way to catch up with friends is by submerging ourselves in the woods. Jessica and I headed to the Olympic Mountains a couple weeks ago and hiked our way to Lena Lake. This trail is popular, due it its gentle elevation gain (only 1300′) and beautiful lake, but I was jazzed to find it wasn’t overly packed.

  

  The hike is 7.2 miles RT, and thanks to the ease of the climb it only took us about three hours. I enjoyed the hike so much I went back the following weekend for a solo hike. What I love most about the Olympic Mountains is that even when you find yourself at a popular trail, you are fully submerged in the woods and can go miles without seeing anyone else.

  

  These are a common find in the Olympics. Not sure what the story is. 

  

  I was amazed to find how much the trail changed in one week. When Jessica and I went there was water covering nearly 80% of the trail. I was fortunate for my waterproof shoes, although they gave me a gnarly blister. Nothing a bunch of ferns can’t help.

  

  When I went back for my solo adventure the water was nearly gone, and the areas of rushing rapids had completely dried up. This makes me so excited for summer hikes. The perfect trail for getting back in hiking shape, this trail allowed me to get my feet wet literally and metaphorically.

  

  

  This is from the first hike, on the second hike all that water was GONE. Like magic.

  The first half of the trail brought us on a winding series of switch backs. The colors of green were so intensely vibrant and lush, thanks to our long and wet winter here in Washington. I was in awe of the freshness they provided the air, my lungs couldn’t get enough.

  

  Once we passed this bridge (which I was obsessed with) the switchbacks became less prominent as we climbed closer and closer to the lake. A handful of people were at the lake each time I went, and when I’m on a solo hike the sight of other humans is appreciated.

  The first trip to the lake we found snow atop the far off trees. 

  

  

  

  The following week the snow was nearly gone. Seven days later, seven days closer to summer, seven days worth of higher temperatures. Above photos are the first week, below shot is the following week.

  

  Oh look, no snow! 

  Jessica and I spent a solid chunk of time at the lake while we waited for her Jet Boil to heat some water. While we waited, we made friends with the locals. I’ve only ever had a Grey Jay close to my hands once, and there was an apple core between us.

  

  This time, I tried to let them land on my palm, but I panicked and they flew off. The result was an extremely flattering photo of me. We can’t all be modern day Snow White’s.

  Maybe next time. 

  

  I felt the talons wrap around my fingers, and I impulsively screamed. I had no control over the sounds. Or this face.

  

  This hike was great, definitely one to add to the list for all types of hikers. Perfect balance of nature and sweat. I’ll be back for both solo and accompanied hikes. For real adventure seekers, the trail continues onto Upper Lena Lake, a 14 mile RT (3900′ gain) trail, as well as to The Brothers, a 13.2 RT (6050′ gain – woof) trail.

  Next time I go I’d like to camp at Upper Lena. Stay tuned for that adventure. 

  

  

  Q: Would you let a Gray Jay land on your hand? 

  

  | 56 Comments Tagged Explore, Gray Jay, Hike, Lena Lake, Olympic Mountains

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