Blissfulbritt | Page 35

- The Simple Joys of Everyday Life
  
  Posted at 8:00 AM by Brittany, on July 27, 2015
  
  There’s something to be said about a day with no set plans. A day where you wake up with the sun instead of an alarm. A day where your morning run has no limits and you run based on feel and not time. A day where your morning walk goes a little bit longer than planned because you’re too busy soaking up the scenery.
  
  These mornings are my favorite. They allow me to slow down and savor not only my coffee, but my excitement for adventure. Nothing is off the table.
  
  I found $1 on one of my runs recently, which left me feeling all kinds of philosophical. I posted the photo below on my Instagram with these words:
  
  “I find something valuable on every single run I go on. Whether it be a penny, peace of mind, a half eaten candy bar that a kind stranger left behind to share, or a mental snapshot of a new location. What I hadn’t found before was dollar bills, until now. This is either a pat on the back for a successful run, or a sign it’s really time to purchase new shoes. The universe is giving me money for some reason or another.”
  
  I take great pride in knowing that something as simple as finding a dollar on my run brought such great joy to my day. I’ve had some waves of emotions here and there the last few months where I’ve had to really focus on quieting my mind.
  
  This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, if anything it’s comforting knowing I’m craving new adventures. Life is great, but I want more, and sometimes my impatience rears its ugly head. The ebb and flow of my life has a mind of its own at times.
  
  Running calms my entire soul.
  
  I’ve also concluded that a lot of my thoughts/feelings/and emotions are tied to the foods I consume. I don’t talk about it much on the blog, but I’ve really been focusing on what I eat the last few months. I started to talk about my tic toc foods here, and have delved even deeper. Thankfully now I know a lot of my trigger foods.
  
  I’ve been mostly successful in finding alternatives to the foods I adore, and the key to my success is making my meals at home. Certain breads are one of my triggers so I pick my battles when I consume them. The same company that makes the legit cupcakes I can’t get enough of also makes bread, and it has been a godsend.
  
  No gluten, no soy, no rice, no corn, no egg.
  
  Plus they’re local…my favorite.
  
  I briefly mentioned a few posts ago that I started seeing a naturopath, and while my initial intentions with him were related to something different, we’ve also discussed my reactions with certain foods. After playing scientist with my own body for months I’ve decided to get a food allergy test to have some confirmations.
  
  Initially I thought cacao was a trigger, but I eat these bars with the ease of a coffee induced BM.
  
  Despite some of the discouragement I feel when I find certain foods give me trouble, the overall mindset that comes with eating foods my body thrives on outweighs any discouraging thoughts. Eat good, feel good. Spirit, mind, AND body.
  
  So thankful for these.
  
  Plus, trigger foods make me all kinds of moody and it’s not pretty. Nor is the inflammation or eczema. It also totally affects my running.
  
  I’ll post more about my naturopath experiences as they come, and also go into more detail about my food testing for those that are interested.
  
  Me if I succumb to the triggers.
  
  What I know for sure is that I’ve been finding simple joys in my everyday life thanks to a positive mind, a properly fueled body…. and Theo chocolate.
  
  Q: Is anyone interested in hearing more about my experience with a naturopath/a food allergy test?
  
  | 63 Comments Tagged Chocolate, Cupcake, Garmin, Life, Naturopath, Running, Vegan
- Mount Townsend Tumble
  
  Posted at 7:16 AM by Brittany, on July 23, 2015
  
  I’d been dying to get back to Mount Townsend since around this time one year ago. The way the snow sparkled atop the mountain peaks made my soul sing louder than a yellow canary, and I’ve literally thought about my last trip once every month.
  
  At least.
  
  This time however, the snow was hard to spot. The hotter than normal summer we’ve been having must have melted it all away.
  
  This was a perfect example of how change is constant, which is funny because I mention something similar in my last post about this hike. Despite hiking this mountain during the same time of year, the views were slightly different.
  
  I did enjoy an apple in the sky though, just like last time.
  
  My friend and I got an early start to beat the heat this past Sunday, but I still felt the affects of the 90 degree stagnant air at a few spots. I’m a wuss with the heat.
  
  Quite the view at 6200 ft up.
  
  Sundays have become my day for adventure. I always have them off of work, and try to take advantage of them in any way that I can. Hiking is always my favorite choice.
  
  The trees are my happy place, even when I become so enraptured by them that I don’t see the large rocks in front of me. I took my first trail tumble, which was too close for comfort to a large ledge. It hurt like hell, but man was it comical.
  
  I’ll spare you the close up photo, but I’ll just say as I type this post my knee continues to throb. The first thing I thought of as I was going down was how much I regretted not purchasing the mini first aid kit each and every time I stepped foot into REI.
  
  I had it in my hand for purchase multiple times, yet always set it down. It’s now the first thing on my list for my next trip to REI. I rinsed as much as I could with the water I had, and continued the remaining 4 miles down the mountain.
  
  Lesson learned.
  
  Scraped knees aside this was a lovely way to spend the day. Four solid hours in the beauty of nature fills me with enough gusto to power through the week ahead.
  
  Until next time mountain trails, I’ll be prepared with band aids, antiseptic wipes, and a tourniquet. Just kidding on that last one, let’s hope I never need one of those.
  
  Q: Have you taken any trail tumbles?
  
  | 61 Comments Tagged Explore, Hike, Mount Townsend, PNW
- Safety First
  
  Posted at 8:17 AM by Brittany, on July 20, 2015
  
  I very much enjoy going on solo adventures. Being in control of what I do, and when I do it has an allure to it that just can’t be beat. That being said, there are some adventures I end up deciding need to be done in pairs.
  
  For example, I went for a walk in the woods last week and couldn’t shake the heebie jeebie feeling I had. The Blair Witch meets Micheal Meyers heebies.
  
  This trail was new to me, and despite my desires to explore I was sucker punched with creepy vibes. Plus, at the entrance to the trail there was a cooler with “free cookies.” Any location giving free cookies can’t be trusted…cookies are too valuable.
  
  This seems very, “come here little girl.”
  
  I spent 45 minutes walking the trail and that was more than enough for me.
  
  I saw some graffiti at the beginning of the trail was cool, though it did add to the creepy vibes. The heart above and this panda below were my favorite. I snapped some pics, moved my legs, and hightailed my fanny outta there.
  
  I want to go back and finish the last little bit, but next time I’ll bring a friend. 😉
  
  After leaving the woods, I lived up to my nickname of “Grandma B” and wandered some antique shops. I needed a soothing activity to balance out my adrenaline. I sound so dramatic.
  
  Followed by a walk by the water.
  
  A walk by an abandoned looking, yet fully lived in house with an odd rustic charm.
  
  And a walk around the world.
  
  Ah yes, my adrenaline balance had been restored.
  
  Q: Do you like exploring the wilderness alone? I need a dog.
  
  | 61 Comments Tagged Antique, Explore, PNW, Woods
- Summer in the PNW
  
  Posted at 7:18 AM by Brittany, on July 16, 2015
  
  During the summer months, Starbucks likes to reserve Friday’s for themed attire. 90% of the time I want nothing to do with this high school nonsense because I am 80 years old and have no soul, but last week I was all about “Aloha Friday.”
  
  Mainly because this vibrant blue shirt is the most comfortable thing to wear second to my own skin. When it’s hot outside, black clothing raises the temperature at least 5 degrees, even when you’re inside. When it’s hot outside, I want to be somewhere cool.
  
  I’ve become that person that enjoys my days off more than I enjoy my days at work. This is normal for most, but I don’t want it to become a normal for me. I want to thrive in my workplace just as much as I do when I’m off exploring the mountains.
  
  On one of my days off last weekend I escaped to another town to spend the day with one of my closest childhood friends. I figured spending all my time with animals can’t be healthy, so once in a while I surround myself with my own kind.
  
  I’ve now met my human interaction quota for the month.
  
  Any restaurant that says “EAT” on the side has to be good.
  
  It was a perfect PNW summer day. We walked around a street festival, ate some food, and walked to the Ballard Locks. I had never been to the locks, and it was fun to play tourist in my own area. Plus the weather was perfect for wandering.
  
  Basically what this place does is keep the salt water of the Puget Sound, and the fresh water of Lake Washington separate from each other. It’s a spot for boats to cross over from the sound to the lakes in an efficient and safe way. Quite unique if you ask me.
  
  The big boats go in this spot.
  
  I would love to find a vocation that ties my passion for exploration together with my passion for food. I do love coffee, and don’t plan to leave my spot at Starbucks, but my mind wheels have definitely started turning.
  
  Oh the adventures of life. 🙂
  
  Q: Do you live for the weekend, or do you enjoy spending your time at work? I’ll blame the summer for my desires to be out exploring!
  
  | 47 Comments Tagged Explore, PNW, Starbucks, Washington
- Coffee Knowledge
  
  Posted at 7:12 AM by Brittany, on July 14, 2015
  
  Let’s talk coffee, shall we?
  
  I was given a blend of beans the other day with no information other than the person it was from, and the name he had given it. I was excited to try his homemade blend and see if my coffee knowledge was up to speed. Upon grinding the beans I immediately detected scents of berries, a characteristic of a sun-dried coffee.
  
  Once the fresh ground coffee steeped in my French press for four(ish) minutes, I plunged, poured, smelled, slurped, and savored. My palate was overwhelmed with flavors of blueberries and nuts, and I immediately knew this blend had African and Latin American grown beans. What I didn’t pick up on was the Indonesian beans, which I was told about after I had guessed the blend. Apparently the full body and herbal flavor typical of Indonesian beans comes out as the coffee cools.
  
  I didn’t wait long enough to let it cool. 😉
  
  My life quote.
  
  I haven’t been focusing on the tasting aspect of my job lately, simply because I’ve been focusing on grasping everything there is to grasp about being a supervisor. Now that I’ve got a handle on things I want to get back to my coffee tasting adventures.
  
  I remember a time many moons ago when I tried to combine two very different coffee blends into one because I wanted to save space in my pantry. Coffee is coffee right?
  
  Oh how wrong I was, I ended up throwing it all out. RIP handpicked beans.
  
  I’m now comfortable with combining blends, knowing which will pair well, and which will not. When I noticed I was a handful of Maui beans shy of a full French press I knew exactly which blend to complete my morning brew. The Pike Place special reserve has similar notes to the Maui coffee and they went together perfectly.
  
  They also paired perfectly with my new obsession: two ingredient almond butter maple cookies. The simpler the ingredients the better for me. 1 cup of almond butter mixed with 1/4 cup maple syrup and a dash of salt gave 10 chewy, nutty cookies that I couldn’t get enough of. Two cookies per serving thanks to the “fit in my hand” rule.
  
  I sprinkled some cinnamon and salt on top. Bake at 350F for 10-12minutes.
  
  Those cookies and coffee were the perfect fuel for a few extremely enjoyable runs.
  
  I debated on up-cycling some discarded snake skin I saw while on this 5 mile run (which turned into 5.10 because I insisted on a 10min or below pace) but then I found this paracord bracelet in perfect condition! I love finding treasure!
  
  Q: Do you pick up treasures you find while out exploring the land, or leave them behind? I usually leave behind the used Kleenex pieces and needles, but $$ and hiking tools are a must grab! Also I was totally joking about the snake skin.
  
  | 46 Comments Tagged Almond Butter, Coffee, Coffee Master, Cookie, Garmin, Run
- Early Morning Confessions
  
  Posted at 9:01 AM by Brittany, on July 10, 2015
  
  1. It’s been over two months since my last confessions post, we’re long overdue.
  
  2. I ran 4 miles in just my socks a few days ago. I didn’t have my running shoes, but wanted to run. I also tested the Nike app because I didn’t have my Garmin. I run in barefoot shoes anyway, so it wasn’t much different. OK it was kinda different.
  
  I did this + another 1.67 miles. + 2 miles earlier in the day. 6 miles total. Almond butter by the spoonful when I got home…
  
  3. I slept until just before 8 this morning. That never happens, but my inner zombie took over and forced me to keep my eyes closed. This is now mid morning confessions.
  
  4. I received partner of the quarter at work and was humbly surprised. What a special treat, my coworkers are too good to me. Thanks guys. ❤
  
  5. It’s been in the high 80’s/low 90’s here, and I’m dying. I am loving sunny running though because it makes it way easier to spot shiny reflective road change. $$
  
  6. I am trying to justify why I need another French press because I found one that I need. Yes, need. It’s so rustic and beautiful.
  
  7. Then again, the last time I purchased a French press with wood accents it chipped immediately. This one seems a bit more sturdy though.
  
  8. Whattttuuuuuppp tomatoes from our garden!
  
  9. I started seeing a naturopath. He’s a cool dude.
  
  10. I’m still running in my five fingers that are a million years old. I just can’t say goodbye despite the holes…separation anxiety to the max.
  
  This photo is a month old. It’s gotten worse.
  
  I did finally buy a running hat though… so that’s something.
  
  Q: What’s your confession?
  
  | 42 Comments Tagged Confessions, French Press, REI, Run, Vibram
- Mount Rainier
  
  Posted at 7:46 AM by Brittany, on July 7, 2015
  
  Does anyone remember back in January when I had my first public, “I can’t even” moment? For those of you that don’t know what this means, (mom) it’s an abused phrase that I really can’t stand, yet found myself using…again.
  
  A phrase used when something is so monumental that “I can’t even” think of words to describe how I feel. All that comes out is “I can’t even.”
  
  I was so enraptured by the wonder that is Mount Rainier that I really had no words, just feelings. Lots of feelings. Like the kind you get when you are eating cake.
  
  I’d been wanting to make my way to Mount Rainier National Park for quite some time now. On most of my hikes this volcanic mountain is what I search for off in the far distance as it’s the highest mountain in Washington.
  
  It was indescribable to be this close to it.
  
  This park is so big that I was overwhelmed with where to start exploring. Thankfully I have adventurous friends that also like to explore, and when one of them asked if I wanted to go hike a specific trail I didn’t think twice before saying yes.
  
  Plus my dad appreciates when I take a buddy.
  
  Burroughs mountain trail brought me to the view in most of the photos above. I felt almost close enough to touch the top, yet we were only halfway there. The peak of this active volcanic mountain is 14,410 ft above sea level, and we were merely at the 7400 ft mark. We were like ants in a sea of evergreen trees.
  
  Because you gotta drink a Rainier while next to Rainier.
  
  Unless you don’t drink beer, then eat a Larabar.
  
  The Burroughs trail brought us to this view, but I wanted more. The thing about Rainier National Park is there are trails..everywhere. Literally days of exploration.
  
  A fire lookout sat atop an adjacent mountain, and I wanted to see the view from it.
  
  That was a great decision on my part.
  
  A perfect shot to celebrate independence day.
  
  This adventure filled my soul with 5 hours and 8.2 miles of mountain goodness. I can’t wait to get back and explore even more. Next time I want to camp.
  
  I started a pin collection, because I’m too lazy to work with patches. Now I need to get my fanny to more national parks and get my bag some legit bling. I also bought a mug because coffee tastes better in a good mug, and because I fell prey to the tourist traps.
  
  Yea, that coffee tasted like adventure.
  
  Q: Have you been to a national park in or near your state?
  
  | 70 Comments Tagged Explore, Hike, Hiking, Mount Rainier, National Park, Summer, Washington
- Annette Lake
  
  Posted at 6:58 AM by Brittany, on July 2, 2015
  
  To beat the heat this past weekend I broke out of my comfort zone and embarked on a new solo hike. I hadn’t been to an alpine lake in nearly a year, and with temps in the 90’s I figured there would be a few other hikers there.
  
  No other hikers makes me nervous for animal encounters.
  
  I headed to Annette Lake, and the trail was more popular than I anticipated. Thankfully I arrived early enough to snag a parking spot and beat the latecomers.
  
  I only had to pass people a few times, leaving me alone with my thoughts the majority of the 7.5 mile round trip adventure. I adore solo hikes.
  
  Once I reached the lake I noticed a handful of campers. As I sat and ate my food I daydreamt about overnight hiking and waking up with the sun.
  
  Sipping my coffee with a view like this needs to happen soon.
  
  This trail has a great canopy cover making for a comfortable hike despite the heat. The elevation gain was a mere 1400 ft, but I definitely got sweaty. One of these times I will jump into a lake, I’ll be doing plenty more lake hikes this summer.
  
  My fuel of choice during the hike was a scone and some berries, and post hike I wolfed down some potatoes and veggies courtesy of Whole Foods. I haven’t been craving sweets much lately, and I think it’s because I’ve upped my protein intake (naturopath’s orders), but then I stumbled across something I couldn’t pass by.
  
  This old school VW travels around Seattle selling vegan ice cream sandwiches with unique flavor combinations. I’d heard about it, I’d seen photos of it, but just like a mystical unicorn I had never actually seen it myself.
  
  Then I drove by it and knew I had to stop.
  
  My heart was set on the snicker doodle cookie with coffee ice cream sandwich, but I was too late and there was only one option left. This would never have been my first choice, but trying something new was fun and it was delicious.
  
  It was a successful Saturday indeed.
  
  Q: What’s your favorite solo adventure?
  
  | 62 Comments Tagged Annette Lake, Hike, Ice Cream, PNW, Solo Hike, Vegan
- Rock My World
  
  Posted at 6:07 AM by Brittany, on June 30, 2015
  
  I am 100% absolutely positively addicted to zoodles. How I ever survived without this simple yet delectable way of eating vegetables I do not know.
  
  Zoodles with pea shoots and cilantro…
  
  Zoodles with arugula and watermelon…
  
  Zoodles at the lake.
  
  Zoodles with carr…oodles?
  
  Multicolored carrots, zucchini, arugula, pea shoots, cilantro.
  
  My world is being rocked so hard.
  
  I’m obsessed with spiralizing all the things. Why dirty a bowl when you plan to eat the entire Costco sized tub in one sitting? If I could spiralize a cupcake I would, but I’m not sure how that would work. If you’ve never swirled and twirled a zucchini into noodles, do it. Do it now. I use this cheap spirazlier from Beyond.
  
  Also rocking my world? Berries, and hemp seeds. I’ve been upping my protein.
  
  30 G of protein right here. No protein powder included.
  
  I had this bowl of feel good before a solo hike last week. On this hike I stumbled upon a unique discovery that I thought was too cool not to share.
  
  At the top of the mountain was this Prayer Box. Just as the name implies, this box had a slot to stick prayers. Even if you’re not religious this is a great way to drop a thought for something that is weighing on your heart.
  
  Sometimes writing things on paper and letting them go is all we need.
  
  Some hikes I go on are purely sport and I’m fully in the moment of the burn. Other hikes are deeper than that and I encounter multiple emotions by the time I reach the top. It’s as if I’ve had my own therapy session in nature. From a long day at work, to a difficult phone call with a loved one, we all have our ways of working through emotions. This box is another, and I totally dig it. Definite world rocker.
  
  Other things that rocked my world last week:
  
  -Three legged cats.
  
  -Gregory Alan Isakov is coming to Portland in January to play with the Oregon Symphony. He was fantastic with the Seattle Symphony, so I purchased tickets quicker than a pigeons mating session. I can’t wait!
  
  – Free massages. Except my masseuse fell asleep on the job.
  
  -Coffee and chocolate…from Maui. My friends know me well.
  
  Dog is rolling around with his ball, I assure you he is fine.
  
  Q: What rocked your world last week?
  
  | 49 Comments Tagged Chocolate, Coffee, Gregory Alan Isakov, Hike, Vegan, Zoodles
- When I’m Not
  
  Posted at 5:47 AM by Brittany, on June 22, 2015
  
  One of my favorite things about blogging is having a space to purge all the random thoughts that swarm inside my brain. Doing this also allows me to connect with other like minded bloggers, forming lifelong connections and genuine friendships.
  
  My number one friend.
  
  Sharing my love for plant based food and cats allowed me to connect with Kayse, a creative girl with a green thumb and a hand for art. After lusting over her art work for months, she kindly sent me a customized dapper cat portrait of my dude.
  
  Words cannot express my gratitude. Please do yourself a favor and check out her online shop, the art she creates is so unique and fabulous.
  
  Ok, time to purge some thoughts.
  
  When I’m not blogging, or having a stare off with my cat, I’m usually eating. I haven’t posted a recipe on the blog in MONTHS, simply because I’ve been enjoying exploring OTHER peoples food. I’ve found a few companies that cater to walking science projects like myself, and I happily support them. Local eats are my favorite.
  
  Local pizza, I’m all about that pie life right now.
  
  When I’m not eating I’m running. 100 mile May gave me my recent running mindset. I’m in a fantastic routine where I am excited about my daily runs, and on the off chance I’m not I skip it for something else. It’s a beautiful thing.
  
  There’s also more room for cupcakes when I have a consistent running routine, that’s also a beautiful thing. Balance in bliss.
  
  You’d never guess these cupcakes were dairy free, gluten free, soy free, rice free, nut free, egg free, dinosaur free, spinach free, & broken glass free.
  
  They fall into the “if one doesn’t take up your entire hand you need two” category.
  
  Just like these donuts.
  
  I think I need to make these two hand treat photos a thing.
  
  When I’m not eating or running I’m playing with coffee at work. I haven’t created any of my own coffee tastings lately, but I have been putting together mini ones at work for my coworkers with featured coffee’s and Starbucks food.
  
  This blend has a beautifully complex flavor of red currant, with a bright and sparkling acidity typical of African grown coffee. I don’t prefer these tasting notes, but I try to explore other options once in a while.
  
  When I’m not working I’m still spending time with my coworkers. We’re family.
  
  My fellow coffee master ❤
  
  We all love to drink coffee.
  
  When I’m not with other people I’m exploring alone.
  
  My happy place.
  
  I love blogging, but lately I’ve been enjoying life away from it all more. Eating, running, working, and exploring have taken top spot which is typical of the summer months. I just can’t soak up enough adventure fast enough!
  
  On that note, I’m off to explore. I mean…off to work.
  
  Q: What things take up most of your time?
  
  | 59 Comments Tagged Bloggers, Cats, Coffee, Coffee Master, Cupcake, Donuts, Plant Based, Running, Starbucks, Vegan
← Older posts

Newer posts →
- Search for:
- BRITTANY- Self proclaimed minimalistic nomad striving to maintain a balanced, healthy life with good food, long hikes, deep connections, exploration, and lots of potatoes.
- If this blog does not meet your standards, please lower your standards.
- Contact: blissfulbritt@yahoo.com
- ¿Quieres Más?
  
  Like my witty attitude and delightful charm? Enter your
  e-mail below for the party to come straight to your inbox!
  
  Email Address:
  
  Join 4,725 other subscribers

Looking for Something Specific?

Search for:
Stalk My Past
Stalk My Past

Blog at WordPress.com.