Tag: Fall

• Cutthroat Pass, North Cascades

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on October 25, 2024

  I have lived in Washington for 32.5 of my 35 years of life, but it wasn’t until this year that I finally saw the golden hue of the larches. It’s well known amongst the outdoor community that these trees are sacred, and because they only shine bright for a limited time, people flock from all over to find them. One of the best spots to find them in Washington is in the North Cascades.

  There are a few trails up north best known for larches, and this year my pal Caitlin and I knew we had to make the trip to see them. The North Cascades are a minimum of 3.5 – 4hrs away by car, so this had to be an overnight trip. When I told Duncan the plan he wanted to come too, so the three of us found a dog friendly place to sleep (Caitlin brought her pup), and made the plans.

  The drive there was beautiful, and we stopped along the way to see Diablo Lake, a popular overlook on the North Cascades Scenic Highway.

  

  We stayed in the town of Mazama, 20 minutes away from the popular hiking area. Likely the most popular trail in the North Cascades is called Maple Pass. People line up for miles along the main road for this hike (we saw the masses driving in), and it’s said that during larch season there are upwards of 2000 people who visit…DAILY.

  While I would like to do this trail one day, we opted for another trail that we knew would be less populated. We chose to hike to Cutthroat Pass, a 12 mile climb that meets up with the PCT. After our long drive north we checked into our cozy accommodation, and stopped by the local market for an overpriced dinner.

  Caitlin and I ended the day with an evening walk, followed by a few games of UNO.

  

  

  

  After a mediocre night of sleep we woke up around 0530 with the plan to be at the trailhead by 0700. The trail was just around the corner from where we stayed, and we arrived to find the parking lot mostly empty. It was a frigid 33 or 34 degrees and I worried I would regret wearing shorts, but there was no turning back now. “Be bold, start cold” is a motto I live by through the end of October.

  The first two miles of this trail are relatively flat, and lead you to Cutthroat Lake. We stopped here for a quick breakfast break, and then continued on. The first half of this trail was so/so. Nothing to write home about, but I knew there had to be expansive views eventually. The climb was gradual, and no one ever felt like they were overly fatigued. Eventually the forested canopy opened up and the colors started to change.

  The sun came out, giving us one last bluebird hike before the autumn rains.

  

  

  

  When we finally found the larches it was like finding the golden ticket in a Wonka bar. The recent trail reports mentioned that the trees were not at peak color, but none of us had any complaints about the colors we saw. We ooed and aaed at the beautiful surrounding view, and when we made it to the pass we spent a long while enjoying the massive mountains that engulfed us.

  

  

  Caitlin and I had a summer full of hiking, and we both decided this would be somewhat of a final hoorah before slowing down for the season. Neither of us plan to stop hiking all together, but the weekly or bimonthly planned hikes are on pause until next season. Last October we ended our hiking season with a trip to the North Cascades as well, and this is certainly a tradition I plan to keep.

  Our hike back down was even more beautiful as the lighting changed with the midday sun, illuminating the yellow trees brighter than before. We saw some people as we came down (including a handful of bikers), but overall our choice for a less populated hike was a success. We made it back to the car 6.5 hours later, and drove the 4.5ish hours back home.

  These further hikes make for long days, but the reward is always worth it.

  

  

  And just like that, hiking season (for me) has come to a close. As I said before, I still plan to hike sporadically throughout the fall and winter, but I plan to transition back into running for these colder months. It’s been two weeks since we embarked on this adventure, and the weather has taken a turn. I’m ready to put some cookies in the oven, socks on my toes, and sip coffee with a good book.

  It’s the most wonderful time of the year.

  Q: If you live somewhere with four seasons, what is your favorite thing about autumn?

  

  | 34 Comments Tagged Fall, Hiking, North Cascades

• Autumn Has Arrived

  Posted at 11:15 AM by Brittany, on October 11, 2023

  I have been making a habit of visiting Trader Joe’s about once a week in the last year, and on each visit I was counting down the days until I saw the sign. The sign that indicates the changes of seasons, the Holy Grail of the modern day basic American woman, and the source of a multi month giddiness I know I am not alone in…

  

  Hello. My name is Brittany, and I loose my marbles over the beginning of pumpkin season.

  The thing is, I don’t actually consume most pumpkin items. I’ve never even had my own pumpkin spice latte (I have had sips, but it’s not for me for a handful of reasons.) For me seeing this sign is an indication that calmer days are coming my way. The busyness of summer adventures are coming to an end, the rainy days are on the horizon, and the much needed rest my body seeks is more acceptable to my go, go, go mindset.

  I love fall. This time of year always feels cleansing to me. A time to appreciate the changes of colors in nature, heartier seasonal foods, and there is a sense of joy that fills my soul when I see pumpkins sitting outside every grocery store. What can I say, I am a sucker for large orange spheres. Walking into Trader Joe’s with the smells of cinnamon brooms and the sights of every gourd imaginable makes me feel like a kid again.

  I don’t care what this says about me, I will take any source of excitement I can get.

  

  Pumpkin season also starts my adventurous attitude with food. I typically keep things strict with what I eat, but I let my hair down this time of year through Christmas to taste some forbidden fruits. There are a handful of seasonal treats I avoid, but there are a handful I don’t avoid. I had been waiting 365 days for Trader Joe’s to bring back an item I discovered last year, one I consumed many times.

  And in typical Trader Joe’s fashion they did not bring back my beloved this year.

  As my luck would have it anytime I find a decent gluten free item, it’s limited. I fell in love with a local muffin company a handful of years ago and they no longer exist. I fell in love with Trader Joe’s gluten free pumpkin bread and it no longer exists (at least not at my local store.) This bread was hands down one of the best store bought loafs I have ever eaten. It’s hard for me to find a treat that not only tastes good, but doesn’t leave me feeling like I consumed an entire fifth of vodka the night before.

  

  Alas, I must move on and continue to seek a new seasonal treat. There are some items that are seasonal, but they’re items I would eat on a normal basis. Add a seasonal flavor to something and I am all over it. Sometimes they are a win, and sometimes they are such a huge loss that I wish teleportation existed so I could speak face to face with whomever created such an abomination.

  

  

  Tasty treats aside I also look forward to an annual visit to a pumpkin patch/corn maze. The weather has been a bit finicky in Washington, but I hope to get lost in a maze soon. I last all of 15 minutes before I stop trying and begin allowing Duncan to guide me out. I just like to wander. The pumpkins, the flannels, the boots, the corn, the leaves changing – all of this is the beginning of a magical few months of holiday seasons.

  I never used to be big on holidays, but as I get older I look forward to them. I don’t care for the consumeristic aspect of them, in fact I abhor that correlation with holidays, but I love the sense of togetherness it brings. I love the fun activities available, the foods, and sometimes even the weather. I savor October and November and I look forward to many pots of homemade applesauce, nights of wool socks and movies, stormy afternoons while I snuggle with my cat, and all the decorated porches.

  

  If anyone out there knows of a good gluten free item I must try (yeah yeah I know I can just make my own and I DO, but sometimes a girl just wants to buy an unhealthy treat), please let me know. Or just share with me your favorite fall treat you like to consume.

  Q’s:

  • Do you like fall?
  • Do you get seasons where you live?
  • What’s your favorite fall treat!?

  

  | 43 Comments Tagged Fall, Pumpkin, Trader Joes

• Rachel / Rampart Lakes

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on November 16, 2021

  I’m loosing my interest in blogging these days. Not to the point where I feel I will stop, but enough to leave large chunks of time between each post. In reality I find that I often want to share things that are messy, deep, or related to mental health, and I don’t have much energy left to try and convey my points well. I continue to be affected by the world around me more than I’d like.

  I am also loosing my interest in hiking these days, but that is normal for me this time of year. The weather has gotten nasty, and the rain is more present than ever. I’m not against hiking in the rain, but my motivation is far lower when the mornings are dark and the days are wet. My motivation was higher last winter when one of my motives for hiking was to hangout with Duncan, which I suppose worked in my favor. 😉

  I did manage one more higher elevation climb before the snow hit last month.

  

  

  The hike we chose was to Rachel Lake, with the option to continue on to Rampart Lakes. We had read multiple recent trail reports stating the fall colors were out loud and proud, and I knew this was a “must do now” situation. On paper the elevation gain for the distance didn’t look bad. In reality, most of the elevation was in one spot – crawling over large roots and tromping through constant streams.

  It was a bit intense.

  This hike was brutal for me. I am in decent shape, but this hike kicked my ass. I knew going into this hike I would be run down, as I was due to start my period. Any woman out there knows the entire week before starting feels like cinderblocks are attached to our ankles at all times. The fatigue is intense, and I had already over done it with my running for the week. So I was tired, but I didn’t dare miss out on this epic fall hike.

  I made it to the first lake, oooo’d and ahhhh’d the unbelievable fall colors, and then I started my period.

  

  

  The air was chilly, so we didn’t sit and savor for too long. Just long enough to refuel the engine as mine was on empty after the climb it took to get to Rachel Lake. I ate a banana with generous scoops of Sunbutter, a Chomps meat stick with a potato, and two rows of Lily’s chocolate. I typically like to rest and digest after I eat, but if I sat too long my hiking crew would have had to drag me up the mountain to our next destination – Rampart Lakes.

  Period be damned.

  Now, while I was sitting on the rock in the above photo I was looking at the ridge on the other side of the lake thinking to myself, “no. no way am I going any further. Stick a fork in me – I am done.” Alas, I knew I would regret not pushing on, so we packed up our stuff and continued the journey. While my fatigue was still at a high, the exploration around Rampart Lakes was amazing, unlike anything I had seen on a PNW hike. Exploring almost always gives me a boost of energy.

  

  

  

  

  Each one of these photos showcases a different lake in a network of lakes. I quickly discovered why the word lake was plural in Rampart Lakes. These pools of water were seemingly endless, in a choose your own journey type of way. There were multiple paths going multiple ways, each leading to a new mystical lake. Once we were up in this area we had no end destination, we simply wandered until our tanks hit E again.

  We decided to pull the plug at a lake tucked into a basin, where once again we were met with breathtaking fall colors.

  

  

  

  I was enamored by the view shown in the above photo. I did nothing to alter that photo, and there appears to be a vertical line drawn separating two drastically different mountain landscapes. The sun clearly hits the areas on the right side of the photo more than the left, and what a beautiful representation of differences. A perfect view to turn around at.

  Our trek back down to Rachel Lake provided vast views of the surrounding mountains, and if I squint hard enough I can see the rock we ate lunch on.

  

  

  

  The hike down from Rachel Lake to the car was equally brutal as the hike up, but in new ways. I don’t typically have knee discomfort while hiking, but I did on this hike. The large step downs over the roots had me daydreaming of sitting my fanny on the cushy seat of the Subaru. By the time we made it back to the car we had clocked just under 11 miles with nearly 3000′ of elevation gain (over half of that in one spot – sheesh.)

  Needless to say I was shot by the end of the day, but I now have another wonderful adventure for the books.

  I don’t anticipate I will have many more hikes worthy of sharing here for the rest of the year, which means if I blog it will be about day to day life. As a consumer I prefer reading about peoples lives, but as a writer I hesitate more and more as I get older. Ironically I care less what people think, but I am trying to be mindful that we are still in a bit of a weird place right now with the way the world is being torn in two.

  As the literal darkness of fall and winter swallow us whole, my goal is to bring a small sliver of light to anyone who visits this small space.

  Q: How do you stay uplifted during the darker months?

  

  | 38 Comments Tagged Fall, Hiking, PNW, Rachel Lake

• One Month in America

  Posted at 7:10 AM by Brittany, on October 29, 2020

  I have been back in America for a little over a month now, and to say the transition was smooth like butter would be false. Physically my flight home was uneventful, I managed to weasel my way back into my home country unscathed during this chaotic pandemic, but emotionally I am not feeling whole.

  I left Germany a week earlier than planned due to an outbreak of Coronavirus at the hotel I was working. 20+ staff members tested positive, and after receiving a negative result I felt the need to get out. I have never been so thankful to be a recluse. (The spread occurred during a night of partying amongst my irresponsible peers.)

  I managed one last long bike ride before I left, something I wouldn’t realize how badly I needed until after I returned home.

  

  The most stressful part about moving, aside from the emotional turmoil, was deconstructing, packaging, and shipping my bike. I had wanted to attempt taking the bike apart on my own, but when I couldn’t remove the pedals (the easiest part) I began to panic.

  I contemplated leaving the bike, I have a tendency to quit when I get overwhelmed.

  By the grace of God my housing manager came to my rescue and not only helped me take it apart (he had to call for backup with the pedals), but he helped me box it and then drove me to the post office. In typical Brittany fashion I didn’t know how to handle this act of kindness.

  I continuously offered to pay him, and thanked him endlessly.

  

  There are many things I am not good at, and accepting help without some form of payment in return is one of them. I feel like a bother when someone goes out of their way to help me, and this was a good test for me to just accept the act of kindness.

  With the bike boxed and shipped I was able to enjoy my final day in Bavaria.

  

  

  I wish I could say leaving Garmisch was easy. I wish I could say coming home felt like walking into a warm hug, or drinking a cup of my favorite coffee, but it wasn’t and it didn’t. I am thankful and fortunate to be with my family right now, and I am so happy to see them, but my heart aches for a life in Bavaria.

  Leaving Germany was a hard decision. My job was not a good fit for me, the environment in which I was living was toxic, and being away from my family in the midst of the American chaos was hard. I knew deep down I needed to take a step back and reevaluate what was next for me.

  Now that I am back, the numbness that had slowly begun to develop within the last year has grown.

  

  I have been aware of the missing piece to my emotional puzzle for a while now, but I am still searching for it. I am taking each day as it comes and finding pockets of joy along the way. Biking was once my therapy, and this is what I miss the most about Bavaria. When my bike made it to America I nearly cried. Just like seeing an old friend.

  And to think I almost left her behind…

  

  Sadly the bike paths here are…well…non existent. I know there are some out there, but I am not finding anything comparable to Bavaria. I have accepted that biking here will be different, but my motivation to ride has been at an all time low. I currently live near endless roads filled with cars, something of a damper with regard to biking.

  Change is never easy, but we go through the motions nonetheless. I know how easy it is to fall into a slump, so I have been keeping myself busy in order to combat too much down time. All the while honoring my emotions – the good, the bad, and even the ugly.

  I have spent time with an old pal, a comfort comparable to biking. We walk, we talk, we hike, we do fall activities.

  

  

  

  I have spent time with family, we share meals, we do fall activities, we sit in silence with each other.

  

  

  I have spent time in the mountains, gone on walks with my sister, read books, and journaled my thoughts.

  

  

  I got a job, because despite the fact I had planned to just “be” for a minute upon my return, the American society will forever be embedded in my soul and I felt like a bum being back for a week without a job.

  These things keep me busy until I figure out what’s next. Or maybe this is what’s next. I don’t know. What I do know is the act of not knowing is normal. Accepting this is the first step to emotional freedom. I am here, I am well, I am blessed, and I am alive.

  

  I miss Germany everyday. Something about returning to my hometown always makes me feel a bit stagnant. It’s not that the town is terrible, I’ve just outgrown it. It’s not my town, but at this rate I don’t know if I really have “a town.” My town is wherever I happen to be at this moment in time.

  I will forever be thankful for my last six months in Germany. Without the shutdowns and restrictions I never would have biked as much as I did. I may be on a temporary biking break, but this will be a sport I carry with me for life. At the end of the day words cannot describe how happy I am to be away from the toxic work/living environment, and to be back with my cat.

  It’s not all sad news over here.

  Q: How are you holding up? I know we’re also still in a pandemic, which only adds to the emotional turmoil. We’re all in this together. 

  

  | 36 Comments Tagged Bavaria, Brittanys Life Abroad, Change, Fall

• The Worlds Largest Pumpkin Festival

  Posted at 2:00 PM by Brittany, on November 18, 2019

  Anyone who knows me, knows I have an immense love for all things fall. This includes, but is not limited to: colored leaves, cold crisp mornings, sunshine on the skyline and frost on the grass, apples, halloween, and of course PUMPKINS! The moment I see pumpkins I turn into a 6 yr old child seeing Santa at the mall.

  

  All that said, I didn’t expect to see many fall themed activities in Germany. The locals here don’t really celebrate Halloween, they don’t really have pumpkin patches like we do in the states, and corn mazes? Forget it. Then I heard about a pumpkin festival north of me in Ludwigsburg, that claimed to be the largest pumpkin festival…in the world! 

  

  This festival has a theme each year, and this years theme was fairy tales. There are creations made out of pumpkins littered all around the grounds of Ludwigsburg Palace, which is a sight all on its own. The location is beautiful, and the pumpkin art was jaw dropping. After visiting the tower above the trees in the Black Forest, my friend and I drove about an hour to get to Ludwigsburg.

  We arrived just in time for lunch. 

  The pumpkin festival also has all things pumpkin like: pumpkin prosseco, pumpkin spaetzle, pumpkin soup, pumpkin bread, pumpkin pasta, fried pumpkin balls, pumpkin burgers, pumpkin seeds, and pumpkin strudel. I had my heart set on the strudel, and although it tasted more like apple than pumpkin, it was delicious!

  

  

  Here I was thinking Germans don’t get down with the pumpkin trends like we do in the states, but I was wrong. They just have a more isolated event. I can appreciate this, it makes it that much more special. Instead of pumpkin patches, a lot of farm areas here in Bavaria will have pumpkins for sale on the side of the road. Like most things here, they use the honor system when selling pumpkins.

  After enjoying a treat, we wandered around the festival admiring the many creations.

  

  

  

  I will never look at an acorn squash the same. We spent about three hours at the pumpkin festival, enough to get our pumpkin fix both visually and gastronomically. I didn’t buy any pumpkins, but I felt complete in my fall adventure. This pumpkin festival even had a corn maze, albeit quite small.

  

  

  The first snow has fallen where I live in Germany, and my bike rides have officially begun to freeze my fingers and toes. I was thankful to have this experience in order to savor fall before it is quickly taken over by winter. Fall in Germany is so grand I almost considered staying for another one…almost.

  

  Q: What’s your favorite season, and why?

  

  | 15 Comments Tagged Brittanys Life Abroad, Coffee, Fall, Germany, Pumpkin, Pumpkin Festival

• Hunter Farms, Union Washington

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on October 31, 2016

  HAPPY HALLOWEEN! I love October. October is my favorite month of the year, and Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. I can’t say why I love Halloween so much, I don’t even dress up (boring alert, boring alert!) but there is something about this time of year that gets my waterwheels turning!

  

  

  October is not complete without a trip to a pumpkin patch/apple orchard/corn maze or if you’re lucky a farm with everything wrapped into one. Better yet, the farm NEEDS to have multiple activities wrapped into one. Before the month came to an end I made sure to venture to Hunter Farms in Union Washington to partake in their festivities.

  

  I should have known when I drove into the mud laden parking lot that my choice of footwear was not going to be appropriate for the days adventure, but I’d have gone barefoot through those corn fields if I had to. The mud was thick and slogged, and my only words of wisdom would be: don’t wear sandals to a farm. 

  

  Let the adventure begin

  Hay Maze

  The adventure starts inside an old barn filled with holiday decor. Giant hay bails stacked upon each other make up a maze that has you winding corners and ducking under tunnels. The decorations were perfect, and the creativity was delightful.

  

  

  

  Enter if you dare is right, those tunnels were dark, and quiet. Like close your eyes and stand in the woods quiet. I bow to those small children that venture into those dark corners without a care in the world. It’s tough being an adult and having complete access to the news, or watching too many horror films.

  I’ve officially discovered a new area to add to my list of “places I don’t want to be alone at night.” 

  

  Tractor Rides

  A large farm machine known as a tractor waits outside the hay barn to take us princesses to the field in style. Heaven forbid we walk in the mud with unprepared feet.

  

  

  Going to a farm on a weekday ensures automatic VIP status, and it was just my family and I in the tractor. The bumpy road took us past old rusted trucks into miles upon miles of pumpkin littered rows. It was a fall lovers paradise.

  I seem to have done something right this month, because my karma stick has been slapping me with amazing weather. The sun was shining and only a handful of passing grey clouds washed over the sky.

  

  

  Pumpkin Patch

  I liked this pumpkin patch. Like a lot. It was nestled in the heart of quiet country and the surrounding mountains made for a serene environment. Not like hay bail tunnel quiet, but very quiet. The pumpkin patch even came equipped with a furry tour guide.

  

  

  

  Outtake – I call this pumpkin bongos.

  

  I could have stood in that field for hours. The wind was the only sound I could distinguish passing by my ears, and the quiet air gave opportunity to pause for a moment with my thoughts. No pumpkins were purchased, but walking the rows of round plump squash gave me my field fix.

  Corn Maze

  The only “negative” words I have for this farm would be regarding their corn maze. The paths were just too muddy, and many of the stalks had been trampled on. My sister referred to the brown sludge as chocolate ice cream, but I had a different brown mush in mind.

  

  I had to laugh when my sister trudged through the center of the path and completely lost her shoe. We decided to skip the rest of the maze for fear of being sucked into the brown abyss.

  

  Her shoes, but how cool are those pants?

  Other Honorable Mentions

  

  Multiple Radio Flyer wagons on steroids. Or for a giant.

  

  A giant hitchhiking Santa, because Christmas is just around the corner.

  

  10+ types of animals. These two were my favorite. Be still my heart.

  So there you have it. This farm gets a gold star. Just don’t go in the corn maze without your shucking boots.

  Q: Did you make it to a pumpkin patch before the month was up? What are your plans for Halloween?

  

  | 48 Comments Tagged Corn Maze, Fall, Halloween, Hay Maze, Pumpkin, Washington

• Fall FoMo No More

  Posted at 8:32 AM by Brittany, on October 20, 2015

  *This giveaway is now closed*

  Time out, how is it already October 20th!? YOWZA.

  Like many other souls on this earth, fall happens to be my favorite time of the year. I adore the pumpkins, the apples, the kiwis (did you know it’s kiwi season, because the kiwis are BANGING right now), and the cinnamon. All the cinnamon.

  

  But seriously.

  Ah yes, I adore fall grown foods, but I also love the activities that come with fall. Pumpkin PATCH, apple ORCHARD, kiwi…picking up at the store, and cinnamon grinding. I had an epic adventure to an apple orchard/corn maze while in Ohio, but I haven’t done a single fall themed activity since and the months are slipping by.

  

  That’s where she comes in. This is Hannah, one of my adorable blog friends over at House Vegan. Hannah and I connected over delicious vegan foods and we share a love for all things fall. Including Disneyland at Halloween.

  Hannah wrote a very clever eBook titled Fall FoMo No More which stands for “fall fear of missing out.” Genius. In her book she gives tips, tricks, and shares delicious fall themed recipes in an attempt to help YOU avoid missing out.

  I am 2/3 of the way into October NEEDING her book to help me prioritize my fall activities. What’s doable, what’s not, write it down, cross things off, make it HAPPEN!

  

  You don’t have to be a vegan to enjoy the recipes shared in this book, in fact one of my favorites wasn’t even edible.

  

  Frozen shower melts..are you serious? Sold.

  Of course there are indeed plenty of edible treats too, my favorite being the salted ginger chocolate chip cookies. I’ll take them all please.

  

  Hannah’s photo

  Or the chili con cashew queso. Straw not included.

  

  Also Hanna’s photo

  Long story short: this book is adorable, it’s cheap, and it gave me warm and fuzzy feelings. You can buy a copy for less than the price of a Taco Bell combo meal (ew) click here, BUTTT you can also enter to WIN A FREE copy simply by leaving a comment on this post telling me your favorite fall activity.

  If you don’t like fall, well then I’m not sure how we’re friends. It must be because you love coffee, cats, or the great outdoors, and for that I can let it slide. As for the rest of you, share your favorites!

  Q: Favorite fall activity!?

  

  | 41 Comments Tagged Fall, Giveaway, Review, Vegan

• Americas Most Beautiful Farm

  Posted at 9:00 AM by Brittany, on September 30, 2015

  I assume it takes a lot to be dubbed as Americas most beautiful farm, a title that is sure to attract people from all walks of life. For me all it took was the promise of a trip to Pumpkin Village and all the apples I could eat, the beauty was just an added perk.

  

  

  

  After a less than exciting trip to Amish country I was thrilled to let my inner child fly free at Mapleside Farms. For $6 whole dollars I threw my adult pants in the garbage and gave each child at the farm a run for their money. The coffee I drank at 5:30 pm may have helped me get wild, but I can neither confirm nor deny that.

  

  

  I made sure to get all 600 pennies worth of my ticket to Pumpkin Village and hit each of the stops. After jumping on a giant pillow with a gaggle of children, it was time to ride “the longest slide in America.”

  

  That VIEW!! ❤

  The slide led to the party at the bottom of the hill with activities that made me squeal louder than a hog in heat.

  

  Duck racing

  

  I won the duck race.

  Hay rides

  

  View from hay ride, the apple trees are stunning.

  

  Corn mazes

  

  I had no idea pumpkins were so hydrating.

  

  Pig rides

  

  You didn’t think I meant real pigs did you?

  We were the only adults sans children in the pig mobiles.

  

  Just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, I gorged myself on apples.

  I ate at least 4.

  

  

  One of my favorite memories of the apple orchard actually happened days later while I was on a plane heading back home. We were suck waiting for a handful of other planes to take off and sat inside the plane for an hour before actually taking off.

  

  I went a little stir crazy.

  An older gentleman to my left stood up to get some food from his bag just as we were ready to take off, and was asked to sit back down. He seemed somewhat panicked as he stated that he needed something to eat because he had stomach problems. All he was offered was water, so I offered him an apple.

  He graciously accepted the apple, and proceeded to take at least six photos of his shiny green fruit. Anyone that takes photos of their food gets a gold star of approval.

  

  Children’s play barn in pumpkin village, but I would totally live in this tiny house.

  I lugged my (1/2)peck of apples all the way from Ohio to Washington in a carry on with ambitious thoughts of apple pie, apple crisps, applesauce and more. Instead, I ended up baking my apples and plopping them right onto multiple bowls of oats.

  It tasted like apple pie, but was half the work.

  

  Mapleside farms gave me my first taste of fall for the year, and I can’t wait to check out some farms around my area. I only hope I get the chance to ride more mechanical animals.

  

  Q: Have you done any fall activities yet? Next on my list is a pumpkin patch and a you-pick apple orchard.

  

  | 43 Comments Tagged Adventure, Apple Orchard, Corn Maze, Fall, Ohio

• Real Food, Real Good

  Posted at 8:35 AM by Brittany, on August 31, 2015

  Seven days. It’s been seven full days since I’ve consumed any added sugars and I’m not only alive, but I’m alive and well. I’ve realized how easy it is for me to get complacent about the foods I put into my hard working machine of a body. It’s easy to fall off the wagon and a whole heck of a lot harder to get back on which is why finding a happy balance is key. For me that balance is all about a healthy mindset.

  

  Cauliflower rice, by far one of the easiest things I have ever made.

  Choosing to avoid certain foods that make me like a bag of flaming poo is just that, a choice. I’m not being forced and if I want to eat cookies for dinner every night I can. I will just have to deal with the consequences, which I don’t like. I play the “I’m not going to eat sugar” game all the time, back and forth I go until I find some solid ground. This time however, I’m doing things a bit differently.

  

  Along with avoiding the obvious: cookies, cakes, store bought chocolate, etc, I am also paying attention to the hidden sugars. You know, the ones you find in your store bought salsa and ketchup. Fortunately for me 95% of the food I eat is already in its pure unadulterated form, but my one go to has always been store bought salsa.

  Thanks to the abundance of tomatoes my garden has thrown at me, I have been making my own. Nothing beats the flavor of fresh.

  

  I find it powerful to be fully aware and present with what I eat. Distractions aside, and really stopping to savor each ingredient, texture, and flavor. In the past my sugar hiatuses left me like a rabid dog searching for blood, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on sugar. This time, I’m calm, peaceful, and I feel good.

  

  I voraciously tore through that book. I’ve always wanted to use the word voracious in a sentence about books, checking that one off the bucket list. I finished the book in three days, which never happens in my world. I’m usually distracted by other things, probably chocolate. I found the read to be inspirational and comforting.

  

  Staple meal. Everyday. Popcorn and salads in bowls fit for sasquatch.

  This is not to say I will NEVEREATADDEDSUGAR again, oh no, you bet your sweet britches that won’t be happening, but I intend to be mindful of my sugar. Avoiding it where it’s not necessary (salsa) and moderating it with simplified treats. Local, homemade, things like that. I owe a lot of my success this last week to bananas and almond butter. I ate an entire Costco tub of almond butter in five days. Five days.

  

  This specific brand of almond butter has given me ZERO troubles and the fats have helped curb my sweet tooth while providing me with sustainable energy. No crashing. I also think what’s made this so easy is knowing that I am honoring my body. Insert awkward hippie dance here. Raw cacao has been helpful too.

  What I love most about being fully aware and present with what I’m eating is that food becomes almost spiritual. It’s the foundation for our entire being, and should be treated with respect. We as Americans have become all too comfortable with convenience, but what happened to actually working for our food? Baking our bread at home instead of buying it with ingredients not meant for bread, whipping up cupcakes from scratch instead of staining our fingers with Red#40 and Blue#6.

  I’m inspired to not only eat the food I eat, but to be excited about it. Real food makes me feel real good. Also fall, fall makes me feel real good. The pumpkins and colored leaves have come out of storage. That was quite the sentence transition.

  

  FALL DECORATIONS.

  Alright, I’m done preaching. Long story short is that I’ve fallen back into my crunchy granola ways and am mindful of my food. Avoiding sugars has also inspired me to avoid things like processed oils. You get out what you put in so fuel yourself with whole foods and I assure you that you’ll notice the difference.

  Q: Do you notice when you’ve had too much of a good thing? To be fair, I’ve been having too much fruit so I’m going to start paying attention to that too. I think I need to start a fructose addiction support group. 😉

  

  | 52 Comments Tagged Almond Butter, Fall, Food, Fruit, sugar

• Does it Make Me…

  Posted at 8:01 AM by Brittany, on November 10, 2014

  Does it make me out of shape if after doing one day of week one “Ripped in 30” with Jillian Michaels, I was sore for two days? Don’t ask me to pick up dropped items.

  

  My cat has the idea.

  Does it make me a grown up if the thought of having a dog no longer disinterests me? I’m house sitting again, this time with a VERY WELL BEHAVED DOG.

  Does it make me unmotivated if I am counting down the days until I am done with the chemistry class I am taking? I’m going to say yes. Arizona/freedom is calling me.

  

  Can’t.Wait.For.This

  Does it make me soulless if I compare babies and puppies interchangeably? Both I cannot stand, unless well behaved like the aforementioned dog. I don’t do drool.

  Does it make me addicted if all I can think about is sugar? I may be eating my feelings towards school. Just a little. Also, Thanksgiving cannot come soon enough.

  

  

  Face plant

  Does it make me ambitious for walking to the store when I’m fully capable of driving? I didn’t think anything of it until I was asked TWICE by people driving by if I needed a ride. No, I just like to walk? Cars are overrated.

  Does it make me lazy if I’d rather walk than do any other kind of exercise right now? I’m soaking up all the fall colors while I can before the white blanket of death arrives.

  

  Does it make me a bad blogger if this is the best I could come up with for a post?

  Q: Fill in the blank: “Does it make me ________?”

  

  | 60 Comments Tagged Does it Make Me, Fall, Random, Run, School

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