virginia in the summertime

virginia is a special place.
why?
from norfolk you can:
jump in your car & in 15 mins you'll find yourself in north carolina drinking a big red soda & frolicking in the outerbanks.
sit on the beach and take the day in.
drive 3 hours north & be surrounded by the blue ridge mountains.
there is no other place like virginia in the south.
this summer i am going to soak up the virginia summer. breath it in and take each day as it comes.

today i found myself picking strawberries (for the first time!) with my best friend sarah.
this girl always reminds me that each day is a gift, and it is an adventure.
the fence that we were posing by actually had an electrical shock on it.. how do i know that? i leaned on it and got electrocuted!

this summer is going to be like no other,
i can feel it.

flower studies part i

in the spring i feel as if my senses get heightened. the air is intoxicated with new smells such as sweet honey suckle or fresh cut grass. everything is greener, richer.

i am thankful for spring, because God just gives me a better appreciation of His creation. and that it is the perfect picture that He makes everything new, everything beautiful.

april showers bring may flowers.

(right click: save as desktop photo)

i have always been the type that only longs for sweater weather and a warm cup of coffee. but the past few weeks i have been longing for the warmth of summer. i am thankful that God created seasons, because he knew that there would be days we would long for cold chilly evenings but he also knew that we would appreciate the warm summer nights sipping on sweet tea.

nostalgia

 the beauty of springs brings feelings of the past.
 feelings of the past spring.
 & a how a year can pass faster than you hoped.

“She told him in a dozen ways, of which the best was without words, how she had missed him. Her emotion reassured him, promised his anxious heart that everything would be all right.” — F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Sensible Thing

a new season (and a new calendar)

i always get a little nostoligic everytime a new season.. a new year.. another birthday.. etc. comes around.  i find myself appreciating what i had before more than i did during the moment. this year my goal is to be content. which, is something that is hard for me. i have always been one of those people that everything is "the grass is always greener," that my life would be so much better if i lived in the northwest, or if i was doing this.. etc. so 2013 is the year of contentment and as i enter this new season, i am going to soak it in and not wish for summer or fall.. just breath in spring and each day that God blesses me with.

last year i had the opportunity to get to know some of my instagram friends better.. through ink & paper. the pen pal relationships i have they have been such a blessing to my life. i mean, getting mail in general that is not a bill is exciting in itself. but i have been blessed by these women and i hope that one day i will be able to meet each one of these ladies! 


oh p.s. it's almost april so here is next month's calendar in advanced! [right click to "save as desktop image]

spring,

i welcome you with open arms.

spring fever

what i love most about spring & summer is the harvest.
avocado is a vegetarians best friend, lets be real.. it gives a delicious flavor to anything & everything you put on.

so finally, i can buy ripe avocados that are the perfect shade of green on the inside.
fresh strawberries that has flavor better than candy.
& plums, because well, i am trying to give them a fighting chance.

above:
 garlic naan pizza:
 1. trader joes garlic naan bread (from the frozen section)
 2. goat cheese
 3. purple onion
 4. spinach preheat oven to 400 degrees.
> sprinkle goat cheese onto the frozen naan bread then pop it in the oven for 3 minutes. cool for one minute then add ingredients above

 avocado salad:
1. one half avocado
2. purple onion
3. handful of spinach leafs
4. diced tomato 
5. trader joe's lemon pepper seasoning

 final image: snack time
 which has been consisting of plums (which i am still not sure if they are my favorite) and strawberries 




what's your favorite spring meal? please share!