and the awesome crescent moon… lookin’ like the cheshire cat smile!!!
🙂
p.s. i love how you can see the outline of the moon, too!
both venus and jupiter will be visible through the end of february! so, make sure to look up! ❤
and don’t forget to get out in nature! it’s so healing!!!
i took some pretty pictures of the moon a while back and never got around to posting them. since we recently experienced a full moon, i thought i would share some of those images here with you.
also – my favourite quote :
“to be nobody but yourself in a world that is doing its best to make you something else, is to fight the hardest battle you are going to fight… never stop fighting.” – ee cummings
hello world! it’s been far too long since i have written a blogpost. i miss you!
my life has changed a lot in the past year. i realized that i haven’t blogged in over a year, and that is a record for me! too much time has passed.
the beginning of last year immediately started with extremely unpleasant news that was very hard on me and my family. i found myself retreating and not being online very much. then – as we all know, the world changed dramatically and we have all been affected by that, in some way. my heart has felt heavy and i have been grieving for many reasons. that said, i still hold a space of gratitude for so much. i am well and i have my health and i am thankful for many things.
it’s been so long since i’ve written a blog that when i logged on to wordpress today, i saw that everything had changed. i don’t even recognize this platform anymore, and i now have to re-learn how to do this. which is actually kind of okay with me. sometimes we can get stagnant in life and it’s good to learn new things… especially these days. i have always needed creative outlets and of course fotography has always been a great avenue for that, as well as writing. in today’s technologically-driven world, i find myself craving balance so that i’m not always in front of a screen. since i work on a computer during the day, it’s been a challenge to want to sit down and edit fotos or write blogs. but i’m finding ways to make that happen without feeling too unnecessarily connected to all things digital. and i currently feel very inspired to start blogging again.
SO much to catch you all up on! for now, i wanted to pop on here and create a quick blog to say hello and i look forward to getting back into the swing of things. lots of cooking and fun things happening and lots to share! i am going to include these fotos of some beautiful produce i found at a local farmers market… just because we all know how much i love and appreciate such things!
where i live, there are many trees that often block the horizon line at sunset. i have been eager to get to a good vantage point in the evening to watch the sun setting.
recently i took a stroll with a friend at a park nearby that overlooks the city. it was a lovely summer evening and the hike to the top was worth it.
we captured a few images while also getting immersed in the beauty of the evening.
i love this picture because it looks like there is a line dividing the sky… do you see it?!
i love jumping shadow pictures.
fun times.
i just never tire of experiencing the ocean… the sight, the smell, the sound… the feeling, the energy all around!
i also never tire of experiencing the moon… equally as much wonderful energy to behold!
i went down to the shore over the weekend for some {much needed} vitamin sea and to admire and enjoy the ocean and the full moon. by the time i got to the beach, the moon was just coming up over the horizon… and some hazy clouds initially obstructed the view.
still… breathtaking, right?!
it wasn’t long before the moon peeked out of the ombre sky and shared her beauty with us one again, in her final appearance of summer.
i walked around for a good hour or so, gazing in wanderlust as the moon took place high in the sky, illuminating all it touched…
… listening to the crashing waves, my senses engaged with the salty air, my toes wiggling in the soft sand…
feeling humbled and grateful for all that has been before me and all that is around me now. for all that will be, for all that i am, for all that i have, and for all that i have yet to experience.
what can i say?! … i am a creature of habit.
i believe i have always been this way, but i don’t believe i have always lived this way…
over the last couple of years i have been particularly adamant about creating a healthy routine in my life… i have found myself purposefully setting intentions of a grounding “ritual” in my daily life from which i could draw strength.
at the very core of those routines and rituals is my desire for overall well-being.
i’m talking about wellness – inside and out – a sense of harmony… and i do believe that all starts within.
the more within myself i look, the more i realize that i absolutely THRIVE in routine. i believe part of that is because i recognize that all living things are in routine… and all living things exist by “obeying” certain laws of nature, many of which we as human beings are more removed from than i would prefer. nature is cyclical, and it is {for the most part} pretty predictable… therefore, nature also thrives in routine.
think about it…
all that to say, the more in touch with nature i’ve become, the more i’ve realized that i am as much a part of nature as nature itself. my body thrives in rhythm and routine, just as nature does.
one of the things i have been wanting to adopt as part of my healthy routine was including a daily vitamin supplement. although i generally eat a very well-balanced healthy diet, i’ve frequently struggled with finding a vitamin supplement that fit my desire for harmony and also fit my standards for well-being… which, i admit, are pretty high. 😉
and so it is with great enthusiasm that i say – I FOUND THAT!
which brings me to my purpose for creating this blogpost… my new best friend :
my ritual vitamins.
these wonderful vitamins came into my life serendipitously… as do most things that are “meant to be.” 🙂
as i said, i had already set the intent of finding a vitamin to add to my daily routine that would give me what i was looking for… an extension of my already healthy lifestyle choices, and SIMPLICITY.
what i love most about ritual is their simplicity. they have taken the guesswork out for us. instead of stuffing a tablet with unnecessary fillers and/or many of the nutrients that come from an already healthy diet, they’ve only included the 9 nutrients that most women lack or are deficient in… basically, it does what i have always believed a vitamin supplement should do… supplement, or as they say – “fill in the gaps”…
the 9 essential nutrients in ritual are :
so, instead of buying upwards of 4 or 5 bottles of different supplements, many of which include unnecessary fillers, you get all you need in 2 daily capsules. part of the allure for me is that it truly epitomizes the concept of “less is more.”
another reason i love ritual is the transparency – literally and figuratively speaking. the capsules are literally see-through… and the company is transparent by allowing the consumer to trace the source of each ingredient on their website.
ritual vitamins are made for women. they are non-gmo, vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free, and the company was founded by a woman. these vitamins are designed specifically for women. for one dollar a day, you can invest in your health by supporting an outstanding company that is truly revolutionizing the vitamin industry. plus, you get bioavailable nutrients that help you look and feel your best.
i have chosen to be an ambassador for this incredible brand because i believe in their mission and i am an advocate for voting with your dollars, as in putting your money where it matters. the $30 a month investment is one that provides a wealth of health.
please visit this link to start your ritual today : food and foto loves ritual
and stay tuned for my personal review on how this vitamin supplement has affected my overall well-being.
i am working on a new volume of “memories in manhattan” and will post one next week… in the meantime, here’s a post about new york to keep the theme going 🙂
i took a trip new york in june… i had been wanting to go back for a visit for quite some time, as it had been about 5 years since i had been there. often times, i think part of me wants to live there again, so i was eager to experience the city once more to see how i felt about being there.
i had a wonderful trip, as i figured i would. the weather was a little ridiculous – as in sweltering hot. but outside of that, it was nice to feel the energy of that amazing city, again. new york has a way of making you feel on top of the world; as if the whole place belongs to you. as an introvert, it’s strange to me that i can be surrounded by people but still feel like i’m in my own little bubble. the “hum” that is always in the background doesn’t feel distracting to me… it’s a strange dichotomy that i have always appreciated.
all that said, i think i realized that i do not wish to live in a place like new york again. i long for a country life – on a farm somewhere, growing food and having lots of animals. of course, that may change – after all, we are human and our desires come and go as we move through life.
it was wonderful to be in new york once more and to walk around and take the subway and just feel the energy… i immediately settled back in to the “way of life” there and even had people asking me for directions – and i knew them! that’s also a good ego boost.
i didn’t pick up my camera too much… i guess because since i lived there for so long, i took so many pictures already and this time i just wanted to kind of experience it in a different way. of course, i did have my camera phone with me – so i captured a lot of snapshots with it.
here is a gallery of fotos from my trip – i hope you enjoy! :
until next time…
i am so humbled to have recently welcomed my 1500th{+} follower on this cherished little blog of mine!!
thank you to all of those who have stuck around all this time. and thank you to the newcomers – i want to extend a warm welcome to all of you who chose to hit that ‘follow’ button and come play along as we talk about yummy food and pretty things, whilst taking pictures of it all!
as a reminder, if you don’t already – please follow me on instagram for the most recent updates on all things food&foto related. {you can also find me on facebook and pinterest.}
i appreciate all the love and support i’ve received over these last 6 years of blogging. i look forward to more adventures to come!
the most sincere appreciation to all of you, from the bottom of my heart.
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here are some pics from a stroll i took last month, when springtime was peaking and i was tickled to find a bunch “life” happening… ! 🙂
there are so many turtles around these parts!
tons of beautiful blooms, as well!
food & foto 