Neglect

This blog has been sorely neglected for the last few months, but it turns out the Internet is nuts. Several people have e-mailed me regarding past blog posts and it turns out that stuff is out there, in that big scary series of tubes. After a several month hiatus which involved a kidney stone, mental meltdown and the complete first season of The Gilmore Girls, I'm back.

I read an interview with Diablo Cody a while back in which she said you have no excuse for not putting yourself out there, taking risks, and getting your work out in the world.

She's right.

So, I'm starting back with this blog. I'm making myself write and take photos. I don't care if goes anywhere. But, it's here.

BugFest '09

Every year the Museum of Natural History hosts BugFest on the second Saturday in September. With exhibits, seminars, booths, crafts, games, live music, and bugs to eat(no, really), it's an interesting, educational and disgusting way to spend a day. Who knew bugs could be so interesting? Or tasty?


All I could think of was the Eddie Izzard routine, "I'm covered in beeees!"

A butterfly mobile! How cute!

Fried worms, cricket cookie, insect soup. Somehow I actually got the guts to eat this stuff. It didn't actually taste like bugs, surprisingly.

The dinosaur exhibit is my favorite in the museum. I'm actually seven years old.

The Rosebuds played this year! I was thrilled to death. They were amazing, as expected.

Between bands we decided to have an adventure



I do love Raleigh.

We raise our cups to you, downtown. May you always be in our hearts.


This rooftop looked so magical. I wanted to have a tea party on it.

Overgrown city garden

Sunset in the Capital District.
Beautiful!

All Aboard, Let's Go!

On the first Sunday of every month the New Hope Valley Railroad let's you come and ride the trains and explore the train museum. It's about 20 minutes south of Raleigh and is actually very cool. I went with my family last week and we took a very relaxing train ride through the woods in an open train car on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. My dad used to always take us here as kids, so it's got a special place in my heart.


My parents are so cute!

I Love My Volvo!

This is my 1982 Volvo 240GL wagon, and it is the love of my life. I bought it when I was 17 for $1,200. It's not very fast, it's not very pretty and it makes terrible sounds when changing gears, but I love it just the same.

For the past two years it's been sitting in the driveway, in desperate need of some serious maintenance. My dad's been fixing it up for me, and yesterday we finally got it driving. It's not ready to be on the road yet, because the tires are pretty flat and it is not registered. Driving out of my driveway in back in was the most exciting thing to happen in a long time. It's the little things that count.

The Tragical History Tour

I have a confession to make. I'm a nerd of epic proportions. Let's put my love of my Mac aside for a second and talk about just how nerdy. I'm a reenactor. It's a special level of nerdery. But not only am I a reenactor, I'm a SECOND GENERATION reenactor, which means I've been doing this since birth and the nerdiness runs deep in my veins.

Two weeks ago my dad and I took a road trip we fondly called The Tragical History Tour. We started off in Raleigh, drove up through Virginia, into West Virgina, stopping at Harper's Ferry, and then into Maryland where we visited Antietam battlefield. We finally ended up in Ft. Frederik, where we camped quasi-18th Century style and participated in the reenactment. It was hotter than the dickens and incredibly buggy, but I love my reenactor family so it was all worth it. There has never been a time when these people weren't around, and they helped raise me, inside and outside of reenacting. I don't get to see them very much, because they're all still up north. But when we do get together, the laughter is never ending.


Our 18th Century tent, with modern camping gear and a cooler
'
My reenactor family! That's me in the front with the silly hat.

Reenactor babies are the cutest.

This is my favorite.









The best sign ever.

Retreat

Alright, I've been completely awful about putting up photos. This trip was three weeks ago, but I've finally got around to uploading them. I stayed at this absolutely incredible retreat center, where I stayed in a hut overlooking the river. I really wanted the tree house, but someone else was staying in it. I woke up really, really early and got to take a shower outside! I was washing my hair and watching squirrels. It was amazing, but the best part was that I went alone, didn't tell anyone where I was going and paid cash.


This is what I woke up to!

My porch!

A bed, in the woods. How amazing.

Some of the beds on the back porch of the main house, overlooking the garden.

A hammock and a Mac book. Perfection.


The tree house, where I wanted to stay

Barnardsville, N.C.

On my weekend trip to the mountains a few weeks ago, I made a pit stop in Barnardsville, a tiny little town about 30 minutes north of the city of Asheville. I stayed overnight there at an amazing retreat center (pictures of that to come later!). I left at about 6 a.m., feeling very relaxed and ready for a new day. I was in complete awe of how beautiful the mountains and farmlands looked in the misty mountain morning. It really, really made me miss living in the mountains. I naturally drove around the place with my camera, getting funny looks from all the locals as I photographed their old barns. Forgive the huge amount of pictures, but this place was gorgeous!! I also finally figured out how to resize images, so now you guys actually get to see the whole photo! Woo!