I'm falling for Autumn

(photos via design crush) 

"Autumn, the year's last, loveliest smile." 

-William Cullen Bryant 

It feels like Fall is officially here! 

I enjoy all the seasons, but fall is definitely my favorite. 

Colder weather, boots, cardigans, pumpkin everything, soups and hot drinks, my birthday, and Thanksgiving are some of the things I love most about this season.

Today is Wednesday, meaning the school week is half over, huzzah! For the rest of the week I'm planning on studying, cleaning my room for my G-ma's return, making more pumpkin chocolate chip muffins (recipe found here), going to Amelie's with some lovely friends, trying out a few new recipes, and doing lots of pilates. 

Also, I found my long lost camera charger, so hopefully I'll have some new pictures up soon! 

- emily

Huzzah to being back

Well, I'm back. I've stayed away from the blog for quite some time, but I'm going to give it another go.

For starters, here's a summery picture:

It's quite blurry, but I like it and it reminds me of our wonderful vacation to Bald Head Island :). 

Now on to movie recommendations. If you haven't seen inception yet, go do yourself a favor and watch it. It's fantastico! Another recommendation is the BBC series North and South based on Elizabeth Gaskell's novel. 

I know this has been random, but isn't life? This summer has been so strange, but good nevertheless. I graduated from high school, went to visit my best friend in South Carolina, went to Bald Head Island with my family, my friend Taylor came for a visit, went to Summer Fire (camp), had my friends Ben and Lily come and stay with us, went to our churches assembly and now am getting ready for VBS. I feel like I'm on the verge of change, which is true since I start college in twenty days (eek). But it's more than just a transition. For so long, I've dreamed of what I would do with my life and now I'm not so sure of anything. I just want to be happy, but I'm unsure how to get there. Hopefully I'll make sense of everything. 

I hope you all are having a lovely summer! See you around! 

-Emily 

I'm not sure where I found this picture, but I think it's lovely. I wish I could escape to those woods and sleep for a month or so. Life is draining me as of late, but I'm sure it will get better.  Have a great weekend! 

- Emily

Happy (Belated) Earth Day!

Let's pretend I live in a different time zone and I'm not a day late wishing you all a happy earth day.

(picture taken by emily)

~Katie

Blossom

Photo by moi

I love spring! Here's my thankful list for this lovely time of year.

1. Easter 

2. Warmer weather

3. Blue skies

4. Vampire Weekend's Album Contra 

5. Only ten more weeks until I graduate! 

6. My health is back to normal

7. Fresh fruit

8. Reeses eggs

9. Flowers and blossoms

10. Longer days

I hope you all are having a lovely day! 

-Emily

nobody, not even the rain, has such small hands

(photo by moi)

somewhere i have never travelled, gladly beyond
any experience,your eyes have their silence:
in your most frail gesture are things which enclose me,
or which i cannot touch because they are too near

your slightest look will easily unclose me
though i have closed myself as fingers,
you open always petal by petal myself as Spring opens
(touching skillfully, mysteriously ) her first rose

or if your wish be to close me, i and
my life will shut very beautifully, suddenly,
as when the heart of this flower imagines
the snow carefully everywhere descending;
nothing which we are to perceive in this world equals
the power of your intense fragility: whose texture
compels me with the color of its countries,
rendering death and forever with each breathing

(i do not know what it is about you that closes
and opens; only something in me understands
the voice of your eyes is deeper than all roses)
nobody, not even the rain, has such small hands
- e.e. cummings 

I first heard this poem in my American Literature class and ever since I have loved it. There is something about poetry that compels me unlike any other type of writing. Poetry can evoke such imagery and wonder. On any account, I'm going to try writing poetry more consistently. Care to join me?

- Emily

Awkward

I found this photo disturbingly hilarious. 

How would you like to pose like this for your next family photo? 

Photo from awkwardfamilyphotos.com 

-Emily

Wonderment

Photo by Joseph Saxton 

Isn't this photograph lovely? It makes me wonder. I wonder who she is, what her life is like, and what she faces. 

"We are perishing for want of wonder, not want of wonders." 

- G.K. Chesterton

-Emily

The Road Not Taken

The Road Not Taken

By Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

I'm memorizing this poem for my American Literature class. I hope somewhere ages and ages hence, I will be able to say, "I took the road less traveled by, and that has made all the difference."

- Emily

Photo taken by moi

Blessed

Isn't that a gorgeous sunset?

Photo taken by moi in Cleveland Tennessee 

This past week has been rough for me. I got a cold last Saturday and everyday it seems to get worse. In addition to my cold I've now developed pink eye. Gross. Even though I feel awful and haven't been as productive as I want to be, I'm still very blessed. I have a mum who is taking care of me, a fire in the fireplace, and hot chocolate awaiting me tonight! Here's an inspiring passage about being blessed.

"You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.

You're blessed when you feel you've lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.

You're blessed when you're content with just who you are - no more, no less. That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought.

You're blessed when you've worked up a good appetite for God. He's food and drink in the best meal you'll ever eat.

You're blessed when you care. At the moment of being 'care-full,' you find yourselves cared for.

You're blessed when you get your inside world - your mind and heart - put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.

You're blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That's when you discover who you really are, and your place in God's family.

You're blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God's kingdom.

Not only that - count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens - give a cheer, even! - for though they don't like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble."

- Matthew 5:3-12

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

- Emily

Beach Bliss

"The voice of the sea speaks to the soul. The touch of the sea is sensuous, enfolding the body in its soft, close embrace."

- Kate Chopin

This past week our friends the Carroll's took us to Hilton Head Island for mine and Abby's birthdays! We had a wonderful time swimming in the frigid ocean, enjoying the hot tub, watching movies, shopping, boogie boarding, star gazing, dolphin watching, picture taking, and being with our lovely friends Aubrey and Rebekah and of course Aunt Kathy and Uncle Todd. Here are some pictures taken with my birthday present!

Abby and me

Aubrey and me

Abby, Rebekah, and me. Isn't that tree lovely?

Sunrise!

And now back to real life.

- Emily

The first three photos were taken by Rebekah Carroll and the last photo was taken by moi.