“I don’t think I’m strong enough,” I told Andy between tears because between the symptoms and doctor visits and tests, the thought of being diagnosed with a second disease was shattering.
Author: L
Hi there! I am the impulsive do-er, the jumper, the one tugging to move past comfort zones to embrace a life of sheer surprise. I am a writer -- a pursuer of stories -- because I believe in the destination over the journey. I am a chaser of sunrises and sunsets and cherisher of the moments between. I have an overwhelming curiosity, an insatiable desire travel, and an obsessive yearn to turn dreams into realities. For all of these reasons, the word that best summarizes who I am is "seeker" -- I am forever a seeker.
Beautiful wild succulents clung to moss and tree trunks as we made our way to a twenty-five-foot waterfall in one of Virginia’s largest forested areas.
Just as the sun went over the blue horizon, we reached the summit where the most brilliant light threw color into the sky.
Our Cortez’s air intake system was composted of a dilapidated hose, crumbling paper-style air filter, and no heat shield, which meant it was time for fabricating a serious upgrade!
Named one of the “Seven Natural Wonders of the World,” Virginia’s Natural Bridge is a unique limestone arch that has towered 215-feet tall in the Shenandoah Valley for at least 500 million years.
“I can’t believe we made it and didn’t kill ourselves,” I told Andy.
“I can’t believe you made it and you didn’t kill yourself,” he said and he was right.
Another (smarter) couple had turned around before reaching this ridge-edge trail with ankle-deep ice-covered snow. But not us — We had kept going out of sheer determination and, sure, stupidity — but we had kept going.
After our cat walked one of the longest recreational bridges in America, Andy, Ly, and I set off for a historic tunnel that was the longest tunnel in America when it was built.
Virginia has some of the most diverse farming in the country, and I was able to witness this as a volunteer at a local flower, herb, and seed farm.
I volunteered on one of over 43,000 farms in Virginia. This herb, flower, and seed farm has allowed me to gain a massive amount of awareness and knowledge about the land and plants. Here are those lessons . . .
With small farms being the backbone of Virginia, I return to a volunteer at a local herb, flower, and seed farm.
Agriculture is Virginia’s largest private industry by a vast margin, and I had the chance to live a dream by volunteering on a local Virginia herb, flower, and seed farm.
The snow made the air fresh and pure and so we continued on the Appalachian Trail, holding onto dreams that one day Andy and I will thru-hike this white blaze.
The calmness spread to our minds, bodies, and souls, and I learned — again — a valuable lesson. Mountain air is medicinal and so, with a deep breath, Andy and I found ourselves cured.
For a moment — for an afternoon — Andy and I were able to escape it all and simply take our cat on a leash for a walk in the mountains . . .
On this hike, we embraced the beauty, the impulsiveness, and the excitement, which is why — on the way back — our hearts beat to the rhythm of happiness and I found still more appreciation for nature . . .