365: days 221-240

221/365
A sunset on the water; I must remember to be thankful for what I have :)



222/365
Sean came over and we listed to ska music and danced in the kitchen and played the guitar. It made me feel better.



223/365
I prepared a LOT of things for this dinosaur-themed birthday party of mine...



224/365
Happy National Elephant Day! This is my roommate's car buddy, she loves elephants!



225/365
I got a lot of mileage out of these lil guys. Also ignore my animal care dry/cracked/perma-dirty hands.



226/365
I really wanted to do a dinosaur-themed photo shoot for my birthday to make myself feel better and because why not? Drea and I went to the beach and took photos with Tarantino, the triceratops piñata, and it made my life infinitely better.



227/365
Went out for snow cones with Drea and Andrea. This spot is one of the most popular in the city, and with good reason: ICE CREAM IN THEIR SNOW CONES!



228/365
We finally got to have my party! My Jurassic Park/dinosaur themed party was a hit. We had an outdoor party people showed up as the margarita man from the new film AKA Jimmy Buffet, Robert Muldoon, a pair of brachiosaurus, scientists, and I was Dr. Ellie Sattler. It was awesome; we took some photoshoots toward the end of the night that really turned out…beautifully. The only unfortunately thing was my iPod was lost, but I suppose the universe demands sacrifice...



229/365
Some of my wonderful presents and cards! I have such good friends.



230/365
Roadtrippin' to Austin for a float trip with Erin! I love sunset photos and review mirrors, they are so indicative of road trips for me - hazy light, The Beatles, and powdered donuts as the sky melts into night.



231/365
We floated the river and it was SO. MUCH. FUN. I never knew what I was missing until now; beer, sun, watermelon and grapes, music, cold chicken strips, even colder water…I can't WAIT to go again!!! What a great way to make my August :)



232/365
My (third) Austin experience! We floated the river, I filled up an entire disposable camera, Erin had her fairy penguins paint me a picture for my birthday, we went to Sixth Street (where I found an unplugged photobooth, plugged it back in, and was rewarded with a free photo strip), and ate Mexican food.



233/365
Immediately upon arriving home from Austin, I agreed to dog-sit for our friend. This is Mia, who is still a puppy and since this was her second time away from home, she was fairly anxious (and whined all. the. time). Lucky she's cute.



234/365
There's this abandoned building next to the aquarium that has this interesting mural on the side; we call it, originally, "the butterfly building". During our search for Coco, I found a small forest behind it containing orb-weavers, rabbits, and baby shrikes. A tiny ecosystem in the middle of a dilapidated tourist area.



235/365
I found this cute little feather outside; I think it might belong to a woodpecker. Mia was semi-interested in it.



236/365
Xander has never been featured in my 365, before! He is a little nervous of the camera, not as bold as Miss Jackie, but he is my favorite Harris Hawk so he gets a spot looking sort of freaked out by this mechanical machine clicking at him.



237/365
We gave up the search for Coco long ago at this point, and our broken hearts have started to mend. We got a new photo machine at the aquarium so I printed this photo of us to commemorate his memory. I will miss you, Coco.



238/365
I started preparing for Burning Man by tie-dying ALL THE THINGS! Tie-dying is a messy business, but it sure is fun! I hadn't done this since Minnesota, and I still have enough left to do a package of socks! There's nothing quite like dyeing on your porch during sunset while watching Steven Universe.



239/365
The charms I created to give out as gifts at Burning Man. I later painted them different colors with silver accents and called them "cosmic canaries".



240/365
I worked two night events before I left for Burning Man, burning the midnight oil after each event trying to get ready for the biggest event of my year. This sight, once again, reminds me to take a breather every once and awhile to appreciate things.


And thus the summer portion of my 365 project ends. It's strange, but fun, to be reminded of these memories from three to four months ago. This year really has been so wonderful; my summer was filled with road-trips, friends, and new adventures (all of my favorite things), this fall was filled with visits from BFFLs, an epic Halloween party, pumpkin carving, and lots of iced coffees, and of course the spring was full of flowing creative juices, fun training projects at work, and girls' nights out.

It's weird that it's December now; November really flew by at a record pace. It doesn't feel like December at all, considering that it's a crisp 60 outside with sunshine pouring from the cloudless sky. I am on my way to a baking party filled with Christmas music and decorations, so that should put me into the right state of mind. Here's to making the rest of 2015 count.

365 Project: days 201-220

Another random assortment of 365 photos! LET'S GET TO IT! Verging from July into August; it's nice to remember the summer heat in this new chilly cold front. I guess it is almost December, yikes!



201/365
Our beautiful rings from Elise's going away party! We so fancy!! I love/hate the plastic rings that are wedged in cupcakes, I usually wear them despite the fact that they are too small and still covered in icing.



202/365
A last hurrah beach day with Elise the day before she moved. The current was strong, so we played a game where we timed ourselves as we swam against the tide and then timed how fast it took to get back to our original location. It was a (totally un) thrilling way to spend our time! I enjoy drifting in water, however, and it took us only 45 seconds to overcome our 3 minute trek to 200 feet down from our car. Also look at those sexy tans, can you tell we work outside?



203/365
Elise moved. The morning was spent packing up the truck and we had a tearful goodbye before she left and I sat on the floor of our apartment, crying. I forced myself to go out a couple of hours later to the farmer's market with Stewie and Andrea, which cheered me up. We ate basil laden watermelon, Stewie gave me some red and yellow flowers, and I bought my own hand-picked watermelon from a local farm.



204/365
Elise's going away party :( A photo with the Triangle; Harry, Ron, and Hermione.



205/365
Laura and her majestic steed.



206/365
We attended a Great Horned Owl release for our Second Chances Rehabilitation Program. There were four juveniles who were ready to be released; three of them left with minimum convincing, including this one who flew right over our heads into the forest. However, the fourth owl was stubborn and insisted on remaining inside his crate. After the crate was disassembled around him and his towel pulled out from underneath him, he finally flew off into the surrounding trees.



207/365
Andrea and I went to The House of Rock for their anniversary block party. We drank beer, got pizza, saw old friends, watched some bands, and admired this wonderful bus that one of our friends served coffee out of.



208/365
Move-in day!! We spent all day moving 100+ lb furniture up three flights of steep stairs in 100+ degree weather! It was fantastic! Elise left me with a lobster shed from the Spiny Lobster she cared for at the aquarium, Mitch, who was one of the last things to be moved, along with some plants.



209/365
A perfect move-in dinner. Moving was HELL, but Chinese food does make up for it partially! Especially when eaten on the floor with friends.



210/365
One of the 'lil guys from the GHOW release! He was so alert and ready to go AKA he was a little bit terrified, but that's good news for a wild creature that is about to be released into the woods.



211/365
A close-up of Mitch, standing out as a statement piece in the living room of our new apartment.



212/365
The Blue Moon. My night photography is not the greatest, but I busted out my tripod and took this from the landing since I didn't want to miss out on a possible photo opportunity. I changed it to black and white to see if it made a difference and I like the effect, though it was already basically black and white.



213/365
Kendra's bridal shower! It was set in a beautiful clearing surrounding a bonfire pit at sunset, and we had a WONDERFUL mimosa bar set up with cutesy, pinterested glasses. So basically a fantastic photo set-up! Here's Kendra's hand with her special glass and bling ;) The lighting was gorgeous, I love golden hour.



214/365
Andrea and I went out for a celebratory dinner to celebrate being moved into our new apartment!! We went to Harrison's Landing, a restaurant right on the water, so we got to see the sunset over the marina.



215/365
This is not artistic…at all, but it is something new I've always wanted to try! My vodka watermelon was probably an ultimate failure, but I did it! My issues were I got a farmer's market watermelon (from the day Elise left) so it was dense and juicy, and I used open-top vodka so physics plugged it up most of the time. Oh well, you live and you learn.



216/365
A birthday gift from Clioh. I have the best friends.



217/365
A summer-time snack. Once the season hits I like to try to load up on all the light and airy foods that remind me of lazy suburban summer: pasta salad, iced tea, watermelon, popsicles,



218/365
Happy 25th Birthday to me :) My wonderful roommate woke me up with "Birthday" by The Beatles and cooked me sprinkle pancakes. She bought me a triceratops piñata, earrings shaped just like Kogi, and so much candy. She really made this birthday great. Can you tell the theme of 25 was dinosaurs?



219/365
This was the day tragedy struck. We were practicing Coco's segment after a show and the winds were blustery, but since Coco's wings are clipped we weren't truly worried about it. A strong gust caught him as he fluttered in a self-propelled moment of fear and carried him 100 feet into the air, up and over the roof of the aquarium. It was chaos. No one was expecting it, and only two people saw the ordeal. We spent the rest of the day searching diligently for him. At first, we expected him to be out on the lawn, or on the roof. He can't have gone far, he has no flight experience, no developed muscles, he doesn't have the necessary flight muscles…we searched until the sun went down. My party was scheduled for that night, but I firmly said it was cancelled until further notice. I cried on and off all day, my shoulders sagged, I was in a haze of disbelief. All of us reacted inappropriately to situations due to hysteria; Kelsey and I got our golf cart stuck in the mud while searching the nearby forest and laughed about it. When I got home late that night, my friend had brought us food she was intending for the party; a veritable feast. She saw me and opened her arms and I collapsed into them, crying. It was good to cry, and to eat.



220/365
In desperate need for a cheer-up, I went with Laura to an owl release. This time a juvenile grey Eastern Screech Owl was going to be released into the woods near her home in Kingsville. We hiked around the lake at sunset and being somewhere wild made my heart calm. Once in a secluded area, we opened the door and a grey plume shot from the crate. I was surprised at his speed, as the GHOWs had taken forever. Thus, I only got this last vestige as he left us.


This batch of photos leaves on a negative point in my story :( Unfortunately, we never found Coco. It is hard to describe the sadness of a fly-off, though I'm sure many of you who have had a pet run away know a similar feeling. The worst was the inability to do anything other than search endlessly for him, sunup to sundown. He is a small, grey bird with limited flight capabilities and we are a facility surrounded by water and fields. It is heartbreaking to think about. I hope that Coco is at peace, wherever he may be.

365: days 176-200

I have decided to stop using the weeks as a way to mark this project because I was getting ridiculously confused - this can be a VERY confusing pastime if you aren't organized. Which I'm not. Ever. But I'm trying to get better!

For instance, I have my photos! I've been doing the project, but I stopped posting them and editing them because of work, life, etc. But I am working on catching up! So here are some more summer photos to remember one of the best summers ever, the summer of Austin, of new roommates, of pool parties, of river floating, and dinosaurs.



176/365

On my way out of the city, after a tearful goodbye to my mother and a trip to Trader Joe's to pick up their entire stock of pomegranate limeade, I saw a food truck selling donuts. And I impulsively slammed to the left to grab me some of that. I came back to the car with a chocolate donut filled with cake batter and a donut topped with brown sugar, grilled bananas, and honey drizzle. Check out Gourdough's, if you are ever in the Austin area!



177/365

My beautiful, loving, selfless mother in front of a colorful wall. I love the contrast between her dress and the graffiti.



178/365
Beautiful blooms in Austin.



179/365

Austin is known for its street art; we saw it everywhere. It makes the city even more colorful and warm, if that was even possible.



180/365

I am obsessed with these dinosaur planters, found in a boutique along South Congress street. I fully plan on making some of my own, and SOON!



181/365

We celebrated the FIFA U.S.A women's soccer game (so many words) at our favorite taco place. Such a lovely place, such a lovely face...



182/365

Stewie dropped off a mad amount of fresh basil from the learning gardens where she volunteers. She prompted me to share them with Laura, though I definitely forgot and never did. Later on Stewie would ask her about it, to which I would leap into their conversation and exclaim that there was no reason we needed to talk about that, there was never any fresh basil, etc. They both shot me dirty looks.



183/365

The first half of the year is over; it is the thick of summer and the air is heavy with humidity and possibilities. It was my Monday and I was lacking creative focus, so I laid my treasured collection of feathers out on a skull-print cloth: a whispery soft feather from Brutus, a small, scrappy feather from Kogi, a long and elegant tail feather from an unknown pheasant from the Minnesota wood, and an eyed peacock feather from a proud male strutting the aviary grounds.



184/365

I got a bunch of awesome postcards from the Museum of the Weird in Austin to send to friends! I want to start a habit of sending more postcards in life; they're just so cool and easy!



185/365

Kogi says, "Let freedom ring!". Happy Fourth of July!



186/365

Zeppo being crazy during an outdoor session.



187/365

It's so easy to just take photos of my beautiful animals; I'm around them constantly and there is never a dull moment when you train creatures. Here is Nacho showing off her jump, jump, jump!



188/365

Roommate dinners are one of my favorite things; combined ingredients, usually a concoctions of pasta, cheese, vegetables, and meat, plus one of our favorite movies or TV shows=perfection.



189/365

This was clearly not a photo taken by me, but I love it. It's a famous mural in Austin on the side of Jo's Coffee. I wanted a photo of us next to it very badly, especially since it captures my feelings about this trip; about this roommateship in general.



190/365

An amazing urban art playground, The Hope Outdoor Gallery. People constantly add to it, take photos, and climb atop the structures in the baking sun. We didn't stay as long as I would have liked due to TRAGEDY (I dropped my phone and it cracked. AGAIN).



191/365

This is one of my favorite photos I've ever taken, I feel. THIS MURAL. I am having a love affair with this mural. And Elise just looks perfect next to it.



192/365

One of our friends has an adorable puppy, she is like the inverted version of Earth.



193/365

I got this adorable owl skeleton for Andrea since she loves skulls and hates owls.



194/365

Hanging out with Manny Calavera and reading a book.



195/365

Next door to a brewery we like to frequent is a wooden shack covered in ivy. I think it's beautiful, especially in evening light.



196/365

While in Austin, Elise and I waited for the Congress Bridge bats again. Instead of being up on the bridge, we sat on a dilapidated dock that was crumbling into the water and played "would you rather" as the sun set. Unfortunately we never were able to see the bats since a boat was BLASTING TERRIBLE MUSIC underneath it! Those poor bats!



197/365

We saw THIS DARLING PUPPY outside of the burger place we went to for lunch in Austin. OH MY GOD IT WAS SO CUTE I CANNOT EVEN.



198/365

Jackie with a bit of lunch still on her beak.



199/365

Zeppo trying to be sneaky.



200/365

A glimpse of the beautiful turquoise waters of Hamilton Pools. It was one of the most MAGICAL places I have ever visited; unfortunately we went right around noon so the lighting was atrocious for photos. I love how this photo captures the color of the water though.


I still have a lot of catching up to do, but here is a big dump post filled with beautiful photos (if I do say so myself)! For now, it is Halloween and I'm trying to shake off feelings of negativity to instead enjoy my favorite holiday and month :) Also, in exciting news, Megan visits next week! Basically I am so excited to PARTY and also to be a killer unicorn for Halloween!