Welp… in September I headed back down to the Bay Area, this time with one of my other best friends, Ashley, as we had to see one of our favorite bands from the past that we never got to see live before they split up. Voxtrot reunited for a quick tour, and San Fran was the closest location to us, so we jet-setted down, and we not disappointed. We also had a little bit of time to explore the city together and to catch up with one another.
Nature
Summer 2022 /
Where have I been and what have I been up to?
Well, a lot of everything. Lots of concerts, lots of hikes, some travel, and lots of quality time with friends and family. Let’s update you with a few photos!
Discovery Park
I’ve been going on many different hikes throughout the past year and it has been so wonderful to see more of the PNW. Along a few of these hikes, my best friend Angela was my companion. She has also been getting into hiking on her own during the last year. It’s always so nice spending time with her, and she gave me an excuse to bring my camera with on our hike in Discovery Park.
Anna Eisch
Finally truly getting back into shooting some shows - for Anna Eisch, who had just release her new EP, I Know About Emily. My good friend Maddie was shooting some video footage, and I attended and took some still photos. Anna and Maddie are also close friends and it was so nice to watch her perform at the new Café Racer!
Justin!
Justin was in town briefly and we all grabbed dinner in Ballard!
A rare photo taken on my camera by someone else of me! Love these two so much, I have known them both since high school and cherish few people the way I do them.
Lusio Lights Festival
I have been a fan and attended other Lusio Lights productions throughout the year, but have never made it to their big festival in the Summertime before. This year we went - it was held at Mary Olson Farm in Kent and it was spectacular. Quite the party - kids were running around mad, and we were all transfixed by the different art installations and projections.
Lucky Sweater Clothing Swap
My best friend Angela is a core member of the app Lucky Sweater, that helps to promote finding slow fashion clothing and facilitate trades between members. Different local swaps in person were held throughout the country and she hosted the Seattle event.
Seattle Design Festival 2022 - Block Party
I didn’t have any friends (models) to come with me to the Seattle Design Festival this year, so I went alone. I haven’t missed one of these since I started going many years ago. This year’s theme was “Connection” and it really translated well within the different art installations. My favorite was probably the circular ping pong table that had a rotating net. Plants were given away for free, Seattle housing was discussed, there was a happy map where you could add a place in Seattle that brought you happiness - I added “Neumos” to the map.
Velocity Music Festival 2022
Bad Snacks
Velocity was back this year, finally! It’s been a minute. The festival holds a trade show, seminars, workshops, and live music. I only went to the trade show and a few of the live sets - I so love to go because the crowd that attends is so different from my other shows as it is a celebration of Synthesizers - it is quite niche. This year the festival sold out. My friend Maddie was also a volunteer handling video for the festival and I found an awesome new artist - Bad Snacks!
Golf Alpha Bravo, Dark Dazey, and The Groovy Nobody
Golf Alpha Bravo
Dark Dazey
The Groovy Nobody
Minnesota Trip 2022 /
This year, my mother and I traveled together to Minnesota, via road, as usual. I was to drive there with her and fly home, and my aunt flew out to make the return drive with her.
Anaconda, MT
The images above were all take at stop at Anaconda, MT. The last image is of the Anaconda Smoke Stack - I’ve somehow never seen this along our drive before, and with the sun setting and it being almost dark, I got chills with how much it looked like the Dark Tower (from my favorite Stephen King books of the same title) - just sans roses.
I will definitely be back to see this in the daytime up close sometime in the future.
Billings, MT
We stayed the first night in Billings, MT, and I woke up for sunrise so I could go for a mini hike at Zimmerman Trail. I was worried about Rattle Snakes as they are typically out in the morning, but didn’t see any. I saw plenty of other hikers and lots of dogs. The view of Billings from this location was unbeatable. I am so happy I got up early before starting the 2nd stretch of our drive.
Medora, ND
We made one quick pit stop in Medora, ND, even though we had no plans this time to attend a live show. It was fun to explore for a bit, get in some exercise, and try to avoid the many thousands of grasshoppers.
At the National Buffalo Museum in Jamestown, ND, you can actually see live Buffalo. I wasn’t exactly being the safest photographer getting this shot… do not recommend. But they are majestic. I really feel these should be wild and not kept here, but the spectacle of it still brought us there to see for ourselves.
East Grand Forks, MN
Got to Visit with my Aunt and Uncle, Steve and Linda, in Grand Forks!
The Family Farm
Seeing my other Uncle Brian on the family farm in St. Hilaire was such a great time. This place is probably the one location that is the most special to me in the world. So many photos have been taken in this special place. The memories are intense. I really hope the house survives the next winter (the basement has some severe cracking in the foundation and the harsh Minnesota winters do not help).
St. Hilaire, MN
I explored a bit more of St. Hilaire when I went for a walk - I had never seen most parts of the town. I walked to the local park, saw some fishermen, some softball players, some very cute homes. My father apparently used to make this walk several times a day with his dog Sky when he was most recently living here before he passed.
Thief River Falls, MN
Made a few stops to say hi to my father.
Got some tennis in finally with my mom! It was a beautiful evening in TRF. I remember playing on these courts with my father as child.
Got to see my Aunt Mavis and take her to lunch! It’s always so nice that she makes time to see us when we are in town.
Halstad, MN
My first cousins, once removed (my mother’s cousins - I just think of them as Aunts) were all in Halstad, MN to see us. Here Dana shows off her pretty jewelry.
Sisters! Teresa and Dana.
Finally, my mom wanted to recreate a few poses that they had done as children.
My mother and Lisa.
Lisa, my mother, and Teresa.
