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

End of the year wrap up - 2021!

Well…. the time has come. 2021 is coming to a close. In many ways this year has been difficult and in many ways this year has been totally rewarding.

Since the end of November, we have been finishing up the purchase of our first home, painting that home. moving into that home, and cleaning up our apartment. It has been so much work but we also were able to enjoy a little bit along the way. There was no November blog post as a result, but that’s how life goes!

If you didn’t know, I am trying to challenge myself to learning something new or being creative every month in some way. In November, it was learning to paint our house. I am documenting these things over on my YouTube channel - you can watch November’s video here:

December’s video will be up shortly, but for now, please enjoy some of the photos I took this month:

Lee enjoying a latte in our front yard.

We also decided to explore the neighborhood during the terrific weather.

Our neighborhood sure has changed from our location in Ballard! Look what my neighbor has parked in their yard!

Enjoying one of our local parks.

…and exploring another local park that we may or may not have been allowed at!

Finally got to decorate a little bit for Christmas, as well as wrap some presents while Max judged me about how long his next meal was taking…

Went to a holiday market at the Tractor Tavern back in Ballard to get some last minute hand made gifts.

A beautiful ornament from my mother.

A day out in Seattle with my best friend, Angela!

Some family time with my nephew, my mother, my sister, and both Lee’s.

And of course… the snow. The second big snow of 2021. We got some on Christmas Eve and then a bunch more on the 26th. It is still here, going into the new year…. hopefully it will start melting soon when the temperatures allow it!

Capping this year off with a snow-filled view from my back yard.

This year has brought along so much change. I am trying to embrace it, and actually lean into it. I want to grow as a person, and can’t wait to see what 2022 will bring.

As a side note - I only made a few posts this year on my blog, so a true end of the year post with the “Best of” photos isn’t necessary - it’s all right here for you to look at! I also am skipping 2021’s top albums. There were many great moments in music this year, but albums themselves did not capture me this year. Perhaps it was a slow year, or perhaps I was just so busy focusing on exercising, laying my father to rest, moving, and getting back into creative ventures again, during year 2 of the pandemic, that I just was neglectful.

There was only one album this year that blew me away. That was Turnstile’s album Glow On.

The album is phenomenal frontwards and back. I could not stop listening to this one. It was reflective, catchy, and filled with momentum. Here’s a bit to tie you over with:

Thanks everyone, and see you in 2022!!

Minnesota Trip 2018

It's hard to describe Minnesota and the romance it holds in my life.  There is always a longing to revisit the feelings I've developed from my time spent there.  Growing up, my parents drove my sister Shayna and I from Seattle to Minnesota every Summer.  My parents grew up in Thief River Falls, MN, and moved to Seattle when they we adults.  Most of our extended family still lives in the state or nearby states, and as children, my sister and I always looked forward to the yearly road trip to the East to visit relatives and friends.  Times were so simple then, when my family was complete.  People in my family were the way I'd like to remember them.

Things have changed as I've gotten older.  My parents are no longer together, which probably adds to the sadness of my nostalgia surrounding these trips back to Minnesota.  Also, once I finished high school and entered art school, I was attending classes throughout the summertime, so there were many years in my adulthood that I did not get to join on the trips back to Minnesota.  Certain jobs I held during those years also did not allow me to take the 2 weeks needed to include the drive.  I am fortunate to have a job now that is flexible enough that I can make the trip back with my mother and sister.  I've been able to visit in 2012, 2016 & 2018, in the last decade.

The Start

Somewhere in Idaho or the beginning of Montana on our first day of the trip.

The entire trip we found ourselves surrounded by air with wildfire smoke.  I thought it was going to be just a few days while we started our road trip, as pictured above when we were just going through Idaho or the beginning of Montana (this was taken at a rest stop), but it was smokey through Minnesota and all the way home to Seattle from a variety of forest fires.

Devil's Tower, WY.

Mt. Rushmore, SD.

This year, we decided to first drive to Minneapolis.  We rarely ever go to the big city by the time we arrive to Minnesota, because it adds about a 5 hour drive onto our trip both ways, and usually we are too tired after the initial drive to add that onto our trip.  By heading there first, we made ourselves visit our family and friends there.  Because we were heading to Minneapolis, our normal route shifted once we reached Billings, MT.  We took a dip down through Wyoming and through South Dakota - therefore we did a little sight seeing at Devil's Tower (from the movie Close Encouters of the Third Kind) and Mt. Rushmore. 

My mom taking a smoke break at the first rest stop we saw once we reached MN.

Minneapolis

In Minneapolis, we got to visit with my mom's best friend Frances, and her children Kirk and Molly, who have been close friends with my sister and I since we were all children.  Molly was able to go to Minnehaha Falls and the Mississippi River with us and took us out to Karaoke.  Kirk and his girlfriend Amanda were able to grab dinner with us and do Karaoke with us the other night - I also had my first and only bites of Walleye (Minnesota's state fish) on the trip at their house.

Can Can Wonderland - not pictured: very fun Karaoke.

Kirk and Amanda at Can Can Wonderland.

Minnehaha Falls, MN.

Molly.

The Mississippi River, MN.

A very friendly child Shayna (my sister) and I met at the Mississippi River who was fishing with his family.  He was interested in my camera and took a lot of photos with my help.  

Summer campfire at Kirk and Amanda's.

Grand Forks

My neice Quetitia and her friends in Grand Forks, ND.

We stopped by Grand Forks a few times, visiting both my older sister Tonya and her children, including my niece Quetitita whom you've probably seen in previous photos I've posted.  We also stopped by my aunt Linda and uncle Steve's house - I unfortunately didn't get any photos of them but took the above photo of my cousin Chans' hand print in their driveway.

Furry Friends

Of course, I got to see a bunch of pet friends while we were on vacation.  I didn't even get photos of probably half of them, but here are a few:

Tucker, my uncle Brian's dog in St. Hilaire.

My older sister Tonya with a kitten at my uncle Gene's farm.

Berent's horses.

My uncle Gene's pup, Trixie.

A beautiful and loving kitty that followed me around while we were visiting Berent's horses.

Pokey! (Kirk and Amanda's pup)

Mike! (Kirk and Amanda's cat)

1 Kitty and 1 doggo that said hi while we were visiting Berent's horses.

St. Hilaire 

The St. Hilaire farm is where my mom grew up (after they moved from nearby Thief River Falls) and where I got to know my grandma and grandpa.  My uncle Brian lives there now with his puppy Tucker.  This farm was always our "hub" on our trips, where we usually ended up for a few nights between visiting in other towns.  We spent many summer nights finding our own fun as kids on this farm, and fished along the river in the backyard.  We also spent a few nights worrying about a passing storm in the basement, and spent many hours in the basement playing ping pong.  

The memories are countless on this farm.  This is where I truly feel like I am "back" when we visit Minnesota. 

Red Lake River in the back yard at the St. Hilaire farm. 

Tucker and a downed tree.

My cousin Rachel.

Rachel and my sister Shayna.

My uncle Brian.

The creepy light in the yard - everything else is pitch black once night arrives on the farm. 

Halstad

After a few days in Thief River and St. Hilaire, it was time to pick up and head back to Halstad to hang with other family.

Shayna, both complaining and looking beautiful at the same time.

Our friend Brandon and Rachel.

I saw many combines in Minnesota.  So fitting.

One of the last nights we were in Halstad we visited the neighboring town of Shelly to go to their Shelly Days dance.  Seen here is my mom's cousin Mark, my mom, my cousin Chans, my mom's cousin Dana, and my mom's cousin Diane. 

Here's a closing shot from the Shelly dance of my cousin Rachel and her boyfriend Mack.

The End

Shayna at the Badlands, ND.

My mom taking a snooze in the back seat of our car while Shayna drove.

We made our way back to Seattle along the usual route this time, through North Dakota and all of Montana.  After a long and exhausting trip, I felt a little more whole.  I always do after I visit and get to see old friends and the people I love.  I hope I get to visit again sooner than usual, this time.