Summer of TOMS.

Me and my pair of TOMS have traversed the states this summer. From California, to Colorado, to Virginia, back to Colorado, I never go anywhere without them. (so. comfortable.)

1. Fox Run Park in Monument, Colorado.
2. Black Canyon National Park, Colorado.
3. Monument, Colorado.
4. Hiking near Denver. (Yes, I even hike in them.)

P.S. in care you're wondering, they are the blue cord classics. No longer for sale.

Feeling random today.

I will always love this show.

Loving this summer style.

My summer in a nutshell.

Summer so far.

1. The park on the day I got back home to beautiful Colorado.
2. Hiking on a trip that will not be forgotten any time soon.
3. Food of champions (especially while camping).
4. Sage tea and baclava at a restaurant called The Heart of Jerusalem in Colorado Springs.
5. Yerba maté at my all-time favorite Wisdom Tea House.
6. Denver Botanical Gardens. What a breath of fresh air.
7. Red Rocks Amphitheater for a movie.
8. Coloradoan to the core.
9. Lounging in the park on a Friday afternoon.
10. Smoothies and reading at Whole Foods for lunch.
11. Mountains, mountains, mountains. Can't get enough.

Summer Reading List.

I always create these lists and then never stick to them, or sadly enough replace them with Summer Movies To See, but this summer I have no excuse. I have the books and the time and the need for some intellectual stimulation. Here it goes:

Because I read This Present Darkness and it was extremely eye-opening to the spiritual realm around us (not to mention one of those books you just can't seem to put down.)

Because I studied Dietrich Bonhoeffer in my World Civilizations class last semester and he easily made my top 10 most inspirational people list.

Because I think I read it when I was in middle school but I truly did not appreciate it. I think it deserves to be read again with with new-found urgency.

Because a mentor read some meaty passages from it and I need something to chew on over the dry summer months.

Camping.

I went to REI yesterday, the flagship store in a restored 1901 Denver Tramway building, and breathed in the outdoor adventure air. Just a glimpse of a backpack and hiking boots gets me all excited!

Fresh air. The sounds of nature. Starry skies. Dirt. Grass. Trees. I'm ready.

This just made me laugh.

The moment.

Back to school. Back to work. Back to real life. But come on, it's California! It's like an endless summer here.

Summertime.

But if I wait for a holiday could it stop my fear?
To go away on a summer's day never seemed so clear.

Vampire Weekend

As far as my plans for the summer...

I'm going to thrive.

It'll be tough to find fun things to do since being a college student has pinched the pocket, but I'm looking forward to coffee house concerts (Wisdom Tea House), nearby hiking (my beautiful Colorado mountains), thrift store shopping (Barracuda Bazaar), and soaking up many, many days of sun. And the best part is that I will get to be with good ol' friends and family. Al. Most. There.

Oh, and I agree.