Tour 2014: Outer Hebrides

Posted on by Annie

Before I started vagabonding in a tiny trailer, I traveled around the world as part of my job. When my responsibilities extended to Dublin, I took the opportunity to jump on over to Scotland and visit what became one of my favorite places on the planet: the Outer Hebrides. It was a total bucket list destination for me and it did not disappoint in any way. So while I’m on vacation this week, I’m sharing a series of memories of that trip, which was five years ago this month. After a few days in Edinburgh, I made a mad dash…

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Sunday Serenity: Looking Closer

Posted on by Annie

One of my favorite things about hiking is the invitation to focus on individual elements of the environment around me. It’s easier, at least to me, to see the big picture: the sunset horizon, the canopy of trees overhead. I might lose myself in thought as I walk, barely noticing the rocks and roots my feet are stepping over. When I slow down and look-really look-around, I see small delights everywhere.  The forest is dense with life here in the South. From ivy climbing up trees to a flock of wild turkeys, there’s almost too much to see. I stopped…

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Update: May 15, 2019

Posted on by Annie

It’s been both a social whirl and a struggle to get connectivity the last week or so. I’ve been camping with friends and had a great time, from the coast to the Blue Ridge and the edge of the Smokies. Man, it’s beautiful country here.  That’s the road north of Asheville heading into Tennessee. Some serious grades but the views and the greenery are worth it. For a bit of contrast, here’s a trail I was on last week in South Carolina. Yes, I have finally said my farewells to that state, after spending pretty much half of 2019 so…

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Four Small Things

Posted on by Annie

Living in a trailer doesn’t leave much room for souvenirs or mementos, so I keep them constrained to a small plastic bin about the size of a shoebox. It holds special concert tickets, my first real bracelet, coins from my travels, and these four things that belonged to my mother. This pin was in her jewelry box when she died. It’s a Phi Kappa Phi pin. I had to look that up. I have no idea when she was awarded membership into that honor society. Was it when she was at UCLA as a freshman in 1949? Or when she…

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Update: May 8, 2019

Posted on by Annie

I’m just going to skip over much of the last two weeks because a serious head cold had me down for a lot of that time. They say a cold lasts a week despite meds and rest, and I found that to be pretty accurate. All over but the sniffles and tiredness now. Instead, I’m going to post a bunch of beautiful coastal images I took before I left the beach scene for the slow, steady trek up north via two more months in the South.  This was an overcast day at Edisto, which is yet another beautiful South Carolina…

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