Summer Reflections

I've been having the 'summer-went-by-so-fast' conversation a lot.

Truth is, it's not the speed, but the absence of doing so many of the things I had planned. It's not that it went by too fast, it's just that part of me must have been hoping there would be an extra week hidden away somewhere so that I could live out my summer the way I had pictured it. 

So far, that does not seem to be the case. So instead I'm trying to focus on all of the great things I did do, and all of the things I have to look forward to.

Kale Pesto

The day of my birthday (having gone out to celebrate the night before) my friend Jess and I woke up hungover, sleepy, a little whiny, and in definite need of a good lunch. Luckily the newspaper that day had an awesome collection of recipes involving kale. We quickly decided that kale pesto would make the perfect meal, and it definitely did not disappoint.

I've never posted recipes before, but this one was too good not to share.

If we're going to be completely honest here... I ate all the leftover pesto with a spoon last time. It's that good.

This batch came out a little bit chunky because I was just using a blender instead of a food processor. Luckily I was happy with the outcome either way! 

Magic Gardens

A few weeks ago, my friend Daniel visited me from the UK. Having people visit you in your home city is fantastic because you get to play tourist all day, and rediscover all of your old favorites.

One of these things was the Magic Gardens. Right on South Street, it's a space covered entirely in mosaic art. It's beautiful from the outside, but you really have to go in to get the full experience.

Home

It's weird when you start referring to multiple places as home. I say that I'm home now, yet I also say I'm going home to London in September. It's a tricky balance between feeling like I don't have a home, and feeling at home everywhere I go.

This post is about my home in the suburbs of Philadelphia where I've spent most of my life. Being back here is always bittersweet. It's great to be able to spend time with my family and friends, to spend some time in Philly, and explore the things that have been lost in the depths of my messy room.

But there are also so many memories. Every detail of the hardest years of my life are ingrained in this place, and as much as I would like to say that I am completely at peace with my past and therefore not bothered by these things, that isn't entirely true.

This is not to say that the things that have affected me in the past affect me today, or that things that have come and gone are constantly on my mind. But being home triggers memories, and some things have been forgotten but not quite forgiven. My imagination is to vivid-- if I think about something to much I feel as if I'm experiencing it all over again.

Weekend in Colorado

About 24 hours after I landed in Philadelphia, I was back at the airport headed to Colorado with my parents. Although my internal clock is still a little bit confused, it was very much worth all the rushed traveling. I got to spend time with family who I don't see very often while surrounded by amazing scenery. It was the perfect way to spend my first weekend at home.

Flying

When I was a kid, I loved to fly.

To be among the clouds, to be one of the specs I so often watched fly above me, wondering what exciting adventures the people aboard were embarking upon, I found absolutely fascinating.

Now that I travel so much more, many aspects are frustrating. Airports are a pretty terrible place to spend time, and there's always rushing, and waiting around, and lots of stress.

But once I get on the plane, a little bit of that childish excitement always returns.

I still always look out the window as the plane takes off. 

I love to watch the city I'm leaving grow smaller and smaller, until all I can see is clouds.

Weekend pictures

Over the weekend, Alex and I visited his family in Devon. It's pretty great being able to go 'home' for a weekend even when I'm in England.

On Saturday we went for a walk on Dartmoor. After being in London for so long, it's pretty incredible to spend some time looking at such a beautiful landscape.