Hot + Bothered >> Yellowstone's Thermal Features

True story: I have not felt like blogging much lately. I am very much a creature of momentum, and this summer has been a doozy for me in that area. Every 3-4 weeks this summer, I keep switching from being at home, to being on the road, to back at home, to back on the road, with some bits of working and other distractions sprinkled here and there. It's been a little hard on my routines, y'know? I think transition time is really important to me and I can't really rush it, jumping from one thing to the next. So this summer I am definitely spending a lot of time transitioning.

I think also I keep panicking that  ohmygodsummerisalmostover, which of course it's not, but my remaining time is already planned pretty full. I see that a lot of the things that I wanted to accomplish are simply not likely to happen, and it's hard not to feel a bit defeated. I envisioned having all this time to be bored this summer, to be able to really dig my teeth into a project or two, to do a lot of reading, to just do nothing. So. When I have had free time at home, I have been trying to do those things, and not sit at the computer. Although I miss sitting at the computer, too. Make sense? Ugh. Humans are wonderfully complicated. ;)

What do you do when you hit a blogging slump?

The upside of doing all these activities that do not involve the computer, is that I have certainly packed a lot in to my adventures, and I have no shortage of things to share. Today I thought I'd share some of the photos I took in Yellowstone of the thermal features. They are so otherworldly beautiful...

These are from the Lone Star Geyser Basin and the area around Old Faithful...just in case you were planning on dropping by to see them for yourself.

shanti >> sondra

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Devil's Lake >> In Photos

Sometimes, I just really like editing pictures. I find it very realxing. I battle between trying to keep them as "natural" and "real" as possible and making them fun and pretty. Lately, I've just been going with whatever I feel like - sometimes natural is better and sometimes tweaked is better. And I think it's okay to mix and match them, too. Anywho, here are my results from the last stop on our big camping trip, Devil's Lake outside of Bend, Oregon. The water was actually that SUPER green - I didn't mess with the color there!

This was the last stop before we headed home, and we both agreed that we should have gone there earlier and spent more time. It was SO pretty. And Bend, Oregon is perhaps the best city, ever (we were about 30 minutes from there). We would move there in a heartbeat if Andy could get a job there (there are no real University's or colleges nearby, so it's not likely).

We spent our time there mostly just hanging out - reading, doing some shorter hikes, and heading into town for pizza and beers. It was sort of what I had envisioned our whole trip would be like, but most of it felt a lot busier than that! It was a good finish to our long adventure.

shanti >> sondra

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On the Trail >> Beauty Tips

Yeah, yeah, you're in the wilderness  you don't technically need to do anything but go au naturale. But honestly, it's a lot nicer to minimize the stink, the greasies, and to wear something that performs well and you feel good in.

Here are a few tips and products that I've found useful //

> Makeup remover wipes. At the end of a long day outside, there is simply no more gratifying of a feeling that using a makeup remover to clean your face. Even if you're not wearing makeup, it'll take off the dirt, sweat, and grease that have accumulated. Also, hanging around a campfire leaves a film of soot over your skin; these will clean it right off. I've used tons of brands, and I like the good old generic Target ones best.

> Baby wipes. These are good for the rest of you. Even when you can't bathe properly, you can at least use a couple of these to wipe off your arms and armpits, legs, and the back of your neck.

> Deodorant. Well, yeah. But in particular, this powdered version from Lush is amazing. I have never found a natural deodorant that I liked that didn't leave me stinky at the end of the day, and this one works. It has charcoal in it to actually absorb odors, and it has a pleasant, herbal smell that I like. Plus, you can sprinkle some in your shoes or anywhere else that's getting stinky and sweaty. It's a little spendy for a deodorant, but I've been using my bottle for several weeks now and haven't put a dent in it.

> Dry Shampoo. I have had bangs since my hair was long enough to cut, and to me, there is no faster way to feel dirty than to have greasy bangs. This is by far my biggest motivator for bathing on a regular basis. But ever since dry shampoos have become a thing, I can easily stretch out the time between washings by a day or two. I've used versions from Batiste, Ojon, Tresemme, and L'Oreal, and honestly, the one that works best for me is the cheapest, from Suave.

Okay, so now you're relatively not-stinky and your hair is clean-ish. What to put on top?

These are tried and tested by yours truly, and I can say they work well while maintaining a bit of style. Numbers one and four come from Target, who have really stepped up their game workout-apparel wise lately. I guess it makes sense, since workout and yoga-style gear has become pretty fashionable for everyday wear as well. This top is AWESOME; it has thumb holes (which I am so glad have come back into trend again, because I LOVE them), a zip pocket along the small of the back, and mesh panels so it breathes well. The skirt is great, too, because it cinches up the sides so you can change the length, has shorties underneath, and can be worn alone or over leggings (I'm wearing it in the top pic over leggings). Very versatile. LOVES IT.

This dress by Merrell is stellar as well. It has really good built-in support, and is made of a super thick, wicking material which has a UPF rating of 50+. The unique back makes it easy to take this one from the campsite to out on the town.

The hair ties are for...just because. Why not take these instead of boring old black elastics? They aren't any less functional, and they're pretty to boot (although I recommend DIYing these - why are they so expensive at stores???).

There you have it!  A few of my favorite tips for feeling and looking good on the trail. Any tips or products you'd like to share with me? I always love a new idea!

shanti >> sondra

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Checking In >> From the Road

Heya, everyone! In case you haven't noticed already from the many times I've said I'd be traveling, I'm on the road right now! I just wanted to check in and say an actual hello. I scheduled a bunch of posts for while I'd be away, so things haven't skipped a beat around here, but I have been busy sleeping in a tent, being bitten by copious amounts of mosquitoes, and feeling the sun shine on my face and the trail under my feet. We're about half-way through our trip right now, and taking a breather with a friend who lives in Bozeman, Montana.

{An aside // Sorry I haven't been able to respond to most comments/messages/etc.! I've been reading them when they download in the brief moments I might get service somewhere, but my ability to respond has been limited. Also, I can't wait to catch up with everyone's blogs/feeds when I get back!} 

Overall, we've been having a great time, with just a few small set backs. One almost involved this picture.

Crossing this stream was tough, and a little scary. You can't tell from the picture, but the water was moving very fast and the current was pretty strong. Not to mention, the water was ice cold. I also didn't have sandals to do it in, so I had to do it barefoot. It took all of my concentration to not slip and/or not let myself be pushed over by the current. A few years ago, I know for a fact that I never would have attempted this, so I was SO PROUD of myself when I took a deep breath, and just did it. And succeeded!

Things are not all triumph though, and there were other crossings I wimped out on. And then promptly beat myself up for not being "brave" enough to do it. I'm glad I have this picture to remind me that sometimes it literally is one step at a time to accomplish hard things. One of my favorite yoga teachers sometimes uses the mantra "inhale acceptance, exhale expectation," in her classes, and it's one of my favorites. I think that's what travel is all about on some level, and this trip has definitely had many moments where I can put that mantra to good use.

Today is our last day of bumming around for a few days, as we're heading to Yellowstone tomorrow bright and early for a few days of backpacking and hiking into geyser country. I am crossing my fingers that there aren't any crazy creek crossings. ;)

shanti >> sondra

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Making it Happen >> Tips

Setting up camp (with deer!) from our 2008 trip to Glacier Ntl. Park.

As I've mentioned, Andy and I get out almost every chance we get. Whether it's just for a day hike, or for a long trip, we've learned a lot along the way about how to maximize our time, and minimize our stress. Here are a few tips that apply no matter how long you're planning to go >>

1 // Leave the night before. If you're going out for at least a full day, leave the night before. If you're planning a day trip a couple of hours away, waking up at your destination will make it seem like you've gone so much further, and will really extend the day. This applies for longer trips, too. If you can get a Friday off, but leave on Thursday night, it will seem like a properly long trip. The day you leave, drive as far as possible and get as close as possible to your destination. Which brings me to the next tip...

2 // Embrace the cheap motel. Cheap, no-name motels are the best. Don't be afraid of a little outdated-ness or shabbiness. I have stayed at  MANY hole-in-the-wall motels in many hole-in-the-wall towns, and have never had a bad experience (knock on wood). All you need is a clean, safe place to sleep and maybe shower. Use your best judgement, of course, but most motels not in major cities will give you just that. Plus, I've found that the cheaper motels are a much better value than mid-range motels: they often have free WiFi and free continental breakfast.

3 // Have everything ready to go. Keep your gear as ready to go as possible. Keep first aid kits stocked, replace batteries as needed, air dry the tent as soon as you get home, etc. When you get home from one trip, make everything is right again before you put it away and while it's still fresh in your mind. Then you'll know that everything's ready the next time you want to go. The less you have to do pre-trip, the less stress and the less excuses you'll make.

4 // The bucket system. A couple of years ago, Andy picked me up from work to leave for the Grand Canyon. We were driving from Northern California for a long weekend and leaving the night before. He had done the packing that afternoon so we could hit the road ASAP, and when he showed up all of my clothes were in a plastic tote. I looked at him like he was dumb. But, after that weekend, I was a believer. We had a plastic tote with clothes which made them easy to rummage through on the road, and a tote with gear and supplies. A third tote held food. Travelling this way keeps everything simple and organized, and super easy to go out the next time. Everything is already packed and ready to go!

5 // Do more with less. This is sorta standard trip advice, but it really cannot be emphasized enough. One of my favorite examples are black leggings/running tights. Get just plain black ones, and they won't look as dirty as they likely are. You can wear them to hike in, to sleep in, as a base layer when it's chilly, and under dresses while in town. Another is Dr. Bronner's Soap, a camp classic. Good for laundry, hair, dishes, hand wash, and even toothpaste (haven't tried, but I'm curious). There are tons more ways you can do double (or triple, or quadruple!) duty with your stuff; just think creatively and don't be afraid to not have it be the BEST solution. Remember, it's only for a few days!

I hope you find these tips useful! If you have any of your own pointers for how to get out the door as fast and pain-free as possible, I'd love to hear them.

shanti >> sondra

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We ARE >> Those People

image via

I saw this post recently on Lisa Congdon's blog Today is Going to be Awesome. As I read it, the thought that popped into my head was, "we ARE those people!" We travel. A lot. Day trips, weekend trips, and all-out multi-week adventure junkets around North America and beyond. I often get comments from friends and family saying that they wish they could do that, or that they're jealous that we "get" to travel so much. Yes, we are lucky in many ways that allow us to do this (no kids, a job that occasionally requires it), and not so lucky in others (unemployed over the summer being the biggest curse/blessing) but the biggest reason that we are able to travel so much is that we make it our #1 priority. This is where our discretionary income and energy goes. Often we spend our time on a trip planning out the next trip.

But we don't make a lot of money, and we're not really special in any other ways. And when we do have kids in the future, we plan to adapt our trips to fit our new life. Our trips are most often not far; an afternoon out for a hike, or an overnight to a quirky place in our own backyard, and occasionally we work out a larger excursion. All this to say, we will be travelling for much of the rest of the summer, starting with leaving Monday for three weeks in Montana and Wyoming. A lot of what I'll be posting for the next couple of months will revolve around our trips and getting outside and doing. My intent is for this to be inspirational and motivating, and not braggy or "lookitme!". I truly believe everyone can fit in an adventure here and there, and that the rewards are infinite.

So, here's to an amazing summer of travel and adventure in the outdoors! If you're planning on going anywhere or you've already posted about it, leave me a comment and we can be excited together!

shanti >> sondra

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Prairie Daze >> Part II

Here's the second batch of photos from my visit to the prairie! This time, we're talkin' bison.

No trip to the prairie is complete without a visit to one of the few herds left. This one lives at Blue Mounds State Park, where we camped for the night.

This was one of my favorite pics of the whole trip, and one of my favorite memories, too. The bison kept getting closer and closer to us, until they were just several feet away (on the other side of the fence). They were curious about us, and all you could hear was the low sound of the grass ripping, as they kept grabbing mouthful after mouthful. So peaceful.

There were so many wildflowers, but I'll spare you all of the many flower pics I took and share just this one. "Prairie smoke."

One of the places we visited was Pipestone National Monument, an active mining quarry, where Native Americans come to quarry the rare stone that has been made into pipes and other ceremonial objects for generations. The stone found there is just the right amount of hard and soft to be able to be sturdy yet carvable. The site is considered sacred, and these are some of the prayer bundles left as offerings.

Frollicking in pastures aside, we are just about two weeks out from the end of Google Reader. I've switched over to Feedly and am still enjoying it's lovely UI, but lots of peeps love Bloglovin', too. I've added buttons (below and in the sidebar) for both to make it easier for you to switch over if you haven't already. You're welcome. :)

shanti >> sondra

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Prairie Daze >>

On my whirlwind trip back to Minnesota last week, one of the things I did was take a trip down to Southwestern MN with my mother in law. She had been talking up this little corner of the state for some time, so we decided to finally make the trip happen. It was short and sweet, but it definitely left an impression on me.

I love the look of silos against the flat prairie landscape. In a place where you can see for miles upon miles, and any slight rise in the land is considered a "feature," silos are dramatic and striking as they rise out of the horizon.

I've never actually spent much time in Southern MN. In my family, any and all vacation time was spent "up north," where the lakes and the forests are. Admittedly, that's probably why pine forests will always hold a special place in my heart. But, geography lesson time! Minnesota is a convergence of three major biomes: prairie, deciduous forest, and coniferous forest. All three feel so familiar and "home" like to me. Growing up, The Little House books were some of my very favorites, and I often imagined myself as a modern-day Laura, running out to help Ma with the washing or take a ride into town with Pa for supplies.

Well, well, what do we have here? Cactus! I was pretty surprised to come across these little guys. They are apparently brittle prickly pear, and they thrive in sandy rocky areas, like the Western plains.

This ridge is for sure something that would be considered a "feature" on the prairie. And when I looked up and saw the sun coming through the trees, I couldn't resist snapping a photo. There's something about sun flares that makes me all tingly inside.

The prairie is so quietly beautiful. It's nuanced, and thoughtful, and I think you have to work a bit harder to really connect with it. I think this is what makes it special and worth getting to know; it's a lot more like my own personality than the showy mountains and majestic woods that I am often drawn to. But the prairies will always hold a corner of my heart for it's own. If I had a little house on the prairie like Laura, I'm sure I'd be just as happy there as nestled next to a mountain lake.

I took so many pretty pictures that I want to share, so I'll be back soon with part 2 of my prairie trip!

shanti >> sondra

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It Felt Good >> To Be Out of the Rain

I almost didn't post these pics because I thought I might be boring you all to tears with all these desert trips. But then I looked through them again, and realized they were too pretty not to share. Besides, while it wasn't a new place, it was a new experience, because I went backpacking for the first time!

Here I am, strapping on the old hiking boots. Yes, that's a pink extension in my hair. A little camping is no reason to stop the jazz, amirite?

We got there right as the sun was about to set, so it was amazing and beautiful as we trudged along with our packs. We chose this place because a) it's warm there before the Western part of the state, and b) because we knew the hike to where we wanted to go was only a couple of miles. Perfect for a newbie like me. I've done tons of car camping, and tons of hiking, but I have never strapped on a backpack and walked until I felt like stopping to set up shop. I have to say, it was pretty amazing and I think I'm hooked.

One of the reasons why I had never done it before, was that it takes kind of a long time to acquire the right gear. That shizz is expensive! Sure, you can go out John Muir style with just a crust of bread and a wool blanket, but it's a lot more fun if you have things like a down sleeping bag to keep you warm and dry, and a tiny stove for a hot mug of tea in the morning. Finally, Andy and I have enough for the two of us to go out. We got all of our stuff slowly (4 years or so), through clearance racks, outlet stores, gifts, craigslist, and good ol' plunking cash down. Hopefully it's an investment that will last us for awhile!

This is in the morning, and you can see the waterfall in the background. This was Piko's first time camping, and the reason I know this is because she thought it was scary. She was SO confused when it got dark out and we were still outside. When we called her into the tent, she looked at us like we were insane. Poor lady. I'm not sure she slept too much! We're going to work with her on it though, because we have a lot of trips lined up that she's a part of! Other than that, she had a blast running around and scaring birds.

These are some of the aforementioned birds. They're ducks with little ducklings in tow, and as soon as Piko splashed down into the lake, they swam away. They found a pretty sweet spot though!

Oh, and we saw a rattlesnake. Actually, I heard it and then saw it. I think it was giving us a "hey, I'm here, don't mess with me" warning rattle. Eeeeee! We were in sight of the car though, so it wasn't too scary. Plus, it's already too hot out that way for any return trips until next winter probably.

Rattlesnakes aside, what was most exciting about this trip, was that it was a taste of the summer to come. In just about a month from now, we're setting off for three weeks of road tripping, camping, and hiking. Can't wait!

shanti >> sondra

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In the Desert >> You Can Remember Your Name

Remember how we visited the desert of Eastern Washington recently? Well, we went back. On a drizzly Seattle Saturday, we headed up and over the mountains and found ourselves in a lush, springtime desert. Isn't that amazing? Sometimes I hear people poo-pooing Eastern Washington...those people are nuts, because there's some magic over there. At least that leaves it quieter for the rest of us.

We got to this little hike in the afternoon, so as we walked we hit the "magic hour" and everything had that beautiful glow to it. See these tents? That's going to be us in a few days, because we're heading back to this very spot for our first camping night of the season! So. Excited.

The special part about this place, is that it's a short hike out to a waterfall, which of course is pretty unusual in the desert. There were actually two waterfalls, and this was the smaller one. It just looked so pretty with the light coming through at the end of the day.

Of course the fearless beagle accompanied us. She is so great on the trail, unless there's food involved of course. At one point on this hike, she went up to a guy camping (he invited her over) and proceeded to immediately stick her nose in his dinner. Silly lady.

Thank you for all of the good apartment wishes the other day! While we were indeed given a lease to sign, the person pulled out at the last minute due to some health problems she was dealing with. Sigh. Back to the drawing board on that one...

I hope you are having a lovely weekend! I'm stuck at work both days, so enjoy yours a little extra for me. :)

shanti >> sondra

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Satsanga >> A Place for Community

I totally forgot that I never shared the rest of my India pictures! Today I thought I'd share some pics of the place we stayed, Satsanga. It was really, truly, the best place I have ever stayed in my whole life. It's not lavish, but it's beautiful, serene, and feels like a home away from home. Satsanga means community in Sanskrit, and it is the perfect word to describe this place. These pictures don't do it justice, as is usual with such experiences, but hopefully some of the magic of the place comes through.

One of the things that made it so special, was all of the people working there. Satsanga employs about 25 people from the local village, mostly women, and this provided them with a good income. It can be very hard for women especially to find well-paying jobs in India. And they were amazing! They saw to every need, and always added extra touches to everything. There was one woman who went out every other day and placed fresh flowers everywhere, like on this Buddha statue. Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures of the people. This is one thing I struggle with when traveling: taking pictures of people. They are what I want to remember the most, but not only am I too shy to ask sometimes, I also don't want to feel like I'm exploiting the people. I think it's a fine line of being respectful and treating people like they are on display for their "otherness."

This is the room where we stayed. I shared with another girl, who turned out to be an awesome and sweet spirit. The rooms were simple, but plenty comfortable, and we had our own bathroom as well. We left all the doors and windows open at night to get as much air moving as possible. The ceiling fan was a lifesaver!

This where we would often hang out, or eat together in the evenings. There were so many cozy places like this.

A traditional temple to Shiva, where many of the Hindu staff members would leave offerings of fruit and incense on their way in.

More cozy loveliness.

This is the larger of the yoga shalas that we practiced in. Isn't it beautiful? I didn't get a good shot of the other shala, but that one is up high in the treetops. The flower pattern was on the floor one day for another group who was finishing a teacher training.

In addition to all of this amazingness, there were several cats and three dogs who live there, and they were always up for a pet. I think that really made it feel homey, and helped me to not miss my own animals as much. And the FOOD! I could do a whole post on the food...it was soooooooo good.

Satsanga mainly caters to retreats and teacher trainings, but if they have space you can also just stay there as a regular guest. If you ever find yourself in Goa...

shanti >> sondra

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