petals of thoughts falling into existence
I took my heart to the forest,
And felt its strong embrace
As the winter snow glistened
Softly falling upon my face
I was a lost wanderer
Lonely and alone
Until the forest found me
And guided me back home
The trees conversed together
Gently whispering my name
And when I really listened
Something within me changed
I took my heart to the forest
And with each passing sound
I realised I was never lost
The moment I was found
Hello again. I know it is a little late, but I hope that you all had a very Merry Christmas! I spent my week visiting with family almost twelve hours from home, so it was really special because we don’t get to see them very often. I am also thankful that I was able to be there to celebrate three big birthdays this year! This was actually the first winter that we have ever traveled to that part of the country, and the weather couldn’t have been any better. Though it was much colder than it was back home, it didn’t approach the sub-zero temperatures that we were expecting. Everyone kept telling us that it was unseasonably mild, so we were lucky that we could actually enjoy ourselves at this time of the year.
I also ate one of the biggest sandwiches that I have ever had at Primanti Bros. It was delicious, but it was ginormous; I have no idea how I was able to fit it into my mouth. I think my favorite part of the trip has to be snow-tubing with my cousins because I loved the adrenaline rush of racing down those tall, icy slopes. From snowman building to ordering a table-for-twenty dinner, we all had a really great time, and we certainly filled this Christmas with many memories.
Have you traveled anywhere recently? How was your holiday? I am super behind on the Reader, but I will try to catch up to some of your posts within the next few days. Thanks for reading!
Lights decorate rooftops and illuminate the streets to transform an ordinary town into a magical wonderland. Children add the finishing touches to their snowmen, and roads become busy with travelers who eagerly head home for the holidays. Loved ones gather around the fireplace as warm cookies are munched, and special memories are made in the heart of December.
I cannot believe that Christmas is only eight days away, and 2020 is right around the corner. This year really flew by, and I am shocked that this month is already halfway over. That being said, I hope you enjoy this month’s playlist, and happy holidays from my family to yours!
What is your favorite Christmas song? Do you have any exciting plans coming up? What do you love about this time of year? Thanks for reading, and be sure to not miss my next post for a special treat.
I spent my long weekend in the mountains of North Carolina where I embraced the peaceful solitude and experienced the traditional artwork and culture of the great Cherokee Indians. It was nice to leave all the stress behind so that I could recharge to tackle another crazy month. I will admit that the lack of phone service during the trip was a struggle for me, but the beautiful weather, scenery, and memories definitely made the trip worthwhile. I especially loved exploring the cultural district of Cherokee where I watched some of the native dances and admired all of the amazing artwork. Hand painted bear statues decorated the town, and the detailing of this one in particular caught my eye. It was also fun to peek inside the small shops and see all of the beautifully handcrafted jewelry, baskets, and pottery.
Hiking up Mingo Falls was another highlight of the trip. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting the waterfall to be as big as it was, so I was really surprised when I saw the view. It was absolutely gorgeous, and I am so glad that I was able to see it.
I hope that you all had a Happy Labor Day! I have lots of exciting content that will be released very soon, so I hope that you stick around. Also, Nutcracker casting came out last week, so I will reveal that very shortly as well. Have a wonderful week, and thanks for reading!
How did you spend your holiday weekend? Have you ever visited Cherokee, NC? Do you enjoy the mountains? Are there any special post requests?
Wow, I can’t believe that it has been almost two full weeks since my last blog post, and I apologize for the unexpected hiatus. Life definitely got ahead of me as major deadlines, writer’s block, and other responsibilities hung over my head… I appreciate all of the sweet messages that you have left, and I missed the blogging community so much. I have a lot of catching up to do, but I do not intend to leave again anytime soon. I also wanted to give a shout out to Wild Writing Dreams for ranking “Don’t Be Beautiful” as a top 10 blog post! I am so humbled to have been selected…
8. DON’T BE BEAUTIFUL
MAYSA ROSE
“When this post came out and I read the title, it threw me completely off guard, and I tentatively clicked on it.
I didn’t regret it.
A simple, yet heartfelt post, Maysa shares a poem by ‘Nikita Gill’, and I wish every girl could realize what Nikita wrote.
It may be simple and short, but it’s a MUST read for all girls. I might not recommend it so much to boys, but for all you girls reading this, you have to check it out.”
I hope that you are all having a fantastic summer, and I can’t thank you enough for the continuous support despite my absence. It is great to be back!
Excerpts from two beautiful ballets filled the stage last week as dryads instantly transformed into a kingdom of shades.
Right after floating through the dream scene of Don Quixote, I only had a few seconds to recover before jumping into the first shade variation of La Bayadere. I had performed it before, but I forgot how physically demanding it was especially in addition to the corps de ballet work. It is one of the fastest variations that I have ever done, so maintaining precise execution of each step, despite the fatigue, is an incredibly challenging endeavor. However, the encouraging cheers from the audience gave me so much energy, and I finished stronger than I ever had in rehearsal. When I hit my final pose, I couldn’t hold back the giant smile that radiated from my face… It was a great show!
Now, it is official. I had been anticipating this day for weeks, so I am very happy that I can finally say that I am seventeen years old. As much as I don’t want my childhood to end, this is a super exciting milestone because it is the perfect balance between the youth of sweet sixteen and the maturity of adulthood. I was literally counting down the days, and I can’t even tell you how happy I am that it is finally here. Some people are still confused why this is such a big deal for me, and I honestly don’t exactly know either. There is just something about 17…
Confetti flew as I made a wish, blew out the candles, got a little wild, and turned another year older. I had a fantastic party on Saturday, and I was so thankful to celebrate with everyone. I even got a super cute cup that made me feel extra special (thanks, mom). I had a blast, and I will never forget that one moment where everything was perfect. I looked around the table at all of the smiling faces, and I remember wishing the clock would freeze at that exact moment in time. Family and friends were all gathered together, and I just wanted it to last forever… Every single one of those amazing people are so special to me, and I don’t think I could ever fully explain how much they have changed my life. My heart is so full, and I can’t thank everyone enough for everything.
I also want to make it very clear that I was not drinking under age, and soda was the only thing that filled that glass. I am not that bad you guys!
ANYWAYS, Cheers to 17!
I just want to take a second to acknowledge all of my dear readers and followers on this blog of mine. I am so thankful for all of your support, and it means so much to know that my words are being read and appreciated by so many people. Hopefully, you are all able to spend this afternoon celebrating with loved ones, filling your stomachs full of turkey and pie, as well as reflecting on all of your wonderful blessings.
For this post, I have decided to share 10 things that I am thankful for in no particular order:
Feel free to share what you are thankful for in the comments below.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Water balloons began the celebration with a splash as we raced across the yard, drenched in colorful rubber pieces.
A delicious buffet of home cooked food followed this refreshing amusement.
Then, bets were placed as cardboard “soldiers” were sent flying high in the air after being released from a small firework. Wind carried them off as people shouted in hope that their parachute would land nearest to the chalk marked X.
The sky was suddenly glittering with hundreds of patriotic fireworks that exploded in the night. My face lit up. I was so happy to be home.
This was the first 4th of July that I spent with my family in two years, so it was definitely a special treat to be home. The afternoon was absolutely spectacular, and I couldn’t have asked for anything better. Thank you so much, Mom & Dad! I love you both so much! 🙂
This big summer trip has officially ended, and it is very bittersweet to be back home. I missed my room. I missed my bed. I missed my birds. I missed dance! However, my family and I have made so many great memories together for the past month. We saw parts of the country that we may never get to see again. I saw landmarks that I never imagined I would ever see. This was a trip of a lifetime, and I am so blessed to have experienced such beautiful places. I recall:
being on the edge of my seat at that rodeo in Cody
taking a ride through Bear Country and seeing those wild animals stand inches away from our car in Rapid City
eating the best steak I have ever had at the Big Texan in Amarillo
a giant crow smacking into our car on the interstate in New Mexico
traveling through all of the Fly Over States (love this song!)
almost getting lost as we tried to find our way to Devils Kitchen in Wyoming
driving through Pikes Peak in Colorado Springs as pea sized snow hits our car in June
We are now back to reality. We are home! Thank you all for joining me on this fun adventure, and I really hope you enjoyed this series of posts. Which place are YOU most interested in traveling to after reading?
Writing Rose 