On Being a(n Adventurous) Lady

note: I've started to invite some of my readers to contribute their thoughts, stories, creations, and inspiration to my daily posts.

And so, without further adieu, please welcome kerri...
"Women are creatures of habit. We create routines and schedules and pride ourselves in our ability to keep them. I’m not sure if this is a quality of a lady, though. Spontaneity is more apt for a lady; she is always seeking to meet new people, try new things and to improve herself constantly. Habit does not encourage these things. But adventure always does.
"Take, for instance, Lizzie Bennett from Austen's Pride and Prejudice. She never settled. She constantly did uncomfortable things, in pursuit of something more. Be it a long holiday in the country or a visit to people far “above” her station, Lizzie didn’t hesitate to test her boundaries or put limits on sharing her opinion and being herself. I would call her adventurous, to say the least.
"I, however, am not adventurous. While I love challenges, I don’t often find myself seeking them out. When I do, the rewards are greater than I ever imagined. But I constantly hold back. And I’m not alone. Why? Because where we seek adventure or a challenge, we understand failure as a potential outcome. Fear of failure clouds other possibilities, like success or happiness or confidence.
"Enter snowshoeing. It was something I had never done, nor had my friend Amy. We made a plan, last minute enough to not be able to change our minds. I’m not sure about Amy, but I knew if I had too much time to think about it, I’d come up with any number of excuses to not go. But we went. It was hard starting out (I fell at the very beginning of the trail – why should I have actually paid attention to how to keep those things attached to my feet?); I was positive that by the first stop on the trail I’d be ready to turn around.
"Breathing hard (but trying to hide it from Amy, as she was trying to do the same), I made myself find a rhythm. About 20 minutes in, it just clicked. My blood was pumping, my lungs were filling with clear air, (my armpits may have been sweating profusely), and I felt awesome. "Natural high" became a phrase I understood. Amy and I made the whole hike, wind and all, and got to see beautiful vistas that made the sweat and burning lungs worth it.
"I’m a blog-lover but I’ve never been a blogger, probably because I see it the same way as I saw snowshoeing. So when Stephanie asked me to be a guest writer, I was intimidated (I’m sweating as I write this – could this be a theme?). I have visions of people scoffing at what I think are compelling ideas and NOT laughing at my jokes (pulse check). Oh gosh! But I know I’m not alone; I know you share similar fears to mine.

So here’s to Lizzie Bennett! And here’s to you--and me--trying new adventures.

It's what ladies do."

Interested in being a guest writer? Email me at shillberry@stephaniehillerry.com for details!

photos courtesy of kerri, taken on her snowshoeing trip.

After these Messages...

I'm not stalling because I don't have the new series completed yet.

Really.

I'm not.


That's Not the reason why I want you to view these lovely pictures, taken this weekend on a walk just outside my back door.


I want you to see how beautiful the countryside is.


And ponder the wonder of nature.


And perhaps occupy you until I post again later today...

So, in the meantime, please feel free to view more of these lovely shots from our nature walk by visiting me at Flickr (click here!).

And to read an introduction to the new series (Starting Today!), come back and visit me here. I promise I'll post it.

Just as soon as I figure it all out...

A Fond Farewell

The time for saying goodbye to Retro Summer '09 has come at last. It has been, if I don't mind saying, a fabulous three months of cooking and gardening and sewing and enjoying the outdoors.

Here are a few of the highlights:


Baking with seasonal fruits...


Enjoying the best of summer picnic foods, like ribs and corn...


And indulging in desserts of all shapes and sizes.


Of course there was growing and harvesting fresh food from the garden...



And visiting the local farm animals hanging out in the shade...


There were a lot of summer projects, from handmade jewelry...


To handknit cardigans...

And summer dresses...

There were lots of summer flowers to be picked...

and enjoyed.

And, finally, there was of course the beautiful outdoors to explore.

And plant in...

And make campfire memories with.

Of course, even though summer is coming to an end, there is a fresh excitement in the air for the arrival of fall (one of my most favorite seasons). And I'm sure that even though the days will get colder and the flowers will fade, I'll still be baking and sewing and enjoying nature--and posting all about it here.

Starting next Monday with a new series.

So let's bid summer a fond farewell, and welcome a new season with open arms!

Hope you enjoy a wonderful weekend and I'll see you on Monday!

Taking My Design Obsession Out

One of the best things about the weather warming up is that I can take my obsession for design outside to play in the yard. Now, admittedly it took me awhile to figure this out. For years I was close-minded, picturing only what I could do within the walls of my home. Finally, thanks to some hand-me-down patio furniture and a great stone deck that my husband built, I began to see a room full of possibilities beyond the doors and windows of my home.

Similarities
Outside living can actually be very similar to inside living, at least in terms of design. Both benefit from a sense of ambiance. Both require some forethought and planning. And both can be changed from season to season. With outdoor design, in addition to the staples of furniture, fabrics and lighting, you can also add the vast world of color and texture from plants, and the architecture of structures. In many ways I’ve come to prefer my outdoor rooms to the indoors during the summer. And the air conditioning is free!

In the Next Two Weeks...
So, in the next two weeks we’ll be covering it all! You’ll hear how I updated used patio furniture with spray paint and fabric. And how tiki torches, candles and lawn lights make a Huge difference when entertaining at night. We’ll dabble in making a new yard look older, argue the pro’s and con’s of grass, and discuss the opportunities of patio gardening. I might even try my hand at creating a fountain--but no promises.

It is true that outdoor design requires more patience than interior design, mainly because plants take awhile to grow, and because frankly it can get pricey. But when I’m enjoying my breakfast on the balcony, or a book on the sunny seat of a pergola, I think the effort is worth it.

Please join me this week and next for more on creating living spaces in your outdoor spaces!

Previous Retro Summer posts:
A Poodle Skirt Summer
Oh How I Love a Good Field Trip
Plant Nerds & Cookie-Cutters: summer topics to come