As I mentioned in Monday's post, Lonnie and I went on an overnight camping trip for his birthday. We decided the best camping method for us was to drive around Pisgah National Forest and park at one of their several roadside camping areas, which meant that we wouldn't be in a campground, but we also didn't have to hike to get to our tent-pad and fire pit. We ended up finding a really good spot, with enough space to park the car off the road closer to the tent. The site was close to a babbling creek, which we later found out was more than likely a part of a larger river that we could easily access by driving a few minutes down the road. Our site also had a trail we could hike, and there were plenty of other trails nearby.

S'mores were assembled and eaten, and hotdogs were grilled over the fire. The weather the whole trip was some of the most gorgeous we've had all summer. Yellow monarch butterflies breezed by as we set up camp and gathered firewood. At night, fireflies started to appear one-by-one and the stars tagged along. The main focus of the trip was to get away from the city and the traffic and the people, and in that sense it was a total success. Time passed without knowing what hour it was. We didn't have any service, so the only photos I took were on my camera and none were shared on Instagram. Instead, we shared quiet moments together, listening to the stream and the cicadas.

Looking back, this little camping trip highlighted that sticky-sweet deep summertime feeling that really only lives in the tail-end of the season, and I'm so thankful for that. Living in the mountains for this past summer has been very different than the others I've known growing up, the ones spent at the beach and by the pool. This summer has felt less like a big long vacation and more like summer camp, especially with it being my first summer not living at home. None of this is bad, especially considering that I never went to summer camp as a kid. Overall, I'm thankful for the ways that I've grown, been bit by the adventure bug, and gained independence, and this little weekend getaway was just what I needed to take the time to reflect on those things.

hike to crabtree falls.

Lonnie and I had a shared day off last week, so we decided to make another trip up to Blue Ridge. We drove until we got to the Crabtree Falls trailhead and decided to give it a shot. The trail starts out really easy since it's mostly downhill to get to the falls. The greenery was gorgeous and little light purple flowers seemed to follow us the whole way. The falls themselves are massive, the grandest ones I've ever seen. It was definitely an incredible tiny journey, and I'm so glad we went. Though the hike back from the falls was pretty strenuous, I enjoyed the workout and feeling sore the next day was a nice change from how lazy I've been feeling lately.

parkway adventure.

I mentioned in my last 10 things post on Friday that Lonnie and I spent the day together up on the parkway when we both had a day off. Today I'm sharing photos from that trip. The weather was beyond perfect, so we originally decided to make a trip to Skinny Dip Falls. But when we got to the overlook where the trail was, it was super crowded so we decided to just keep driving until we found another trail. The day ended up being even better than expected because we were able to explore a completely new part of the parkway.

In the summer when I'm out of school, I tend to be kinda a homebody, so getting outside and taking little trips like these is so important for me to stay happy and healthy. I had such a great time spending the day in the sun, getting exercise, and bonding with my guy.

a fall hike.

Finally getting around to sharing photos from the hike I took back in mid October. 

Most of these views were found after hiking a short trail that was right off of the Blue Ridge Parkway. The place is called Black Balsam Knob. I went with my school's Photo Club. The way we went was a pretty short hike, which was perfect for us because we could run around off the trail and take pictures when needed without falling too far behind. The mini hike was also perfectly timed because we went in the afternoon and got back to the cars in time to snap a few photos of the sunset on the way home. As a non-hiker, I really enjoyed it and can't wait to go back once it warms up again.

let's take a drive.

Spring suddenly appeared, so Lonnie and I took a trip on the Blue Ridge Parkway to eat lunch and drive around a bit. We packed a picnic of sorts and then went to the Visitor's Center and the Folk Art Center. Photography wasn't allowed at the Folk Art Center, but there was so much cool art for sale which I wish I could've taken home with me. The weather was absolutely perfect outside, and it has actually stayed warm ever since! A miracle. Students are doing their homework in The Quad and tanning in the Botanical Gardens, I've welcomed shorts and sandals back into my wardrobe, and smoothies from the cafe in the Library are tasting better than ever.

I feel like all I ever blog about is the weather, so I really loved seeing this post on Ashore the other day. Sam's writing is beautiful, and I absolutely agree with what she said. I definitely associate the coming and going seasons with the seasons of my own life.

I can actually see that summer is not too far off, and I am becoming increasingly happy about it. We registered for classes for next semester on Monday, and I really love how my schedule turned out. I have no classes before 10 a.m. and only one class on Mondays. It's starting to get to that time of year where things are looking ahead and I can't help but want to speed everything up. Hopefully, I can remember to slow down in order finish out this semester with full days brimmed with adventure like this one.