Good morning friend.
I spent most of the mornings this past week on the porch of my mom’s house. I would sit there with a warm cup of coffee and watch the sun slowly creep over the mountain top. The rays crowning the peak in glory before light spilled over and covered the valley below while the local birds’ song would crescendo. There is magic there, in those small and quiet moments; nothing being asked of me, no reminders of the problems in the world or even my to-do list. I just find peace and deep inspiration.
I did get to take a fun little side trip to a place called Oatman, AZ. Oatman is a historic gold-mining town, off Route 66, in the Black Mountains of Mohave County. The best part is it’s populated by wild burros! They are literally everywhere and love to be pet and fed. Did I mention it’s supposedly haunted? Well, more specifically, the Oatman Hotel is haunted. On October 16th and 17th, this year, they have Haunted Nights, which is a Halloween event with live music and haunted houses for kids and adults. It sounds like so much fun. It was a great day trip and I will definitely be back to pet those burros.
The week ended with my inevitable trip home, back to the beach. As I drove home I was filled with appreciation for both places. My time in the desert was a nice break from the last dregs of summer humidity near the beach and I got to spend a few days in oven-like heat and escape to the air conditioning without losing the stunning views. I felt extremely lucky to have both experiences. My arrival home was met with much cooler temperatures and significantly less humidity. It always feels so wonderful to be home.
Anytime I return from a big trip, I always make time to recharge. I find giving myself a day to relax really helps me settle back in. My only task on the first day back is laundry, it’s how I force myself to unpack my bag. That first day of rest is important and lets me be ready to jump back into the routine. How do you settle back into being home after a trip? Are you someone who unpacks right away? I would love to know you’re strategy.
I hope you have a wonderful Labor day weekend and the week to come treats you well. Let’s meet back here, over a cup of coffee…
Same time next week.
— Sara
