Last Slice of Summer

It's  that time if year again! I am back at Iowa State University, classes have started, and I can feel the homework slowly weighing down my backpack... but it is still August!! The memories of summer are still fresh and comforting on rainy days like today.

My favorite things about Iowa summers (even though I was only home for two weeks):

Iowa sweet corn (preferably fresh from the neighbors)

Spending time with my family (shucking corn of course!)

Long walks  through our trails

Tea parties late at night with friends

Endless excuses for getting ice cream

Mornings full of coffee + my cat Rosie + my Bible (on our porch)

 

This was probably the best corn I had ever eaten!! Which says a lot because I have 19 years of corn eating experience! 

 

 

I found this old nail barrel at a small shop called Gilgan's Consignment Furnishings, I painted (it's green but not my favorite green in the world, hence the b&w) Gilgen's is one of my favorite places to go explore and they have soooo many old books!! Old books are good for the soul.

 

 

We have this gorgeous green glider in our yard, my parents are convinced it needs to be painted...personally I think it is lovely the way it is!

 

 

Rosie is always happiest in the sunshine and loves it when we hang outside with her, lazy days are her favorite days! (and mine, lets be real.)

 

 

This is my yard. I have to pinch my self every time to make sure it's still real! I am 100% convinced that Heaven looks like Iowa.

Unfortunately the view from my dorm room is not quite like this, but that is why today I am reminiscing over my few weeks at home! 

(Recommended song while reading this post-You and I By Ingrid Michaleson) 

The one who loves Iowa, corn, and cats-BECKS 

Letterboxing In The Great North

On one of our many adventures in The Great North; my family and I wandered into a little shop that was surrounded by cabins.  Barb, an earthy woman, greeted us as we looked around.  Upon reading the hand written sign that said Carve A Rubber Stamp and something about Letterboxing I turned to Barb with wild curiosity I asked her how the sign.  Her eyes filled with excitement as started to explain while pulling out a big box of supplies.

She went on to explain that that Letterboxing involves a waterproof box hidden in a scenic location containing a rubber stamp and notebook.  Pulling out a piece of paper she showed us that a person uses a series of clues to find where the boxes are hidden. Once found, the finder will stamp the box's notebook with his or her personal stamp, and use the box's stamp to mark their own personal notebook. Letterboxers collect the stamps from boxes all over the world. Barb compared it in some ways to geocaching.

A quirkier version of geocaching

As I sat there carving away at my little rubber stamp I asked Barb how she got to this particular lodge.  Standing there in her hand knit green sweater she told a tale of after growing up in Duluth and meeting the love of her life in her 20's.  Soon after they got married and she followed him up the very lodge that I sat in.  7 kids and 30 years later here she was. 

My first real experience with Letterboxing left me (and this little rubber stamp) running along an over grown trail beside Loon Lake just outside the Boundry Waters or BWCA.   I tried to read and decode the buzzard and oddly specific clues telling me to go left at the fallen tree and something about a nice picnicking area where I would find the little box all the while wildly swatting at the hundreds of blood thirsty mosquitoes.  It took me 4 times longer than it should have to find it but when I finally did I screamed with joy and quickly stamped my stamp in the book and vise versa.  I walked away with twice as many mosquito bites as before, totally worth it!

Can't wait for my next letterboxing adventure! 

Making my mark on this world one stamp at a time- HALES

A blog, a business, a friendship

Hey Friend!!! Welcome to every which way with Hales and Becks!

 Becks and I have been friends since Jr High and became fast friends.

If I remember right the first thing that Becks ever said to me was something along the lines of, "Was is cold in Alaska?" then I replied, "No it rained a lot..." And that was it, that we our first conversation (rather short, but anyways.)  And here we are now almost 7 years later entering into our sophomore year of college! 

In this search for finding what we are called to do we came up with the grand idea to start writing a blog together! 

So basically between the two of us we come up with some pretty creative (and sometimes crazy) ideas. You can count us in with the dreamers so to say, but we also want to be doers! So prep accordingly because we are going every which way, sharing the things we love with you! 

A blog, a business, a friendship.

Celebrating the start of our new adventure over scratch cupcakes! 

(Mmmm... We love cupcakes!)

HALES

I could eat scones all day (I'm not sure if that is a problem or a blessing)

One day I hope to learn to ride the beautiful red unicycle that is currently sitting in my closet!

Hang on little tomato by pink martini is my favorite song.

I love the rain but don't believe in umbrellas (West Coast raised)

 BECKS

Goats are my favorite animal

Haiku's are the only form of poetry I can write 

I love the color yellow 

and baking cookies!

All we really know is that we want to glorify God in all we do.  Like most women our age we are trying to figure out our calling.  Whatever this is, we are excited for the adventures to be had and the friends we will meet on the way.  Who knows where this road will take us while keeping our hearts and minds open to Gods plan for us.

Join us as we begin another crazy adventure going every which way

HALES and BECKS