I started planning a fall weekend camping trip at Hanging Rock State Park at the first sign of cooler weather. Located in Stokes County, North Carolina, 30 miles north of Winston-Salem, the mountains slowly rise from the ground the closer you edge toward the state park. Desperately needing a change of scenery, my best friend [...]
Located an hour North of Tampa, Florida, Brooksville isn’t the picturesque touristy beach town that comes to mind when you think of Florida. In fact, it doesn’t have a beach at all. What it lacks in giftshops selling t-shirts and shells, it makes up for in the serene, untouched forest and a deep history dating [...]
October Rose & Thorns – A monthly recap of the highs and lows experienced each month. Rose: ½ Marathon Race(s) Last month I was supposed to run my first half marathon, but because of an untimely hurricane, the race was canceled and rescheduled for next year. As I started looking for other races in the [...]
It’s challenging to appropriately decorate for Halloween while living in a small condo. Unless you’re hosting a Halloween party, decor for the season is more targeted toward making front yards as spooky as possible for trick-or-treaters. However, just like last year's Spooky Halloween Garland DIY, I always feel compelled to create a touch of hair-raising [...]
Amber Brooke Farm is the ideal place for kids and adults to enjoy life on the farm. As the change in seasons brings more comfortable temperatures, the demand for outdoor activities soars to a seasonal high. It may not be sweater weather quite yet, but that shouldn't stop people from participating in fall activities. Getting [...]
September Rose & Thorns – A monthly recap of the highs and lows experienced each month. Rose: Olive You This summer was rough. Many outside stresses were happening throughout July and August that left me not feeling like myself. However, September has felt like I’ve turned a corner for the better. Maybe it’s the change [...]
Ybor City is a historical city built on the ambition and dreams of migrant workers who moved to Tampa seeking a better life. Ybor City's residents created an environment to raise their children, establish businesses, and follow their dreams. Today the ironwork balconies, brick-paved streets, and towering marble and granite social clubs continue to tell [...]
Over the course of visiting farms around Florida, a common thread between all types of farming is the reliance on family. Passed through generations, the pride of caring for the land and the product created is undeniable. On a gloomy day, I visited the Dakin Dairy Farm. The sky may have been gray, but the [...]
August Rose & Thorns – A monthly recap of the highs and lows experienced each month. Rose/Thorn: Take the Good with the Bad It would be easy for me to write August off as a terrible month, but I’m combining the negative stories with the silver linings this month. Coming up with a highlight reel [...]
In this DIY, I'll show you how to go from a builder's grade (boring) closet door to a modern wood slat door. To get started, you'll need a few supplies from the hardware store, a bucket of patience, and a weekend to complete. Building this door wasn’t a necessity. However, it was a solution to [...]
