Tag: reading

freckled sky

On By marciehall1 Comment

I lay in bed and count Keller’s freckles as his chest rises and falls slowly to the rhythm of his breaths. The stars are hypnotizing tonight and they cause me to wander aimlessly through the landscape. In an attempt to ground myself and not get lost in the sky, I crawled into bed beside my heart that beats outside of my chest. I find myself drawn to the stars on his cheeks even more so than the ones I’d just abandoned outside. There is a milky way that runs diagnally across his face. It doesn’t take me long to find the big dipper resting on his rosy cheek. From there I follow along as it leads me to the North star, the star which tells me I’m in fact going the right way.

steadfast

On By marciehall2 Comments

Last night we parked off of a forest service road in Crested Butte near a downed tree and a hefty stump, both which were preventing us from going any further. After watching multiple cars pull up and turn around, I decided to hike down past the obstacles to see what there was to see. A little ways down the steep, rocky trail was a beautiful meadow with a collection of ponds. I knew I had to wake up there the next morning, obstacles be damned.

I marched back up to those two characters who thought they’d put a damper on my night, grabbed on tightly to that stumps arms and dragged him across my path and into the ditch, dusting my hands off in a bit of a celebratory way when I was done. Moving on to the tree resting nearby, I picked her up a bit more softly and gently than I had her companion, lifted her lightly, carrying her to the side of the road to be reunited with her friend, the stump, once again.

Feeling strong and empowered, I headed back to the van, loaded her up, and turned the wheel toward the road where once blocked by our dearest mother nature, was clear and inviting. The task of hefting the fallen trees was a piece of cake compared to actually rolling the van down the steep, jagged hills. Approaching the peak of our first downhill crawl, I hesitated. There were ditches on either side of the road, big enough for me to stand in, and a deep trench down the center which would only allow the left tires a narrow track to the bottom. One wrong move and we’d be slippin’ and slidin’ the whole way to camp.

Moving forward, I placed my hands on ten and two, sat up straight in my seat, and pointed Wanda directly to her lane. She hopped and she jerked and she rolled slowly right into the level patch of dirt patiently awaiting her arrival. We did it! Just in time to see the sun wave goodnight and the mosquitoes eagerly come out of hiding to welcome us home.

What a lovely community hidden here deep in the Elk range of Crested Butte, only the steadfast welcome.

books that excite me

On By marciehall2 Comments

I have always been really excited by books. I am in love with finding new perspectives and motivation in the pages of someone elses thoughts. So I thought I’d share a few with you here that have captured me, motivated me, or inspired me into action. I hope you enjoy!

You are a Badass at Making Money – Jen Sincero

Jen makes some really great points about how our perception of money is corrupt and how we can change our thoughts on the topic. Through changing our thoughts, we are truly able to change our relationship with money.

Orange is Optimism – Kit Whistler

orange is optimism.png

I have been meaning to order this book for quite some time now, but never really got around to. It just so happens that I recently won it in a raffle and got the chance to chat with Kit herself! To be completely honest, I was expecting to find something much different in these pages. I kind of assumed (I know, my bad) that I would find more stories about van life, travel, and living on the road. However, what I actually found were incredibly magical stories written by Kit in a way that I am constantly left wondering what is real and what is a fairytale. She has an awful special talent for writing and storytelling that I wish I would have discovered sooner!

The Obstacle is the Way – Ryan Holiday

This book changed the way I view difficult times in my life. I was challenged to overcome difficult and impossible situations with growth in mind. It has truly helped me focus only on the things I can control while allowing everything else to just be. Through this book, I believe we can all learn something about turning our obstacles into opportunities.

Escape Everything – Robert Wringham

So, kinda funny story, Keller (aka his uncle Zach) bought me this book for Mother’s Day. I had never heard of the book or the author, but it sounded kind of up my alley. So on a day that I was feeling particularly down and out, I cracked it open and began to read. I am not exaggerating the least little bit when I tell you that before I even finished this book I had quit my job, traded in my car for a van, and sold all of my belongings to hit the road. Extreme, I know. And I won’t say that this book was the end all be all for the path I chose, but it definitely gave me the shove I was looking for. Wringham challenges the way we think about work in present times. He sheds light on the history of work and how it has become so engulfing. There is a way to break free and find the freedom and happiness we are all searching for, and Robert tries to help us do just that.

The Four Hour Workweek – Timothy Ferris

Timothy Ferris challenges the dogma of work and retirement. Basically, why work for 40 years with hopes of a happy and fulfilling retirement, when you can take your retirement over time. Work for a few months if you’d like, then take six months off to “retire.” Enjoy it throughout your years instead of waiting for a day and time that may or may not ever come.

Braving the Wilderness – Brene Brown

This was the first Brene Brown book that I had ever read. Brene is a goddess of truth and a vanquisher of bullshit (at least in my eyes). This book is about what it means to truly belong. She tells about how much easier it is to fit in than it is to show up as our true selves. She speaks of courage, vulnerability, love, belonging, shame and empathy. She digs deep into these taboo topics and connects them all together to show us how we can live a brave and meaningful life.

What books have you really dived into lately? I am always on the lookout for recommendations! Leave me a comment with any suggestions you may have!

community

On By marciehallLeave a comment

We have been on the road for a little over three weeks now and, I have to admit, I have gotten a little lonely at times. This isn’t anything unexpected or surprising to me, but that doesn’t necessarily make it sting any less.

This past weekend we were incredibly lucky to be able to attend the 2019 Teton Valley Van Gathering. To be honest, I had no idea what to expect but knew that in order to find a community and learn more about this new lifestyle, I had to put myself out there. So we loaded up and headed over to Victor, ID to see what all the fuss was about. I assumed we would find souped up vans and expert van-lifers that would put our bare bones home to shame. However, what we actually found was a community of genuinely hospitable people from every walk of life.

We met a family with two young girls around Keller’s age who had turned their van into a mini mobile vacation home. The kids immediately hit it off and spent the entire weekend joined at the hip. Right away I was ecstatic that my tireless seven year old had met his match. They rode bikes, made bows and arrows from sticks and grass, chased all of the dogs, and even picnicked together. This mama was beaming from the inside out!

Our neighbors ranged from part-time van dwellers to nomads with years of experience. There were people with basic vans, souped up vans, and even no vans! Some folks were sleeping in their trucks, cars, campers or even tents. It didn’t take long for me to realize that this tribe I had found was all-inclusive. These were good people.

The weekend included two communal meals that allowed us to get close and spark new friendships. There were multiple group conversations around mental health (which is SOOO important to me), general van life, and the connection between Leave No Trace and van dwelling. I was compelled by the candor of everyone engaged in the heavy conversations. It felt refreshing to be surrounded by people so dedicated to sharing, learning, and growing with one another. We had yoga, meditation, live music, and even a onesie dance party!

Since the event, we have stayed in contact and even continued to caravan and camp together in new locations. I know that no matter where we go or what we do, we will have this incredible community behind us.

For anyone interested in seeing what van life is all about – come out to the next Van Life gathering in Basalt, CO July 12. No van necessary. Hope to see ya there!

(Photo taken by my wonderfully talented van neighbor, Claire Lawler)

spilt milk

On By marciehallLeave a comment

“Come here,” I called. “Now turn around, tell me what you see.”

“A van?”

“Yes, now look just above it.”

“Um, okay, stars? The milky way?”

“The milky way,” I confirmed, grinning into the dark “pouring itself into my home. This is my beautiful fucking life.”

the keeper.

On By marciehall2 Comments

I open the door to find the rhythm of the crickets,

the unfaltering gaze of the moon in a sky freckled with stars,

the plushness of the earth giving lightly beneath my feet.

 And then the hum of the HVAC unit shakes me.

I open my eyes, reminded of this imprisonment called home.

Turning around, I walk back through the doorway that almost assisted my refuge.

 Rotating the lock, I am my own keeper.