Have an Ollie Jolly New Year!

 I hope you all had a delightful holiday season to wrap up the year 2022.  Between the festive decorations, gift-finding then gift-wrapping, all the fun family time, and a last minute blanket of snow for a white Christmas, I certainly did!  And since it's already the last day of the year, I hope you have a happy start to the new one!

(photos by e.hunt)

Leaf Lookers, Cloud Catchers

 I hope you all are enjoying this late Fall/early Winter weather.  We went to the Botanical Garden a couple weeks ago to revel in the last of the fall colors and it did not disappoint.

After a leisurely jaunt around the lake, back by the old house, and through some of the more forest-like trails, we ended up at the famous climatron reflecting pond area where giant Christmas trees and a net of lights had taken up residence.  We figured out they were getting ready for the Garden Glow winter light show, which we may have to go check out at some point before the holidays.  Looked pretty cool not lit up though too.

Afterwards we made up for little Ollie's kennel time by taking her to one of her favorite places, the dog park!  It's just a few minutes from our house, was a steal of a fee to sign up for, and she gets to run and play and do dog stuff.  Bark!

(photos by e.hunt)

We Lived in the Gaps Between the Stories

 And now for a little reintroduction!  A lot has happened in the last few years, in the world at large and at small.  Let's start with the small, shall we?

My name is still Erica and I still love fashion, travel, and art.  My plant collection has steadily grown, as has my list of movies watched.  I still love going on drives (the perfectly-colored fall foliage is an especially good excuse right now), and discovering new coffeeshops or antique places.

Things that have changed about me?  Well, I moved out of my little apartment this last June and into a rented house with my boyfriend, Ethan.  It's a little two-bedroom brick square with lots of windows and a big tree in front, and the area is well-established and offers much within walking distance.

We also got a puppy the week I moved in!  Her name is Ollie and she is a perfect little goofy dinosaur baby.

After almost eight years at the old Tesson store, I moved Starbucks locations to one that is closer to my new residence, and have felt very welcomed by fellow employees and new customers.  A refreshing new surrounding was just what I needed to not dread going to work everyday, although I am still on the search for a career-changing opportunity.

And there you have it: the updated version of me!

(photos by e.hunt, title quote by Margaret Atwood)

The Dusk, the Dawn, the Earth, the Sea

 Let's try this again, shall we?  Today marks eleven years since I was a senior in college and decided to turn this started-as-a-study-abroad blog into an actual blog blog.  A rather fitting day to be picking up the digital pen again, no?

(photo by e.hunt)