to sleep under the stars

This is on my list of 31 things to do before I turn 32...to sleep under the stars. And by sleeping under the stars I mean to actually be able to see stars while falling asleep. Doesn't that sound amazing? But I know that is not going to happen in the city and most likely won't happen before my birthday either (which is only in a few weeks). Seriously, how the heck am I already turning 32? When did I become a person in my thirties? I could be a character on the show Thirtysomething! Wait...that's not possible. Those people were old and I am definitely not old, but I am thirtysomething (gulp!).

Anyway, I would like to sleep under the stars, if not soon then someday. And when that someday happens if it could be at any of these awesome places then that would be doubly awesome. But I will also consider just some good 'ol fashion camping too. Ebert was a boy scout after all!

Blue Mountains Safari: Sydney, Australia

Ecocamp: Patagonia, Chile

Tenthouse Suites: British Columbia, Canada

oh, hello summer!

via create.your.happy

It's official. Summer is here. And there's no place like Chicago in the summertime. Here are some things I'm looking forward to this summer...

strawberries, lots and lots of strawberries

cubes of juicy watermelon

Taste of Chicago

bike rides at night

sitting on the porch

fireflies

sundresses & red sandals

the smell of a backyard bbq

freckles on my shoulders

driving with the windows rolled down

canoe trips

summery cocktails

What makes you happy during the summer?

story rules

I've been having trouble sleeping this week. I usually never have trouble sleeping. I'm the girl who needs at least 9 hours to fully function, otherwise anything less than that and I'm just a half version of myself. But tonight, as I write this, I'm feeling a little anxiety wondering if it'll be another restless night for me. I don't like going through my days with eyes half closed, wanting nothing more than for the day to be over so I can just catch some z's. I will say that there has been one good thing that has come from this minor case of insomnia- my midnight bouts of creativity. I'm not just lying in bed waiting to fall back asleep, I'm actually getting out of bed and creating. It feels good.

This is what has inspired these late night writing sessions. Ebert sent it to me on Sunday. He sent it to me first thing in the morning but I didn't read it right away. I left it in my inbox untouched. It wasn't until I'd been tossing and turning for a while that I decided to do some mindless internet surfing on my phone and that's when I saw the unread email...just sitting in my inbox, waiting to be read. So I read it. I wasn't in the mood to be inspired, I was tired and wanted to sleep but I was inspired. In fact, I was compelled. I was so compelled that I got out of bed and started writing not caring what spewed out onto the page. I just knew that I needed to write because compelling stories are the stories that I want to tell. What I'm writing may not be very good, most likely it's not but it's a start. I'm getting it out of my head and putting it on paper because I must tell this story.

Here are all of the guidelines but these two are my favorites:

{guidelines via pixartouchbook}

fixed gear beer

Lakefront Fixed Gear via create.your.happy

This is a damn good beer. That's all.

good question...

on the porch

saturday: pasta on the front porch

sunday: wedge salad on the back porch

These are the days I want to remember...summer evenings, eating dinner on our front or back porch that are both too small for furniture, just me and him.