Things of Beauty: July - August

More than 50% of this post could be aptly titled On the road again... but that title is the property of another post, and so we'll just keep with the classic title, because oh how beautiful these months were...

Very Favorite Things

Going to three rodeos in two months (yes, we may just have fallen in love), twenty- six days on the road (it felt REALLY good!), seeing a mama moose + her two calves so close we could have touched them (that was magic right there), the thunder of horses blowing into their feed troughs (horses just make the world feel right), the creak of saddle leather (is there any sound as thrilling?), Windfola's neck within my arms, the sweet scent of her mane filling my lungs after not seeing her for nearly four weeks (I don't think I knew how HARD I'd missed her until that moment), re-connecting with far-off family + friends (one of the best feelings in the world; I love you folks!).

Reading

Not an exhaustive list of books, but a list of the loveliest: Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey (the perfect western road-trip book if ever there was one), and... *goes to look at my Goodreads list* The Blue Castle (how can one book be so amazing?), The Elements of Style, and North to the Rails by Louis L'Amour.

Writing

I journalled every day of our Western Adventure, and I began a greatly needed re-writing of Midnight Thunder; so though I may not have done a stupendous amount, the results are pretty terrific. :)

Out-of-Doors

The sweet scent of sage mingling with the smoke of campfires, rippling mountain lakes glittering with sunshine, damp earth hidden beneath the bows of soaring cedars,  mountain vistas, and groves of aspen trees, their leaves whispering with every breeze.

In the Kitchen

Detoxinsta's Vegan Mac N' Cheese recipe - Cheesy cashew sauce with perfectly cooked gluten-free pasta and a swirl of sweet green peas; this stuff may very well be THE MOST delectable dish in the history of ever.

Discoveries

The Tetons + extreme southwestern Montana.
 I've always loved those places, but do they ever have my heart now.

Where Cowboys Ride // Sarah Darling
I'm always inclined to view a song that claims to encapsulate a place - especially if that place is my heart-country - with a doubtful eye, but with the wind of those places still on my face so to speak, listening to this song + watching the music video nearly made me cry with happiness; yes, I'd say she did a good job.

Adventure IS out there...
but it's something you carry in your heart, too, and so, with the grace of God, it's something that can color all your paths.

What were your favorite delights of July and August?

Are you excited for Fall?