To My Grandkids,
  Life in the mountains- nothing beats it.

     This past week at the farm has been so fun. Since we are a campground in a pretty popular area, we have sooo many different people passing through here. Every single day here is such an experience- there's literally never a dull moment.. especially since we're in Oregon..
     If you've never been to Oregon, it's BEAUTIFUL. The vibes here are incredible, and everyone you meet is so kind and conscious. Oregon is also known for the topic of bigfoot, aliens, spirituality, psychedelics, hippies, blah blah blah... All the cool things. 
     This week we had some very sweet souls pass through the farm. As soon as we checked them in, we got into the topic of our thoughts on aliens and sasquatch... Now, I'm a big encourager of being open minded on ANY topic, and also deciding what you believe based on how YOU feel, not how you're told to feel or think.. so.. do your own research and decide for yourself.. but also stay open to the idea that ANYTHING has the potential to exist- we truly don't know the limitations of existence.
     We ended up talking with this group off and on for the rest of the day and the next, coming out on the deck to have coffee with them in the morning. We talked about our spiritual beliefs and experiences we've had to solidify those beliefs.  Giving different perspectives on what/who/ the universe is and how it works. Just like how I felt in California when I met my soul family, these 3 lovely people fell in the same category- feeling familiar at heart, and the connection felt smooth and easy regardless of the fact that we had just 'met'. We ended up gathering 7 people that night in a circle in the yard to do a breathwork session together. The session was awesome, and for me personally brought a lot of truth to the surface to be released (which was very emotional).. We ended the night with some hugs and gratitude for the time we got to spend together at this wonderful place- I always get brought right to the people I am meant to be with (or they get brought to me).
     A couple nights later, all 7 of us who live here gathered in the living room for a little 'family party'. Our magickal friend Rose brought in some guitars, a kalimba, a keyboard, a microphone, and amps to hook it all up to.. (and a disco light for the ceiling which was the cherry on top!). For the next couple hours we shared drinks, fresh cherries, laughter, 'fairy spliffs' (an herbal mixture of flowers and medicinal herbs found around the property that have healing benefits.) stories, thoughts and beliefs, and time spent genuinely enjoying each others beings. It was such a lovely time, my heart felt full and blessed to be here. I am 100% exactly where I am meant to be- the universe has made that very clear. 
     
  This week has been all about keeping my mind, my heart, and my curiosity open. Honestly, those 3 things have the potential to change the world- think about it.
Think for yourself kid, that's the only way this world will change. 
   Maybe by the time you come around we'll know more about what's going on here, how did we get here, what is our purpose here... I've got my ideas, we'll chat over coffee some day  :)

Stay wild,
​ love always,
Granny J :)

To My Grandkids,
     Finding peace in the small beautiful moments. 

     Lately at the farm, life has been pretty chill, and we've been able to spend a lot of time with a variety of different people. As far as life for Rosie is going... there's no update there. My lovely pink van baby is still broke down in Montana- which is insanely frustrating. Unfortunately it's completely out of my hands sooo... I'm being forced to be patient.. (something I'm still learning)..  As much as I want to say the situation doesn't bother me, it really does, and it's been a struggle in my mind going rounds about the details for a while. Yes the van itself is the main problem- but I haven't driven since, and I've been increasingly more anxious in the car than usual.. I know that many people have hit deer and been fine, but it shook me pretty hard to watch and feel the whole thing go down honestly. Not saying this as a pity party, but as a raw reflection of how this situation makes me feel on the daily- which sucks. 
    Enough about the sap story though- that's not what this is about.
    My mind is busy, yes yes, but I wanted to point out some moments I almost took for granted amidst these transition times.
     
     Last night, all 6 of us living here together gathered for pretty much the first time. We had dinner together a few nights before, but this is the first time we had all come together to really hang out. We had a card game going on, guitars being passed around, some eating dinner, and lots of laughter and love. In those moments of community is when I feel the most grateful. By some wonderful grace, we all ended up here together at the same time. Family seems to find me wherever I go, wether it is on a random beach in California with 20 barefoot vagabonds, in Montana with my forrest dwelling friends, or here on a farm amongst the muddy feet and deep laughs, it always finds me and hugs me tight.
     While I kick my shoes off and walk with adventure, I am most supported and grateful for the one my soul dances with. He walks around in perfect harmony with the sun on the soil, knowing his place here is valid and needed. He is strong and strong willed- mighty as the mountains. He has shown me endless love, and constantly reminds me of my own strength and power. He easily became my best friend, my motivator, my adventure buddy, my heart. I am so blessed. Every moment spent with him is a lifelong memory- may it be a midnight walk around a random town we've never seen, moving to a new state, almost sliding to our death on ice when I had my broken wing, or simply working in the garden together... 
These moments and people are so special. 
This life is so special.
These memories will never die.
I am forever grateful for the small beautiful moments.

This was kind of all over the place- but so is my brain right now :)
One of these days I will tell you these stories in person as we dance barefoot by our own river together, sharing the same special memories that I am loving. 
One of these days, I can't wait to meet you :)

Love, 
Your forrest dwelling nana J 
     

To My Grandkids,
​     We are free.
     Lately, I've been in a battle of my own mind. From lessons being shown to me, to growth forcing me out of my comfort zone, I have been thinking about A LOT.

     You know, I grew up pretty different from what I resonate with now. The lessons I learned from being in Missouri no longer reside in the space that is me. Since I started taking control of my life, my dreams, my passions, I have outgrown the roots of my upbringing, and that's GOOD. We are meant to change, meant to explore, meant to flow. We are not built to be stagnant- we are not built to resist growth.
     Looking back on the last couple years of my life, in the time I feel I truly met myself, I have only a few moments where I have seen the absolute truest version of myself. Last year in California, when we stayed on the beach and met a whole soul family of travelers- that girl dancing on the beach in the stars, trading crafted goods and life stories with strangers easy to fall in love with- that girl is FREE. Driving around the country, dangling my feet over the vastness of the Grand Canyon, singing with the trees and the moon glistening on my skin- that girl is a wild woman. Hiking with Liz, exploring our creators beauty through the whisper of the river, the warmth of the sun, and the eagle soaring high- that girl is WISE.
    There are moments when I meet her-  that girl is ME.
     I am the free, the wild, the wise.
     I am the strength, the love, the flow.
     I am the dance, and I am the wonder.
     I am FREE to express, feel, and be.

I am stepping into the beauty of ME. She is coming to the surface the more I grow, I see her feeling her power, and learning to express ALL the time, not just when the moment 'allows'. 
     I am so blessed to be here, I am so blessed to know myself as I do, and I am so blessed to be surrounded by the people I love, and who radiate it back. I am blessed.
​ Life is so good... One of these days you will get to see.
Love always, 
Your sunshine Granny J :)

To my Grandkids,

     Currently sitting somewhere in the Oregon forest where we are surrounded by yurts, a communal house, a couple vanlifers, a communal bus, an amazing little tiny house, and 50 acres of free roam forest on the bottom of Mt. Hood...
Yea, we're doin alright :)
     After the situation with the van happened, we decided we wanted to chill somewhere for a little bit and make some money before hitting the road again, so we found a job in Oregon! We've been visiting some of Elliots friends around his hometown here and I got to meet his lovely family! Yesterday we took a float day on the river with some friends, super cool people!! We floated all day and throughout pure chaos and shenanigans, we somehow survived... Followed by a fun evening of meeting more friends and getting our butts whooped in a yard game.
     Today we drove a bit further into Oregon and got to the farm we are working at. We will be helping run some campsites, yurts, cleaning up the garden, and helping with general land maintenance. As soon as we got here, the vibes were so good, and the people were so friendly and welcoming! We were greeted by one of the other workers out here, and another lovely woman who lives in my dream tiny house- its gorgeous and GREEN (my favorite color)!! We are staying in a communal house with another couple who lives and works here, and 2 others that live in camper vans outside. When the owner of the farm got to the house to meet with us, we all sat outside on the deck and had a late night dinner together (coincidentally, at 11:11!!). We shared a couple laughs, drinks, and spent a bit of time getting to know each other. They are all so sweet!
     
     As I was reminiscing this morning on my past blogs, I started to feel a bit emotional for a couple different reasons.. 
One being that I am so genuinely happy with how blessed I am to experience this amazing life. Yes, the van situation sucks and has caused many tears and frustration- but it is a very small blip in a very amazing life that I have.. 
And two being that I am SO PROUD of myself.. I am proud of my growth as a person, my own ambition to make it happen for myself, and my willingness to try new things and get out of my comfort zone. Granted, it's not always easy, and a lot of  credit goes to Elliot for keeping me out of my comfort zone, but still! 
I. Am. So. Blessed. 
     We aren't even 24 hours into this experience yet and it has already been so fun.
I'm so excited to see where this journey takes E and I  :)

Your life is so precious- what's stopping you from living it to the fullest extent?
What's stopping you from taking that step?
What's stopping you?

Nothing.

I love you, I'll have so many more stories to share with you when you exist,
Your crayzee forest dwellling Granny J ;)
      

To My Grandkids,

Life is... Still good..!
In these past couple weeks It feels like I've been put through the ringer honestly-
let me catch you up.

     About a month ago, I said goodbye to Lauren as we parted ways, once again stepping away to let distance live between us. Laci and I took an emergency trip to MO to spend time with family. As always, it felt so strange to be back there, walking the streets I grew up in with a whole new mindset. I got to see a couple very important mentors in my life, and got to spend some well needed time holding family close. Only a couple hours after hitting the road back home, the van started to get too hot.. So pull over and find a shop.. Thank god the mechanics were so helpful, rather than waiting 5 days to be back on the road they got us done in one. 22 hours later we pull into our driveway in Montana- making that 70 hours driven between Lauren, Laci and I.. 
     All winter my motivation was to get back on the road, working 2 jobs to save up and be able to be unemployed for a minute for some travel freedom.. Elliot and I recently built out the van and got it comfortable and ready to hit the road, planning to be gone for a couple months. After that week of unexpected travel though, we decided to push the trip back a bit, allowing some time to get a job and save up a little more cash. We had planned that as soon as I got back to Montana, we would load up and head to Oregon to work for a while. This being said, just as quick as I rolled into Montana we were packed back in the van and ready to roll out. 
     The first hour drive to our new journey was so beautiful. The sun was setting and it was raining lightly, leaving a beautiful hue of light dancing through the valley, up and over the mountains, and stinging the tips of pine trees above us. At one point, we were driving around the Flathead lake while the sun kissed the horizon- it was so amazing we had to pull over to take it in. I was so excited to be going again, no specific destination but the open road leading us from here. This is where I thrive.
    As we're driving to our camp spot for the night, I was finally feeling a break, an exhale from the last couple weeks of feeling overwhelmed and then- hahaha life isn't that easy all the time.
    Out of nowhere, a friggin dear is standing on the side of the road, looking at me before he makes the decision to keep going... boom.
Did I mention that after 20 years of never hitting a single animal in any car, this would be the second deer I hit in the last 2 DAYS.. That deer was done for, I was pushing 70 on the highway, no hope for him or the van. It was so frightening- not to sound too dramatic but car crashes are my worst fear, and here I am watching a deer get blown to smithereens by the van that is my home, my safe place, my traveling opportunity, my dream. Boom. Actually I'd say the DEER blew the VAN to smithereens. My front end is toast, the grill nonexistent, the coolant pouring out, headlight hanging on by a thread, my sanity dripping empty with every drop of fluid hitting the pavement. I was such a mess. My VAN!! Ugh that effin deer- it pisses me off so much. It would've been so nice if he would've just waited a SECOND before running.
     Anyway, there goes that plan.. Not to mention all the small puzzle pieces of other things that have been going wrong surrounding the situation- it's seriously one thing after another. 
     I can't complain too much honestly. The last year of my life has been the most exhilarating, fulfilling, dream chasing, easy going time ever- and I've sailed through so much growth without hitting any bumps. So I guess it's my time to get a couple lessons, It's necessary to keep moving forward. 
Life is a spiral. The cycles will come and go as you need them, I am open to the lessons this pain and frustration brings.
I am okay, and life is
STILL GOOD!!!

Love, 
Your Eternally Growing Granny J :)

To My Grandkids,

     20,000 miles.
     In the last year, I have driven 20,000 miles.
     Amidst those miles, I have learned, grown, loved and been loved, cried, felt pain, walked through chaos, and felt complete bliss. Those miles represent growth to the fullest extent- pushing me off the cliff of comfort and out into the world where I am free. Free to roam, explore, meet people and connect with experiences and backgrounds from all over the world.  In the last year, those 20,000 miles changed my life.
     Recently I have been thinking a lot about all the different people I've met in my life. I'm not just talking about family and close friends, but all the amazing people I've met in passing, the ones I've had the pleasure to spend more time with and hear their stories, people I've worked with throughout many jobs, people I've learned from, and anyone I've shared a passing glance with that impacted my life and didn't even realized they had.  I've met some people under wild circumstances- from road trips bringing together a soul family I didn't even know I had, broke down vehicles uniting us with some very kind and helpful friends, and odd jobs giving me the opportunity to meet the most genuine and fun group of people ever.
      After 20,000 miles of new experiences, I can easily say that one of the most important things in this life is connection. To connect with people is to understand perspectives, and to connect through love.  When you connect with people it offers an opportunity to not only learn from them, but also make relationships that could benefit you for a whole lifetime. Throughout all my travels, all the places I've been, and breathtaking adventures I've been on, the stories I tell the most always come back to the people I've met.
 Go out of your way to make friends, and give people the time to tell their stories-
relationships will always be more important  than the materialistic things you have.
Take the time to tell people you appreciate them, you never know when you'll see them again. 

One day we'll get to sit around our own campfire and share stories of the people we've met- from these last 20,000 miles and the next, I've got lots to tell you about :)
 
Love always,
Your crazy granny J!!

To My Grandkids,
     So it's.... uh.. 2021..? 
Not sure where the time went honestly, but I've got quite a gap of time to fill you in on eh? It's been 9 months.... 9 MONTHS since I last wrote to you, SURPRISE, I had a ba-.... No no no, don't worry that's not it.
     In these past months, I've been up to a lot. Let's back up... 
 When I got home from my roadtrip, I joined the Montana Conservation Corps doing trail work around here for the rest of summer. I met some of the coolest people I've ever met in my life, and absolutely LOVED the job. After that, I continued to work at the nursing home getting to show love to some amazing elderly, they are so all sweet, and you know it's never a dull moment! I also started a new job at a ski resort where I helped run lifts- the most chill job i've ever had! (Every morning we got to be the first ones on the mountain, getting the lifts ready to run and having our coffee with the sunrise over the valley... Pretty much a dream) I tried snowboarding for the first time which was good.. and then it wasn't... and then it was eventually good again! I broke my collarbone in my first week learning, so that kinda put a block in my activities for a while..  But she never stops, so a month (ish) later I was back up and ready to go, getting back into my yoga practices and gaining strength back. The last week the mountain was open I got back on my board and rode away the season with some 'final hurrah laps', which I LOVED- I will definitely snowboard more next season when I can actually get into it.  Although the pressure of working 2 jobs was pretty stressful, I'm glad I stuck it out for the season!
     While working on the mountain, I made a lot of new friends, some in passing as they hop to other seasonal work, some only briefly crossing paths, and some that will be bonds for a lifetime- all very special connections. I actually met this pretty wild guy who is an adrenaline junkie,  world traveller, videographer, and overall ray of friggin SUNSHINE. We went on a couple mini trips together seeking out some adventure, and well.. now those mini trips have turned into us planning a summer long road trip together- I couldn't be more excited :)
     Right now we're doing some adjustments and building some stuff for the van that will make it easier to travel in. We ripped out the old carpet and put in hardwood, built some (minorly janky) drawers/shelving,  and just making some final tweaks to get all our stuff organized. I've gotta say, the Ole Rosie Mobile is coming together nicely, and still running like a champ- she's just as ready to hit the road as we are.. 
     
     Only a couple short weeks left until we drive into a new journey,
     tires to the pavement, hand out the window with hair blowing in the wind,
     slightly sunburnt skin and salt in the air. 
     I am ready, I am ready. 
​     LIFE IS GOOD.
 
                                              Lots of love always,
                                                       Your crazy hippie granny J :)

To My Grandkids,
Let me tell you about someone who is.. AMAZING.. Literally- that's her name :)

     While Laci and I were in Yellowstone, we met the sweetest soul ever, and camped with her for a few days. Although we said goodbye and parted ways, she was planning to go through Montana, and would end up near where we are, so we knew we'd see each other again.
     When I got back from camp, we met up and had a whole day of fun planned. We planned to go to some different hiking spots, and just take a day to be out in nature. The first place we went to was the Kootenai swinging bridge, and the river was gorgeous. Then, we drove a bit farther to go to the Ross Creek Cedar Trail, which is one of my favorite places in Montana. We got there, and hiked the trail, exploring a forrest that holds MASSIVE cedar trees. Trees are very special to me, and I feel set free every time I'm surrounded by the wise old grandpa trees!
     After a full day (or so we thought) of running around, we headed back down the mountain to go home. Well, my sweet Rosie gal had different plans, because before I could get to the highway, the van died.. I lost power steering, and acceleration, and had manual brakes, so I pulled over and had no idea what was going on. Us being the tough, strong, self sufficient women that we are, popped the hood and we were looking around trying to find the problem- and then realized we have no idea anything about cars... So to the road we go with a hitchikers thumb out.. Did I mention we had no cell service cause we were in a forrest area? Yeah. That too. An older man pulls over to help, and gives us a jump. To our luck, she still wouldn't start.. Come on Rosie.. Welp- we asked him for a ride to the nearest town, and ended up 5 miles down the road at a biker bar. We used the bar phone to get a tow truck on the way, and sat down for a bit to have a drink and wait for a call back. While we were there, we met a couple badass biker chicks, Candy, and Tush- cool ladies. About an hour later, we get a ride back to the van, and wait for the tow truck to come. Another hour  or so goes by, we're drawing on the van passing time, and then decide to go back to the bar to call the truck again.. In total, we waited 3 and a half hours for the tow truck to come, and then they took it to the shop, so we stayed with some family for the night. (Shoutout to Shana and Katie <3)
     It was quite an interesting adventure day that just kept adding on, but it all turned out fine, and luckily we are both super chill and able to make light of the situation.
     Every time we've hung out, we always have the best time together. She is one of those people that radiate love, and sunshine- A Golden Tribal Goddess. She is deeply rooted into herself, and knows where she stands. She has childlike curiosity for the beauty of this world, and could tell you more about plants than anyone I know :)
     She truly is Amazing, and a super groovy gal.
     I'm so lucky to have met such amazing people on the road, and I'm very grateful for each one.

     There's something bittersweet about meeting people on the road though. I have met the coolest, most open minded people ever on the road, but when it's time to say goodbye as our travels go on, it is often the last time we'll be there together. Bittersweet.

One day when you travel around and meet all new people, you'll see. 
I can't wait to meet YOU. 
I can't wait for you to see how good life is.
Even though you don't exist yet, I Love You!!

Love, 
your supa dupa slick hippie chick nana

To My Grandkids,

     The past month and a half has been the best of my 19 years so far. In May, I bought my dream van, and decided to hit the road, driving wherever the wind took me, and exploring the west coast. Along the way, I met the coolest, sweetest, most ‘far out’ people I’ve ever come across. I made memories- good and bad- and explored the depths of my own self as well. 
     When I first left, I didn’t know what to expect. I was taking a leap out into unknown waters with no expectations. I started in Montana and drove through Idaho, Washington, all the way down the west coast, and then cut over through Arizona, and went through to Louisiana. I’d have to say my favorite parts were the hippie commune we had inside Cali, going to the Grand Canyon, and then Yellowstone! 
     I know I wasn’t on the road for super long, but I still got a good taste of the life of a traveling gypsy :)
     So far in my life, there is nothing more freeing than the open road, music playing, windows down, hand out the window, destination undetermined. Life is so beautiful, and it’s all about perspective. I met a LOT of people on the road, some on work trips, group travels, soul searching journeys, retirement adventures, and some with no place in particular to be, just enjoying the moment and where they are. I also met some people who weren’t in the best situations, and weren’t traveling from choice, but living out of their car with no other option. In specific, I met a young man in California in that situation, and my heart went out for him. When talking to others about living from their van, he would say “Oh, I’m sorry to hear that, Its no fun when you have to live from your car… It’s been the worst 11 months living in mine…” In which the response would always be that living in their van was amongst the BEST 11 months of their life. Given that those 2 people were camped on the same beach at the same beautiful time of year, life is all about perspective.
     Another thing being on the road taught me is that there are a lot of good people left in this world. The people (for the most part) that I met were GENUINE, LOVING people! The most spontaneous people too- when you live on the road, you can’t plan every detail, it’s just impossible. As much as you may think you have a perfectly carved out plan, the wind will take you wherever it wants you, and align you with the right people.
     Life is so good. Life is so good. Life is so good!!
    The road has taught me so much, paired me with amazing people, thrown things in my face when least expected, and at the same, shown me that I don’t know sh*t yet. Life is massive, and I haven’t even grazed the surface.
     Someday, I hope you get to experience your wildest dreams. I hope you never let anyone get in the way of where your heart calls you, no matter how wild it may be. 
I'm so excited to have adventures of our own someday! Even though you don't exist yet, I LOVE YOU!!!
 Love, 
Your Gypsy Granny J :)