Connor's A-maze-ing Corn Maze

Every year around this time I make it a priority to stop by Connor's corn maze and this year was no different. Patrick and I switched it up a bit and went to their evening time haunted corn maze so that we could chase the light and get a tiny bit spooked.

Most of our time there was spent petting farm animals and watching bees pollinate flowers and I caught a glimpse of some sort of moth that looked like a hummingbird. It was so beautiful as the sun started setting and everything was just shades of pink and gold.

As the sun set and the farm animals were put up for the night we found a sleeping bee and I got to sit on a hay bale after most of the kids ran off.

This was the point when a child jump on the hay and said she had just puked in her mouth.

The corn maze was spectacular. Normally these things are driven more for children, but walking around in a dark dark corn maze while volunteer "scarers" walked slowly in the corn felt more like a scene from Children of the corn than a kids trick or treat thing. It was just fantastic.

My favorite part of tonight, though, has to be when we looked up. Living in the city we don't get many stars, but in a dark field we saw all of them. We were trying to determine if what we were looking at was the Milky Way galaxy, there were so many! 

Any way, it was just the most beautiful night. And I wish every night was like this.

These are a few of my favorite things

 Lately I've been obsessed with everything dirty and green. These are just a few things I've collected over the past few weeks.

As good as it gets..

Today was my first say off in almost five weeks. I've been working almost everyday and going to class all day any day I'm not working. I've had no real time to do any of the small things that I love to do. 

So to recharge, Patrick and I took a trip to Savannah,GA.

We left around six a.m. and stopped by the botanical gardens so I could "Stop and smell the rose", and I couldn't be happier that we did. I had no idea there was a tea rose, which smelt like, well, tea.

We walked around the historic district all day and all I have to say is that Savannah gives me the best kind of feelings.

       

The most beautiful life cycle

I found these beautiful caterpillars about a week and a half ago, there were ten of them all munching away and getting more and more fat before my eyes.

And then they disappeared, I couldn't find them anywhere and began to worry.

But today I found all sorts of good news. I found the cocoon first, hiding away under the plant, and then another and another. I kept looking and then I found their eggs and then the best thing was all the tiny baby caterpillars huddled together, eating a tiny leaf.

I am so happy and excited to finally get a glimpse of what butterflies these caterpillars will grow to be!

Farewell to summer

Although Florida heat will be reaching triple digits, I can tell that slowly the season is changing. 

Nights are cool and breezy, and my attitude about actually getting up and getting things done is so great now that I know fall is coming. 

August is such a strange month in Florida.

But I'm trying to really document this year since it has been a mess of emotions and time has really flown by.

My little sister just moved into her dorm room so I am practically an only child here and I'm trying to make it easier for my parents to transition by staying home and keeping them company.

My boyfriend and I wanted to catch some of this month's changes by watching a meteor shower down in Green Cove. He saw three on the way there, but it was too cloudy to catch a glimpse of anything once we got to our destination. 

But damn was our destination wonderful. Its an old airport, I think, and for some reason in the middle of the lot there is an old ship just sitting and rusting away.

These next pictures were all taken around midnight.

I'm ending my post here by saying that I've moved into my sisters old larger room and I am loving it. I have a desk and much more floor space. All I need to do to finish moving in is paint the room white and find where to hang all of my photos.

Dexter and Whiskey didn't mind sitting and watching me work, either.

Tiny afternoon trip

My sweetheart and I went to st.Augustine after I got off work today and it was so gloomy but it was also so beautiful.

A peak into what I've been up to..

This summer has been so beautiful. My boyfriend moved back from New York, and I could not be any more happy. My days are spent searching for ways to get outside more and explore the more awe-inspiring parts of Jacksonville. I have the most beautiful friends who encourage and join me on the days I want to be under the sun. 

Almost as soon as Patrick was back in town we started planning out things to do. One of my favorite days was the one that we spent in the water, kayaking and talking. He did most of the work though because I literally have no endurance, but we both still had a lot of fun.

Not too long after kayaking we went to Big Talbot Island to explore all of the dead trees and tiny ponds of water and life that gets stuck between rocks.

One of my favorite days was the day that all of my friends spent in Big Talbot Island. Sarah and I spent most of the day laying around while Eldred and Melanie played Frisbee and looking around a little bit more. High tide was coming in so we didn't stay long, but we went swimming at Melanie's house to clean off and cool down.
 

Most recently was my birthday camping trip that Patrick and I went on in Highlands hammock near Tampa. It was so incredibly hot and we didn't do much during the day, but as soon as we went on trials and got out in the evening, we saw so many wild animals and the sun was so glorious. We made a sort of pact to go out and see new things more frequently and I want so badly to travel to the East Coast, but money is tight right now with his recent car accident and my just finding a job. 

         My absolute favorite part of this summer is my realizing and seeing all the change that I want to make and can make in my own life. I've been so stuck in a bitter mindset that has just worn my energy and patience down. I'm trying so hard now to see the little delights in life and to look at the bad parts differently. I love everything about my life, and it is truly a waste of my time being upset with the things that I don't have. I have the most beautiful and thoughtful people in my life who take care of whoever that they can. And God created a world with so many wonderful things and I have failed to see it for twenty years. 

I hope everyone Else's summer has been great so far, and I hope you all find something to inspire you during it.