Weekend Color over Labor Day Weekend

Wahoo, its Saturday! I don't have to work! The weather is gross and rainy, which means I don't have to debate over laying in the sun reading a book and doing things around the apartment or other things that need to be done.

The plans for this wonderful Labor Day Weekend are to accomplish fun things today while Luke is at work, drive to the parents' house tonight when he is done, and relax the rest of the weekend! I think I might call it the "weekend of f's." And no, not for the reasons you might think. Fantasy football draft with family, way too much food, fascination over Luke's baby nephew, fun in the sun and fishing with my family, frolicking on the pavement with just me and my running shoes. Ha. Some of those were a stretch to make it part of the "weekend of f's" but I think it still works. :)

Pardon me, my brain is currently all over the place and for some reason I decided to spew it into text right here for all to see.

One thing I want to do this morning while Luke is at work is gather some materials for small little projects around our place to add some color and spice to our life. Its a bit drab and some color might liven things up and make me feel a little more put together myself. Do you ever feel that way?? Maybe its the piles of things laying around every bit of open wall that make me feel we need to de-clutter and organize a bit...

Moving on. I looked through Pinterest a bit last night and this morning with a specific goal in mind: find pictures of color I have in my head that I want to transfer to real life in the form of a nicely put together living room. I think I did alright. I also looked through some pictures I saved from all over the Internet over the last year or so with the same thought in mind. Fast forward an hour and I created this in Photoshop:

Eeep! Looking at it again after being away from it for five minutes still makes me excited! I think its meant to be. I actually took these colors from a single collage of photos I had found somewhere online. I think it works! Hmm...maybe its a little feminine but we'll make it work for Luke somehow. :) The dark green is the color of the couches and I think that will help keep things a bit less whimsical and feminine for our boy Luke.

I'm off to run some errands and maybe gather some things to start on this huge endeavor I have dreamed of accomplishing. I'm sure I won't get anything even close to these colors. It never works out the way I want it. No worries, I'm still optimistic!

Hope you enjoy this Labor Day Weekend! Here's to hoping the weather perks up for us to enjoy at least a little time in the great outdoors!

UK Edition: One Last Shopping Spree

All in a days work. Oops?

No, I don't think so. :)

UK Edition: Edinburgh and Zizzi Ristarante

Our journey in Edinburgh, Scotland (I've shared bits and pieces of our trip - a bit of the countryside, the castle and a view of the sea - but need to share more!) included a delicious lunch at Zizzi Ristarante. It is a stylish restaurant serving delicious Italian delicacies. I photographed our meal (ok, just my meal) because I'm weird like that and food is delicious, so why not capture the moment.

The napkins were a paper-ish material, but they were so thick! I loved that they had a quote written on the bottom. I was "this" close to saving mine (unused, mind you) and taking it home with me but decided I would probably have enough trouble fitting everything in my luggage that I decided to forgo that decision.

Nothing like an ice cold Coke in a chilled glass with lemon.

I dislike green olives but these, my friends, were incredibly scrumptious. I'm now in love with them and can't wait to find my favorite selection back home.

Italian pizza. You haven't had real pizza until you have had it the Italian way. Thin, crispy crust, olive oil, fresh, delicious toppings. Oh my heavens I want some right now (good thing we are going to Casa Romana in Harrogate tonight for tasty pizza!!).

Not the world's greatest picture of the three of us (maybe because I cut out over half of one of us) but I think it does a pretty good job of capturing the moment. Nothing is ever perfect anyway.

Can we please get a Zizzis in the US?? Soon?

UK Edition: Arriving at Scafell Pike

Got the boot all packed up, snug as a bug, ready for our big camping trip! We are lucky everything fit!

I'm amazed at the scenery here. Every time we drive to a new place on our next adventure, I can't help but stare out the window at what I see. Jaw dropped. Drooling, just a little. I'm guilty of taking pictures through the window, its that incredible.

First view of a mountain - it means we are getting closer.

The roads became even narrower and surrounded by trees after we got into Keswick and were on our way to the camp site and Scafell Pike. Once again, it means we are getting closer! Kind of trippy, isn't it? Try riding in a car on these roads, whizzing around corners, squeezing past oncoming cars.

We arrived at the site and, great news! I was the first to get my tent set up! Oh yeah, score one for team Rachel.

To be fair, the tent pops up on its own and all you have to do is stake it down. I know, getting my tent set up first doesn't quite mean the same to you now does it. All in a days work.

It was a bit rainy the first night we were there but we coped quite well. Nothing you can't handle while camping. After realizing we just bought tins for dinner (also known as canned food) and forgot to pack the can opener, we asked a neighboring camper if we could borrow his. Once again, thank you to kind people! Though its hard to say no to two people holding cans asking to open them so they can eat a meal in the freezing cold rain. Dinner was meatballs and potatoes, hoops (spaghetti o's) and hot dogs. Yum, it was delicious. We didn't know if it genuinely tasted amazing or if we were cold and hungry. Regardless, it was incredible.

Here we are, ready for the big next day ahead of us. What a crew, wouldn't you agree?! I think we make it look like we camp in the mountains all the time.

Cheers to camping and hiking up mountains! I really am ready for my next hike. :) More pictures to come.

UK Edition: Touring with Friends

I really appreciate these two men. Coworkers with both - one from the United States, one from the United Kingdom. Friends with both - one old, one new.

Thank you to the one who has been leading us to all these adventures while in England. Our trip to the United Kingdom would not be the same if you had not spent the time to share it with us!

We spend a lot of time together. Can you tell?? Most of my pictures of people include the three of us.

UK Edition: Bottom Looking Up

Here is a preview of our weekend near Keswick, UK when we climbed Scafell Pike, the highest point in England. Words don't do much for describing the pictures so I'll try and let them do the talking. I took over 600 pictures this weekend. I know. Looking through them all makes me want to go back. Or become a professional hiker. Or a fell runner (but more on this later).

Hope you enjoy the photos. You'll be seeing plenty more in the near future. And I'm sure distant future as well.

If you click on an image it will enlarge so you get a better view.

Scafell Pike is incredible.

UK Edition: On The Coast Of The North Sea

On our way home from Edinburgh, Scotland we wanted to get to the coast and feel the water, if not just take some pictures. We took a side road and this is the view we managed. The property said it was private residence only so we stuck to the road. It was a beautiful view from the top of the hill, a place I could definitely sit and relax at for a long time.

We finally decided to take a picture of the three of us (why did it not occur to us earlier in the day?!) by setting the camera on our friend's car and using the camera timer. When I saw it I said, "Awww, look! We're friends!" I really thought it was true, too. I know you don't need a picture to prove it, nor does a picture prove anything; it doesn't mean anything on its own but is a frozen bit of time for what was captured - an event, emotion, space in time. It captured us being friends and it made me happy.

I'm really going to miss these people and this place when its time to leave.

UK Edition: Wake Up to This

Wouldn't it be dreamy to wake up to this every morning? Its a view from the top of a hill where a castle once stood in Knaresborough, England over a river (I'll have to look up the name), train bridge and quaint houses.

Good morning, World!

UK Edition: A Glimpse of Edinburgh, Scotland

Here is another taste of our travels to Edinburgh, Scotland. Of course we toured the castle while we were there. How could you not?!

Ok, I tried writing a little bit of history about it but who am I kidding, I don't know much about it. Horrible to admit, isn't it? I know. Whether you are looking up to it from across the city streets or standing at its entrance, the castle is beautiful. Especially when it is surrounded by green trees and a luscious garden and park at the base of the volcano on which it stands.

The view of the city is also spectacular. Typical weather, it was overcast and raining, mild and stagnant, and bright and sunny all within an hour. Regardless of the weather, the view was always captivating. I could stand at the castle walls looking over the city for hours. Well, that is kind of what we did. The houses and streets, people, the cityscape, Firth of Forth, sky, everything. Captivating.

Can we go back?! If I can't go back, can I just move here forever? And bring my entire family and friends and acquaintances with me??

Please? Maybe I'll add it to my dreams...

UK Edition: Picturesque

I took this shot this past weekend while driving along the coast of the North Sea from Edinburgh, Scotland back to Harrogate, England. I think its absolutely beautiful and incredibly more so in person. It may not be the best picture but the earth, sky and sea all in one view make me want to see more of this place.

Cheers to beautiful landscapes and the opportunities to experience what they offer!

UK Edition: Exhaustion

Sometimes its just so hard to keep up with posting! I have taken too many pictures to share. Driven too many miles. Slept too little. Eaten too much curry. Downloaded too many new songs on iTunes. Drank too many drinks. Munched on too many crisps. Walked too many miles. Sat in the sun too long. Devoured too much cheese.

I'm beat!  All in wonderful ways. I need a few days to recuperate and I promise I'll get back to you after that! I'm kind of on system overload - too many good things to share, I just don't know where to start.

This past weekend we went to Edinburgh, Scotland. Oh yes, my dearest Scotland. If I win the EuroMillions Lottery or whatever it is they call it here (its up to £117,000 or something crazy like that) (Um, hello...time for an edit. Make that £117,000,000. Yes, that is millions, silly Rachel, not thousands!) I would travel all over the world and bring everyone with me. Scotland was wonderful and we only stopped at one city. Well, two sort of but more on that later. Here's a snapshot preview of our touring.

So...if you don't hear from me for a few days (again), never fear. I'm still around, just soaking it all in. Literally (the sun and after-sun lotion).

Cheers!

UK Edition: Tour Through York, Seventies Style

Remember I told you we went to York this past Sunday? I finally have time to share a bit of it with you. I took way too many pictures, though I don't necessarily consider this a bad thing, and want to share a few of them. Words aren't necessary when viewing a picture, are they? Its more subjective if words are not involved.

As for Seventies in the title, its my newest favorite Photoshop Action (I use Photoshop Elements) from The Pioneer Woman. Her actions are absolutely amazing. I can't get enough of them...which is the main reason it took half a week to post these pictures. Check her out, download some actions, learn something new!

And now, enjoy these pictures, in sequential order of how we experienced the day.

Beautiful bridge in York that we crossed over to be closer to the city centre.

Ducks and ducklings literally crossing a busy road.

Clifford's Tower - the last of two watch towers outside of the castle that still exist.

View between the ducklings crossing the road and Clifford's Tower.

York Minster.

Small display of the city of York and a "You Are Here" gold star in front of the minster.

View of York Minster.

Plaque on York castle walls that reads, "This tablet was placed here by the Council of the City of York October 1898 to record that this portion of the Wall (37 yds (Note: I'm not sure what this part really says.)) was in the year 1889 restored to the City by Edwin Gray, who served the office of Lord Mayor in 1898."

A swan and his or her cygnets.  

A portion of York Castle Wall. A view of York River Ouse.

Sculpture in a garden area.

York rowing races with men and women of all ages racing from nearby towns, including York and Leeds.

A train from the National Railway Museum.

Two more photos from York River Ouse.

A tree from Castle Gardens.

A serene place to sit and relax in Castle Gardens.

View of the Castle Wall.

Did you see everything you wanted to?! Hope you enjoyed this little tour of York. Come back soon for more of this beautiful country!