Positively Tuesday-Adventures Big and Small

Graduations, weddings, new jobs and vacations are all part of life's big adventures. May seems to be an epic time when each of these starts moving to the forefront of peoples minds, at least some years. I don't think we have any weddings, but our calendar is filling faster than our checkbook with grad party invites. DS is always on the job hunt and DD1 keeps her eyes open for opportunities that might relocate her back to the Twin Cities. Even DD2 is two weeks into her new job. For DH and I, we are both not looking to change jobs, most likely before retirement, unless within the same company. Our big adventures are through our children's eyes, and of course, our trip later this summer. Do adventures need to be big monumental events or changes? I think not. We have a whole lot of summer prior to leaving for vacation. For this Positively Tuesday, here's some things on my summer list that I'm framing as adventures.

• Two business trips, one to Chicago and one to San Diego. I used to travel about eight times a year for work and now perhaps one to two times. I'm back to the mindset where being able to connect in my field nationally is exciting again. I leave tomorrow morning for Chicago for a quick 36 hour travel, meetings, business dinner, meetings, business happy hour, travel whirlwind. 
• The hunt for the missing wardrobe pieces. I found the gray pants ($4.99) and last night I found the elusive black jacket. I also found a blue one, and together they were $14, but huge wardrobe extenders. Since I wanted all to be under $24, I've got a budget left of $5.00. While I haven't found the white oversize shirt and a new spring/summer dress, the game is on. 
• Putting the raspberry bushes to rights. I spent a good part of Sunday night tackling this and will do more on Saturday. The new growth is coming through. I'm a horrible gardener, but I've managed to keep this lot going if unmanaged, since we moved in. Making jam from these is very satisfying.
• In that sort of vein, on my adventure list is to add at least one more variety to my jam making. I'll make strawberry, strawberry rhubarb, raspberry, and then a batch with the odds and ends from all. Last year I never made straight raspberry because they came in fits and starts. If I can source some other berries inexpensively, I might even add a fifth variety. I'll use the canned jam for our own eating of course, but to supplement gifts throughout the year. Add to my list, the hunt for inexpensive jelly jars. 
• Friday night river walks. Since DH works both Friday and Saturday's, he'll most likely use Wednesday nights to Friday morning for cabin time, and then back on Saturday night. This leaves Friday nights for our time to hang our on the weekend. Our favorite recent activity has been to take a long walk along the river. Occasionally we may go out for dinner first, or stop for a beer after, but mostly, it's just the time to take in a perfect night.
• Make a few farm to table pizzas. I'd love to go to one of the pizza farms, but our schedule never seems to conicde with the hours. Instead, I'll plan to visit a few farmers markets where not only is the produce available to top the pizzza, perhaps I can find fresh made moazzarella. If not, the creamery will be my next options. I broke my pizza stone quite a while ago. I might splurge on a new one, but also, add that to my hunt via thrift stores or yard sales. 
• See my world through my camera. Last summer I took a couple wanders near the cabin and in a regional park. Inspired by Jane at Life Begins at Retirement, a fantastic photographer of the beauty that surrounds her, I want to get out to at least four new to me places.

Mostly, knowing how short summer really is, I don't want ot waste it counting down days until vacation. Big or small, I intend to take advantage of these fleeting few months, and look at what could just be mundane to others as an adventure to me. 

Spirit of Adventure

Bloggers are some of my favorite people. I love opening my reading list and getting updates from all of them, ready to challenge me with a new way of thinking, a way to stretch a buck or two, and inspiring me with tales of overcoming challenges. I also really enjoy the travel, or travelesque blogger sites, written by ladies (I'm sure some could be men, but my faves happen to be ladies) with an inherent spirit of adventure. These bloggers have the best way of sharing their lives in ways that make everyday seem like a new adventure. Sometimes they are off on real whirlwind trips, taking them across countries or oceans, filling their pages with photo's and stories about new places seen, new food enjoyed, new people met. Often though, as is the case with most of us, travel has to be planned and spread out to accommodate finances and available windows of time. These bloggers though with a spirit of adventure, never mind that. They make the most of what's around them, whether it be an exploratory day in their won or a nearby community, a deep walk in the woods, or hosting a group of folks in trying a new activity.

Having a spirit of adventure is one of the greatest assets a person can posses. Imagine the possibilities if everyday when I woke up, instead of moaning about the early hour, and the long commute, and the household needs, I embraced the day as an opportunity to experience something new, something I didn't experience in all my previous waking days? What if breakfast was a chance to travel the world by whipping up a batch of muffins with exotic fruits, not typically found in Minnesota, and not typically found in a muffin? What if I traveled with my camera, or even took better advantage of my cell phone camera, and pulled over to take a picture of something interesting, that caught my eye, or even just made a journal note mention of it?

My dear friend is in London right now, visiting her son who is doing a three month college abroad stint. I'm excited for her, and envious at the same time as she will experience things I remember well, and want to experience again. Her pictures so far have me smiling! Still, I equally got a smile on my face seeing Jane from Crabapple Landing post her recent woodland walk. Jane has that spirit of adventure, and I look forward to her planning her trip to Scotland, and traveling vicariously with her when later she blogs about it. It's no secret I want to travel, but in the mean time, I will keep working on developing my own better spirit of adventure, knowing no two days are ever the same; no day gets a do over. Happy Monday. Spirit on!