I'm just trying to walk myself home.
We took our Camino Theme of Live The Way to heart when it came to stopping for photographs. We felt the freedom to stop for anything along the trail that we felt was beautiful. After years of walking trails with the men in my life, being able to stop whenever I feel like it is a …
While walking along The Way, every night we needed somewhere to sleep. A place to lay our heads and rest our weary bones. Sometimes it was a cabin on a farm, set back from the farmer’s vineyard and vegetable garden. And then he would feed us from his farm. Sometimes it was a room with a sunset view …
I’ve already mentioned that part of how we embraced our theme of Live The Way was that we stopped constantly. On our third day, we had fewer miles to cover so we just meandered from one stop to the next, and were treated with wonderful surprises all day long. This is the story of Day …
Ringing bells call pilgrims to the Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela. From east, west, north, south the doors are open and the people pour in. The church fills more bodies than seats. Folks wander and wonder looking up and spinning around taking photos taking it all in. People start settling against columns and along walls. …
If there is a better-marked trail in the world than the Camino de Santiago, I would love to know about it. The seashells, crosses and yellow arrows appear constantly along the path. You can see them on the ground. They are crafted with mosaics or set into paving stones. They are painted on signs for …
Your credencial or the Pilgrim’s Passport is an essential part of walking The Way. We were told that we would need our first stamp from one of the three churches in Sarria, where we were beginning our journey. Up on a hill we found a monastery, a place for pilgrims to worship and pray, as well …
On a bright June morning, somewhere in Spain, I set out from a hotel with three friends. We followed the vague instructions of our host and wandered the streets of Sarria in search of a well worn trail. The Camino de Santiago. After spying a couple of bikers with seashells, we picked up our pace …
Standing at my gate in Madrid Waiting to board a flight to Santiago de Compostela I first spotted them Scallop seashells Dangling from the backpacks of pilgrims With tears involuntarily filling my eyes I watch these souls, a group of girlfriends a mother and daughter a man all alone a gray-haired couple Fellow pilgrims, my …
Friends! Are you asking yourself how it could possibly already be August? Yes, me too! I quickly chronicled our July wanderings for my last two posts, because I knew that I was holding onto quiet days in August for opening up the treasure box that is my memories of The Camino de Santiago in June. …
Our second week of walking new trails in Scotland was on the Kintyre Peninsula in Scotland. My sister and her husband, Robert, and their three kiddos were in town in July for two weeks. The first week we spent in and around Aberdeen, and then we rented a second car and headed west. We stayed …
Friends! The end of the summer is upon us! I lament the end of this season every single year, and it’s gotten worse since we moved to Scotland because of the horrible dread of the shorter days around the corner. So instead of nursing my melancholy that the best of 2015 is behind me, I’m …
Chasing Daylight in July has been all about being outside with friends and family. Some of the those days have been drop dead gorgeous. But most of them have seen at least a few hours of rain. However, the weather has not stopped us from making the most of our kids’ short summer holidays. As …
The spring and summer months are so full around our house that sometimes I move from one event to the next without fully processing the first one. That is a little bit how it was to go from the Speyside Way in the middle of May to the Camino at the beginning of June. But …
I really can’t believe it but 2015 is half over already. What even? The way time moves so. very. fast. is part of why I love doing these monthly outdoor challenges, because even if the month is over before I blink, I can still look back on these cards and my days of walking and …
Chasing Daylight in July should not be hard. The days are long and the walking opportunities abound! We are currently in the Lake District and later this month, we will spend a week on the Kintyre Peninsula (West Coast of Scotland), so I hope to wrack up the steps on my FitBit and discover some new …
My Mama Polly Stone-cold sober, she was more free in spirit than most people are three sheets to the wind. I won’t be able to be at her memorial service today, but as my family has gathered photos and stories back home, I have been thinking about all my grandmother has given to me over …
It’s been rainy and cold in Aberdeen for days. Like, how can it even be summer? I turned my heat back on a couple of days ago. Simon and I have been building fires in the backyard while my family sends me whiny texts about the heat in Arkansas. Cray. The highlight of our week …
Excuse me, miss, can I help you? I knew I was in trouble by the tone of his voice, but I was buying time. Um, no, actually, I don’t think so. I answered meekly. He came back with, What are you doing, exactly? Me: Well, we’re just walking down this road. (stating the obvious) And, …
We had expected to be at the end of the day’s walk by 5pm. We got an early start on our fifteen mile day, heading out under blue skies that promised to turn rainy later in the afternoon. We reached our highest point before lunch. All downhill from here, I thought. Piece of cake. I …
Back in April, when the whether was delightful and my mama was in town, I fell in love with a new bit of Scotland’s east coast. The walk begins near Cruden Bay, where we found a wee boat with my mama’s name on it: Julie! Blue skies + rugged coastline + castle ruins = …