The State of Granite

Happiness.

Pressed flowers. The challenge of the day was to find a picture of something that made me happy, and these natural gems are it. I am lucky. I live on a beautiful campus where rose bushes bloom until November and we still have fall foliage in to the New Year. I still miss New Hampshire, but I have grown to love my adopted state of Arkansas and its natural beauty. As a result, I am constantly collecting flowers. Placing them in note pages for a more exhausted version of myself to find later semester. They delight me in the winter months, when brown is the prevailing hue. They are simple and perfect, providing just the right amount of surprise to a midday homework assignment.

6:30 AM
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Why I Named My Blog, The State of Granite

I realize that if you are not familiar with the deep rocky coastline of New England, you many not understand the meaning behind my blog name. You see, I grew up in New Hampshire—The Granite State. I was born in tiny town where everyone knew my name and I could walk to my school, the library and the general store. I spent most of my summers barefoot and exploring the 97 acres behind my house, picking up tiny salamanders and wading into the marsh. I love New Hampshire. Someday I want to move back and have a big farm house, with chickens and kids running around the back yard. Currently, I live in Arkansas as I finish up my undergrad degree but I'm hoping to move back home come May. That's why I named this blog The State of Granite. Moving back to my home state has been on my heart and I find myself constantly drawing upon my upbringing to inspire my daily life and make decisions about my future. Just as I was in my childhood, I love the simple. I take study breaks in the trees, I find peace on weekend walks in the woods, I pray while laying in the grass and still LOVE curling up by the wood stove. This blog encapsulates this and keeps me thinking about these goals and moving toward where I want to be and who I desire to become.

9:00 AM
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Introduce, recent picture of yourself, 15 interesting facts

15 Interesting Facts About Me

My favorite flowers (at the moment) are paper whites—the pretty white bulbs that bloom in January.

I spend most of my time barefoot.

I probably make an average of 10 different lists a day, I love staying organized.

My favorite place in the entire world is Acadia National Park.

I have listen to every This American Life episode, ever.

I am from a small colonial village in southern New Hampshire.

I moved across the country at age 18, to a state where I knew NO ONE.

I own a very angry, but mostly sweet, Chihuahua.

My favorite scent is that of freshly cut hay.

Ultimate frisbee is my favorite sport.

I LOVE running.

I loose water bottles at an alarming rate.

I compost.

I sleep with literally 5 blankets on my bed. I like to be cozy.

I believe that a night in, with a good book and a wood stove, can solve just about anything.

10:30 AM
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The Two Week Challenge

Hey Everyone!

I hope you enjoyed your weekend! I know I did! Arkansas had some B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L weather and I was loving every minute of it (I even got to hike 3 times which is crazy for this crazy time of year). With the semester starting, I have been falling behind on my blogging (I have a trip to Louisiana planned for next weekend and catching up on my homework has been a bit insane). I also want to take a minute to let you all know a little bit more about me to! That "about" page just isn't enough. Soo...I am going to take a Blogging Challenge. I'll be posting on the 14 subjects below over the next 2 weeks, stay tuned!

Day 1: Introduce, recent picture of yourself, 15 interesting facts

Day 2: Meaning behind your blog name

Day 3: A picture of something that makes you happy
Day 4: Favorite place you've traveled to
Day 5: Goals
Day 6: A picture of you last year - how have you changed?
Day 7: Something you're looking forward to
Day8: Favorite Place to Eat
Day 9: Something you miss
Day 10: Something you've learned
Day 11: Original Photo of the city you live in
Day 12: Something that stresses you out
Day 13: Favorite quote
Day 14: a picture of yourself this day and 5 good things that happened since you started the challenge

10:16 PM
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Sproutin' Sprouts

Alfalfa sprouts are the best. You can put them on your salad and in your sandwich, it's a perfect green to keep around the house and it is super versatile. Also, it is VERY easy to grow! All you need to do is buy some alfalfa seed (this is a good brand here). Then you place 2 Tablespoons of the seeds in the bottom of a mason jar and cover them in a few inches of luke-warm water. Then, cover the lid of the jar with some cheese cloth and use a rubber band to secure it to the top with a rubber band. Leave it over night and then pour off the water in the morning. Rinse the seeds. Then use a butter knife to spread the seeds along the side of the mason jar and place the jar on its side. Put the jar in a sunny window and within 3 days you should have some delicious sprouts. After the sprouts have reached the desired size, cover the mason jar with a lid and place it in the fridge. The sprouts should last for about 3 days and are SUPER great on just about any sandwhich you can imagine ;)

8:32 PM
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Removin' The Toxins

There are tons of toxins in the air—they come from our cleaning products, machines and the outputs of those around us. As many of you know, air purifiers are expensive and can often costs hundreds of dollars. That said, there are alternative solutions. Houseplants are very affordable and can be picked up at your local Lowes or HomeDepot. They remove toxins from the air and can make your house look warm and inviting, even in these dark days of winter. Here are some of my favorite houseplants, they are cheap and effective at making your house more safe and breathable.

Aloe. I LOVE these plants. They are perfect in a kitchen windowsill and you can cut them to use on cuts and burns. Plus, they remove toxins such as formaldehyde and look great while doing it.
Spider Plant. These are great on a coffee table or night stand. They are easy to care and safe to have around your pets.
Golden Pothos. These are classic plants. You can keep them in your office or next to your computer and they are a perfect way to add a little greenery to a bland room that might not get as much sun.
English Ivy. These plants are great because they are SUPER cheap and can be bought almost anywhere (including Walmart and other stores like that). They are great and if your looking for a plant that is hard to kill, this one is it.

6:58 AM
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Magnolia Market

Hey everyone! I hope that ya’ll are having a great week! All this work has me thinking about more care-free days and I realized that I forgot to post the pictures from the little Texas road trip that I took last week. On my way back to school, I took a little detour and flew into Austin to meet my boyfriend and we made our way back to Arkansas. On the way we took a few stops—trying to find the best in some familiar Texas towns. By far, the best gem we found was The Magnolia Market at the Silos! Made by Joanna and Chip Gaines (the creative geniuses behind HGTV’s show Fixer Upper, which I am obsessed with) this store is in the heart of Waco and serves as the perfect stop on a long road trip. There are tons of local food trucks, a garden, a big lawn and, of course, The Magnolia Market. There were tons of homewares and beautiful jewelry pieces in the store but I walked away with an adorable goat t-shirt :) My boyfriend was great about poking around and the place had a great atmosphere! Take a look for yourself!