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    Rhode Trip! Leaf-peeping in rural Rhode Island

    October 24, 2020 everywherewoman

    On a leaf-peeping tour of rural Rhode Island, my husband and I discovered some of the best autumn scenery in the Ocean State.

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On the road again… I’ve moved so many times that On the road again… I’ve moved so many times that you’d think I’d be a pro by now. But this long-haul move was full of all the usual frustrations. We faced logistical challenges; we got the order of operations wrong; we balked at hidden fees; and on truck pickup day, we got drenched by a surprise monsoon. If there’s one thing I’ve learned in the last 10 years of relocating, it’s this: there’s no such thing as a painless move. All you can do is make peace with the fact that you’re in for a few weeks of hell—boxes and bubble tape everywhere, existential crises, silly tiny fights and painful goodbyes—before the day you pull out of the driveway and a strange sense of calm washes over you.
A look back on 2.5 beautiful, excruciating, sun-so A look back on 2.5 beautiful, excruciating, sun-soaked, heady and frustrating years in northern Arizona 🧡 I’m still processing everything that happened here: the life-sustaining friendships I made amid unending exhaustion and pain; the coworkers who went to bat for me even when I couldn’t bring my best self to the office; the once-in-a-lifetime vistas I took in through bleary, dizzy eyes. In my memory, the good and bad is all mixed up together. The highs were high as the San Francisco Peaks and the devastating lows reached depths rivaling the bottom of Lake Powell. The tension between my best and worst moments here feels somehow appropriate. Arizona is, after all, a land of extremes. I quite miss it.
Savoring (and suffering through) our last weeks in Savoring (and suffering through) our last weeks in Flagstaff 💃 🤕 Last summer was equal parts exhilarating and painful. I will remember it vividly for years to come. On the one hand, I was forming deep ties with my Flagstaff friends. We stayed up late sharing intimate secrets, we took long hikes, we laughed over our pathetic attempts to go "clubbing," we formed a book club that mostly involved wine and workplace gossip, and we cried in anticipation of the next chapter, which would spirit me 1,000 miles away. Underneath all this beautiful bonding, though, lurked the same quiet agony that had dogged me off and on for nine months. The stress of our impending move seemed to exacerbate my mysterious dizzy spells, headaches and joint pain. I woke feeling decades older than my age. Resistance training was too painful, so I switched to 100% cardio and watched what little muscle I had waste away. On some days, even my desk job felt too physically demanding. The worst part: All these months later, I was no closer to a resolution because my doctors couldn't even define the problem. I pestered them for more scans, more tests. I peppered them with questions and theories. Finally, just two weeks before I left, we found a potential smoking gun: chronic sphenoid sinus disease, displayed clear as day on a CT scan. At last, I had the words to describe my problem. But my days in Flag were numbered, and the solution would have to wait.
I spent months mentally redesigning a house I'd ne I spent months mentally redesigning a house I'd never seen in person. Then, in August '25, Ian and I flew out to Seattle and I finally laid eyes on my future home, if only for 36 hours. The place was in bad shape after more than a decade of occupation by chaotic, uncommunicative tenants. Trying to reimagine the place within the confines of a small budget was both exciting and overwhelming. I had no idea how much a gallon of paint costs these days, much less a team of professional painters. Now I understand why DIY home projects have captivated the internet! 🤯
This is the most popular hike in Arizona. Now I un This is the most popular hike in Arizona. Now I understand why! The West Fork trail, located just north of Sedona, boasts that city's same red rocks, PLUS full shade and a water feature—making it a big hit among Phoenicians looking to cool down in the summertime. Over three miles, under a beautiful canopy of pines and cottonwoods, the trail crosses the west fork of Oak Creek 13 times, providing plenty of opportunities to swim, wade or just listen to the flowing water. Pictures don't quite do this place justice. There's something so healing about wading through a quiet creek surrounded by red rock walls and dappled sunlight. If you want to go (and you should!), I would recommend hiking in comfortable sandals like Tevas or Chacos. Unless you're incredibly nimble, it's almost inevitable your feet will get wet—so leave the boots at home and just embrace it! I came away from this hike with some pretty savage blisters; to avoid my fate, you might want to pair your sandals with water socks or come prepared with band-aids. #arizona #sedona #westfork
Some serene moments from a July visit to my hometo Some serene moments from a July visit to my hometown 🌴 It had been eight years since I'd seen Santa Cruz in the summer. I thought we'd be swimming at the beach and eating dinner outside in shorts. I forgot how fickle this time of year can be on the northern California coast: mornings spent socked in fog; highs just reaching 70 if you're lucky; a hoodie at the ready even on those wonderful warm days, just in case. Ian and I agreed that actually, we prefer Santa Cruz in the dead of winter, when the sunshine seems more reliable and the temps feel positively balmy compared to Flagstaff! That said, I loved stopping to admire all the hydrangeas, seeing the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk in full swing and checking out a local Fourth of July parade, which featured more tie dye than stars and stripes. #visitsantacruz #california
As summer dawned in Flagstaff, Ian and I began to As summer dawned in Flagstaff, Ian and I began to draw up plans for a big move north. We were headed back to the city where we met, where this whole journey began: Seattle. We'd already nailed down the "where"—a modest house in the city's far northern reaches, where as renters we'd have the rare opportunity to weigh in on decisions about much-needed updates and repairs. The "when" remained elusive. Timing depended on whether I could keep my job in another state, whether our landlord would give us some grace and how quickly Ian landed work in the PNW—he was already in interviews with some prospects. Throughout the summer, whenever our vague timeframe gave me anxiety, I returned to my "why." Seattle has mild weather, beautiful scenery and great food, but that's not what drew me back. I wanted to return to my incredible, incomparable network of close Seattle friends. Yes, I'd soon lose the sun and the San Francisco Peaks—but I'd gain back a life I'd loved so dearly a decade ago. I could hardly wait for the beautiful reunions to come.
Hi from the edge of the world 👋 Hi from the edge of the world 👋
If you can't stand the heat, get out of Phoenix in If you can't stand the heat, get out of Phoenix in the summer. But if you *can* stand the heat, come to the Valley of the Sun and take advantage of those low-season prices! In Phoenix's busiest times—Spring Training season, for example—a base-level room at the swanky @hotelvalleyho can run you upwards of $500 a night. But in the triple-digit heat of summertime, rates are more like $150. Ian and I drove down to the Valley one scorching weekend to take in a Diamondbacks game, visit the beautiful Heard Museum and try a new restaurant. At check-in, we learned we'd been upgraded to a Tower Suite with a view of Camelback Mountain and a square footage rivaling that of our home in Flagstaff. What a privilege to wake up like this! 🙌🏻
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