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Life

July in Photos

August 3, 2017August 2, 2017 Crystal // Dreams, etc. 10 comments
July in Photos

I needed to escape the city. That’s the only way to sum up July.

I found rest (and room to breathe) among trees and animals and (currently) mountains, so I took the opportunity to escape as much as I could throughout July. I hope you like trees and animals too, because you’ll see a lot of them here.

Note – Some of the links in this post may contain affiliate links. This means that if you make a purchase using one of those links I’ll earn a small commission on the purchase at no extra cost to you. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting Dreams, etc.!

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

Sophie is the first to greet me each morning when I stay with my friend/sister in my hometown. She either runs upstairs when she hears me open the door, or she wiggles over as soon as I walk downstairs.

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

And visits to my hometown include lots of time spent with this little guy. He has quite the story. He was born on Good Friday and was doing well at first, but the next day he became really sick. They didn’t think he’d make it, but he pulled through and he’s doing so well today. As you can probably guess, he’s a little spitfire! And he’s the best. 💙 (My friend said when he first got sick she watched his mom lift up one of his ears and it flopped back down. 💔)

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

When she scratches him, he scratches his mama.

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

No makeup, red-faced… this is such a glamorous picture of me. 😂 I was totally up for farm work while I was there, so I took the opportunity to clean stalls. I took a few of these shots and in one you can clearly see the wheelbarrow filled with horse poop behind me.

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

After I cleaned stalls and my friend took the horses out for rides, we gave them baths. I sat down for a minute when she took the second back and he came running over and looked down at me, kinda like he was checking in on me.

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

And then it was time for his bath, along with a sip of water.

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

Each night after a full day of work on the farm we sat down to watch a movie. We watched: Secretariat (loved this one), Aloha (thought this was so weird, but enjoyed it a lot and want to watch it again), and Hacksaw Ridge (really hard to watch, but amazing story).

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

On July 4th we pulled the canoe down and took it out to circle around the lake. And I’d like to point out that the middle picture shows that we initially put the canoe in the water correctly, however when we tried to figure out if we really had put it in right someone by the dock told us it should be the other way. So, we put it in the other way and… that wasn’t right. We literally paddled in circles around the lake, but we had a blast so that’s all that matters, right?

This is also the day my phone took a dip in the lake and I discovered that the iPhone 7 actually is somewhat waterproof. I mean, it wasn’t in the water long, but it took a quick swim and survived.

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

No summer night is complete without s’mores.

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

Back in the city I finally got the tattoo I’ve been trying to get for months. Here he is telling me it’ll feel like a cat scratch.

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

After I took the bandage off a friend asked what it looked like, so I snapped this and sent it off before I left my boss’s house. (My boss drove me and his wife went with me for moral support/picture-taking.)

She said I should write a blog post about my tattoo. I’m not sure if it’s really worth a blog post, since it’s so tiny, but let me know if you’d be interested. I also have a few ear piercings I’ve thought of writing a post about, so let me know if you’d be interested in that.

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

She’s the best. Also, do you know how long I stood there trying to get her to look at me so that I could get a picture of my dog and my hibiscus?

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

There are a few birthdays in my family in July, so of course we celebrated those.

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

My new favorite essential oil combo for diffusing. I’m working on a post on essential oils that I’m hoping to have up next week. I’m not a fanatic when it comes to oils, but I’ve been incorporating them into my daily routine more and more, so I wanted to talk about them from that perspective. Anyway, these two smell delicious. (PS – this is my diffuser and I absolutely love it!)

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

My dad and I went out for breakfast at Turtle Bread one morning. It was delicious and I highly recommend going if you’re in Minneapolis. It was one of the perks of spending a little bit of time in that city in July. (I was going to link to their website, but it wasn’t working when I pulled it up.)

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

My morning beverages: coffee, water, and a green smoothie.

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

“Do I want to assist in the kitchen today or not?” – Little One

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

For a long time I felt stifled creatively, in part due to the environment I was in. My creative funk last year came from the realization that my creative pursuits were suffering because of it and that’s when I knew it was time to leave my job. I thought leaving would open up the creative gates and I’d be on a role with writing in no time. I’m sure it comes as no surprise to everyone else that it doesn’t work like that, and it was still hard to get back into writing. I’m really grateful that I had signed up for a writing class this summer, because it forced me to sit down weekly and write instead of avoiding it because of how hard it was. This was the day that I went to a coffee shop and wrote 1000 words for an assignment in about an hour. It felt like such an accomplishment, because until that day it had taken me at least a day to write the shortest assignment. And I had the desire to work on other projects I’ve had on the back-burner for far too long. Creative inspiration, it feels good to be friends with you again.

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

Homemade pizzas are the best pizzas. (Just don’t tell the pizza from June in Photos, because I love that one too!)

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

My city break was short-lived and my family gathered at my brother’s. I also had the chance to see one of my aunts and a cousin. I haven’t seen them for so long, so it was nice to catch up.

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

It was also so nice to bring Little One along on this city break, even if she spent part of the night hiding out from my canine nephew, Tino. He wanted to play, but she wasn’t having any of it. I can’t say I blame her, he’s a jumpy puppy and she’s quite a bit smaller than him!

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

I saw some deer (mama and baby) while I was hanging out the deck, we had a nice night cap, and my sister-in-law gave me a tour of their property. It was a fun time!

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

And then it was back to see Miss Sophie and the horses, this time with my niece. She loves horses and had said that she’d enjoy a visit to see them.

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

We met up with my childhood best friend and her children for swimming and dinner at Chili’s.

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

My niece got to ride one of the horses and we took her out for lunch at Belts’, which is the best ice cream place ever.

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

Another perk to spending a little bit of time in Minneapolis: coffee at Misfit. Look them up if you visit Minneapolis and see where they are. This was the Cocoa’Matcha Latte, so espresso, matcha, and chocolate. And it was delicious.

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

And then it was back to my hometown, where we had homemade ravioli. It was delicious.

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

On the last day of the month we packed up some hay and some of the horses and went off on a little adventure.

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

We brought along this little car essential oil diffuser. You basically put a few drops of oil on the felt pad and put the diffuser on a vent. I was skeptical when I first looked it up, but it actually works! I wouldn’t say you get a constant scent from it, like you would with a normal diffuser, but it was nice to have and when we turned on the car the next morning we could still smell the Lemongrass. Apparently these felt pads are washable, but this was the only time I’ve used it so far, so I haven’t tried washing it.

Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them. // dreams-etc.com

We stopped in Nebraska for the night at a place where we could board the horses in an actual pen and continued on our way the next day.

And the next day it was August, so this is where July ends.

What did you do in July? I’d love to hear and see pictures if you have any!

[Tweet “Let’s catch up! What did you do in July.”]

[Tweet “Trees and animals are good for the soul. July was filled with them.”]

About Crystal

About Crystal

Hi! I'm Crystal, a millennial learning how to live slowly and sustainably, while still seeking adventure and following my dreams, etc.

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10 comments

  1. Beth Kondrick says:
    August 3, 2017 at 10:18 am

    It looks like you had a good month! Sometimes you just need to get away from the normal day to day things. Man I haven’t been to Turtle Bread in ages, I need to get back there.

    Reply
  2. Jordyn Upchurch says:
    August 3, 2017 at 11:20 am

    I loved seeing your escape from the city to the farm! My husband and I own a farm and I’ve had horses for as long as I can remember, they are so fun to be around and they totally relax me. I love it 🙂

    xoxo, SS

    Southern and Style

    Reply
  3. shootingstarsmag says:
    August 3, 2017 at 1:49 pm

    Looks like you had a fantastic July! I’m glad you enjoyed visiting the farm. Your dog is too cute!

    Mmm…I could go for some s’mores right now.

    Love the tattoo!

    -Lauren
    http://www.shootingstarsmag.net

    Reply
  4. Nicole Leith says:
    August 3, 2017 at 2:35 pm

    What a beautiful farm! It definitely looks relaxing and good for the soul. Ms. Sophie is just too beautiful!

    Reply
  5. Lydia Woods says:
    August 3, 2017 at 2:39 pm

    These photos gave me good vibes! I love the sound and look of your July!
    I also adore the concept of this! A month in pictures. I so want to try it! Later on in life I think that will be so special looking through these blog posts and remembering how things were! I love it!

    Reply
  6. Charlotte says:
    August 3, 2017 at 4:49 pm

    Oh, wow! You had such a wonderful month! I love love love all of your photos–animal pictures especially! So glad the horse is doing much better… what a scare that must have been and poor momma <3

    I just told Bryan I want to live on a farm. I thought about it while we were at the animal sanctuary a few weeks ago. I can't begin to imagine the work that goes into it, but what beautiful rewards to see these animals every day, eh?

    Also I'm so glad to hear that writing class inspired your creativity again. I think it's normal to experience funks every now and then… but obviously this is bringing out something within and that's to be celebrated!

    XOXO

    Reply
  7. Lecy | A Simpler Grace says:
    August 3, 2017 at 6:13 pm

    You take gorgeous photos, Crystal! Your pup has the sweetest little face. One of my favorite things is giving ponies baths. They are such gentle giants. Looks like you had a wonderful July!

    Reply
  8. Felicia Renee says:
    August 3, 2017 at 7:24 pm

    I love your photos. This is such a great idea – I never thought about showing my month in photos. Looks like you had a pretty amazing month!

    xx
    The Felicia Renee | a minimalist lifestyle & beauty blog

    Reply
  9. Joy Lynn says:
    August 4, 2017 at 3:34 pm

    What a fun month! You make me miss home. I grew up in the Midwest and moved away from it 3 years ago. These photos are such a beautiful summarization of the simple, beautiful, FULL joys of life there. I have family in New Ulm, but also NE, IA, SD, and WI (and that’s just immediate family haha) May I ask where those pink sunglasses are from? Super cute!

    Reply
  10. Lindsay @ The Flynnigans says:
    August 5, 2017 at 6:04 pm

    I love all of your photos in this post, Crystal. The farm photos are great!! 🙂 I’d love to have a farm if I eve won the lottery. It’s good, honest, hard ass work. 🙂 Thanks for sharing your August with us.

    xoxo

    Reply

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hi!

I'm Crystal, the storyteller behind Dreams, etc. I'm all about learning how to live slowly & sustainably, while also seeking adventure as we follow our dreams, etc.

May 2023. Savannah, Georgia. Lots of Mina. Lots of May 2023. Savannah, Georgia. Lots of Mina. Lots of new growth on plants.
The other day I realized that there is no Savannah The other day I realized that there is no Savannah on my feed and…well, Savannah is beautiful and needs to be there. These were taken in Lafayette Square on my second day in Georgia.
Picture it. It’s the day after Thanksgiving. I d Picture it. It’s the day after Thanksgiving. I didn’t go on my weekly dam walk earlier in the week when I was excited about it. On this day I was tired after a long week and my least favorite holiday. My bed was oh so comfortable. I forced myself to roll out of bed and journey to the dam. It was filled with people and I was pokey…taking my time to get there and even journeying down one of the other paths to avoid walking across the dam. (Which isn’t long.) I finally joined the crowd and walked across. And then came back, happy to have made my weekly journey. This is when the top layer of the water started to freeze.
From March: an old mini vlog from a bagpipe rock c From March: an old mini vlog from a bagpipe rock concert, which is mostly me trying the say bagpipe rock. Some word combinations are hard! 😂 There was a sign asking us not to film, which is why there’s no concert footage.
Some of my weekly dam walks have been therapeutic Some of my weekly dam walks have been therapeutic and while the walks haven’t fixed the problems, they’ve help me breathe and connect with the world and relieve stress. 💕
April 2023. We got more snow, but it also melted. April 2023. We got more snow, but it also melted. The dam was almost overflowing. The animals are beginning to emerge. Spring is here!
Happy Independent Bookstore Day! After a coffee st Happy Independent Bookstore Day! After a coffee stop (of course) a friend and I checks out two indie bookstores that we have never been to before. I definitely want to go back to Uncle Hugo’s and Uncle Edgar’s! Did you do anything for #independentbookstoreday

#indiebookstore #indiebookshop
After watching some shopping ASMR videos I had to After watching some shopping ASMR videos I had to try it.

#asmr #groceryshopping #groceryshop  #asmrvideos
I’m a little behind in weekly dam walk reels. Le I’m a little behind in weekly dam walk reels. Let’s go back to the third week in November when there was just a little snow on the ground and the footprints in the snow seemed notable.
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