Cats That We Know:

crazy garage cat says "Need your lawn mowed?"

Kahlua closeup

Kahlua, the 22 pound cat

Smokey in a trashcan

Smokey sleeping on Luke

Piggy and Samson, mother and son

Kitty

is angry

and will swat you

and she's watching you!

i know everyone is wondering where we are and what we are doing, but we wanted to dedicate a post to all the special cats we've encountered. enjoy

Turkey Run!

"wedge rock"

hmm mysterious

he's at it again

ladders into canyon

huge black walnut tree

this is how us wilderness folk have to bathe!

am i really supposed to go in there?

caveman!

sugar creek

another large black walnut tree

happy blue flowers!

this is what most of indiana looks like

weee!

ran out of bikes at grandma's house, but this is just as good!

luke's old house

we made it to indiana! so far we've gone to grandma's house, seen expansive fields of nothing, and gone to Turkey Run park for hiking! i was surprised at how cool Turkey Run was. trails go along sugar creek and into canyons early settlers found, apparently the rock formations haven't changed much since Ice Age times and resemble what the settlers looked at years ago still. climbing in and around canyons is pretty fun! they had ladders and all kinds of crazy stairs, it was certainly a good work out. other than that we have just been hangin out, playing guitars and banjo, and monopoly. good ol' fashioned family fun!

Last Days in Tennessee

luke's aunt, uncle, and cousin near knoxville

basket with wheels, that's how lazy tennesseans must be

piggy and her son samson at amy and paul's house

and sophie the dog!

we left amy and paul's on monday and drove up to mariville near knoxville tennessee to stay with some of luke's family. that day we did some hiking in the smokey mountains, as seen in the pictures. we hiked along a river and saw lots of waterfalls! also, we saw no bears, which is apparently pretty common. they say they are friendly? i am not so sure...

we enjoyed some mexican food with luke's family and in the morning we were off to indiana...

i've been doing lots of crafting lately, and i am thinking about creating an etsy page to sell some stuff to support our journey! there's a hat i made! still working on more to start a page, but if you already know you want something specific let me know. i can do hats, socks, arm warmers, scarves, etc. have you own little piece of our journey and support our travels!

we are probably leaving cleveland sunday and heading north to Knoxville to visit Luke's aunt and then Indiana to see the rest of his family! its funny, i feel so settled after being here so long, but its exciting to get moving again. its been nice to just have some time to work on creative things and not think about everything for awhile. thanks amy and paul and animal friends for letting us stay with you so long! its been so much fun! i'd say my favorites were roller skating, bonfire with giant marshmallows, and True Blood marathon. i can't wait for season 4!!!! maybe we will come back then to watch it haha!

well, soon to hit the road, more to come!

Hoopy Loopy

i apologize for blog neglection...here's a video to make up for it!

using some LED "fairy lights" from Amy's mom's wedding i crafted some fireside entertainment! i'm thinking i need to make more...the lights come in colors too! if anyone has any interest in possibly purchasing this sort of thing, let me know i would be happy to make you one!

In Case You Were Wondering...

we are still in tennessee. i've felt there hadn't been too much excitement to post about. i'm noticing that it is very hard for me to not do anything and be ok with it, and Amy says maybe that's why we are here. i need to relax! its ok to do nothing sometimes. and i guess we are still doing lots of things! its just at a tennessee pace. lots of dog walking/running, dinner cookin, couch sittin, True Blood watchin, and just plan hangin out. i feel much more adjusted to southern life vs. california extreme fast pace life already. i've realized i got sucked into the "you must be doing something at all times, and really fast" lifestyle of southern california. so its nice to unwind and remember where i came from! i'd lost my southern accent and started to think i was actually californian!
well ya'll, im not. i am southern! and it feels good. rednecks sure are nicer than you think too. sure, they look at us funny for looking different, but they are just interested to see something new most of the time. its nice living places you feel accepted, but i feel that it is just as important and more challenging and strengthening to be in places where its harder to connect with people because they seem different.
luke's got some work painting already! so we will be here atleast another week. thanks amy and paul for being so hospitable!
amy says she's going to pay me to sing in the choir at church. i am finally beginning my singing career!
its also kind of fun that we don't know anyone here and i don't really have responsibility, so i feel like i'm hiding from the world. plenty of time for me to deepen my relationship with myself, something fast pace life often inhibits. maybe that's why its hard for me to do nothing, i don't want to get to know myself more. which is why it must need to happen and is.
to come: the city of chattanooga experience, white water rafting, cute animal pictures!