Category: Blog

  • Simplify Continued…

    Simplify Continued…

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    The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak. โ€“ Hans Hofmann

    This week I’m continuing to focus on keeping it simple.

    When our mind is cluttered, it’s almost impossible to be creative or to know what we truly want. When we don’t know what we want, we get pushed around like a pinball in a machine instead of intentionally doing what feels right. When that happens, we get out of alignment with ourselves and that’s when anxiety kicks in.

    Give yourself time to clear your mind, even if it’s 10 minutes in your backyard.

    XO

  • Keep It Simple – Westwood Hills Nature Center – Minnesota

    Keep It Simple – Westwood Hills Nature Center – Minnesota

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    Keep it simple.

    Theย best things in life are right in front of you.

    I hear people say all the time that they wish they could do this or that based on what they see on social media. Today’s “Mondays are for daydreaming” post is a reminder to put your phone down and see the inspiration all around you. Yes, we can get inspired by what we see on social but if we are getting sad or comparing ourselves, we need to step back and keep it in perspective. We have to remember that everyone has different priorities and different lives but that doesn’t mean ours is less or more.

    It’s all about our view.ย ย 

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    The little things that we take for granted.

    Sitting on a patio, the flowers in our backyard, or a walk through a neighborhood park. I was thinking about this a lot after recent conversations and as I walked with Terry through Westwood Hills Nature Center.

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    Westwood Hills Nature Center is a 160-acre natural area featuring marsh, woods, and restored prairie. The preserve is beautiful throughout the seasons and provides homes for many animals, including deer, turtles, fox, mink and owls. (from Westwood Hills Nature Center’s website)ย 

    They also offer many programs, camps, and activities run by professionally trained naturalists. It’s a little piece of heaven in the middle of the city.ย  A perfect spot for kids AND adults to play and learn.

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    We saw so many turtles! The more we looked, the more we saw.

    The next time you’re feeling uninspired, take a walk. A slow walk. Take a few deep breaths and look around. Take your shoes off and put your feet in the grass. Even just 20 minutes outside can help stress and anxiety.

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    Literally, stop and smell the flowers.

    Have a great start to your week and remember to keep it simple!

    Your life is full of abundance.

    XO

    #iPhonePhotography #WhatStirsYourSoul

     

  • Best Restaurants in Kanab, Utah

    Best Restaurants in Kanab, Utah

    Best Restaurants in Kanab, Utah

    Kanab, Utah is the perfect home base while visiting one or all of the Mighty Five National Parks (Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Zion). It’s also close to Lake Powell, the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and so much more. Theย list goes on and on! On top of our list is volunteering at Best Friends Animal Society. Here is our list of the best restaurants in Kanab.

    1. Vermillion 45 is a new casual French/Italian bistro. The food was spectacular! We have come to expect the unexpected in Kanab and Vermillion 45 fits right in. We loved the casual vibe and the open kitchen. The owner, Walt, was walking the restaurant and chatted with guests every time we were there. We really enjoyed talking with him and that level of service. Vermillion 45 is down-to-earth fine dining.

    Best Restaurants in Kanab, Utah - Vermillion 45
    Fricassee De Legumineuse En Gratin – Vermillion 45

    Sego Restaurant and Chef Shon in Kanab, Utah

    2. I dream about Sego Restaurant all year and Chef Shon’s deep fried soft boiled egg. It is heaven! Chef Shon is magical in the kitchen and Sego is such a special place from the food to the service. It’s our date night go-to. They have the best charcuterie boards and we love the social style of dining.

    Sego Restaurant, Kanab, Utah
    Best Restaurants in Kanab, Utah
    Charcuterie Board – Sego Restaurant
    Sego Restaurant, Kanab, Utah
    AZ. Beef Filet – espresso chili rub, ancho & agave steak sauce, horseradish cream sauce, s.w. parmesan potatoes – Sego Restaurant
    Best Restaurants in Kanab, Utah
    Grilled Caesar – romaine, caesar, fried egg, parmesan – Sego Restaurant

    Best Vegan Pizza in Kanab, Utah

    3. I wouldn’t have believed it if you told me that I would LOVE the vegan pepperoni pizza at Peekaboo Canyon Wood-Fired Kitchen. Peekaboo’s items are all vegetarian or vegan recipes. They opened my eyes to vegetarian food. Peekaboo is our favorite spot to dine al fresco for lunch.

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    Half avocado topped with quinoa and lime-cilantro vinaigrette.
    Vegan Pizza Kanab, Utah

    4. When in Kanab, you have to stop at the Rocking V Cafe! Not only for the food but for the art. The owner, Victor, is always there to greet the guests and will put a smile on your face. It’s the perfect spot to kick off your trip with a fun atmosphere and yummy food. Visit Victor’s Instagram page at @rockingvcafe to see all the PORKCHOPPERS.

    Best Restaurants in Kanab, Utah

    5. New to us this year but not new is Wild Thyme Cafe. Two words: Corn Bread.

    Best Restaurants in Kanab, Utah

    Lunch at Best Friends Animal Society

    Bonus number 6! Best Friends Animal Society offers a $5.00 vegetarian lunch buffet every day. It’s so good and feels like home. We love their salad bar!

    Best Friends Animal Society Lunch Kanab Utah

    Last little bonus but not least because it’s the only way to start the day. ๐Ÿ™‚ Our two favorite coffee shops – Willow Canyon Outdoor Company (Again very unexpected but that’s what we love about Kanab) and Kanab Creek Bakery.

    Check out the best pet-friendly lodging in Kanab, Best Friends Roadhouse.

    ยฉ What Stirs Your Soul Media

  • Visitors Passing Through

    Visitors Passing Through

    We are all visitors to this time, this place. We are just passing through. Our purpose here is to observe, to learn, to grow, to love, and then we return home. -Australian Aboriginal

    #QOTD #WHYIHIKE

    ยฉTracyBlowers

  • Restaurants – Driggs, Idaho – Teton Valley

    Restaurants – Driggs, Idaho – Teton Valley

    Big Hole Bagel & Bistro was our first stop for breakfast in Driggs, Idaho. It’s so cozy and offers 100% organic locally roasted coffee from around the world! I loved the veggie omelet with the addition of avocado. The building is historic and has been part of Main Street for over 100 years. There is a full bakery in-house so the bagels are baked fresh every morning! Isn’t the front door cute?

    One of the things that I love most about traveling is researching and planning the trip. I kept reading awesome reviews about Rise Coffee House. They have a lovely outdoor patio with a nice lawn area to sit and sip your coffee. The morning that we stopped in there was an acoustic guitar player which made the atmosphere perfect. I could have sat there all day. Try one of their mouth-watering pastries!

    Forage Bistro & Lounge was another restaurant that I added to our list while researching Teton Valley. The food was incredible!! Look at this pork chop that Terry devoured. It was so good, he literally ate every last bite. The service was superb and we can’t wait to visit again! They also recently opened a brewery called Citizen-33. We will check it out in August and put up a blog post.

    The owners of the townhome that we rented through VRBO told us that we had to check out Music on Main in Victor. Music on Main is on Thursday nights. This summer the dates run June 20th through August 15th, 2019 (No shows on July 4th). We had a blast! It felt like a family picnic. Everyone was so friendly and there was so much good food to choose from. Plus if you’re planning on drinking, there is a shuttle provided by Grand Targhee Resort with pickups in Alta, Wyoming at the resort and in downtown Driggs.

    Last, a great option for cooking at home! A fun story about how we found barrels & bins community market. We stopped at The Coffee Pot Bakery and Cafe in Bozeman, Montana on our way through to Driggs. I started chatting with one of the employees and she told me that she was from Driggs, Idaho. She said she previously worked at barrels & bins and that we should check it out. I always love recommendations! We ended up going there every day for fresh pressed juice. The juice is truly made fresh so don’t be in a rush, it’s worth the wait. It was also wonderful to buy our groceries from local farms.

    *There’s also a Farmer’s Market every Friday throughout the summer in downtown Driggs. We found some wonderful local jam, bakery items and had fun talking with the locals. There’s a lot of beautiful crafts too!

    We still have so much to explore on the “quiet side of the mountains”. We are headed back in August and I can’t wait to share more with you!

  • Teton Valley – Grand Targhee – Bluegrass Festival

    Teton Valley – Grand Targhee – Bluegrass Festival

    Driggs, Idaho is a hidden gem! โœจ

    We always travel through the Teton Mountain Range on the east side and stay in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. We started hearing great things about the west side and the Grand Targhee Resort music festivals. Their annual bluegrass festival has been happening for over 30 years. We couldn’t wait to check it out!ย 

    Processed with VSCO with g4 presetGrand Targhee is located in Alta, Wyoming, just over the Teton Pass from Jackson Hole. On the way, you travel through Victor and Driggs, Idaho. Driggs is only 12 miles from Grand Targhee and it’s where we stayed. We rented a townhome through VRBO which was a first and great experience.

    We arrived on Thursday before the festival and we were pleasantly surprised to hear about Music on Main in Victor, Idaho just down the road. We loved the sense of community, the fantastic food, and music. It was a perfect first night!

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    The bluegrass festival runs Friday through Sunday. It was so awesome to see some of our favorite bands in such an intimate setting! Fruition, I’m With Her, Marty Stuart and more. We were impressed with how the festival is organized and it’s the perfect size. Not too big, not too small and still a nice family adventure.

    We can’t wait to go back this year!

    Tip because we love them so much: The ENO loungers! I have neck issues and the high backs are so nice. They are super easy to set up, lightweight and have a great carrying bag. Plus cup holders!

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    Besides music, there are endless things to do in Teton Valley. Hiking, biking, floating down the river, hot air balloon rides, incredible food, and gorgeous sunsets.

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    Forage Bistro was one of our faves!

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    To learn more about traveling to Teton Vally, check out theย Visit Idahoย or That’s Wyoming websites. << click names to visit.

    ยฉTracy Blowers

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

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