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February 28, 2017

- 12 blogs i follow -

     I spend a lot of time reading blogs. On a lazy Sunday afternoon I'll steep some loose leaf tea, prop my feet up and flip open the laptop screen. Before long I get lost in the different worlds of photography, crafting, traveling, living outdoors and so many other lifestyles I love. Because blogging and reading blogs is such a huge part of my life, I'd thought I'd share some of my favorites so you can enjoy them too! It was terribly difficult keeping the list down to 15, but if you're ravenous for more lemme know and I'll send you a looong list!



FARMING + FAMILY
Bundaflicka 
Maggie, (from Maggie's Farm in central New York), keeps detailed accounts of her lovely animals. Her writing captures the joy - as well as the hard work - of shepherding and running her own fiber craft business. Just from reading Maggie's delightful posts, I learned a lot about sheep and Swedish farming. (Notice that our blog names are pretty darn similar?)

Life at Cobble Hill Farm
Whaddya know -- another farm in New York! (Maybe I need to move there.) Staci and her family live on a micro farm and practice a simple, natural lifestyle. They make their own skincare products, raise chickens and bees, and blog about it! Look at her site to see some beautiful photos, get recipe ideas and live vicariously through their stories.

The Vine and Fig Tree
I may be a little biased, but this is my favorite farming/family blog out there. My sister Elissa blogs about their horses, raised garden beds, homemade living and her 6 ADORABLE kids. (I'm a proud auntie :)) You'll love seeing pictures of their cozy Missouri homestead and hearing about the latest equine adventure. You'll become introduced to Peshiwa and Samson and drool over pictures of home-grown food. It will make you want to move onto the +D Ranch.

PHOTOGRAPHY
Fire and Joy
"I was a writer first. Creating new worlds after bedtime, my handwritten words lit by torchlight beneath the sheets. Pouring my heart into my diary on the long bus ride to school. Writing was my outlet for my endless creative energy and an escape from all the emotions I felt. When I was writing everything in the world felt right. Like I was born to tell stories. Then I picked up a camera."
That's how Nirrimi Firebrace introduces herself. She combines her photos with raw, transparent writing - making you laugh and cry right alongside her. Nirrimi lives in Australia with her daughter Alba and travels frequently across the globe.

Rachel Barkman 
Rachel is a photographer based in Canada and her photos are always BREATHTAKING. Whether they are wedding photos, or landscape photos of the Territories, Barkman's artistic work is something to admire. And she owns a Samoyed - which is reason enough to follow her.

Andrew Kearns
Andrew Kearns does photography as his full time job. And he's darn good at it. I usually follow his PNW adventures through YouTube and Instagram, but his blog is also chock full of photo-stories. Most of my photography inspiration is drawn from his work!

TRAVEL
Trekkernaut
My bro-in-law Ben is currently working as a life-coach in Trujillo, Peru - (check out the program SKIP which stands for Supporting Kids In Peru). Ben's blog is an inspiring account of his personal testimonies, world travels and experiences with sports and kids. He address his readers directly - calling them to be "Trekkernauts" - asking us to take a stance and make "sustainable, positive" changes in the world around us. I encourage you to follow his adventures! (Because how awesome is it to live in Peru and make a difference!?)

A Dusty Olive Green
I found this blog by accident when Dad and I spent 10 days in Florence, Italy. The title is almost enough to make me want to move there! Brigitte is Danish but she has lived in Italy for the past 15 years as a blogger and lifestyle photographer. Her photos are lovely, her writing is clear and informative and she artfully captures the romance of Firenze. Jealous. Absolutely jealous.

State of Mind Studio
Cody and Lexi met each other through photography and now they are traveling throughout the country in their van. Their witty posts illustrate the less romantic facets of van life from washing laundry to getting stuck in the snow.



LIVING LIFE TO THE FULLEST

Miranda Leconte 
Miranda Leconte is a young woman working as a U.S. Forest Service Ranger. In a short 3 years she's accomplished several research projects, various wilderness certifications and gained a social media following of 19 thousand people. Miranda uses her knowledge and platform to fight for land conservation; her writing is witty and educational at the same time! Check out her blog and her Insta account too - there are some awesome landscape shots to look at :)

Dirtbag Darling
This outdoor journal for women is comprised of freelance articles and photography. It covers just about everything: rock climbing, kayaking, living out of a van, interviews with #defendersoffun, places to visit and outdoor gear reviews. Look at their site and scroll through some articles -- it will stir up a feeling of wanderlust. If you are a traveling writer, Dirtbag Darling accepts contributions.

Making It Beautiful | Adventures While Passing Through
Sara is an elementary school teacher in Nashville, Tennessee. (Look up Rocketship Nashville School.) She is not only a teacher, but an encourager, an explorer, an artist, a comforter, a brave-heart. Her blog brings to light the beauty of life and the joy of following Christ.