Simple/Strong

In honor of Maya Angelou's passing, here is one of her many strong quotes:

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forgot how you made them feel".

So simply phrased, so deeply important.

xo,

Liv

Minimalism

"Edit your life frequently and ruthlessly. It's your masterpiece after all."

-Nathan W. Morris

As the end of the academic year approaches, this seems like a perfect quote to keep in mind. There is so much in life to try, and so much to be excited about! But with all of the distractions we have today, it is easy to drain an hour or two doing something that distracts us from our passions or the task at hand. We're all guilty of this at some point-and sometimes it's good to be distracted anyway. But I loved the way Morris frames this concept; life is a masterpiece. It takes time, and is uniquely ours to enjoy. The way he phrases it adds such value to the idea.

Hopefully with this thought in mind, I'll be more focused as I finish up my finals

cheers,

Liv

Spring Gardening

IN THE SPRING, AT THE END OF THE DAY YOU SHOULD SMELL LIKE DIRT.

-MARGARET ATWOOD

Wednesday Words: Earth day!

Happy Wednesday :)

As many of you know, yesterday was EARTH DAY! Really celebrating the earth should be a constant thing. I could go on and on about conservation, and nature, but quotes might be more meaningful.

“Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's needs, but not every man's greed.”

 -Gandhi

"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better".

-Albert Einstein 

“Here is your country. Cherish these natural wonders, cherish the natural resources, cherish the history and romance as a sacred heritage, for your children and your children's children. Do not let selfish men or greedy interests skin your country of its beauty, its riches or its romance.” 

- Teddy Roosevelt

“The environment is where we all meet; where all have a mutual interest; it is the one thing all of us share.” 

-Lady Bird Johnson

If you're feeling even more earth inspired, here's a few good reads:

Silent Spring by Rachel Carson

Food Rules by Michael Pollen

The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollen 

Wendell Barry (Haven't read anything, but I've heard great things!)

Walden by Thoreau 

Happy trails,

Liv

Words... (but late!)

Goodness! So yesterday I was so caught up with exams and studying I completely forgot that it even was Wednesday. Big apologies, such a rookie mistake :(

But here it is! A day late. And better yet-two quotes :)

The first is from my main man, Einstein. It's such an important tactic to education: explain it simply. Sometimes thinking and doing things simply isn't a bad idea at all. I was at a lecture about omega-3 and omega-6, and the man presenting-while obviously very intelligent-really connected with the audience because he spoke so clearly. There's so much value in simplicity!

The second is not a quote, but really a bunch of words containing great advice. It's an article about knitting! It details some great health benefits and reasons it's a great hobby. Creativity is a beautiful thing.

 Hint, hint, it's a little preview to some upcoming posts!

Happy days!

Olivia  

Exploring

Hello, hello, hello.

So, it's Wednesday! It's been such a busy week, so this will be a shorter entry. But it's a great quote!

 This week I have a little bit more of a story than a quote. I read this article from National Geographic about this amazing man, Andrés Ruzo. He's a young explorer and geologist who grew up being told he "couldn't" do science because he wasn't good at math. But that's just a small part of his story. The BIG part is that he didn't give up. He is living his dream and really accomplishing great things.

His advice was simple, "never, ever, ever give up!". We've all heard that, ever since we were little kids. But why does that simple phrase loose any merit? It shouldn't! When I read his bio, it really inspired me to look past the little things in life that have been getting me down lately. The world is such an amazing place with so many opportunities. Just go for it!

To read more from National Geographic, join online here. You won't regret it! :)

Keep Exploring,

Liv

Thoreau

Happy Wednesday!!

This week I wanted to share a quote by Henry David Thoreau. I was between a few, but when I stumbled upon this one again, it seemed just perfect.

"An early morning walk is a blessing for the whole day"

-Henry David Thoreau 

I love this because it's so fitting as the weather begins to change. It's finally thawing outside and brightening up! It's exciting and totally rejuvenating. Still, it's a busy time of year and it can be hard to fit in some time for a walk, even a short time. And even some days it still feels a little too cold, or rainy out! Yet, there's so much truth in Thoreau's words. I was really inspired to  get out and explore the cemetery on campus. I can't believe I hadn't gone there before! Here's some snaps from my mini adventure:

It may seem a little spooky, but I love exploring old cemeteries. They are naturally melancholy places, but contain a lot of beauty too. Gravestones can be so ornate or so simple, so detail-oriented or plain. It's like an another art form. Mount Auburn Cemetery is one of my favorite cemeteries, particularly because of all of the beautiful trees scattered throughout. My family used to explore cemeteries a bit when I was younger. I've been to Mount Auburn many times; my parents love walking and trees, so it's a great combination! These pictures are from late January.

I hope you all enjoy the spring air!

Liv 

Wednesday Words

Each Wednesday, I want to publish a quote that inspires me. I hope it'll be a nice pick-me-up during the week for you all. I know I could always use one!

I'll start with Matisse:

"Happy are those who sing with all their heart, from the bottoms of their hearts. To find joy in the sky, the trees, the flowers. There are always flowers for those who want to see them".

 Doesn't that just get you excited for spring? It feels like winter will drag on forever sometimes. But there's always way to find joy, especially in the little things :)

Today is was a bitter day, with temperatures at a little above 30 degrees. Of course, we've had temperatures like this many a time. But when it's the end of March, and it's terribly windy, and I had to wake up at 6:15 am (on my spring break!) to drive to work (in our unheated car), 30 degrees seemed awful! But today ended up being a really nice, productive day. I love how cold weather starts up such lively conversations! Customers kept coming in wearing there winter coats, zipped to their chins, and looking very happy to be inside. There's really nothing like it. To end the day, my mother made a delicious, fresh dinner and my family had great conversation, as always. There really are flowers everywhere.