100 Things in 2017

I completely stole this idea from Kimberly Hasselbrink who borrowed it from Austin Kleon. (Sidebar: If you are not familar with either of these creatives I highly recommend them. The former has beautiful seasonal recipes and sage words and the latter inspires me to keep pushing myself to live a creative life).

As I get older, I find myself reflecting more and more on where I was three years ago on this day (Washington) and five (Grand Canyon). It’s possible, my thoughts drift here too often, but it’s also helping me to see the rich tapestry of the 33 years I have lived thus far. The gratitude grows and so does my thinking that I am doing pretty ok at this whole living thing. Last week, I was in upstate New York, yet again not in Montana this time of year–have you heard about our springs?–I saw Kim’s post. Immediately, I began to make a list of my 100 things for 2017.  It was a really good year. I became more ‘me.’ And most remarkable were all the small moments, whether they were in my own garden, basement kitchen or in a coffee shop in magical Budapest. What I fell in love with in 2017 more wholly were the little things. In big ways, 2018 is being shaped by 2017 realizations that checking the progress of my spinach seedlings is what most inspires me to jump out of bed in the morning. That and peanut butter hot chocolate. Here are a few tidbits of joy–big and small–and because it’s me of course some of the hard stuff that now with hindsight I feel much more grateful for.

1. My first real trail run. I crushed it. And I don’t ever use words like that, but I did. 14 miles, 7 of which were up the trail. Coincidentally, the same day that my long term boyfriend moved out.
2. Lunch at Mák in Budapest.
3. Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate.
4. That cocktail at Pujol.
5. A surprise 6 minute PR at the Bozeman half marathon (which I almost did not show up for because I didn’t believe in myself or my resiliency after a month of rocky training).
6. Baking sourdough bread–the joys and the frustrations.
7. Daffodils.
8. The Mountain Project.
9. Taking an online writing class and finishing it.
10. The end of a relationship.
11. Laying in the dirt on Pete’s Hill at 11pm the day after my 33rd birthday.
12. Tuesdays at the Bogert Farmer’s Market.
13. Writing my first post on this blog
14. The cheeseburger I ate in Vienna.
15. The sachertorte I ate in Vienna.
16. While we are on the subject of food, this cardamom pastry knot I had in Budapest at Artizán Bakery. I want to eat that every day.
17. Sharing one of my greatest shames with those closest to me and that shame losing some of it’s power over me.
18. Walking in my neighborhood on summer evenings.
19. Standing in the street on summer nights looking up at the sky and announcing I am here, I am alive. Thank you Petie for reminding me of that fact.
20. Mornings on my porch with a hot drink, toast and my favorite cookbooks.
21. Falling back in love with photography.
22. Reading more.
23. Running 24 miles in the mountains in the Bangtail Divide Race. My first comeback race.
24. Winning a Junebug award for one of the best wedding images of 2017.
25. Dancing in the rain at my childhood best friend’s wedding.
26. So many friends eating meals in my home with me.
27. Buying a plane ticket to France on a whim because a friend asked if I wanted to come along.
28. Small Business Saturday shopping with my mom–there was a cocktail and laughter and all the things my mom and I love.
29. Drinking beer with my mom at 10am on a week day. (Not on Small Business Saturday).
30. More pancakes, especially the zucchini bread ones. .
31. Eating ice cream from Pink’s in Kauai. It is so damn good. Go there.
32. Running in Maui before the sun came over the mountains. Maybe a runner’s high moment, definitely a moment of I had no idea running could bring so much joy to my life.
33. Jumping in the pool at 2am with all the guests after photographing one of the best weddings of my career.
34. Running.
35. Meeting Caroline and Beth at Kara Goucher’s Podium Retreat.
36. Riding my bike in dowtown Bozeman.
37. My CSA.
38. Homemade sweet potato nachos with a ‘cheesy’ cashew sauce.
39. A Sunday long run in Mexico City on the closed down streets of the historic district.
40. Eating coconut ‘bacon’ for the first time.
41. My first cortado at Espresso Embassy.
42. The first time I made coffee in my Chemex.
43. An adventure run in Budapest with out an agenda. I remembered why I run and how strong I actually am.
44. Falling in love.
45. Letter writing.
46. Peanut butter toast perfected by the addition of Skyrr super thick yogurt, dried raspberries and cacao nibs.
47. Matcha lattes, peanut butter toast and loud pop music on early Sunday morning drives to the trail head.
48. Making ice cream cake for my college boyfriend’s 36th birthday after over a decade of friendship. Mint chocolate chip with homemade fudge.
49. Lunch picnic dates with my mom.
50. Making the best spicy cilantro cashew dressing and putting it on every grilled salad with squeaky halloumi cheese.
51. Finally getting to make Ashley Rodriguez’s tomato tart that she teased on Instagram last summer. It is in her upcoming book so unfortunately you will have to wait.
52. Supper club in my house and too much wine.
53. Standing on the dock in Bellingham.
54. An ice cream sundae in a waffle cone for my birthday.
55. Eating at Manolin for my birthday with Gina and Chris.
56. Yoga.
57. Doing a work out on a dirt track with frogs singing under the stars in New Hampshire. It was my friend’s childhood track.
58. Ice cream cones in New Hampshire with Catherine.
59. My Uncle Mike’s speech at his daughter, Anna’s wedding in August.
60. Drinking really good wine with my uncle.
61. Telling my truths to Lauren the day after my birthday.
62. Having the courage to find a new therapist and ‘break up’ with my old therapist.
63. Going to the Ballard Farmer’s market for the first time.
64. Tamarind margaritas, tuna tostadas and the green sauce at Entremar.
65. Reading Chasing Slow and reading part of it on just the right day.
66. Talking about Iran and the kind people I met there on a stage in Big Sky.
67. Ice cream at Frankie and Joe’s for the first time. And then all the other times I got to eat it thereafter.
68. Speaking of ice cream, a wine and ice cream date (also Frankie and Joe’s) in Capitol Hill with Whitney.
69. Seattle.
70. Photographing my first wedding in Washington.
71. Niles and Sarah’s day after wedding shoot in Olympic National Park. Photography bucket list item checked.
72. Rich Table annual dinner with Maddie year two. That rib-eye steak with dungeness crab drawn butter. You do not leave the fat behind on that plate.
73. French radishes.
74. Lauren’s very Italian dad teaching her to make pasta in my kitchen.
75. Making a vegetarian meal for my aunt and uncle’s friends in Big Sky.
76. Taking myself on dates to Blackbird.
77. The bread at Blackbird.
78. The chocolate cake I ate at Blackbird both at dinner and then for breakfast the next morning.
79. Beginning the path to healing.
80. The First Mess Cookbook.
81. My second home in Seattle with Gina and Chris.
82. Crabbing in Anacortes.
83. Adventure day with Gina in Edison, Washington.
84. Going to Tartine for the first time.
85. Buffalo milk softserve at Tartine Manufactory.
86. Falling more and more in love mornings.
87. Trying out veganism.
88. Crying.
89. Online dating and so many awkward dates.
90. Running up Mt. Sanitas in Boulder.
91. Asking strangers to join you for lunch in Mexico City.
92. The Merry Fucking Christmas workout at the Mountain Project.
93. Running in -10 degree weather on Sourdough trail on the last day of the year.
94. Discovering running friends, especially Stacie.
95. Spending an afternoon and evening photographing one of my favorite food bloggers and her family.
96. Eating her nectarine salad.
97. Being asked to cook the desserts for your physical therapist’s Christmas party.
98. A new friend who shows up for you.
99. Lunch at Mák in Budapest.
100. Ditching running to bake cookies, banana bread and tahini banana bread muffins.
101. Feeling more like ‘me’ than ever before.

Ok, so it’s 101 things and really this list could go on and on and on and on…Thank you 2017.