Not just a new year, a new era..

It feels good to be writing. It is so true that writing really is a muscle that needs to be worked out and used. December 2015 was one for the record books – getting engaged is exhausting and more thrilling than I could ever have imagined! So I took some time off to savor the special time with my family, fiancé, and friends over all the holidays.

I couldn’t be more excited for 2016 though, both personally and professionally. I have a few writing jobs in the pipe and also a return trip to South Africa coming up in March. I’m looking forward to a lot of writing that will come up surrounding that trip. The main article working title in my mind thus far is “We Need to Talk About Africa…”. I’ve recently experienced some pretty heavy hateful language and misguided opinions regarding hunting in Africa and I think it’s still a topic that really needs to be discussed between hunters and non-hunters in fact-based, science-based, conversations.

2016 is going to bring lots of fun posts as well regarding my formal, outdoors-centric, wedding later this fall (after opening days of deer season, of course) in the Smokey Mountains, Tennessee! It’s going to be, and already has been, tons of fun to think about ways to incorporate our outdoors lifestyle into planning a wedding. I am really hoping to have some of our own game meat served during some part of the wedding (thanks for that inspiration, Eva Shockey). The registry has been one of my favorite new hobbies to work on and if there are any brides-to-be reading I highly recommend the registry site Zola.com. You can add items from their expansive collection or from anywhere online! This is awesome for me as I already own quite a lot of kitchen essentials (no more blenders!) so am adding favorites from great websites such as Kevins Catalog. Looking forward to sharing some great registry finds here.

CN and I are also now looking to expand his our farm in Texas from 100+ acres to hopefully more than triple that which will be a journey i’ll be documenting this year. We are hopeful and excited but prepared for whatever may come our way! Either way, we are really excited to take our gardening to the next level this year in an effort to grow more of our food. I can’t wait for lots of helpful tips and advice from people.

My travel schedule continues to stay at a pretty crazy level which I enjoy but I really enjoy my non-traveling time as well. So I am not attending some of my favorite events this winter – such as the Cowboy Poetry Gathering, SCI, DSC, and SHOT Show. It’s hard to miss out! But I know those shows aren’t going anywhere and i’m looking forward to many more good years attending them in the future. For now, i’m looking forward to a great winter of writing, skiing out west, and fishing down here in Florida.

“The new year stands before us, like a chapter in a book, waiting to be written.”

A favorite photo of us (despite CN’s helmet hair!)

Some wedding inspo!

Amazing

Michigan – my forever home

Texas – my new permanent home!

2015 Instagram Year in Review 🙂

CN proposed with his great-grandmothers ring. She was an amazing woman who travelled from England to New Zealand and back. The ring is from London circa 1904!