Miss Independent

Contrary to popular belief, Independence (mine in particular) was not a phase to be grown out of but instead a way of life to bloom into.

I have crystalline clear memories of fighting my mum tooth to nail on outfit selections when I was getting ready for my busy days in "Smile Class" (aka: preschool).  She would be red-faced and flustered by the end of the "time to get dressed" ordeal and I would either be puffed up & proud as a peacock for my victory or totally distraught because my creative freedom was being stifled. (It's no wonder my parents decided to put me in an elementary school that wore uniforms.  She saw the red flags and flashing lights and she yielded to them.  Her days of wrestling a 4 year old with the will of a rhino were over. Well played, Mum.)

As the wonder years progressed, so did my desire to stretch boundaries.  Let's keep in mind I didn't really grow up in an overly strict household, so the boundaries that I speak of were pretty reasonable.  However, my evolution to Miss Independent didn't really pay homage to the good old boys of R&R (Reason & Rationale).  Instead I was bursting at the seems to go-go-go and good luck to anyone that muttered "no", "not a good idea", "you probably shouldn't do that" or anything that resembled a warning to move ahead with caution.

(I should add that in addition to a burning flame of independence, I was also host (still am) to the fun, the daring, the always exciting Defiance and Curiosity!)

Now it's really time to party!!!!

Now that my motley crew of characteristics is out of the bag you can imagine what an exciting journey it's been.  High School hiccups and my Twenty-somethings filled to the brim with trip-ups segued beautifully into Mistake Mania and the Who Knew Hullabaloo.  But in the end, I wouldn't trade any of it.  None of the wrong turns, detours, the "are you kidding, how did you even get here?"s.  Not even the what-ifs (though I must admit that those make me pause on occasion).

So what's the bottom line?  Well, life has been far too juicy for me to trade any of it in. My independence lead the way along with my defiance and my curiosity.  Was it easy? No, it wasn't. Was it a direct route?  Absolutely not. In fact, it might have been the most indirect route possible to where I am today. Was I a nightmare for my parents, siblings, level-headed friends and my sweetheart of a fiancé?  You bet your ass I was.

But that's all part of what makes me, Me.  You have to give me the room, the space and sometimes the time to get there on my own.  Don't try to change me, don't try to talk me out of it (we all know that's code for talking me into it, anyway) don't try to dissuade me just because.  All I need is a little belief and I'm certain I'll make it to the point where your path crosses with mine (unless I took a detour, then we might have to rejig the plan...but you get what I'm saying, right?).

As a parting gift to all my friends who share their lives with my fellow Independent Spirits, take a deep, cleansing breath, smile and have a little faith. And when those moments appear when you might need a little more than faith, just remind yourselves that free spirits are not meant to be wrangled.

:: Always from under the same sky ::

Tara

Imagery courtesy of (from top to bottom):

"Miami Supreme" by Tara Mazzeo

"Little T" by Tara Mazzeo

"Do Not Enter" pin via Pinterest

"Curiosity" by Jon Bertelli

Little Dancer George W. Gardner Photography - Gallery - New Orleans, Louisiana. 1972

"A little bigger T" by Tara Mazzeo

Cecil Beaton quote via http://mrsamberapple.tumblr.com

Trail of Turquoise

My best friend introduced me to the white sands, swaying palm trees and turquoise waters of Florida when I was 13 years old.

It was on a sweltering August day that my plane touched down with a thud.  I unbuckled my seatbelt and thought to myself "I made it!".  It's all I could do not to clap my hands and shout in glee, like the child I was trying so desperately not to be.

As passengers began to spring to life, I stuffed my camera filled with prized images of clouds (it was my first flight, give a kid a break) into my carry-on and with all the strength my tiny frame and oversized ego could muster, dragged my loot toward the exit.

After being collected by my best friend's family at baggage claim, we made our way outside.  It was within a few steps and one upward glance that I was greeted by two things I had been anticipating for some time: The majestic sight of my very first palm tree and the wall of humidity I thought I might have to scale in order to get to the parking lot.

For that moment, I stood there, giddy with excitement and without doubt, head-over-heels in teenage love.

As my years and story unfolded, my love affair with Florida never faded. There was no doubt that we were in a long-term, long-distance relationship, Florida and I. Time was split, a weekend here, a week there, always pining for the next visit. Always flirting with the idea of moving there "next".

As always, The Universe has an amazing way of working things out because somehow, someway "next" happened.  I no longer have to rendezvous with my sweetheart.  Now, I'm here, full time, soaking in the smell of dewy grass in the morning, looking up at the swaying palms in pure delight and gazing out at the turquoise waters in as much awe and love as I did through my sparkling teenage eyes.

You might be wondering what the moral of all this is, right?  Well, that's an easy one...

Love lasts, friends.  Don't let anyone tell you differently.

:: Always from under the same sky ::

Tara

Imagery courtesy of (top to bottom / left to right):

Silver-blonde.tumblr.com/post/47038487177/d-o-l-c-e-coconut

Store.mollusksurfshop.com/collections/san-francisco/products/510-hess-lola

The Gingham Owl via Etsy

Sea-gypsy.tumblr.com

Shop.holstee.com

Eatdrinkchic.com/post.cfm/vintage-apothecary-bottles-free-labels

Colorfulvansanddarktans.tumblr.com/post/6047434965

Cardigansandcookies.tumblr.com/post/12666175466

Road Trip, Baby

How many of us have said: "I'd love to drive 'cross country someday"?  

If you nodded your head or raised your hand that means we are one in the same tribe.  

I've had the electric experience of doing this drive a number of times.  Each trip motivated by a consuming desire to see, feel and breathe it all in.  And by "it all" I mean every single thing you could squeeze into a trip all while driving a moving truck, jammed beyond breathing space with everything you own, towing your car behind you and continuously soothing your pissed-off cat with herbal remedies to calm her from the hatred she has pumping through her veins because you are doing this....again.  

Just know that the heavy load, continuous need to stop for gas and the hissing feline sidekick didn't stop me from a constant drip of the word "WOW", the feeling of wonderment or the urge to hop out of the truck and take photos of every-single-thing that made my eyes (and heart) open wider.

Truth be told, I just couldn't soak it in fast enough.  The green pastures, blue skies and friendly cows of Nebraska are vivid in my mind's eye along with hills rolling in like a welcome wagon as you make your way into Wyoming.  And then there's Utah, there's a pocket of space there that literally took my breath away.  I fell so fast and so deeply in love when I think of it today I smile sweetly.

The day I saw amber waves of grain still gives me goosebumps.  I can recall watching it, as I rolled by, completely in awe and saying it out loud as if the lyrics to America The Beautiful were suddenly sitting on my lap.  It's one of my favorite moments. 

The Mars-like terrain tucked in-between the southern California/Arizona border continues to weird me out.  And to date, I have yet to see a sunset that beats that of the Arizona desert.  In my humble opinion, the desert is the King of Sunsets.

Colorado took me by the shoulders (and ego) and gave me a good shake (visualize one of those 1950's fat burning machines).  His steep inclines along with my heavy loaded truck made an ass-kicking recipe for screaming breaks that pitched a fit that could battle any toddler.

Of course, I can't find words to describe the grandiosity of the Grand Canyon. All I can recommend is that you go.

(However, please note:  Do NOT go there driving a 20 foot moving truck towing your vehicle behind it.  At least do NOT go to the North Rim via this monstrosity. I count being able to keep all 8 tires on that incredibly skinny, loop-de-loop, death-defying road one of my luckier days. There was no question that the belly of the canyon was licking its chops just waiting for a morsel to fall. It's an epic story to tell but let's just say that I'm well aware I'm here today simply because Lady Luck was squeezed into the cab of the truck, alongside me, as we each wiped the sweat from our brows.)

You see, the thing is, I could keep sharing little bits of nostalgia from each mark on my Map Of Travels but that's not exactly the purpose of this post. The purpose of this post is to spark some inspiration in you so you can go and start marking your own map with pin drops of memories.

This great country has so much personality and so much variety that makes up the collective fabric that is US.  Sure that includes the Big Players like NYC, San Francisco, Miami and Chicago (all of which I love) as well as Boston (the only place I call home).  But I also need to point out that some of the spots that took me by the hand and made a life long impression were far off the beaten path.  They were shy whispers of Americana, not just the flashy big brothers. They included small town smiles and country hand-shakes. These spots were found by taking dirt paths that lead to ghost towns and covered bridges that lead to kaleidoscope mountaintops. These hidden gems were the pieces that really captured me.  

And so, I'm holding onto good ol' Hope here, that this might have you digging out that dusty old list that you labeled "Places To See" so you can giddy up and hit the road!

(Oh, and don't forget to report back. You all know I'm a sucker for epic road trip stories!)

::  Always from under the same sky ::

Tara

Imagery courtesy of (from top to bottom):

Spell & Gypsy Collective

Luna the Sidekick by Tara Mazzeo

America The Beautiful: NCSU Libraries (http://d.lib.ncsu.edu/collections

Vibrating Belt: http://diettogo.com/blog/15-crazy-fitness-contraptions-past-100-years

North Rim by Tara Mazzeo

Pin Dropping 1 & 2  by Tara Mazzeo

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