Another post. Wahoo - maybe I am back on track. So before I start I just got exciting news that I have to share. My book is up as a finalist for the student competition on blurb! Vote for me! Please?! I would really appreciate it.

Check it out

here

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There is a little button underneath where you can vote if you want to! Thank you, thank you, thank you. So excited about this.

Okay, next task to cross off. I know I uploaded no stop motion animation on Friday, but nature was not working with me. I actually started it on Tuesday (anticipating our first sunflower to bloom) but it takes a long, long time (even after it looks ready to burst). Who knew?! So in spite of it, I did a first preview movie. The tripod is up, yet again, waiting for this thing. I would have lost a ton of money had I bet on the bloom date for the sunflower.

Me and the man went to Shenandoah National Park this weekend for the first time and it was BEAUTIFUL. So happy we bought the annual pass. Can't wait to get there in the fall :)

I know you all our jealous of our adorable hats/hiking outfits.

So I witnessed the worst storm since I've been here and possibly the worst storm I have ever seen the other night. I swear at one point, while we were looking out our sliding glass door leading out to the balcony, you could not see anything with all the wind/hail. We are lucky we didn't get any damage (though Anthony felt a bit of a buzz in his hand from the door - we're guessing from the nearby tree getting struck by lightening). When the rain lightened up a bit, we finally went to walk Tessa and it really did look like the end of the world with all the trees down. I think Tessa was quite confused. I of course continued shooting my sunflower during the storm and as strange as it is (keep in mind we had hundreds of trees/branches down) our sunflower had a growth spurt overnight, with only one cracked lead stem, because of the storm! Check out the picture before the storm, during, and after (where it is just about our of the frame). Crazy.