A random assortment of mood-lifting photos

I am too tired to come up with a cohesive reason as to why I chose these photos other than the fact that they make me supremely happy. Again, I use hyperbole because I am exhausted. Hopefully this weekend I can catch up on sleep.

first via le love, second, third

Moonstone

I may have just added a pair of moonstone earrings to my holiday wishlist. I love their cloudy quality; they seem both subtle and eye-catching at once!

options: one, two, three, four

Checklist

Trench coat, short hair, and a badass pair of boots. Awesome.

Maple Syrup Cookies

I am making these as soon as possible, 'cause nothing screams winter festivity more than buttery cookies covered in a maple syrup reduction.

Mark My Words

These boots will be mine. I will tuck skinny jeans into them, wear them with tights, and love them forever. Plus, did you know that J. Crew offers 15% off everything as soon as you furnish a student ID? It's obvious that I was made to wear these.

Hibernate

Are we even halfway to winter yet? The chilly rain that started back up yesterday seems to indicate that winter might be here for awhile. If only the winter here weren't accompanied by icy winds, perhaps I'd be more okay with the season.
I like to imagine that in some glorious parts of the world, cold weather doesn't seem to suck your soul out. Rune Guneriussen's photos evoke that exact sort of tranquil winter setting. In the mean time, I plan to hibernate.

Seriously,

Someday I would love to live in a house that resembles a curiosity shop. This just became a life goal of mine after viewing this home located in upstate New York. Isn't it perfect?

Sangria

For my birthday a few weeks ago I decided to make sangria. I found an amazing recipe that uses cloves, cinnamon, oranges, and pears. It tasted so wintry; I can't wait to make it again at Thanksgiving.

danske

Fall

I'm a little sad to see October go; it's my favorite month. Even though it's starting to get cold around here, I hope autumn will stick around for a few more weeks.

Hedgehog print here

The Invitation

It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living.
I want to know what you ache for
and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart’s longing.

It doesn’t interest me how old you are.
I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool
for love
for your dream
for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn’t interest me what planets are squaring your moon...
I want to know if you have touched the centre of your own sorrow
if you have been opened by life’s betrayals
or have become shrivelled and closed
from fear of further pain.

I want to know if you can sit with pain
mine or your own
without moving to hide it
or fade it
or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy
mine or your own
if you can dance with wildness
and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes
without cautioning us
to be careful
to be realistic
to remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn’t interest me if the story you are telling me
is true.
I want to know if you can
disappoint another
to be true to yourself.
If you can bear the accusation of betrayal
and not betray your own soul.
If you can be faithless
and therefore trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see Beauty
even when it is not pretty
every day.
And if you can source your own life
from its presence.

I want to know if you can live with failure
yours and mine
and still stand at the edge of the lake
and shout to the silver of the full moon,
“Yes.”

It doesn’t interest me
to know where you live or how much money you have.
I want to know if you can get up
after the night of grief and despair
weary and bruised to the bone
and do what needs to be done
to feed the children.

It doesn’t interest me who you know
or how you came to be here.
I want to know if you will stand
in the centre of the fire
with me
and not shrink back.

It doesn’t interest me where or what or with whom
you have studied.
I want to know what sustains you
from the inside
when all else falls away.

I want to know if you can be alone
with yourself
and if you truly like the company you keep
in the empty moments.

-Oriah Mountain Dreamer