Jenna-Beth

This isn’t finished yet,

but i’ve been slacking with my seattle blog, so I thought i’d post it to give you something to read until I conclude the former :]

To Be Alive (rough draft):

  Seven days into the month of March, and weather is finally beginning to reflect spring. My window stood propped open by a small branch that I’d pulled from a tree the night before. As the breeze slipped its way through the silver screen, it carried with it the sound of my little sister squealing with delight as my younger brother chased her through the front yard declaring that she was “it”, and I was gently woken. As I find myself buried deep beneath crisp cotton sheets, white with colorful polka dots on them, I manage to dig myself out of the bed enough to roll over to check the time on the clock that rests on my nightstand. It’s approximately 10:27AM. There’s something inexplicably refreshing about being able to sleep until your body just can’t make your eyelids stay shut any longer.

            I extend my legs so that my feet are hanging off the end of my bed, my arms in the opposite direction, in an attempt to awaken my stagnant muscles. I wonder to myself what adventures the day could potentially have in store, but my concentration is soon broken by the smell of breakfast. I kick off my comforter, and quietly slip my feet, one at a time, onto the cold wooden floor. Upon nearing the kitchen, I’m able to decipher the ‘breakfast’ smells as hot waffles and homemade hash browns with melted cheddar cheese in them. My dad hates cheese, but he and my mom always try to please the kids. Needless to say, they’re the best parents in the world.

            As I sit down at the kitchen table, I hear the screen door fly open, and my younger siblings dart in gasping for breath. My sister nearly doubles over with laughter as she proudly announces that she won the race inside. My mom throws her a swift high-five, and tells her to take a seat and catch her breath. Without even asking, my dad hands me a glass of grapefruit juice with crushed ice. He knows it’s my favorite. I shoot him a smile and tell him “thanks”. A few minutes later, we’re all seated at the table eating from plates piled high with quite the delectable-looking meal.

            Following breakfast, I run back to my room to get ready for the day. After sliding into my favorite jeans, I grab a white undershirt, and my red and white plaid button up. I think I’ll skip wearing shoes today. Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve always enjoyed being able to feel the coolness of the earth under my bare feet.

            I jump down the steps on our front porch, skipping two or three of them in my haste, and run through the field until I reach my favorite oak tree. It stands about sixty feet tall, with thousands of branches extending every direction. This particular time of the year, it’s beginning to acquire its foliage.

Today is a lazy day. I don’t have any special agenda or chores that need to be finished, so I just curl up and lay on the ground underneath the tree in a spot where the sun explodes through the leaves and is able to reach through to the ground. The rays kiss the surface of my skin, leaving a tingling sensation that I can feel creep through every single pore on my body. When I close my eyes, the sun makes the backs of my eyelids look red. Also, now that I’m no longer looking around, my sense of hearing is much more intense. I slow my breathing as much as possible and begin to take in my surroundings, audibly, of course.

The wind rushes into my face and wraps itself around my ears, causing a slight whistling sound. (It kind of reminds me of a friend I have that likes to add a whistle to any word with the letter ‘S’ in it). As I inhale the breeze, I’m reminded of why I love living in North Carolina so much. The air here, quite literally, smells sweeter than the air in other cities. I never really noticed it until I lived in another state for a year, but it’s true. 

….. To be Continued ;] …..

1/30/10

I’m slowly sucked from a dream-like reverie by the sound of something clicking against my window. It’s raining, finally. Today my father and I have plans of driving to the coast. I’ve never seen the west coast before, so i’m anticipating quite the experience.

As we drive north along the coast, we come upon a small town called Aberdeen. I’m immediately intrigued by the sign that reads “Aberdeen-Come As You Are!”. Never before have I come across a town that seemed so personal and inviting. The further we drive into the town, the stranger it seems, in a good way. The layout of the town is designed like a colony. All of the houses are similar and built close together, to conserve space, I imagine. Neighborhoods and businesses are nearly indistinguishable. Aberdeen seems like the type of place where “everybody knows everybody”, and I rather enjoy it. I tell myself that I could probably live here.

Continuing beyond Aberdeen, we arrive in the Olympic National Rainforest, otherwise known as the most spectacular place I’ve ever seen. Lining either side of the road as we drive further into the forest, are the largest evergreens I’ve ever seen. To call Washington “The Evergreen State” is certainly not an understatement, and I remind myself that this is only winter, and that the spring and summer seasons can only be even more stunning than what is currently before me.

Apart from the evergreens, the trees here are insanely different looking than any trees in North Carolina. Their branches seem a lot edgier, or perhaps ‘angular’ is a better description. Even without leaves, they look healthier and more alive due to the immense amount of moss that grows on them.

As we further our adventure into the rainforest, we come across a spectacular little waterfall, and decide to get out of the car for photographic purposes. It is then, that I notice something strange about the water. It’s certainly clear, but not crystal clear. It has the most surreal blue-green tint to it. I consider the fact that it may be the lighting, or the angle at which I’m viewing the scene, but as I near the falls I see that it really is turquoise. I assume it’s caused from some form of algae or mineral. Regardless, the view is extremely captivating.

After taking numerous shots of the falls, we decide to continue our excursion. Upon rounding the corner, my eyes catch sight of what I deem the most amazing thing I had seen thus far. An oak tree, nearly eighty feet tall, based on my highly inaccurate estimations, stands alone in a field, surrounded by nothing but deadness and a thick fog that casts a bit of an eerie essence to the picturesque scene. It makes everything seem quiet. Although the tree is leafless, it is certainly not lifeless. The entirety of its trunk, and a large portion of its branches are thickly coated in plush, vibrant moss.  I find it indisputably remarkable.

I’ve never been able to accurately explain my strange allurement to trees, but for whatever reason, I find them to be some of the most incredible and fascinating beings on earth.

Is there a career in growing up and living deep in the forests of Washington?

1/29/10

Today is a day of exploration. My body and mind currently think it’s 1:00 PM, but according to my west-coast alarm clock, it’s only 10:00 AM. My father and I have plans of walking the streets of Seattle today, rather than driving them. I have hopes of feeling the culture today, contrary to just seeing it.

As we begin to walk around, I understand why the city is known for its coffee. I see a Starbucks on every corner, and some blocks, unnecessarily, contain two. Nearly every last person I pass is holding an insulated mug with steam escaping from the lid.

The climate here is strange, but I’m rather partial to it thus far. The air is easy to breathe. It feels light and crisp, unlike the effects of humidity in the south. I’ve always heard that Seattle is extremely rainy, but I have yet to experience a single drop of precipitation.

After browsing several shops and tourist traps on what seemed like chaotically organized streets, my father and I decide to continue our cliché tourism and purchase tickets for the Space Needle. $34.00 later, we’re on an elevator that overlooks the entire city. As we continually rise higher, my thoughts become ostensibly louder than our tour guide, and I have inadvertently blocked out her voice. I wonder to myself whether or not Seattle will become my new home, and also if the change in altitude will make me wish I had a heavier jacket. I decide to make due with what I have, and fasten the buttons down the left side of my coat. I pull my black beanie down over my ears, and cast a look towards my father, who is also paying no regard to the girl feeding us encyclopedic information.

As we step off of the elevator, I see thousands of little buildings scattered across the city on streets that appear rather organized, contrary to my initial perception. Most of them are off-white or gray in color, but I also see a few that are yellow or red. My father suggests walking around the platform outside to improve our photographic opportunities. Upon pushing the door open, I realize that I was correct in assuming cooler temperatures. A shiver slinks through my whole body, but I don’t mind. It’s refreshing. I aimlessly snap a few pictures of the city, and then step back to take everything in on a more personal level.

I see cars moving systematically through the streets, and ships loading and unloading crates in the docks. As I further my view across the Puget Sound, I see ferries transporting people from one side of the land to the other. It reminds me of when my brothers and I were younger, and we would play Lego’s on the living room floor with the largest ships, and the entire floor as our ocean. Beyond the water is what I found most entrancing. Unlike most cities, Seattle is lined with the most majestic blue mountains, lightly dusted with snow. I imagine it would be a rather quiet, most pleasant place.

“I have never found a companion that was so companionable as solitude” –Henry David Thoreau

Yes, I’m reading Thoreau.

Yes, again.