You know what the thing about winter is?
It’s freezing cold and the sun doesn’t like to come out a lot. I like to complain about it, but the truth is, I’m used to it. It’s all I’ve ever known, really. I grew up in Syracuse, dubbed as the “snowiest city in America”. So, yeah, I like to complain, but this whole winter thing is nothing new to me. I grew up with it, I went to college with it, and now I live in a place that continues to embrace it every. single. year.
{except for last year, and that was weird.}
But the REAL thing about winter is that’s it’s okay to be lazy. It’s okay to wear the same thing over and over every single day and it’s okay to hunker down and hibernate. Goodness knows I have been, and I hope you have too.
Here are some other fun facts about different things I’ve been up to lately…
1. This is the view on my drive to work. Every day it is beautiful, but on especially blue days it’s my favorite.
2. About a year ago I started to write “A Guide to Boston, according to me”… after a few hours I became increasingly overwhelmed and I gave up on it {typical}. It now sits in my drafts folders just waiting to be brought to life, or rather, waiting for me to get inspired to work on it again, but until that day comes I will tell you this: if you ever come to Boston you must go to Bates Hall, the reading room inside of the Boston Public Library. It will be magic and you will not regret it.
Other places to check out:
Acorn Street and all of Beacon Hill
The Esplanade on the Charles River
Top of the Hub and the Skywalk Observatory
MFA and the Isabella Stewart Gardiner Museum
The South End on a Sunday
{Okay, okay, maybe I will go back to that guide someday.}
3. I’ve been super into the “Throwback Thursday” phenomenon lately. Can you find all the throwbacks sprinkled throughout this post? I got a bunch from my house the last time I was home— enough to last me a few more weeks at least. So fun and I especially love when other instagram friends do it too. I love old photos and especially love seeing friends in their little days.
4. Me, in winter. I hate the cold, but I LOVE wearing all my hats.
5. A few weeks ago I happened to stop into Urban during a super sale. I got these boots for $20 that day, and this shirt because, well, IT’S ADORABLE.
6. Garland is all the rage over in this neck of the woods.
Last month I put up this pretty paper garland in my kitchen from Sycamore Street Press. I’m pretty in love with it.
And last week I bought two more kinds of garland {one for my home + one for my classroom} from sweet Janee. She hand delivered my goodies to me while we sat and chatted over warm tea + coffee and the most delicious Buttery Biscuits. Janee has an online shop, Yellow Bird Yellow Beard, that is AMAZING and you can check it out here.
7. If heaven was on earth it would be here. I just know it.
8. Speaking of books, I just finished this one. Oh my. Oh, oh, my. Captivating, mysterious, full of love and hope and betrayal and longing. This book was wonderful. It brought me to tears and gave me chills as I turned the very last page. Everything I love about a well-written story. Tragically beautiful. I absolutely loved it.
+
ARE YOU STILL READING? Because I’m still writing…
+
9. Jarlsberg and raspberry jam on grilled french bread. Try that on for size and tell me that you don’t like it. I DARE YOU.
10. Me, in a dream. Except it was REAL. OH, my heart. Oh, my Venice. {working on a post! living in a dream!}
11. Being here reminds me of summer.
12. This weekend brought me to Allston for breakfast with my very good friend Clair. We hadn’t seen each other in MONTHS! And she just got engaged! So it was a happy reunion. I usually like to make jokes about Allston {I can, I lived there once}, but this venture out was worth writing home about. The Allston Diner is terrific, people. It truly, truly is.
13. A GIFT! From the nicest! Last summer Elizabeth started a pen-pal project on her blog. She matched up, as best she could, two readers together to be pen pals for the summer. My pen pal was Emily, a teacher from Santa Barbara, California {cool, right?!} and yesterday I got a gift subscription from her to a really great, well-known online software training website, Lynda.com. She read my recent blog post on photography and basically warmed my heart with her gift. Camera tutorials! Lightroom videos! Photoshop lessons! All at my fingertips. It really is the most exciting thing, and I’m so so thankful. Thanks again, Emily! I think you are amazing!
And that’s it, friends.
That’s my life in a nutshell.
{And apparently, in a really long blog post.}
HAPPY MONDAY! Keep it real, kids.
It looks like you’re doing good getting out and about this winter! I’m mostly full on hibernating :)
Actually, you’re right. It does seem from these photos that I am getting out. I guess I am on weekends, but most school nights I’m in my PJ’s by 4 PM.
Emily’s gift to you is the sweetest thing! I love a thoughtful friend! And thoughtful gifts are nice, too :)
I know! It was! Still smiling about it.
anna! i so so so love your pictures, all the time <3
Thanks, Stephanie! I stil love that you’re reading. After all this time! :)
“are you still reading because i’m still writing?” lol. yes i was!
i love the throwback photos (OBVI). don’t you miss those high waisted jeans that used to snap? i bet you do ;)
OH, I DO. Claaaaaaaaasic.
Your photos are my favorite photos this side of ever. Furrealz.
Thank ya kindly, dear friend. :D
Ooh, write that guide! I live in Holland, but my sister lives near Toronto in Canada, so next time I visit her I definitely want to hop over the border and visit some fun US cities! Boston is number 1 on my wish list!
And ‘The time travelers wife’ ? I just finished it this weekend, and I loved so much! Such a beautiful, extraordinary love story!
Anyways, i really enjoy reading your blog, your photography is so inspiring! I might have to go and take pictures of my little town this afternoon! :)
I hope you do! Love that you live in Holland! I bet it’s so lovely there.
Yes to everything you said about The Time Traveler’s Wife. I adored it.
And I’m so glad Boston is #1 on your list! {It’s lovely here, too.}
Pretty pics! I’d say you’re doing pretty well with your resolution about photoshop and photography – I’ve been eyeing a bamboo tablet for a while now, and may just have to bite the bullet. Hope it’s been working well for you so far!
The bamboo is seriously SO FUN. You should definitely get one! You will love it!
Ugh. Winter. Tell me about it. I chose to live in the Northeast, so I guess I knew what I was getting into and should start getting used to it. Never gets easier though…
Write that Boston guide! I’m hoping to make a trip up (hopefully on the way to Portland, Maine) over the summer and would love to know some great things to see/visit!
Loving your throw back Thursdays. I might have to dig through old photos next time I am in Alabama!
As always, great snapshots! I’m getting excited about that little etsy shop sneak peak! :)
Oh, Portland!! My favorite! One of my best friends from college lived in Portland for a few years (now she has a house in Yarmouth–just a little ways away) and I always LOVE going there. Yay for Maine!
And I should write that guide. I really should! One thing I will put in it will be: have coffee with me!! But seriously, let me know when you’re coming and maybe we can meet up!
And yes, get some pics when you’re home in Alabama! I want to see little you!
Not alone but, I always love your IG photos and I love these roundup posts!!! Where were you when you took #7?
The Brookline Booksmith! It’s over in Coolidge corner where used to live. The perfect place to get lost in on a Saturday.
I love that picture by #6. I saw it and thought, “Aw, she looks just the same!” :)
I guess I do, don’t I. Except I don’t have that crazy bowl cut. Hilarious.
Your guide sounds great! I 100% agree with Top of the Hub (have you ever had their cookies? I know that sounds like a weird thing to order in a restaurant, but they’re SO good). If you finish it soon, I’ll make good use of it . . . my husband and I are going back in March to visit some friends from law school who are still there (we moved back to California) and I bet there’s tons I never got to check out when we actually lived there.
No! I’ve never tried the cookies, but now I have to. I don’t know if I’ll finish it by March! Or if I’m even going to have the motivation to do it by summer…! But maybe I will try!
I’m going to Boston (from TX) for part of spring break to visit my sister and some friends, backwards, I know, but I’m really excited! I’ve never been to New England and I’m definitely more of a cold weather person than these 70 degree “winter” days we get down here!
When in spring? Sometimes in March there are signs of warmer weather (but sometimes not!)… by April it’s usually promising… at least the sun is out longer if nothing else! If you get colder weather when you come, then I guess that’ll be perfect for you. :)
Excited for you to come visit here. I hope you love it!
Did you do this lettering? It looks super!
I did! And thank you!
Sometimes I think I still need practice, but then when I hear your compliments I begin to think, “maybe I’m aright!”
:)
you know what i just realized from this post? your sense of color and shade is just…so YOU! it’s funny sometimes i’ll find myself thinking to myself at the store, out shopping, or just outside in boston and think “man, this is such an ANNA color!” and i think that means you’re on to something good. you’ve got serious style, lady :) xo