Soul Food

It seems as if someone in heaven just quickly flicked the heat off and the air-conditioner on, because man, it's awfully chilly up here in NorCal.

I am a beach girl that grew up with salty hair and sandy feet, and life in the tropics was always a fine one. Where I come from, all the seasons blend into one and the only two temperatures we have are hot and not-so-hot. Every now and then when the temp dips slightly below 20 degrees Celsius, everyone dusts off their eskimo gear and acts as though they're about to die of frostbite. It's actually a hilarious sight to behold. 

Life over here in the northern parts of California is vastly different, here, not only does each season come with it's own unique weather patterns, but the entire landscape responds to the season by coloring itself accordingly. Then of course food, fashion and lifestyle follows suit. It's so fun and exciting, especially for a tropical kid.

Yesterday some friends of mine and I went skateboarding along the Sacramento river trail and it was gorgeous. The cold air bit our skin as we rode through it, and although it was a sunshiny day, the sun didn't do a whole lot to ward off the chill. We skated along the trail that was decorated with every shade of autumn, and as the river peacefully flowed next to us, I felt as though I was getting an intravenous shot of soul food with every inhalation. Nature does a whole lot to my spirit that four-walled confines never could. Usually my form of the great outdoors consists of golden sandy miles, waves and palms, but I've exchanged that for snow-capped mountains, rivers and forests of pine, and am learning to enjoy the beauty in each without making comparison to the other. Gosh, creation is simply inspiring. 

{A photo I took whilst hiking in the forest near the Whiskeytown mountains}