Quick Guide: Apple Orchard

Hey everyone! The winds are changing, the leafs transforming into a myriad of colors...so what time is it? FALL! My favorite season, fall allows for beautiful trips to pumpkin patches, making homemade comfort food with spices galore, and just quality time with the family. What can beat that? For the next month, my recipes/lifestyle pieces will depict and be all about this lovely season we call autumn- and how to celebrate this season of change, color, family, and friends! Here we go: QUICK GUIDE: APPLE ORCHARD coming' your way blogosphere!

 PHOTOS TO REMEMBER

Take some obnoxiously self-serving photos to showcase the beauty of the apples, macintosh in our case, and take that selfie that will become your Facebook profile picture. Just embrace it- it's your day! 

THE CHOICE: APPLE ORCHARD

My farmer's market/apple orchard nearest to my college- my recommendation for choosing a market is to find one that is in your local town/ vicinity. It's important to maintain and support local grown agriculture and products. 

ARTISANAL FOOD PRODUCTS 

Some of the best  speciality artisanal items can come at an INEXPENSIVE price at the fall farmer's store. Just do your research- don't pay $20 for a rare squash. Know coming in, via email, or web search what the apple orchard market's speciality is-at this farm coffee ice cream, blueberry pie, and apple pie. You won't disappointed. 

FAMILY  & FRIENDSHIP

Always pick a buddy or friend group to go with you on your adventure! Here is my friend Annaka looking all beauteous in that light; work it girl! It makes it all the more fun and enjoyable when you have pals to gab with (and carry your purse when you want to climb a tree!) 

JAMS AND JELLIES

At almost every fall farmer's market- there will be jelly and jams on sale that are usually home-made in house. Ask to sample new flavors, and ask customers in the store what their favorites are. These are always FABULOUS PRESENTS for the holidays for relatives or that special someone. Can really ump the ante on a piece of toast- worth the money. 

PUMPKINS

Also at these wonderful markets are pumpkins for sale- my recommendation is if you have children or are looking for a more authentic experience, and the market offers a hayride- JUST DO IT! It's amazing fun, and if you forget that you are covered in dirt and uncomfortable sitting on a bale of hay, it can become an amazing tradition! But, if you're a college student like me, and hay-rides are just not your thing, picking up a low-weight, inexpensive pumpkin can be wonderful fall activity to take part in!

ZOE'S QUICK TIP: SMART SHOPPIN' PRODUCE

Get your life with some produce! As fall comes in and summer leaves us in a whoosh, fall produce will be on sale! Get some inexpensive quality produce that you can cook with, and plan healthy, wholesome, well-balanced meals with! Your welcome in advance. 

Namaste, and Happy Fall!

Zoe 

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Top 10 Weekend Wellness Tips

Hey everyone! So, as you guys know, I have been leading a pretty ferociously healthy lifestyle lately, from Zumba, to yoga, and eating clean, vegan food. I wanted to get my whole family involved as well. This weekend we planned a family day-trip to a pretty awesome location- it was wonderful day and a great way to have fun and be active at the same time. We went bicycling, I packed some lovely vegan treats, and came across a farmer's market in the process. This weekend was one of the best I've had in a long time, and it got me thinking, what were some tips to help other families, or individuals live more healthy, wellness driven lives on lovely summer weathered-weekend? So here you are folks, TOP 10 Weekend Wellness Tips from yours truly, with pics accompanied! 

1. Good Food. Good Food. Good Food. 

Staying healthy on weekend trips with the family can be difficult- but spotting out locations ahead of time is great way to stay informed as to their offerings. Pack a snack ahead of time for those beach outings, or stop by a farmer's market to grab some fruit as a mid-bicycling snack! Delicious! 

2. BRING A YOGA MAT. 

You'll never know when you'll need it, but in the midst of sun-filled skies, and beautiful low-tide- yoga is great de-stressor that can keep your mind at ease during busy, frantic moments with kids. A mat/colorful rug is also lovely for meditating while listening to the cool ocean breeze and sleeping while listening to some tunes. A great idea through and through.  

3. WATER. 

This is my feeling- it's the freaking summer right? Find somewhere to dip your toe in, to marvel at a obnoxiously beautiful and picturesque waterfall. If you make that waterfall your goal for biking 6 1/2 miles up hills, you'll make it here. Trust me. And that goddamn waterfall will be the most gorgeous thing you've ever laid eyes upon. 

4. LOOK UP AT THE SKY.          

Take the time to look up at the sky. Unplug. Breathe in air that you inhale and exhale. Be grateful for the people with you, and for those impacted your life positively. We are tiny being just made of freaking stardust, literally. You're the smallest dot on a planet called Earth. Catch some perspective. 

5. RISE TO NEW HEIGHTS. 

Challenge yourself and your perceived limits in activity that you enjoy. Bike up a mountain that you think looks scary- and be proud when you get to the top. You f**king conquered that mountain!- and feel empowered and at peace with yourself for having done so. 

 

6. FIND THE PERFECT LUNCH SPOT.

Mid-way through your adventure, make sure to take time to snack on some yummies. Find that perfect spot between the trees, light streaming through. Be inspired, and take rest in that warmth and light. The food will take ever the more better in the midst of the beauty, and companionship you felt while partaking in it. 

7. UNPLUG.

I cannot emphasize this enough- your relationships, you way of moving through the world, how you treat yourself- will improve when you unplug from constant technology for 24 hours. A few pictures for memories, awesome- but texting and social media take you away from what's really important-the people who you truly care about. Just do it.

8. MARVEL.

When you marvel at a wonderous thing, you lose that constant focus on self- the nitpicking, the criticism. You lose yourself and your senses are concentrated on the visual imprint of this wondrous thing. Take time to marvel.

9. TAKE PHOTO TO REMEMBER. 

Although not always necessary, I like taking a photo, a selfie in this case, I know kill me, but this particular weekend spot I had free climbed rocks to sit right next to waterfall, biked miles, taken a off-beaten bike path, and just had an overall spectacular time with my family. This reservoir was on a secret trail around the Great Falls. I was proud of my accomplishment, (I should say our, my dad suffered with me) and remembering that feeling- when in times of bad moods, sadness, or lack of creative control- can help me!

10. LOVE & GRATITUDE. 

Remember to love, support, and be grateful for the people who are with you on your adventure called life. They seen you at your very worst, and at your best- yet they're still there, loving you unconditionally. Remember to reciprocate it too. These people are your family & family is everything. 

Happy travels and see you soon with a new vegan munchie!

Namaste,

Zoe

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LET'S HAVE A CONVERSATION

Today is a different kind of post. I write the majority of my posts about how to do something, whether making a recipe, or detailing life moments that hopefully inspired you as much as they inspired me. But, SHOCKER, I'm not always that soul-searcher. However much I aim to be a perfect, walking-talking wellness-machine , a persona I inhabit because wellness and holistic health is my passion, god knows I lack inspiration, positive energy, and thoughts occasionally. More than occasionally. I am always honest with you; I owe that to my readers and subscribers to be real, raw, and authentic with you, no matter how imperfect I am. So today, I'm giving you the same Zoe, but the imperfect human as well. I want to share with you a piece of a blog post from around 2013. 

Circa 2013 Zoe's Zephyr

Hello blog world,

I recently decided to the best version of myself. And I am going to stick to that resolution.I will be compassionate, loving, understanding, and a pillar of strength, although I will not be afraid to show my weaknesses and vulnerable side when I need assistance or support from others.I will make a conscious effort to be happy: an act in of itself.If we all become our best selves- and treat our bodies, our minds, and our inner beings with respect and love, will we not then reciprocate that understanding to our loved ones? If we are to be healthy, appreciative, grateful towards our friends and family, then we must first be that source of light for ourselves.Take the time out today to be the best version of you; do the thing that you never had the chance to do. Take up knitting for a change. Start the health kick that you never seem to have energy for. Take a yoga class. Write a novel just because you feel like it. Do what will make you a fulfilled, happy, and calm person- ready to take all the world and all that comes with it.Take care of you, your body, your wants and desires, and your spiritual self. To do so is to then create a sphere of love, kindness and understanding that will envelop you, your family, your friends, your co-workers, your classmates, and the world. Namaste.

So, that post was around 2 1/2 years ago, on a blog I no longer contribute to. The question here is: did I understand what I was proclaiming? Was it merely the dream I had been longing for, a self-actualized self that I aimed to be. Yes. And yes. Did it mean that those words were false. No! Do I, and did I want that best-self to appear more often, that kick-ass woman whose most important relationship is with herself, to care for me because I am valuable and worthy to be loved. Absolutely positively. 

When I see this post, what comes to mind is a different Zoe. A Zoe who thought being that straight A student was going to save me, fix me, fix my personal life and struggles, take me away from those ugly monsters guilt and shame that plague me. BTW- it didn't. 

But what THIS DOES STAND FOR is the beginning of the search for ME. The search for the present-searching for the positive, being grateful for one thing every day- searching for light and healing energy in a point of life where in my consciousness, and in my energy sphere, I didn't let much good come in. THE FEAR OF FAILURE, DISTANCE, BROKENNESS- left me empty. Hollow- only searching for temporary solace in one bite of control I could have- perfection.

This little dittie started it all. These above thoughts prompted the words you read right now, the creation of ThinkZoeBoost, and the quest inwardly to find peace, balance, and light. ThinkZoeBoost, though a product of writings, images, for your enjoyment and consumption, is my way of healing as well. In sharing and creating, I am my best self- I can affect someone else's life in a positive way- in that way I am valuable and loved. On a couple of occasional posts, I have reminded you that yes, I'm on this journey called life, and sometimes I f*k up as a human. But, the realization is now, in that imperfection, in my f*king up, is what makes me human. 

I fight every day for happiness. For peace, balance, harmony, and healing. Stability. I'm still figuring out what, who, ME is. What she likes, doesn't like, enjoys eating- what makes my soul sing. In those moment of messing up, not being the best human on the planet, is when I can find the strength, compassion, & energy to forgive. Hardest is myself. It's possible, but I want to let you know I don't have a secret key, guide, to happiness. I'm still figuring it out: accepting that humanity all want to end or still suffering, and are on quest towards happiness. We are doing together. Together, we are unstoppable.

Thank you all from the bottom of my heart-you give me soul, energy, and vitality.

Namaste,
Zoe

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