I think I can. Wait - I know I can.

Wow - I cannot believe it is already Friday again. The job hunt took priority this past week and I have been busy researching local companies and available opportunities. I have really enjoyed having some extra time to get settled in San Francisco, but I am very ready to get back into the office! Until then I am focusing on doing all of the things that usually take the back burner: painting my nails every few days (currently a fun shade of pink!), reading, deep conditioning my hair, trying out new artistic endeavors, replacing that random missing button, and so on.

Happy Friday!

Source: etsy.com via Melanie on Pinterest

I have been longing for warmer spring time temps here in San Francisco, which I am sure only added to my recent homesickness. Well it appears my wishes have been granted! Yesterday the temps reached the lower 70's (and I went bare-legged in a dress WITH open toe shoes) and tomorrow the forecast shows a high of 77. Weekend plans for a picnic and kite flying are underway! I have not flown a kite since I was a kid and I am looking forward to sharing the experience with our little lady.

Happy Thanksgiving from Wonderlust!!

                                                                             Source: annies-eats.net via Melanie on Pinterest

“It isn't what you have in your pocket that makes you thankful, but what you have in your heart.”

-unknown

I hope all of our readers are enjoying time with loved ones today. I am personally thankful for the opportunity to put together a little feast to share with my family. Yesterday was filled with cleaning, prepping, and doing some final touches on my new place. I am very excited about my new gallery corner, look out for images at a later date! On a side note, I am very thankful for all of our followers. It means so much to share my passion with all of you!

Genius {quote + photo = inspiration}

Imagination is more important than knowledge.

-Albert Einstein

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Wonderlust Photography by Jona

Home {quote + photo = inspiration}

There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort. 

- Jane Austin

I feel like this is the perfect message as we enter into cooler temperatures in Atlanta. Sometimes the tricky part is making a house feel like a home, which is exactly what Jona and I are now working on after recent moves into new places. I cannot think of a better time of year to be at home organizing, purging, and decorating... holiday entertaining is just around the corner!

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Wonderlust Photography by Jona

Content Written + Edited by Melanie

Find Another Entrance {quote + photo = inspiration}

"I have become my own version of an optimist. If I can't make it through one door, I'll go through another door - or I'll make a door. Something terrific will come no matter how dark the present."

 - Rabindranath Tagore 

{a Bengali mystic, Brahmo poet, and Asia's first Nobel Prize Winner}

(Inspirational quote found at The Daily Love)

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Wonderlust Photography by Jona

Discover {quote + photo = inspiration}

The creative is the place where no one else has ever been. You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What you'll discover will be wonderful. What you'll discover will be yourself."

- Alan Alda

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Wonderlust Photography by Jona

Prepare {quote + photo = inspiration}

By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.
-Benjamin Franklin

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Wonderlust Photography by Jona

Forward {quote + photo = inspiration}

“It doesn’t matter where you are, you are nowhere compared to where you can go.” 

- Bob Proctor

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Wonderlust Photography by Jona

Fly High {quote + photo = inspiration}

A certain amount of opposition is a great help to a man. Kites rise against, not with, the wind. 

-Lewis Mumford 

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Wonderlust Photography by Jona

Present Tense {quote + photo = inspiration}

"Pick the day. Enjoy it - to the hilt. The day as it comes. People as they come... The past, I think, has helped me appreciate the present - and I don't want to spoil any of it by fretting about the future."

- Audrey Hepburn
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Wonderlust Photography by Jona

Let Go {quote + photo = inspiration}

“The key to change... is to let go of fear.”
-Rosanne Cash

Change can be very hard. More times than not, it is not how you pictured or imagined. We worry so much and 9 times out of 10 things turn out better than we could have chosen for ourselves. After a long 4 years of change, in all arenas of my life, I am starting in a new chapter in a loft and this is my new view (I couldn't ask for more). What I have discovered is life has a way of surprising us if we let go.

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Wonderlust Photography by Jona

Eyes Open {quote + photo = inspiration}

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” 

– St. Augustine

I leave tomorrow morning for London, Paris, and Normandy - I am giddy with excitement!! 

I have worked out itineraries from personal recommendations, books, and of course the handy little internet. I look forward to coming back renewed and inspired. 

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Wonderlust Photography by Jona

Creativity {image + quote = inspiration}

Creativity comes from trust. Trust your instincts. 
And never hope more than you work. 

- Rita Mae Brown

Sometimes going the less traveled way in life can be incredibly scary. But you just might just find something amazing around that corner, so maybe it's time to take the unfamiliar route. 

We would like to say a big "THANK YOU" to all of you for your patience while we take time to repair posts and focus on things outside of Wonderlust. Be on the lookout this week for part 2 of our roadtrip series.

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Wonderlust Photography by Jona

Summer's Full {image + quote = inspiration}

There came a day at Summer's full, Entirely for me.

- Emily Dickinson 

Jona and I have decided for the sake of work/life balance to take some time off from posting new content to the blog. Jona started a new position this week and I need some time to brush up on my French for my upcoming trip (high school French class was 10 years ago!) and do some things for myself (like read a book!). During the break we will still be working to repair posts that are missing images as a result of the technical issues we recently experienced. We promise there are a lot of fun projects in the works, so please stay tuned! I hope you also have a little down time to enjoy the summer sun and catch up on things.

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Wonderlust Photography by Jona

Working for Luck {image + quote = inspiration}

I'm a great believer in luck and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it.  

-Thomas Jefferson

This has become our motto as we work to restore Wonderlust. Initially we had planned a post for today that was about taking a break and a few days off from the blog so that Jona and I could focus on family and friends. The day before I left for Florida we discovered, much to my dismay, that I had accidentally deleted a large portion of our hard work. I joined Google+ this past week and when I saw that Picasa albums (which were linked to every image on this site including the title) would be available for everyone to see I deleted them without hesitation. I had no idea that deleting these albums would instantly delete all of the images from our blog. 

Out in the Sun {image + quote = inspiration}

I long to be out in the sun with no work to be done.

- Irving Berlin
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Wonderlust Photography by Jona

Celebrate! {new year - new me - new dress}

This birthday is special for me because I have finally let go of the things that have been weighing me down. Without of the mental clutter I am open to experiencing all of the wonderful things that are just around the corner.

I faced a lot of personal and professional challenges over the past year. I lost of my grandfather and shortly after lost my job (the second layoff I have experienced since graduating college a few years ago). This time last year I had not yet purchased my camera and Wonderlust wasn’t even in existence. I was desperate and felt like my life was slipping through my hands like quicksand. I had no control. I was lost.

Fountain of Youth {image + quote = inspiration}

"There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of the people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age."

-Sophia Loren, an Italian film actress.

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Lighting the Way {image + quote = inspiration}

“Inside my empty bottle I was constructing a lighthouse

while all the others were making ships.”

-Charles Simi

“A fallen lighthouse is more dangerous than a reef”

-Proverb

Lighthouses blow no horns; they only shine.

-D.L. Moody