CURRENTLY DIGGING: December
Currently Digging is a collection of things we have enjoyed throughout the month. Great Instagram accounts you should follow, stuff for you, for your dogs/cats, as well as great things to eat/drink or listen to; and of course, cannot forget a great read.
So, here it is, what we have been loving this month of December.
The Dalai Lama’s Cat: a Novel by David Michie
I don’t know about you, but I read to escape or learn something new. This year, I read a ton to escape if I am being honest, what a year. My mom gave me this book a while back. She had first asked me to get it for her, and then she loved it so much, she recommended I read it too. It sat on my bookshelf for a couple of years (shamefully), and then I picked it up when I needed something uplifting to close the year with. Have you ever come inside from a cold, rainy, miserable day out in the street and taken a hot shower or brewed a nice cup of tea? It seems like it warms you from the inside out and fills you with sweetness, and all of a sudden, the world seems ok again, right? Well, that’s exactly what this delightful book did for me. Told from the perspective of a cat with a very famous owner, it recounts stories as seen from that feline gaze and state of mind, but it is also filled with the teachings of the Dalai Lama himself. Easily digestible, funny and tremendously sweet, I recommend this book (and the two that follow! The Art of Purring and The Power of Meow) if you need a dose of humor and warmth. In my head, I imagined Helen Mirren as the voice of the cat. Extra delightful.
Get it Here
Instagram Follow: @willowthewildandco
After Willow kept taking over our Labs & Co. Instagram account, I finally bit the bullet and created an account for her. I feel a little less guilty now, sharing our many hikes and adventures with those who care to see them. I also wanted a space to make Instagram fun again for me (the human posting all the silly photos), since running a small business is a ton of work, it is important to find your spaces to let play take over once in a while. Willow is happy to test out gear and be a dog ambassador for brands we love and believe in, and this has proven to be a great channel for that aside from silly videos, tricks and a photo or two to embarrass her every once in a while 😉
Follow @willowthewildandco Here
Cargo Cape by Kurgo
Winter has finally made its way to the Bay Area, and that, thankfully, means lots of rain, mud and maybe some snow… not to mention the year-round sand from beach days, doggie drool; and if you happen to live in Petaluma, our famous, die-hard clay! When we purchased our Subaru Forester, I had 4 things in mind when selecting the right adventure-dog car for us: safety, reliability, some style and comfort of course but most especially, I wanted a car that I would not stress over covering it with the joys of having an active dog. Subaru it was (dog-tested, dog-approved), but having this amazing, super tough cargo cover has made me wonder how I ever lived without one before! I will be writing an in-depth review of it next month on our 365 Dog Hikes blog once I get more time to test it out and photograph it, but in the meantime, here are the highlights: it is beyond tough and durable. Mud-proof, drool-proof, waterproof… in all, dog-proof. I LOVE that extra flap that folds out and covers the bumper, keeping it safe from paws and claws that may otherwise scratch the bumper on the way in and out of the car. It is also long enough for the seats to lay flat and still cover everything. Since we have two black dogs, I opted for the charcoal gray, but it is also available in a sandy color.
Get it Here
A hug for your tummy: Gin-Gins by The Ginger People
This year was full of ups and downs… Ok, personally, it felt like a lot of downs, or at least steep down turns. My stomach took a toll with all the bad news and constant tragedies streaming through all channels. I tend to show my stress in the form of migraine headaches or stomach aches. Not fun. Ginger is of course a natural tummy-soother, and it is very powerful against nausea. These natural ginger candy chews have been lifesavers whenever the world has thrown me one too many curveballs. I may not be able to control what is going on in the world, but what I can control is my reaction to it, the “off” button on my TV or radio and give my stomach a little help in the form of healing ginger. Keep one handy if you suffer from motion sickness or dizziness, it works wonders there too.
Get them Here
For the campsite: Topo Designs Mountain Fleece
Topo Designs is one of my favorite new brands made right here in the USA. I first found them while looking for a water-resistant backpack for the trail that was both comfortable, functional and stylish. I loved their color block designs so much that I started to explore their clothing line. I have the women’s Mountain Fleece in olive/navy blue and I have never felt anything so soft yet sturdy. It was clearly designed for time spent outside, better yet, to likely get messy outside. With Warm fleece wrapping your core, and patches of water-resistant fabric on your elbows and wrist/forearms, it is the most comfortable thing to wear out camping. One of my favorite things about it, is the fit. Relaxed and comfortable and easy to move in. They make beautifully designed clothing and accessories, and their Instagram feed is a love letter to a life spent playing outside.
Get yours Here
Tune in: Retrograde by James Blake
Though James Blake’s Overgrown album is not new by any means, his song Retrograde has been on constant play during this crazy year. Whether the alignment of the planets had anything to do with any or all events from 2016, who knows, but with lyrics and melody like the ones in Retrograde, it sums up how odd and strangely eerie this year has felt. Regardless, it is a great song, one that I have played over and over as I work, run or hike. The whole album is just as good.
Listen Here
Lusting after: Inspiration
Entrepreneurship is hard enough… But it is even harder when your well of drive and inspiration is pathetically dry. I have wondered many times this year weather I need a sharp change in direction, do away with what is not working and only weighing me down, I am discovering the answer to that as we make our way into 2017. Regardless, inspiration is necessary to everyone, it is a breath of life into everything, and it can be found in the oddest places and sometimes, it can be downright hard to find (but mostly because we are fail to see it hiding in plain sight). I’m looking. I hope one of the things that the new year brings is a good dose of inspiration in whatever form I find it.
I hope you all had a wonderful and warm holiday season, and may the new year find you with arms wide open and surrounded by those you love.
