To My Grandkids,
Let me tell you about someone who is.. AMAZING.. Literally- that's her name :)

     While Laci and I were in Yellowstone, we met the sweetest soul ever, and camped with her for a few days. Although we said goodbye and parted ways, she was planning to go through Montana, and would end up near where we are, so we knew we'd see each other again.
     When I got back from camp, we met up and had a whole day of fun planned. We planned to go to some different hiking spots, and just take a day to be out in nature. The first place we went to was the Kootenai swinging bridge, and the river was gorgeous. Then, we drove a bit farther to go to the Ross Creek Cedar Trail, which is one of my favorite places in Montana. We got there, and hiked the trail, exploring a forrest that holds MASSIVE cedar trees. Trees are very special to me, and I feel set free every time I'm surrounded by the wise old grandpa trees!
     After a full day (or so we thought) of running around, we headed back down the mountain to go home. Well, my sweet Rosie gal had different plans, because before I could get to the highway, the van died.. I lost power steering, and acceleration, and had manual brakes, so I pulled over and had no idea what was going on. Us being the tough, strong, self sufficient women that we are, popped the hood and we were looking around trying to find the problem- and then realized we have no idea anything about cars... So to the road we go with a hitchikers thumb out.. Did I mention we had no cell service cause we were in a forrest area? Yeah. That too. An older man pulls over to help, and gives us a jump. To our luck, she still wouldn't start.. Come on Rosie.. Welp- we asked him for a ride to the nearest town, and ended up 5 miles down the road at a biker bar. We used the bar phone to get a tow truck on the way, and sat down for a bit to have a drink and wait for a call back. While we were there, we met a couple badass biker chicks, Candy, and Tush- cool ladies. About an hour later, we get a ride back to the van, and wait for the tow truck to come. Another hour  or so goes by, we're drawing on the van passing time, and then decide to go back to the bar to call the truck again.. In total, we waited 3 and a half hours for the tow truck to come, and then they took it to the shop, so we stayed with some family for the night. (Shoutout to Shana and Katie <3)
     It was quite an interesting adventure day that just kept adding on, but it all turned out fine, and luckily we are both super chill and able to make light of the situation.
     Every time we've hung out, we always have the best time together. She is one of those people that radiate love, and sunshine- A Golden Tribal Goddess. She is deeply rooted into herself, and knows where she stands. She has childlike curiosity for the beauty of this world, and could tell you more about plants than anyone I know :)
     She truly is Amazing, and a super groovy gal.
     I'm so lucky to have met such amazing people on the road, and I'm very grateful for each one.

     There's something bittersweet about meeting people on the road though. I have met the coolest, most open minded people ever on the road, but when it's time to say goodbye as our travels go on, it is often the last time we'll be there together. Bittersweet.

One day when you travel around and meet all new people, you'll see. 
I can't wait to meet YOU. 
I can't wait for you to see how good life is.
Even though you don't exist yet, I Love You!!

Love, 
your supa dupa slick hippie chick nana

To My Grandkids,

     The past month and a half has been the best of my 19 years so far. In May, I bought my dream van, and decided to hit the road, driving wherever the wind took me, and exploring the west coast. Along the way, I met the coolest, sweetest, most ‘far out’ people I’ve ever come across. I made memories- good and bad- and explored the depths of my own self as well. 
     When I first left, I didn’t know what to expect. I was taking a leap out into unknown waters with no expectations. I started in Montana and drove through Idaho, Washington, all the way down the west coast, and then cut over through Arizona, and went through to Louisiana. I’d have to say my favorite parts were the hippie commune we had inside Cali, going to the Grand Canyon, and then Yellowstone! 
     I know I wasn’t on the road for super long, but I still got a good taste of the life of a traveling gypsy :)
     So far in my life, there is nothing more freeing than the open road, music playing, windows down, hand out the window, destination undetermined. Life is so beautiful, and it’s all about perspective. I met a LOT of people on the road, some on work trips, group travels, soul searching journeys, retirement adventures, and some with no place in particular to be, just enjoying the moment and where they are. I also met some people who weren’t in the best situations, and weren’t traveling from choice, but living out of their car with no other option. In specific, I met a young man in California in that situation, and my heart went out for him. When talking to others about living from their van, he would say “Oh, I’m sorry to hear that, Its no fun when you have to live from your car… It’s been the worst 11 months living in mine…” In which the response would always be that living in their van was amongst the BEST 11 months of their life. Given that those 2 people were camped on the same beach at the same beautiful time of year, life is all about perspective.
     Another thing being on the road taught me is that there are a lot of good people left in this world. The people (for the most part) that I met were GENUINE, LOVING people! The most spontaneous people too- when you live on the road, you can’t plan every detail, it’s just impossible. As much as you may think you have a perfectly carved out plan, the wind will take you wherever it wants you, and align you with the right people.
     Life is so good. Life is so good. Life is so good!!
    The road has taught me so much, paired me with amazing people, thrown things in my face when least expected, and at the same, shown me that I don’t know sh*t yet. Life is massive, and I haven’t even grazed the surface.
     Someday, I hope you get to experience your wildest dreams. I hope you never let anyone get in the way of where your heart calls you, no matter how wild it may be. 
I'm so excited to have adventures of our own someday! Even though you don't exist yet, I LOVE YOU!!!
 Love, 
Your Gypsy Granny J :) 

To My Grandkids,
By the time you read this, this land might've blown up.
     The past week, I have been through Texas, Louisiana, Colorado, Garden of the Gods, Wyoming, Yellowstone National park, Grand Tetons, and back to Montana! When I passed through Louisiana, I got to see family, and pick up Laci Bee! We went camping with my cousin, Olivia and her boyfriend Malcom- and boy was it interesting.. After we had dinner, out of nowhere, Momma Earth decided to DOWNPOUR on us. At first, everyone ran to the van, but I stayed out and started dancing in the rain. After a few minutes, everyone joined in on singing, dancing, and laughing- arms out wide twirling freely in the rain.  It was one of those moments where you feel invincible, exhilarated, and FULL of love for the life you live. 
     When we hit the road, we found a campsite in the middle of nowhere in Colorado. Since there was nobody around for miles, the first thing I did was strip down and take off running, dancing and laughing, and living another moment of feeling on top of the world. There's no rules out in the middle of nowhere- if you want to run naked and free singing at the top of your lungs, you just DO IT. (if you haven't seen a pattern by now, I'm not a huge fan of clothes or shoes in general hehehe)
     At this point, we've got our mind set on visiting Yellowstone. We had another day or so of driving until we got there, so we camped out at a lake, went swimming, and had dinner in the lake. By then, it had been a couple days since we hit the road, so we had to take showers in the lake.. We had also showered in the rain the night we all danced together! (when you're on the road during a massive pandemic, it's hard to find proper showers that are open- so you take what you can get!)
     A day later, we made it to the Grand Tetons, which were gorgeous! We were headed for Yellowstone the next day, so we camped right in between the two at a campsite in a national forrest. Right off the bat we made friends with our camp neighbors, and spent a couple hours talking with them before splitting up for bed. The next day, we decided to go to Yellowstone together, so Elizabeth (a super sweet soul we met at the campsite!) hopped in the van and we headed in. Yellowstone was gorgeous, and still blows my mind that there was a massive super volcano right under our feet! For all we know, it could explode before you ever get to see it.. It was mind baffling to see the geysers, hot springs, extremophile bacteria, animals, and mud volcanoes. The next day, we woke up at 3 am to go into Yellowstone together and watch the sun rise. We drove in with our 4 car convoy, (our other awesome friend from the campsite, Colin, came with us too!) and Elizabeth made us fresh coffee! As we sat and ate breakfast together, we shared stories of ourselves, our art, our travels, and how we got to where we are today. 
     Another day of exploration goes by, and we all end up camping together outside of Yellowstone again. The next day, we had breakfast, did some Tarot readings, and said our goodbyes, ready to part ways and resume our own journeys! Colin still has a ways to go with his route, and then back home to New York to find a new apartment, and luckily, Elizabeth is headed to Montana as well, so we'll get to hang out again :)
     
    Now, we're back home in Montana, and with that, my first trip of van life comes to a bittersweet end. The past month and half has been the best of my life so far! I don't plan on staying put for very long, but since I can't go to India this year anymore (ugh- Covid..) I will have to decide on a new route. Maybe to the East coast next time-? I do love the west coast though- maybe I'll find myself settling there for a bit.. Who knows.. All I know is that VANLIFE is the life for me, and I am already itching to hit the road again- BE PATIENT JORDAN!!
     I'm so excited to take you on journeys of our own, it will be so fun!!
     Until then, I'll keep adding on to the adventures stories to tell you all about :)

         Love, 
                Your barefoot naked runnin granny J :)

 ​​To My Grandkids,
Let's take a different route with this. Do you realize how amazing our universe is?

​     Since I'm on the road a lot, I've been listening to a lot of podcasts to keep me entertained. I found one channel that I LOVE, and they have been stretching my brain in every way possible. They talk about aliens, ghost stories, murders, the universe, our brains, and so much more. One thing that has had me really interested lately is how crazy our universe is.
     Looking up into the starry night, you can see billions of stars, but there are billions and billions more that you can't even see, but are right in front of your eyes! They aren't all stars, they are also other galaxies, universes, planets, stars, black holes, and so much more that we don't even know of. Some of the stars you see might not even exist. Light has to travel millions of light years to reach our eyes, and by the time we can actually perceive the light, the star might be dead, and we are just seeing the last rays of its life. Same with the sun, the light we SEE is 8 years old.. 'Outer space' goes on for infinity- can you even fathom that? Our universe is ever expanding, and 'space' never stops. Past what we know, it's just infinite nothingness.
     If you bring it back in to our planet, it is still just as crazy. Every single living organism on this planet is so intricately designed to fit into a grand system. Down to the tiny bee that pollinate flowers, to the largest whale that coasts deep under the sea. Think about the water cycle- The water that is collected in the sky eventually rains down, watering the plants, and the soil. The plants and soil then provide food to insects, animals, and humans. The water also helps trees grow, which gives off oxygen for living things to breath, and removes CO2 from the air. The water goes through many cycles, and eventually evaporates back up into the sky to start the cycle over again.
     Even our bodies are AMAZING. The human body is a whole system that is unfathomably intricate. From the skin that protects your muscles, down to every microscopic neuron in you brain that fires a certain way to make you function as a whole. It's insane! 
     When you look at our fingerprints compared to the inside of a tree, or the palm of your hand compared to the spine of a leaf, you'll see how similar we really are to the things on this Earth.  Every single thing on this planet is connected. The same creator that made the storms in the sky, the coral at the bottom of the ocean, the oxygen, also made us, our blood, and the whole universe. We are crafted with the same materials, from the same place, just sculpted differently. The neurons and atoms inside your brain are even connected with the galaxy a billion light years away. Can you imagine that?
     There are so many things about our existence that is unknown. We don't even fully know what sits at the bottom of our oceans. The ocean that is ON OUR PLANET! We don't truly know where we came from, how we got here, or what we're doing here. We don't know if we are the only humans that exist out there. We don't even know why our bodies require sleep, or exactly why/how we dream.. We don't know if aliens really exist or not- I mean for all we know they could be walking among us and we don't even realize. We don't know what a black hole really is, or what's inside it. We don't know the effects of certain things in the human body. We don't know  what happens when we die. 
     There are theories, religious beliefs, folk tales, rumors, blah blah blah- but nobody actually KNOWS 100% certain. Isn't that bizarre? I have my beliefs- and I am very passionate in what I believe, but you have to stay open minded because no matter how much we think we understand, or try to prove this or that- 
                           nobody really KNOWS.
                         Existence is a mystery.

I hope you have a spark of wonder in your heart that makes you question this life.
Have an open mind, and decide for yourself what feels like the best answer. I hope you never mask that spark, but instead, you explore every corner of wonder you could possibly imagine. Stretch your mind, THINK about things on a deeper level, and only believe what you see and feel personally, not what you are told to believe.

This life is cRaZY, explore every possibility.
I might be out of my mind, but I think that's the point.

​Love,
​your crazy Granny J :)

 "I am That."

To My Grandkids,
​     Last week I was at the Grand Canyon, and it was unbelievable. 
     When I first pulled into the parking lot, something in my gut told me I needed to leave my phone in the car, and just BE there in the moment.  The second I was close enough to see the Grand Canyon,  I was so overwhelmed by how GREAT it is. I walked on the trail that goes along the rim, and I saw an area where you can leave the trail and go down onto a rock that sticks out over the canyon. Of course, I climbed down there, and walked to the edge. I sat on the corner, legs dangling over the edge, and realized that this moment... THIS MOMENT is the moment I live and breathe for.  I was so overwhelmed with LOVE for this life, myself, and just pure AMAZEMENT. A tear rolled down my face, and with it left every bit of doubt I ever had for myself. Every single bump in the road, every single day I had ever felt stuck- Its gone. Nothing but a drop, falling 6,000 feet to its death, leaving me with complete PEACE. I am HERE, out in the world doing what I always dreamed, and it's only the beginning of the rest of my life.
     When we were at camp a couple weeks ago, I met an amazing man named Dana. One morning, we were all sitting together having brunch, and he asked me a very special question.. Everyone at camp was talking about their "moment", how they got to where they were today, and the big AHA moments that make us who we are. The answers ranged from a job lost, turning out to be a soul searching journey, filling every day with adventures, to spiritual awakenings, to having children, traveling the world, etc etc.. Without hesitation, I told him my moment was RIGHT NOW. Every single breath I take is honestly the best "moment" of my life... and its TRUE.
     I could go on and on trying to explain how exhilarating it feels to appreciate life, but nothing compares to making that decision, and living that way.
     As I sat above the canyon, I met some amazing people. One lady I only talked to in passing, but she sticks out in my head. I was sitting on the edge, and I heard her ask her husband how I got down there, so I went over and showed her to climb down. The whole time she was thinking about it, her husband was trying everything in his power to keep her in his reach- he did NOT want her in 'harms way'. At one point he even grabbed her arm out of fear, and I shouted up to the couple that "Life on the edge is the best way to live!" With that, she pushed him away, and began climbing down, ignoring his plea for her to stop. When she got down to the edge, she stopped in her tracks- stuck in complete awe. She thanked me for getting her out of her comfort zone- not only is the view better from the edge, but she overcame a fear, and did not let anyone get in the way of her living her best life in the moment.
     
     If there is one thing traveling has taught me (actually, theres a million things its taught me) it would be the simple act of being GRATEFUL. 
     To be grateful is to appreciate every moment. Every breath, every adventure, every soul to cross my path, and every lesson to be learned. To be grateful is to be open to the BEAUTY of the world, rather than focusing on the negative. It is to acknowledge how truly blessed we are. It is to LOVE every person we cross, and show them how special they are.
     If you are grateful for all that you have, your big "moment" will be every time you inhale- it will become your LIFE.
      
Life is amazing, and it is also a choice.
You either get out there and live-
or you don't.

I am going to take you all over the world one day. There is no better lesson than the one learned by BEING THERE. I'm so excited to meet you one day!
I Love you!
-Your Baby Grandma J

P.S.
Put it on your bucket list to watch the sun SET and RISE over the Grand Canyon!!
​I watched both, and they are AMAZING.

​To My Grandkids,
     
​   First rule of camp: You always have to have a flower in your hair!


    This past week has been the best of my life. I have driven through Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, and now California! I have met so many amazing people, and have tons of wild stories already! 
    When we first pulled in to California, we pulled over to camp for the night, and it turned out to be the best couple days of my life so far. We were parked right on the beach, so my front door opened right to the ocean!  Throughout the 3 days we stayed there, I met the most amazing bunch of people. There ended up being a group of 15 or so people that came through our camp, and each and every one was so special. We would all sit around the fire together for hours, playing guitar, dancing under the stars, and sharing our stories. We had group meals, and would come together around the fire to eat. There were people of all ages, life paths, and from all over the country- all were welcome. Some people were musical, others were listeners, some were adventurers, others were observers. We were all so different, but at the same time, the same.. When we needed to shower, we would walk into the woods to a freshwater creek and wash our hair together. At one point, Bryanna and I went back to the creek with our lovely fairy friend, Julie, and just like in Montana, we stripped down and took a leap into the COLD COLD water! Once again, EXHILARATING! As a group, we learned so much not only about each other, but ourselves as well!
​     At the end of each day, we found ourselves gathered around the fire, laughing, sharing, learning, enjoying, and EXPERIENCING life in the purest form. My lovely friend, Tysun, was showing us his tattoos, and when asked why he had a campfire, the answer was simple, but so special; community. At first, I was like oh yea cool- but then I thought about it, and truly, it is one thing that never fails to bring people together. A simple campfire that brought us all together at camp, and presented me with memories and stories I will always cherish. A simple campfire that provides us with meals to share, warmth to sit out under the stars together all night, playing music, and sharing what makes us all who we are. A campfire that connected strangers at the right place and time- a simple campfire that built a community. 
    The last day we spent together, we started the morning with a group meditation, standing in a circle together, opening our hearts and being grateful. We gave hugs, and started to say goodbye, but its never that easy to leave the ones you love, so it didn’t end there. We traded crafts, gifted special items, and exchanged contact information. There was a lovely man named Cameron, who I gifted a special item of mine, and he hand crafted me a bow and arrow. It was so special, and my heart feels full every time I look at it! After saying goodbye to the other half of the group, only a couple of us stayed at the beach. We were with a very special River Godess (to say the least!) named Sari, and she made us pancakes before we hit the road. When it was time to part ways, we ended up not being able to leave each other right away, so we stayed together for the night, and then Sari and I spent another night off on our own. What an amazing, beautiful soul she is.. I could go on and on, but I’d have to make another blog to express how much I enjoyed my time with her! (I will!)
     The whole time we were there, none of us had service, which at first was a bummer, because I’m a teenage girl who’s guilty pleasure is social media- but it turned out to be the biggest blessing ever to not have technology for a couple days. Since none of us had our phones, we were creating much more in depth relationships, and getting to know each other face to face, soul to soul, rather than being distracted by the internet and social media. 
    It was seriously the best couple days of my life, and the most simplistic. It doesn’t take material things to be happy, and it sure a hell doesn’t need technology. This world is always changing, evolving, and getting more advanced, and a lot of us get caught up in the new trends, latest technology, and temporary fixes.. Try and remind yourself to BE HERE in the present moment, because it is the only moment that ever truly exists, and you can never get it back. Put your phone down (or your flying cars by now) and get outside to experience first hand for your own eyes!! You will have the best time of your life that way, and make the most meaningful relationships!
     Go make a campfire and see what happens :)

     Even though I’m only 19, I’m still looking forward to meeting you someday! Trust me, we’ve got lots to talk about! 
                                Love, 
                                     Granny J :)