Eight months ago I placed my blog on the shelf while I contemplated a future with other possibilities. When I stepped away from blogging I felt that it was a thing of the past for me. My need to push back from the computer was stronger than my desire to continue my travel blog. All the wonderful blogs and the unique individuals I had connected with were a true gift to me but they came at a cost. Hours spent researching and writing blog posts, reading other blogs and commenting (all self-imposed stresses) kept me away from my beloved outdoors, off the trails that had begun to feel as much like home to me as our little house on wheels. But, like others before me, my soul’s need to express herself through the written word compels me to move back into the blogging arena.
However, after spending much time reflecting upon this choice, I have decided that my blog will morph into a compilation of my passions, namely travel, health and fitness, food, and whatever else may speak to my muse. These passions seem to stay true to my blog title “paint your landscape”, a metaphor for how hubby and I envision a good life, doing what makes our hearts sing, keeping our bodies and minds healthy, coloring our world with broad brushstrokes.
We have a summer trip planned, heading into Montana to visit friends, explore national parks new to us and others that beckon us once again. We will then move north of the border to explore a small slice of Canada, reconnecting with friends and hiking some of the trails in Banff and possibly Jasper National Parks.
I look forward to reconnecting with the blogging community.
Paint Your Landscape 
Welcome back! Judy and I look forward to reading of your new adventures and seeing the new photos. Have Fun
Thanks David! Hope all is well with the two of you. Big hugs! 🙂
Hi Luann, getting the right balance is always a trick in life, isn’t it? And it’s always a moving target. I found blogging to be more work than I wanted, so it’s just FB photos and comments for me. Enjoy Montana and Canada. Our first “adventure” together was building a log cabin up near Glacier National Park, and living there in the early 70’s.
I am hopefully going to go at this blogging “gig” in a scaled-down fashion, so says this Type A gal…haha. I am sure we will enjoy our time in MT and Canada. We are planning to visit Glacier, a park we have yet to see. Sounds like a beautiful place to live.
I can relate with the blogging morphing into a “chore” but its benefits outweighs the cons. Welcome back to blogosphere and Im looking forward to all your musings.
We might cross paths, we are heading in the same direction, MT and CN
My musings will be short and hopefully sweet! It is good to be back to writing again. We will be out on the road for 6 weeks, then heading back to So Cal for a couple of weeks near the end of August as we wrap up plans for a European trip this fall. Would love to catch up with the two of you.
We look forward to reconnecting with you dear friend. Welcome back.
Thanks! I look forward to catching up with so many friends. 🙂
Yay! Glad to have you back in the blogosphere! I share your passions and love your writing style, it will be good to read your posts once again.
Wishing you a fabulous trip this summer!
Thanks so much Lisa. It feels good to get back to writing. Are you and Hans getting ready to get on the road soon? We are going out for 6 weeks, visiting friends and national parks, then back to So Cal to finalize some plans for a trip to Europe this fall. Our lives have changed but we still have the wanderlust. Hope you two have some great adventures planned!
I must say that I am looking forward to reading your blog again. You have a beautiful way with words:) But please don’t put too much pressure on yourself. I have found that sometimes I don’t need to reply to all the comments which takes some pressure away. Happy travels again and enjoy your time on the road:)
Thanks so much! I have been told that very thing from a few others. I have always tried to reply to every comment, as well as comment on everyone’s blog as well. For me that is far too much time in front of the computer. Kind of defeats the need to be out in nature, doesn’t it? I know that everyone who blogs is faced with the same dilemma of balance. There are just so many darn wonderful blogs out there. 🙂
Yippe this is a wonderful surprise! Sometimes one needs to take some time away to regroup and reassess. I’m delighted to find your post and look forward to more LuAnn!
I have gone back and forth so often on this decision Sue. Hopefully I will figure out how to do this and still have balance in my life. If you have any words of wisdom, I’m all ears! Actually I really am if you have ever seen my “Spock-like” ears (haha) 😉
LuAnn I think the most important thing is understanding what you want from it. Understanding what your goal is. Then staying focused on that and frequently asking yourself ‘ Is the activity I am doing right now helping me get what I want?’
That’s my biggest piece of advice. You could be busy at blogging 24 hrs a day so I think it is a really valuable exercise. I’m still working at it. 🙂
That is sage advice Sue! Thanks so much.
Happy to help LuAnn. 🙂
Welcome back. You have been truly missed. I look forward to hearing about your wonderful new adventures 🙂
Thanks Ingrid. I don’t think I realized how burned out I was until, a few months after blogging, I had finally decompressed. I think I am a little OCD. Need to find some balance this time. Hope you and Al are enjoying your time in ID. We loved the time we spent in that beautiful state.
It’s so nice to see you “painting” again. Selfishly, I have hoped you would reconsider. 😉 But no one understands that pull from the outdoors than me. But I think about one of my favorite quotes from Anais Nin, “We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect.” Hopefully you will find the right “taste” in writing that nourishes your soul.
Safe travels, my friend…
You, my friend, gave me the gentle nudge that I needed and the very best advice. I cannot thank you enough and when I start to stress out about the process (and I will at times), I hope your eloquent words will echo in my heart. We are on the road again…yippee! 🙂
You made a wonderful decision!
Thanks so much Laurie! Hope you and your family are well.
I missed you LuAnn!!!! Yes I know what you mean that it is a ton of work blogging. But it is so amazing. I just periodically go through times like now where I don’t write and read as much so I can enjoy life and summer with the kids. It is healthy to take a break. 😊
I have missed you too. Can’t tell you how often I think of you and how much you have inspired me since I first discovered your blog. I look forward to catching up with your adventures. Hope your summer is going well.
Oh thanks LuAnn! That makes me smile! Summer is well. Kids are having fun and latest news is we have a four month old puppy! His name is Winter and he is half golden retriever and half lab. He is adorable!
I so want a dog but until we decide to travel less, a pet is probably not in our future. 😦
Welcome back. I don’t know about anyone else, but blogging has never been my highest priority. It sometimes takes me weeks before I post about one of our stops along the way. I agree with you that I would not put blogging ahead of hiking somewhere. Safe travels!
It is good to be back but this will not be placed before nourishing my soul in nature. It sounds like you understand!
So glad to see you here again!! And, are you going to be anywhere near Gardiner when you come to Montana?
We are winging it your way Julianne. And we would be very disappointed if we could not see you while we are in MT. We will be in the Tetons, hopefully beginning tomorrow, for a few days, then heading to visit friends Rosie and Jim for a couple of weeks. During that time we are planning to come to Yellowstone. Will you be around the next couple of weeks?
Sounds like you and Terry have that wanderlust once more LuAnn. Have a safe and exciting travel time…..Rog & Gayl
Hard to shake it when it grabs hold of you! We are out on the road for 6 weeks, then back home to Jojoba Hills for a couple of weeks, then off for a new adventure after that. Hope both you and Gayl are having a good summer.
Welcome back to the blogging world, LuAnn! Applauding your hiatus and return – looking forward to reading your words once again. Rock on!
Thanks so much Lois!
We’re glad to have you back, in whatever form! Try not to feel pressure to comment on every blog you read, not everyone blogs to see how many comments they can rack up you know!
Thanks Sue and those are great words to live by! Looks like you two are having a great summer so far.
It’s good to kick the sides out of our boxes from time to time. Eager to see how the new vision manifests itself. Even though I tend to write about certain issues I find myself regularly pushing against the sides of my own self-confinement. Being a visual guy I do find that sometimes changing my wordpress template actually helps in the process of changing what I write about. When I used a portfolio style I found that it was actually more confining because I felt as if I had to have an relevant image for posts and I didn’t want to do that — didn’t mind putting in images, just not wanting to confine my writing to meet the nature of the feature image. So I got away from that. It’s curious the way we let ourselves be hemmed in by our own false limits.
Thanks so much for the thought-provoking words Peter. So true that we place ourselves in a box at times, one that over times feels a bit too confining.
Your FB posts have kept me informed and enjoying your travels along with you. You always go interesting places and learn so much about them. The photos are wonderful as well. I am glad you feel inspired to blog once again. Truthfully, visits to FB are enough for me. I don’t like to spend a lot of time in front of the computer, even though I do not hike, nor travel around a lot, I don’t sit still for long unless I am reading a good book. However, LuAnn, look at how many comments you have! It shows how popular your writing is. Find your healthy balance.
Thanks so much Gale. I hope to walk that tightrope this time with a bit more finesse. 😉
Oh, yay!!! I’m so happy that you’ve decided to return to blogging, LuAnn. Even though I know we’ll always stay in touch, I’ve missed your beautiful writing and photos. I love writing because it seems to “anchor” experiences and offers the opportunity for deeper reflection, but as you said, I don’t want blogging to get in the way of present moment adventures. Here’s to us both finding and keeping the balance. Hugs and happy trails!
Thanks Laurel. It is good to be back. Here’s to balance! 🙂
I am so glad to see you are back to blogging. I’m sure I’m not the only one who has missed your great pictures and splendid writings. I am anxious see what you will be sending us. I hope you will send us lots of pictures, while you are on your current travels.
Thanks Joan. It is all still a mystery to me. 😉
And,,,to include a bit of art!!!!
Haha! I can only hope to feel so comfortable with my art that I post it. I definitely won’t be posting what I sent you anytime soon! 😉
Good to see you back, I have missed your adventures!!
Thanks Leah. We are heading to Yellowstone soon. Perhaps we can touch base.
So glad to hear from you again! Glad you had a good time away and will continue to do those things that make your heart sing, but that you will allow us to”see” into your world every now and then! Enjoy your travels! Kent and I are in Washington this summer. We still take some time every fall with his older parents. We’d love to reconnect if that is possible. Love and have fun!
Good to hear from you Jan. And we certainly understand the need to spend time with elderly parents. We will be hanging out in So Cal at least 6 months of the year. Would love to see you and Kent again.
So wonderful to see you here again, LuAnn. I’ve missed your posts. Your plans sound really exciting and I look forward to reading about your travels and seeing your photos. xx
Thanks so much. I hope you having a good summer Sylvia.
Man, it’s great to have you back, LuAnn! I really enjoy your writings. Looking forward to your future posts! 🙂
Thanks so much! It is good to reconnect with everyone.
Sure glad to have you back!
Welcome,
Norm
Thanks Norm!
Welcome back, Luann. Brad and I are back in Colorado Springs, long story. We hope that we can cross paths again and catch up. We love to hike also, spending many hours on our wonderful Colorado trails and Pikes Peak.
Missing you both. Blessings, Geri Geffen
So good to hear from you, and yes I am a bit surprised. Terry says he wants the details. 😉 We would love to reconnect sometime.
I have been taking some time off..unannounced retreat from the blog world. Just stuck my toe back in and found you have returned…welcome back!
Plan to emerge from my exile soon.
I understand the need for a break. Look forward to your return.
I am so looking forward to your new posts.
David and I are making tentative plans to follow in your footsteps hopefully within the next year or so once I can tear myself away from a job that now has me traveling more than I want to. We’ve begun to research RV”s. You and Terry inspired us! Safe and happy trails ahead.
How exciting! I always thought it was a possibility for the two of you.
Looks like I’m late tot he party here but very glad to see you back. I too have such mixed feelings about all the hours in research and writing it takes to do my own blog and then I want to read an comment on others. I learn so much from them. But like you, I’d rather be hiking or kayaking. I’m selfishly wondering how many wonderful hikes I missed finding out about in your months off. Your passions to are the same as mine which is obviously why I have enjoyed your blog and am happy to see you again.
PS Your header picture is simply outstanding!!
Thanks Sherry!
Thanks Sherry. I am happy to be back and I hope to practice restraint this time around. Hope you and David are doing well.
It’s great to have you back! It can be tough to keep up with everybody and I can only imagine how much research you put into your posts, these days I spend up to three hours writing and researching and over three ours visiting as I do all blogs together, it takes a toll. You found a fit though and that is great, varying your posts will introduce us all to new interests as well and that is always a good thing.
I hope to keep some balance in my life this time around. I think when you first begin to blog and other bloggers take an interest and begin following you, it is exciting. And then you begin to look at all the wonderful blogs out there and it all begins to snowball. This time I plan to do less research and shorter blogs.
Gone are the days when 20 hits were something we hoped to get, posts took twenty minutes and visiting the handful of blogs could be done in a short time. I think part of it is that as we grow together all our posts become more layered and we need to take a bit more time to read them…thought provoking, that’s what it is.
You are right Ste J. I am amazed at the talent in the blogosphere and what I have learned from other bloggers.
I was lucky to meet yourself, RoSy, Penny, Boomie, etc and learn from you guys, come into my own! It’s the gift that keeps on giving!
Take your time, Lu. I think, more so than anything, blogging is an outlet. They are pages of your life that you can look back on. With that, time doesn’t really matter.
Of all the bloggers who had their hiatus, I miss you the most!
You are so sweet Rommel. Thanks for those inspiring thoughts. Would love to see you again someday.
Happy to see you back and hope you find the balance between experiencing and sharing! 🙂
Me too!
As you can tell I am late to the Welcome Back Party! I too have decided to post when I want… Comment when I want… And enjoy all my friends and their posts but in a timely manner. I had to step back and realize… This blog of mine is for me and for sharing but… in a way that does not rob me from my fun, my travel and yet from my homes!
With all that said… I have missed you and truly enjoyed your posts. I am looking forward to your new rested approach. “Rested… Is the new black!” Ha ha ha!
I echo those sentiments!
We also have a love-hate relationship with blogging as it takes an incredible amount of time and work in front of the computer – time that could be spent exploring new places, meeting new people and even kicking back with a good book. On the other hand, it’s encouraging to meet such a vibrant online community of travelers as well as those of who mix our travel passion with day-to-day life and try to get it all to balance! Looking forward to reading more of your posts! Anita
I’m glad to hear that someone else shares my sentiments. I am determined this time to maintain more of a balance in my life. I look forward to following your adventures!
Hello LuAnn, good to see you again.
Yes, it’s a difficult thing at times; keeping up with the blogging fraternity. At least, it is for me, at times – so many wonderful posts; so many amazing life experiences unfolding on the screen. So yes, I fully appreciate the dilemma in which most of us dwell. Having said that, it is lovely to see your return to WP, and wish for you happy blogging! 🙂
xoxoxo
Thanks Carolyn. I am happy to be back to blogging and hope to maintain some balance this time around. 🙂
As, I too, am doing, LuAnn. Life can become a little one dimensional otherwise. 😉
Very true.
Look forward to reading your blog. Always good to “paint your landscape”. Sometimes it is great to just write down your thoughts on a subject.
Thanks for stopping by! I do carry a small journal with me to document my travels as well. If not, I would probably forget more than a few details before I got to the blog post. 🙂