Notes from the road

on pursuing a healthy, mindful life

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Hello!

Hi, I’m Michele. I live on the road full-time and photograph mountain weddings for a living. This is my personal blog where I share my thoughts on living simply and intentionally with less stress and more joy. Want to follow along? Sign up below to receive new posts straight to your inbox.

You can find my wedding and portrait work at www.oncewest.com.

Thanks for stopping by, I’m really glad you’re here.

Latest stories

We’ve learned from the best

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{Photo of the day: Seth & Drea are our nomad neighbors for the week.} One of the primary factors why the full-time RV lifestyle is working so well for us this time around is because we’ve learned to slow down. Years ago we never could have imagined staying parked for two weeks or more in one place, now it’s our norm. It was our friend’s Seth & Drea that intrigued us with...

Better understanding myself and the world around me

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{Photo of the day: On the way home to our property after a day in the city.} I’m currently reading a fascinating book, “The Righteous Mind: Why good people are divided by politics and religion” by Jonathan Haidt. It’s one of those books that bends your mind in a way that allows you to view life and humankind from a totally different angle. It contains some complex ideas...

Thoughts from 10 days without internet

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{Photo of the day: Southeast Utah is the place to go to disconnect.} Today concludes my digital detox.  What was supposed to be 7 days without internet turned in to 10, and it was absolutely glorious.  Here’s what I learned… 1.  I love mono-tasking.  Multi-tasking is over-rated.  I experience far more enjoyment and am way more productive when I focus on one thing at a time.  We think...

If I could travel back in time

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{Photo of the day: Yoga time.} Mackenzie, our 21 year old niece, is currently wading thru one of life’s existential crises.  The “what do I want to do with my life” dilemma that I remember all too well.  I think I might remember it so well because, for me, that feeling has never completely gone away.  Mark & I so badly wish we had answers for her, or a roadmap, anything to help ease the...

What a dream

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{Photo of the day: Our current address.} Eastern Utah.  It’s a desert utopia for Coloradans that are sick of the snow.  When we got our truck camper 9 years ago, it became a given that March and April were the time to leave the mountains for a Utah getaway.  Moab, Comb Ridge, Valley of the Gods, Lake Powell, Capitol Reef, the destinations for campers are endless.  Each a vast...

The things we’re capable of

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{Photo of the day: Rock climbers on top of Rooster Butte.} I was reading a book when I heard voices, faint and small in the distance.  I looked up at the giant sandstone monolith who’s shadow I was sitting in and saw two tiny little humans beginning to scale the rock face.  Not 30 minutes prior had the same couple walked past our camp with large backpacks in tow.  An hour later...

The simple act of noticing

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Photo of the day: The last drops to remain after today’s storm. It’s been nearly 15 months since I began the practice of photographing my life daily. When 2020’s 365 project came to an end, I couldn’t imagine stopping. And so, without really thinking too hard about it, I woke up January 1st and kept going. It’s been challenging and rewarding, some days are hard and...

9 ways I’ve reduced stress in my life

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Photo of the day: Working on my meditation routine. I used to think that stress was just a necessary part of being a successful business owner until Mark one day pointed out that being stressed-out doesn’t accomplish a damn thing.  It does nothing but make life more difficult.  It takes up space in our already busy lives.  Stop and think about this for a second.  When has...

Keeping it all in perspective

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Photo of the day: Big sky, tiny moon. I just started reading Jedidiah Jenkins new book Like Streams to the Ocean. I’ve loved Jedidiah’s positive and insightful lens on life ever since I came across National Geographic’s You Tube video about his journey from Oregon to South America titled “Life Lessons from a 7,000 mile bike ride”. His memoir, To Shake The Sleeping...

Time wasted

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Photo of the day: Heading home from grocery shopping. We’ve really settled in to a rhythm of maxing out the 14 day limit at each place we camp. Years ago we could hardly sit still in one spot for more than 3 or 4 days and now 14 days flies by. The last two stays feel like they’ve gone by especially fast. I’ve also slipped back in to my bad habit of worrying about where...

Michele

Hi, I'm Michele, a nomadic wedding photographer and lover of the great outdoors. I live on the road full-time and document my adventures daily. This is my personal blog where I share and record my thoughts on living simply and intentionally with less stress and more joy. Check out my wedding and portrait photography at http://www.oncwest.com

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