Welcome to another Ultimate Coffee Date! I just came back from camping in Minnesota a couple days ago! :] My brain is still not really processing the fact that half the year is already over…
Ultimate Coffee Date: July 2026
When we did the photoshoot last month, I snagged a solo spot because I’ve always wanted to do one with traditional Chinese clothing + my bow! I don’t have a top that matches this one too well so this is more of a modern fusion, but I love this skirt + how they turned out! <3
We went for a short hike in Tettegouche State Park on our own + also joined a naturalist for a wildflower hike/learned about a bunch of the local wildflowers in the area. It was really cool being able to identify so many on the rest of the hikes we went on!! :]
We also went canoeing in Fall Lake (+ also Lake Kabetogama!)
We came across a cute little duck family on our first canoeing expedition + on our second one, we paddled out to a small island far away (the people in motorboats thought we were a little cray, but we made it there/back even against the 19mph winds!!).
Our view of Lake Kabetagoma near our cabin!
If we were having coffee/tea today, I’d tell you that…I was selected to be one of the soloists for the most recent Awesöme Orchestra meetup on 7/2! (I’ve mentioned em’ a couple times over the years (e.g. when I first moved back to California) + have been joining in whenever the pieces call for a chorus)!
I was equal parts terrified + excited when I found out I got the part because I really love the game they chose to showcase music from. But I’ve never solo’ed anything in my life. (My actual main instrument is piano and my singing is typically reserved for showers/in my car.)
When I found out we’d be doing a song from Expedition 33, I managed to thrift together one of the game outfits for <$28! (The baguette strapped to my back is real, lol. Built-in snack!)
At the end of the day though, when would I ever get the chance to do this again!? I love, love, love the music from Clair Obscur (if you’re ever in the mood for hauntingly beautiful music, I’d recommend giving it a listen)!
Since the piece was the final boss theme and I haven’t actually finished the game yet and thus didn’t know this particular piece, learning it was definitely an interesting experience. (I found out I got the part on 6/25 when I was already in Minnesota + since we were camping, I didn’t have much reliable reception until a few days before the performance.)
I didn’t want to subject my friends to listening to me attempt to learn to pronounce French without references for a song I didn’t know, so I’d periodically run off into the woods to serenade the trees/birds. (If there are new tales popping up over there about haunted forests/islands, I may be responsible for this. Sorry!)
The performance was a lot of fun + I couldn’t have asked for a more supportive group/audience! :] I’m hoping they’ll choose it for the end of year concert so we can do it again (fingers crossed!). <3
(For reference, this is the outfit I was cosplaying, hehehe.)
(Link-up with Coco @ Running with Perseverance & Deborah @ Confessions of a Mother Runner! Also linking up with My First 5K and More, Running With Attitude, Run Laugh Eat Pie, and Runs with Pugs for Fit Five Friday.)
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- Do you have any summer travel plans?
- When’s the last time you busted out of your comfort zone?
- Come back to join me on Monday for the My Month Is Booked linkup!
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I’m glad you had a good trip! Congratulations on being selected as a soloist! I’m so happy for you and so proud of you!
I will be visiting my family at least once, possibly twice this summer.
Thank you!! Everyone was so nice that I forgot to be nervous, hehe. Was definitely shaking though because it was so cold. :’)
I hope you have a wonderful time with your family! <3
Farrah recently posted…Ultimate Coffee Date: July 2026
You nailed it on the outfit! And how cool that you were chosen for a solo – terrifying, but exciting!
We were just talking about Voyageurs National Park and wondering if it just might be one we never get to visit… We’ll see, never say never, right? Our next road trip starts in two weeks and if all goes as planned, we’ll cross seven more national parks off our list! :-)
Debbie recently posted…Catching Up Over Coffee: Solid Stats, Freedom Jerseys, and Map Sidebar Highlights
Thank you! :D It was so much fun, hehe.
It’s definitely wayyy up there but if you like water-type activities by the lake and/or avoiding crowds, I’d definitely recommend it! (Definitely have bug spray on you though; the mosquitoes mean business.)
Looking forward to reading about your road trip!! 7 more is awesome!! *-*
Oh my gosh! This is all so very cool! I am in absolute awe of performers, especially soloists. I don’t know how they (you) manage to get up there in front of so many people. But it sounds like you had the best time and your outfit rocked!
We already did our big vacation, but we have a mini one in a few weeks and then we are moving our kiddo off to college, so that will be a long weekend trip as well.
Thank you!! I am definitely a “would-like-to-just-fade-into-the-background” kind of person, so this was wayy outside my comfort zone, but so glad I got to do it! It was so much fun! :D
Ahh, safe travels + hope you enjoy this time with A! <3
Farrah recently posted…Ultimate Coffee Date: July 2026
OMG – a wildflower hike???? Sign me up immediately!! And how cool that you do bow shooting – what is that type of bow called? A friend of ours used to be a lot into medieval cross bowing.
Solo performing is so hard and nerve racking before you’re used to it! As the lead singer in a duo it’s the norm for me and I’m mostly fine with it nowadays but it can still be hard. We usually do background music or play in sessions with other people, but in the summer we have some gigs in another pub where people go to actually listen and this is both wonderful and stressful at the same time. But I love it, I get a weird kick out of performing for a real audience and usually a good confidence boost too.
We learned so much! :D (Retaining all of it was a struggle though, but it was cool being able to identify a whole lot more of the flowers we saw after that!)
It’s a recurve bow! :] I’ve never tried using a crossbow but it’s always looked so cool!
That’s awesome! I’ve never been super comfortable performing but once upon a time, I was a music performance major! Definitely felt difference though since it was for piano and I didn’t have to look at the audience, hehe. I definitely agree about the confidence boost though! :D
Farrah recently posted…My Month Is Booked: June 2026
Congratulations on your solo! It sounds like you had a really lovely trip.
Thank you! It was a much-needed break! :]
Congrad on getting the part.
Minnesota is a pretty state with so many lakes.
Snapdragon recently posted…June 2026 Look Back
Thank you!
Very much agreed! <3 It was so beautiful there!
Farrah recently posted…My Month Is Booked: June 2026