Getting high.

Last week, Jesse and I flew to Denver, Colorado to visit our dear friend Amy. We bought our plane tickets nearly a month early so by the time we actually flew out there, we were more than excited. Now, I have loved the Appalachian mountains as long as I can remember. My dad used to take me hiking and camping up there since before I could walk. The rolling, misty, mountains have always intrigued me.

One minute they are shrouded in fog, and the next minute they are bright and vibrant. However, the Rocky mountains are a completely different beast.
Their daunting peaks and sheer cliffs have challenged and attracted people from all over the world to conquer them. Along with the lure of the mountains, Denver is known for it’s health, vitality, and “granola” culture.

Friday morning, Jesse and I rode the bus into town and wandered up and down the streets of downtown Denver. One of the first things we noticed was a protest going on in Civic Center Park in front of the Capital building called “Occupy Denver”. We asked a small, shriveled old man what the protest was about and he responded, “well, it is just a bunch of kids with nothing better to do than complain about the government!”. The next question I had was, “well then why are you a part of it?”. He answered right back, “I have nothing better to do than complain about the government!”.


Downtown Denver was unlike any city I’ve ever been too. Every time you turned around there was someone riding a bike, running, or walking their dog. Parks and natural food grocery stores were as common as gas stations. People in the shops, buildings, and on the street would greet you every chance they got. In fact, I don’t think I ran into a single rude person in all of Denver.

This was rather shocking... sometimes people give me a dirty looks when I order an extra-hot-grande-café-misto-with-protein-and-sugar-free-caramel-and-vanilla-syrup from Starbucks.


One of the highlights of our trip was climbing the Red Cone Mountain. Our original intention was to climb the fourteener “Grays and Torries”. However, a native of Colorado advised us to steer clear. The crowds were thick and the pathway was paved. Lame, right? He recommended and gave us directions to a secluded 13,000ft mountain called St. Edwards. We thanked him and headed out the next morning at 8 am to begin our adventure(ignoring his advice to buy a map of the area). Real adventures don’t start with maps anyways. Three hours later… we ended up in the middle of nowhere. Literally. We did not know where we were. We spotted a dirt road and followed another car to a small clearing filled with other cars and hikers.

After asking a fellow hiker where we should go, we selected a pathway that would supposedly lead us to “Beaver Gorge?”. Who knows. The pathway took us through woods, creeks, snow, fields, and rocks before we reached the tree line and caught sight of the tip of the mountain. As I climbed, I felt an intense pressure on the center of the top of my head. My ears started ringing. I even started seeing spots at one point. Maybe running wasn’t such a good idea… it was as if the mountain was trying to discourage me from climbing it. The peak right front of me was so close I could almost touch it.

Once I got to the top, the view took over. Literally. The pressure on my head, the ringing, and the spots disappeared. The overwhelming beauty of what God has made never fails to astound me.

More to come!

Dynamite, bikes, and coloring books

The wind is blowing. You know what that means. Cold weather is right around the corner. Or if you are anything like me, it is already here. Yesterday I went on a bike ride out to Six Mile. As I was rode directly into the wind, every push of the pedal required a little extra force to battle the invisible force of nature. I silently complained to myself, “why does riding have to be so hard today? This hurts. I am tired. Maybe I need a break…”

Once I got out to Six Mile, I turned onto a road called “Belle Shoals”. By now the wind was to my back. The difference was night and day. I went from struggling with every push of the pedal, to effortlessly gliding through the beautiful countryside. To my right, the view consisted of bright green pastures and houses. To my left, rolling green farmland was framed by the breathtaking backdrop of the Appalachian mountains. The bright sun and crisp air made the colors so bold that I could practically taste them. It was simply invigorating. I drew a deep breath of air and sped up to 30 mph. As the speed picked up beneath me, I realized that it is moments like these that I feel alive and closest to my Father in heaven. Eric Liddell put it well when he said:

“I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure”

Heaven is going to be awesome.

After my bike ride, I met up with my dad for coffee and conversation. We talked about his work, family, my plans for next fall, and our faith. It was so nice to finally get a chance to catch up with him. Every time I go home, there is so much going on and so many family members to catch up with. It is not often that I get to have long conversations with my dad during the school year.

Before I knew it, an hour and half had passed by and I was going to be late for a “Melo-Velo” meeting. I drove over to Excel and sat down with a group of ten or so people to discuss cycling in the community. Watch out people. Big things are about to happen in Clemson.


After the meeting, I came back to my apartment to find it lit up with lights, crafts, girls, and colors. My lovely roommate Kristen Kelly hosted an RUF girls craft night. Everyone brought as many crayons, markers, thread, paper, tape, glue, and whatever else they could think of, to make crafts with. The whole place was an explosion of color. Of course, any time girls plan something fun, the boys think it is necessary to join in as well. It was not long before several guys from RUF showed up on their bicycles. One by one, they lined the bikes up on the railing outside of the apartment. I must say, it was a sight to see.

Later on in the evening, my other roommate Audrey and I left to go rent the movie Bridesmaids. It just so happens that we are both suckers for chick flicks... especially ones that are wedding-related. On our way, her car gave out. Fortunately we were not far from my apartment so I ran back, got my car, and drove to the gas station. While at the gas station, I somehow ran into about fifteen old friends. Have you ever had a dream where random friends pop up in the most unlikely places? That’s kind of how it felt. Anyways. Using my highly polished ehem persuasion skills, I managed to convince the gas attendant to let me take the convenience store’s gas can… for free. The rescue was successful and Audrey and I eventually made it back to the apartment. Later on, we found out that her car's battery had died. Oh well.


The next morning, I came down to find Disney Princess pictures posted on the walls. It was easy to distinguish the guy’s pictures from the girls. Cinderella had laser beams coming out of her eyes, was stepping in a plate of spaghetti, and there was dynamite hooked up to a bunny rabbit.

I know.

Bears or humans?

A couple of weeks ago, I went to the Dick Lane Velodrome in Atlanta to watch Jesse race track. This kind of track racing consist of riding a fixed gear bike around a short 300 meter track. Some of the races can be as short as one lap, while others may be sixty laps. Race weekends are long and consist of 15 or so races. The variety in length is refreshing for the riders and viewers.

This particular race lasted for the entire weekend and hosted elite and pro riders. One of the riders was a Russian Olympian. Track racing is not easy. Each athlete has to fight for a good position, put out an enormous amount of power, and try not to crash- all while going 35 mph on a banked track. Yes, my knuckles went white a few times as I gripped the side rails and cheered the riders on. It was exhilarating.


That was not the only new experience I had during this particular trip.

During a race intermission, I took Jesse’s truck and drove to get a snack from a nearby store. Very quickly I realized that we were not on the edge, but smack dab in the middle of the ghetto of South Atlanta. After about thirty minutes of driving, I could not tell if I had gone further into the ghetto… or if I was about to come out of it. Regardless, I was about to miss Jesse’s next race and I was getting impatient.

Against my better judgment, I decided to stop at a gas station and grab a granola bar. No big deal, right? Wrong. I walked in, selected a granola bar, and walked up to the cash register. On the way, I saw piles of nasty videos titled “white, African American, and Latino”- among other items. It didn’t help that there were sketchy looking dudes meandering around the store. The environment creeped me out so much that I clumsily dropped the Jesse’s keys in between some bags of chips, located behind the cash register.

I paid and then proceeded to bolt to the truck, eager to flee to safety. As I reached the truck, my stomach sunk and my heart got caught in my throat. Where were the keys? My mind raced as I recalled everything that I had done. I ran back to the store and frantically examined every isle of the store. Next, I enlisted the cashier’s help. He looked pretty reluctant to leave his little cashier's cage that probably protected him from all the shootouts that go on there.

Long story short, I found my keys. The whole experience terrified me, and yes, I cried. I am a big baby when it comes to things like this. Maybe it is the small-town girl coming out of me. I would rather face 5 bears than 1 human. As a friend put it, “animals are rational, people are not”.

Fortunately I have a God that is bigger than bears, bigger than humans, and more powerful that anything I can imagine. After all, what could possible limit a God who created the universe?

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord".

Romans 8:38-39

Relief washed over me when I finally arrived back at the track.

God is good.

Colorado

Right now, I am sitting outside at the Clemson Starbucks sipping a hot cup of coffee while everyone rushes to work and school. One of the main advantages of sitting outside is that I get to see the occasional driver not just hit, but run over the curb. I know what your thinking, “Molly! That’s not very nice!”. Yes, yes, I know. It is unfortunate that they should accidently hit the curb. Let me tell you though, it can be hilarious. Especially if they are bouncing and bumping to the music like the last girl was. Her first reaction upon hitting the curb was to immediately scope the area to see if anyone saw. Second, music went off. Third, sheepish grin appeared.

Happens every time.

The past couple weeks of school have gone by quickly as I have been adjusting to a new schedule. I have not just been adjusting to school, but also exercising. Three weeks ago, I discovered while racing that I was very burnt out. Solution? Time off. No matter what type of athlete you are, breaks are absolutely necessary for mental and physical rejuvenation. Of course, I haven’t just been sitting on my rear this whole time. I’ve been going to fike, running hills, doing ab work, and running at Issaqueena forest with none other than Abby Gentry. Although all of these activities are good sources of exercise, I have genuinely missed cycling. Cycling is more than exercise. Cycling is a way to explore God’s creation using the gifts that he has given me. Thank goodness, my three-week sabbatical ended the yesterday. I am now ready to tackle training head-on and get ready for next season with weights (agh!), long-distance rides, and more cross training (ehem… running at Issaqueena with Abby).

School. Whoah boy. I’m just gonna go ahead and put it out there. I don’t know what I’m doing! I took my first accounting test a little bit ago and lets just say that I am NOT happy with my grade. I absolutely hate the sinking feeling that I get when I see a test grade that is not an A. Perhaps I should be studying rather than writing right now.

Life. During fall break, Jesse and I are heading out to COLORADO! Can you tell I’m excited? I talked with my friend Amy, who we will be visiting out there, yesterday.

The plan is to go camping, hiking, cycling, and possibly white water kayaking. The active and healthy lifestyle that she described out there seems ideal. Jesse and I are rather certain that we are going to want to stay out there… for good. Endless trails, challenging mountains, roaring rivers, terrifying gorges, vibrant blue skies, and fascinating wildlife.



God made this. He made all this. Let me ask you a question, is it possible for the creator of all this to be even more beautiful? Honestly, I cannot imagine anything more beautiful than the creation he breathed into being. I hold fast to the truth that he is. There will never be anything more satisfying than the day I am united with my Savior.

“One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple”
Psalm 27:4

Muscadine Jelly

Have you ever had Muscadine jelly? Let me tell you, it is quite an experience! The unique taste of the muscadines is brought to life by the sugar and smooth texture of the jelly. Yum!

This stuff could make a piece of bark taste delicious, (although not recommended).

Why muscadine jelly? Well, last weekend I went down to Bamburg, South Carolina to visit my boyfriend Jesse’s family for the first time. This was no typical weekend. Of course, I had a hunch that it wouldn’t be. Jesse’s dad is a watermelon researcher for Clemson and his mom is a botany expert. Both graduated from Clemson.

When I arrived, I was welcomed by a beautiful house, garden, greenhouse, pond house, treehouse, pets, and open arms. The sandy pathways, cotton fields, Cyprus trees, and green flora all created an inviting atmosphere that is not forgotten easily.

On the other side of the house, there was a small vineyard with ripe muscadines.

The muscadines were delicious and were quite addicting. Even the dog "Athena" thought so!

That was not the only surprise I was in for. It wasn't long until I found out that we were going to be making muscadine jelly.

The first step in the process was to mash the muscadines and "pop" them in order to make sure they wouldn't burst when cooking. Eventually the juicy insides were separated from the muscadine skins.

After mixing and cooking 7 cups cups of sugar and pectin with the strained muscadine juice, we carefully ladled the jelly into mason jars.

You see, this is where I have to add a disclaimer. You see, Jesse's mom is a wonderful cook. It just so happens that her son is a great cook as well. His girlfriend? Not so much. I watched and learned and jumped in to help *coughforpicturescough* every once in a while. It is not often that I am trusted in the kitchen.

The next step was to carefully lower the jars into a pot of hot water.

This picture speaks for itself of the end result!

YUM

Old

I tell you what, it is WEIRD to be a junior! Why? Well, during my freshman and sophomore years, I was still in the process of finding my niche. Everything seemed new. I would bounce from activity to activity and explore anything and everything that seemed interesting to me. Now that I have aged a bit, (ehem) I have settled down a bit to devote my time to things that I love and am passionate about. Yes, agriculture happens to be one of them.

So the real question is, are there any more surprises during your third year of college? Crazy teachers= check, postponed exam=check, harder-class-than-I-ever-imagined=check, midnight extravaganzas=check, nonstressful exam-week=check... etc. The list could go on and on. I'm not gonna lie, the past couple of years have been filled with every kind of adventure and surprise imaginable. Bottom line is, life had a little bit of a challenge when I asked whether it had any more surprises in store for me.

Here are a few things that have surprised during the past couple of days:

-a cookie can be an excellent motivator when you have to walk a mile and climb three flights of stairs. The joy of eating it right after you sit down is unreal.

-even people who are in their third year of college still show up for the wrong class sometimes (and happen to look like an idiot when they figure out their mistake)... ehem

-some teachers are so excited about teaching that they use the word "outstanding" 22 times in a single class

-flip flops will never go out of style

-be careful, guys who grow beards over the summer can be harder to recognize than you might think

-Golf-management majors have to take some of the most failed classes on campus aka accounting 201 and 202

-75% of honors students who are taking law 322 really like water sports

Thats all for today. Don't forget... "It may be little, it may be big, but surprises happen when you least expect it. Take what life gives you...delight in it and enjoy it".

Live this way and you will never get old.

Can you believe school starts next week? Where did the summer go? Blows my mind.

Last week I flew to Indianapolis to give a presentation at Dow AgroSciences corporate headquarters. Talk about a great audience! The corporate group that I spoke to listened intently and even managed to laugh at all my corny jokes. Win.

Flying back home was a nightmare. I ended up waiting in an airplane with a drunk lady and a mess of impatient people (including myself) for over an hour which caused me to miss my connecting flight out of Chicago. Have I ever told you how much I love South Carolina? It is truly God's country.

After Indianapolis, Jesse and I drove down to Folly Beach to join my family at our yearly vacation spot. Fifteen minutes after we arrived, my mother informed Jesse about a curse associated with boyfriends coming on our family beach vacation. We call it "the Folly curse". Why? Well, two previous boyfriends that my sisters brought didn't last. We hope the curse is broken though. Laura's boyfriend proposed on the beach last year.


While we were at the beach, I spilled a cup of coffee on my butt. Before you die laughing, let me explain myself. When I walked into the kitched I discovered that my dad made a delicious pot of coffee. How could I resist? So I added some milk and decided to heat it up in the microwave. To say that I left it too long in the microwave would be an understatement. That stuff was hot! So after I got my delicious beverage out of the microwave, I crawled into bed with Charity to sip it while we watched tv. Big mistake. A tiny drop pilled on my butt, I jumped, and the stuff ended up all over the place. So there you go! Second degree burn with a small area in the center that is third degree.

After we drove back from Charleston, I had to get up at the lovely time of 3:45 to make a 6am flight out of Greenville. To say that coffee saved the day would be an understatement. I think this means we're friends again.

My travels took my to St. Louis for our monthly AFA meeting. Our first business visit was to ADM's headquarters in Decatur, Illinois where we gave a presentation about AFA and got to learn about their company. As I was looking around the room it struck me that there was something distinctly similar about the eleven or twelve guys standing around the room. All of the sudden it hit me. They were all unusually or fairly tall. Every single one. I guess that would explain why my neck felt a little strained later on in the day.
Our meeting also took us to Champaign (IL), and concluded in St. Louis where we visited Monsanto's headquarters.
The real adventure began when I tried to fly home. First, my flight was delayed due to late aircraft arrival. Then, it was delayed due to mechanical issues. Finally, hours later, it was delayed even longer because the pilot had reach his maximum number of hours. In the end, I think it was all just a ploy to get us to spend more money in the airport. Mission accomplished.

What else have I done? Well, I moved in to my lovely new apartment with Audrey, Courtney, and Kristen. This is going to be a great year. Slightly crazy... but great.

I wrapped up my internship by going down to Columbia to give (yet another) presentation about my internship. This time it consisted of a SWOT analysis of the business along with a few recommendations. This time the bold, confident, side of me seemed to disappear and the conservative, reserved side of my surfaced. Yes, I was a little intimidated. Thankfully, I started to loosen up about halfway through.

Today I got up at 4 am along with some friends and went to the J. Crew warehouse sale in Asheville, NC. Everything there is so cheap it is practically a steal. It was like Black Friday on steriods.

GUESS WHAT?! I got a camera. This means that I will be posting pictures in the near future. Woohoo! Life is too good not to at least attempt to capture a moment of it.