Now that the last of my teaching obligations are over, real summer has begun! Over the last week, I've gotten in a couple of hikes, gone gold-prospecting with my brother, and gone fishing with River and some friends in Seward. The fishing was slow, but we managed to get 14 fish. More importantly, I feel like I'm finally in "summer mode."

As I think I shared in class, I believe we often miscategorize the term "freedom." I think that many Americans today believe that freedom means buying whatever gun you want, eating whatever highly-processed food you want, using (and abusing) the land you "own," or being able to afford luxuries like vacations and second homes and expensive toys. In my mind, those things are not real freedom. Real freedom, in my opinion, is the ability to wake up on a summer day with no obligations, no "shoulds" or "musts", no personal or societal ideas norms, and no plans. Just a day stretching out in front of you without plans. A blank canvas. Freedom exists in those days that are full of potential. Freedom exists when your mind is at peace, your actions are intentional, and your time is unencumbered. That is freedom. That is summer.

With that tiny philosophical rant, here are a few pictures: