The Road Not Taken

Yes, I know I have a photoblog post by the same title – no big deal!

Yesterday James and I went to a forest that had a few bush trails. It was a lovely day, not too hot and not too cold. It was even chilly in the forest. It’s right in the middle of the suburbs, which is quite unusual for a forest. At least it was close to where we live. The air in the forest was so fresh. You could breathe in and out so deeply without feeling the need to cough or without smelling pollution or even inhaling dust particles. It was magnificent.

In high school – early high school, which must have been year seven if I remember correctly (eight or so years ago…) – we had an interesting geography teacher who used to live in the country. He said that people in the country usually have pink lungs, and people who live in the city have black lungs. He explained that in the city, all the pollution in the air we breathe dirties our lungs. That was definitely the new thing I learned that day. Someone asked the teacher if living in the country for some time would make our lungs pink. He said that it would, though it would take some time.

Anyway, I wondered how awesome it would be to live in that forest. Breathing deeply and getting so much oxygen from the trees. I realised that this was the real fresh air. Not just going out in my damn garden. :P

Where will the path lead?

The time really flew while we were there. I didn’t think we’d spent two whole hours there but we did. It was very refreshing. Unfortunately I had stepped in dog poop before we’d even started walking on the trails, and it was annoying to get off as I scraped my foot across wooden steps and in the grass. Even when we were heading back to James’s house I could still smell the stupid poop on the bottom of my shoe. Unlucky… XD

Deep in the forest :)

This is a photo of us with Keeks! ♥️

James, me and Keeks :)

We made pasta bake. It was delicious. We made a lot, using up two whole jars of pasta sauce and two whole bags of pasta. We had two different kinds of pasta sauce – carbonara (the white kind) and spicy pepper (not as spicy as I’d imagined). We layered it up with mushrooms and cheese so that the carbonara pasta was at the bottom of the bake and the spicy pepper on top.

We put lots of vegetables into the spicy sauce with the pasta, and we actually put a bit of plain tuna into the carbonara.

I know we always make unusual foods (salmon muffins!)… but fish is good for you – good fats and oils. And tuna is no harm to pasta, I tell you. You add tuna to pasta the same way you would add other meat to it. And dude, it was so delicious. The carbonara sauce and the pasta with the tuna dispersed throughout it was so tasty. It’s not like this cheese blob you usually taste. It was pretty epic. It never hurts to mix up your recipes a bit.

We didn’t even follow a recipe. :D (Y)

PASTA BAKE. :D

Comments on this post

Beautiful picture of you both ♥ ♥
Forest in the suburbs, how awesome. That just reminds me of Central park in NY. It’s not a forest but my god it’s huge … Amazing looking at it from the top of the Empire State Building … Green for miles.
I cannot stand tuna, but add it to pasta and OMG yummo. You know what other fish is great with pasta? Crabmeat. It is a cold pasta dish and you have pasta, crabmeat and a mayonaise sauce. I love it, mmm.
Now I am hungry. Haven’t eaten since lunch … Oops.

FOREST! :B
That was :B /love
I really like that photo. /um but the air was so fresh! /bounce

There aren’t recipes for that sort of thing 🤤
But man it was delicious /bounce Still got half a plate of it in the fridge tehee
The mushrooms were a good touch /ehe I like mushrooms in pasta dishes /um

I should SLOOG D:

(Y)

I love that photo too! I’ll admit, I am a sucker for photos where we look good. I sound like a total freak. /bounce

We should go there again, or at least somewhere similar. I loved the fresh air. /love

To be honest I thought the mushrooms would be weird… but hey presto! /bounce /bounce 🤤

Really? I thought I was terrible! I think I’m pretty bad compared to every one else out there! I envy a lot of peoples work!

I would love to be able to make amazing pixel art, I see loads on devianart and just love it! Some people make it look so easy and create things that look like they’ve been drawn! I envy them! I know a girl who had this amazing site, and she made all her layouts on MS Paint!!!

16 Domains!? Thats crazy!! I’ve only ever had one at one time, but now I co-own think-x.info with my friend! How do you manage to use 16, and pay for them!!?

I’d love to post about major issues, and get lots of debates going in my comments haha!

The forest looks and sounds beautiful – the way you described it was so poetic <3

Oh sorry! I’ve just read your blog and that sounds like a lovely day out! I live in Scotland and theres nothing like that over here, unless you go all the way up into the highlands! Its a shame because I love doing things like that, I love nature and I love exploring! When I leave school I’m taking a year out with my friends and we’re travelling through Europe! :D I cant wait!

That pasta looks incredible! Pasta is my favourite thing EVER! <3
I would die without it!

You and your boyfriend James are SO CUTE TOGETHER! And your really pretty! Sorry, I'd never seen a picture of you before ahha! Where about do you come from?

I wish I lived somewhere out in the country, or in a forrest even! haha! It'd be so nice to spend the nights running through the forrest in the rain! I frickin love the rain! haha

Awww, you guys look so cute :)

I live in the city and I smell all kinds of smells 24/7. I’ve been to the country a couple of times but I don’t really remember the smell being different although it probably was. I’ve never heard of that little statement your geography teacher told you but I bet it’s true. The country has a lot more ups than the city but I’ll always choose the city over the country any day. I am just not a country kind of girl.

That’s pasta looks unusually delicious BTW.

Your site isn’t working for me. :( I hope you’ve been well though, I haven’t heard from you in a bit. :)

I haven’t ever been to the country but that forest made me really want to go there. I am a really adventurous girl and I love nature. Getting away from the city for a while would be lovely but I think that after some time I’d like to go back. :)

Thanks! ♥

I saw the post on your photoblog! Such nice photos. =) I don’t think there are any forests near where I live … I live on a small island, and it’s pretty close to the urban area. I’m guessing my lungs are black because of all the pollution from the city. I’ve been to the rural areas upstate and the air was much fresher. You guys look so cute together though. And that dog is so adorable! I love small princess – like dogs like that. <3

That looks sooooo yummy! I'm hungry now. I think we went over this food pictures thing haha. I can't wait till my friend is free and back home, we usually try to cook together. Except I'm a horrible cook! Yeah people said I'll make a horrible wife, haha.

Why would you be a dick for having non-material things? I think both are important. My wishlist are more like … what I want and will buy for myself soon … haha. I guess I'm the same though, I want a better relationship with my parents … I want from Santa the power to get along!

What the hell … fight over underwear? Wow, how expensive can underwear be, seriously. That's pretty unreasonable. *hugs* My mom doesn't really care what I spend on clothes. She was really nice to me today actually. In addition to Christmas shopping she bought me some new clothes … that don't count as Christmas presents. Hehe.

Haha, getting a white Christmas in summer? That would be a whoaaa. Actually the forecast changed like 3 hours later, now it says we're not going to have white Christmas. =( The snow prediction has been changing hourly! It sounds like you're having our spring weather, it never makes up its mind! It gets really warm in March then there are days in May when it's cold!

I feel kind of =( ish that my dad left when everyone is getting ready to come home. But then again there's still a week till Christmas. If he's not here then it would be the 3rd year in a row we haven't had Christmas as a family…. meh.

That's good you're feeling better then! =)

You should've taken biology and physics for me then! Hahaha. Our state has so many requirements … and most schools in the city and our area are kind of ahead so we finish the curriculum early. Yet we have to wait for 4 years of high school to graduate. No fair. =( It's all thanks to the dumb kids upstate.

Yes exactly! You have to be really really good at creative jobs, and get somewhat famous to have a lot money. I'm willing to take the risk though. I guess I have my ambition there and I'm somewhat motivated. It's just the straightforward stuff, like science, doesn't interest me at all.

My brother finally replied to my email … except to annoy me / make a joke he wrote it in Korean. I had to ask like 3 different people, in the end my cousin was the one who told me that my brother wrote that my mom is a lame bitch. It makes me feel better? I don't know, haha. It doesn't seem like he's too enthusiastic about coming. =( I am excited though.

Lol my job isn't that intense … just a lot of hours. It's pretty flexible really. I only get paid by hours, not by those complicated real-job methods. However the way you say she wants you to work so much, it's like she thinks she'll get part of your money or something.

I wish we could be Asian like that! I'm such an Asian wannabee, lol. Then again I am … mostly. But really? I thought ties were like the most common gift for dads. I've gotten my dad interesting ones … like ones with planet patterns lol. I thought they were cute.

Wow, that's an intensive present! You must've spent a lot of time on it! So dedicated, haha. That's a good thing. =) Really creative as well.

Oh yeah, well a lot of names are foreign. That's why I like reading site name origins, haha. I think you have one in Japanese or something. Something like kaiten … the only Japanese stuff I know about is from anime.

Hahahaha. I don't have a problem if I listen to my iPod in the shower though … my mom is usually downstairs so she can't hear the echos. But seriously, it's just a shower. Music isn't really required is it? The longer you spend in there the more water you waste anyway. So quick shower and go is the right way. :D

That's horrible! 5 essays in 3 hours? For the SATs (college exam in USA in case you never heard of) we have to write 1 essay in 25 minutes, that was torture. I didn't practice so much though, probably why I got such a bad grade. But I can't even imagine putting that much strain on your hand! You should totally have gotten a doctor's note though. The more stories I hear about foreign university exams the horrors … I know the ones in Korea are like … death.

Yes, it is a good idea. I'll just try to imagine I didn't feel anything then. -___- Lol.

Your day sounded so amazing! I am jealous, Especially of the pasta, I haven’t had pasta in the over for a while. I have never heard anyone call it pasta bake. I call it ‘pasta al forno’, meaning pasta in the oven. :D 🤤 How I live for pasta! /bounce Interesting recipe though. I have never made it like that. It looks very yummy! XD Enough of me drooling. :P Although I kind of wish I could have come there to eat, I also wish I could see that forest. It looks beautiful! I love the tall trees. /eee I have stepped in dog poo before. I really think that people should pick it up. /angry It is really gross. 😒

Thank you for the congrats. :D We even got mentioned in the newsletter at school, a whole column! /hehe

I grew up in the countryside in the Northeastern US and then traveled to the Los Angeles area for university. And man, there is an enormous difference in air quality, and I wouldn’t be surprised if my lungs are slowly graying already. Since I’m still young, I don’t really notice that the air in LA is bad (unless I’m traveling by and see the endless smog), I just notice how good it is at home.

And nature is wonderful. Very very wonderful all the time.

wow the photos are really pretty.. did you see edward flying around?

i love the pasta idea. i always eat mac and cheese with tuna. it always taste delicious. but your pasta looks like a baked primavera, very pretty, and it looks very delicious. ugh dog shit on the bottom of a shoe is worstt! gawd! thats a real fml. lol i really do abhor dog shit. i always get mad when people dont pick up their stupid dog’s shit. lol

I have never heard of the pink lungs/black lungs thing. o.o In the country, there isn’t as much polution, but you do still have fires and other things that polute the air. Animals are more likely to be dropped off and abandoned on various properties, and trash is more likely to be thrown out from cars/dragged out by various animals. :( Then you have the smells of farm animals’ manure. D: /poo /faw /ehh :X @_@

I like your plaid top; I love plaid. :P You and James look really cute together. ^^ And the Pomeranian is cute. <3

Pasta bake sounds so disgusting right now, but that could be because I am sick and feel like crap? Yes, I think so.

A lot of mothers-to-be eat fish while they are pregnant. It supposedly makes the child more likely to be “smart” and Parent’s Choice magazine said in an article (or whatever the name of the magazine was).

The Christmas songs annoy me before the first of December. I don’t hate Christmastime; I hate how it starts earlier and earlier each year. :( Pft. I wouldn’t be surprised if, in a couple of years, getting ready for Christmas starts in August or September. >.<

True! I'm giving my mom coupons (i.e. free babysitting, free one-hour power clean, free cleaning the house [3 hour limit], etc.). I figured they would be helpful to her and that she would enjoy them. She already knows, though, because I'm bad at not telling people what I am going to gift to them – when they pry. But I’m glad she did ask and ask, because otherwise I would not know that she will enjoy them. Now, I know she will. :) My dad didn’t enjoy his, I don’t think. I think he thought it was weird … because he never used them? :(

I remember that movie. It was okay the first few times I watched it, but then it annoyed me. My little brother (I don’t remember which one) used to love that movie over all the rest, so he would always choose to watch it. :( Ugh. Thankfully for me, watching it over and over and over and over again wore it out, and it got all scratched up from being played and being handled and so on. Then he went back to dinosaur movies. >.<

Hello!

Man, I cannot believe that we have a forrest in the middle of the suburbs. The whole concept is AMAZING to me. I LOVE IT! I’m so going one day :P. Don’t you think it’s amazing how everything is all suburbanised, yet there is this little patch of pure nature amongst it? :D I think so!

Omg, fresh, pure air! I can almost taste it, after reading your post. Hahaha. Fresh air is like a LUXURY since people smoke too much in public. I hate smokers /angry. I’d LOVE to holiday in a country-like area or live in a place with lots of trees, where air is so pure. I hate to think what my lungs look like now D:.

Lucky country people with their pink lungs! Let’s take an extended holiday into the country :P.

Nice photos! The forest looks so peaceful. I want to go there and take a nap. And you and James look VERY CUTE in the photo, indeed. Especially with Keeks, who looks very pleased with herself, and as adorable as usual. I want a Pomeranian now!

Oh no. Your pasta bake photo is making me hungry and it’s almost 11pm at night D:. LOL. But it sounds pretty healthy! Apart from the cabonara sauce, since it’s like…creamed-cheese. But it’s better than junkfood! And I LOVE tuna in pasta ♥. Hehehe.

It’s crazy! You should go there someday, it’s like an escape from the real world. /faw I sometimes hate the city streets and places around here. Today I was doing yoga at home and thought about how nice it would be in the forest. I remembered yoga in school and how stuffy that stupid room was!

I’d hate to think of what my lungs look like now, too. D: At least are are still living; at least we’re still blessed with some fresh air. :)

Haha today I read something that mentioned that you shouldn’t eat three hours before bedtime. Now I can make exact calculations… Pasta bake isn’t good to have every day but it’s still better than deep-fried stuff… XD

I’ve never heard of Mythophilia.net, probably because I wasn’t into pixels or anything..
But Thanks for reading the blog, I’m glad you agree!

Yes! People are more independant, and to be honest, I prefer sites with lots of content, cos I like looking at their work and getting inspired, but I’d never use them? So, I’d class it as a more of a portfolio!

Yeah, blogging is what I prefer too, most of my affies I’m affiliated with I only read their blogs, and just their blogs. I literally just ignore every thing else haha!

Scotland is green and pretty, just only up North, and maybe a little to the east. I suppose there is hills and things here too, but there should be a lot more! A lot of its been developed on, I live near Edinburgh so theres no greenery at all! Its a shame really! :(

Well since I live in Scotland, its part of the E.U. which means I can travel through Italy, Spain, France, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and all the other countries in Europe as much as I like and I can live there, for free! Its amazing really! So I only need to save for food money and sight seeing and presents for myself and things haha, because we’re going to get a Volkswagen Orange Van and sleep in that!! It’d be so fun!

I was actually going to say, are you Filipino, cos theres this girl I know who is and she looks just like you! hahaha! I wish I was Filipino, being naturally tanned would be so amazing! I am white all year, so I constantly look dead!

Yeah, I prefer rain when I’m not going anywhere or have anything planned, cos I just love walking and getting really wet! haha

Ah yes, I love that feeling of really clean, fresh, beautiful air! And i’ve heard that thing about the pink and black lungs before – makes a lot of sense though, despite being rather freaky, really.

Also, reading about how much pasta you guys cooked doesn’t look like the amount reflected in the photo at all! I thought there would be waaaay more. It looks delicious. I’m craving food now… but 2.30am is not a good time :S

Oh, that was just one picture. We had another tray and it was much bigger. I didn’t post a picture of that though… it’s stuck on my phone. :P

I did mean the movie home alone. I don’t watch home and away either :)
This walk sounds amazing. I really don’t like the winter because it means you can’t go to places like this. Especially in London when it rains every other day! I really miss the summer when me andy boyfriend would go to cool places too. But we’ve never been to a forest! there aren’t any around here. Hopefully I would have a driving licence by then so we can go to further places. :)
That pasta looks scrummy. I’m not much of a cook but when I make pasta I never use a recipe, just add what I feel like having. But with a lot of deserts and bakery, which what I usually make when I do cook, you do need to use a book.

Except for the poo, your day sounds lovely xD I live in the countryside in Norway, so I’m used to all the trees. I can’t imagine living a place far away from the forest, the sea and the mountains.

Fish is REALLY great. I can’t understand people who do not like fish at all. Or, I do, I’ve tasted cod liver oil and it put me off of fish for two weeks. Uhm..

I’d like to try that salmon muffin!

I love fish so much, I actually love raw salmon. Don’t tell anyone. :P

I used to take cod liver oil when I was younger, and because I couldn’t swallow the capsules whole, I chewed on them. I actually liked the taste. XD I tried raw tuna in a sushi dish once though – it made me sick. I love raw salmon, but raw tuna is terrible…

Raw salmon is good! I also like smoked salmon (it’s practically raw…). Capsules are easier to get in the mouth than the oil itself. Ew.

If the image does not pop up, you can read about it here.

MMMM that looks so yummy :) I love stuff like pasta bake! Taco bake is my favouriteee <3 I don't like tuna though, ewiessss.

It sounds like you guys had a nice walk :) I used to love going hiking with David, because there was so much to see and take pictures of. We saw a snake once, and I got a picture of it with it's tongue out. I can't wait to go again with my DSLR, once it's spring and my camera isn't broken :(

Yeah, I googled the war poster after I got it :P There was also a pink 'Keep Calm & Eat Cupcakes', but they only had a journal, not a daily planner so that wouldn't really work :P So far, even though it's not 2011.. I've kept calm, and carried on. I got so angry at David for texting me again last night, but I didn't reply, or bitch him out- I just ranted, and chose to ignore his text messages. Which I wanted to reply to SO badly, just to bitch him out.

I usually don't care for the new year either.. but this year, I want a fresh start from what the second half of the year brought for me. I want to just forget about it all, move on with my life & get ready for college, work, etc & the rest of my life :)

its crazy when you think about it; air in the country vs air in the city. I believe it though, its the same as smoking: black lungs when you do, an when you quite, over time they go back to ‘normal’ although they are damaged.
It would be awesome to live in a forest; nothing but fresh air… yum! haha
ugh, dog poop.. i hate when people don’t pick up after their dogs in public! hopefully you got most of it off though :/
looks like you guys had a great time! and the meal looks delicious!

What recipe?! :D Creativity is the key! Hehe *makes it sound like a tv spot* xD

You two are beautiful together, and that place… makes it all more romantic and refreshing too. Too bad for the dog poop to ruin the atmosphere! xP

Anyway, if you’re wondering where I’ve gone… I’m a victim of the NLH servers. ^^” Good thing that I have Bubble.nu as another host too. It saves my life.

~ Luana S.

Ew, dog poop. I remember stepping on it once and I didn’t notice until someone pointed it out. It’s a good thing they thought it was dirt.
The forest looks absolutely beautiful. I love walking on trails and going hiking. It’s like I become one with nature. Haha, that sounds cheesy.

THAT PASTA LOOKS SCRUMPTIOUS. I want some.

I live in London, which is a city, and I’m not sure how good/bad the pollution is but I’m assuming it’s maybe quite polluted. Dx The black lungs thing makes sense. I know from Biology (that provided a picture) that you get black lungs when you smoke D: But if you stop smoking, after 10 years your lungs will be similar to that of a person who doesn’t smoke. I’ve been to the country quite a lot though, mostly on school trips. I’m not gonna lie, I like living in the city, but I also love going to the country, or going to woods and whatever else and I’m glad my school hasn’t given us a chance to experience all of these different places. It just feels refreshing :3

I’m glad you and James had fun :) The pictures are lovely.

& No joke, that pasta actually made me really want to eat :P It looks deliiicioussss.

Wow it looks so beautiful! I love that picture of you guys, too. Sooo cute! Also, I’m impressed with your pasta bake! I always have to use recipes, haha. It looks awesome and I want some!

Ahhh that pasta bake looks soooo amazing. I unfortunately dislike cooked tuna. I dislike most cooked fish besides salmon (if it’s done right) & seabass. Oh & cod & catfish I suppose. BUT ANYWAY, still is absolutely marvelous to droool over. Yum!!

That picture of you & James = absolutely effin’ adorable. Lovez it so much. It’s too bad you stepped in poop though. I feel like your geography teacher tried to scare you guys because living in the city won’t completely turn your lungs black..it’ll just be a darker shade of pink because of all the pollution. But your lungs are a lot healthier & pink when you live in an area far away from polllution. Which is why I want to move the fck out of California & ASAP. haha. Well…after I’m a doctor of course. :D

I love the forest though! Nature walks are so fun & it looks like you had a wonderful time. :) If I walked through the woods with Johnny, he’d just tell me that it’s a good place to bury a body. -_- hahaha Was there a park in there or something exciting to do? See any coool animals?

I despite uncooked tuna. :P I tried it in a sushi dish and it was nasty. I like both cooked and raw salmon!

I love the photo too, I have to admit. It’s one of my favourites now, if not my favourite. The side of the bridge ended up being a bit too bright. LOL.

I guess I would rather have clean lungs though, and I’ve always been curious about what it would be like to live in the country. I don’t think I’d be able to live there forever, but I’d definitely love the experience and the “closeness” to nature!

Awww… that’s so sad! I’m sort of glad that James likes adventure as much as I do; it’s one of the things we have in common. :) Silly Johnny! Hopefully you can make him appreciate nature more. :D

Aww, you two look so cute /faw /faw ! Food looks delicious too. I want pasta now :( 😢 🤤