Summer, Summer.

It was another typical mid-morning rush at the coffee shop. Except the majority of customers now resemble out of town tourists spotting souvenir Salty Dawg hoodies and Extra Tuffs.

In the midst of the rush, however, a regular came up to the counter to order her signature sixteen ounce skinny latte, extra hot and heavy. She looked at me, and in the middle of the bustle, told me that one of the things she most looked forward to every morning was coming into the coffee shop and seeing what I would be wearing.

My heart melted!

Only the kindest thing I could've heard on that dreary, rainy, dark morning at the coffee shop.

"What occasion inspires the look today?" she asked.

And I replied simply: summer.

(cue High School Musical's What Time Is it )  

Officially, the calender has deemed it the proper time to call our season summer. There were hints weeks ago, like the slow influx of traffic on the Sterling Highway and the barrage of curious questions at the coffee shop, but while all reminders hinted at the summer season, I couldn't help but feel let down at the weather.

Unlike last year, where every day was another stunning seventy degree sensation, we have instead been graced with... rain.

Cold, wet, and dreary rain, as I'm constantly reminded by the complainers around me. Except for today. One rare customer was on her way out the door and bid us the most optimistic farewell: 

"Hopefully, the weather will flip soon. But until the rain stops, we'll just have another cup of coffee and stay warm!"

Sure enough, hours later, the sun came out and blessed us with its hibernating warmth.

Maybe it heard my High School Musical's whispered "summer, summer, summer...."

I know I'm attatched to trees, but I didn't think it was literal!

Au Nature-al.

I never knew how much it bothered me until I woke up one morning, face free from crusty mascara that had managed to evade makeup remover from the night before.

But, a week ago, when I decided on a whim not to coat my face in makeup (not that I wear that I wear a lot anyway), I got to experience that crust-free sensation and have been loving it.

Every morning, I've gotten to sleep in that much longer and have left the house feeling the freedom of a makeup-free look.

In all honesty, I've been inspired by nature to don this "nature-al" look. When you live in a state that is known for its pristine, rugged, and raw landscape, you can't help but feel the desire to emulate that from within yourself.

While I adore donning a red lip and am constantly attempting to perfect my winged eyeliner (did you know that winged eyeliner was worn to ward off the evil eye in ancient Egyptian times?), there is something so liberating about going out into the world, naked and fresh faced.

Beauty is the celebration of being your singular, unique, and special self. It's about exalting the natural beauty you were born with. I'm in no way condoning the usage of makeup as a distraction or distortion of the natural self, I'm simply celebrating how I felt when I made the choice to allow my face to breath this fine Alaskan air.

Being makeup free made me feel more connected to the earth, more in sync with Alaska's pure inner beauty. See, Alaska doesn't need skyscrapers, celebrities, box-businesses or billboards atop her soil. Her fishing, hunting, hiking, and natural assets are what draw hundreds of thousands of visitors to her soil each and every year. 

Alaska is known for her beauty in the most simple sense. She isn't fluff, isn't frivolous, but raw in her most beautiful and natural self.  

And she embraces that, all of her nature-al looks. She knows what she's got and she isn't timid about sharing that with the rest of the world...