The place I'm sharing with you today is from an adventure I went on a few months ago. The photos had been tucked away in my camera roll until now, and I finally got around to posting them.I visited Pico do Lopo, located in Serra do Lopo, in Extrema (MG), right on the border between Minas Gerais and São Paulo. I believe it’s the highest peak in the region where I live, and it’s only about a 1h20 drive from my house. But that’s just the beginning! After arriving in the city by car, you still need to navigate some dirt roads to reach the top of the mountain, where you’ll park and continue the journey on foot.

It had been a long time since I’d gone out with my camera to take pictures. I believe this is only the second time this year that I’ve had both the opportunity and inspiration to do so.I was happy to reconnect with my photographic eye, something that had felt so distant. I really missed that feeling of arriving at an unfamiliar place and searching for image possibilities. It felt like rediscovering myself after a year of being unable to dedicate time or energy to the thing I truly love.

One of the Christmas traditions I’ve created for myself is making handmade Christmas cards for the people I care about. I started doing this last year, and I loved it so much that I decided to do it again this year. Last year, I couldn’t hand-deliver the cards to friends who live far away, but I sent them digital versions of the artwork instead.

I haven’t posted in this community for a while, and honestly, I feel like this year has flown by because so much has happened. Little by little, I’m trying to reorganize my life and rebuild the discipline to start posting again.

So recently, I decided to revamp the decor in my kitchen, which already has a vintage look with tiles from the '90s. As I live in a rented house, I can't make many changes to the property's structure, but I always find creative ways to make everything more colorful, more fun, and with my own identity.

Today’s post is all about showing off the roses in my backyard, because I’m incredibly proud of them. This is my largest rose bush, and it’s already grown into a small tree. I planted it in 2022, and I’m amazed at how much it has grown. It could be even bigger, but the truth is, caring for rose bushes isn’t always simple. Lately, we’ve been dealing with a pest infestation and some fertilization issues… but despite it all, the roses are still blooming beautifully, almost as if they’re returning all the care I put into them.