Getting Away: How a Trip to a Local Berry Farm Healed My Soul

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, by which I may be financially compensated. See Disclosures for more info. 


Hello, fellow bee-peeps! I hope you have had an excellent week. If you are American, I hope you had a fantastic Fourth of July celebration! Ours was nice and quiet this year. My husband and I celebrate our wedding anniversary around the 4th every year; sometimes we get away, but this year we'll be spending the weekend doing something fun locally, instead. Which brings me to my next topic, actually!

This week I wanted to talk about how it's important to get away once in a while in order to break up any routines and grab a "reset" in life. For example, I've been working really hard lately. I had a huge deadline coming due on a recent Monday and was feeling the pressure. I was definitely starting to feel like I was "all work, NO play."

But I didn't cave to the stress and chain myself to the desk all weekend. Instead, I decided to give myself a much-needed soul break and get away for a morning. But where to go? I didn't want to spend a ton of money or take too much time.

If you're in the same boat, consider finding an inexpensive local destination that offers fun! And this week, I'd like to feature a destination local to Pittsburgh that, if you're from here or visiting, you can get to rather easily and have a great time!

The answer to my conundrum was only 15 miles away from the City of Pittsburgh in Monongahela, PA at Triple B Farms. This is a pick-your-own berry farm with lots of activities in May through October every year. I found out about them because I had signed up for the Great Pumpkin Run 5k and wanted to know more about the location. After visiting their website, I made a snap decision: this would be my outing for a Saturday morning.

I spent a lovely 40-minute drive with the windows down, gulping in lungfuls of fresh, country air as I approached the farm. As soon as I parked, I was struck by the gorgeous, hilly farmland and the beautiful, blue skies.

Gorgeous skies greeted me.

After snapping a quick pic over the top of my Fiat 500 Abarth (a fun little car to take out on a day to the country, I might add!), I walked over to the attractive entrance to the farm to begin my day.

I felt very welcome from the start.

The way the pick-your-own operation works is this: you go the tent in the above photo and pay $3 for a wristband. A tractor will then pick you up and take your group up to the field to pick your fruit. When you come back down in the tractor, you will weigh what you pick and pay for your purchase (and that $3 you paid for the wristband is credited to you in that transaction).

This was my view from a bench under a shade tree.

I decided it was too hot that day to actually pick berries (it was in the 90s, I believe!), so instead I acclimated myself to what the farm had to offer. I found out that there was an indoor (and air-conditioned!) farm market, so I first peeked my head in there. They had all kinds of food and gifts available for purchase, including produce, baked goods, kitchen and baking utensils, items made from honey, and things with a bee theme (of course, these were my favorites!) It also smelled heavenly in there, because the area where they do the baking is in the back of the store. That olfactory stimulation made me realize I hadn't had breakfast, yet, so I went in search of food.

You can buy all kinds of goodies here.

I was then made aware that right next door to the market is a food barn, where they serve basic seasonal breakfast items (like pancakes with fresh berries and blueberry donuts), coffee, tea, beverages, etc.

Get breakfast or lunch during your visit!

I got a short stack of pancakes with fresh blueberries and strawberries on them. It came with a side of sausage patties. I couldn't finish it, even the small plate, but it was delicious!

The Food Barn is comfortable and cozy.

After my meal, I took my coffee outside and sat on a bench under a tree, where a breeze was flowing and two gentlemen were conversing nearby. I sat and watched the world go by for a while, breathing deeply and enjoying my coffee and the warmth of a beautiful day.

The two gentlemen—who turned out to be the founder of the farm, Ron, and his buddy George—struck up a conversation with me and made me feel very welcomed. They even introduced me to many of the family and staff who were present while I was there.

After sitting under the shade tree with Ron and George for a while, I finished my coffee and decided to work off that pancake and sausage by exploring the farm a bit. I started up the path to the rest of the farm.

Path leading to the bee and goat areas.

As I walked, I realized that if you look closely at the buildings, there are little signs giving you important facts about bees. You know this caught my attention! I then started looking for all of them.

These signs were all over the farm.

As I continued up the walkway, I discovered there was an entire display all about bees and their importance to the ecosystem!

Beautiful sign about how bees help the ecosystem.

In addition to the really nice signage, there was a Bee Barn where you could find out how queen bees are marked by the beekeepers to keep track of their ages and other facts about how hives operate.

Need I say more?

You could even view a hive inside the Bee Barn! The signage around the hive gave you important facts about bees and their life cycle and encouraged you to find the queen. I couldn't see her, myself, but I'm sure she and the other bees were quite busy!

View a working colony at the Bee Barn.

I really enjoyed learning about bees while I was there. What a wonderful display; it must have taken much time and care to not only to install but maintain it. I'm sure kids love it!

More learning available near the Bee Barn.

After hanging out with the bees, I continued up the path to find this guy staring down at me:

Do you see him up top?

Oh. My. Gosh. GOATS! I bet you could hear my "Squeeeeeee!" all the way back in the City of Pittsburgh. I'm pretty sure I went supersonic because they were SO cute!

This guy wanted a snack!

Two of the smallest goats obviously have people pegged as possible sources of food, LOL! There were goat-food machines (kind of like gumball machines) dotted all around the perimeter of the enclosure. For twenty-five cents, you could get a handful of feed and give these guys a snack. 

Not shy at all, is he?

After walking all up and down the hills of the farm, I started making my way back down towards the market. I noticed on my walk that there was a really nice playground across from the berry-picking stands, giving parents another opportunity to entertain their kids if they tired of picking fruit.

Before leaving, of course, I shopped! I grabbed some pints of a variety of berries, including the most delicious golden raspberries I've ever had! I also grabbed a few baked goods and a new mug:

You know I HAD to have this, right? 🐝

I then said my goodbyes to everybody I had met there and left to go back home, smiling all the way. As I drove, I again rolled down my windows and turned my music off so I could just feel the vibe of being in the country. As I reentered the city, I carried that vibe with me into the rest of my day, feeling content and happy. 

And then I sat down to work on my deadline for Monday. Not a thing bothered me the rest of the weekend! And I realized: this simple trip to Triple B Farms healed my soul a bit. I was in danger of getting stressy and anxious, and instead, I was happy and fulfilled!

It really does help if you're able to get away for a bit, even if it's just a day trip or a morning spent at a local attraction. Break up your routine, say goodbye to to-do lists and stress, and live your life fully. Have fun, and bring that sense of fun back with you when you come back to your routine.

I hope if you're ever in the Pittsburgh area, you'll check Triple B Farms out! They're open May–October, and have a seasonal schedule of activities throughout the picking season, whether berries in spring and summer or apples and pumpkins in autumn. 

I hope you enjoyed this mini travelogue! And hey, let me know if you've taken any neat day trips, lately: just drop a comment below 👇 and share some of your favorite outings around your local area! 

Have a great week, everyone! 🐝

 ~positively b.e.e. is on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. Follow me there!~

5 Reasons Hugging is Good For You

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, by which I may be financially compensated. See Disclosures for more info. 


This past weekend was the start of the Three Rivers Arts Fest. I’ve lived in Pittsburgh for 11 years and until this past Sunday, I had never gone to this annual two-week festival of art, music, and culture run by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. This year, I promised myself I would go, and I had a great reason to: I wanted to support my friend’s daughter, Lily Harvey, who was performing on Sunday.

Pittsburgh Pride coincided with the festival this past weekend, so there were a lot of people attending both events. While there, I saw several people wearing T-shirts that said things like “FREE MOM HUGS” or “FREE DAD HUGS.”

I thought that was a great idea! I know that some in the LGBTQ+ community have been rejected and disowned by their families for being who they are. Getting a hug from someone who seems like a “mom” or a “dad” may just give them the comfort and strength they need.

Indeed, there was a viral post about this very topic, and if you haven’t seen it yet, please stop reading this for a moment and go read this account, where the writer details moving stories about the people who asked for a hug during Pride. Go ahead—I’ll wait.

🧡   💛   💚   💙   💜

Okay, back now? Wasn’t that really touching?

I can’t imagine being rejected by my parents. I’m pretty positive mine would always love me no matter what. But many people aren’t as lucky, and they need our help. Being cared for, loved, and hugged are basic human rights, as far as I’m concerned. (And are awesome ways to disrupt negativity.)

So this got me thinking about hugs in general. I’m a pretty huggy person, so I wondered WHY do hugs help, and HOW do they help us?

I did a little reading on the topic!

Here is my summary of five reasons hugging is good for you:

1. Hugging releases brain chemicals that make you feel good.

When you are hugged by someone, your brain releases oxytocin, dopamine, and serotonin. These rewarding brain chemicals help cement emotionally positive experiences and help reduce stress levels.

2. Hugging reduces your heart rate and blood pressure.

Studies have been done that show both blood pressure and heart rate are reduced after the act of hugging. Having these two biometric stats lowered also contributes to the reduction of stress mentioned above, as well as less anxiety and a pervasive feeling of calm.

3. Hugging may help fight infection.

With the reduction in stress, your body becomes more immune to infection. A study was done that showed a correlation between perceived social support and the effects of illness, showing reduced symptoms for those who felt they had good social support. And what is a hug if not a physical manifestation of social support?

4. Hugging creates stronger relationships.

It’s said that children who are hugged regularly grow up more secure, confident, and sure of their place in their family. It’s also said that couples who hug and cuddle each other have stronger relationships. Once again, those rewarding brain chemicals help cement a relationship through physical touch. Neurobiologist Mary Carlson studied orphans in Romania in the 60s and 70s and discovered there were negative effects to those who were not hugged or who did not have positive social interactions regularly; these effects included elevated stress hormones like cortisol.

5. Hugging may help reduce pain.

A study was done in which people were exposed to a moderately painful stimulus with and without someone they love touching them. In the former scenario, being touched by a loved one had an analgesic effect. Additionally, another study done on people who suffer from chronic pain conditions such as fibromyalgia showed a reduction in symptoms when they sought six forms of therapeutic touch. Hugging is a form of therapeutic touch, is it not? Okay, I know this one is stretching a bit, but hear me out. For instance, just this morning my husband hugged me, and I’m in a full-blown fibro flare, so if he used too much pressure, it would hurt a little bit. But emotionally, I felt much better for having gotten that hug, and indeed, I often turn to him for a hug in times of increased pain. A hug from Fred is my favorite medicine! Those positive brain chemicals and reward circuits are doing their jobs! So while this is anecdotal evidence, at best, I’m going to call it a a legit win.

Conclusion

So with all that science to back it up, I think hugging is an EXCELLENT way to combat negativity! It’s simple, it costs nothing, and it can put a smile on someone’s face again. Why not offer someone a hug today? Not only would you help someone feel better, I bet it would help you, too.

As for those people at Pride who were willing to offer comfort to complete strangers with a hug, once again I am SUPER proud of my city for showing such compassion. You have my mad respect, Pittsburgh!

Until next time, be happy! 💛🐝

 ~positively b.e.e. is on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. Follow me there!~

Sources:
Brainfodder.org
Time
Healthline
Science
Gottman Institute
Elite Daily
The Telegraph

Crossing the Finish Line

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, by which I may be financially compensated. See Disclosures for more info. 


Hello everyone!

If you think I’ve forgotten about your requests for more stories about acts of kindness, you’d be mistaken! 😁

I recently saw a story right here in my adopted town of Pittsburgh that is making me smile a week later. It highlights some qualities that I really admire about this town. Pittsburgh and its outlying areas are full of people who exude perseverance, teamwork, compassion, empathy, and volunteerism.

Laura Mazur and Jessica Robertson were the last two runners in the full Pittsburgh Marathon. Everyone else had finished, and the streets were starting to empty out. They were total strangers to each other, as Laura is from New Bremen, Ohio, and Jessica hails from Braddock, Pennsylvania.

Laura and Jessica met around mile 14. Laura, who was running her 12th marathon, could see that Jessica, who was running her 1st marathon, was flagging, so she said to Jessica: “I’ll make you a promise. I won’t leave you if you don’t leave me. And no matter what, we will cross [the finish line] together.” Jessica’s response was: “Well, I won’t leave you because I can’t do this alone.”

And so they ran together, and at the last mile, they grabbed hands and held on tight as they fought to get to the finish line. At over seven hours of running, they were both exhausted, but they did it! You can see the sheer elation come over them as they finish in this video:

I am so in awe of these ladies, first of all, for completing a marathon, and secondly, for sticking together like that! 

In addition, the people who volunteer on race day are to be commended for all of their hard work. Many commit to staying all the way to the end, even if the last runners are slow, so they can cheer them on. To me, that takes a lot of dedication. Toward the end of the race, several volunteers, some of whom had already finished their own races, could tell that the ladies needed some motivation, and they came through! Instead of being concerned with getting back home, into the shower, and eating some food after the race, they stayed there and cheered these ladies on!

One of them thought to pull out her phone, capturing the viral moment forever. You can see some of them talk about it starting in the middle of this video:

This whole story makes me smile, and I hope it has done the same for you.

If you’re feeling like the world is kind of wonky right now, take hope: there is good in this world. That will never end.

There will always be good people helping each other out.

Especially here in the Steel City.

You just have to look for them.

Have a great week! 🐝

 ~positively b.e.e. is on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. Follow me there!~

Sources:
NBC News
CBS Pittsburgh
ABC News

A City as Symbol of Resilience

(This post may contain affiliate links, by which I may be financially compensated. See Disclaimers & Policies on my About page.)

Today's post is going to be part travel/local tourism blog and part lesson about resilience and remaking ourselves when what we're doing is no longer working for us.

The City of Pittsburgh has a long tradition of hard work, being synonymous with the mighty steel industry of days gone by.

Photo by Vidar Nordli-Mathisen on Unsplash

When the steel industry suffered, Pittsburgh (and other cities who based their economy on steel) suffered along with it for a period of time. But Pittsburgh ended up surprising me!

When I first visited this city with my now-husband (who is a native of this fine town), I was expecting something like what I'd seen in old pictures: dirty, polluted air, bad traffic, and a sea of black and gold everywhere.

I was pleasantly surprised to find, well, still a sea of black and gold (sports pride is a big thing here!), but otherwise there were pretty, blue skies; majestic, green hills; beautiful neighborhoods and architecture; universities, museums, galleries, and shops; and an interesting incorporation of the old steel town heritage with a new and blossoming tech industry. Since that first visit many years ago, I have often seen Pittsburgh rank on the best places to live in the country.

It speaks to a sort of resilience, doesn't it? Where other cities struggled during the economic downturn, Pittsburgh seemed to remain fairly stable with both unemployment rates and cost of living, and now there is job growth projected in future. When the old ways in the steel industry no longer served, this city reinvented itself as a hub of future industry in the tech and healthcare spaces, instead.

Now, companies like Google, Apple, and Facebook all have offices here, as do a variety of tech startups (Duolingo and Wombat Security, for example) and several self-driving car companies (Uber, Argo AI and Aurora Innovation) have set up shop here. Pittsburgh also put in a bid for the new Amazon east coast HQ, and the Pittsburgh Technology Council released a really jam-packed tech map of the city.

Tech companies are attracted to the many highly-trained students coming out of Carnegie Mellon University, and University of Pittsburgh is known for cutting-edge medical research, the sum of which is that Pittsburgh is now a hub for robotics, computer vision, computer science, and healthcare vocations.

Indeed, there have been billboard signs seen in Silicon Valley enticing people to come live and work here, where housing is still available and affordable. Inc.com lists Pittsburgh as the "best startup city in America."

Check out this really cool video on how Pittsburgh has remade itself from Steel Giant to Tech Giant. I am very impressed with how my adopted city looks.

Positive press aside, Pittsburgh is just a nice place to live. This post is in honor of the 10th anniversary of my move to Pittsburgh, and I still love it here. What I love MOST about Pittsburgh is the people. They, like their city, are tough, resilient, and friendly. And this won't be my only post on Pittsburgh, to be sure. There is so much to talk about, be on the lookout for future content about things to do here.

I think we can all take something away from this, right? That it is never too late to reinvent ourselves when we need to in order to not only survive, but to THRIVE.

Drop me a line below or on social media, and let me know: have you been to Pittsburgh, or wanted to? Or tell me something cool about where you live! 🐝

~ positively b.e.e. is on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. Follow me there! ~

P.S.: This book on Pittsburgh looks pretty cool!