Jenna McKone

Photographer & Content Creator

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The Lake District, England

February 01, 2019 by Jenna McKone

We made a trip roughly once or twice a month in 2018, but some were for weddings or seeing family, where photos weren’t a priority. It wasn’t until late October when I told Ryan and one of our favorite couples, Anna and Andrew, that if I didn’t do a nature photo getaway I was going to lose it (I’m dramatic).

I didn’t plan on blogging this trip, but the content I got ended up being one of my favorite series of photos yet. I don’t have much to write on this post, except that we glamped at the lovely Waterside House Campsite in Ullswater. The pods were not equipped, so you have to bring everything you would take camping except the tent, but it was such a stunning area right on the lake. We didn’t have much of a plan except to drive and hike, so we stopped in at the visitor center in Pooley Bridge to map out a walk and off we went. The Lake District is perfect for loose plans. It’s stunning everywhere you go, so best to take a couple days and explore. Here are some of my favorite moments. Enjoy!

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Weekends like this make me feel alive. Cheers to more of that.

February 01, 2019 /Jenna McKone
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Remember when sitting alone at a table in junior high and high school was pitied upon? When the idea of being on your own in public was embarrassing and dreaded? I do. And as I sat on this dock today in the middle of an eleven mile solo hike I smiled to myself remembering being afraid of the very thing I was doing. • Turns out, even though I’m frequently on my own, I am still in a place where I don’t fully trust my intuition. I am still slightly dependent on others - my friends, my partner, the internet - to reassure me what I’m doing is okay. That I’m going to be okay. It wasn’t until I couldn’t reach anyone at one point over the weekend when I realized that I am the source. I am not only the source of my pain and uncertainty but also the source for healing and reassurance. Yes, strangers will help you, and yes, so will your friends. • But ultimately if we can turn to ourselves first it is of the utmost form of empowerment. After this weekend I became that much stronger knowing discomfort is fleeting and I could cry in sorrow one day and smile at the sky the next. I am able to notice the small things without the distraction of others’ company: like the first glimpse of the mountains on the train or a child’s wide smile waiting for his sibling at the bus station. • I realized that if I could tell my 16 year old self anything after this Austrian adventure it’d be that sitting alone is not mortifying but inspiring. If you’ve been keeping up you know that this place has been a long time bucket list destination, so I booked a solo trip to get here. If you watched my recent stories you know the reality of travel/anxiety and all the behind the scenes of unplanned hardships. So I’ll spare you some deep thoughts for another day with a quote an Australian girl said to me on the ferry to this place today: “It’s really so beautiful. It’s been a long time bucket list place for me...I can’t believe I’m here.” • You and me both, gf. Grumpy lady: are you a St. John’s member? Me: mmm nope but the gate was open so I walked in! I’m just getting a couple shots Grumpy lady: well you can take that camera you got there, leave the premise and take a photo of the sign that says “members only.” Me: well you can take your grumpy gills back to the swamp WHERE YOU BELONG!!! • Only 25% of that exchange isn’t true 😂. I really just said WILL DO very sarcastically. But joke’s on her cause I got the shots 💥 Oh Cambridge. Are you a bit pretentious? Yes. But are you beautiful? Also yes. This week I was in a lull. A major funk. Still am. Being sick didn’t help, but my energy levels wanted me to wallow. All week. So I did. But then I reached today and asked myself, “what would make me uncomfortable, but would also force me to endure through it?” Right now I’m in the comfort of my home so it’s easy to fall into my couch. I try to not judge myself so harshly during this season of my life, but I decided it was time to peel away; I booked my first solo trip. Ruts are hard. Pulling yourself out of them is even harder. But there’s a reason they tell you to jump full force into glacially cold waters rather than tip-toe into it: It’ll sting at first, but chances are you’ll ultimately emerge with a sense of cleanliness and vitality 😌 PS. If you guessed on my story poll, my destination climate will be...⛰! Although this photo says otherwise. Cannot believe I was in Bali exactly a year ago! 4 months into a deployment with no homecoming date. • Being in a military relationship requires forceful separation at one point or another, but to not have a countdown adds a whole new layer of difficulty. Imagine running - putting your might in every stride - asking people on the sidelines where the finish line is and they give you an apprehensive shrug. But you have to keep pushing, and keep running...knowing that there is an end somewhere, you just don’t know where. • As MilSpouse Appreciation day passed this weekend, I surrounded myself with fellow women who get it. Who understand the emotional turmoil and nod their heads in understanding when I’m acting irrationally. To begin to explain to civilian friends what all of this really means is tough: news headlines are actually personal, every mission is a risk, what it really means to live alone but not be single, and plans don’t play out the way they’re supposed to due to sudden changes out of our control. What I have found is curiosity, compassion and patience from those who may not comprehend the circumstance of a military lifestyle is the best way to feel the needed support. I’m grateful for those who do ❤️ • Not everyday is started with optimism. But since I’m not given much of a mapped out future at the moment, I’m forced to live day to day, to not jump too far ahead, to be in this place and this moment regardless of how much I like it. Every time I ponder life’s intentions, it always comes back to that one lesson: presence. There will be a day when poor-service FaceTime dates are a phenomenon of the past. There will be a day when we look down at the landscape from the top of the mountain we have climbed. There will be a day when we see the finish line on the horizon. • Until then, I am here. Referring back to Berlin archives for plant/home inspo 🤤 Heading to Amsterdam area this weekend to see the tulips with some of my best england biddies. You can expect a lot more botanic content in the near future 😘 Here’s what I know right now: You are stronger than you think. Bad feelings are fleeting. Let it flow through you and it will subside. Good feelings are fleeting. Let it flow through you and it will be gratifying. Everything is ebb and flow. Getting fresh air is underrated. More people care about you than you think. Making an effort to smile at a stranger is what will make our world a better place. Travel sparks creativity and gratitude for the simple things. Your thoughts are just thoughts. Breathe into your belly. You should absolutely balance your salad with a half pint of ice cream. You should absolutely balance that lemon water with a Cabernet. It sounds much more dramatic in your head so you should say it out loud and laugh at your silly worries. There’s an important lesson in your hardship. Also, the next time you feel like cursing your body’s imperfections, take your top off and dance with the wind. Sunkissed in the city 🌞 Rooftop hunting in London for summer means having cocktails at places where a £6,000 champagne bottle exists on the menu 🙃 The last several months, I have been learning the art of being alone. An all day, everyday kind of alone. Mornings, afternoons and evenings until the long-awaited weekend comes along. Being kidless and dogless, my responsibilities are slim to none. I take care of myself and only myself. My freelance work is sporadic and unpredictable, so I’m left with really learning what it’s like to spend large amounts of time in my home - this home - with myself. I say it’s an art because it has challenged and motivated me to adjust in ways I haven’t before. But it has been such a vital lesson. • A few tangible things that have made it tolerable and even some days enjoyable: - see a therapist biweekly. - do something active daily (a walk will do). - plan a coffee meet up or wine night once a week with friends. - channel creativity in some way at least once a week. - freelance work. - read and listen to uplifting podcasts. - talk to Ry daily. - cook. - a glass of wine. maybe 3. (but don’t drink out of stress or sadness. only to enhance contentment). - allow myself to cry and be upset about my situation when I need to. - plan a trip. - allow myself to do absolutely nothing some days and not judge myself for it. • Yes I could’ve gone home. Yes I could work another job (most likely not in my field) to ensure I’m kept busy. But my mom sent me a quote from a book that said: “Time spent alone returns you a hundredfold, because it is provoking ground of spirit. You quickly find out if you are at peace with yourself, or if the meaning of your life is found only in the superficial affairs of the day.” This deployment is teaching me that the art of solitude is tough to master, but with the right balance (I.e., not too much solitude but also not trying to fill every moment of the day, and knowing the difference between loneliness and solitude), being alone allows you to dig deep in yourself and sit with what you’ve got. If there’s some unsettlement, that’s when you know there’s inner work to be done. That’s a gift in disguise; that’s the gift of awaiting growth 🧡