7. She Has Pretty Penmanship

In a digital age where everything is backed up, bookmarked, and stored on phones, tablets and computers, a proper mountain woman yearns for any occasion to put pen to paper. She hoards pretty notebooks, paper of the right weight and texture, and writing utensils with the perfect grip and balance. And to sit down and work on her penmanship these days is a small thrill!

Good penmanship is a result of hours and hours of practice and a sign of great refinement and stature. Beautiful handwriting can change opinions. A seemingly shy, simple, or back-woods individual writes something down in confident, legible cursive and suddenly they become more dimensional. Any person with pretty penmanship appears intelligent, confident, and attractive.

Your handwriting says so much about you, ask a graphologist! Each flourish, curve, jot, and scribble tells a story, and a proper mountain woman takes great care in the story she tells.

A proper mountain woman keeps her handwriting in three important places (for posterity): her recipe book, her address book, and her journal.

SHE HAS PRETTY PENMANSHIP is part of an ongoing series of defining a proper mountain woman.

6. She Hikes

Hiking is a physical activity that is enjoyed by most proper mountain women, it is also symbolic for one of the most important things a proper mountain woman does in her life, she progresses. Progression is moving forward and upward, and that moving forward and upward in life (and up a mountain) takes work. And work is a very beautiful thing to a proper mountain woman... it is what our blessings, benefits, and happiness are fueled by.

I recall big hikes I went on years and years ago, when I was 12 to 16 years old, and can still vividly and easily remember how difficult they were for me... I remember the struggle to breath, the frequent stops to rest my legs, the hot sun making me sweat, my backpack chaffing my underarms, the other girls passing me and leaving me in the dust, and the trail going on and on, forever and ever! It was brutal. So brutal. Nothing else in my blessed and sheltered youth comes close to the torture, pain, and fatigue I experienced on my annual hike each summer during girls camp.

Now, as a grown woman, making adult decisions and mistakes, un-shielded to life's realities and pain... when I struggle with new goals or progression, it makes sense for my brain to remember back to that raw pain I experienced while hiking in my youth, and see the parallels. To me it is a beautiful analogy.

Even though hiking was brutal as a kid, I did feel an immense amount of joy when I reached the end of the hike. The mountain views at the end of a hike are worth every step (most of the time), and the satisfaction of pushing your body and mind to the end makes you feel so proud and happy with yourself, it is one of the best feelings in the entire world.

I believe everything good in life comes from this forward and upward movement. We need work, goal setting, and progression. We need it! If a proper mountain woman's body, mind, and soul isn't "hiking" and in forward momentum she becomes unhappy, insecure, and boring.

Hiking in life means moving, exploring, progressing, serving, creating, making, and doing.

Sometimes we have a clear goal we want to accomplish and we work to summit that specific peak. Some hikes are rough and steep, some are friendly and enjoyable. Sometimes you see a friend reach the top of the same peak you are on without much of a struggle, while you must sweat, work, and take the long way.

Sometimes we don't know what peak to summit next, so we search for inspiration as we walk slowly and rejoice in the beauties that surround us.

Sometimes we have to take a detour in our life and work to get back to the trail we would rather be on. It's okay to be on that detour, that is what makes life so interesting. A proper mountain woman is an interesting person, and you don't become that way by taking the easy way or always knowing what you are going to do in life. So take comfort in the knowledge that experiences, whether they be good, bad, or frustrating make you a better person. You hike through them, and move on.

Can you imagine if your life went as perfectly as you imagined when you were younger? You would never become dynamic, interesting, and strong. Be grateful for all the different hiking trails you come across. Move constantly forward and work. When you find yourself in a trench and have lost the trail you were on, look around, maybe you can see the peak you were trying to reach from a different point of view. Maybe a trail you never realized existed leads you out... and it's more gorgeous than any other trail you could imagine on your own!

I become passionate about this subject when someone is unhappy with their life and waiting for something or someone to happen to them. That is not forward motion, and it makes the and person depressed, insecure, and boring to talk to. If something in life isn't going the way you envisioned... pick something, anything, even though it doesn't seem perfect at first and do it. The forward momentum, this little hike you go on will inspire you!

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And to end this post, here are some of my favorite quotes about actual hiking and spending time in the mountains, enjoy!

"Great things are done when men and mountains meet; This is not done by jostling in the street." - William Blake

"Nature is not a place to visit. It is home." - Gary Snyder

“Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wildness is a necessity” - John Muir

“Feeling LOW?
Go on mountains.” - Prajakta Mhadnak

“On a hike, you're less a job title and more a human being....A periodic hike not only stretches the limbs but also reminds us: Wow, there's a big old world out there.” - Ken Ilgunas

“Nature is one of the most underutilized treasures in life. It has the power to unburden hearts and reconnect to that inner place of peace.” - Janice Anderson

“Mountains should be climbed with as little effort as possible and without desire. The reality of your own nature should determine the speed. If you become restless, speed up. If you become winded, slow down. You climb the mountain in an equilibrium between restlessness and exhaustion. Then, when you’re no longer thinking ahead, each footstep isn’t just a means to an end but a unique event in itself. This leaf has jagged edges. This rock looks loose. From this place the snow is less visible, even though closer. These are things you should notice anyway. To live only for some future goal is shallow. It’s the sides of the mountain which sustain life, not the top. Here’s where things grow.
But of course, without the top you can’t have any sides. It’s the top that defines the sides. So on we go—we have a long way—no hurry—just one step after the next—with a little Chautauqua for entertainment -- .Mental reflection is so much more interesting than TV it’s a shame more people don’t switch over to it. They probably think what they hear is unimportant but it never is.” - Robert M. Pirsig

“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. … There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature — the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.” - Rachel Carson

"Adopt the pace of Nature. Her secret is patience." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

“But especially he loved to run in the dim twilight of the summer midnights, listening to the subdued and sleepy murmurs of the forest, reading signs and sounds as a man may read a book, and seeking for the mysterious something that called—called, waking or sleeping, at all times, for him to come.” - Jack London

“Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.” - John Muir

SHE HIKES is a follow up post to She Loves the Mountains, and part of an ongoing series of defining a proper mountain woman.

5. She Wears Flannel

An old soft flannel shirt is the hallmark of a good proper mountain woman. A flannel she's had forever, that has grown softer and softer over the years, and will never be thrown out because it fits her like a hug from an old friend. A proper mountain woman WEARS FLANNEL.

A high-quality flannel shirt isn't cheap, but it can last you a lifetime. These days a flannel shirt might get mistaken for any shirt with a plaid (or tartan) pattern... but a proper mountain woman knows the difference. A real flannel shirt is made from a soft woven fabric (usually cotton or wool), and brushed with a fine metal brush that raises the fine fibers of the fabric, giving you that soft cozy feel. Some flannel shirts are double napped, which means that both sides have been brushed so the inside and the outside of the shirt are velvety soft, thick and warm. The joy a traditional high-quality flannel will last forever, and it also can serve as a practical (and perfect) go-to outfit for a whole slew of proper mountain woman occasions.

Appropriate times to wear your flannel:

riding horses

baking in the kitchen

cuddling up to watch your favorite western film (or favorite wes anderson film)

apple picking

whenever you are feeling lazy

whenever you are feeling chilly

christmas parties and holiday get-togethers

up at the cabin

long drives to your favorite diner

on first dates

hiking in the fall

to the farmers market in the early morning

family pictures

ice-skating

walking your dog

going to the grocery store

vacations and holidays

bowling

museum trips

thrift shopping

anytime you visit the pacific northwest

deep sea fishing

brunch

casual Friday at the office

concerts

running errands

the gun range

shed hunting

puttering around the house

weekends, in general

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this post is part of an ongoing series about proper mountain woman, for more CLICK HERE

4. She Has Eclectic Hobbies

A proper mountain woman has ECLECTIC HOBBIES.

Hobbies make you interesting, happy, and give your life dimension. My advice to everyone is to try new hobbies often, and try them all! Stick with the ones you are good at and do your best to hone specific skill sets and become a master. Having an eclectic hobby gives depth to who you are, it will enrich your life and interaction with others, and add flavor to your life story.

I think hobbies should be something you prioritize and make time for, no matter what stage of life you are in... the benefits are astronomical.

Here's a list of eclectic hobbies for you to try:
perfecting a chicken pot pie
specific gardening - for butterflies, hummingbirds, or herbal teas
memorizing names of trees
writing a children's book
music classes - banjo, guitar, or the organ
collecting porcelain cats from flea markets and garage sells
canoe carpentry
basket weaving
panning for gold
making perfume
cross stitch or embroidery
speed walking
bee keeping
putting ships in bottles
rock hounding
sea glass hunting
book making
ceramic pottery
belly dancing
watercolor painting
cross country skiing
disco roller skating
perfecting bread baking - sourdough, marble, rye, etc.
bird watching
calligraphy
coyote hunting
soap making
dumpster diving
becoming a master gardener
archery
trying your hand at stain glass window making
watching old movies
candle making
fly fishing
furniture building
learning to make sushi
pinning insects
being skilled at hand puppet shadows
producing a podcast

 "A human being [proper mountain woman] should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, con a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects."
-Robert A Heinlein

PS. Some great thoughts on why hobbies are good and other posts on defining proper mountain women.

PSS. I thought that this illustration was pertinent for this post.

PMS. An old blog post rant about boring girls who are just "sweet and kind".

3. She Loves Being a Woman

The bond of womanhood is special.

It seems like the older I get the more sweet and satisfying the bond of womanhood becomes. I have found the last couple of years to be especially refreshing and welcoming in my life. I believe it's because women get more and more beautiful as time passes.

I have a close group of girlfriends that I have been best friends with since high school, now going on well over a decade. While I have always loved them and enjoyed their company, I now TREASURE the times we get to spend together. I will often remark quietly to myself about how amazing these ladies have turned out, a decade of adult life looks goooood on them. They still can make me laugh harder than any other humans I know, and I love basking in their womanly goodness.

These crazy goofy friends of mine, that I used to drive around with in high school causing mischief, now have baking tips to impart, gardening skills to share, wise relationship advice, tricks to help with morning sickness, and they are quick to lend out anything from their homes.

Priorities seem to have shifted. Time is valuable, doing trendy things is not. Nobody is trying to prove anything, we all seem comfortable in our own skin. They seem to think less of themselves, and see people around them more.

I've been thinking about writing this post for a while now, and every time I have pondered the question "what do I love about being a woman?" I felt sort of stumped. I do love being a woman, but what does loving being a woman mean? It's a hard/weird question to ask yourself, though every time I did ask, I found myself instinctively sitting up a little straighter and lifting my head a little higher. It does give me a sense of pride to be a woman... but what do I love about being a woman?

I texted my three girlfriends, Amanda, Natalie, and Mary... on our continuous texting conversation, titled "The Ladies"...

Me (to The Ladies): What do you guys love about being a woman?

Natalie (who is currently pregnant with twins) responds: "Don't ask me that question right now. I'm still pregnant and ornery. Right now I like nothing. Unless you count the fact that my body can make two babies at once!"

Amanda texted: "I'm still helping with homework, doing the bedtime routine and was just informed I'm providing a fourth grade class with salt dough tomorrow, so let me write back a real answer in a few..."

Mary first texted that her favorite things were breasts, periods, and sexual harassment in the workplace. She then tells us that she's down in southern utah playing hearts with her mom and dad. "And my peach cobbler just came out of the oven. With my bottled peaches."

I love all of this so much. I love that women are busy creating things... structured homes, yummy food, jokes, happy moments, and human life.

Mary ended up texting later, "I love being a woman! I used to wish I was a man. But I love being dainty and still being able to rough it when needed. I love that I can feel cute when I want and I love having feelings of kindness or compassion for other people a little differently than men do. And I think being able to reproduce and feed your child is pretty incredible."

Amanda, "Frankly, I think I'm a way better woman than I could ever hack it as a man. I'm plenty smart, savvy, brave, confident and capable, but rather, due to my quirky nature, I think it's easier to be a quirky woman. Being a woman allows me to feel like I have more freedom to live colorfully and creatively. I think that's harder for a man- I think the boxes are much more rigid for them. Think of all the different kinds of women you know- there are bundles! But think of men and I feel like the categories of "acceptable" are considerably smaller. Maybe this is all the way I justify my weirdness? But I feel like being a woman allows me a freedom of self-expression that I don't think I'd have as a man. I think if I was a man, my quirkiness would be seen as especially strange and possibly menacing. I guess if there is anything that really makes me love being a woman it is that I feel confident in being whatever kind of women I want to be. ---I don't mean this is to be a man vs. woman thing but rather something especially special about womanhood."

Nicely put, ladies.

For me, this bond of womanhood is my favorite aspect of being a woman. I am lucky that it grows stronger and more golden with all the girls I know... my sisters, my mom, old mission companions, old roommates, my friend's wives, my friend's moms, cousins, aunts, and ladies from church. I feel blessed to learn from all these proper mountain women.

Not only does my posture improve as I think about all of this, but I notice more the way my body moves, the way my fingers type across my keyboard, and the way I talk to people. I love the grace of women, their ability to create, and their awareness of people.

I love that a proper mountain woman can do anything she sets her mind to. A woman who is brave and climbs the mountains of life... and embraces her divine womanly gifts... is a beauty to behold.

SHE LOVES BEING A WOMAN.

2. She Loves the Mountains

Physically, proper mountain women love the mountains because we are attracted to them. Just like when a good-look'n guy walks by wearing a good-look'n pair of jeans, the mountains get a double take. Sometimes a third take. And sometimes we can't take our eyes off of them. Their massiveness and jagged edges call to us proper mountain women. We yearn to know their secrets, and to find their hidden meadows and quiet peaceful spots. We wish to inhale their rugged smells and to feel the sun on our skin. We need to see where the winding trails and shadowy forest paths lead to. We want to summit the mountain peaks and feel our legs grow tired near the top. And we can't wait to wear our flannel shirts and thick cotton socks to cozy up to the mountains for a good night's sleep. 

Spiritually, proper mountain women love the mountains because of their wonder and majesty. We are humbled by their existence, we feel that they were not created by accident, without purpose - they were created with love by God, who knew we would be inspired by them. They were his way to capture the attention of even those who don't consider themselves religious. If church is supposed to be a place where you are taught and edified by The Spirit, a place where you can feel peace free from distractions... then the mountains are God's enormous chapel, He even made cell phone service impossible in most of them so He could talk to you better. It's rare when I go to the mountains and don't come back with a clearer head full of positive thoughts and energy. 

Symbolically, proper mountain women love the mountains because they represent challenges in our own lives. If we were to view the hard things we are faced with in life with the energy and awe we give to summiting physical mountaintops, nothing would be impossible, Mountains are hard to climb, many times while hiking I have to stop and take a break, especially near the end. Sometimes my legs are even shaking as I make my slow way to the peak and my heart is pounding in the thin air... but every mountain can be conquered. When the hike is hard and I want to quit, I stop and look around me, and I start to feel grateful for the chance to be among nature, to be able to see wild flowers and fall leaves, and grateful my body can carry me. This is how challenges in life are, hard as they may be, if you take time to pause and look around you, life becomes wild and beautiful... and you become grateful for the adventure. Afterwards your legs will be tired, but accomplishing hard things is rewarding and essential to growth. I truly love the Better Know a Proper Mountain Woman Project on this blog, seeing what our proper mountain women answer for question #4 is inspiring. We all face such different challenges and mountains and the strength proper mountain women use to conquer those mountains is beautiful and brave.

These reasons are why a proper mountain woman can't stay away from the mountains. Their beauty, strength, and challenge are completely bewitching to her. Whether hiking through a canopy of bright fall leaves, riding a chair lift to the top of a snowy slope, taking a drive and picnic lunch up the canyon, or simply pausing as she goes about her day to gaze up at them... a proper mountain woman's heart is drawn to them. And whenever she happens to find herself standing on a high mountain ridge, surrounded by the view of a never ending mountain range, a proper mountain woman's heart will become energized. As she gazes across broad mountain faces covered in pines and quakies, and at the immense territory of peaks and pinnacles jutting up toward the sky, the delight and glee in her heart will grow. She will clasp her hands to her bosom to try and clutch the giddy warmth rising within her. She will close her eyes, tilt her head back, and she will breathe in the mountain air. The smell of pine will fill her lungs and the cool air will tousle her hair. When she reopens her eyes, they will dance across the mountains while her heart sings. She will want to laugh because of the wondrous beauty before her.

SHE LOVES THE MOUNTAINS.

1. She is Brave

So many things in this world require us to be brave, especially in our quest to becoming the woman we want to be. Whenever courage is required of us, it's my thought that it is when we are pursuing something that is good and will ultimately benefit us. Whether it's trying something new or confronting something you want changed , if you need to be brave, it will make you a better person once you've conquered it.

I feel like the main goal of Girls Pearls and Powder is to help you be brave and set your sights higher. Today the world promotes quick fixes, cheap thrills, and tells us if something feels good, do it!- whatever you want, whenever you want. Everything has a fast track. Right now you can snap a picture, post it to Instagram, and get an instantaneous respond of "likes" and applaud for something menial and trivial. It's easier today than in any other time in history to be lazy, take the easy way, and get by. Which isn't brave at all. If you think about it, our grandparents had to work hard, be courageous, or not have enough food to eat. It makes me wonder about the character this 'instant' world is molding us into. If we go through life skimming along, letting what makes us feel good in the moment dictate our decisions, what sort of little old ladies will we be?

Life is always moving forward. Don't get comfortable with fitting in with the world around you, that isn't very interesting. The human spirit was not meant to float through life. I think we all have an ideal picture of the lady we hope to be one day, with things we wish we could try and things we wish we were better at. We say things like "in a different life time, I think I would have liked to have been a painter" or "I wish I knew how to handle these sort of situations better" or "I wonder if it's too late to become a yoga instructor?". Set your sights far into the distance and see yourself as a little ole' gray haired lady. What will you be like? What hard work will you have done? What accomplishments will you be most proud of? What will those around you have to say about you? What stories will you be able to tell?

A Proper Mountain Woman is a woman who is moving in an upward motion, becoming better and better. She works at conquering her mountains to become the person she wants to be. SHE IS BRAVE. She tries new things, works hard at developing her skills, and doesn't settle on life just happening to her.

If you have always wanted to be healthy and fit, BE BRAVE and find a way that works for you. It definitely takes courage to be the only one at work who doesn't snack on candy and go out to lunch every day. Some people at work change into work out clothes and go for a walk or a jog at lunch... for me, this would require bravery to start being that person. I sometimes feel silly going for a jog around my neighborhood, or going to the gym. I always wonder if I will be seen and judged for not being as fit as I ought to be. But ultimately, if I am brave and conquer my fear to go, it is for my own good. I used to be terrified about going to the gym and looking like a noob who doesn't know how to work the equipment, but now it doesn't bother me at all. Today I know how to use most of the equipment and how to not worry about what others might think of me. BE BRAVE, start being the healthy fit person you want to be. Don't feel silly starting a new exercise regiment or diet, especially if you have to be creative about fitting it into a busy schedule. I admire people who make exercising an important part of their day, they show up late to a social event or leave early to fit in their daily work out. I also admire people who eat healthy when they are surrounded by junkie food and party pressure to indulge. It would require me to be brave to start being THAT person, the person I want to be. But I know that as soon as I am brave enough to give it a try, I would start being known as a woman who ate healthy and worked out every day... and successful or not, that's the direction I want to be headed.

If you have always wanted to be a girl who wears cute hats and glasses, does her hair in fun up-do's, puts on red lipstick, and dresses fashionably... BE BRAVE and start. If you don't know how, ask someone, buy a beauty magazine, take the first step. I have always wanted to be a fun well-dressed woman, and often feel I don't have the right body for it, or I'm afraid that I will look like I'm trying too hard. But then I look at others that have my same body shape, or that are dressed in a way I would like to be... and I don't think anything of it! I don't think they are trying too hard, I think they just look fun! If you want to be known later in  life as the lady who always looked fresh and dressed well, be brave and start now. It's never too late to go from being the girl who wears the same thing every day, to the girl who dresses awesome. Be brave, wear that wig, get some eye lash extensions, wear some fun shoes, be the proper mountain woman you want to be.

If you have always wanted to be a hiker and explore the mountains, BE BRAVE and try it. When I was younger I wanted to be a hiker, I grew up right at the base of American Fork Canyon and wanted to start taking advantage of it. As a novice hiker I was afraid I would be considered a poser, I had a ton of irrational thoughts about it... I thought people would see me pulling up to a trail head and immediately know that I didn't belong in the hiking world. I didn't have the clothes for it, I wasn't in shape to do it, and I didn't know where many of the trails were, or where they led to. But I wanted to be a hiker, so I got brave and started. I looked up trails online, I drove around the base of the mountains looking for trail head parking lots, and I went for it. Pretty soon I had explored some awesome areas and had some favorite hikes I did every day. The day I realized I had become the hiking woman I had always wanted to be was when a coworker stopped by my desk, and said "hey, you're a hiker, where should I take my family hiking this weekend?".

If you want to be a chick who snowboards, take a lesson and learn! If you want to travel Europe, save your pennies and go! If you want to be a writer, a home decorator, a pine nut harvester, or a woman who bakes bread... be brave and go for it! That's what Proper Mountain Woman do.

A Proper Mountain Woman is a well-rounded and interesting woman with accomplishments, big and small, seen and not seen. These accomplishments make her life full. The first ingredient to becoming a woman like this is to BE BRAVE. If we are not climbing our mountains, the mountain symbolizing who we want to be, we will not be happy with where we end up... and I want to end up on top of mine, waving a flag!

The Proper Mountain Woman Creed

I am brave. I conquer mountains big and small. I hold fast to old values and good etiquette, but I believe in trying new things. I am confident and kind. I find strength in being feminine. I seek beauty - both in the great outdoors and in creating life around me.

I am a proper mountain woman.

What Is A Proper Mountain Woman?

She loves being a woman.

She loves the mountains and spending time outdoors.

She is traditional, with high morals, and old-fashion common sense.

She is prim and proper. She studies and practices good etiquette and manners.

She relishes the changing seasons in nature, and celebrates the changing seasons in her own life.

She enjoys quiet moments and finds the time to be silent and reflective.

She does something every day to improve herself. She is deliberate in her daily habits.

She is a woman of faith and integrity. She goes to church, she prays, and nourishes her soul. She considers the great outdoors to be a blessing and gift from God.

She knows how to chop wood, bake bread, shoot guns, and write a poem.

She spends time educating herself, she is a lady of culture and interesting hobbies. She is well-rounded, well-dressed, and well-spoken.

She is kind, happy, and quick to smile and laugh.

She is prepared. She spends time taking care of both the big important things and the small details.

She appreciates the finer things in life... good music, good books, nice bed sheets, and quality outdoor gear.

She is an artist. She seeks out and applauds beauty and creation.

She doesn't give up. She accomplishes hard things. She climbs the mountains and challenges in her life with grit and determination.

She often wears flannel shirts, warm socks, and hiking vests.

And... she snowboards whenever she gets the chance.

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Modern Mountain Women

modern day mountain woman are good and full of faith, and we do need more of them.