Archive for June, 2010
Handmade Hair Adornment
Hand crafted with creamy organza layers atop a frilly ruffle of tulle. Whimsical guinea and ostrich feathers peek out from beneath the plush layers of fabric and the center is adorned with a simple diamond-studded embellishment.
Little Maybelline journeyed from Atlanta to her new home in South Carolina, where she happily adorned the hair of the most beautiful bride. The bride chose to debut Maybelline at her wedding reception where I’m sure she turned lots of heads!
Photos by: KHJ and CMJ
Looking for your own Maybelline or another lovley bobbin? Let me know, I’d be happy to whip one up for you.
Jessica – You looked amazing sporting Miss Maybelline at your reception. Wishing you many happy years of sheer wedded bliss!
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Muir Woods, oh how I love thee
Here man is no longer the center of the world, only a witness, but a witness who is also a partner in the silent life of nature, bound by secret affinities to the trees. – Dag Hammarskjold (UN Secretary General 1953-1961)
Ok, just go ahead and label me a full-fledged tree hugger! I love plants: trees, flowers, mosses, grass, you name it. Coming from someone who’s idea of a perfect day includes roaming Pike Nursery for hours on end, looking at plants, reading their tags and dreaming of a perfect yard, Muir Woods was pretty much one of the most magical places on Earth and a day I won’t soon forget.
We arrived in San Francisco very late on Friday night, so needless to say, we started Saturday off on a very relaxed schedule. We enjoyed a delicious home cooked breakfast with our dear west coast friends and their sweet little addition, Elle. This was our first time seeing their precious bundle and let me tell you, a 3-month-old with two big ol’ dimples… my heart was a puddle in my chest.
After breakfast, we packed up the car for a beautifully scenic drive to Muir Woods. We zipped through downtown San Francisco, over the Golden Gate Bridge, through the picturesque town of Sausalito on our way to Muir Woods. As we drove along the winding mountain roads, we let down the windows (more for a little white noise for a tired baby) and inhaled the most delicious scent imaginable! Waves of fresh pine and cedar filled the car. That smell, coupled with the crisp bay breeze made you want to bottle it up and bring it back to steamy Georgia.
We stopped off at Muir Beach for an oh-so-California picnic: delightful cheeses, crackers, pepperoni, turkey, olives and of course refreshing white wine. The quaint picnic table, the fresh ocean air, a reunion with old friends… these are what perfect days are made of.
After our finger food feast, we hopped back into the car and headed to Muir Woods National Monument. Now, a little note about these pictures: We arrived in the late afternoon when the sun was dipping lower and lower behind the hills. While this was very magical and quite enchanting, it didn’t make for the brightest photos. However, I hope you are able to sense the deep, dark beauty of the forest.
As the sun dipped down, gorgeous rays of soft golden light filtered to the ground. It was very quiet in the forest. I felt like I was miles away from civilization and for a moment I pretended that was true.
Beautiful clovers carpeted many areas of the forest floor. This gave the otherwise dark surroundings a burst of color. There were so many unique plant species along the paths. Mr. Blue Eyed Yonder especially loved these ‘chimney sweep pines’. That is not their real name, I have no idea what these whispy plants are actually called, but would love to find out.
Tucked away in the dim forest was this precious purple flower, hiding ever so sweetly behind a fallen limb. At first glance, the only thing you might notice in this forest would be the redwoods, so tall and imposing, however I love how just a little look closer reveals an entire community of blossoming variety.
There are some moments in life when you just feel so small. The soaring heights of this forest is almost impossible to depict in photos. Years upon years of growing, stretching and reaching, higher and higher.
You’re really able to get an idea of the tree’s magnitude when you see one that has crashed to the forest floor. If a tree falls in the woods and no one is hear to hear it, does it make a sound? I have to believe this one would.
These magnificent trees are often found in ‘families’ or ‘cathedrals’. Usually, this means the trees have grown up from the living remains of the stump of a fallen redwood, and since they grew out of the perimeter, they are organized in a circle. If one of the family ‘members’ should fall, the other family members will continue thriving off of the fallen tree’s established root system.
As we walked down the wooden walkway through the canopy of trees, we came upon this beautiful, brilliant green tree. It’s leaves set the forest ablaze in green light. It was absolutely breathtaking.
With all of their peace and noble beauty, it is hard to imagine that someone could cut them down. Something so old, so wise, destroyed at the hand of man. I couldn’t help but feel a little bit guilty walking through the trees, almost like I was sending out little silent apologies as I passed.
Another adorable plant for which I do not know the name. I have nicknamed it a ‘dandelion fern’, probably couldn’t be further from the truth. Would love to know it’s real name. Its little spindle, round blossoms were so cute.
Ok, so everyone is entitled to a few corny photos while meandering through the forest. No, we weren’t playing hide-n-seek, just being silly.
That’s my man, my big burly tree-hugger of a man.
We stumbled upon this interesting plaque in the forest, the Bicentennial Tree. So bewildering to think this trees was busy growing on the west coast while the American Revolution was being fought thousands of miles away.
We loved these feathery fields of ‘chimney sweep pines’. It really added to the allure of this magical place.
Another brilliant tiny detail in this towering forest, precious curly plant tendrils.
Check out the thickness of the bark on this fallen redwood. We were pretty impressed. We later read that the bark on some trees has been found to be more than a foot in thickness! I think the trees were laughing at us.
Oh and by the way, as if this scenery could be more serene… imagine the sounds of a beautiful babbling brook. Moss covered stones and crystal clear, ice cold water; it was truly like something out of a meditation video.
My green thumb was just too interested not to take a picture of the quaint habitat restoration display. Made me want to bust out my gardening gloves and make a permanent home here.
I have to admit, I was a little sad to leave Muir Woods. The sheer peace and serenity were beckoning to me. How can you look back at this intriguing, winding trail and be okay with heading home? When they say, “Let there be peace on Earth”, I am pretty sure they are referring to Muir Woods.
You’ve got a friend in me
Sometimes I get the itch to do something spontaneous. Yesterday was one of those days, I decided to plan a secret date for Mr. Blue Eyed Yonder. The actual date was nothing over the top, but just the element of surprise can make dinner and a movie so much more fun!
When Mr. BEY got home, we jumped into the car. He didn’t know where we were going, but as we got closer I handed him a little note rolled up like a scroll and tied with a red ribbon. This is what the note said…
What would you have thought? He guessed all kinds of places from Thai to Indian. But he was wrong, it was just little ol’ Chick-fil-a. You see, I am a huge fan of all things spicy and I have been dying to try Chick-fil-a’s new spicy chicken sandwich. We have both had opportunities to try it, but decided to wait and try it together. (Haha, corny? Maybe, but I thought it was sweet.)
We ordered at the walk-up window and enjoyed a little Chick-fil-a picnic outside under a bright red umbrella table.
So here it is, almost two weeks after its debut, we finally sunk our teeth into the sandwich to find out what all the fuss was about. Mmmm, mighty tasty! Of course I have managed to probably burn off all of my taste buds with the spicy foods that I eat, so it wasn’t that spicy to me, but we both agreed it had a nice little kick.
After dinner, we decided to hop into the book store for one of our favorite past times…browsing the travel section. Grab a book, settle down in a big, soft chair and travel the world! We are trying to pick a place to visit for our one year anniversary. We both love to travel so much, there really isn’t a place that we wouldn’t want to visit someday. Can’t wait to see what we finally decide upon. Any suggestions?
While we were perusing the globe, I handed Mr. BEY a little baggie of Sour Patch Kids with a simple tag…
Little did he know that our book browsing session was conveniently killing some time before the movie (that I had secretly bought tickets to, thank you internet). He kind of looked at me in this silly way and I said, “C’mon we’re going to a movie!” We left the bookstore and walked right next door to the theater (almost like it was planned, right?)
I have to stop and mention the Sour Patch Kids again. This is our go-to movie candy, but I have to admit Mr. BEY usually gets the raw end of the deal. I hold the bag and ‘select’ his pieces, which means he gets all the yellow and green ones of course, haha! But being in a kind mood, I separated the large bag of Sour Patch Kids into two individual baggies so he could finally enjoy the red ones. Now that’s love right there!
(And yes, I brought in my own Sour Patch Kids so don’t send the movie patrol after me. A girl’s gotta break a rule every now and then.)
In keeping with our fun, spontaneous, child-like theme of the night, I bought tickets to see Toy Story 3 in 3D! So we hopped in the mile long line of ticket holders waiting for the theater doors to open. What was so beautiful about this line were the vast age differences of the moviegoers, from the young to the young at heart. So neat when a movie is able to do that.
I cannot recommend this movie enough. There were so many emotions that I related to and characters I recognized from my own childhood. Absolutely precious. And yes, I have to admit there were even a few tears shed. (Laugh now, but you’ll see what I mean if you watch the movie.)
It was a perfect movie for a perfect night. I think we both traveled a back a little into the days of our childhood. Reconnected with that little inner kid, which we have learned resides in us all along.
Sneak Peek: Golden State of mind
Well guys, I made it back! Fresh in from sunny California with lots of stories and pictures to share. This was my first real vacation since becoming a bone fide blogger and I have to say, I even surprised myself with how many pictures I took.
As a blogger, you just fall in love with even the simplest details and see the world as a series of pictures just waiting to be captured. It is with the details, the simple things we look past every day, that we create the memories and emotions that we carry with us. How often would you remember the creaking screen door, the peeling paint of a wooden floor, the tiny holes of a metal screen window, or the neatly folded wool blankets of a Yosemite cabin? Chances are, you wouldn’t think twice about those things. It would all be unconsciously combined into your memories of that rustic place. I relish in capturing those little moments, the tiny pin pricks in our memories. I hope it helps you feel the experience and appreciate all of the ‘little’ things around you everyday. The small details that make you feel at home, or remind you of a time gone by.
I won’t embarrass myself by telling you how many pictures I actually took. It is taking me quite some time to sift through them. I’m continuing to work diligently, fishing through and narrowing down my selections to bring you the best glimpse possible. For now, here is a little sneak peak of the trip. Stay tuned for more gorgeous photos of the magical Muir Woods, sweet California picnics, fun car trips with a darling 3 month old, delightful San Fran scenery, local eats, and of course Yosemite with all its glory.
Photos by: KHJ and CHJ
Looks like I have a busy weekend ahead. Can’t wait to share more of our amazing California visit with you!
Happy Trails
I am so excited! Tomorrow we leave for a fun vacation in sunny California. We’re looking forward to spending some time with dear friends and their new little one, soaking up the sights and famous sourdough in San Francisco, and venturing out a little to the gorgeous Yosemite National Park.
It was funny to see how many of you were surprised (even shocked) at the idea of me camping, outside, in the wild, in the dead center of Yosemite. Come on now, I’m not that girly. I’m not gonna cry over chipping a nail. I won’t whine about the wind messing up my hair. I’ll put on my big girl britches and deal with it! (At least for a little while.)
So when you go to bed on Sunday night, think of little ol’ me tucked away in our little tent…
Yep, no internet, no TV, no conditioned air for that matter. I think it’s terribly romantic! (Remind me of this when I start complaining about the mosquitos and lack of indoor plumbing.) Just me, my Mister and the wild outdoors.
Speaking of wild…
There’s just one little (err big) detail that scares me a bit – Grizzly Bears. Lord help me if I wake up to this thing breathing over me. We have been reading up on what to do if we were to encounter a bear. Speak calmly and slowly, don’t look it in the eyes, don’t run, etc. One site went into more detail, if the bear actual begins attacking you, it is best to lie face down with you legs spread apart to keep the bear from easily flipping you over and keeping your arms over your neck to protect the jugulars! While I am sure this information would prove to be quite helpful in the event we did encounter a bear, all it is doing right now is totally freaking me out!
Can you scratch my back honey? I think NOT! Hopefully these pics will be the most of a grizzly I will ever see. However, how cute are these little boogers? Quite tempting, but where there are babies there are surely mamas!
I will be bringing my laptop and of course the camera will be glued to my face. I hope to have lots of pictures and fun stories to share. I am really looking forward to the time away, if there is one thing that’s sure to bring a smile to my face, it’s traveling.
Happy Trails!
