On the Trail at Tannehill

I think Trail Dates are my favorite type of date. To have all that uninterrupted time, chatting with my husband, no distractions other than our natural surroundings. We have the best conversations.

We spent last Sunday afternoon at Tannehill State Park. I read about the history of it on-line, but I don't feel knowledgeable enough about the subject to elaborate. It's old. And was once a steel or mill something-or-other. I, personally, enjoyed it because it had a historical aspect, and it reminded me of my favorite ever school field trip to Iowa Living History Farms. I used to fantasize that I lived at the History Farms.
Oh, and there's a beautiful creek that the dogs both enjoyed.
There is actually a pre-Civil War {obviously} slave cemetary a short hike off the main trail. I don't know what I was expecting, but these "headstones" were not easy to photograph. Just big stones stuck in the ground, but as Dirk said, "They were slaves! It's not like they had the funds for a marble headstone!"
The girls are good about running ahead on the trail, and if we stop, this is their reaction. But only for a split second, before they start running towards us. So I have to be quick to get photos like this!
When I was little, I always used to think that I would have liked to live in Little House on the Prairie times, and then, after seeing Gone with the Wind, I wished I could live in the Pre-Civil War South and wear all those fancy hoopskirts and fan myself all day. Dirk and I had this conversation on the trail: if you could wake up and live one day in any other historical period, knowing that you'd fall asleep and return to the present day, when and where would it be. Surprising enough, Dirk would like to wake up in Transylvania during the days of Vlad the Impaler. WHAT?!
I think that this place would be an awesome area for a wedding, or a bridal shoot.
So yes, after 90 minutes on the trail, we were pretty exhausted, but it was a wonderful trip. Tannehill hosts a "Trade Days" once a month from March-October where local craft people exhibit their things. I think I'll have to go back. So far, it's right up there with my favorite State Parks in the state. With all the adorable log "crafting" cabins, a restaurant, a sweet shop, a general store, and oodles and oodles of neat old building that would be great for portrait sessions! I'll definitely keep it in mind as a place to take clients.

WBW - Phish

I've always taken certain photos with song lyrics in mind. Or poems. Or quotes. Lyrical or melodic musings that could make good titles and/or captions. This photo was taken in the fall of 2007, and I will always think back fondly on this trip. It was my first visit to Oklahoma, for one. Two, I met some amazing writers and photographers who I am still in contact with today {shout out to the Robinsons and Elaine!}. And three, I was in the midst of reading John Steinbeck's "Grapes of Wrath" and we spent the majority of the trip following Route 66. This was a stop along the way, the Arcadia Round Barn. It was at this site that I discovered that Iowa has many of these round barns. I would one day like to photograph them all.

Anyway, this photo was taken, and every time I look at it, I start singing a song by Phish: "Round Room":"Right angle rooms drive me crazier each day
Put me in a box I know I'm never going to play
Put me in a square room and I won't know what to say
I want a round room at the end of the day.

If I pass out take me to the round church
Where echoes resound
And my spirit is found
And when I float high
Take my arm and I'll fly you by
The outskirts of town, to a garden that's round

I went to the lighthouse and I liked the view
I looked out the window and I could see you
Put me in a square house and I won't have a clue
I want a round room just to be with you."

I decided to post this photo on this week's Way Back Wednesday because Phish announced their Summer 2011 tour yesterday, which includes a two-night run two hours from us. The only thing is, the shows are on week nights and it would be impossible to take time off since we're already planning to take off for our honeymoon in June. So when Dirk suggested that we rearrange our plans to include the shows, I immediately said YES! We fell in love at a Phish show in June in 2004 {I'm sure I haven't mentioned that before, right? HA!} And I am at my best when dancing to those sweet tunes in my Sunday dress.

Reverent Remembrance

Four years ago today, we were awaiting the arrival of my mother at the airport. So that we could all go the hospital and say good-bye to my sweet grandmother. I thought I would share some of my favorite images of this beautiful lady.















This morning, I joined my grandfather at his weekly worship service. I am normally not a church-goer, although I appreciate and respect those who are. Nature is my personal religion. But I do feel something akin to awe during an Episcopal service. I love the consistency of it. The ceremony and ritual. And today's sermon hit home. It was about forgiveness. And freedom. And how there are all sorts of ways to be locked away. How opening your heart to forgiveness is a pretty sweet form of freedom, and allows room within for all sorts of positive things to enter. And then we went to visit Gomar. And bring her flowers. And reflect on her wonderful life.

life of pi

"All living things contain a measure of madness that moves them in strange, inexplicable ways. This madness can be saving; it is part and parcel of the ability to adapt. Without it, no species would survive" -Yann Martel "Life of Pi"

WBW - Let's talk about food.

My family has always been obsessed with food. We plan every day of every vacation around what and where we're going to eat. Once we have that figured out, then we are free to relax. We plan our menus the week beforehand. I wake up in the morning and know exactly what I'm going to put into my body on any given day. It's one thing I have complete control over. And I love it.

I've been thinking a lot about food lately, partly because Dirk and I are on a diet, partly because I am just like my mother, but also because being a vegetarian makes eating a lot more difficult. I have to think about things like iron and protein and to make sure I'm getting enough of everything. I am so much more conscious about what goes into my body now. And it's a good thing. But it's not easy.

I've also been thinking about how certain meals or foods can bring back memories, and how a lot of my memories are triggered by these things.

Picking strawberries out of the garden is one of my earliest memories. And the raspberries and how there were always tons of wasps to run from in the raspberry bushes.
Brooke and I used to plan parties for Mama while she and Jane Fonda were sweating in the living room. These consisted of a lot of marshmallows and peanuts. This one was a little bit more elaborate with the grape juice and streamers.
Vacation meals have the most sentimental value, because we were allowed to eat things we didn't get at home: white bread and raspberry jelly, for instance. My Gomar made an amazing PBJ with white bread, raspberry jam, and creamy peanut butter. Oh, and we got lemonade and cheese curls, too. This lunch can always make me nostalgic for eating on the balcony with my cousins, overlooking the gulf of Mexico. Always in a hurry to get back out to the beach.
Another delicacy that these beach vacations provided was fresh seafood, mostly shrimp. Fresh boiled shrimp with a french baguette, and drawn butter is about as good as it gets.
I've been a little bored with my lunch routine, lately. I have no problem switching up breakfasts every week, but lunch is tricky for me. I can't just slap a slice of ham and some cheese on bread and call it a day, oh, no. I usually eat a packet of mixed nuts, a string cheese, and a mango smoothie {mmmmm}, but this week, I went out on a limb and created this yummy chickpea sandwich spread. Paired with broccoli sprouts, cucumber slices, and some lettuce on a sandwich thin, it's pretty tasty. Although today I found a recipe for a vegetarian asian pita that I'm going to try next week.

So what meals make you bloggers nostalgic? Are there certain comfort foods that your family thrives on {grilled cheese and tomato soup, for instance?} What is your lunch of choice? Motivate me!

scenes from supper club

Okay, so it was a blast.
I made Brooke's famous caprese bites as an appetizer. They were gone in minutes.
Dirk decided he wanted to prepare a platter of his own. I call this the Clean Out the Pantry Party Platter. Notice the jalapenos in the center? Yup. Those were are Christmas present from his grandmother. How classy are we?
Part of the rules of Supper Club (besides you don't talk about Supper Club) was that the guests would supply the adult beverages. Have you guys heard about this Four Locos beer/energy drink? 12% alcohol per volume. Apparently they've banned it in Alabama because all the kids are getting wasted from it and blacking out or something. Tim managed to procure one at a gas station and we all took shots.
Of course there was a pyramid. Would you expect anything less?
Then I busted out my Valentine's Day present, Just Dance 2 on the wii. Jorge and I were the only ones dancing our booties off, but that's okay. Every time a song would end, Jorge would say, "Just one more." This went on for a good 45 minutes. This game is awesome, y'all. I am sore today after dancing all weekend, but I can't stop! Here's Piper trying to get in on the dancing action. Not a flattering photo of yours truly, but I love that you can see how tall she is!

being all grown up and crap

A month or so ago, Liz and Aimee and I had the brilliant idea of taking turns hosting a monthly meal for us all to gather around and eat and drink and be merry. Dirk and I offered to host the inaugural, and Supper Club was born. I mean, I guess that's the only thing you can call it.

So Dirk and I spent yesterday at the grocery store, gathering items for Supper Club. And then we spent more time in the kitchen together, jamming out to a Phish show, preparing food for Supper Club.

And now I am feeling oh so grown up and crap. I mean, Supper Club?! This is stuff I used to daydream about as a little girl, and now it's happening and I'm wondering how we got to this place? How did we go from the free-spirited 20-something hippie hipsters living in a one bedroom apartment sharing a twin-sized bed I'd slept in since infancy to planning a Supper Club and decking the house out in flowers and festivity?

Wow. I'm proud of us {obviously} but a little nostalgic for days of yore. I haven't worn my Sunday Dress in months. It's slowly making it's way to the Rubbermaid filled with clothing items of importance {think sequined sparkly European club tops and flannel shirts from junior high}. For those of you curious about what, exactly, my Sunday dress is, it's a dress that does not require underthings, that I wear, traditionally, on Sundays. Here are a few photos of my Sunday Dress back in it's glory days:

Here's my Sunday dress heading home from another camping/music festival adventure:
And here's my Sunday Dress displaying it's versatility. It can be worn UNDER clothing, as well, and tucked up to allow for winter beach walking.
And here is a photo displaying my Sunday Dress hanging out with some other hippie bums at Grayton Beach. Mainly just to display the length of it's wonderfulness.

It was bound to happen. We were bound to become grown-ups eventually. I suppose it started with home ownership. It was delayed a year during my freelancing freedom, and it made a resurgence with the purchase of our little cottage in the woods. It's a grown-up house. There are no ifs ands and buts about it. It is a house that we wanted to grow in, and by that we mean to have our own family in, as opposed to the four dirty roommates Dirk used to live with during his own hippy time. And I suppose it's a good sign that, while we were cooking and baking yesterday, we were jamming out to Phish, as opposed to say, Kenny G, but during our car rides over the past year or so, we increasingly opt for NPR instead of music. Man, discussing topics is fun! I am fortunate that I have found someone to grow up with, but I will request that he play Phish while preparing his Supper Club playlist, and I may just have to wear my Sunday Dress to dinner tonight. It is, after all, Sunday.

WBW/TftB - Rooms with a View

The Theme from the Bottom this week is "Room with a View", and it's all photos that are taken through windows. I decided to tie this into this week's WBW, and also to challenge you all to post a blog entry with a view from a window in your house! I'd LOVE to see what all of you see when you look outside (of your kitchen, for instance.) I know that Steph should have some awesome window photos :)

While compiling this post, I realized that I took a photo from a hotel room window on almost EVERY single trip I went on during my traveling days. Here are a select few.

Trinidad - view from the Hyatt.
Stockholm - view from the Grand Hotel
Puerto Rico - view from Rio Mar
St. Lucia - view from Royal St. Lucian
New Orleans - view from Windsor Court
Carmel - view from Bernardus Lodge
London - view from One Aldwych
London - view from the Athenaeum
Key West - view from Beachside
Hawaii - view from Kona Village
Copenhagen - view from Sankt Petri