berry picking

It's berry season!  Last week we went and picked berries at Charlotte's Blueberry Patch and then on Sunday we went hiking with Dan's parents and there were huckleberry bushes lining the entire hike!  We filled two gatorade bottles, a water bottle and started filling another water bottle!  I really want to go out and pick some apples and blackberries before the season is over, and I'm definitely going back for another batch of blueberries at Charlotte's Patch.  It's so awesome to be able to reap the benefits of nature's bounty!  I still have frozen pumpkin puree in our freezer from last fall's pumpkin harvest.  I guess I'll be extra prepared for this fall, eh?  I've actually never had huckleberries before, so I'm not sure of what to do with them (besides the obvious: make a pie).  I'd love to make a cocktail with them, but I definitely have enough to make something else.  Do you guys have any favorite huckleberry treats?

 

dress (similar)/courtesy of lulu's :: necklace + bra/free people :: shoes/thrifted headband (necklace)/gift :: photos by Dan With Dan's new job, we have to be more intentional about hanging out.  We used to be able to just chill out in the mornings and spend our time together before he went to work, so now with his more "typical" job schedule he's out the door super early and goes to bed pretty early, so our time to hang out is more limited.  It definitely makes us think about spending time together differently.  This trip to go pick blueberries was a nice little quasi-date.  Getting out of the house and spending time together while not having to spend any money is like the holy grail of dates.  I love berry picking because it's such a relaxing activity that lets you have great conversation while simultaneously being productive and getting some amazing, tasty berries!  Do you guys have any u-pick berry farms or hidden berry gems in your neck of the woods?  Blackberries grow like crazy in this part of Washington it seems, and I was so excited when I discovered the free blueberry park run by Tacoma's Metro Parks.  I know there are also lots of paid u-pick farms, and even though you have to pay for what you pick it generally seems more affordable than buying from the grocery store.  The best part is that you get to eat as many berries as you want as you're picking.  At the end of our Huckleberry hike on Sunday we all had berry-stained fingers and bellies full of nature's goodness!
 

favorite bras for small chested ladies

his past year I've completely changed my perspective on bras.  Growing up I gathered that once I was a woman I'd be endowed with overflowing breasts, and bras would be required to hoist them upwards to achieve a natural, pleasant décolletage.  Fast forward from prepubescence to late-20's and yo, look, it's never going to happen.  These small tits?  They're here to stay, and I've discovered that I rather like that.  As a teen I looked around at my peers' growing chests, and then down at my own modest chest, and hoped that one day I'd graduate to larger cup sizes, meanwhile compensating with underwire padded bras.  Unfortunately most bras were uncomfortable and due to my small shoulders, most bra straps would fall down about 100 times a day, driving me insane.  But I plodded on, strapping them on everyday, trying my best to get as close to an "ample" chest as possible (boys like boobs, right? I've heard boys like boobs), even though my boobs couldn't make cleavage if I tried smashing them together forcefully (they barely even touch with this method applied, so I'm not sure why a bra would have better results).   After high school I kind of lost interest in hoping for bigger boobs because it was clear it wasn't going to happen, but by then I had bought the lie that the only bra out there for me was an underwire padded contraption whose straps fell off multiple times per hour.  Whenever I bought a new bra, it was typically of that ilk.

In the last year I've stopped wearing most of the bras I have bought over the years.  Sometimes I don't wear a bra at all, and I've discovered that it's awesome.  Like, one of the most awesome things ever.  "Aren't you worried about your boobs getting saggy?"  NOPE.  In order for gravity to pull them southward there kind of has to be something there to pull.  Sorry, gravity, but you don't have much to grab onto.  Also, if they do end up sagging a bit after years of living life and possibly nourishing children, so what?  Once I realized that wearing a bra was really not doing much for me other than frustrating me and making me uncomfortable, I started looking around for bras that made sense for me and my body.  For someone who doesn't have much to hold up, but also wants the comfort of having them contained (or at least keep from nipping out too much) and the peace of mind that I'm not going to flash someone if I have a loose top on.  I wear quite a few sports bras, but sometimes they're a little to aggressive in the containment department and aren't comfortable for a full day's worth of wear.  Plus, I do like how a cute bra can make me feel sexier, so plain old sports bras aren't always going to do the trick for that.
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Something that's great about wearing a more relaxed style of bra is that your bra size doesn't matter as much.  My cup size grew a bit when I was on birth control, so I had to go get new bras, and then after a year they went back to their original size.  With these bras I could go up a cup size (or probably two, though that's not gonna happen) and they'd still fit nicely.

Wearing bras like this make me feel like I'm loving my body in a whole new way, rather than trying to force it to be something it's not.  I never have to pull a strap back up onto my shoulder ever again.  I feel so much more comfortable wearing these bras than the underwire, padded contraptions I'd worn for 15 years.  I literally forget that I have a bra on all day and sometimes have to peek in to check if I actually put on one that morning.

Since the straps on most of these bras are so interesting and cool, they're awesome to wear with backless dresses where I'd otherwise be forced to wear a stick-on bra (or have a normal, ugly bra strap cutting across the back).  It's nice to be able to throw on a bra with visually appealing straps instead of trying to make a backless bra work.  So much more comfortable.

My mom bought me my first Coobie bra to try about a year ago after chatting about my shifting perspective in bras.  We have very similar body types and some years ago, after an injury from a car accident caused underwire bras to be too uncomfortable to wear, she began wearing this kind of bra.  After buying it for me she joked that she should apologize to Dan for giving me such an "un-sexy" bra, but the best part was that the first time he saw me wear it he asked if it was new and said it was really cute.  I like feeling sexy in my own way, and while I'm sure lacey bits are nice for some, I prefer a more casual, comfortable brand of sexy.  I'll take boyshorts and sports bras over thongs and pushup bras every day.



(undies in the top photo: c/o modcloth, bra in top photo: #2,  bra in third photo: #5, bra in bottom photo: #4)

mocha's rehab update

t's been three months to the day since Kristina got Mocha back and started working to get him back to a healthy place.  When I went back to my first post to grab images showing how he looked when she first got him it almost hit me harder, knowing how much healthier he is now.  A few weeks ago I went to the barn with her to take some photos of his progress and it's just incredible what love and proper care can do to bring an animal back from the state he was in.  The sad part is, that while she did immediately take measures to reverse the path of neglect he was on, simply caring for him the way a horse owner should was all that was needed.  It's even more clear in retrospect how, despite the prior owners' assertions of how well they cared for him and fed him, that they were abusively neglectful.  To think that a 250 lb man was riding a horse in his bare bones condition... I just can't.  
At this point Mocha is gaining weight nicely.  His food ration was doubled, and then they doubled that amount, so he's gained a couple hundred pounds and is approaching his healthy goal weight.  The farrier has properly shod him and trimmed his feet to help them grow in to healthy hooves.  The dewormers worked and his system is completely free of worms, so he's actually getting nutrition out of all his food now.


 
I asked Kristina if she wanted to share anything with you guys and she did!  
You guys, if I was given the chance to talk about Mocha, this ongoing experience, my dreams for this horse, and the deep well of gratitude in my heart for every word of encouragement and dollar donated to us, I could talk for days. But first: thank you. Thank you for every form of support. Looking into the past, exactly three months ago today, the radical steps I took to rescue my horse didn’t even seem extreme to me, they was simply no other option in my mind. I am confident I would have found a way to make getting Mocha back possible no matter the odds, but all of your support not only made the process possible, but relieved enough stress for me to find space to fill with relaxing into joy. 

The first month Mocha gained weight excruciatingly slowly, though after one month the vet said his improvements rendered him unrecognizable in the best way, he actually asked me which horse this was when I led Mocha out. I has so many people asking me how Mocha was, often followed with “When will you get to ride again?” I know everyone had the best intentions with that question, but my answer was always “When Mocha lets me know he’s ready.” I spent the first two months with Mocha just sitting in the pasture with him as he ate, or grooming him, learning quickly he was not ready to be asked for more than taking steps to health. This gave me a lot of time to observe him, and to notice that the relationship we were building was much deeper than it ever had been in the past. We spent a lot of time doing nothing together, much like horses in a herd together do, just holding space together. There is a relationship with a horse one can have that is completely inexplicable until you’ve been forced to spend months looking at each other eye to eye, seeing the world together from the same level, learning how and when to ask and when to just let your own will be.

Rebuilding trust and a relationship with neglected and abused horse has asked for more patience, quiet observation, sensitivity, and intuition than any other experience in my life, and continues to ask me to go deeper as I ask more of Mocha. After a couple rounds of bodywork and an appointment with a chiropractor, professional insight was given on how to help Mocha feel comfortable in his body again, after all, losing that much weight causes the entire skeleton to drop, and he has to learn how to carry his body again with weight on it. He needs to be comfortable enough to be able to pay attention to his body  before he can pay attention to me, and we can begin to learn to dance together again (which is the foundation of riding: the exchange of energy and will). This works in much in the same way that if you are in a lot of pain, no amount of massage will be beneficial because you will not be able to relax enough for the process to be effective. Learning how to ask Mocha to pay attention, and sync up with me without any use of force, just my own energy and gentle touch, forces me to slow down in a way I never have been asked to before. 

The vet told me Mocha is a fighter, which is why he has survived so long, and now it is my job to help him learn to let the stormy seas of his soul calm. Any time someone attempts to tell Mocha what to do he responds with demonstrating how strong his own will is. This behavior may be seen by many as a negative trait, but I know what he’s been through, and I’m proud of him for being so strong. So Mocha and I are learning to play together again. He is praised for the smallest amounts of attention and collaboration with my requests, and is quickly gaining confidence and an eager spirit to engage with a human again. I look back at the photos of him from three months ago, and am humbled at how fragile he was. Today, as I write this, I am sitting in his pasture, watching him run around, eat, and roll, and I am just as deeply humbled at the majesty of this creature. I am humbled and grateful that I have to opportunity to be the person who gets to excavate her own soul to find that quiet place that can connect with a horse, and build a relationship on that ground. Thank you, each and every one of you. 

With his previous owners Mocha had been kept in a very small stall with no opportunity to hang out with other horses, so she's working on getting him more socially healthy.  Horses are herd animals and used to highly social lives.  He definitely feels a bit lonely, even though there are horses in neighboring paddocks, so right now she's searching for a local herd where he could go to run around and be social with other horses.  If any of you are local South Sound area people who know of a herd who could take on another horse, let me know and I'll pass it along to her!
Following my initial post about Kristina's journey to getting Mocha back and beginning his rehab, you guys donated over $3,000 to help with Mocha's vet, farrier, boarding, food bills and more.  I can't tell you guys how much your generosity has helped.  In the midst of working to rehab Mocha, regular life happens and along with that stuff like cars breaking down multiple times, bills, and groceries, which cost money.  Without your help it would've been really hard to make ends meet while getting Mocha the care he needs.  With the donations, Kristina was able to give Mocha all the attention he needed, from vets to farriers, to food and supplies.  A huge thank you goes out to all of you who donated money to help get Mocha back to his happy, healthy self.  There's still work to be done, but with the donations Kristina is fully able to give Mocha what he needs to make a full recovery.  
Kristina shared this video on her Facebook the other day and I thought it was a really great short film sharing what it's like to interact with horses on their level and how deep and meaningful the horse-human relationship can be.  For those of you who haven't had the opportunity to have a relationship with a horse, it gives a little insight into the profound impact horses and humans can have on one another's lives.

block party

Opera Alley is one of my favorite little spots in Tacoma.  It seems like there are tons of creative businesses and studios either on opera alley, or nearby, and there are also some amazing little eateries.  Every year Opera Alley becomes the home of the Downtown Block party, which is today!  I've got a family photo shoot to do this evening, but the block party goes until 10pm, so I think I might be able to catch the end of it.  It always features lots of local artists and there's a beer garden and live music, lots of fun.  It seems like every year there's a new mural painted on the alley for the block party, so it makes it a really colorful little block and a great place to take photos.
I've been doing a ton of photography lately and it feels good to be shooting a lot.  With three weddings, a couple engagement shoots and some family and portrait sessions in the next two months, I'm definitely going to be a busy bee!  I just finished editing my photos from the Brew Five Three festival last Saturday, which was a really cool event with so many breweries and great live music.  It's fun to capture people and events and see them through a different perspective.  I'm still booking for fall/winter weddings, and I'm always taking couples/family/senior clients, email me if you need a photographer!

 

top/thrifted (free people) :: jeans/courtesy of modcloth :: moccasins/minnetonka necklaces/courtesy of adorn by sarah lewis One of my favorite things when thrifting is finding my favorite designers super discounted.  I once found a Dear Creatures dress at the thrift store for only 20 bucks and even though it wasn't in my size I had to snatch it up.  I posted it on twitter, hoping someone would be the right size for it, and found someone to mail it to!  When I bought this top I didn't even look at the brand, but when I got home I looked at it and thought to myself that it looked an awful lot like a Free People-esque top.  Lo and behold, it is a Free People top.  Booyah!  The same thing happened to me once when I found a pair of awesome leggings that ended up being Lululemon leggings.  Such a score!  What's been your best thrifting score ever?

peach strawberry basil pie

very summer around this time our local grocery story promotes peaches like crazy.  I went in there the other day to grab some ingredients to make an impromptu fancy dinner for Dan and they had fresh peach slices for people to try, so I tried one and subsequently decided peaches needed to be involved in dinner for sure.  I was already planning on making some bruschetta, so I had some basil in my basket, and I figured a pie would be so much more interesting with a bit of basil added in.  I'm not a pie aficionado, but this is definitely one of my new favorite pies.  I don't know if it will ever take rhubarb pie's top spot on my favorite list, but I think it might be coming in at the #2 spot, possibly pushing out pumpkin pie.  I'm sure come October/November Pumpkin will be reclaiming it's rightful throne.

Something I've been meaning to do before the summer ends is go blueberry picking.  I'd also love to go blackberry picking as well.  It's nice to stock up on a ton of berries and freeze them to last all through the winter when fresh berries aren't in season locally.  I planted some raspberry bushes in our yard this summer but they're still just little baby raspberries and probably wont have any berries until next year.  Our hop plants on the other hand, whoa.  Those are going nuts.  Maybe we'll get to brew some homebrew beer with our own homegrown hops this fall!  That would be pretty magical.  Anyway, berry picking.  We went to the blueberry patch a couple years ago and it was so much fun.  We picked so many blueberries and I vowed to return.  Of course I forgot the next year, but this year I'm not forgetting.  Hopefully this weekend I can get out there, and then maybe again a little later.  Then I will make all of the blueberry things.  Prepare yourself accordingly.  But first, Peaches.

PEACH STRAWBERRY BASIL PIE
Ingredients

3 c  hulled and halved strawberries
3 ripe, firm peaches, peeled, pitted and chopped
¼ cup brown sugar
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
Pinch of salt
A handful of basil, roughly chopped
1 pie crust
1 egg white, beaten
1 Tbsp. brown sugar


1. Place the oven rack on the lowest level and preheat oven to 400ºF.  Toss strawberries and peaches together in a large bowl.

2. Combine ¼ cup brown sugar, cornstarch, salt and basil in a small bowl and then pour it over the fruit, mixing well to coat the fruit. You can add more sugar to taste.

3. Pour the fruit mix into a 9-inch pie pan lined with pie crust. Place a slitted top crust round or lattice top over the filling, and crimp the edges together. Brush the crust with the egg white and sprinkle with 1 Tbsp. brown sugar and then freeze for 15 minutes.

4. Place the pie on a baking sheet to catch any drippings. Bake for 20 minutes and then lower the temperature to 375 degrees and bake another 40 minutes. If the crust is browning too quickly, tent the pie with foil and continue baking.

5. Let the pie cool before serving (The filling may not completely set if it’s still warm.). Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.