Impromptu Polo

Impromptu Polo

uyguguygu   07.58   Comment  

I don't know how I got myself entangled in this adventure. One minute I was sitting on the lawn chairs outside of the barn I ride at after a lesson and the next minute I was winding my way towards the polo field. I think it had to do with "No riding experience needed." and "It's OK! Everyone can do it!" and the last comforting one..."See that guy? He's never been on a horse before! You can at least trot so you'll be fine!"

So there I was, learning how to hold (both of) the reins Argentinian style, how to hit the ball without hitting the horse, what to look for in a polo pony, and learning why my post lesson riding breaches and paper thin t shirt are not appropriate gear. (I know it looks like I wear the exact same thing riding because I'm in the exact same outfit as the last horse post! I promise I wear other things and that was a total accident!)

I wasn't very good at it, but I wasn't terribly bad at it either, and I managed not to hit any bystanders, the horse, or myself with the mallet! 

What's the latest accidental adventure you've been on?

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All of these photos were generously taken by Thomas Dole. 

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Thanks so much to all three of the Colorado Polo Clubs (Anyone have a link to the club in Northern Colorado? I could not find it via google!) that showed up to make this day awesome, show us the ropes, trailer the horses down, and tack up our Polo Ponies. 

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I am wearing a shirt by Caslon, my breaches are by TuffRider, and my half chaps are from Dublin. I am always and forever wearing Ariat boots to ride in. My helmet is by Ovation, the sunglasses are from Oakley, and the gloves are Kerrits.

...and in all things, simplicity.

...and in all things, simplicity.

uyguguygu   06.18   Comment  

It was going to be warm so I dressed in a simple black dress, my Birkenstocks, and these fantastic bracelets that my friend S. brought me back from Spain. (Thank you!) The morning started out just as quiet and easy as my outfit - making the bed, tidying the house, tea and journaling by the window, and putting a load of laundry in.

I am grateful for days like this. Breathing room creates time to think. Time to think creates answers. Answers create resolve. Resolve creates action. It is not healthy for me to be busy all the time, for every minute of my schedule to be booked up. Slowness is a luxury I forget I can afford but I am always glad when I can take it. 

What are you doing to simplify? 

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The shoes are Birkenstock's Gizeh - these are super comfortable shoes for running around. I thrifted the dress some time ago and have no idea where it's from. The bracelets and my every day pearl earrings were both gifts from friends and family. 

Not Quite a Bed and Breakfast...

Not Quite a Bed and Breakfast...

uyguguygu   20.09   Comment  

Our house is run, at certain seasons, like a home hotel. Whoever is staying at our house comes after work or on a weekend day and I feed them dinner and we sit around my tiny table using every spare chair in the house. We talk over life and love and all manner of other things. Then we all head to sleep, my guests sprawled out around the house on air mattresses and the couch. I feel happiest when my house is full, the company is laid back, and I can enjoy the adventures and stories, and experiences of life they are having.

I have really been finding my cooking groove lately. My sister, who's entire life revolves around food, would be proud. My grocery budget, however, isn't. Regardless of that I have really enjoyed the process of making dinners these days - and it is a process - a walk to the grocery store (five blocks there and back), prep, serving, and best of all eating and conversation and building relationships. It's a bonus when the food is delicious, in season, and exactly what I want to eat that day.

My friend S, on a whim, took me to Costco with her today. I had never been but I was excited to see the inside of the legendary store that both treats its workers right and has all sorts of food in bulk. While I was there I found gluten free cheese ravioli, something I have not had in many, many years. So many, in fact, I can't remember ever having cheese ravioli. With that in my (giant!) shopping cart I knew exactly what I was going to be serving for dinner: Gluten free Cheese Ravioli in a Garlic and Olive Oil sauce inspired by Seven Spoons - my variation gets rid of the crab and lemon zest. I picked up a loaf of rosemary bread to fill the carb needs of my husband, and lightly tossed mixed greens in the Jalapeno Vinaigrette I made from Sprouted Kitchen. It's a little more elaborate than our usual weeknight meals but you can't say no to inspiration when it strikes.

As someone who previously detested cooking I can say I am reformed.

What have you been eating for dinner these days? How do you manage your grocery shopping and cooking?

Late Summer Weather

Late Summer Weather

uyguguygu   21.09   Comment  

Even though it's been raining more than usual here in Colorado the fields are all dried out and the hay has been bailed up or is just sitting there waiting to be bailed. Summer has come to a close for me - I'm back at work now doing training for the new school year, which means I get to dig out all my teaching clothes. 

I'm excited for this new upcoming year - new school, new dress code, new friends to make at my new school, and new students to work with. I'm going to miss many things about my old school but I am looking forward to this new chapter in my career. 

What are you excited for?

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I'm working that prep look today. The lavender polo shirt is by Lacoste, pants by Banana Republic, the shoes you can't see that I'm wearing are Sperry Top-Siders. I have a Calvin Klein belt on, Pilgrim sunglasses, and a monogrammed L.L. Bean Boat and Tote. 

Summer Sweetness - Part Two

Summer Sweetness - Part Two

uyguguygu   12.47   Comment  

Summer is drawing to a close - I finished my internship yesterday and on Monday I start training for the new district. Oh my goodness! This summer has absolutely flown by and has been so jam packed and busy. We hit the ground running by flying to Alaska the day after I finished up with my school year, I started my internship the day after I got back, and I start school three and half days after my internship. 

Despite this, there has been so much time to play! When I think of all the amazing things that I have done this summer the thing that comes to mind is gratitude - simple gratitude for all that has been given to me, for all the happiness I have. 

What are you grateful for this summer? 

 

It goes without saying that all of these pictures were done by Jessica Triggs. 

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The Hair and Makeup was done by me. 

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The shirt is vintage, repaired quickly before the shoot after sitting under my bed for almost three years. The scarf and shoes are vintage, too. The shorts are by the talented Anna Allen.

The Kitchen Garden

The Kitchen Garden

uyguguygu   20.36   Comment  

Since I've been cooking seasonally more often I've been going through fresh herbs like crazy. My friend pointed out that a little potted herb plant was no more than than a dollar or two higher in price than one of those little packets of fresh herbs at the grocery store. 

She made a pretty good case for a small kitchen garden on my window sill and I decided to give it an attempt even though I'm a pretty middle of the road gardener. I had to spend a little time planning it, though - I knew that my cat adores chewing on my houseplants and I'm completely out of shelf space that's out of reach of the cat to put the indoor herb garden because my other (non edible) plants are up there. 

Luckily I looked around on pinterest and found these really simple, inexpensive mini greenhouses which happened to be sold at Ikea - totally doable, if not the greatest quality. If the plants were contained in something they'd be out of the reach of my cat who luckily has no opposable thumbs and can't open a miniature greenhouse. 

JR and I drove down to Ikea, picked one of those tiny greenhouses up ($20), grabbed a couple of pots ($4), stopped at Home Depot for organic potting soil ($5), and finally ran to Whole Foods for some potted herbs, which to my delight were on sale for two dollars a piece! I had to pick through some pretty sad looking plants to find some that looked like it would last the week, and I'm still not sure about the Basil, but I found four that looked okay: Parsley, Oregano, Basil, and Mint ($8).

JR and I drilled two or three holes in the zinc wanna-be pots I picked up from Ikea for drainage, loosened up the roots of the plants, and stuck them in the pots with some new soil. Then I put them in the tiny greenhouse. I've already used some of the oregano for my home made pizza last night and I have mint and orange slices in my water right now.  This project came out under $40.00 so I just have to use it...ten times...to make it pay for itself. I hope I can keep the plants alive that long! Wish me luck!

Summer Sweetness - Part I

Summer Sweetness - Part I

uyguguygu   11.23   Comment  

Things take practice - that's what I've learned this summer. I recently started horseback riding because I really just wanted to be a beginner at something, to remember what it was like to have absolutely zero knowledge of something and yet be expected to do things while muddling your way through them to the goal. 

I like tackling new things in community with others, too. I like the process of meeting people and figuring out where they are coming from, what you can teach them and what they have to teach you. Horseback riding is like that - not only do you meet a horse, get to know it, earn it's trust, learn it's commands, and figure out how to partner with it, you learn how to listen to your trainer as she's asking you to do things you've never thought you could do, working through your mistakes, and more importantly, your fears. 

Thanks to Jessica blogging has been collaborative this summer, too. It's become a bigger process, and welcoming someone into a happy project I've been working on for a very long time has been a joyful experience. Jessica takes gorgeous pictures and I am so proud of her work and of her dedication to the art of photography, but beyond that she's an excellent teacher, a fantastic brainstormer, and is always willing to answer questions about how to up the ante on my pictures, especially since I feel like I've plateaued in the last year or so with the quality of my own pictures. 

Working with someone else inspires me to get out there and work on what I love, to dig out things I haven't worn in a long time, and to try something again, to look at it in a new light. I think everything I'm wearing has been blogged before but never like this.

Honestly, I used to be terrified of collaboration. I was always the girl in school that would take on the entirety of the group project, terrified I would get something less than an A. Over the years, tI've learned to let collaboration be about learning and making mistakes. I've come to grips with letting others teach me. I've slowly opened up by trying to be less shy or more welcoming. In real life I feel that I come off a little standoffish...mostly because I'm somewhat nervous about things because I'm so afraid what I'm doing will fail if I don't make it go just so or people get too close. I've worked hard on that but I still have a long way to go! 

This summer I have learned and am learning so much - new writing styles, horsemanship, how too cook, photography basics. Out of curiosity, have you learned or are learning? Who is teaching it to you? 

It goes without saying that all of these pictures were done by Jessica Triggs. 

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The Hair and Makeup was done by me. I used MAC pigments on my eyes and MAC's Russian Red on my lips. (This is, in my opinion, the best shade of red for redheads!) 

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The shirt is vintage, repaired quickly before the shoot after sitting under my bed for almost three years. The scarf and shoes are vintage, too. The shorts are by the talented Anna Allen. 

Farm Scenes and a Word of Advice

Farm Scenes and a Word of Advice

uyguguygu   20.59   Comment  

There is something to learn from everyone, that I know is true. 

I used to work with this man when I was restoring antique textiles who I learned so much from simply from saying good morning to and asking how his morning was every day.

"Every day above ground is a good day!" he would exclaim honestly as we filed in to start our days of quiet, solitary work. 

It's easy to learn gratitude from someone with that sort of relentlessly positive attitude. Thank you, friend, for teaching me the glory of morning and the worth of work. With that approach to life how could I possibly ever lose?

(More pictures from the farm, as shot by Jessica Triggs!)

Fourth of July in Small Town, Western America

Fourth of July in Small Town, Western America

uyguguygu   18.13   Comment  

We went away for the long holiday weekend, down to a cabin in the mountains above a tiny little town  that seemed to be populated by people from Texas and Oklahoma and their giant RVs. For the first time in a very long time I had absolutely no cell phone reception, no internet, no computer. 

Bliss!

I sat on the back porch of the cabin and watched the rainstorms roll in. I slept and rested. I read several books. I even started writing a story. We went out for dinners at little western cafes, took a jeep up a mountain to an alpine lake along a narrow old mining road from the 1900s, stopping to look at old cabins and wreckage from the claims there. 

Left without the distraction of the internet, of phone calls, even of music and noise, I was able to center, regroup, spend time with family, and celebrate the United States of America.