j is for julio

(reuters)

despite cooler Michigan summers, in July I always reminisce about my summers in Spain....especially the year I went to Pamplona.....closing day today. Sleeping in the park, night-long party, kalimoxto streaming in the streets, impromptu marching band parades and Basque pride....Viva San Fermin...una locura.

your strap is showing

I think my SLR could be improved a bit by a funky strap, yes?
Too many choices on Etsy.

shabby straps and phat straps

I is for Ice Cream

Peeps, this is my main food group in the summer. It's like, getting bad. I rarely eat ice cream during the year - I buy it, eat it once, and forget about the carton somewhere in the deep recesses of my freezer. But in the summer I feel like my day is not complete without some.

Living in a tourist town where there are ample ice cream options and plenty of friends always looking to get ice cream = not helpful. But delicious.

(flickr ice cream group)

from the vault

childhood sounds like creaky wooden stairs at grandma's and lots of laughs.

happy weekend!

Independence.

barbeques

too many desserts

windy hikes

small-town americana parade

beach walks

sunsets looking like sunrise

sunlight looking like moonlight

illegal fireworks along the shore

too many mosquitos

houseguests for 10 days

bodies sleeping on every available surface

Fourth 2010.

clickr for flickr

so all I do these days is post videos

One of my favorite All-American movies. With the best, most misty-eye inducing, 4th of July fireworks scene. Happy Fourth, all. Lots of fun summery pics forthcoming in days to come....

dark days are through

jam on.

H is for History

There are few things I like better than historic family photos. My love for them goes far beyond the current craze of "vintage" cameras and photos and hipstamatic software. While I certainly embrace how fun that can be (and I have toy cameras and get film processed these days for an older look), I love, above all, the happiness, nostalgia, and pride I feel when looking through these. While ordinary to most people, they are extraordinary to me because I know the stories and meanings behind them, and how they helped me become who I am today.

My grandma, one of the quirkiest, most loving women I ever had the priviledge of knowing.

Cousins & sets of sisters, including my aunt and mom (3rd and 5th in line)

my other grandma, great grandpa, and aunt....chicagoans braving the south in less open times

siblins, granparents, and dad. how ridiculously awesome are my grandma's hat and shades?

more from the vault soon.

summery sips

I think I need to take a photo class in food styling or tabletop arranging.

photo

anoche, afuera

summer sparkler fun.

it rained all day today. very dreary.

and now I'm getting ready to go to bed listening to more rain and thunder. i'd prefer sun in the summer.

today was my first day of (summer) work. I work at an upscale jewelry store and get to model pretty gems all day.

it's here

summer nights go til 10:30 or so here....I love taking the dogs out in the fading light.

fireflies

El Sur

you should go here

and read Southern Flourish magazine online. It reminds me of my recent trips to Memphis and Asheville. The South is still somewhat intimidating, enigmatic territory to me, but I'm beginning to see some of the charms....

I'm on my way.

Matt Moore, Nashville-based chef and author, thinks that gentlemen should cook more for ladies. I'll be there in 10.

have her over

BAD: digging around in creepy crawl space under the house for summer deck chairs.

GOOD: discovering a rad wicker basket (that my mom apparently tried to sell for 4 bucks at a garage sale) that's coming back to st. louis with me in august.

summa

do not judge my summer reading/music/dvd list. especially the newly published babysitters club prequel. childhood nostalgia, peeps!

My reading during the school year tends to be fairly serious (professional/church stuff), so I like to keep it a bit lighter in the summer. I've already finished two books - this stack won't last through July at this rate. The Summer Before = sweet. American Wife = fantastic.

The first 3 days up north were dreary, drizzly, and cold. So I spent most of the time (other than reading) puttering around the house and admiring my new moccasins.

Okay. Whilst at the yacht club yesterday, I heard the strains of these lovely 90s girl power icons coming from another boat. Someone going through an angsty, soul-searching time in life perhaps? But a nice change from the usual easy-listening, soft rock radio stations many boaters seem to favor.






oh, high school, how I miss you sometimes.

in which I contemplate....

front porches and candid iphone shots and the like.

and bffs and nanas.

pure michigan

I am leaving tomorrow for my favorite place in the entire world.

With a little of this for a few days....

And a lot of this for two and a half months.

I am beyond blessed.

school's out for summer

bring on the outdoor dining. june has always been one of my favorite months.

lovely images