Put a Dot on it

The other day Paul and I took a little trip to see the lighthouse in

Gabarus, a charming seaside village an hour away from where we live.

I was thinking that since lighthouses and the maritimes go together

like potatoes and butter it might do me some good to explore these

large houses of light. Not only that, my exploring might come in

handy in the form of subject matter for my newspaper column (I

write two articles a month for the Cape Breton Community Post if

you want to check it out!)We have only visited two lighthouses

since coming to the east coast, the Louisbourg one (my town) and

the Margaree Harbour one (my uncle's town).  Needless to say, we

haven't seen many. I'm glad we got to go to Gabarus before the

summer's end. There really isn't anything to do there, but the sights

are worth the trip alone.  Both the sky and ocean were so blue that

day it looked as if they were competing for our attention. I've also

never seen such clear water before in my life! Seriously, the clearest.

So clear I felt as if I were swimming inside of a water bottle. And

not a Dasani water bottle, I mean one that gets their water from a

fresh brook up north. I love the sound a cobblestone beach makes

too, it's as if I'm inside a giant rainstick the way the water moves

between the rocks. I just love how this island makes me feel as if I've

left behind the 21st century. It's right there when I want it anyways.

Outfit:

Thrifted // Shirt

Garage Sale // Skirt

Vintage // Seashell Clutch 

Thrifted // Wedges

Humble Times

I'm probably stating the obvious here, but nature can be rather humbling.

To be connected to nature - to breath in the fresh air, to walk barefoot

in the sand, to take in the spectacular sights - that is why I wanted to leave

the city. For most of the summer Paul and I have stuck to beaten paths

and manicured beaches. I've been stubborn and unable to give up all my

"smart city shoes," as the outdoor books call them, although my wedges

sit unworn in my closet for the most part. Over the weekend I put away

my smart city shoes and Paul and I ventured off the frequented trail. 

These photos are obviously not from said adventure - if I wore this outfit

to venture through the woods the trees would laugh at me. All the wood-

land creatures would come out of hiding to sneer at me. I want to start

off by expressing the fact that once you leave the beaten path there is

no path.  The trees grow where they want and there is no boardwalk for

the swampy parts (or fen if you want to be specific - see, I'm learning).

Eventually, we had to find ourselves walking sticks because A) spiders

make their nests everywhere and I had walked into too many webs for my

liking and B) we came across animal scat (proper outdoorsy name for

animal poop). Since we're novices we didn't know if it was deer, moose,

coyote, or bear scat. As soon as we arrived home I went to the computer

to find out what kind of animal it was (yes, I looked at pictures of animal

poop). It's too bad we didn't know then that all we had come across

was deer scat, perhaps we wouldn't have run through the forest with

fear running through our veins if we had known that fact. We didn't though

and so we ran as fast we could, which through dense forest is not very

fast, towards the ocean. We figured the ocean was the safest place.

"Muhahaha, silly humans." That's Mama N roaring with laughter. 

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Cape Breton, it's coast is

rocky and unforgiving.  This shore was no place for swimming - 

the wild waves would force your body to crash against the jagged

rocks. To get back to our car we had to climb over rocks bigger

than sheds. We got back all right, exhausted and defeated. 

Like I said, nature can be humbling.

Outfit:

Thrifted // Hat

DIY // Necklace

O'Neill // Dress

Cranberry Patch // Belt

Thrifted // Satchel 

Craft Collecting

It crossed my mind the other day that the sun and warm weather will not

last forever; soon will come a day when the forest floor is blanketed by

snow and the beach will have ferociously freezing winds that chill you to

the bone. When that day comes I no longer will be free to walk the land

and find items for crafting. That day has yet to come though, for now

summer continues. Squirrels can still be seen frantically scurrying from

tree to tree. A family of ducks can be seen casually bobbing along with

the ocean waves. A raccoon hurriedly climbs a tree upon hearing the

forest crunch beneath our footsteps. This land is home to foxes, moose,

and coyotes, but we have yet to venture deep enough into the bush to see

them; our scent bothers them more than other creatures. We are a sight

to see, us two humans and a dog; Kobe runs wildly ahead, Paul keeps

a steady pace in the middle, while I lag behind, stopping to smell the

flowers, stare at a particular tree, or pick up sticks and abandoned shells.

And just when I thought I couldn't get enough of wearing blue and being

by the ocean, the forest is what calls to me as of late. Perhaps it's the nearing

of autumn that causes me to want to wander the woods donning clothes

brown and red in colour or plaid in print. 

Outfit:

Thrifted // Hat

Thrifted // Shirt

Vintage // Skirt

DIY // Necklace

Thrifted // Bag

Thrifted // Flats

Red Monday

As much as I enjoy every day of summer, there's just something about

the end of the season that puts it ahead of the rest. It's this time of year

that's the best for swimming, for the water has warmed and the days are

hot. It's this time of year that nature around us is lush and blossoming.

It's this time of year that we begin to eat our fresh vegetables and fruits.

And in regards to fashion, it's this time of year that the transition from

bright colours and pastels to warm shades and neutrals happens. I'm not

for pinks and purples, instead I opt for reds, navy, and browns, which

is the time to shine for these colours! And all that is what comes to  

mind when wearing this scrumptious red maxi skirt. I've been wanting

to expand my longer skirt collection, but sometimes (if not most times)

thrifting can be a test of patience. So imagine being on the hunt for a

red maxi skirt? Darn near impossible I tell you! But finding gems

like this is what makes thrifting worthwhile; a skirt made in Canada

from natural fabrics scored for only five dollars? Sounds about right to

me! It's been a two year hunt for something daisy or sunflower print.

Again, I have so much patience, would you like to have some?

Another thing this skirt comes in handy for: protecting my lower

half from bugs, for there are so many here! I mean, so many. 

Outfit:

Thrifted/DIY // Shirt

Thrifted // Skirt

Craft Store/DIY // Ladybug Studs

Aldo // Flats

Lots of Dots

Happy Saturday! It's hard to believe that I haven't yet used my town's

lighthouse as a backdrop for my photos. This large beacon of hope is

so quintessentially summer, don't you think? This lighthouse is also quite

important being the site of Canada's very first lighthouse (now in ruins

beside the standing one). On the way to the lighthouse there's a path,

now overgrown and wild, that leads to the old lighthouse keeper's house.

When I was younger and used to spend my summers in this town my

friends and I would explore such places. I can't imagine having done that

in the city - where squatters and druggies might frequent - but in a sleepy

town that's what constituted as adventure. I attempted twice now to

"adventure" with my younger brother about the town (yeah, I'm a total

kid at heart), there are no more paths though; they have disappeared due

to lack of use. Is it not a rite of passage for your foot to go through the

floorboard of an abandoned house? My answer is yes, but I'm afraid

not everyone shares this sentiment. And since that inner child of mine is

so strong I shall channel her through fun prints, such as double polka dots!

Outfit:

Reitman's // Dress

Magnolia // Necklace

Thrifted // Belt

The Red Barn // Bracelet 

Thrifted // Flats