I've been under the ground eating prayers from this old book I found

Earlier this month the opportunity came along for me to see my favorite band, Great Lake Swimmers, practically in my own backyard. I had waited seven years for such an opportunity (even though they tour North America frequently, I can be lazy when it comes to road-tripping for concerts). With a heart full of anticipation, I invited my sister to come along and we headed down into a neighboring county for the show.

The band played at a great venue in Hudson, NY called Club Helsinki. I couldn't imagine a better or more intimate venue in which to hear them. We ordered tea and wine and listened to 2 1/2 hours of some of the best music on earth (I am not exaggerating). I was pleased to hear songs, 21 in all, from all five of their albums. We were even treated to a few cover songs (a la Neil Young and Joni Mitchell, among others). One word completely sums up my feelings for the night: perfect.

Photos by my sister

Lavandula angustifolia

Last weekend my friend, E, and I made a return visit to the Finger Lakes Lavender Festival (last year's post can be seen here). We had such a nice time at the 2011 festival that we decided then and there to visit again. The drive from our little area of New York to the town the festival is in takes about 3.5 hours, but it's barely noticeable with all the pretty farmland and countryside to look at. Interstate-90 even runs along the Erie Canal for a while and we amused ourselves trying to recall the Erie Canal song we learned way back in grade school (we laughed more than we sang!).

Hat: Target, Sunglasses: TJ Maxx, Cardigan: H&M, Dress: J.Crew outlet 

Unfortunately, we've been experiencing really high temperatures (think 90F and above) lately with little-to-no rain, so the otherwise lovely lawns and pastures at the farm were dull and brown this year. And in my adamant refusal to use sunblock anywhere other than on my legs, I walked around nearly all day in long sleeves. I did bring a short sleeved tie-front blousey-thing to wear, in intervals, when the heat got unbearable and am pleased to say I made it through the day without getting sunburned (or a farmer's tan).

 

I picked another bundle of Royal Velvet culinary lavender to bring home along with a few other small purchases: soaps, a tote bag, honey, and lavender fudge sauce. One of the food vendors this year was selling lavender ice cream, so naturally I had to get some of that as well. It was delicious! Now, from food to funny: while I was sitting in the grass picking my lavender two different people approached me to take my photo. I found it rather amusing as one tried twice to get my attention before I realized what was happening while the other didn't. I just happened to look up and there her lens was staring me down. I have yet to come across any of these other photos on the internet - haha!

Somewhere over the rainbow bluebirds fly

 

Bluebird of happiness

It wasn't my intention to stop blogging so abruptly, but as eluded to in my last post the life I knew up until this past spring changed in an instant. I couldn't think much further beyond meeting my basic needs, hence hitting the pause button on this little space of mine. In the days and weeks that followed I was deeply touched by the messages I received via e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and even regular mail expressing concern when the reason behind my hasty departure wasn't even known. Your kindness helped to lift my heart and for that I genuinely thank you and yet wonder if those two simple words are really enough to express the gratitude I feel.

I have taken the last few weeks to get to know myself again. I am slowly finding joy and comfort in my own interests and hobbies. It feels strange to even think that the life I led before a certain day in April no longer exists. It has become part of my past and now I have to use all that it holds to guide my future.

All of this has been to preface the following, and it isn't easy for me to say by any means: for the last 2 months+ I have been grieving the loss of someone I love dearly and deeply. I am grieving the loss of someone I never thought I'd have to grieve over so early in our lives. I am learning that my grief will be a lifelong process, that even though I will always feel an emptiness, my life will begin to work around it and regain a sense of peace.

Despite my sadness, the summer holds many promises of fun that I can happily say I am looking forward to: day trips and long weekends with friends, baseball games and free plays in the park, the new Batman movie, lots and lots of ice cream, family time, kayaking, flea markets, parties, concerts, etc.

Thank you for sticking around to read this. I hope to resume blogging here at Resplendent Tranquility soon.

Until then,
Emily

I have been struggling over whether to write this post or not; struggling with what I would and wouldn't say. All I can muster is this: at the end of April my life changed drastically. It changed forever. My family and I are slowly coming to grips with reality. We are trying to seek a new normal. For me, updating my blog will not be a part of that process. At least not right away. I do think that I will still read blogs and comment from time to time, so I won't be gone completely. To readers old and new, thank you for being a part of this with me. Take care.

A quiet morning reading Frost

Sweater: H&M, Vintage dress: thrifted, Shoes: H&M

I have been on a Robert Frost kick recently and got caught up in this poem, Spring Pools, this morning. I kept poring over the words and images embedded in these few lines and really found myself feeling them. I may be wearing a springy dress and not wearing tights, but don't let that fool you - the air was chilly despite the sun. Birds and little bugs were out, but really, let's not rush the change of seasons too much. While I love full-blown spring as much as the next person, let's hold on a bit longer to that winter thaw. It's an awfully nice little span of time (though we didn't get much of one this year, I can pretend and enjoy this poem all the same).

Poker Face

I could not, in fact, keep a poker face while taking these photos. This bit of pasture is outback near our chicken coop where my dad keeps a radio playing to ward off prowling predators (gotta keep those hens and eggs safe). I wasn't paying much attention to the background noise until a particular anthem from a few years back came on. And it made me laugh. Who doesn't like a little Gaga on their Easter Sunday?

  

Vintage cardigan: thrifted, Vintage pin: gift/Etsy, Skirt: thrifted, Tights: Hue via Marshall's, Wedges: Target

Speaking of Easter, I hope those of you reading (who celebrate) had a happy one. This might just be my favorite Easter get-up in recent memory and that partially has to do with this buttercream cardigan. It's been designated to my collection of favorite spring cardigans and has been in some of my favorite spring outfit sets here on ye old blog (this one and this one). Isn't the color just delicious? As for actual buttercream (heavenly stuff!), I'd had it on my mind for the past few days and satiated my want of it by making some brown sugar cupcakes with buttercream frosting for dessert today. Also delicious!

I suppose since it's in some of these photos I'll talk about my little purse. I've wanted a vintage straw/basket purse for about as long as I can remember, but all the ones I ever come across are either in tatters or smell weird (or, exaggerating aside, have something not quite right about them). So, I don't know, 6 or 7 years ago I stumbled upon this small basket at Pier One, tied a vintage scarf to it and voilà! a basket bag with vintage flair was born.

And, finally, I couldn't resist sharing this photo of Little Bunny Foo Foo! 

 

Half and Half

Toward the end of last summer and beginning of autumn, I decided to try out the half-frame format on my Diana Mini. Setting the camera to half-frame allows you to stretch a single roll of 35mm film much further than it would typically go. While on this setting it will produce a maximum of 72 photos. Fun! Despite my excitement and eagerness over this trial run, it took me forever to get this particular roll of film developed. It languished in my camera bag whilst I did who knows what for months and months. Ah, so things go sometimes!

Note: When I get my photos developed I always have the film transferred to an archival disc (for easy uploading and what not) as well. However, due to their unconventional formatting, my Diana Mini photos usually get squeezed together in the spaces meant for typical 4x6 frames. Sometimes I'll crop and separate them before uploading, but didn't much feel like it this time around. In fact, I thought many of these frames looked rather complimentary side by side.

Camera: Diana Mini
Film: Kodak Gold 200

More photos from this set can be found on my Flickr.