Another Day

I've fallen out of the habit of taking outfit photos - which is a shame because I've been wearing some pretty neat stuff lately - but I think part of it is due to the changing of the seasons. It's almost always windy out, and often cloudy or raining. And while I love Autumn, the smell, the crispness of the air, it doesn't really lend itself to my going out there in short sleeves for photos with my half-broken camera.

Necklace - Made by Me

T-shirt - Thrifted from Value Village

Belt - Ardene's

Skirt - Vintage from Kilo Shop in Paris

Mocassins - Sears

I suppose I can just start taking them indoors again like I did this photo back in early September. Eventually I won't have much choice either way. I'm spending a lot of time in my kitchen now, even more than usual. I'm trying to practice a lot of the recipes from school, which I think I mentioned before, but cooler weather always drives me to my kitchen.

This is some Scallop Seviche, with jalapeños and cherry tomatoes on a chiffonade of lettuce. It was actually really delicious and I'll definitely be making this dish again. I attempted to make a vegetable consommée this past weekend but due to some stupid mistakes I messed it up. I'll be trying again though, because I'm stubborn and it's something I really want to be able to do.



My parents were doing work on their bathroom late last week so my mother brought her ball python Fluffy to my place until they were done. I couldn't resist piling him in with my two boys, Galen and Rorschach. They make such a cute pile o' pythons!

I should probably start getting ready for my baking class this afternoon though. We're making the Choux Pastry Swans that I practiced last weekend. Should be a good class. Cheers!

Little Creatures

I've already found several adorable little creatures in and around my garden, and I've found another. Garter snakes are such lovely animals and they're even sweet when they're tiny. This one was hanging out on top of my compost pile and I couldn't resist photographing it.



And here below is a final photo of my Grey Tree Frog. My parents' caught it back in 2009 and I kept it as a pet until this past week. I decided that after all these years in my care, that the little fella deserved to go back out in the wild. Maybe make some more little froggies. It was really hard for me to let it go, but that's just my nature with animals.



I actually acquired three more little life forms on the day I released the frog... Three little catfish, barely the size of my thumb. While walking along the lake shore in North Bay, I saw a large school of them doing their little fishy thing, and couldn't resist taking some home. They're living on my kitchen table in a little tank for the moment. I'll likely release them before the year is through, but I'm enjoying having them for the time being. Cheers!

Snakes in a Kitchen

Tomorrow makes it a week my having lived in my new apartment and it's really starting to feel like home now. I still have some boxes to unpack, but most of it is photos and nicknacks, nothing particularly crucial to my ability to live in my home. I have a lot of organizing ahead of me, but at least I don't live in box-central anymore. My snake babies don't seem to have been at all affected by the move either, and that's relieving.

 Top - Gifted from Heather

Skirt - Thrifted from Value Village

Ball Pythons - Mother Nature

Even my toes are multicoloured! I really don't look like what most people probably think a snake enthusiast should look haha... I stopped worrying what people thought of my appearance a long time ago though, and it'd be hard to go back to blandness.

It's hard to believe I've had these boys for about four years now. They're such sweeties, as are all my snakes. My animal room is all set up for them now, and I just need to unpack my sewing machine and set up my craft station and the room will essentially be finished too. I love that I'm a lady who sews and keeps snakes, who loves shoes and collects animal furs and other odd 'morbid' bits and bobs. A personality made of bright juxtapositions. Speaking of which, I have more boxes of bones to unpack. Cheers!

Bang on?

I need your help! After hanging out around here, I've got the itch for bangs. Currently they're grown out and blend in with the rest of my hair. I had bangs as a kid up until I was about 12 (I'm the kid on the left, when I was 6, see?) but not since. And now I am contemplating them again. What do you all think? Should I take the plunge and try out bangs again?

Top - Gifted from Heather

Skirt - Thrifted from Value Village

Flats - Aredene's

I'm just terribly worried they'll give me chipmunk-face and I'll hate it. I have never dyed my hair, never layered it, or really done all that much to it at all. It's never been curled and has only seen a straightener twice. I feel like I need some sort of fresh hair change but I'm so worried I'll hate it. And I can't exactly instantly re-grow 5 years worth of hair after cutting it off.

Sorry to those of you who get the heebie-jeebies from snakes! But I do so love my silly Rorschach. He's a spider morph ball python, and a total big baby. He curls up like that when he's frightened. I'm looking forward to Sunday because a friend of mine is coming over to meet the zoo. I always love showing off my peculiar pets.

I'm baking a cake tonight, having dinner with my grandparents tomorrow, and then spending Sunday with my friend... I feel so blessed lately. So many wonderful people and things are coming into my life. It's amazing to be surrounded by so much love and warmth. I hope you all have as wonderful a weekend as I plan on having! Much love to you all, cheers!

Happy Summer Solstice!

Hello everyone! I hope you're all having a wonderful first day of summer and longest day of the year. I took the day off work and went out into Gatineau Park with my friend Becky for a hike and a swim.

Our first stop was at Pink Lake, to hike the trail around it. It was a beautiful day, warm and sunny. I never get tired of this lake, I could hike around it a thousand times.

I was so happy when we heard a garter snake slithering his way through the leaves on the side of the path. Of course I had to pick him up and say hello.

And did you notice? I am wearing shorts. Yup. Not a skirt, not a dress, but shorts. This is the first time I have willingly worn shorts out in public like this in a very long time. The last time I wore shorts, I had leggings on underneath, and I haven't been bare-legged-with-shorts in years. The closest to that has been wearing my romper, but that looks more like a skirt than anything.

I'll admit the shorts come from Walmart, but I've been searching in thrift stores for ages for shorts like these and that's difficult. So when I found these, I bought 3 pairs in different colours.

After hiking around the lake, we drove to Meech Lake and had a nice swim. There's nothing better than swimming in a cool lake on a hot summer day. Then we picnic'd on pasta salad and berry lemon iced tea before heading home.

It was a lovely day, and I could not have asked for better. Did any of you do anything special today? I hope you're all having a good week. Cheers!

I am a grumpy grump

Or so it would seem after my last post. I'm so sorry I made such a mopey post! After thinking about it later, I realized my falling and skinning my knee just kinda gave me an excuse to cry about something else that's been bothering me.

My dear friend Becky, that I just recently got extra close to, is going to be moving away. As of July she's going to be driving a band across Canada, and probably settling in Vancouver. Way at the other end of the country!

Dress - Purchased from Gotta Go Vintage on Etsy

Purse - Thrifted from Value Village

Shoes - Spring

The only good thing about all this is that she's going to be at Motion Notion too, which is the festival my boyfriend and I will be attending again. At least I get to see her one more time after she leaves! Until she does leave though, I'm trying to do as much stuff with her as possible.

On Saturday we took a stroll around Dow's Lake and walked around on the historic locks up the Rideau Canal, and then went to my place to play some drunken Super Mario. It's also her birthday on Monday and we'll be heading to Pub Italia to enjoy some mussels and beer!

I quickly posted some photos of this dress when I wrote about my drive up to my parents' over the long weekend of May. I am still very much in love with it. _{Especially with how awesome my legs look while wearing these shoes with the dress.} Ahem.

I wore this Saturday afternoon to have some cake and coffee with a local women's social group at a nearby indie cafe. I knew I'd only have to walk a block to get there so these shoes had to be worn. Too bad I won't be rocking this look for a while, at least until my leg heals up.

I spent some quality time with my Western Hognose Snake aka Heterodon nasicus, Checkers, before going to the cafe. I've had him a little over a year now, and he's such a darling little snake. You can totally tell by my expression that I love that little dude to bits. Momma's little hissy-face :)

I just threw some leggings on under the dress and switched over to some sneakers when it was time for park wanderings later in the day. I even had the presence of mind to bring a cardigan in case it got a bit nippy but I never had the need.

This next photo just amuses me because it so much looks like I was photoshopped into the image, particularly where my hands are resting on the ledge. Plus it would appear my hair is sneakily trying to curl itself behind my back.

We're having another few days of crazy hot weather. Since I get home soaked and disheveled on these days, outfit posts shall be slightly more sparse. Especially since this is the last of my back-log outfits.

It's probably silly, but I keep forgetting it's June, and that July is right around the corner. Where did half the year go? I guess I can't complain, it means that in 32 days I will be with my boyfriend again. (Expect me to bring this up a lot, I miss that man like you wouldn't believe!)

Again, thanks for all the kind words about my knee. I probably over-reacted but it would have been a lot better if someone had just been there to help me up and ask if I was alright, you know? I hope the sun is shining on all of you! Cheers!