Second spring

I've been so awkward with photos lately. I'm still adjusting to the new camera, and it's taking some getting used to. I've been writing this blog for almost three years now, and after a point, I've developed a kind of friendship with my cameras — to the point of writing odes to them when they die. And if you do any photography, you almost have to develop a relationship with your equipment when you're relying on their settings, doing a little song-and-dance of knowing where to stand, what height works best, all of that. So right now all of my photos feel somewhat experimental, if that makes sense. I'm still learning! I've been in a critical funk lately, and I think grad school has done that to me a bit, where it's difficult to get out of an analytical mode and feel sure of the work you do. This creeps into some of my hobbies too. I'm working on a "Mad Men" spec script for my screenwriting class and I hate every line I come up with for Pete Campbell. 

Anyways, about the photos. It hasn't quite become autumn here yet, and I am eagerly anticipating when the leaves turn into vibrant reds, yellows and oranges. It's part of the reason I decided to spring for a new camera this semester — I didn't want to miss north Georgia's foliage, especially since this will probably be my last autumn in the South for a while. In the meantime, I've started wearing more browns and reds,  just waiting for the season to change, too. 

credits - sweater: talbots | dress: nine and co. | moccasins: minnetonka.

Driving up 441

 Dress: Spense; Moccasins: Minnetonka; Saddle bag: Thrift find. 

Photos of me by Jeremiah. 

Jeremiah and I spent some time driving through the north Georgia mountains on Sunday. I had been wanting to drive to see the beautiful autumn leaves change for quite a while, so we took a road trip up Highway 441, which extends from Rabun County into North Carolina. We made a stop in Tallulah to look at the gorge (and to get boiled peanuts and old-fashioned cream soda at the gorge overlook trading post) and then we drove up to the Dillard House, which is known for its family-style country food and its petting zoo. I spent some time up in this area of north Georgia when I worked at summer camp as a teen (read more about those adventures here), and so it was cool to see my old haunts and know that though the years have passed, very little has changed in these mountain towns. 

Here are some photos from the Dillard House zoo: 

Treasured: Minnetonka moccasins

 It's been awhile since I've done a "Treasured" post, and it took me awhile to figure out how I wanted to continue this series. When I first started doing these spotlights, I considered talking about just gift pieces or heirlooms, but that narrow focus made it difficult to pinpoint what exactly I loved in my closet. So I'm restarting the series with a new frame of view in just talking to you about what I love in my closet. So, here we go.

These Minnetonka moccasins have been mine since 2004, ever since my grandmother gave them to me during a holiday visit. I had offhandedly mentioned to her that my dream pair of shoes were a pair of well-made moccasins, and lo and behold, she just so happened to have a pair, never worn or used, just sitting in her closet.

I've worn these so often that they seem to meld to my feet perfectly, and like a nubby sweater or the smell of hot cocoa, they bring comfort and memories of home. I love the rich color and how they seem to go with everything I wear. I'm not much of a shoe person (I suppose dresses are my forte), but if there were ever a fire or natural disaster to come my way, you can bet that these would be on my feet and out the door first.