Monday, June 1, 2015

Riverwalk


It seems, this hat wants to go with pretty much every one of my outfits. 
And it seems, I let her!


It's no secret that I love long walks. I don't go for a walk as often as I'd like to, but when I do, I really enjoy it. This week started with rain and cooler temperatures, in low 60s, but last week was sunny and warm, up to mid 70s, a bit humid, and felt rather like early Summer. Good time to go for a walk along a river. 


When my parents stayed here, I took my father for this lovely river walk, and we both loved it a lot. The trail goes, obviously, along the shore of the Puyallup River, and in Winter, you can see the water pretty much all the way. In Spring, when leaves dress up the trees and bushes on the river banks, you can get a glimpse of the river from the trail which gets shady (a plus for a hot day), or get a nice picture from a few view spots.


Justin spotted this adorable carved little bear climbing the tree up high - I wonder why he even looked that high?


This was Justin's first time on this trail, and he, in his own turn, wondered whether there would be more carvings on the way, and I promised him that yes, there would be more...

What animals can you spot?



A part of the Riverwalk trail goes through the town streets, a lovely old neighborhood, with some homes that certainly knew better times, but some are nicely restored and well taken care of. I just adore old towns where trees grow many times taller than houses - there is such inimitable old world charm in them.


After a walk through the town, you are back to the river again - this stretch of the trail is further from the busy road and quieter, though you still hear train signals in the distance and cars crossing over the bridges... 



Justin took a photo of me on May 31, standing at the same spot where I took a photo of my Dad on January 21 earlier this year.


Both Justin and I grew up in places surrounded by woods, rivers and meadows - far, far away from the sea, so the views, the smells and sounds along the riverbank are so much more familiar to us than the views, sounds and smells of the sea which we got to know and love much later in our life. This photo below could be taken anywhere really - near my hometown in Siberia, or near his home in Southern Ohio.


I'm pretty sure the two photos below were taken at the same spot, with 4 months difference - though it's quite amazing, because of course I couldn't remember our photos from the Riverwalk with my Dad back in January, and Justin only stopped me to take this photo because the beauty of the bend in the trail grabbed him...





Maxi skirt - Ashley Stewart (Winter sale last year)
Top (old) and hat - Lane Bryant
Denim jacket and earrings - Chico's
Purse - hand-made, bought at a boutique in Michigan years ago
Crocks for Summer sandals - my favorite shoes ever

Linking up with Judith's Hat Attack

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26 comments:

  1. I can see why you enjoy this walk so much , it is as interesting as it is scenic. I loved looking at the scenes a few months apart. Your outfit just perfect for a walk on a warm Summer day. I see you are enjoying those hats , I can feel a collection in the making. Enjoy your sunshine, Natalia xx

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    1. I need to explore other shapes of hats, but this fedora sure has been used a lot!

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  2. I wish I could walk with you by the river side in purple and yellow, my dear friend
    XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

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  3. I just love your colour combination here: the mustard yellow and purple look fantastic together! Have a great week!

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  4. Thanks for this lovely river walk. Mustard and purple.. and the hat, it looks amazing. Love it.
    Have a nice day, xoxo Tina

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  5. WOW! Beautiful photos. You look great. I love the wood carvings and the views. I would enjoy peace and quiet of these magical places at the river. I wish to live outside the city without traffic and people yelling. Dreamy!
    xxxxx

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    1. This is what I love about the place we live now - it's close to everything, yet feels like it's own little world, surrounded by magnificent nature. Though no traffic was only when we lived on the beach...

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  6. Oh sorry :) so many animals in this tree. Fishes, Cat, Spider, Panda, Greifvogel in german...... wow, very nice.

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    1. Good spotting, Tina! Only no panda - those are all local animals, and many of them actually can be seen (and we've seen some of them) on the trail. :) We did see a great blue heron, a hummingbird was just above my head, and a big fluffy raccoon.

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  7. I can see why you enjoy the walk so much and it's lovely to see how nature works her magic throughout the year.
    Loving the rich jewel colours of your outfit. xxx

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    1. I love it what you said about the nature's magic, it's so beautiful and so true.

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  8. These colors are so beautiful on you and that hat sure makes her way through your wardrobe well. I love it when that happens.
    What a wonderful backdrop of nature for this post. I've never been to this river walk and maybe you can take me there sometime?

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  9. most beautiful walker!!!
    thank you for the gorgeous nature photos - amazing how it has changed over the seasons!!! that ist why i love to live in such climate - every month is completely new!
    hugses! xxxxxxxx

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  10. What a wonderful walk! I'm sure you impressed everyone you met along the way with your style. Even the bear wearing the furry trousers : )

    bisous
    Suzanne

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  11. What a beautiful walk, thanks for taking us along with you. The carvings are wonderful, the river is so picturesque, and the sight of sunlight filtering through leaves is one of life's great joys!
    Fabulous colours in your outfit, and yes, that hat goes with everything! xxx

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  12. This looks like a great place for long walks. I adore your hat and your color pairings.

    Alice
    www.happinessatmidlife.com

    Hope to see you Thursday for TBT Fashion link up.

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  13. I can see why you wear this beautiful hat frequently. I love the unique colors, the shape and how you wear it with this gorgeous ensemble. The photos and your writing are lovely. Thank you so much for sharing with Hat Attack!

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  14. Great colours again Natalia! I love the embellishment on the top, so cute! Pairing with a denim jacket is so nice, and the tiered skirt of course :-) Funny how those trees could be in Siberia as well as in Canada, when they really look exactly like ours in Denmark!!! Although I'm a beach-girl I can still appreciate this beautiful river-bank. Lovely photos!

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  15. I can imagine how much pleasure such walks can bring! Beautiful surroundings, smells and noises of the forest and of the river. Mustard and purple look great together, love the brightness and contrast. And the hat is very pretty, suits you.

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  16. purple and yellow- a match made in heaven! I love these two colours and I love to see them worn together.

    This purple maxi skirt is so lovely and I imagine very comfy option for a walk. I do enjoy a good walk and I'm working on freeing my schedule to be able to take them more often...I think that a stroll in the nature is a wonderful thing for our soul...it inspires and heels us!

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  17. really delightful path!, I'm also a huge fan of long walks, and I think I should enjoy this one particularly!, big trees, interesting old houses, different seasons giving you different landscapes to enjoy!
    And love your purple skirt and mustard top, such a fabulous color combo, and you look so adorable wearing it!!!
    gorgeous!
    besos

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  18. What a lovely walk ! Love your colour combinations and adore your hat ! Best wishes .

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  19. What a lovely walk ! Love your colour combinations and adore your hat ! Best wishes .

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