Sharing is Fun!

I wore this outfit a couple of weeks ago when we visited Edmonds, an adorable town north of Seattle. I LOVE this dress! It is very comfortable and easy to wear, and such a classic, lovely style. Accessorized differently, I can wear it in the 1940s, 1970s, 1980s styles... so many possibilities!

I've been buried with work these days, please don't take my lack of commenting personally. I love you all and will visit as soon as I can. May I also remind you that our wonderful tradition of a monthly short story is continuing and blossoming, and you still have a chance to link a story for the September link-up HERE. We have two stories so far, both are brilliant if I may say so myself - we are definitely growing as writers, both of my link-ups do wonders in that sense. I hope that you, readers, will find your way to this little gem of a creative writing celebration, because the other side of writing (as any art, really) is sharing it with like-minded people - there is no fun in keeping it all to ourselves.

Write and Link #5: As Leaves Turned Yellow

Rowan Leaves and Hole by Andy Goldsworthy (born 1956) (source)

Hello everybody and welcome to the 5th monthly creative writing link-up!

If you are new to my blog, here is what this is all about. 

This is a unique link-up on the web - a celebration of creative writing for everyone who loves it, writers and readers alike. 

Every month, we are given a phrase that participating writers are free to interpret and incorporate in a short story (1000 words or so). The phrase for September is "As leaves turned yellow...". After the writing is completed, at the end of the month, we share our stories with each other and readers who are interested. Anyone is welcome to join in. You can find all writers participants and their stories under the label WRITE AND LINK. I usually open the link-up on the 26th of every month and close on the 1st of the following month, when it's time to start working on the next month's story, the phrase for which I provide at the end of the same post. If you have not had a chance to write a story in September yet, then you still have time till October 1st - so do write and link your story here! I hope that we all have more energy as Autumn begins for both creating stories and supporting each other with a kind word. Here is to a new dynamic Write and Link #5!

Sincerely,

Natalia

The phrase for October writing:

"Do you believe in magic?"

Indian for Two

Here is what happens when two sickies get tired of being housebound, and a new Indian restaurant has just opened in the neighborhood.

Oh Boy!

I'm getting into hats! 

This one was found at a music shop on Bainbridge Island, 100% cotton, made in the US, by a company called New York Hat Co - read about their hats and interesting history. The name of this canvas cap is Spitfire - how appropriate for me, natural + fierce, yep, that pretty much sums me up in just two words. They also offer lovely fedoras and other kinds of hats, caps and beanies - great selection and quite reasonable prices. Do check them out, you might also find a hat that reflects your personality.

Impossible Until It's Not

Cough, cough... it seems we are coming down with something here In the Writer's Closet. It's a good thing that I have plenty of photo shoots in store - I can still write and post, despite the illness.

Justin, Anya and I went to such an amazing performance last weekend that I simply wanted to let everyone who is local know - DO NOT MISS IT! The performance is by Hi-Liners, a unique youth theater located in Burien, WA. It's a truly amazing collective - both kids and educators are incredibly creative and talented, and what matters most, passionate about what they are doing.

Last Days of Summer

Thank you all for your kind words and wishes! You are my favorite, lots of love to you all! :)

We had a great summer this year - I hear it was the hottest on the record, and certainly an extremely dry one too, with many forest fires and burn bans lasting all summer long. To me it was much hotter than I prefer, but not nearly as hot as summers are in many parts of the world, including my homeland (which not many people realize about Siberia - 100 F and humid is quite common there). Here, temps did not go as high as 100, the hottest days I remember were in mid to high 90s, but it was consistently in the 80s for probably the whole three months, which is much more hot days than I care for (just how many days I can spend on the beach? certainly not 90 in a row). I admit I feel exhausted by the heat, and lots of things I would like to do I put on hold until the heat is over, but I still managed to do lots this summer, including daily writing and, oddly enough, lots of cooking experiments. This is still by far the most wonderful place to live, of all the places I've lived or visited, and if this was our hottest summer ever, I'm game. On to my outfit now. 

aLwAYs!

Shall We Dance?

Where You Belong

I believe that dreams are necessary to life. To my life, they certainly are - they are the map which tells my soul what direction to move. 

I love the place where we live, I really do. It's beautiful and peaceful, not overly populated, easy access to everything we like or need. But one day, I want to live in this town where citizens cherish old buildings (such as this 1930s shopping center and first "talking pictures" Historic Lynwood theatre) and don't destroy them, clearing the space for a brand new mall. Where citizens nourish arts, culture and education. Where new daring beginnings don't vanish into thin air, unnoticed by both town leaders and community members. Where on every square foot you feel with every fiber of your being just how special this place is to people who live there, how much people care. I will take walks on these streets, buy vegetables from the local farmers, taste wine in the local wineries and write my heartwarming stories with little action and big heart. I will smile and laugh a lot and not feel lonely anymore. Some day I will arrive there and not hurry back. I recognize it by the longing in my heart every time I visit, the way you know when you found your soulmate - you know that this is your home. 

Deception Without Deceit

Sometimes, vacation means staying at home and having no particular plans in mind, freely combining the things that people usually do on vacations, such as sleeping in, eating out, shopping and sightseeing, and things that were put aside in the everyday routine, such as cleaning up closets and such. So it's really not such a bad thing, a so-called stay-cation - one can unplug his brain and just live spontaneously for a change. No plans, no big preparations, no passports or room reservations needed. One day of our stay-cation, we filled the tank of our Outback with gas and took off to discover one of the most beautiful state parks in Washington, Deception Pass park.