Fine-Tuning

Stripes can be surprisingly flattering, and this jumpsuit is made masterfully in this sense. A couple of things to tell you about this outfit. First, as much as I love finding new things, I also love combining the things I already own in a new way, and that's exactly what's happening here. And second, as much as I love natural fabrics, there is a certain temperature range (around 60 F, or 15 C) when I absolutely love wearing po-ly-es-ter. I know, it sounds strange and some of you are wincing now! But to me, a girl who more than anything else is for acceptance and inclusion, there is something attractive and comforting even in polyester.

Happy Birthday, Sister! Happy Birthday, Book!

This is the way Andrei, my beloved brother greeted me on my birthday this year. :)

Now I can tell that I was born twice, both times in May. First, in 1973, in a far away town in Siberia, as a little girl named Natasha, with long red hair and blue eyes (as mama describes me). Second time, in 2016, in America, as a book author Natalia Lialina, though my red hair is now short, and my eyes became green.  

Hold On, Indy!

There are times, when an outfit I create inspires where I want to go, and there are other times, when a place inspires my outfit. This was one of those other times. Justin suggested we go for a walk in the beautiful Tumwater Falls Park near Olympia, which was featured in my blog back in 2015 (posts Days Passed and Abandoned Beauty).

California Poppies

Spring arrived early in my part of the world, and everything seems to be blooming two or even three weeks ahead of schedule. These happy orange flowers cover sunny slopes here and there around Seattle. You can often find them along highways or on big open hilly places, such as Chambers Bay trails which go over a pretty meadow and gold course, by the shores of Puget Sound, south of Tacoma. I've been wishing to find a place where California poppies (their other names are California sunlight, or cup of gold) are within reach for us photographers. But I hadn't expected to see the whole hill covered with them on my 2-hour hike today.