(Unofficial) End of Summer

Happy Labor Day to my American and Canadian friends and readers!

Unlike many European countries (Russia included) which celebrate Labor Day on May 1st, the USA started celebrating it the first Monday of September since late 19th century. So for many families, the long Labor Day weekend became the last opportunity to have a summer vacation, plan trips, family reunions, friends gatherings and barbecue and pool parties so popular with many people. Outdoor pools typically close after Labor Day and many schools start a new school year right after Labor Day (though, in some states, school start as early as August). Evenings become cooler, and even though we experience a new heat wave since late August, it really feels that Autumn is just around the corner.

Mt Baker

I love Autumn, especially its early part when it is still sunny and warm, and it seems that with us sharpening school pencils, the air gets crisper and the foliage starts changing their color. Autumn is always a happy and incredibly creative time for me - and by "creative" I don't mean necessarily my writing or outfits, but rather life itself. In Autumn, I usually get not only ideas, but the inner craving and strength to make them into reality. Having said that, I still enjoy the last days of Summer! I believe my love for Autumn is stronger because it comes after Summer with its own separate little life. I believe that such contrasts are good for us, so we can appreciate what comes next, enjoy the switch and also experience an inner switch. Autumn to me is time to focus, and it has a magical power in this task.

But despite the irritating heat, drought, and forest fires caused by it, Summer is beautiful, if for nothing else, then for the incredible array of flowers and sunsets it gifts us. We took these pictures just yesterday, in Edmonds, WA, a cozy small town just 11 miles north of Seattle, about which I wrote on numerous occasions, i.e., HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE. We got photos of my outfit just before sunset, and then along with many other folks we were lucky to watch one of the most incredible sunsets. They say that the red color in the sky is due to the smoke from forest fires. Not the happiest reason, but it does provide a gorgeous color palette ranging from orange to red and purple. For my outfit photos, I was facing the sun and the Olympic Mountains across the water. Behind me, you can see Mount Baker (one of the tallest of the Cascade Mountains in the East). Seattle and vicinity truly have a unique nature setting.

The little mother-of-pearl kitty brooch was an antique mall find that very day. Once the kitty saw the fish in my outfit, it wanted to become a part of it and jumped right on! Not sure how old it is, but definitely not brand new. The sunglasses, on the other hand, were brand new from the same mall. I needed a replacement for my oversized round glasses, and this pair caught my eye. They are as flimsy as my previous pair, so I need to take better care of them.

I decided to include many shots of this dramatic sun show just so you see how dynamic it was. There are no filters, no Photoshop or anything like it - all natural colors. Justin took all the photos, except for the three I took with my phone (of the green cottage, yellow rose and of people and cars).

My embroidered white skirt was a final sale item for under $30. I am happy with it. It's a bit bigger size than I need, and it stretched even more, so it is sitting on my hips, which gives it a longer look that I actually prefer. The embroidery is spectacular and gets noticed. I paired it with flat sandals and my old striped tee (from 2012) for a hot day of thrifting (antique mall, Goodwill) and strolling outside. The old rule of not wearing white after Labor Day it seems went out of the window in recent years (not that I ever followed it), and I think with our beautiful September I still will have plenty of opportunities to wear this gorgeous and versatile skirt.

Photos by Justin (we never use filters or Photoshop)

Skirt - Eloquii

Shirt and hat - Lane Bryant (old)

Sandals - Clarks (old)

Purse - Old Navy (old)

Pearl earrings, mother-of-pearl and silver pendant and bracelets - 

very old, some from Russia, gifts from my husband and old friends

Kitty pin and sunglasses - recent antique mall finds

Linking up with Visible Monday

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