City of Dreams. Part I

Earlier this Autumn, in September, we made a trip to one of our most favorite destinations around the Sound - Port Townsend. The town is located on the very northeastern tip of the Olympic Peninsula and is surrounded by the waters of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Admiralty Inlet, by a harbor called Port Townsend Bay. The bay was named by Captain Vancouver, the famous English explorer whose name you can see all over the map both of the US and Canada - we've got Vancouver Island and Vancouver City in Canada, a town in Washington, plus mountains in Alaska and even New Zealand. George Vancouver originally named the bay Port Townshend after his friend Marquis of Townshend. 

Yes

Thank you for your warmest welcoming, my dear friends - I savor every single word. I'm so happy to write again, to share with you again. It is definitely some of the happiest times for me, the time I spend writing. I rarely know what I'll write when I sit down to write. And when I think I know, I am rarely right about it. So mostly I just go with it. There is nothing around me, not a thing, not a noise, not a person exists at this moment. It's only my being tapping into something huge, amazing, wonderful and truly miraculous, and I become a vessel for that magical energy to just run through me. There are very few things in this life that I love more than that. To know that what I have to say and how I say it brings joy to others as well, makes it even more special. So I thank you from all my heart! 

Hello Again!

You knew this day would come, didn't you?

I am so happy to be here again and greet you all, dear friends and readers!

I received so, so many warm, wonderful words from you - please know that I was very touched by your kindness and the interest you expressed in my blog. I must say that it was overwhelming, in the most positive way. Thank you!!

I don't know what happened. For the first few weeks of non-blogging, I felt happy and content with my life. I got really busy with other projects, worked on publishing my books, and of course spent lots of time with my family. Justin and I had our little trips, and since taking photos and writing about our discoveries was a huge part of our life for many years, regardless of blogging, we have never stopped doing it. But I missed sharing little style and shopping stories with you, and lately, literally in the last few days, I started really missing my blog. Maybe I just needed a nice long break to feel refreshed? All I know is this (and Justin really helped me to come to this conclusion). Life is too short to regret our decisions. Ultimately, nothing in life is completely irreversible, we can change our mind about pretty much anything, and if something that helps us feel better is missing from our life, then it's OK to re-decide. I don't know (and I can't know, can I?) where it's all going, but for now, writing my blog makes me feel happy. I am all for feeling happy. I know that you are too. So hello again! :)

Good Bye!

Drawing by my daughter Anna (then 7 y.o.), computer graphics by my brother Andrei Lialin

Hello my friends,

This will be the last post in my blog - I feel that it run its course and it's time for me to move on. I'll probably have another web presence in the future, and quite possibly another blog as I do enjoy this form very much. I don't know yet, I'll see how it goes. I want to thank you for a wonderful, joyful journey together! I'm wishing you all the best both in your creative endeavors and your life which is, to me, the ultimate form of art. Imagine, believe and create!

With love,

Natalia

***

Fall's First Steps

Fall was not at its peak yet when we took these photos last week, but there already were stretches of colorful trees here and there, and with temperatures in low 60s and a heavy storm we had last Saturday, we'd better hurry up to photograph Autumnal foliage before it's gone. Fall does not only bring bright vivid foliage though. It offers misty sky, gray water, rust of fallen leaves and  subtle shades of grass. Clear blue sky and thick fog. Nature has it all. Life has it all. Why choose?

Inspiring, Exhausting, Wonderful

One of our most favorite weekends of the year - the writer's conference. We'll have another full day tomorrow. Inspiring, informative, refreshing, reassuring, stirring up so much all at once... If you are passionate about writing and attended a similar event, you know exactly what I mean.  All in all, it's wonderful and exhausting - another reason to wear energizing colors!

Autumn Sunshine

Spontaneous mini photo session in the last rays of sun. It felt very joyous and energizing to wear this monochromatic outfit today. I remember even as a kid I was naturally drawn to yellow, but Mom said very few people look good in yellow, and I would shy away from yellow for years. I do think that lemon yellow is not my best, but this rich golden mustardy yellow, a bit toxic, yet very warm, sure feels like me.