Sealicious

off to the mountains . . .

We will be spending the holiday weekend camping in New Hampshire with some friends. I am really excited, but a little nervous too because 1) I'm worried I'll be too cold, and 2) we are bringing the dog. He has a tendancy to jump off of high things without looking; we'll just have to keep him on the leash if we hike up any mountains.

I took this photo about a month ago when I went to Franconia Notch, NH. We'll be close to this area again.

 

And below, I've assembled some warm cozy things I wish I could bring with me.

                                      I hope you have a happy weekend!

 

Glamping Outfit by sealicious featuring a knee high hosiery

Patagonia sweatshirt hoody, $179
Patagonia pants, $79
Patagonia knee high hosiery, $20
Patagonia fleece shoes, $180
Burberry glove, $285
Patagonia hat, $39
Men's Buckshot Flannel Shirt, $75
REI Recycled Camp Mug - 12 fl. oz. at REI.com

too little, too late ?

I don't know what it is about heirloom seeds that gets me so excited, probably everything. The beautiful packaging they come in. How each variety has a story, a specific reason it was passed down. How they can look so odd and taste sooo good. I've only just started growing heirlooms this year; my first as a gardener. I was skeptical they would, but I do believe my heirloom tomatoes tasted better than other homegrown varieties I tried this year (but of course I'm biased). As someone who studied biology and considers herself an environmentalist, I like that heirloom varieties contribute to biodiversity. We even visited the Baker Creek heirloom seed bank on our honeymoon.

 

 
 
                                             *image from Landreth Seed Company

 

 
                                              *image from Vintage Holiday Crafts

 

 

 

 
 

So I was dismayed to hear that our country's oldest seed bank, Landreth Seed Company is experiencing severe financial trouble and will likely close soon. You can read more about the issue here, here, and here. I purchased the catalogue, melon seeds, and a book - one of the few impulse purchases I don't feel too badly about. Please consider purchasing the $5, 2012 seed catalogue - if the company sells 1 million of them, it will buy them some time!

remembering summer 2011

This summer was full of wonderful things. When you are no longer in school and are working full time like a "real" adult, summer is different. It flies by at a faster pace as you sit in your cubicle all day. BUT it just makes me even more determine to squeeze every last drop out of it.

Here's what I did this summer . . .

            I was my dad's kayak buddy for the Buzzard Bay Coalition's annual swim.

 

                        Jeff and I went to a county fair with some friends

 

I was SO excited about starting a garden. I said I'd be happy if we got one tomato and we got all of that and more (cucumbers, eggplant, lettuce, cilantro, basil). We almost got watermelons, but then they got the wilt :(

 

                                      We taught the dog some table manners.

 

    We spent some time with my lovely little chihuahua lady before she passed away at the old age of 17.

 

                     Saw a beautiful fireworks show in front of the lit up Newport Bridge.

 

                         We got our first tent, it's called the Hobitat and it's awesome!

 

                      We went antiquing with some family from the west coast.

 

                     Got a firepit and hung out in the backyard, it was magical.

 

We rented a house in the Berkshires (Massachusetts) with several friends. The house was an old farmhouse perched on a hill with a beautiful view. We woke up early and spent our morning around a table in the breezeway, chatting over coffee. Then we would spend hours in and around the pool. The house had a giant livingroom with a hunting-lodge theme (think taxidermy and old field guides) and tennis courts. When we ventured off the property we found an awesome little coffee shop, beautiful natural waterfalls you could swim in, and a delicious soup kitchen. I really miss it, it was so peaceful there.

 

 

friday

                              WHOAH. Where did that week go? I hope you have a happy weekend!

 
                                 [Remembering slower days in the Berkshires this summer]

on the first day of fall 2011

Well hello there,

My summer break is over, and I feel refreshed and so happy to be back here. I've given this blog a little  style makeover too. I do not have a new job yet, but I feel like I am slowly getting closer.

There were so many times that I was out somewhere, doing something and wanted to take a picture to blog about it. But I was being lazy and a part of me has always wondered if trying to document something with so many pictures made me experience it less fully. Now I believe that is just not true. I don't think that taking photos lessens the experience at all (unless you are totally ignoring your surroundings to take a gazillion posed family photos!) I think it enhances it because you start to hone in on the little details.

Anway, like I said, this will remain my personal blog where I write about my days, interests, and mini-adventures because it makes me happy. I am going to admit that it will probably be a little spazzy (because that's just me) and probably have too many hipstamtic prints.  But I hope you will enjoy reading it, as I get so much joy and inspiration from blogland.

 

                                                             Happy first day of Fall!
     
 
 

 

                                                                [Fall 2010]

    
 

On Our First Anniversary

Hi friends. I won't officially be "back" here for another few weeks, I still need some time to refresh and reorganize this space, but trust me, I'm working on it!

I couldn't let today go by without a mention though. This was us exactly one year ago, freshly hitched.

 
* photo by Joshua Behan

Our newlywed year has flown by, but it's been wonderful. Not a day goes by that I don't reflect on how lucky I am to have this hilarious, loving, kind, and wacky person to live my life with.

*summer break*

Hello Everyone (Anyone) Out There,

There has been something I have wanted to write about here for so long, but I knew it probably wasn't appropriate to do so (and I couldn't find the best words). I have been desperately searching for a new job for over a year now. I used to feel guilty complaining about my job - especially when I know I'm lucky to have one at all in this economy, and especially when I know that I have a wonderful life outside of work.

But my job, and the way it made me feel about myself and my future career plans was starting to take a toll on my mental health. I recently got SO CLOSE to scoring an amazing position, but found out a few days ago that I was the runner up, not the chosen candidate. I was devastated and in the few days it took me to get over it, I realized that I've been putting too many areas of my life on hold while I wait for a new work opportunity to come along. It's really hard for me to not drive myself crazy trying to get a "dream job" when I feel like I've worked so hard throughout school and have always wanted a career that I loved so much it was a big part of who I was.

My favorite blogs are the ones that show an intimate glimpse into other people's lives, and their views of the world. I know alot of bloggers write solely for themselves, to cultivate gratitude for the little things in life.  In my bio, I wrote that I started this blog to "document my days and remind me to slow down and enjoy whatever happens." Through writing Sealicious, I've realized that blogging about a special dinner I make for friends, or a day trip I take does actually makes me experience those things more fully. I still want that to be the main focus of this little corner of the web.  I just need to take some time to figure out how to use and organize this place so it better reflects my world, or at least my attempts at crafting a peaceful and beautiful life for myself.

I plan to take the rest of the summer to figure out how to do this, but I might be back sooner. One thing I know will not change upon my return is the gratuituous photos of the beautiful and unique places I visit.

I hope you have an awesome summer, and I hope to see you on the other side :)

Caitlin

 

scenes from the weekend

I was so glad the weather held out this weekend, I got to go on two sunny bike rides; one around Ocean Drive and the mansions in Newport, and another to the Beehive Cafe in Bristol, where I had the best strawberry pancakes of my life!

 
*Gooseberry Beach, Newport, RI.

 

 
*Gooseberry Beach, Newport, RI

 

 

 

I'm sorry that posting has been even more sporadic than usual lately, my life has been a bit more tumultuous than I'd like the past few weeks.

scenes from the weekend

 
*egret at Colt State Park, Bristol, RI

 

 
* Colt State Park, Bristol, RI

 
*wild gardens (with poppies!) in the drainage ditches at a Colt State Park parking lot.

 
 *hammock snooze

 

 

 

 
*first use of our new laundry line.  I've been lazy and left them out for three days now - they are probably covered in birdpoop.

Caz Haigh Illustration

Ok, I know I forgot last week too, but instead of the normally schedule "this moment" post - I wanted to share the work of an amazing environmental illustrator whose portfolio I found online.

Caz Haigh's illustrations are "inspired by [her] love of nature and [she] aims to incorporate environmentally friendly messages in [her] work."

I came across her "Message in a Bottle" series and thought it was so genius; thought-provoking yet the images are still beautiful enough that I want a print for my wall.

 

 

 

 

 

 *all images by Caz Haigh