scenes from the farm (part 2).

1. The twins' hidden campsite.



2. The amazing woman responsible for all of this beauty.



3. Flower fields and pretty barns.



4. One of my boyfriends for the weekend (notice the flower).



5. A game of charades on the first cozy night (I did Groundhog Day even though I've never seen it. My main clue was chocolate + wine).



6. The "mule," perfect for day-time transportation and night-time star-gazing joy rides (I could never stop smiling while on it).



7. A stunning view at a lazy lunch that extended to hours of lounging in the sun.



8. Red gate, yellow flowers.



9. Adventures on the paddleboat.



10. White wine and goofiness-- a perfect summation of our time at the farm.

scenes from the farm (part 1).

1. A leftover sign from the Garden Summer Fieldfeast.



2. One of the many dreamy porches on the farm.



3. Vintage magazine reading on the patio.



4. The other way Hailey made me giggle all weekend.



5. Easter morning brunch (which included brownies for dessert).



6. Charlie.



7. My new favorite subjects (evidenced here, here, and here).



8. 100-year-old sourdough bread, rising.



9. A rare quiet moment with coffee and chocolate before the egg hunt.



10. Roadside stops for photoshoots in the middle of nowhere.

mysterious caves + rope swinging.

While I love being outside -- lounging in the grass, swimming in the ocean, walking along the battery -- I wouldn't exactly call myself an outdoorsy type gal. One time I went camping in seventh grade and insisted on cleaning my tent once an hour (I didn't want spiders in my sleeping bag). Then there was the time I spent a night in a hotel due to a cockroach fiasco.

Needless to say I was a little apprehensive before our hike to the mysterious Indian caves, but I threw on a dress (?) and some rain boots and went for it. I acquired a few scrapes, got dangerously close to poison oak (which Hailey has since acquired on her forehead) and stuck my head inside the cave. I felt like a certified adventure girl.




But I was no adventurer compared to Hailey, who wanted to keep up with the reckless boys and jump off the rope swing into the two-feet-deep river.




At least she made me giggle the rest of the weekend, hobbling around with her wooden cane.

two farm moments worthy of recognition.

1. Ben took this photo after a hike to mysterious Indian caves. It is perfection, as was our day. One of my favorite parts about our time at the farm was being constantly surrounded by Hailey's amazing family with lots of reckless boys. Injuries from the weekend include but are not limited to: a fake raccoon attack, a real barbwire fence attack, and a rope swing/river-related foot fiasco.



2. I shot a gun. It should be known that I hate guns. But Gary was a reassuring teacher and a mimosa had been consumed and before I knew it I was pulling the trigger. I screamed, then laughed, then ran away. It was hilarious and definitely a once-in-a-lifetime sort of experience.


P.S. An impromptu "silent film" from the farm. Interpretive dancing by Hailey and Ben, piano by me.

mornings on the farm.

Mornings on the farm are special. There's a certain encapsulating calm -- one that makes you feel thoughtful and cozy enough to never want to leave.







Porch sittin', with warm blankets and french press and local strawberries, should be a requirement to the beginning of every day.

*Many of these photos were taken by Mr. Ben Williams.

weekend.

The past four days, I've been tucked away in a magical little nook at the foothills of the Ozarks -- the Farm.








Ever since Hailey spent a summer there, growing her own food and filming a documentary, I've been dreaming about the farm -- and it was more beautiful than I even imagined. Endless rolling fields covered in flowers, patios settled into cliffs, curvy pathways encompassed by trees and fog, red barns brimming with character, mysterious hidden caves -- it was one adventure after the next after the next.









On the farm, reality feels so far away in the best sense. Normal life is a distant memory that no longer seems interesting and everything moves in slow motion, allowing you to actually feel and experience things before they pass you by.

The setting, the people, the food and drink, the lazy days and the invigorating adventures -- it was all too perfect. I miss it already.

*Many of these photos were taken by Mr. Ben Williams.