BAKER CITY, OREGON
sunshine876
During my Oregon adventure, my mother and I only spent two days in Baker City, Oregon. The town was incredibly charming. We had to take a little bit of extra time to drive around and look at all of the enchanting houses on every street. Imagine me saying, “STOP! Look at that one! I better get out and take a picture!” Something about being with my momma (who I consider one of my best friends), and doing something new together was the absolute best part of the trip.
When we pulled into town, we pulled right up to a gas station. We were surprised when we found out that it was illegal to pump gas during certain hours of the day. Being from Wyoming, I had never heard of anything like that. At first, I thought that waiting on people to do something I was totally capable of was annoying. However, by the end of the trip, we loved it. Who can complain about someone washing their windshield for them and pumping their gas so that we can stay in the car and listen to Harry Potter audio books? Not us!
Every store had some sort of beautiful uniqueness. There were book stores, antique stores, and even a shop full of things to use in the kitchen. People were sitting at little tables by Main Street drinking coffee and enjoying their morning as we explored the unfamiliar, little town. People had stopped to draw on the sidewalk with chalk beside some businesses, and some, not all, of the designs were actually very elegant and beautiful.
By the way, I always wear shorts under my dresses because I’m not always ladylike, and I don’t want to miss out on something fun just because of my wardrobe choice of the day. Unfortunately, the sun was just in the right spot to show them through my gingham dress. I regret that a little bit now, but the brick wall is too beautiful to leave out, and nobody is perfect, right?
As usual, my favorite part was simply driving through town looking at the houses. I rolled down my window, and couldn’t believe how good the air felt. It was so nice to be in a low elevation for a little while. I swear my hair has never been as wavy as it was in Oregon. The high-altitude desert hair is a little bit less fun to deal with. I didn’t even put lotion on once. Sometimes I put lotion on two times a day when I’m in Wyoming during the winter season.
As we explored the streets, we noticed that the houses looked a lot like houses that we have seen in Utah that had been built by pioneers (our ancestors). My mom said that a few houses looked like sisters because they had so many similarities. Although, each house had little details that made it unique from the others with similar floor plans and Victorian designs.
I also loved how stately the city buildings looked. They were so tall and grand. They made me feel like I had been thrown back to a time where architecture was truly a distinctive art form.
You can shop a similar dress here & here, but I don’t recommend wearing black shorts under them! 
xx, Haley
categories: Adventure / tagged: Adventure, Baker City, Gingham, Lavender for Luck, Oregon, Oregon Trip, Red and White
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SEASIDE, OREGON
I have been daydreaming about visiting Seaside, Oregon for quite some time. I have been told by several people that the flowers in Oregon are what dreams are made of, and I was so excited to go there and see for myself just how pretty they are.
My mom gave me a trip to Oregon for my birthday, and it was everything I could have hoped for. I think she originally decided to give me the trip because she didn’t want me to go by myself, but we both ended up falling in love with the pacific northwest.
We found the sweetest coastal cottage to stay in using Airbnb, and we couldn’t have asked for a prettier little beach hideaway. We were one block away from the beach, and still tucked away from the traffic of downtown life. Our host, Kimberly, was such a gem. She had lemon scones and overnight oats for us in the morning time. She even brought home a little tart for me to celebrate the day after my statistics final. I was nervous at first about staying in a stranger’s house because that seemed a little bit unfamiliar, but it was such a wonderful experience.
It was so fun to walk around on the shoreline in my long Creamsicle colored dress. You can shop a similar one here! When I bought it, my mother and my sister both made fun of it because it’s a little bit different, but I LOVE it! I think it is so fun to wear and the color is not like anything else in my closet because I usually don’t buy anything orange! This dress was an exception though because I think it’s perfect for a summer day at the beach.
The beach goes on for two and a half miles and has a pretty walkway all along it. The shoreline was blanketed with the softest sand. I loved it so much, my mom dumped out all the ibuprofen in her purse so I could take some sand home in the bottle. It was so cute to see people up early in the morning walking their dogs and running along the beach. There were even little swing sets set up in the sand so that people could swing and watch the waves.
We loved walking through the tiny Seaside neighborhoods and looking at all the beach cottages. It was especially nice to walk in the nice ocean air after being in the car for so many hours. Wyoming is 14 hours away from Seaside Oregon, so it was quite a stretch. Luckily, we don’t mind riding in the car. It gave us a wonderful opportunity to listen to Harry Potter and sing our favorite songs too loudly.
The streets were really clean, and small. I loved that every house seemed to have darling landscaping or a floral arrangement in front of their seaside-styled homes. The flowers were easily my favorite part, but I really couldn’t find a negative thing anyway!
xx, Haley
categories: Adventure / tagged: Adventure, Beach, Beach Cottage, Lavender for Luck, Oregon Trip, Seaside Oregon
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WHY I LOVE WYOMING
There’s this state in the middle of the map that nobody really knows about. It’s the craziest thing! When I tell people that I am from Wyoming, I get some responses that make me feel concerned about geography education in school. Like, hello! We are right here in the middle of everything! But if I’m being honest, I think the most of the locals (including myself) prefer it that way.
This week, I wanted to talk about some of my favorite things about Wyoming. I haven’t always loved it, but the older I get the more I realize how lucky I have been to grow up with the desert natives. Some of you will probably think I’m crazy, but honestly, I can’t help myself. The Rocky Mountains are my home, and I love to be in a place where everybody prefers to live wild and free. So here are a few reasons why I love Wyoming.
THE SUNSETS ARE TO DIE FOR!
Seriously, I think the big desert sky gets painted by angels at night. The sky is big and clear, so the stars are bright and visible almost every night. The sky always seems to put on a big, vibrant show before the sun goes to sleep for the night. I catch a lot of my favorite sunsets while I’m driving on the interstate in the evening time. The state offers many different scenic views, and because of this, the sun usually sets between mountain peaks, rock formations, and cotton candy clouds.
THE WILDFLOWERS!
If you’re surprised that this is on the list, you have forgotten what blog you’re reading! I am a sucker for flowers of any kind, but the native wildflowers hold a special place in my heart. The flowers are so different throughout the Wyoming terrain, because although Wyoming is a desert, we still have lakes, high mountains, and sandy desert. There are mountain wildflowers, drought tolerant flowers, pond lilies, and flowers that grow in the marsh areas. You can find a cactus, or an Indian pond lily depending on where you are, and I think that’s something the natives appreciate. You can find anything you’re looking for if you’re willing to make the drive.
Local businesses like Riverside Nursery in Green River sell native, drought tolerant flowers that you can only find while walking out in the wilderness. Some of these include primrose, globe mallow, larkspur, and penstemon (some of which you’ll see below!). In 1917, Wyoming adopted Indian paintbrush as its state flower. The wildflower sets the hills aflame with its red, orange, and sometimes even yellow blooms.
SOLITUDE
Wyoming has a population of 585,501. That’s pretty tiny compared to most places, but I think the lack of people is one of the reasons people live here. There is so much wide open space that the locals are able to keep to themselves if they wish to. I love hiking the mountain trails in the evening time in order to catch the sunsets, and gather my thoughts in the quiet. Aside from the expected wildlife, I can go into the mountains and walk for miles without running into anybody else, even on the paved trails. In the summertime, locals flock to the lakes, and camp sites, but there is so much space that if you really wanted to get lost and have some alone time, you could easily do so.
THE AIR IS BETTER!
Although the altitude is really high here, the air is cleaner. The highest peak in Wyoming is called Gannett Peak and it sits at 13,809 ft. above sea level. So, visitors may find it hard to breathe, but I’ve lived here my whole life and don’t really mind the high altitude. I guess we will just have to thank our mountain lungs. Anyway, most of the state has an exceedingly low pollution rate, so we can enjoy our starry nights and clear blue skies.
HISTORIC VALUE…
The history of the wild west is rich and laced with stories about Indians, outlaws, gold rushes, and crooked sheriffs. I love that the real stories behind some of the world’s favorite westerns happened right here in our backyards. The local museums, and the old buildings are still standing today, and I think that’s really special. I find myself exploring more of them all of the time, and I don’t imagine I’ll ever stop.
WINTER WONDERLAND…
This one is actually kind of a love hate depending on the day. Wyoming gets so much snow! The fluctuating temperatures of the high desert are obvious when considering the hot dry summers, and snowy wonderland winters. The lowest temperature ever recorded in Wyoming was in 1933 at Yellowstone National Park. The temperature dropped to -66 degrees Fahrenheit (this makes Wyoming number 4 of the 10 coldest temperatures ever recorded in towns nationally!). To make it a little more frosty, the wind chill knocks the temperature down significantly on certain days. This usually makes the Wyoming air sting your face when you walk outside, but it also makes the mountains look prettier than any postcard you could receive.
I know it might be crazy, and no place is perfect, but I love my home in Wyoming. It’s hard to be unhappy in a place that feels wild and free. I love the little old cowboys, being the farmer’s daughter, driving for miles outside of any city, and I especially love the big blue sky. I can’t explain it better than that old John Denver song. If you can’t feel the beauty from these pictures, you might need to give it a listen. Every place is unique and beautiful, but some just hold a special place in our hearts. Wyoming will always be a part of mine.
xx, Haley
categories: Adventure / tagged: Adventure, Florals, History, Lavender for Luck, Solitude, Sunsets, Wide Open Spaces, Wildflowers, Wyoming
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TULIP JULEP
This spring, I spent the most wonderful day at the Thanksgiving Point Tulip Festival. The day started out a little bit rough, as I arrived, I decided to paint my fingernails quickly while I waited in my car. I was parked in the parking lot when I dropped the fingernail polish bottle on my brand new white dress! The dress was whimsical and I chose it specifically to wear among the flower fields. You can shop the dress here (under $30!). Of course, it was an adorable Sally Hansen “babe blue” color. It’s safe to say that it’s not my favorite color anymore.
I decided that instead of changing my outfit, I would just try to enjoy the day anyway, and I absolutely did. As soon as I saw the beautiful tulips lining the entry way, I completely forgot that my dress was trashed. Given my obvious love of flowers, I was immediately enchanted by the floral edged garden paths, and the buds on the trees. It looked just like a fairytale.
It was advertised online that there are almost 300,000 flowers on the property, and after walking through the gardens, I absolutely believe it. Each garden included bold, eye catching color combinations. There were also ornate shapes and designs incorporated into the planted arrangements. I can only imagine how much work must have gone into the beautiful organization of flowers all over the establishment.
I blushed as I spun under the wrought iron gazebo and all the bystanders turned to watch me. How could I resist though. With such a beautiful location, it only made sense to spin in a pretty white dress, no matter how many people were watching! The day got sweeter when I laid my eyes on a river of grape hyacinth.
The Secret Garden area of the festival was my favorite part. Not only do I love the book it is based on, but I also love the vibrant tulips, brick arches, and creaky old doors that open into the garden. The idea of beauty kept in a secret place, locked away with a key pulls at my heart strings. It made for an enchanting afternoon.
Next, we made it to the fountain that I had been waiting for. I have watched a handful of Hallmark movies that show a beautiful scene in front of this very fountain. I always laugh knowing that the movie was partly filmed in Lehi, Utah. But who can blame them? A fountain surrounded by tulips? What would be more romantic than that?
On the way out of the garden, I thought that all the most wonderful parts were over. I was delighted and surprised to see a Japanese themed garden covered in the most imaginative paper cranes! The little cranes were a pretty close second to the Secret Garden on my list of favorite parts. The light twinkled through the trees illuminating the paper cranes as the wind spun them, and calming music played through the trees branches.
Finally, I finished my day off with a cheeseburger and Thanksgiving Point’s festival drink called the Tulip Julep. (What can I say? I am a girl from Wyoming, and I’m almost always in the mood for a cheeseburger.) The Tulip Julep on the other hand was actually kind of terrible, but the name was just so cute I couldn’t resist. I can’t complain because with so many flowers, and a pretty lacy dress, who could stand to be unhappy.
xx, Haley
