The Importance of Trees & Friendship

This weekend, I got to see my best friend and a couple of random Redwood trees inconspicuously planted in a park in Yorba Linda. These are two of my very favorite things in the world. In fact, I got married in front of BOTH of them because I like them so damn much! My best friend, Denise Luce, is a photographer, and you should definitely check her out!

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One of my favorite things about the Redwoods is the bark. The bark sheds like snakeskin and flakes away. It has thousands of layers, changing shades. The smell of a Redwood tree is amazing. Something that was, unfortunately, yesterday, masked by burning barbecue smell. I also hate people. Did I mention I hate people? A wasp also ate some of my sandwich, and it wouldn't leave us alone. Truly, though, nothing cleans the soul better than spending quality time with your BFF.

Anyway, please enjoy my photos of the Redwoods in Yorba Linda

and two photos of some cool leaves because whyyyyy not?

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Y O U T H

Youth is peeling tinted windows of old cars that smell like cigarettes

The burns from years past on the ceiling that melted the fibers together

Youth is cigarette brands that your grandparents smokes

Cigarette brands your ex-boyfriend smokes

The cheapest pack of cigarettes at the gas station

Youth is dry, hot summer air

Sitting in the car, chain-smoking with your best friend

The radio is the only keeper of time

Youth is sap stuck to your shoes and vomit on your clothes

From smoking pot and drinking in the park until four in the morning

From drinking a bottle of whiskey to forget why I’m here

Youth is skin against skin

Where passion can so quickly turn into desperation

Where young, naive trust is so easily shattered when dropped

Youth is sexual assault

And not knowing what to call it

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Jarrett, Pickles, and a Chair from a Goodwill in Long Beach

Before Jarrett and I ever had a couch together, we had two old chairs I bought from Goodwill. I always felt so cool and Wes Anderson-ee in our big old chairs. In our current apartment, we eventually didn't have room for the big red one, but we still held on to the big green one. I hope we always have room for it.

Of course, the big green chair was Jarrett's, and he always looked great in it. I mean, I DID buy it for him, and he looks great in everything I buy for him, duh. I also just love taking photos of Jarrett. And I added in Pickles because I also love taking photos of my dogs.

Please enjoy Jarrett, Pickles, and a Chair from a Goodwill in Long Beach.

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Spaced Out in Joshua Tree

When we were coming up on our one-year wedding anniversary, I started getting nervous because we had just blown any money we had for travel back in May and hadn't had much opportunity to save in between then and now. We are low-key people; we got married in the woods for goodness' sake, so I wasn't looking for an extravagant getaway. I just wanted something sweet, fun, off the beaten path, and memorable.

My husband, Jarrett, is amazing and surprised me with exactly that. He took me to this isolated place in Joshua Tree that you needed to drive on a dirt road to get to. It had everything from mini golf to a pool to archery to a hot tub you could watch the sunset from. There was also an old ice cream truck with arcade games in it! Our own little trailer was Alien themed, which was the BEST, and we left the star projector on all night.

I don't want to share too much because it was a really special, personal experience with my husband. I want to protect those memories. However, please see all the beautiful and fun photos I took while there!

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West Coast Best Coast Roadtrip

Jarrett and I never got to go on a honeymoon. Our wedding was very low-key, much to our liking, and with all the planning of getting married in the Redwoods National Forest, we just didn't have the money or time for a honeymoon. Luckily, we got money as a wedding gift (who doesn't like getting money?) and were able to book our dream Pacific Northwest road trip. We are the type of people who like to order a bunch of appetizers instead of just a main course; we are people who like to try many things. A long road trip with many stops was exactly our cup of tea.

We flew up to Seattle and rented a car to drive back down, stopping at some of the most amazing places we had ever seen and some of the weirdest. We went to the MOPOP museum in Seattle, the Peculiarium in Portland, the Oregon Vortex, where we got to see physics defied, the exact spot we got married, a weird diner with Emus, the Bigfoot motel, the best pizza in the middle of nowhere, and we got to see so many whales in Monterey. It was some of the best days of my life, and I only wish I could go back.

Maybe soon.

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