Cute little notecards that I painted for Taylor’s birthday last month, because I’m not the only one in the family who enjoys sending snail mail.
Snail mail is very important, and I firmly believe that you should send handwritten notes to the people you love. When my great-gramma died a few years back and my grampa was cleaning her house out, he was surprised at how many letters he found from me tucked away in drawers. Years and years worth — and the best part? She always wrote back to me in her beautiful cursive, beginning each letter with a “Dear Jordie” ❤
I cannot believe that we’re already into September — time is currently moving so fast, and also so excruciatingly slow (I’m still waiting for Agnes to start popping some kittens out, and I’m getting so impatient. I want to meet Amelia ! ! !).
Labor Day weekend means the annual country fair, and it’s quite convenient that Taylor now lives two minutes from the fairgrounds, so I just had to meet her at her apartment and then we carpooled there on Friday night. Last year the star of the show was a sweet half moon, this year we had a gorgeous full moon glowing orange above all the neon lights (once in a blue moon, baby).
I really was in awe, and just kept stopping in the middle of the crowds and pointing up to the sky like do you all see this??? I wish I could have captured her in high quality, but alas, I was only equipped with my phone’s camera (I brought Luna to the attention of some fellow fairgoers though, so you’re welcome to everyone who got to truly appreciate her beauty because of me).
there were so many friendly vendors that Taylor and I were chatting up this year, the vibes were impeccable
I finished flipping this thrifted dress a few weeks back, but then life got so crazy that I simply did not have the energy to get the photos I wanted of the finished project. Although I did succeed in finally getting out to the garden with my camera last week, life is still crazy, and I definitely haven’t been feeling like my best self lately. Last night I was laying in bed watching a show and I just thought: oh my god, I am not who I want to be at all right now. Physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually. At the end of most of the recent days I’ve felt like I’ve done nothing but wait for bedtime, just to simply have to start over again the next day. The audacity! It’s exhausting and a little lonely.
I kinda feel like getting a haircut, overhauling my wardrobe, downloading all the dating apps again, and changing my entire personality, but I just don’t know if any of those things are the right thing to do when I’m in the midst of feeling so unsettled (we’ll see, maybe I’ll just do all of the above).
Anyways, right now I’m gonna sit back and give this little blue dress her much-deserved moment 💙 I think this might’ve been the sundress Caamp was talking about when he sang:
I found out yesterday / that I’m in love / and I don’t know what else to say / but thank you, Lord / for that sundress on that Saturday / walkin barefoot down the beach
Would it be considered a major character flaw that I often end up feeling like shit when I hang out with people my age, but hanging out with my 14-year-old cousin was the highlight of last week??
I remember when she was born, and I remember rocking her to sleep on hot summer days, and running through the sprinkler with her in big t-shirts. She was the tiny baby cousin that we all took care of.
But now all the sudden she’s a smart, funny, kind, real person, and instead of me having to entertain her, she’s at the age where we can just be friends. And we get to talk about life, and books and shows, and binge movies in Taylor’s apartment, and share memes, and bond over how much we cry because growing up can be lonely as fuck.
When I say that I damn near cried when I was sent the reference photos for this custom portrait…what is this Pinterest-worthy love!? I’m obsessed.
The woman who purchased this portrait had been given one my pet portraits as a wedding gift from her friends, so she then turned around and ordered this beauty for her friends’ wedding gift.
I’ll admit that I was a bit nervous to get started on it (it’s been a hot minute since I’ve painted human faces) but I was so happy with the outcome, and now it’s wrapped up and en route to Canada ❤
The past two months have honestly felt like a fever dream.
First, the unexpected reconnection happened and was so weird and fleeting that I sometimes feel like I made the whole thing up (maybe I am delusional). Then, just as I had begun to get my shit back together, my family and I are now faced with the grand adventure of moving out of the house that I’ve lived in my whole life. The house, and land, that we created to be a haven for ourselves (just as we started to enjoy our meadow too!).
And it’s not because we wanted to move. It’s not because we were looking for the adventure, or because we always imagined a different life for ourselves. It’s not because we don’t love the land, or love the house, or love the area that we’ve called home for 24 years.
The other day I was sittin’ with Mom and Riley Mae and we were all watchin’ frogs sunnin’ in the sun. We watched as a little guy swam up to a rock, slowly streeetched, climbed up, and settled down into the damp mossy algae like a loafing cat.
“You know what I don’t believe?” I asked rhetorically. “I don’t believe that frogs actually eat. I mean, have you ever seen one eat? No, you haven’t.” Two minutes later this same little cozy frog launched forward and caught two bugs.
It was almost as cool as the time we saw a lil crayfish 3 seconds after Mom said “but we never see crayfish” and 1 second before Dad texted her “are you looking for crayfish?”
twenty seven years now / only thing I know / I know that I don’t know how / to please everybody all of the time / ’cause everybody’s always fucking changing their minds
When we were young birthdays were super exciting; you all know how it used to be in the days of our youth. We got cards in the mail with money in them, donuts for breakfast, Mom planned us themed fun-filled parties (some of my most memorable were dinosaurs, cats, and pirates), and we’d get a day off from all of our chores. For 24 hours everyone just had to be nice to you, cause it was your birthday.
These days we really don’t do too much to celebrate birthdays in our family; more often than not we just give a few gifts and have a nice meal and dessert. We’re lucky if everyone remembers to send us a “happy birthday” text, and why does the money always stop when you need it most!? Like, we have bills to pay now. What’d we need it for when we were 6??
Last week Taylor adopted her first cat from a friend of a friend who had a stray show up on her porch. When Taylor brought the little black-and-white beauty home the whole thing was a bit sus, and now our suspicions have been pretty much confirmed by the vets: little miss Agnes is preggers. She is with child. She has buns in the oven. She’s eating for two (or eight).
I’m thrilled. My cousin Maddie is thrilled. Taylor is thrilled (after initially having an anxiety attack about it). Assuming that all goes well, and that Agnes pops out at least three healthy babies, the three musketeers™ will all be adopting sibling kittens. How cute is that!?! I’m obsessed with this idea (and yes, we already have a group chat going).
art by jordan rae 