Little Red Riding Hood

Surprise...it's snowing again! Sometimes I think I'll never get used to how often the weather changes here!

This is my barista outfit. I just got a job as a coffee and sandwich making lady at a local west shore deli, because my resort is closing soon. I am still ski instructing 4 days a week though, I can't give up the amazing snow right now that easily! It is nice to be working in a "normal" job again, where I can wear what I want and don't have to talk in child speak all day. (Although that obviously has its bonuses too...I mean, who doesn't enjoy pretending they are a skiing unicorn/leprechaun/grizzly bear?) The deli is such a fun place to work, although I'm the only girl who works there! The man to woman ratio in Tahoe is crazy, like 7:1. It's been weird getting used to it. I've honestly never had so many guy friends in my life!

I have been living in this coat recently. I love wool coats with hoods because they are so warm, and I feel like red riding hood in this one! It was truly made for the cold weather; it has a zippered waistcoat sort of lining which makes it very toasty.

Coat, backpack, boots:Thrifted Jeans: Uniqlo

I'm so excited for all the changes that spring is bringing. New jobs, new friends, and new interests! Has springtime sparked anything new and wonderful in your life?

Tess

"As Tess's own people down in those retreats are never tired of saying among each other in their fatalistic way: 'It was to be.' There lay the pity of it. An immeasurable chasm was to divide our heroine's personality thereafter from that previous self of hers who stepped from her mother's door to try her fortune at Trantridge poultry-farm."

Here are my photos for our Pickwick Ladies Book Club January choice, Tess of the D'Urbervilles. If any of you have Tess inspired photos please post them on our facebook page and I'll add them to an album.

Tess of the D'Urbervilles is a tragedy unlike any that authors these days seem to dream up. The story follows Tess as she is plagued by wicked Alec D'Urberville, who eventually is the cause of the breakup of her marriage. It is very fitting for cold winter reading, that's for sure!

I thought this vintage trench would be perfect for Tess inspired wanderings. It is lined with the most beautiful wool, which is also the same as the scarf on the hood. I think the scarf/hood arrangement is so unusual, I have never seen another coat like it. It is one of my last vintage finds from Brooklyn; I bought it a few days before I moved.

Boots, Shorts, Silk Blouse, Coat: Thrifted

Tights: Marks and Spencer

Other than reading Tess, I have been learning how to Telemark ski! It's so much fun and requires much more thought than regular Alpine skiing. After practicing so much I'm pretty sure I'm going to have thighs of steel - for those of you who have never seen anyone tele-ing, it's basically lunging all the way down the hill. I'm looking forward to practicing some more and then buying a beacon and some other avalanche gear so I can go skiing in the backcountry.

Not much other news here - just skiing all the time! I hope some of you read Tess too so that I can see your pictures. Let me know if you need help posting them on Facebook!

Echoes of Sunlight

I love the way the sunlight flits through the trees at the end of the day. The trees here are incredible and seeing their tall shadows every day always comforts me and reminds me of what clean air I must be breathing!

I just started a writing class this week, and I am so glad to be writing again. In college I was really into poetry (you can see my now defunct deviantart page here) and I have been missing having that creative part of my brain alive and kicking and noticing all of the awesome imagery happening around me. I have been writing every morning for the past few days and it has been wonderful.

It has been a little hard to keep the blog going strong lately because we still have no internet. I'm trying though! I really apologize to those of you who have been waiting for a response to an email or a reply to a comment. They are coming as soon as I have a little time in a coffee shop to internet it up.

I got this beautiful coat from the salvation army for just $5 dollars, which is a sweet deal! I get so many compliments on it every time I wear it out. You have seen my dress (one of my much loved FCUK purchases) here and here, and of course the vintage boots about a thousand other times. I really need to get my thrift on and find me some more pairs of boots. I am on the hunt for some black equestrian style ones.

Are any of you scouring the thrift stores for a certain something?