Hello, friends! 😀
I’ve got two things to share on this fine second-Tuesday-in-June…otherwise known as, my mom’s birthday! 😀 (Happy Birthday, Mom!!!)
1. Did you know there are some *really* cute and inexpensive dresses on Amazon? I would have never thought to look there, but then Jamie Ivey posted this photo on Instagram…
…and said she got the dress on Amazon for under $30. I was all, HUH??? Dresses on Amazon?? Yep. Here’s the link to that one if your jaw just dropped too: Milumia Women’s Boho Split Tie-Waist Vintage Print Maxi Dress
I *almost* ordered that one, but ended up choosing this one:
I posted an Instagram story about it yesterday, but if you’re not able to view those, you need to know that dress is:
- $24.99
- ridiculously soft and comfortable
- available in 8 other colors
I officially want them all. 🙂 Here’s the link if you do too: MakeMeChic Casual Tie Dye Maxi Dress
The second thing that I want to share with you has to do with something else I’m loving lately. I don’t know exactly what they’re called (though I wish I did because it would make finding them a heck of a lot easier) but they’re my very favorite kind of blog to read. They don’t have a thing to do with decorating, or dresses- ha! The authors simply seek out and share posts about places, and boy do they have a way with wandering.
I’m particularly drawn to the ones about Southern Minnesota because it’s where I was born and raised. I found this one the other night and loved scrolling through the photos from post to post.
In one entry, the author wrote, “There is nothing as refreshing to me as simply driving the backroads in search of whatever is over the next hill. It restores my mind and makes me think of time decades ago when the family farm was flourishing.”
“Roads such as the one above are peaceful things. No traffic jams, almost no traffic, time to pull over and snap a photo without risking your life or endangering other motorists, room to turn around if you decide you want to go the other way…the road goes through things rather than around…”
Here’s a short a sweet one, simply captioned: “Old Country School in rural McLeod County“. I can almost smell the freshly cut grass…
In this post he documented his trip through Stanton, Iowa:
He wrote, “Stanton, Iowa’s claim to fame is that it is the hometown of actress Virginia Christine, best known to television viewers as “Mrs. Olsen” in classic commercials for Folgers. As such, the town has seen fit to honor it’s former inhabitant by making the town’s two water towers resemble a coffee pot and a cup on a saucer.”
Goodness, I had nearly forgotten about “Mrs. Olsen”!
Coconut cream pie, on the other hand, well…if you read yesterday’s post you know the last time I thought about that. 😉
Anywho- I just love the way those kinds of posts transport me. Here’s another one I love scrolling through. The author lives here in Alabama so it’s fun to know the things he blogs about are right here in our state.
He captures beautiful photographs of abandoned structures and writes just a bit about each. These are some of my favorite pics and passages:
“I’ve passed this small building on US 231 north of Troy many times but never had time to shoot it. You can make it out better in the winter, but in the summer it’s a building-shaped kudzu masterpiece.”
“The old drive-in north of Clanton. I can only imagine how popular this place was back in its day. Small town America is a great place to grow up but we all needed distractions. Movies were our window to the world. And I’m sure many a romance started with a date to the drive-in.”
“Believe it or not this is a motel. At least 12 rooms or more. I have no clue what its name was but Pineview seems appropriate. Just north of Camden at the intersection of AL 28 and AL 221, this motel seems very out of place now. Motels took advantage of busy highways to lure guests in. When looking at where this is on a map I have no clue why folks would have been going this way. It’s close to nothing.”
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In another post he wrote, “I think a lot while on the road. For the most part, I have little human contact but, this being Alabama and all, I’m never really alone. As I wandered through rural Cullman County I saw several people nod or wave going the other direction. It made me smile because we’re all friendly folk here and waving to the oncoming car is considered normal out in the sticks. Now the older gentleman up in Morgan County by the Tennessee River…he was not quite so friendly. I was standing by a fence shooting something when he rolled up. The first words out of his mouth were “Can I help you?”, but the look on his face was not one anxious to help me in any way. I debated asking him for a cheeseburger and fries, but decided that was not wise as he probably wouldn’t get my sense of humor. I explained what I was doing and that I was not trespassing. He eventually accepted, albeit begrudgingly, that I was not a Viking plunderer and left me alone. Later on I stopped at the Three Way Grocery in Asbury to get some Broasted chicken. The staff was friendly and the chicken was good. The potato wedges weren’t bad either. The fried okra was so-so, but they had Milo’s tea which was a plus.”
A plus indeed. 🙂
Well, those are my two things. Amazon dresses and…hmmm…wander blogs. (Hey, that might work!) My dream is to find one…uh, wander blogger (I’m going with it!) from each state. Wouldn’t that be fun?
Please leave me a comment if you know of any others. *Fingers crossed* you do!
Layla
*Amazon links are affiliates.
My friend Eryn writes more about raising her three young boys, but they moved to Colorado, and have some beautiful posts about their adventures: http://erynlynum.com/
I also love “Wander Blogs” and especially your decorating blog.
Check out onlyinyourstate.com
We just moved from Louisiana to Maryland and it had helped me found some really cool places to check out!
“Awesome Mitten” from Michigan is my go-to travel blog of our great state!
Hi Layla! How tall are you? I have a terrible time finding maxi dresses that don’t drag on the ground! Love the dress!!!
I have this exact dress. I’m only 5’4″ so it is long on me, I just tie the side in a knot and it’s perfect !!! Very comfy and it even has pockets (I’m a sucker for pockets)💛
Good Morning, Beautiful!! Maybe this is my calling…”wander blogging”!!! It sounds so peaceful. Have a great day! *big hugs* to all!
I love the forgotten Alabama blog. I grew up in Dothan, but when it was much smaller. It was so small, my Mom would know what I did last night (rolling yards), before I even got out of bed the next morning. Dothan had a lot of farmland back then, and I used to ride my horse through fields of cotton and soybean on my way to the quick mart for a “coke”.
Thanks for the memories Layla.
Wandering with Mary (lives in CA but currently in Uganda and fostering a local little girl).
I also LOvE Wonderoak which is not a “wandering” blog but I think you’d like her. She’s very real about the ups & downs of parenting and spouses. You should check both of them out!
I would love to read blogs of each state. I often hop in the car and wander, get lost for a while on back roads, and snap photos – mostly of barns that boggle the mind on how they still stand.
For a while, I read a blog on Australia travel, because I’ll never go there – too far! It was interesting to read, and I had no idea the country was about the size of the U.S.
Love your dress! I’ll have to check out Amazon for clothes!
Oh, Layla,
Check out grannysapronpocket.wordpress.com. Not wandering geographically, but wandering through the daily joys of life. Because “you never know what you’ll find in grannys apron pocket”.
It is a new blog written by the lady that gave you the sweet pea christmas ornament a year or so before Sonny came home.
What size did you order on the dress? 🙂
Small…but I’m returning it for the XS! 🙂
How tall re you? I’m only 5’1″ so I’m afraid it will be super long
Love the dress you chose! I suits you and looks fantastic and comfortable! I don’t have a blog but my husband and I have an instagram account called Lemonlandfreshrestyled We bought a brand new vintage style camper last year and just completed a month-long trip from delaware to Florida and took tons of photos along the way! Our IG feed is about home, gardening, vintage, antiques and everything in between. We plan to go out west for a month or two next year. My favorite saying is “all who wander are not lost”. I love hearing about folks travel adventures and many families and people are choosing the rv lifestyle for awhile.
My posts beautiful photos as he hikes in Illinois, plus meditations.
Check out http://tiwago.blogspot.com/
I’m not sure if you’d be interested in a “wander Instagram account,” but if so, check out @what_a_wonderful_whirled!
I teach eighth grade English in the metro Richmond, Virginia area. One of my students nominated me for an award last year; as a result, I was honored with a grant to take the trip of a lifetime. My family and I will be touring major cities in the US over the course of a month this summer. I’ll be navigating the contours of this country, fulfilling my wanderlust, and learning from real life. I’d love for you to join the journey!
Wow! Congratulations!
http://www.gardenstogables.com/ This site is about architecture and landscapes from the bluegrass and beyond. Much of what she shares is from Kentucky, but she does venture into other places also. She gives some historical perspective, shares pictures from the run down to the beautifully restored. She also has a facebook page.
Wow, maybe I should write a “wander blog”, this is something that my hubby and I enjoy during our “spare time”. We get in the car (or, on the “bike”), and just drive/ride until about dinnertime, then head home. We pack some snacks and maybe lunch, or sometimes we try a local establishment. It’s cheap entertainment and, when we stop to stretch and walk to look at something, much more healthy than sitting in front of a screen. We have some beautiful photos and memories.
I will check out some of the recommended sites. Thanks for this post!
That water tower in Stanton, Ohio that resembles a coffee pot is also a copy of a famous Swedish coffee pot. I cannot remember the name of the company that made them. I also love those “wander blogs.”
Here’s a link for a blog by the daughter of a friend of ours – they definitely have wanderlust. https://roamwildandfree.com/blog/
My niece has a fun blog about her wandertrips;). Not sure how to link😏
hannealexis.com
Yay! I’m so glad you posted the link! I love this dress.
I am a designer who travels often for business. Recently I was in Minnesota for several days and had more time than usual. Our client lived out in the rural area near a lake with the winding roads and fields all around. I loved the beauty of the area and fell in love with the landscape in those few short days… I took my time, visited small towns and spoke to the locals. Quite sure that the winters would be a bit challenging but the late spring air, simple living, hard working folks and the hope of a new year of crops was a bright spot and gave me pause to remember to slow down, wander a little and look for the truly beautiful things in life.
Check out this wander blog: http://newtozealand.com/page/3/
A young Alabama couple spending a year in New Zealand and sharing their adventures.
Gorgeous photos and interesting commentary make this a must read.
Ok….Clay is my son and Molly is his precious wife so I’m a bit biased…
Here’s one from Indiana:
http://littleindiana.com
I think “wander blogs” is a perfect description – and one I might start using! I’m a native Kentuckian and farmer’s daughter who happens to be obsessed with historic architecture (it’s my day job) and I blog in my spare time (which is becoming less and less with a 7-month old!). You can find my blog, Gardens to Gables, at http://www.gardenstogables.com, and also follow on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/gardenstogables/) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/gardenstogables/)
Your blog is an inspiration – I am working on a re-design of my “done by me” blog in hopes of making it something I can do more and more of…and maybe it can become my job! If you visit my site, I hope you see some photos or read something that transports you, or makes you want to visit Kentucky – we have lots of spots perfect for wandering and dreaming.