Mini Succulent Gardens + Cactus

So I got a fun, cheap little planter from a Rite Aid for the majority of my succulents, and stuck the others into the bird bath.  I'm thinking I'm going to move those bird bath suckers into a big matching planter of their own to take with me to college.  I'll want to get some native shallow-rooted plants for the bird bath so my parents don't have to do too much maintenance while I'm away at college!  I think I'll get a small matching planter for the cactus too so it'll be a cute little desert plant family!  I will post updated photos once I get those new planters and such.  Enjoy the photos!

The tall stalk from the planter.

A close-up on the succulents gathered in the new planter.

The whole thing, minus the top of the stalk!  My college roommate/best friend and I have named this planter Siam.

A pretty close-up on Siam.

The cactus.  The little bud opens up from time to time and the open flower used to be brighter.  I can't tell if it needs something or if it needs less of something or what!

The succulents in the bird bath.

The bird bath seems empty.  I want to move them into a new planter already.

The bird bath garden is a good idea, but I just don't think succulents outdoors in the Pacific Northwest is a good idea long-term.  I do want the bird bath to remain a mini-garden though!

Trek and Travel #2

This is a little late in posting.  But on my twentieth birthday (July 15), I went on a five-and-a-half mile hike on the Dungeness Spit to the Dungeness Lighthouse.  The morning started off foggy and cold, but the fog cleared off and then it got warm and windy!  I reconnected with a friend I used to take dance classes with, Katie.  So there are a few photos of her on here too!  When we finally got to the lighthouse, we took a few photos in front of the lighthouse, saw a group of seals in the water, and took a tour to the top of the lighthouse where we were looking over an ancient helic

Unable to see the ending destination ahead while walking on the Dungeness Spit - it was too foggy!

Horizon seemed closer due to the fog.

The view behind us.

We started walking on the sand that is normally underwater at high tide.  It was surprisingly firm to walk on!  I hope you like my leg sheen.

The fog rolling ahead of us with the wind.

The fog has cleared up at last!  Look at the distance we covered!

Katie is so pretty for taking candid photos!

As well as for posed photos!

The Dungness Lighthouse very nearby!

Funny signs.

We made it!

Found a smooth, pure white rock!

The heads of the seals popping up in the ocean!  So many!

Reading Review #2

So I finished up The Maze Runner by James Dashner, which is going to become a film at some point this year or next year.  I can't recall exactly.  But I am definitely the type of person who tries to read the book before watching the movie!

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

So I would categorize The Maze Runner as teen fiction, and I think kids as young as thirteen would like the plot.  It's about a guy who is randomly dropped into this sort of colony of 50-60-ish boys varying in age from 13-18, it seems.  He is brought into this colony through this pitch black elevator.  The thing is though, he wakes up in the middle of this long elevator ascent and is unable to remember anything before this moment of waking up, except for his first name, which is Thomas, and what things are.  He remembers names of common objects and such, but he has no recollection of personal memories.  As he is integrated into this colony, he realizes this colony has super high walls that encompass it, and outside these high walls is a giant maze.

You start to figure out that these guys are pretty darn smart and are able to run a functioning society.  Things get weird now that Thomas has arrived and a few days later, the elevator brings up a girl - the very first girl to the colony.  And then, things get even more crazy with this new and different event, and this is where I will stop my synopsis.

I really loved this book.  It's a page-turner, and it's stimulating in that it's partly mysterious with the puzzle-solving.  There are two more sequels to this book, and I definitely want to read them!  

Trek and Travel #1

When I was visiting my aunt and uncle in Bremerton, Washington, we went to a county dog park called Howe Farm County Park.  It's an expansive and beautiful piece of land, and I bet it is even prettier on sunnier summer days.  It has this old abandoned barn on the property, but it's fenced off so no one messes around with it or loses their dog within it.  The property contains two big fields, and then a fun little trail in the nearby woodsy area.
So here is the following photo dump:

If I owned a dog and lived in or near Port Orchard, Washington, I would definitely come out to this place often!  It was soothing even for me, and I am certainly no dog!

Reading Review #1

So I read a book about a month ago titled Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn.

It's about a married couple, where the wife goes missing from their Missouri home on their fifth year wedding anniversary.  The book starts off with that, and then you get a little history from the perspective of the husband, Nick.  The chapters alternate between Nick's perspective, and the wife Amy's perspective from her diary.

The plotline gets crazy as you read on, and I would love to talk about my favorite twists, but I don't want to spoil anything.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

If you're into mystery though, this is definitely a good read!  Just a note though: this is adult fiction.  My friend's thirteen-year-old sibling started asking about it, and I personally don't think some of the content is suitable for those under 16.  It's not graphic or super descriptive in inappropriate scenes, but I just wanted to give my own little disclaimer there!

What I've Got My Eyes On #1

So, I am definitely a shopaholic. 

I especially love online shopping and enduring the anticipation for packages in the mail!  So here are three things I am currently waiting on as of yesterday:

Grafea Timeless Classic leather briefcase in black.

Tobi Double Take Dress in navy

Tobi Transition Heels in black.

I have an ONA Brooklyn leather camera bag in Chestnut, but it isn't big enough to fit my laptop.  It is meant for a camera and lenses, after all.  While I do have a DSLR with a detachable lens that could fill this bag up, I have a more compact camera bag to store and carry it in.  I did take a look at ONA's messenger bags that are intended to fit laptops and such, but Grafea's leather briefcases (as they call them) were cheaper, does not charge tax after the initial price tag (tax is included in the price tag in the UK, where Grafea is located), and shipping is free for orders over $150.  Though, ONA offers free shipping for orders over $100.  Regardless, the Grafea leather briefcase works out better for me.  The particular one I ordered was on sale with $40 off the original price, fit my needs for my laptop, and qualified for free shipping.  It's also black, which goes with everything.  I went through a goth phase in high school, so I'm just naturally drawn to that color.
The navy Tobi dress I purchased specifically for two upcoming events: this leadership cruise that accepted my application for an invitation hosted by a Seattle public accounting firm at the end of the month, and for a friend's wedding next month.  Obviously, the wearing of the dress is not strictly to those two events.  I can wear it to more semi-formal events and dates and what-have-you.  And then the Tobi pumps I figured would go good with the dress since the cruise is being hosted by a big accounting firm.  It is also suitable for wearing to my job as a front desk receptionist, for interviews and job recruitment events, maybe more date nights, etc.  With it being black and closed-toe, I feel it's fashionably versatile.
Also, Tobi.com is doing this promotion right now where you can get 50% off your first order!  They also provide free shipping and returns, and they do not charge taxes either!  My order is expected to arrive within 3-5 business days on free shipping - that sounds pretty good to me!  And 50% off is such a good deal.  If I had more time, I would have waited until I didn't have other financial obligations and go on a huge spree on a payday.
I will most definitely post reviews after receiving and using these items!