Peaches & Cream

I just sat down and had a delicious vermicelli rice noodle salad, complete with tofu and about a pound of sriracha. It's funny to think back to sriracha being spicy for me. I eat it like ketchup now. Ridiculous, but I think my worth as a woman is tied up in my ability to eat spicy food. It's something I'm proud of. My friend Francesca's mom told me last night that she can't handle eating chilis anymore. She said that when she was a teenager her mom would make a pork chili verde dish and one time she made it so spicy that it burnt a hole in the tupperware and did something similar to her esophagus. I hope I  never reach a point where my body says no but my mouth says yaaaas. Peaches and cream may not be a very fitting title for this post after all :). 

hoping you're happy, 

Mariamma

Slip of the Tongue

slip - thrifted | shirt - thrifted | shoes - kensie

Styled and shot by my fave: Olivia Bwalya

This week someone said to me that people in our lives are either blessings or lessons - and something in me hesitated when I heard it. I didn't understand why it didn't sit quite right with me until today, and the reason is that I feel that lessons are blessings as well. They suck a little harder than straight blessings, don't get me wrong, but they are something to be grateful for just the same. This summer has been transformative and growth is never easy. I am so looking forward to getting a second to catch my breath from all the obstacle hurtling. But you never know with life. I won't assume it'll let up anytime soon. I'll just enjoy the blessings as they come and do my best to listen to the omens.

<3 

Mariamma

Time

Time is beautiful, 

A figment of our imagination or not, 

It passes as it wishes, 

Fast then slow, through your wading fingertips

A burst of movement 

Right before a slow crawl

 

Time heals and that is beautiful, 

Slowly painting layers over once raw wounds

She lays glistening medicinal sap along your back

And your scrape is transformed 

You catch a glimpse of yourself - over your shoulder

Perhaps when you throw some salt over the left side

And it is gone, fresh skin, glowing and hopeful

Stronger too

Has taken its place in the destiny of your freckled skin

Mapped out before birth,

Each hiccup of melanin planned and carefully placed

By the decisive hand of The Universe

 

Time will tell where the map will take you, 

Which sun rays will have their way with you,

Where the wounds will be inflicted and how they'll heal 

But they will heal, 

Because time is beautiful and she is on your side

At your side

Fingers intertwined 

She has your back

And a forest full of tree sap

Vancouver, WA

Shorts - Vintage | Top - F21 | Choker - Hot Topic

These were taken in my friend Sperry's backyard in Vancouver. I drove down with her and her fiancé and spent a few days with them and with family in neighboring Portland before flying back to Southern California. I got to see my baby cousins, two of which had just been born the month before and I got to go vintage shopping with a friend. Portland has some very cool little spots for that sort of thing. I'm so glad I got the opportunity to see family and friends. Visiting people really is one of my favorite hobbies.

Happy Monday 

Mariamma

Fourth of July

This is a very late post at this point but I just haven't had a ton of down time to make it happen! This summer has been absolutely amazing so far. Every day has involved sunshine, friends, exploring or some combo of those three. I feel truly blessed. These photos were taken July 4th weekend at my friend Sperry's cabin on Crystal Lake. I grew up going to the lake with her during the summer but it had been quite a while since the last time I was there. All her cousins came up from Spokane as well and brought friends so we had quite a posse. The weekend involved lots of water sports (I got up on my first time wake surfing!), floating and talking for hours in Green Cove, long walks through the woods (almost got lost one time), making smores, and setting off fireworks off the dock. Classic. 

much love 

Mariamma

Missoula

A little tour of my hometown <3

Horseback Riding

If you knew me as a kid at all, you know my love of horses. I still have a chunk of money saved in bank in Missoula for my "future horse." Someday ... My cousin's friend George offered to take me riding as a late birthday present and it was hands down the best gift. I got to ride a Strawberry Roan that was as sweet as he was large. We drove out into the cut above Arlee for a good hour, drank some Summer Shandy's and went on a 6 hour ride! It was so beautiful and exhilarating. There really is nothing better than a gallop up a mountain. 

love 

Mariamma

Glow Baby

This shirt was one of my steals from Carlos One Night Stand, one of my favorite vintage stores ever located in the Hip Strip in Missoula. I got the pants recently as well from TJ Maxx. A special thanks to the pond, the setting sun, and little Hazel for making these photos possible ;). 

sloppy smooch

Mariamma

Run Wild

My cousin April is training for a half marathon next month and I've been tagging along on her runs. Usually I run alongside her with the stroller and my nephew, which adds a little extra exercise, but today his dad took him so I got to do the whole run hands free! It felt so good! We cut through a field with a gorgeous pond and wildflowers everywhere. There's nothing quite like this fresh mountain air! 

Daisy Dream

Hello!! I am sitting in candle/lamplight (my fave) in a lovely room in Missoula at the moment. I have a few friends that I want to see here in town so I snuck off the Reservation and am staying with a family friend. Her house is a short walk from downtown - all along the river I might add - so I am very happy with the location. Last night I met my friend Riley for drinks. We've known each other since 2nd grade because our brothers became best friends. It was so nice to catch up and hear about his family's amazing three week canoeing trip through Alaska! Montanans really are special humans - respectfully unafraid of weather and always exploring. Today was my first full day here. I drank coffee and visited with my lovely host, Sarah, in the morning and then walked downtown where I discovered some new shops and a Brazilian restaurant! I had it for lunch and dinner thanks to my leftovers! I also visited my favorite vintage shop and got a couple goodies that I will share later. After lunch I walked home to get a ride with Sarah to an African dance class on the other side of town. It was SO much fun. The lead drummer moved here recently from Guinea so the music for class was awesome. There are apparently a couple Congolese refugee families in Missoula and three siblings, a boy and his two little sisters, danced in the front line the entire class. It was a lovely start to my evening. I came home and showered and then walked 45 minutes to Western Cider to meet my friend Marion who is a manager there. We talked for a few hours, catching up on two years isn't quick, but it sure is fun. I really love old friends. We all grow and change so much and it's comforting to do it together. Home is awesome. Summer is great. Life is fucking superb. 

x 

Mariamma

Kite Runner

These photos were taken on my first day back in Montana. I got to Charlo at midnight the night before and woke up to help my cousin and her family pack up their house and move ... down the road! They rent their house out every summer to the fire service (two pilots are staying there now) and my cousin is conveniently house sitting for a couple that lives on the closest property while they bike through Europe for two months. Luckily we traded one cute house with an awesome location for another! This was a nice pause in the day where I took the kids outside for a break from packing and cleaning to run around in the sunshine with a brand new parrot kite. 

xoxo 

Mariamma

Upper Park

Here is a little flashback to a day in the sun and water with my friend Acacia and her puppy. Upper Park is the upper half of Bidwell Park that runs through Chico and up into the hills. It frames a creek that travels through town. Lower Park is lush and green with a tight-knit canopy that keeps the vines and moss green below. Upper Park on the other hand has dry, rustling blonde grass and a canyon of lava rocks where the creek runs through. The water was still pretty cold - it warms up in July - but we managed to swim upstream a bit and have a little picnic and sunbath on a little rock ledge. I've taken so many photos this month that it's hard to find time to upload them all! I love this 'problem'!

<3 

Mariamma

Spokane

If you've been following along on this month's adventures on my Instagram you know that I am currently in Montana and Spokane was a nice little pit-stop along the way! I flew stand-by with Southwest Airlines and the closest I could get to Montana was Spokane. It just so happens to be where Braxton and Alex live, two guys I met in Vegas a few weeks back. Braxton was kind enough to show me around Spokane on Saturday and introduce me to a few of his friends. The Spokane River was a definite highlight with a drawstring bridge that swayed as you walked across it.

I'm currently in Charlo, Montana staying at my cousin April's house which is right up against the majestic Mission Mountains. This range has snow on the tops year-round and makes for an insanely beautiful backdrop to ... life! I feel immensely grateful to be here. I daydream about coming home to Montana all year long and I haven't been back for two years. Hanging out with my family, watching the deer make their way across the fields, and picking strawberries from the garden - it's been a dream! Photos to come!

xoxo

Mariamma 

Thursday Night Market

There are quite a few things that make Chico summer so wonderful, and Thursday Night Market is surely one. Every Thursday evening a few streets downtown are blocked off to make way for the throngs of people who come to shop at the booths and stands along the sides. There is anything from produce to clothes, to homemade soaps and food trucks. The city plaza is at the end of the street and there you can find a fountain that keeps kids cool and entertained while different community performances take place on an adjacent stage. This week there were hula dancers! I went with my mom this past week and we strolled around, watched the dancers and my friend Jesse who was singing and playing guitar in-between a couple booths. It was a lovely little evening that ended in getting a little saucy with my mom at a jazz bar afterwards. My mom is the cutest. 

<3 

Mariamma

Creek Catch-Up

When I first pulled into my mom's driveway a week ago I was greeted by Aisha, a girl I used to babysit when I was in high school. My mom was giving her mom a massage and she was waiting patiently in the living room. It was a lovely welcome home to get to catch up with her and hear all about her soccer stardom, graduating from 8th grade, and playing violin. When she asked me if I'd be willing to give her a photography lesson I was very flattered (with the little that I know). So, this week I met her after school and we trekked into Lower Park with a camera and some iced tea.  It was mostly us talking and sharing funny junior high stories ... there are so many to choose from. Here are some of the photos she took of me after a bit of a "lesson." The ones I took of her have been added to the Portfolio tab above.

x 

Mariamma