Farmgirl in Flipflops

I've seen a lot of other photogs/bloggers doing this thing - collecting links/pictures/music that inspires them. So I decided to start, too! Here it is... an assortment of links to love that I've found over the last week. Keep a lookout for more of these in the future... though I'm not promising one EVERY Friday!! =) most of these amazing things were found via Pinterest.... love that place!

a bunch of amazing hair styles from the Beauty Department

I made these for the reception at my sis's piano recital and they were g-o-n-e by the time I got through the line.
chocolate pecan pie bars... 'nuff said.

d-i-y song lyric wall art. gonna do this for sure!

listen // when I look at you // Miley Cyrus
yes, yes, yes... I willingly admit my dislike of Miley Cyrus - but this song is just sooooooooo beautiful!!
it's a music video from some movie, apparently... I never read the book, never saw the movie, only like the song. =)

I'm really, really, really liking black and white "romance" photography (if you will). So much emotion!
via my pinterest love board

check out Leo Patrone Photography. love his stuff.

while we're on the subject of blogs... check out this tumblr!
To My Boisterous Heart (fearforcuriosity)

make music // Souvenir De Porto Rico by Louis Moreau Gottschalk // 12 page piano solo
or if you'd rather listen //
.

And lastly, some encouragement...

// source

much love!
Hannah

There’s a place where mornings are an endless blue

And you feel mother nature walk along with you,
Where simple people living side by side
Still wave to their neighbor when they’re drivin’ by.

George Strait // Heartland // from Pure Country (1992)

At 2:03 am, I rolled out of bed to Michael Buble's "Everything." I really dislike those obnoxious clangs and random beeps and... gahhhh. Anyone agrees, I'm sure, that Michael Buble is much nicer to wake up to. Mom and I hopped in the car and drove the hour and a half to the airport in the pre-dawn darkness. I still find it hard to believe that I was fully awake. (maybe I wasn't... quite)

It was still super early when we took off. Just a hint of pink in the east. I love this time of morning, but I must say that I hate getting up to see it! I'm not exactly a morning person... or a full-fledged "night person." I like to think of myself as an "anytime person" - I love being awake wherever the fun is! haha!

It wasn't exactly perfectly clear and beautiful weather for flying, but the sunrise on the clouds was gorrrrrgeous.

Tiny. Everything is so small from up there. Even me. =)

Seattle was typical... Seattle. Rainy, wet... but rather lovely, in its own way.

But we were finally in SUNNY Texas!!
It was only my second time in Texas - but I just want to say here and now that I looooooove that state. Seeing as I grew up in the Navy, I never really lived anywhere "inland" - especially not in the desert-type places. But something about Texas is just awesome. It's the perfect mix of Southern-western-country-summerness that is absolutely amazing.

And I got to see a lot of that gorgeous country on our two-hour drive from the airport to my brother's school!

I think it's time to stop and tell y'all why I was in Texas, haha! On Friday, my brother, Joe, graduated from the International ALERT Academy's Paramedic program!! If you don't know exactly what ALERT is, go and check out their website, since I'm not going to do the recruiting spiel here. =) But now he's a paramedic, and I couldn't be more proud of him!! But onto the pictures!

More and more driving... brought back grrrrrrreat memories from my childhood as a Navy brat!

And then I got bored and started taking pictures of myself.

But we finally got to his campus!! Unforrrrtunately, he was finishing up working an ambulance shift in a nearby town. But that left me plenty of time to go exploring!

The campus is enormous. Absolutely enormous. It's the perfect place for what ALERT does... a lake, a few thousand buildings (almost), a runway, open fields... and...

plenty of woods. Scraggly, piney, Texas woods.

The day after we arrived was his graduation ceremony.

My Daddy got to speak at the graduation ceremony, too. So both of "my guys" were up there. Pretty cool. =)

And he's DONE!! wellllll... almost. The paramedics actually have a few more weeks of training to do after everybody else has finished, so he's not quiiiite done.

I'm super proud of him. Apparently he can save people's lives now. Which is pretty darn fabulous.

And plus. He's a real ALERT man now. whhhhhhhhhhhoooooooo! Sorry. Excitable little sister over here.

It was also so much fun getting to meet his friends and seeing his favorite hangouts. Kinda like a trade from when he came to see me.

If you know anything about how ALERT works, you'll understand what I mean when I say that these are all the guys from Joe's unit - Unit 40. So these guys have known each other for... um... a long time. if you don't know anything about ALERT, it's okay. =)

Me and my amazing family. I love you guys!!

Then we hit the red dirt roads of Texas. yeeeee-hawww! =)

Okay, that sounds REALLY tacky.

On Saturday (the next day), we made our way to this magnificent little orchard/fruit stand on the side of a big highway. Pure Texas and pure awesome. I had a perfect reason to do this, ya know. Beeeeeecause, I was going to meet this fantabulous person...

Allix!! Yes, ladies and gentlemen. I was in Allix B's neck of the woods. And - thanks to Instagram - we got to meet up with each other. It was a pretty epic afternoon. Don't worry - there's one a-m-a-z-i-n-g blog post coming up. Soon.

And then there was more driving. On wide, wide, wide roads at high speeds with big, big, big Texan pickup trucks on every side. I could totally live with this.

Texas scenery. Nothing... really... compares.

And speaking of NOT comparing... Texas Roadhouse? My, my. They do know how to eat down here, don't they? And the sweet tea. Good heavens.

Beeeeeeeeeautiful sunset.

Good thing I don't live down here. I could take a milllllllion pictures of this stuff.

Ohhh, it's light to make my big photographer's heart sinnnnnnng!

Okay, okay, okay. I'm done making you other photogs jealous.

And, by the way... I did plenty of instagramming down there. Definitely one of my favorite things to do.

Saturday night, we sat around and talked. Played Monopoly and Pit. Let me tell you... Monopoly with six people is very interesting. And you run out of money preeety fast!!

And then, all of a sudden, it was our last morning. Our last lunch... (lemme tell you - Jersey Mike's is one grand sub place. super highly recommended, haha!) - and then we had to leave. \ That weekend FLEW by. It was way too short.

The familyhood of traveling iPhones? =) Yes, I'll admit it. We're an iPhone family. Got a problem with that? =)

And then it was goodbye, Texas. I wish I could stay for, like... ever?

But a Haagen-Dazs coffee-caramel milkshake. Now, that's enough to make anyone feel better. Almost. =)

Wow, what a tremendous weekend!! (I've decided that I say awesome WAYYYYY too much. I'll start substituting more interesting adjectives, I promise) But it WAS a tremendous weekend. Filled to the brim with memories of spending time with my brother and mom and dad - windows down, Texas roads, sweet tea, hot afternoons, getting dressed up to watch him graduate, meeting Allix, sunshine, Southern manners, seeing Joe's friends, playing volleyball.
And one more thing.
I love Texas. Did I mention that? =)
much love!Hannah

Friday, June 1, 2012

Friday Finds // Links to Love

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Miles and Miles of Texas // Globetrotting

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Summmmmer // Two