these southern summers!

summer in the south! there is nothing quite so wonderful… or so hot. 🙂 but truly, while so many people are planning out their summer vacations, this is actually my very favorite time of year to stay right here! and by right here, of course, i mostly mean in order to take advantage of life at the farm as often as i possibly can. farm sweet farmhome! but i really think nashville is just darn great all around in the summertime!!

soooo, as my summer lovin’ dreams would have it, a few of my very favorite pasttimes took place on one simple saturday this past weekend! …which looked a little something like this: quality pool floating. wild blackberry picking. and then post dinner sunset strolling! oooh, so good for the soul, these  long summer days!to make it even better, my sis showed up to play that afternoon, even though i thought she had other plans… and that made me happy! plus, waaay too often when she’s around i hand her my camera because her captures of our every day life are always some of my very favorites. and i knooow i’m a broken record, okay!! but give me a pretty day, the most simple attire, and my best people and i’m happy. top it with wild blackberries, and i’m ecstatic! …ecstatic over berries, that’s crazy, right? maybe i should have higher standards for my thrills! i’ll go buy a new designer bag later or something. 😉 [just kidding, BABE!]

i love picking berries with maddalena year after year after year. and this time mr. rocco man came along! as did steven!! yay! rocco didn’t love them so much, but the golf cart ride is always a hit. 🙂

oh man, he is trouble, but i love him always! it seeeems he’s made a little habit of somewhat aggressively tickling me for photos, and i am starting to suspect, actually, that the attack on my ribs makes him smile… 😉

that mini girl of mine! i melt over her a million times a day and i just can’t help it. and that little dress i got for her for last summer has now been stained and had holes patched [thanks, mom!], but it remains her favorite play dress!

holding her little hand is forever the very best thing. also, my sister did her “elsa braid” that day and it was so absolutely perfect! can i have your hair please, maddo? ha, she is so tired of me saying that. 😉

wide open fields and little, tiny legs are just meant to be together! see also, open fields and summer beverages. 🙂

oh, and see aaalso, fields and yoga! christina [or chrissy, as m calls her!] and her flexibility are really boggling my mind these days! note to self: step it UP and get back to the yoga vids already. for the record… i can and i did do a backbend from standing… for the first time since dedicating my entire midsection to two small humans. my back might be feeling a little stiff this week!

i am SO LUCKY to have them as my own beautiful ladies! i wish my mom was in these, but she took the photos. so thanks, mom! for the photos. and the birth. and the siblings. all that, really.

and then! look who drove papa down for field hangs after waking from his nap! well, not papa’s nap. the little man’s nap. 🙂

…oh, summer, please say you’ll never leave!!! and yes, i’ve definitely been killing some blackberry cobbler the past couple of days. although, i’m experimenting with healthy cobbler! so… totally necessary [delicious] r&d, if you will! 😉

ps. wearing!! me: linen high-low dress c/o garnet hill. this dress. ahhhh. it has *pockets* and apparently the linen came from handpicked flax in the fields of france. soooo, that’s only slightly dreamy. i am so thankful to have a relationship with garnet hill as part of their “inner circle,” because they are truly such a top-notch company! i wouldn’t say that if i didn’t really mean it. and while we’re at it, they actually carry a few colors in my sandals, too! the ones i have are actually a little shimmery-er. obviously, i’m still obsessed. // maddalena: her well-worn play dress was [thankfully!] purchased via thredup! and saltwater sandals.