Kennedy Tailing Wheel #4

Despite taking AP History my junior year of high school, I’ve always found the subject dull. Unless we’re talking gold rush history. Maybe it’s the gold. Maybe it’s the rugged scenery. Maybe it’s the drama. I have a growing obsession with ghost towns, mines, and the artifacts of the gold rush.

I visit Jackson, home of the famous Kennedy Mine, every few weeks. Beefy and I have toured the historic downtown, including a peek at the interior of the National Hotel, but today was the first time I managed to also view some of the town’s mining history. I indulged my curiosity with a visit to Kennedy Tailing Wheels Park. Next up: a mine tour!


Jacket, Bebe (consignment). Skirt, Hauber Sporting Life (thrifted). Tights, Apt 9. Shoes, Eileen Fisher (consignment). Sunglasses, Target. Necklace, Stella & Dot. Bag, thrifted.

Sporty Sunday: Hiking Deer Creek

Most of the Sierra Nevada hikes are snowed in until at least May, but there are a handful of trails (really in the foothills), that are open year-round. I plan to hike every single one.

Deer Creek in is Lassen National Forest, 40 miles from Chico. It was over a 2 hour drive from Sacramento, so we left at 5:30 a.m. (I like to hike early and hike first.)

I listened to Outlander on the long drive, so I had Scotland on the brain and this hike certainly brings that country to mind. It was all moss, striking rock formations, and Ericaceae. The main attraction is Deer Creek and the trail mostly stays within the sound and spray of the water. All in all, it was a very pleasant ramble from the trailhead to Lower Deer Creek Falls, at 1.6 miles from Hwy 32.



After the falls, the trail climbs higher up the canyon wall and is fairly dull and dry until the trail’s “end” at 2.3 miles, next to the creek, again. Lured by the description of a bridge over Deer Creek, we continued past the endpoint (on a fire road and then a footpath) and rediscovered the mossy magic along the water’s edge. The trail emptied onto a paved road (FR 27N08), which crosses the creek, as promised. The bridge made a nice turn-around point and even offered a view up (and down) the canyon.

Source: Soares, John R. and Soares, Marc J. "Deer Creek." 100 Classic Hikes in Northern California. 3rd ed. Seattle: The Mountaineers Books, 2008. Print.

Length: 6-ish miles (4.6 miles if hiked as described in guidebook)

Water: Deer Creek and tributaries.

Use: Very light. On our way out, we passed one man and a dog. And saw another man and his dog arrive at the parking area as we were leaving. This trail seems to be popular with single hikers and their canine companions!

Differences from published description: None.

Jasper’s rating: 4 paws out of 5. He would have liked it to have been longer or steeper.

Sporty Sunday is a recurring feature in which I share my fitness routine and offer and solicit advice. While this content might seem a little out of place in an outfit diary, a healthy, strong body is the foundation of my wardrobe. I hope to inspire my readers to be fit as well as stylish!

P.S. Do you see the doggie in the first photo?

Five Years Apart

Beefy is a younger man. Younger by five years. Well, not quite five years, so now that he’s had his birthday, he’s only four years younger than I am until November.


Shirt, Levi’s (thrifted). Sweater, Joseph A (thrifted). Dress, Jam’s World (thrifted). Leggings, We Love Colors. Boots, Ariat. Sunglasses, Target. Bag, Nine West.

For his birthday, we went birding (like last year). We started with waterfowl at Cosumnes River Preserve and then drove to Vic Fazio Yolo Wildlife Area where we saw a great horned owl. Definitely good birthday luck!



What I wore on Beefy’s past birthdays:

Class of 2011

I presume this mural was painted to commemorate Rio Americano’s class of 2011. It is a view of the school from the other side of the American River. The sun sets in the background as the mascot, a raider, looks on. The greenery in the foreground of the mural is created from handprints.


Jacket, INC (consignment). Shirt, Levi’s (thrifted). Tunic, Wet Seal (thrifted). Leggings, Amour. Socks, Sock Dreams. Boots, Vince Camuto. Sunglasses, Target. Necklace, thrifted. Bag, Nine West.

Kitschy

I couldn’t resist wearing hearts and a little pink on Valentine’s Day. It was kitschy, but delighted my customers.


Sweater, Forever 21. Dress, Prabal Gurung for Target. Boots, Lauren Ralph Lauren. Sunglasses and necklace, Target. Bag, loungefly.

Basic Black Boots

More footwear success! I found a replacement for my black pleather boots (by Rampage). I didn’t spend half a grand on Stuart Weitzman’s Highline. Instead, I bought a pair of super sale Lauren Ralph Lauren boots from Macy’s and applied a $50 gift card.


Dresses, Diane von Furstenberg (consignment) under a NY & Co dress (shortened). Tights, We Love Colors. Boots, Lauren Ralph Lauren. Sunglasses, Target. Scarf, consignment. Bag, Nicole Lee.

It took me a long time to find a black leather (not suede) boot with a tall, slim heel, almond or pointed toe, and tall shaft. I didn’t find any over-the-knee boots that worked. This pair is as tall as could be (17.5” shaft) while still allowing me to comfortably bend at the knee. I also liked that this pair had an ankle strap to cinch in the leather for a custom fit.

New pair (looking a bit brown here, but really black) and old pair:

Turqual

I finally found a pair of orangey-red shoes to make more of my turquoise and coral dreams come true. (Possibly my favorite color pairing ever!)


Sweater, thrifted. Dress, Banana Republic (consignment). Shoes, BCBGeneration. Scarf, Canvas Boutique. Necklace, vintage. Bag, Nicole Lee.

Bookend

Today, a stranger observed that my hair matched my boots. I knew there was a reason I was attracted to these cognac boots. I suppose I was unintentionally applying Angie’s principle of bookending (matching one’s footwear to hair color).


Jacket, Christian Dior (gift and altered). Dress, Parker. Leggings, We Love Colors. Boots, Audrey Brooke (consignment). Sunglasses, Target. Necklace, thrifted. Bag, Canvas Boutique.