Part Two: Nature Emily Dickinson Of Bronze—and Blaze— The North—Tonight— So adequate—it forms— So preconcerted with itself— So distant—to alarms— And Unconcern so sovereign To Universe, or me— Infects my simple spirit With Taints of Majesty— Till I take vaster attitudes— And strut upon my stem— Disdaining Men, and Oxygen, For Arrogance of them— My Splendors, are Menagerie— But their Competeless Show Will entertain the Centuries When I, am long ago, An Island in dishonored Grass— Whom none but Daisies, know.

Two weekends ago, Ryan and I spent our Saturday exploring Pasadena, as we have so many times before, but this time we did something new and bought tickets for the Norton Simon Museum. We love art museums -- really any type of museum -- so I'm not sure why we have never been here! It's so close to the main downtown shopping area, off Colorado Blvd., and there is a free parking lot that is super easy to access. The grounds are beautiful, and they have a great collection of art! 

I knew that they had several pieces by Monet on display, and I was so excited to see them up close as I have admired his brushwork for years. The painting above is of Monet's personal garden in Giverny, France. 

The piece above is from a series of murals by Sam Francis that were completed in the late 1950's. Francis sustained a major injury during his army training in WWII, and so due to his immobility from his injury and being bedridden for several years, he took to painting. He was inspired by abstraction, light, color, the California landscape, Monet's waterlilies, and Pierre Bonnard. 

These two pieces are part of the Degas' collection at Norton Simon. I was so excited to see these pieces in person as well, and I was in luck, as there are over 100 pieces of his on display at the museum! Degas' work is delicate, feminine, so beautiful. His focus on the human spirit and the psychological elements are so apparent. You definitely won't be disappointed! 

The hardest part of this whole process so far has been brainstorming and deciding on a name to brand my art and vintage shop. I wanted something simple, yet evocative of strong feelings and emotions. I didn't want to merely use my own name, as I like the idea of creating an atmosphere and using the blog/shop name as the pervading tone. Love of Pine was one of my husband's suggestions, and it just seemed like the perfect fit since our kitty's name is Pine, as well as the forest being one of my favorite places to escape to.

Ryan and I adopted Pine ("Precious", before we changed it) a month after we were married and just two months after Pine was born. She is the first pet that I have ever owned personally and has captured my heart entirely. Pine is playful yet nervous, fiercely independent until she wants her head rubbed and her cheeks scratched, loves her window perch, does not like being picked up and cradled (although I can't help it sometimes), gets so excited for treat time and will do tricks to earn them, and enjoys her daily routine immensely. I love her so much and truly think of her as my little furry baby (like the true cat lady that lives inside me). Pine represents firsts with my husband, firsts in my own life, and the incredible journey that we have been on since taking those first steps to adopt her. I hope this business will also represent a positive first step in my personal and professional growth.

Other than my kitty, Pine, the more literal sense of the word - pine - also applies. Ryan and I honeymooned in Washington and Oregon amidst the pine trees. We celebrated our one year anniversary by taking the train from our home in Southern California to Seattle and then took a bus into Vancouver, British Colombia. We explored the Olympic National Forest with it's jaw-dropping views and larger-than-life trees. In Canada, we traveled far outside the city center to Chilliwack Lake and camped for a few days to fully take in what nature had to offer us. This trip remains one of my most favorite memories in my entire life --as we were able to hike and swim and talk and pray with no distractions, no technology. It was just us and the trees.

These are the feelings, emotions, memories that I want to evoke through Love of Pine. Not just for myself, but I hope anyone who visits my blog/shop can think back to simpler times, joyful moments in their own lives.

I am so excited to be collecting these pieces in preparation for the Love of Pine shop that will be launching next month right in time for the holidays. I only purchase vintage pieces in excellent pre-loved condition that I would wear myself. 

1960s - 1980s 

suede, wool, cotton, chiffon 

plaid, floral, paisley, fun details on each piece 

"After luncheon I made haste to high ground, and from the top of the ridge on the west side of Indian Cañon gained the noblest view of the summit peaks I have ever yet enjoyed. Nearly all the upper basin of the Merced was displayed, with its sublime domes and cañons, dark upsweeping forests, and glorious array of white peaks deep in the sky, every feature glowing, radiating beauty that pours into our flesh and bones like heat rays from fire. Sunshine over all; no breath of wind to stir the brooding calm. Never before had I seen so glorious a landscape, so boundless an affluence of sublime mountain beauty. The most extravagant description I might give of this view to any one who has not seen similar landscapes with his own eyes would not so much as hint its grandeur and the spiritual glow that covered it."  

"My First Summer in the Sierra" Chapter 5 

image source

 Images reproduced from photographs by Herbert W. Gleason and shown in John Muir's "My First Summer in the Sierra" (1911). 

“And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul”

circa 1960 from the U.S. Journal of Forestry