The Enchanted Forest: A Modern Fable
Remember the enchanted forest from Watkins Glen? The dew on the grass and the morning mist? Twittering bluebirds and frolicking chipmunks?
Uhm.
It was really more of a dry gravel basin. But…we tried to make the best of it…and found some pretty light and some framing leaves.
Sometimes you have to be ready (and willing) to veer from the original plan.
Like this dress. I’ve had it for years…and have been waiting to shoot it in a particular wild grass meadow that is not close to home, that at a certain time of year has the late afternoon sun shining just right across the grassy seedheads, making it look like the field is on fiyuh! And that time of year is the COLD time of year. And I wanted my hair to be long and flowy. Needless to say, that has not happened.
I waited a lonnggg time for all those planets to line up in a row.
I finally realized that sometimes “done is better than good.” So I brought the dress upstate knowing there was a creek on the property where we were staying and I could be photographed wading in the swirling water in the dress…as whistful, whimsical boho hippies (such as myself) often do. And when we found out the creek bed was dry…but that there was a magical meadow to be found instead…and then when we found that the magical meadow was really a gravel and dirt gulch bordered with poison ivy…
Sometimes Done is Better Than Good. Sometimes Done is Better Than Good. Sometimes Done is Better Than Good. That was my mantra as I stepped gingerly on sharp stones and twigs.
BUT…it’s DONE. It’s been shot now so I can release it into the world. This was never really going to be a “wearing” dress for me. I bought it a million years ago at Macy’s Backstage. It was originally over $1oo and it was marked down to like $4.97. And I envisioned it in the fiery grassy meadow in my mind’s eye and it was going to be perfect.
But it’s done. And sometimes done is better than good.
Thanks to She Who Shall Remain Nameless for the pictures!
What I’m Wearing
- Wine Embroidered Rayon Boho Dress by True Destiny, 3x, old
- NOT the taupe over-the-knee suede fringed boots I saw in my mind’s eye as going perfectly with this dress.
laurie E
I love the dress. Please wear it again 🙂 Still a beautiful backdrop for your pics. Nature does its own thing, just gotta go with the flow.
bettyewp
“Nature does its own thing, just gotta go with the flow.” True dat.
Cheryl
The colour and style of your dress are beautiful on you. I really like the forest setting for your photos.
bettyewp
Thanks, Cheryl. I do love shooting out in nature, but that doesn’t seem the right setting for *most* of my clothes.
Omaye
“Done is better than good”. Words I will continuously live by. I love the dress and I want to steal those earrings.
I love the way you write. It flows so well and I never realises that I’ve finished reading the post. It’s like you’re talking to me directly.
Have a great week!
https://ooomaye.com
bettyewp
I’ve loved those earrings long time! And they’re just cheapies from maurices.com 🙂
Melissa
Haha! Indeed, sometimes done is better than good! I find ‘done’ is often real life much more often than ‘good’ ever could be. Maybe that’s me though?! Anyway, GREAT story and pics as usual. I LOVE the dress (so my style!) and the color looks great on you. You might consider adding more pieces in that wine/burgundy color to your wardrobe?
Moving day, if I survive, will be the first week of October. I told my husband I am NEVER moving again after this! Haha Buying/selling property definitely earns its way into ‘the top ten life stressors’ category. Never. Again. I’ve come to the conclusion that everyone else must be much better at adulting than I ever could be when it comes to all this… haha
Thanks for asking. 😁
julia
Oh lord I needed that laugh! Oh, so funny! The dress is pretty though and look at those bare feet. Thanks for that!
jodie filogomo
I’m SO glad you went forward with it, because if it’s one thing I learned…there is no perfect. See, the thing is you have such a creative mind. So you envision that perfect. Me? Not so much. I’m a just have fun with it girl.
SO I’m with Laurie…wear that dress again. The color is so wonderful on you!!
XOOX
Jodie
bettyewp
I do get very tied to the visuals in my mind’s eye…once I feel there is a BEST way to do something, I’m reluctant to do something else. As evidenced by this dress, I’ve waited YEARS for the right moment. Thought I finally had it with the wadey stream (cuz NO ONE was going out with me into the frosty fiery meadow to photograph me in the dress), but…by that point I was just like SHOOT THE DAMN DRESS!!!
Linda Root
Say YES to the dress! The color & style looks so nice on you.
bettyewp
Thanks, Linda. I was having a wine year that year. I had this dress and a couple cardigans, and another dress, all in this winey color. It has now all been banished, ha.
Jaynn
HELL YES! To the dress, to the idea that Sometimes Done Is Better Than Good, to the awesome setting, to more fucking birthday cake! 😉
If you hadn’t told us about this setting not being what you envisioned, we’d never know and we’d love it just the same! I too, like the dress on you – get those damn boots and wear the hell of of that outfit. With a long sweater over top, maybe even a scarf (I hear it’s cold where you live) – perfect for fall!
bettyewp
I think there does need to be more birthday cake. I have one more friend I haven’t gone out with yet, so…maybe then 🙂
Rhonda
LOVE THE DRESS!! I hope to see it with those taupe boots—fringe, or not!
bettyewp
Thanks, it IS lovely. And I suspect suede taupe fringed boots in MY size…are just a figment of my imagination 🙂
Rita
You should wear that dress again and more often Bettye. It is gorgeous and you look wonderful in it!
bettyewp
Thank you, Rita. It just doesn’t feel quite right on me. I love IT…just not me IN it, if that makes sense. It’s been hanging in my closet for 4 years or more. I’ve had every opportunity to wear it, but I haven’t. Better to let it go out into the world to be found by someone who WILL wear it!
Julia
Beautiful dress and a beautiful lady wearing it!!!
Good call on turning back half way in Watkins Glen. The second half is much, much steeper in many places. We visited a couple of years ago, and it was shoulder to shoulder, not at all like in your photos. If you wanted to get a “pristine” picture, you had to twist your body in creative ways so that others around you would not end up in the frame… and then hear semi-polite requests to move along as the line behind you would be stopped.
I don’t know if this is available now, but when we visited, there was a shuttle bus that ran from the top of the Glen back to the parking lot by the main entrance. The smart thing to do would have been to take the bus to the top and then climb/walk down. I wish we knew about it ahead of time, but we did ride the bus back down rather than walk.
bettyewp
Julia, welcome! I think a couple things contributed to the non-crowded conditions when we went to Watkins Glen: covid, weekday, covid, early morning, covid. Ha. I’ve seen the pictures where the trails are just jam-packed with people! And the shuttle still exists, it’s just not currently running (covid). That had been the plan, to start at the top and work our way down, then shuttle back up. That was part of the shock when we got there and realized NO SHUTTLE. The very top of the trail (I don’t know how far down) is also currently closed. I don’t know if that’s covid or something else. We did drive to the top when we were all done and thought we’d walk down a LITTLE ways (gluttons for punishment) and then come back…but found the gates locked.
So glad you stopped by, hope to see you again!
Iris
The dress is pretty, and you were very brave walking on the gravel barefoot. I have (had) a top with those kinds of sleeves. It was pretty, but the sleeves drove me crazy – so it’s gone the way of the donate bin.
I’m glad you went ahead with your pictures. Your photographer did a great job.
Grace & Peace,Iris
http://www.IrisOriginalsRamblings.com
bettyewp
Yeah, the sleeves ARE pretty and a pain in the butt! Another reason why it’s not a “real life” dress. It was just fun to play in but now I need to find something I can actually WEAR 😉
Marian
Maybe it’s time to another “wine year”. You look SO GOOD in that dress!
Your photos show a happy lady, feeling very free and playful, enjoying time in the woods. This is why it’s so nice to read your posts and see your pictures. I was in smoke-choked California, but for 15 minutes, I was in the woods with you, feeling free and happy too. It was really 5 minutes each time. I came back to it and scrolled through a second and third time.
bettyewp
Oh gosh, those California fires 🙁 I thought last year’s were bad and I read somewhere the other day that these are 20 times worse (or 20 x as large?) than last year! Are you in a safe area? I’ve just been reading the most horrible stories 🙁 I hope it’s under control soon! xoxo
Marian
We are relatively sort of safe, although no one is completely. We live in the center of town, in Santa Rosa, not surrounded by trees, so there is much less imminent danger. We all get alerts to evacuate neighborhoods well in advance of real danger. But we do have forests in the outer parts of Santa Rosa, within a couple of miles. Last year almost all of Santa Rosa was evacuated, including us. This year, an enormous fire got 5 miles away and then it was contained.
But throughout fire season, all you need is one fire in a park in town….which happens often enough in addition to whatever makes national news. An alert pops up on your phone, you get ready to evacuate, then they contain it quickly (so far). The air has been exactly what you see on TV. We are indoors 24/7.
bettyewp
Oh jeez. Glad to hear you’re safe, even if only “relatively.” I looked at a fire map and it seemed like they were EVERYWHERE.
Fire is not something to mess with. I hear reports of hurricane, tornado, flooding, blizzard, etc., I’m staying in my house. But FIRE?? Me and Janey are OUTTA HERE.
Hope they’re contained soon!