Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Weekend Wildlife Sightings (Plus a Cute Kitty Picture or Two)

As many of you already know, I’m a big animal lover. Cats will always hold the ultimate special place in my heart, but I also love dogs, rabbits and wildlife of all kinds. So, you can imagine my excitement when we moved last fall to a neighborhood where we get to see beavers, bats, foxes, deer, groundhogs, bald eagles, geese, ducks and more all while out taking even the simplest of nature walks throughout the community.

And, while many of you may have been grilling or hitting the sand this past Memorial Day weekend, my husband and I also had a great time further exploring our area while attempting to snap pictures and film a video or two. So far, none of the images we've shot have turned out all that awesome, but we're hoping that if we keep heading out there a few times a week, we'll soon get some that are. And if sightings like these don't convince me to stick with my workout routine this summer, I don't know what will!



Isn't this shrub-munching beaver cute? We've seen a family of four so far!


A goose and her gosling, who's hiding in the weeds.


Deer sighting from across the pond.




Not exactly wildlife, but super cute just the same. They even took a break from sunning to get me a Mother's Day card a couple weeks ago. The inside says, "As far as cats go, I AM the best." And in my eyes, yup, they are. :)

Do you love nature walks and wildlife, too? What are some of your favorite animals to spot? 

Thursday, May 15, 2014

Now a Freelance Contributor at Brit + Co.

Hey guys! I took an unexpected week off from blogging here at High Heels & Flip-Flops, but I promise it was for a good reason!

As I hinted at a few weeks back, I was recently selected for a new freelance writing gig, and today, I’m excited to share that I’ve joined the team at Brit + Co. as a weekly contributor. My first post, Beyond White: 15 Ombre Wedding Gowns, went live a few days ago, and I’m so grateful to all of you who already took the time to offer likes and kind words via social media.


Stay tuned for upcoming posts focused on weddings, food and more, plus some other new posts here. Lately, I've been struggling with topic ideas and interesting things to share on this blog, so if there's something you'd like to ask me or read about, feel free to let me know. 

As always, thanks for reading and following! :)

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Five Things Thursday: Things I'm Loving

Happy May Day! It’s been a busy week around here, but I’ve still made time to join Diana and Tairalyn for their weekly Five Things linkup, where I’m sharing a few cool things I’m loving right now. Want to join in? Check out my five things below, share yours and then head on over to The World Around Her or Little Miss Mama to add your link and join the fun!


1. Charity Miles App

Even though our daily walks were put on hold thanks to rainy weather the past couple of days, I’m looking forward to getting back out there again! If you aren’t already familiar with it, the free Charity Miles app allows you to earn money for a charity of your choosing for every mile you walk, run or bike. Charities to choose from include Stand Up to Cancer, the Wounded Warrior Project, ASPCA and many more. Check it out, and start giving back while you work out!

2. Farmers Markets

Have I mentioned before that I love, love, love our new neighborhood? Starting tonight, there’ll be yet another great thing going on – a seasonal farmers market within easy walking distance of our place. I’m looking forward to seeing what they have and hopefully also getting inspired to whip up a few new healthy recipes.

Photo Credit: Fabbioli Cellars
3. Fabbioli Cellars’ Una Pera Wine

As I mentioned last week, Fabbioli Cellars is one of my favorite local wineries. Lately, I've been especially loving their Una Pera pear wine, which always hits the spot on a warm spring or summer’s day. Since it’s sold at our local Whole Foods, we can even get our fix without visiting the winery itself (even though we like to every chance we get).

4. Margaritas

For those times when wine just won’t cut it, I love indulging in a tangy margarita. I recently discovered this mango jalapeno recipe on Pinterest and can’t wait to give it a try.

5. MRIS Homes.com

Sure, Zillow is a great basic tool, but for hardcore house searching, MRIS Homes is a truly awesome one-stop shop for real-time, in-depth info. Fellow house hunters or homeowners, are there any other sites you'd recommend?

What are you loving this week?