Belle's Castle in Springtime

I got to explore the grounds around Belle's castle with her. We wandered by the fountains and the the gazing pool. We lingered by flowers. Oh, the flowers, were all bright and blooming in colors of sunshine and magenta. We took a break in the rose garden to read a few pages of her favorite book. 

The day was a perfect photography day with high clouds giving us that lovely muted light. 

A discovery that we want to revisit is the greenhouse, which is white wood and glass panes. The sun, by then, broke through the clouds so shadows were strong and the camera struggled to register the bright white alongside the deep dark shadows. We were also tired by that time (Anika had sleepovers the prior two nights) so we'll go back another day. 

The castle is actually the Empire Mine State Historic Park in Grass Valley, California. The park is different every time we visit. We're inspired to go back when roses are blooming. We brought our own fabric rose for photos (no flowers were picked in our exploring). We also want more photos with the greenhouse. 

Anika's dress was found at Sammie's Nifty Thrift Shop benefiting Sammie's Friends animal rescue. We needed thrifted items for her birthday party. As we browsed for items, we saw the fancy dress. It didn't fit into our plan, though, so we moved on. A week went by. We needed a couple more things for the party. And it was half off clothing day! So of course we needed another Belle dress. Belle can visit many places :). Follow Anika on Instagram here. 

The adventures are just beginning!

We puzzled, as we wandered, about what the original intention of the dress. It seemed too fancy for a prom dress (and long). It's a little big for Anika, but still, it's a ballgown, not exactly a prom dress. Then we mused about bridesmaids? No, too elaborate for that. It looked almost brand new when we got it. No tags, but definitely pristine. Then a friend mentioned a quinceañera dress. That could be right. Especially if we put a fluffy underskirt with it. Which would be a fun new look. Wonder which thrift store has fluffly underskirts?

Going to be fun to keep searching :)

Wishing you happy adventures today!