Feeling superstitious, part 2

It's been awhile since I posted last, but I have a good excuse. I've got a happy, healthy daughter who just turned 2 months old and while things are going well, I have a little less time to devote to some of my pursuits (one of which is this blog, which falls in just behind trying to get out and jog and/or bike several times a week).

Interestingly enough, it was about ten months ago that I made a post about some owls that had taken up residence in our backyard and seemingly brought good tidings to us (or at least made themselves noticed during some rather critical life moments). Today, my wife was walking around in the yard with the baby when she noticed that they were back.


She counted them all up and noted that there weren't two or four, but six! owls roosting in various places in our grapevines, including the two fluff ball baby owls pictured above. I'm not sure if they're the same screech owls that were there last year, but the cornball side of me likes to think so. Here's hoping for a continued string of good fortune.


Speaking of little ones, here's me and Matilda hanging out one day when I biked home for lunch. She's reached the stage where her favorite activity is springing herself into the air (with my help, of course). This picture was taken pre-jump, which was obviously a very serious moment for everyone.

Style Share return - Lands' End tie

Another return from the month of May. This time out, it's Shawn, who claimed this nice Lands' End number from the May edition of Style Share.


Here, he pairs it up with an unstructured jacket and what is easily the most beautiful backdrop yet featured in a Style Share return.


It even has a really cool story behind it, and I'll let him tell it...

I am currently working on an oral history project on the Yellowtail Dam in Montana, and I wore the tie recently while doing a couple of interviews with people involved in building that dam. Unfortunately, I forgot to have someone take a photo, so I shot this with the timer function on my camera.

As a fan of both oral history (Studs Terkel is one of my favorite catalogers of American history) and big sky country, this photo is great for so many reasons, including the tie playing perfectly off the colors of the beautiful countryside.

Thanks to Shawn for participating and sending back such a cool photo.

Style Share return - Brooks Brothers tie

Mr. Yankee-Whisky-Papa, a proprietor of an awesome blog on style and just about everything else, jumped early and snagged the blue/navy/white Brooks Brothers tie from the May edition of Style Share.

photo courtesy Yankee-Whisky-Papa

Here he is wearing it with what I'm guessing is a nice lightweight suit during one of the many recent heatwaves that have swept the country. In his own words...

I wore your tie in Philly during an evening out with The Main Line Sportsman. 90 degrees at in the day, 85 at night.

Mr. Yankee-Whisky-Papa has been a repeat recipient of Style Share items, and he rocks it every time. Thanks to him for participating and to you for reading.

(Speaking of Style Share, it will be back next month. June is slipping away quickly, but I should have things back in order just in time for Independence Day.)

Landlocked skipper

In addition to hunting for great things for ourselves and sometimes others, my wife and I often just keep an eye out for interesting items in general when we're at the thrift store. A couple years ago, my wife picked up just such an item, and it's been sitting in a closet or hanging on a rack in our house since.


Blue chambray-colored vintage jacket with sailboat schematics print. Effing amazing.


Here it is from the front, pictured with vintage Maus And Hoffman raw silk tie.


Here's a detail of the front button and the Neiman Marcus tag. I have no idea where this one was sold, but I'm guessing it wasn't originally from my landlocked state.


Here's another detail shot from the front. It's unique and cool enough that I think it's worth seeing one more time.

So, the real question is what happens to this piece? It doesn't fit me (nor anyone else I know), and there's a minuscule stain on one lapel that makes me leery to try to sell it (although a decent dry cleaner may be able to remove it). But seriously though, a small stain does nothing to diminish the total cool factor of this thing. Technically, it could be labeled as "go to hell," but that sounds far too crass for something so breezy.

Maybe it will live with us forever.