It's easy being green

I think I've made mention of it a couple times in posts previous, but we've had a rather hot and humid spring and summer so far. There have been huge dumps of rain followed by pot-boiling temperatures, with neither lasting for too long, but close enough together to create days where it feels like you're swimming in a crock pot.

Oh, and that same weather cycle has been insanely good for our garden. Check out the photo in this post from nearly exactly 3 months ago. Then, look at the photo below taken from the same exact spot.


This is one of our 8x8' garden beds, and it has 9 tomato plants of different variety, a big bush of basil, and 3 green peppers (which you can't see). The scarecrow is still in there, he's just dwarfed by the plants themselves, some of where are nearing my height.


This is another of the garden beds, the one pictured off to the left in the previous shot. This 4x8" bed houses 2 more pepper plants, another big bush of basil, 2 tomatillo plants, and 4 roma tomato plants. In other beds (4 more not pictured), we have one dedicated to herbs, one with more romas and some swiss chard, one dormant (which housed lettuce and spinach that has gone to seed and will be replanted in the fall) and a last one with cucumbers.


Around the edges of our yard (and taking over parts of it already) are viney plants, including the aforementioned pie pumpkin vines, as well as 4 different butternut squash. We'll use a lot of them for ourselves and baby food and end up giving a lot of them away.


Speaking of green, here's a picture of Matilda and I from a day when we went out and hit the town. Not only is clothes shopping for little girls fun (I found the madras dress she's wearing at a thrift store for $1), but it gives me an excuse (as if I needed one) to dress even more colorfully. On this particular day, I decided to do my best to match her outfit, with some bright green vintage Lacoste pants and a pale pink Lands' End oxford-style polo.

Hopefully we can do the matching outfits many more times before she decides that she's embarrassed by such things.

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.

Silk and steerhide

No, the title of this post doesn't refer to anything kinky, rather it's just a way of introducing some of my favorite finds from the past month or so. As I mentioned in a previous post, I haven't been getting out to thrift as much as usual, but I have gotten out once in awhile and run across a few things worth bringing home.


First up is a vintage silk knit tie in shiny gold. It's easily among my favorite tie finds this year, and yet I haven't found the occasion to wear it yet. I will have to remedy that soon.


I've never heard of this brand of tie before (DiMitri), but the raw silk in red, white, and cream was irresistible. It's been perfect for the warmer weather and has just a touch of texture to really set it off.


Vintage Robert Talbott in one of the more unique color combinations that I've run across in awhile. The khaki color is fairly straight-up, but the off hues of red and blue are a bit more understated and probably best suited for late summer and fall.


Best for last? Vintage, unworn hand-tooled full-grain steerhide Levi's belt in my size, complete with a chunky brass buckle. I've worn this on many a weekend with some dark denim and have even thrown it on with some khakis and a jacket during the week and feel like I'm hiding a secret. I know you're jealous.

Style Share - May

As mentioned in the previous post, there's nothing super special about this installment of Style Share, just some solid ties with stripes that range from colors that would work from straight-up business to summer-time fare. For obvious reasons, I haven't been out thrifting or hitting garage sales as much as usual, but I thought I'd fire this feature back up and try to keep it coming back as much as I can.

As always, the only thing I ask is that the recipient of said item of free* clothing email me back a photo or two of them wearing it for a follow-up post on this site. First three ties claimed will be sent out.


Lovely Lands' End in navy and green, with hints of red and yellow. Subdued, with hints of spring.


Another Lands' End in similar colors, with a bit more of a fine stripe pattern. Easily a three-season tie.


Brooks Brothers in two shades of blue and white. Like a lovely spring day with a few light clouds in the sky, this one will go with anything warm-weather.


Yet another Lands' End number, this one in near-fuchsia with lines of blue, yellow, and white. Definitely a little more cocktail-party, this one might be best by the pool or green-side.

As always, claim your item in the comments, then shoot me an email to let me know your address so I can get you your tie.

*Seriously, it's free, and yours to keep forever. No strings attached. I won't share your name on the site or with anyone else unless you have a blog of your own that you want me to link. Please note that all clothing will be used (but certainly not stained, smelly, or damaged, as I do have standards), so please only agree to participate if this sort of thing doesn't gross you out. Thanks!