Unseasonable Weather?...March 26 2010

Outside this morning we were in for a bit of a surprise.

The bunny says "Not Funny!"

There he was, keeping an eye on the lettuce patch, gleeful over the fact that it was left uncovered over night for a change...no snow in the forecast.

Ha.

Ha Ha.

So the birds snuggled up.

The trees started spit snow clumps....

While the angel inside the garden window thought the speckled violet leaves had a snowy motif that went well with the weather outside.

(Thank heaven the tomatoes had not yet been taken outside!)

Fie on you snow! My cherry tomato plant is blooming nicely and you, Jack Frost, will not ruin my early crop with your work.

While the crocus enjoy posing in the chill...

Bunny says "Guess it's time to look and see what else has been happening around us."

Apparently there are other chilling events happening in our world:

"For a head of state to visit the White House and not pose for photographers is rare. For a key ally to be left to his own devices while the President withdraws to have dinner in private was, until this week, unheard of. "

(In case you missed it: The Prime Minister of Israel requested a meeting with Mr. O here in the USA. Mr. O never replied, pointedly ignoring our ally in the Middle East. The PM boarded a jet anyway; Mr. O. granted a meeting after the PM was on his way.

Mr. O has never been officially photographed with Mr. Netanyahu. He has been photographed with all sorts of local and international rascals, and of course has been photographed "politely" bowing to Muslim leaders.

Mr. O's treatment of Mr. Netanyahu would have raised eyebrows in even the meanest of American homes. It is still unthinkable to "welcome" someone into your home, then leave them sitting in the living room while you go to your family dinner table to dine. Or worse, just tell a guest who has flown half way around the world to see you to find something to do...and then just leave. )

Yet that is how Binyamin Netanyahu was treated by President Obama on Tuesday night, according to Israeli reports on a trip seen in Jerusalem tonight as a disastrous humiliation.

After failing to extract a written promise of concessions on Jewish settlements, Mr Obama walked out of his meeting with Mr Netanyahu but invited him to stay at the White House, consult with advisors and “let me know if there is anything new”, a US congressman who spoke to the Prime Minister said today.

“It was awful,” the congressman said. One Israeli newspaper called the meeting “a hazing in stages”, poisoned by such mistrust that the Israeli delegation eventually left rather than risk being eavesdropped on a White House phone line. Another said that the Prime Minister had received “the treatment reserved for the President of Equatorial Guinea”.

Left to talk among themselves Mr Netanyahu and his aides retreated to the Roosevelt Room. He spent a further half-hour with Mr Obama and extended his stay for a day of emergency talks to try to restart peace negotiations. (The PM actually had to ask Mr. O to come back to see him after he had finished his dinner! I believe in family dinners as much as anyone, but wouldn't you think the O. kids could have learned something about hospitality if Mr. O had just invited the PM to join his family for dinner?)

However, he left last night with no official statement from either side. He returned to Israel yesterday isolated after what Israeli media have called a White House ambush for which he is largely to blame.


Israel's 'secular media' slams Netanyahu's bid to end US row


Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's trip to the United States to patch up relations ended in "humiliation" as Washington dressed down its close ally over settlements, Israeli media said on Thursday.

Leading newspapers said Netanyahu now has his "back to the wall," with US President Barack Obama demanding major steps to revive the peace process that threaten the premier's mostly right-wing coalition.

Palestinians: Obama wants Israel to hand over Abu-Dis to PA

US demands that Israel hand over area adjacent to Jerusalem to exclusive PA control, Palestinian sources say, adding that Americans want Palestinian state to be established within next two years.

Jerusalem is Israel's capitol city. Imagine what it would be like if Mr. O showed up in London and demanded that no more housing be built there as Scotland wants to become an independent country.

Yes, Scotland is currently part of the UK and yes, there has been discussion about it becoming independent. I think that would be what could best be described as an "in house" discussion, and the US President really should have not a word to say on the matter. Of course if he was Scottish, I suppose I might say he had a vested interest in the outcome.

Wonder why Mr. O feels so strongly that the Muslim people should have the right to demand that the Israeli-Jewish people kowtow to their demands.

And why Mr. O has made it so obvious that he does not wish to be photographed with the head of the Jewish people.

Information above from HERE.

Easter 2010: Flower Power?

Would you wear something designed by Christian Dior this Easter if you were given a chance?

Think about it...Christian Dior!

Dior is just such an iconic name in fashion.

Haven't we all heard about Dior?

Haven't all the most fashionable women always worn Dior?

(You are thinking hard right along with me about what one would need to wear to rock these Dior vintage designer hat...right???)


Maybe you just need to be young, confident and French to pull off the tiny blue bell field look with style.

Elsa Schiaparelli: The woman changed the fashion world back in 1920 and her designs graced the cover of all the fine fashion magazines and society events for decades.

No collection of historical fashion would be complete without a Schiaparelli.

(How about you? Any ideas yet? So far all I can come up with is a white dress like the mannequin is wearing. Or maybe a dark blue or olive green fitted dress? )

The uber famous millinery designers totally went in big time for flowered bedecked hats in the late 1950s-early 1960s. Soon everyone was popping a poppy field on their head.

(I'm thinking white dress here again...a sleeveless shift would work with multicolored sandals...)

I actually can see myself in this hat..in a red sun dress or white (back to white again) shift.

I can TOTALLY see my daughter Laura rocking this hat.

I could also see this hat with a red veil....or with cat eye glasses, or big sunglasses.

Another "knock off" couture flowered hat.

(Skip the earrings, wear a white collared long tailed shirt and white pegged legged pants, and pointy green flats. Might work for a baby shower out fit. Or going to the art galleries. What do you think?)

The neckline on this view does work. I think I am seeing that to make a floral hat work, you need to show off collar bones.

Or what would happen if the dress had a high neck, and tight fitted sleeves and bodice, a "wiggle dress"?
Could a full fronted maternity dress work?

A long floaty gauze type shirt and leggings?

Well, I'm thinking I will never know the answers to what would make these hats work, at least on me.

They are ALL sized at 20-21 inches, and I wear almost a 23 inch size these day.

I guess they are to just perch on the top of one's head. In that case they would fit everyone.

Wouldn't it be a perfect summer time hoot to buy the whole collection and then invite all your girlfriends over for some chilled white wine and flowered hat wearing?

You would come if I invited you, wouldn't you?

This episode of "Grown Up Mental Paper Dolls" was brought to you thanks to THIS ebay site.

Hats were offered at a starting price between $25 to $75 USD.

The mental imagination exercise was available for free.

Easter 2010: Small Brims-Easy Peasy 24/7

Got a busy day ahead of you, with lots of flitting about to do?

A smaller brimmed hat is THE thing to wear!

No need to worry about hair dos being messed by the spunky spring breezes.

Hugging friends and getting close enough for quiet conversation is simple to do in a small brimmed hat.

At $78 USD...this could be your favorite everyday "out and about" hat for spring and summer.

I'm thinking a slightly gathered scoop neck tee and crop pants would work.

Yummmy!

See information about the hat HERE.

Feeling a bit more sporty or tailored?

A grey sweater or tee, grey slacks and this topper would do, don't you think?

At $29.50 USD...I'm in on this one. See it HERE.

Back to that first picture: If I had to own only one hat (breath Jill, breath...it will be OK thinking about only owning one hat) I'd definitely make it a classic black trimmed panama straw style fedora.

The above example is a Louise Green design, and if you have been reading my blog for awhile you know how much I adore her work.

You can be sure her hats will fit comfortably; she has a patented means to assure that fact.

See more about this particular timeless hat HERE.

At $168 USD, that would pencil out as costing me about $5.50 per year to be wearing it for the next 30 years of my life.

And yes...I can see myself wearing this hat at age 80, scampering around town, traveling abroad, sipping lemonade while admiring my garden, or standing at my easel painting a vista.

Do I hear an AMEN to that?

A "Preach it Sistah!"

A "You GO girl! I'm with you all the way!"???

True that!

Easter Bonnets 2010: Pink Wide Brim = Dreamy!

Church, garden party, wedding, art gallery, afternoon tea...I'm having no problem at all imagining places I would go to while wearing this lovely hat***
The airy pink confection above can be ordered from HERE.
It would be light as a feather to wear, and is priced just slightly under USD $100.
Seeing a woman with a hat on her head is so much more delightful than seeing her without a hat and with sun damage on her face.

By putting on a hat you can enjoy being outside. Don't wear a hat and you must remember to put on more sunscreen every hour or two.

And then of course one must re-apply one's make-up over that.

Ewww...bummer!

This W-I-D-E brim backless dress sunburn saving chapeau can be ordered HERE.
It is just a bit under USD $400.

Bare shoulders are sun safe under this elegant chapeau, as well as her brow, nose, cheeks, lips, chin and neck.

I dare not suggest that her cheeks are also safe from the pinkishness caused by blushing at compliments though. Or rosy lips from stolen kisses!

This dreamy black and blush hat is available HERE.
It is priced just slightly under USD $1,000.
(Yes, you read that price right...)

Stay tuned for narrow brimmed/tailored styled hats tomorrow!

*I am frequently asked where I wear my hats.

Personally, I am really quite traditional. I always wear my hats on my head.

Honestly, isn't that the dumbest question EVER???

Why, where else could anyone wear a hat anyway?

Ten more shopping days...

Ten more shopping days until Easter!

Are you on the hunt for a perfect spring chapeau?

Need inspiration?

(Need courage?)

I'm going to try to snag and post a few images from here and there to get your inner fashionista to emerge in time for the special day.

Picture this: You have pulled your hair back smoothly, and made creative use of your pony tail by forming it into a low chignon or bun. Or perhaps you already wear your hair quite short.

Now imagine this hat on your head as you arrive at the morning church Easter celebration:

Hat created by the AMAZING milliner Carmen Aguadero, who live in Sevilla, Spain.

Check out other views of her fabulous creations at her blog HERE.

For more views of the hat above, look HERE.

For airline tickets to Spain: You are on your own. If you see a great air fare deal...let me know!

(Take another look at the veil in the picture above: Don't your just love the pearl accents? and what a better way to say Spring has come than fresh peas growing in the garden!)

Seduction

I admit it; I am easily seduced by plants.

A colorful and highly fragrant nursery display plays on my weakness.

On Friday I was in the thrall of spring promises. The day was sunny and warm. When I went to the grocery and garden center, it didn't take much to draw me to a display of bedding plants instead of the aisles of food.

Tossing my grocery shopping list aside, I found myself filling my cart with tomato plants, cilantro, lettuce, pansies and violas. Allyssum perfumed inside my car as I hurried home, eager to grab a trowel and create my garden bed tapestry.

Earlier in the day I had seen the blue iris flags parading about in my backyard garden.

I tried to resist surrendering to what they suggested to my soul:

Spring is here...now is the moment...give in! The soil is rich and loamy; the sunshine warm and welcoming.

In the back of my mind I heard the voice of reason reminding me that it was still winter for another day.

Phfff my heart replied. Carp Diem! You will find the gardening to be sweet... come, plant and enjoy!

No wonder I gave in so easily to the siren call of the plants in the garden center!

By the time I arrived back home, unloaded my floral treasures and located my trowel...

Winter had returned to prove to me my folly.

My neighbors peeked out their windows, wondering why I was gardening in falling snow.

The springing March hare had led me on.

Crazy rabbit!

Silly me!

The tulips, daffodils, iris and hyacinth are steadily inching up, pacing themselves for a true spring time arrival.

Be patient, they whisper. Be patient and wait for us. Our blossoms will arrive in due season.

Be prepared to welcome us when we arrive!

(Meanwhile, Missy continues to hope for a welcome of his/her own.

There is no greeting written on our backdoor floor mat.

I'm willing to offer a pat and some chat, but no, I really don't need another cat.

You are welcome to visit my garden Missy, but I know for a fact that you belong to another home.

I will not be seduced by you too!)