Pucker-Up Valentine...

...and kiss my fat ass and give us a kiss. 

Or not. 

Don't care.

After more than 23 years together, we don't get too mushy over Valentine's Day (we never really did, if I'm honest) but that's no excuse to skip wearing all the pink and red items in my wardrobe leading up to the holiday. Winter gets boring-I need distraction. 

When I bought the poodle skirt, the woman working at the thrift store remarked that, "She knew I'd buy it."  Where some people might be embarrassed, I was pleased that they know my tastes well enough to guess what I'd buy. I didn't ask if there was a wager going between employees, because that would have felt strange. So that makes two poodle skirts now, for someone that isn't all that crazy about the 50's look. Go figure. I am of course now regretting not buying the pink poodle toy at Christmas, but that's the breaks. 

The same thrift store yielded these magnificent pumps. They were unworn, without so much as a scuff on them, and they fit my big, wide feet perfectly. At $3.99 I would have been pleased, but the extra 20% off sealed the deal. Last week, I found purple shoes. You never think you need pink or purple shoes until you find some. Now I need a solid pink handbag (I have a floral printed one, but that won't do). I'd put these shoes in the 80's because I had a very similar pair. I don't think I had a pink handbag, but I did have a wide, pink vinyl belt. My younger self would have paired the skirt and shoes with black-but present-day me knows the only possible answer is red. Pink+Red=Greatness. Why wouldn't I want greatness? OK, possibly cranberry, but that's sort of red. 

At some point, the poodle lost an eye. As I was shedding sequins all over the house last week from my cardigan, it shouldn't be any trouble finding a replacement. I'm debating whether to glue on an "googly eye" instead. These are the decisions that keep me up at night. 

 Outfit Particulars:
Vintage Jantzen wool sweater-Thrift World
Felt Poodle Skirt-Hand-Me-Ups
Belt-Goodwill
Gloves-Nobbies
Brooch-Goodwill
Earrings-Sequels
Shoes-Hand-Me-Ups
Handbag-Goodwill
Hat-gift from a neighbour. It was her wedding hat, and she gave it to me to wear for my wedding (I had a pink dress).
Vintage Made in Japan bangles (they still had the original label) Imaginarium
Fragrance-Blue Grass (Don't judge. Sometimes I need some antiquated Arden. We all have needs).
Pearls-Jordan Marsh, 90's

 Yes, the baskets of strawberries are quite summery, but we're starting to get the first California strawberries of the season showing up in our stores (at six bucks a pound, but they're still a sign of spring being on the way) and I've had strawberries on my brain (why not on my ears?). I'll wait a few weeks until the price drops a bit (the first shipments are always most expensive) but then I plan to bake the first strawberry/rhubarb pie of the year. We don't get the beautiful forced rhubarb other places do, but I froze plenty last year, so I am ready.

 What could be more spring-like than a floral hat?

I skipped the crinoline because I drive a small car, and it would be absurd trying to get in, and drive. The felt is rather poufy, and with an elastic waist, it still manages to stand out without the support of tulle layers. I did wear a slip because the felt is so static-prone.

Meanwhile in the bird kingdom...

Not my photo- but similar to the scene that was playing out. 

"He's eating my raisins, bitch." 

The poor fellow in this photo looks embarrassed. The male involved in our feeder fracas simply flew off, and left the gals to fight it out. Sometimes we find tufts of feathers, but not enough to assume a hawk was dining on songbirds. After witnessing this display, I think I know where the feathers are coming from. The beaks on a cardinal are no joke-a peck from one will draw blood. Danny tells me they are his least favourite bird to remove from a net for bird banding as they put up a fight , and it hurts if they peck you. 

I don't know if it is all the strange weather over the last few years, but we're seeing mating pairs of birds much earlier than we ought to. We could hear chickadees doing mating calls this week, which is not impossible, but sort of unusual for February. 

 "Quack. Quack. Hey, count me too!"
"I already counted you."
"Quack. You're from Chicago...just count me again."

I really couldn't count them as there were hundreds, if not a thousand Canada Geese at Carter Lake. 

Happy Valentine's Day

I love all of YOU!

Smooch.