Solomon's Seal coming up by the back door. I saw them the other day and couldn't for the life of me think what those shoots were . . . funny how amnesia sets in over the winter. But that's what they are: Solomon's Seal.
We woke to rain this morning --- I had left things out on the line overnight, so they're good and soaked, but the rain has stopped for the time being, so hopefully they'll have some time to dry.
So far today I have:
*finished and submitted my hasty last-minute piece on Flannery O'Connor (edits pending in the next couple of hours)
*walked the dog
*drunk coffee with creatine and eaten cottage cheese
*done a few deadlifts with the 25-lb kettlebell --- I need to set my alarm to do some more short sets throughout the day
*corresponded with the poet whose poem is up on the Substack tomorrow
*saved some emails from the spam filter, so that I can answer them
*gotten dressed
All of this not necessarily in that order, but at any rate, I've accomplished it all, and it's not even noon, so I'm feeling pretty good for a Monday. Of course, I have not made it to Mass, because I was finishing that essay, so that's a small bummer, but I did need to get the essay finished. Some graces, though obviously not quite as many as when you receive the Eucharist, do attend a job well done, that you do for the sake of the Kingdom.
*Wool& Fiona dress (M) in Marine Blue, bought October 2024, last worn --- February 3? Unless I've forgotten having worn her while I was in TX, which is possible. But. Wow. Been a minute. Wears in 2025: 4. Maybe 5.
*Very Old Thrifted Eddie Bauer cardigan, second decade of wear, I believe
*Secondhand Allbirds tencel-merino leggings, bought May 2023, second year of wear
*Secondhand Birk Mayaris, first year of wear
This is why I am pushing myself to dispense with dresses that don't look as good on me as this dress does. Yeah, yeah, there have been things I loved about my Wool& Willow dress, but when I look back at photos, I'm not entirely happy with what I see. On the other hand, I love this dress, including in hindsight, when I look back at photos of outfits. I have worn this dress many, many times already for events and appearances --- she'll certainly go with me on my jaunt up the East Coast next week. She just looks good. She dresses up nicely. I've worn her happily with boots and tights and layers, and I will wear her happily with my Birk Papillio Mary wedges and this cardigan to read to audiences.
This is one major reason why I take all these photos (including a number of different poses every day). They show me more than just looking in the mirror shows me. Having a whole album of photos for the year shows me more than any one photo in isolation might. I can look at outfits in relation to each other and see what I like better than something else, and what I sort of wish I hadn't wasted a day wearing. Not that the relative day-wasters were bad outfits, necessarily, but they weren't as good as the ones I really like when I look back. I would rather shape my wardrobe offerings so that, as a default mode, I wear outfits I really like and not outfits I only sort of like.
I mean, obviously sometimes I have to clean the bathroom, and I don't need to look beautiful to do it, but that's why I keep a handful of take-a-beating dresses. Anyway, all of this is why I've been doing some closet-steamlining. Experiments can be useful, and sometimes they work out, but sometimes you look back at your experimental outfits and think, "Well, that's not awful, but it's not really how I want to look and feel." It would be nice if you could just magically possess this knowledge, but often enough the only way you know is to try things out. I would love not to ride a merry-go-round of buy-and-sell, but sometimes I do, and --- well, you know, you do your best, and that's about all you can do.
Meanwhile, I'll just sing the praises of this dress. I sold my Marine Blue Maggie swing dress and replaced her with this, and it was the right move (in fact, it was the first major move in this whole ongoing chess game with swing dresses). I loved the color from the get-go, but now I have a style in that color that really feels right. I could wish that the bodice and neckline fit a little more closely --- Small in this style and color was sold out --- but that's not a dealbreaker for me, especially as I already had the same dress in the same size in Teal.
I love the gentle waist definition, which make the dress forgiving without being a tent. I love the graceful scooped neckline. I love the 3/4 sleeves, which offer enough coverage for winter without being too much for warmer weather. I love the full skirt and where it hits --- just above the knee, but it really kind of reads as a midi dress, not a short dress. I'm comfortable wearing it in church. It's a great travel dress --- my teal Fiona has gone to Norway twice, rolled up in a backpack, and I look forward to having this dress accompany me on future adventures. Already, as I say, it's gone with me to conferences and events and been my go-to look-put-together dress.
It is my love for this dress that makes me want to re-try the Sofia, because that's the kind of dress I want to wear. Granted, so are all my other dresses, and I don't want to have more than I can wear, but that 28/2 proportion that I was considering the other day does have some leeway. If I have dresses that I wear at a rate of twice a month (which is what I aim for, though sometimes weather and other circumstances intervene), then I have 2-3 days when I could wear a skirt or pants . . . and even if that proportion started to look more like 29/1, it would be okay. I'd still be wearing more of the things I truly want to wear.
So. All good. I'd better see if Anthony has sent Flannery edits back yet. Would be great to have that little project put to bed.
EVENING UPDATE:
A lovely chill day. Editor said he "loved every syllable" of the Flannery piece --- it was exactly what he was hoping for. Given that I knocked it out in less than a day, that was gratifying.
Started a batch of dandelion wine:
Recipe is here, for anyone who might be interested. I managed to gather a quart bag of dandelions today, so am halving the recipe.
Cooked up three packs of boneless, skinless chicken thighs (seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika) for use in recipes and lunches this week.
Answered a bunch of emails.
Tomorrow is the Solemnity of the Annunciation, so I'll be going to Mass at the Abbey, and picking up a few ingredients for dandelion wine (oranges and raisins) on my way home. Then WORK WORK WORK, since I'll be out of town next week.
The husband works late on Tuesdays, so tonight he brought home a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc to have with dinner, to celebrate on the Vigil of the feast. What with St. Joseph and St. Benedict dying, and now the Annunciation, there has not been a whole lot of Lenten self-mortification going on around here lately. If we're going to make it through the next three weeks, we've got to pull ourselves together.
ALSO:
Thinking about travel for next week, and appearances. What to take on the road for readings and knocking around Virginia?
Potentially nice outfits:
*This Marine Blue Fiona dress with purple cardigan and Papillio Mary wedges or ankle-strap sandals (bought secondhand but not worn yet)
*Iris Blue Sierra with a longline cardigan --- champagne-colored linen-blend J.Jill cardigan, maybe? --- or beige silk cardigan and Papillio wedges or sandals.
*Dark Blue-Gray NPL Smock dress with purple cardigan and sandals or Mary wedges
*Grape Wine Smock with beige silk cardigan and sandals or Mary wedges
I'm only doing two evening readings, but will also have daytime events and student meetings while at VMI, so had better be prepared to present a professional front all that day.
If it's chilly, I can take and wear Sand Dollar merino tights. Those won't look too wintry with Mary wedges. I could also pack my purple merino blazer cardigan in case evenings are chilly.
Actual travel capsule to come, but those are some thoughts.