9 July 26

Happy 13th Birthday to my first grandchild! We love Mallie and we have certainly enjoyed watching her grow up into teenhood (which is wonderful). She chose my PINK tie!

22 July 25

Yesterday (21 July) was the birthday of Mary Cox-Sweet, one of my favorite fans of my ties! She "likes" each of my new posts. We know Mary from Richmond First United Methodist Church, where she is frequently on duty at the doorway to the sanctuary, always smiling as she hands out the weekly bulletins. She asked me to wear this bright pink tie to celebrate her birthday! I'm including a photo of one our birthday bears.

6 July 25

Today we're celebrating granddaughter Mallie's birthday, a few days early. She is the O.G. (Original Grandchild) for us! She asked me to wear this bright pink tie, and of course I agreed. I'm clipping it in place with this unique bar that's crafted with a square cut from a silver medallion engraved with her initials. Beth, Mallie and six other family members have jewelry showing the other portions of the medallion, and we like to think about connecting those pieces on special occasions!

9 March 22

When I received this bright pink tie as a birthday present in 2008, the gifters suggested remembering “Pink’s War,” which was fought in March/April 1925 in the South Waziristan region between India and Afghanistan. Named for Wing Commander Richard Pink, it was the first major air bombing campaign by the British Royal Air Force. As an ardent pacifist I never condone any war, but I also cannot shy away from paying attention to the way wars have continuously shaped history -- and the fact that "South Waziristan" remains a contested region in Pakistan today speaks to the failure of Pink's War and so many other conflicts to bring about lasting peace. 

 On a much brighter note I can mention that 9 March is the birthday of Heinrich Klöppinger (1916-2002), my father's seventh cousin, who lived in Pfungstadt, Germany, and who became a special transatlantic friend to the Kleppingers around Allentown and Bethlehem, Pennnsylvania in the 1960s-2000s. Through Ancestry.com and Facebook I recently became "friends" with Renate Kloppinger, Heinrich's daughter who lives in Arizona. Renate and I share a 6th-great-grandfather named Johann Christoph Klöppinger (1683-1747)!

26 August 20

“The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.” The Nineteenth Amendment to the U. S. Constitution was certified on this date 100 years ago today! To celebrate Women's Equality Day I'm wearing my bright pink tie on a blue blue shirt. Women's Equality Day is one of the most "official" honorary days on the calendar, having been designated by an act of Congress in 1973. I have not heard whether President Trump has issued the required Proclamation for this year's celebration.

19-20 March 20

Celebrating two days today! My tie is bright pink for the 1964 release of "The Pink Panther" movie, the first in the series, on 18 March. I am wearing my cardigan sweater for Sweater Day, tomorrow, honoring the birthday of Fred Rogers (1928-2003).

22 October 18

Courtney Kleppinger's actual birthday is on Christmas Eve, but for fun she has adopted 22 October as her "alternate birthday." Her favorite color is pink! Ten years ago -- even before she and Jonathan were engaged -- she and Amanda Wheeler gave me this hot pink tie, and so I'm wearing it today to honor her. It's also appropriate for National Color Day, which celebrates the way "colors bring light and vibrancy into our lives. . . Colors make the world beautiful."

22-23 June 17

National Pink Day is always celebrated on 23 June. Since that's Friday this year, I'm wearing my super hot pink tie one day early. Nobody knows why this date was selected to honor the color pink, but it's worth having such a day.

9 March 17

Repeating the "celebration" from last year: 9 March 1925 was the beginning of Pink's War. This was fought between the Royal Air Force and the Mahsud tribesmen in South Waziristan, near the border between Afghanistan and northwest British India. The British air squadrons strafed tribal mountain strongholds in what became a "successful attempt to crush the rebellion," ending on 1 May 1925. The campaign's commander, Wing Commander Pink, received a speedy promotion to Group Captain. (The date of this event was noted as an excellent occasion for wearing my bright pink tie, on the document that accompanied its gifting by my daughters-in-law-to-be in 2008.)

9 March 16

9 March 1925 was the beginning of Pink's War. This was fought between the Royal Air Force and the Mahsud tribesmen in South Waziristan, near the border between Afghanistan and northwest British India. The British air squadrons strafed tribal mountain strongholds in what became a "successful attempt to crush the rebellion," ending on 1 May 1925. The campaign's commander, Wing Commander Pink, received a speedy promotion to Group Captain. (The date of this event was noted as an excellent occasion for wearing my bright pink tie, on the document that accompanied its gifting by my daughters-in-law-to-be in 2008.)

23 June 15

Happy National Pink Day! I hope you are wearing something pink too -- at the back of my head, my hair tie is bold, bright pink. It is also National Pecan Sandie Day, and I might get some of those cookies later.

26 August 14

Today is Women's Equality Day, celebrating the certification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution in 1920 (granting women the same right to vote as men). My hair ties are also pink and blue (equally).

24 June 14

Yesterday (23 June) was National Pink Day, but I was "on vacation" for a day with Mallie. So today I'm celebrating with my hot pink necktie (and hair tie)! Apology to fashion consultants and OCD friends: I fixed the upturned collar point after taking the photos.

26 May 13

Pink Day! I get to declare Pink Day any time I want, because there is a human gene named PINK1.

29 November 12

Today marks the 114th birthday of C. S. Lewis. I do not know if hot pink was his favorite color, but bright hues were prominent in many descriptions of Narnia and other fantasy lands.

26 August 12

Today is "Women's Equality Day," celebrating the anniversary of the Nineteenth Amendment to the U. S. Constitution. It was ratified on August 18, 1920 (when Tennessee's legislature approved it), and certified on August 26.

17 October 11

With roots in the television comedy "Three's Company" (1977-1984), Wear Something Gaudy Day comes up every year on October 17. I think a hot pink tie on an electric blue shirt fits the theme well, but you can't see the burgundy pants and the chartreuse hair tie!

21 December 10

Very special event this evening! We are surprising Courtney Kleppinger with a three-days-early birthday party, for her 24th birthday. I promise that the tie is bright hot pink, no matter what the detail photo says.

21 November 10

Just a very bright and shiny pink day.

09 September 10

Today is Chrysanthemum Day, in Japan. To celebrate those brightly colored flowers I chose my hot pink tie. It's also noteworthy that yesterday was the birthday of the singer Pink.