25 July 26

Today we are celebrating the life of Wilma Wollenweber (1929-2026)! She loved my "flowers on dark green" tie, naming it almost every time I asked her for her choice. Our service at Richmond First United Methodist Church is led by Eric Espada and includes remembrances from several friends and relatives, organ and piano music by Beth, a solo by me, a homily by Bruce Nettleton, and scripture readings and candle-lighting by great-grandchildren. The church is providing lunch, and afterward our family will set Wilma's cremains alongside her husband Robert's at Madison County Memorial Garden. Wilma lived a wonderful life of 96-plus years and will be remembered joyfully by many people.

11 May 25

For Mother's Day 2025, I'm wearing this tie with pink flowers on dark green, selected (often) by Mom Wilma Wollenweber. We've known each other for nearly 53 years! My tie bar features a script capital K, created from my mother Ethel Kleppinger's pin.

14 September 24

Today was the first of three celebrations for Wilma Wollenweber's 95th birthday! More than 60 family and friends gathered at Richmond First United Methodist Church for a party-reception. I gave Mom the opportunity-order to pick my tie, and she chose one of her all-time favorites with flowers on dark green.

4 April 23

Yesterday was Paul Kleppinger's sixth birthday, and he wanted me to wear this flowered tie -- so he gets to see it today! (It is also a favorite of great-grandmother Wilma Wollenweber.)

16 September 22

 Happy Birthday, Wilma Wollenweber! My great mother-in-law has reached 93, and (as far as I know) all of her family are very proud of her wit, love and Christian witness. She chose this tie for me to wear today because it is just about her most favorite of all in my collection.

16 September 21

Today's floral tie was chosen by Wilma Wollenweber -- she says it's one of her top favorites in my collection. Today is Mom's birthday number 92 and we're having lunch together at her house!

24 November 20

Today's floral tie honors the birthday of Frances Hodgson Burnett (1849-1924), best known as the author of "The Secret Garden" and other novels.

15 September 19

My tie for today was chosen by Wilma Wollenweber, to honor her 90th birthday! Our celebration continues after the party yesterday with a family lunch today. She loves flowers and has admired this tie for a long time. I'm very happy to be her son (-in-law).

16 September 18

Today is (Mom) Wilma Wollenweber's birthday! She is very happy to be celebrating #89. She asked me to wear this flowers-on-dark-green tie because she loves flowers!

1 May 18

265 years ago today, Carl Linnaeus published his book "Species Plantarum," defining the taxonomy for the plant kingdom. So this is called Plant Taxonomy Day. I'm wearing my flowery green tie while visiting our own lilacs (Syringa vulgaris).

9 February 17

My dear sister Gloria Rae (Kleppinger) Huizenga is celebrating her birthday today! Let's just say she was an "early" Baby Boomer. She prefers to look forward from these wintry days to the warmth of spring, and so she chose this flowery tie for me to wear in her honor. When our mom wrote her name as "Glo," she almost always surrounded it with sunshiny "rays."

10 January 16

Today is "Houseplant Appreciation Day," as proclaimed by The Gardener's Network. We have many leafy and flowering houseplants, including several large parsleys, a bay laurel tree, and eight African violets in a "nursery." This year we have saved at least 16 poinsettias from the church Advent/Christmas decorations, joining 6 that have lasted from prior years. My tie shows lots of flowers!

14 July 15

It's Bastille Day! And so it is very appropriate to honor the French Republican Calendar's identification of today as Sage Plant Day (Sauge, 26 Messidor). My tie shows flowers of many colors, and there are sage varieties with colors across the spectrum!

10 May 15

Today is Mother's Day! I asked my mother (-in-law) Wilma Wollenweber to select a tie, and she chose this flowery one.

28 January 15

Bright flowers today to honor my Uncle Bob Kleppinger, whose funeral is today (in Bethlehem, PA). He loved houseplants, particularly African violets.

16 September 14

Flowers on green, selected by my mother-in-law Wilma Wollenweber to help celebrate her birthday today! I've been very happy to be part of her life for almost half of her 85 years.

14 July 14

Today's Bastille Day celebrations coordinate nicely with honoring Sage Day (26 Messidor) on the French Republican Calendar. The blue-purple flowers on this tie resemble sage, and I hope that I resemble some "sages" too.

 

6 May 13

This is Wildflowers Week! It is also National Hug Holiday Week, but you must be very careful which wildflowers you choose to hug -- avoid hugging anything with spines or thorns or irritating sap!

16 May 12

April (and May) showers have brought out May flowers!

1 September 11

My tie for today was chosen by Clyde David Burberry, our "adopted brother" and great friend (and former pastor), whose birthday anniversary comes up this Saturday. He sent me this explanation: "If we were living in Australia we would find people there celebrating National Wattle Day – The Wattle is Australia's national floral emblem. With nearly 1000 Australian species, wattles symbolise diversity andresiliance. I know that your [flowers on dark green] tie doesn't feature the 'Wattle' - but I am simply fascinated by the diversity and beauty of so many different and exquisite flowers. I have photographed hundreds, if not thousands of them. Their colors and form attest to the splendor of all of God's creation."