2 August 26

Granddaughter Evelyn wanted me to wear a tie that had pink AND purple flowers for her birthday. I showed her four possibilities and she chose this one! It’s from Turkey and as she said it has all the colors in the world! Happy Birthday, Evelyn.

8 September 25

Today our granddaughter T. R. turns three years old! On Sunday I showed her a few ties and she immediately picked out this one with bright flowers. Of special note, today is also Ampersand Day, celebrating the typographical character "&." September 8 is appropriate because so many of the letters in September and the numbers 8 and 9 can be styled like ampersands!

28-29 October 24

As far as I know I have never met Sarah Ruston in person. She and I are Facebook friends, connected through my sister Faith Lang and the Transfiguration Spirituality Center. Sarah works with an orphan support group in Antalya, Turkey. She found this tie (labeled "Çağrı İpek -- Hand Made Bursa/Türkiye") among donations to a clothing drive and, having witnessed my obsession with neckties, channeled it through Faith to me! I chose to wear its amazing flowers today to help celebrate Republic Day of Turkey, an official national holiday on 29 October.