1 October 23

For World Vegetarian Day I'm wearing my salad tie! I have friends and relatives who are dedicated vegetarians. Beth and I are mostly vegetarian at home, with eggs and cheese. This year we have shifted our milk consumption away from cows to soy and almond, due to the very large contribution to greenhouse gases from the dairy industry. Our membership in our local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm, Lazy 8 in Paint Lick, provides us with excellent produce from spring through fall every year.

22 May 22

I wanted a "diverse" tie to celebrate the International Day for Biological Diversity, sponsored by the United Nations. I have several ties with a variety of animals, but I chose this one featuring tossed salad ingredients -- edible roots, stalks, leaves and fruits representing several different families in the kingdom of plants. Today is also the birthday of my niece-in-law Aimee Moiso, who with her husband Nolan Huizenga cares deeply about the biodiversity around their home in Louisville, KY!

2 October 20

 Yesterday (1 October) was World Vegetarian Day. We do not claim to be vegetarian but we do get most of our nutrition from vegetables (with milk and eggs and cheese). Last night's main dish was "Cheesy Acorn Squash," stuffed with mushrooms, celery and onions, and we had some great corn on the cob. My tossed salad tie came (most appropriately) from Wild Ties.

5 September 19

Yesterday I learned that today is "National Shrink Day," honoring the services of psychologists and psychiatrists! It is celebrated on 5 September because that's the birthday of Bob Newhart, who played psychologist Dr. Robert Hartley on the wonderful Bob Newhart Show (1972-1978). The association of the word "shrink" with mental health professionals dates to the 1960s, as a humorous reference to "the ritual practice in certain tribal societies of literally shrinking the heads of one’s vanquished enemies." My tossed-salad tie for today is inspired by the theme song from another "shrinks'" situation comedy, Frasier (1993-2004), covering the lives and work of the psychiatrists and brothers Frasier and Niles Crane. The song is "Tossed Salad and Scrambled Eggs," referring humorously to the fact that people seeking help from mental health professionals are often very "mixed up."

More seriously, here's a National Shrink Day video that presents the attitudes of some real-life counselors and points to helpful resources for good mental health.

18 June 18

Today is INTERNATIONAL PANIC DAY! But if you have your copy of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, you already know that you can get comfort from the cover message that says, in large, friendly letters, "Don't Panic!" Meanwhile, on this planet, I'm happily celebrating yesterday's annual observance of Eat Your Vegetables Day, with my tossed-salad tie. We will probably have panic-free chef's salads for dinner tonight!

25-27 January 18

Lettuce rejoice! The day after tomatow is Beth Kleppinger's 64th birthday. Since that's a no-tie Saturday, I'm dressing up today with this non-tradishional tossed-salad tie. Beth gave me the tie for Christmas and I was quite bowled over. I have no revinaigrettes for throwing together so many puns; it's salad-a fun!