A stroll down memory lane to that short week before Thanksgiving, with high temperatures of 29 to 49 F.
Monarch on White Flowers--Monday, 11/20/17
One of the simplest work outfit formulas for late fall: black top, solid skirt, black tights + shoes/boots, colorful scarf.
Outfit cost per wear (OCPW): $13.18
Is it just me or is the monarch butterfly the prototypical representation of the order Lepidoptera?
I had always thought that there were a lot of butterflies that look like monarchs because they were all free riding on the monarch's unpalatability--that they had developed the appearance of nasty-tasting butterflies that predators would avoid even though they actually OK to eat. But I was surprised to learn that the very similar-looking viceroy butterfly is NOT a mimic in that sense (i.e., not a Batesian mimic)! It is also an unpalatable butterfly. When multiple similar species share predators, they can mimic each other's legit warning signals (e.g., appearance) so that predators will learn to avoid them after fewer negative experiences--this is called Mullerian mimicry. Fascinating!
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| Indianapolis Zoo |
Cape Plumbago--Tuesday, 11/21/17
This sweater is a flattering color on me, so even though it was just a boring cable pullover sweater of the standard, not particularly great silhouette, for $12 I decided to give it a shot. It's a bit oversized, but it's terrifically comfy (it's cotton, so it's not overly warm--other than relatively thin cashmere, I have given up on wool because it's always so hot to wear, even here in Coldville). I wore it with navy and floral accents for its debut.
*Dark aqua pullover sweater (JCP), $11.91
OCPW: $42.74
Hey, a straight-up blue flower! I tentatively identified it through a reverse Google image search (hat tip: Robert), and confirmed it when I read that it grows at the entrance of the Los Angeles Arboretum, which is exactly where I took this photo three days before Christmas. (Yes, LA has blooming flowers 3 days before Christmas. What the hell, right?) It's a beauty.
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| Los Angeles Arboretum |
Pool Outside the Linnean House--Wednesday, 11/22/17
When I made my most recent JCP online order, I couldn't resist this top, even though it's short-sleeved so not really aligned with the current weather. I liked the drapey fabric, the subtly interesting neckline, and the fact that it has a gazillion colors to match half the things in my wardrobe. I made it fall-appropriate by wearing it with an olive corduroy jacket, which screams autumn to me. And I can I just say that the plaid socks made me happy every time I looked down at my feet (which I did a lot more than I usually would because of the socks)?
*Black/olive/red floral top (JCP), $13.99
OCPW: $23.62
For some green/red/blue action, a shot of the edge of the pool outside the Linnean House at the Missouri Botanical Gardens. Have I mentioned that the Linnean House, built in 1882, is the oldest continuously operated public greenhouse west of the Mississippi? Now you know.
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| Missouri Botanical Gardens |
4 comments:
I love that blue plumbago. So much that I planted some in my yard. It's not native here but has appropriate sun and water requirements for around here, so it's actually very old. It's not currently blooming, though.
Oh Debbie, I bet that looks beautiful when it blooms!
I will say that I am always shocked by the fervor of the Coldville gardeners, given that it's relatively hard to grow things in our short season. I'm not made of such stern stuff...I let the professional gardeners do the growing.
In Coldville, I'd think that greenhouses and window-sill gardens would be popular!
That's probably true. I know that a lot of people start growing things indoors, waiting for it to warm up outside, which feels strange to me. :)
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