Shades Of Violet

It was unseasonably warm for an early January day, reaching 54 degrees Fahrenheit by the time I arrived at the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. for a day of research on behalf of my employer. The seasonal average for this time of year is only 43 degrees. This unusual but welcome warmth made me think of spring, still 70 days away, and the tiny purple blossoms which will soon emerge among the blades of grass to give my lawn a jeweled cast, as if studded with dark amethysts.



From left: Kari's parents, Lyle and Joyce, with Kari and me
just outside Dingletown in County Kerry, Ireland



All that daydreaming about violet led me to consider a gorgeous sweater of finely worsted wool by Casamia Exclusive that I purchased in the picturesque seaside hamlet of Dingletown in County Kerry while visiting Ireland last summer with my best friend, Kari, and her parents. The pullover would be perfect for a day like today, with its three-quarter length sleeves and its tightly woven but not too heavy knit. I paired the plaid jumper with a pair of boot-cut Levi’s "Perfectly Slimming" jeans from Macy’s and cute black booties by Pink & Pepper. To play up the purple theme, I chose vintage enameled earrings that I’ve owned since the 1970s, and a similarly hued bracelet of painted wooden disks.



Picturesque shops in Dingletown



The guard monitoring the entrance to the Business And Science Reading Room at the Library of Congress complimented me on my "beautiful sweater", and I’m quite certain that it was not because she is an enthusiast of Baltimore Ravens football team colors. Washingtonians are, to a person, diehard Redskins fans. But that the team’s official color happens to be the hue I selected for my day’s outfit was not lost on me as my car radio crackled during my commute with celebratory news of the Ravens having just beaten their first rival in the playoffs.

Purple was definitely the way to go this day!

Cheers,

Lynell

"And shade the violets, that they may bind the moss in leafy nets."
John Keats