Classic Style

A summery selection of old Laurence Fellows  illustrations to put you in the mood for dressing a cut or two above the usual sad average as you fire up the grill on this Independence Day here in the United States.  And while it's doubtful that most will don a summer weight suit or odd jacket and pants combo, remember that clothing does convey a lot about the person wearing it, whether we like it or not, and so maybe a collared short-sleeved shirt, non-frayed shorts, and fairly clean athletic shoes (at the very least) might be in order regardless of whatever form your celebration takes. 

As for yours truly, we're staying home this weekend.  I'll make a batch of my mother's mustard potato salad plus a chilled dessert, and grill bratwursts late in the day for dinner.  The Young Master and I will set off a few small firecrackers at dusk.  And all while clad in my very typical madras shirt, khaki shorts, and well-worn leather docksiders.  July 4th is pretty low key around To…

Matt and Bob White of Hubert White on the Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis.  The firm has sold menswear to the more discerning since 1916.  Highly knowledgeable, very pleasant sales staff in my experience.

I cannot recall the last time I have encountered a genuinely helpful retail salesperson (for a litany of reasons).  It is rare to stumble across someone who is actually trained to assist rather than virtually untrained, knows his or her stock, or who does not attempt a hard sell.  As the saying goes, you can't find good help anymore, and that has certainly applied to retail clothing stores for many years.  Once in a while, however, there are places that stand out when it comes to true customer service.  In late 2003 or early '04, not long after grad school and in my first teaching job at a small area college, which has since closed, I visited Hubert White (men's clothier) on Nicollet Mall in Minneapolis for a couple of new neckties and some other accessories to …

Mr. Young Master helping his students settle in on the first day of school by describing for them what the summer session will look like.


And Mr. Young Master's class.  A real menagerie before he called class to order.

Sartorially, not much going on here at Totleigh-in-the-Wold.  Summers are pretty quiet here attire-wise.  However, The Young Master and I do toss on decent looking, casual though collared shirts of one sort or another daily when we dress each morning along with with (my) chino, Bermuda, or Madras shorts and (his) jeans. 

The Young Master sports a recent acquisition above, one of a number of new polo shirts his mother, The Grand Duchess, purchased for him last month given his rapid growth since January.  Children grow like weeds as the saying goes. 

As for me, otherwise known as 'Bad Dad' around these parts, I'm wearing a new seersucker number this morning, a Father's Day gift yesterday, with tiny navy, light blue, red, teal, and white checks.  On the b…

'Dad Rat,' as The Young Master calls him, joined us at the breakfast table this morning.  He is very particular about his coffee for a rodent.


A lovely, sunny, cool morning here in Mid-Michigan.  The emerald green grass is freshly cut in long, straight diagonal rows, the flower beds are freshly edged, the Marigolds and Begonias are in full bloom.  The reconfiguration of formerly face to face courses for teaching in an asynchronous online environment is underway.  Ahhhh.  Right now, it's almost possible to forget the ugliness of the world and the rudderless ship on which we have passage.
-- Heinz-Ulrich

For about ten hours Saturday, it was possible to forget about our complete and utter lack of leadership -- amid the ongoing loss of lives and related, unresolved social issues boiling over -- through physical labor outside.
-- Heinz-Ulrich

The center bed with our well ventilation pipe and a few Black-eyed Susans that I was able to salvage.


The last three late afternoons and early evenings before sunset have been spent giving some much overdue TLC to three garden beds in front of Totliegh-in-the-Wold.  Backbreaking is something of an understatment, but the end results are worth it.  A two inch bed of mulch will follow tomorrow  plus a few deer-resistant perennials before moving onto other beds that need some weeding and revamping.  Whew!
Heinz-Ulrich

The bed beneath the small tree with a rather nicely rendered tree-ring if I do say so myself.  Roots close to the surface prevented a nice, crisp edge, so I improvised with some unused bricks to set the bed off from the surrounding lawn.


And the bed beneath a big, old Oak.  Again, roots close to the surface of the ground made edging difficult, but I did what I could.  Mulch for all three areas tomorrow (Sunday).  The bed around the mailbox will get a similar treatment in a day o…