On Fashion Forward Friday the Fanny Pack is Back!

Image Source: yoyokulala.com

Don’t you dare laugh, chuckle or throw shade at the fanny pack that you thought was old news and old period. Well, guess what boys and girls, they’re back and are being donned by every age, gender and fashion style. The fanny pack is more popular now than it was before. If you are just discovering this fashion accessory, you have no idea what you’ve been missing. 

Image Source: menfashionhub.com

These hip bags or waist pouches can also be worn over the shoulder or layered over a jacket. Fanny packs began picking up steam last year and are in full force as they allow wearers the freedom of movement. They are available in a variety of styles, sizes, price ranges, and fabrics. Fanny packs are convenient and functional.

Image Source: Fashionista

No more fanny pack shaming y’all. The origins of the fanny pack reach back as far as the stone age and are called many different names according to the culture. Perhaps it’s time time to pull yours out of retirement. I know I will. Yep, there’s a resurgence of these waist pouches and it doesn’t seem like these fashion accessories are going anywhere anytime soon.

Happy #FashionForwardFriday!

Seahorses, Delicate Little Sea Thoroughbreds

Horse Under the Sea

Oh seahorse, oh seahorse, hippocampus of the sea

is there an ocean derby somewhere, a seahorse race for thee?

In coral reefs, and seagrass comfortably you dwell

with a long-snouted nose and a gripping prehensile tail.

You fascinate me, oh spiny, knobby sea thoroughbred

dorsal and pectoral fins, not resembling a fish at all

colorful, well-camouflaged, bobbing and drifting you are

sail on little sea dragon, you’re no mythical creature by far.

© Kym Gordon Moore

 

An Early Surprise from Yucca da Plant

pinpoint sword-shaped leaves
beautiful flower clusters
native yucca plant

I am simply amazed by the early blooms that started popping up from one of my yucca plants all of a sudden, like rabbits in heat! 😀 This particular yucca plant is my biggest since it had a bunch of pups a couple of years ago that shot up out of nowhere.

Last year the large terminal panicles produced these clusters of beautiful cream-colored flowers in late summer, so imagine my surprise seeing them blossom this early this year.

Yucca plants grow literally anywhere and you honestly can’t kill these things. They seem to thrive in hot and arid places in my area, but they are also native in the Caribbean, New Zealand, Mexico, Guatemala and parts of Canada.

The one thing I must warn you about these plants is that their sword-shaped, bayonet style leaves contain a sharp-spined needle tip that is extremely painful if you get stuck by one, or two or three. Trust me, it is PAINFUL!!!

To avoid those brushes with these sinister pinpoint tips, you can snip them off to avoid another close encounter of the painful kind. The blossoms are short term and after they have all withered on the stalk I have to sadly snip the stalk as close to the plant as possible only leaving the green foliage behind.

If you’re looking for a fuss-free, easy-to-grow plant for your garden, a yucca plant might be a consideration. If you are digging it up from another area, there is no problem transplanting them.

I Never Would Have Thought

Do you find yourself saying “I never would have thought I would be in this position,” or “I never would have thought things would end up like this?” Now, these statements could be either a good thing or a bad thing. Sometimes we question decisions we made or decisions we failed to make. We dissect and overanalyze the outcomes, especially if those end results are not in our favor.

There are far too many who fall into despair due to unforeseen circumstances not always by their own doing. We find that the negligence or arrogance of certain helpmates we probably rely on could trigger a downfall for a person at any unexpected moment. 

There is no blueprint or operating manual that is packed with you at birth to tell you how to confront or resolve every case scenario in life. Holding on to faith is never an easy thing to do, although we try to remain prayerful and strong. We realize that things could change in a heartbeat, whether it be victorious or defeating.

Yet somehow, in the stillness of our spirit, we try to hold on to our convictions with humility and gratitude, and not worry about those things that are out of our control. Easier said than done? Yes, but still we must try to persevere through tribulations with hope in our heart to build sound character, to develop genuine compassion, and have wise conversations. We must quiet our mind and tongue, then just hold on and don’t give up, no matter what you thought or may be thinking now.

National Police Week: Honoring Our Law Enforcement Officers

This past week we lost one of our area law enforcement officers to gun violence after responding to a traffic stop (Mooresville K9 Officer Jordan Sheldon). Over the weekend we heard about another police officer who served 21 years in the Army was killed investigating a robbery in Savannah, Georgia. His name, Sgt. Kelvin Ansari.

To hear the call go out “Officer Down” is the type of news no one ever wants to hear. To watch these ceremonies honoring the life and service of fallen law enforcement officers, firemen or our military personnel is very heartwrenching and so emotional.

We’ve seen evidence of misconduct and corruption among many law enforcement officials across the country in various departments, but that should not smear the decency and good ethics of those officers who excel in protecting and serving their communities in good standing.

This week we are observing National Police Week. President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation in 1962 designating May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day. Thousands and thousands of law enforcement officers from around the world will converge on Washington, DC to honor those who have sacrificed their lives and fallen in the line of duty.

The National Peace Officers Memorial Service, sponsored by the Grand Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police, is one in a series of events which includes the Candlelight Vigil during this celebration in the U.S. capital this week. The vigil is sponsored by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) and seminars are sponsored by Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.).

Image source: TripSavvy

For more information about activities you can do in your area or events you can attend or sponsor to thank your local police officers, click here to learn more about National Police Week.  A sincere thank you to all of our brave law enforcement officials who go out daily to serve and protect with honor and excellence.

#NationalPoliceWeek

Sustainability Fashions: An Eco-Friendly Growing Revolutionary Trend?

Image Source: British Vogue

Socially conscious, cruelty-free, ethical fashion and clothing options are the pioneering projects coming from numerous design houses and brands. Many are using organic and recycled fabrics and fibers, natural dyes, no fur or leather, ethically-sourced wool, and re-engineered cashmere.

Image Source: Page Design Pro

Sustainable fashion is a part of the growing design philosophy and movement towards environmental and social sustainability. The goal is to create a system which can be supported indefinitely in terms of human impact on the environment and social responsibility.

Image Source: Material Lab UK

Typically many people think about purchasing clothes from second-hand stores like consignment shops, Goodwill stores, or yard sales. Upcycling is reinventing fashion for environmentally sustainable clothes and accessories. Frankly, when you think about it, this concept is not especially new if you grew up in the fashion era of “hand-me-downs.”

Richard Malone, Mara Hoffman, Eileen Fisher, Elliss Solomon, Stella McCartney, and Samantha McCoach are just a few of those designers making sustainable eco-friendly fashions climb the popularity charts. So before you toss out those outdated clothes that are too far gone to donate, try recycling those items to recreate something unique and fabulous to complement your own style.

Happy Eco-Friendly #FashionForwardFriday!

To Mom With Love!

Oh, the joy of being wrapped in the loving and protective arms of your mother. The wonder woman that so many moms encompass is empowered by a myriad of adjectives we probably never realize existed. Mothers have a mystical magical way of letting you know that everything will be all right and not to worry about those things you have no control over even if they silently do the worrying themselves.

As Mother’s Day approaches, if you are fortunate enough to have your mother still living, then you are a blessed child, in more ways than you can imagine, no matter how grown you may be. It is with my wish that you spend time with your mom or dad if he has been acting in the maternal role, not just on Mother’s Day, but as often as you can.

Mother’s are not as perfect as we see through our eyes, but who is? Yet, there is something irreplaceable about moms. Many sacrifice so much to make sure their children do not go without. Many mothers have to travel the parental road alone, perhaps as a widow or single mother. Far too often the presence of our mothers is taken for granted. Those of you like me whose mothers are passed away wish they had another opportunity to spend more time with their moms. It’s not too late for those of you whose mothers are still here.

So, to all of you mothers, in whatever maternal capacity you unselfishly serve (grandmothers, aunts, etc.), may you have a pampered, privileged, and fabulous Mother’s Day, cloaked in the loving arms of your family, biological or extended! 🙂