January 20, 2012

What do you do to keep your kids out of your bow-tie-making wife's hair during the rush just before the Post Office closes? On a cool winter afternoon? Why, you build a fire and roast some marshmallows, that's what.

"Catch them on fire!" Okay, son, if you say so.

A friend called me a pretend outdoorsman upon seeing these photos. That's exactly what I am. I have no ambition of being a real one. Don't care for camping, never been hunting, prefer catching to fishing. But I do like to light up a pipe, sit around a fire, and drink coffee, outdoors, out of my new Stanley thermos (Merry Christmas to me!).

Embracing my identity as pretend outdoorsman allows me to catch up on my reading of Jonathan Edwards for The Dead Preachers Society of Ebenezerville on my iPad. (I do prefer my Yale clothbound edition, but alas, I could not locate it.)

And it allows me to rock the bow tie. In this case, a one-of-a-kind, not-normaly available black gingham piece cut in classic shape and not on the bias. Available in the store until it's gone, and then very much not available again. Buy this bow tie, or any of the 366, and you're sending 29 odd bucks to enrich the lives of children in Haiti.

There was actually a moment when I didn't think I was going to be able to build a proper fire. A boy scout I was not. My boys were looking on, and I couldn't fail. Thankfully, the thing got going and the whole macho operation was saved.

thecordialchurchman

Author

5 Comments

ellielaveer

January 22, 2012

So kind of you to say, Nadia! Depending on your son’s age, we do boy’s bow ties. -Andy

Nadia

January 20, 2012

I’m doing a bow tie birthday party for my son and stumbled across your blog searching for some inspiration. What you are doing is so cool!

PapaBear

January 20, 2012

Andy-
I enjoyed your admission of pseudo-outdoorsman status. Alas, since Grandpa Stager passed away, we haven’t had a serious camper in our midst as Stager males. You’ve inherited my not-so-great-indoorsman gene, I’m afraid. Oh, well…as Jimi Hendrix said, “I’m gonna let my freak-flag fly.”