Thursday, April 17, 2008

Good-bye Neon Hair!


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Today I gave myself a belated birthday gift - a day off from work. During my travels, I stopped to check on the male Downy who had been working hard on a tree near the grocery store pond. Success!

Main target: the hair salon. Yes, I needed some work. If you have caught glimpses of me on this blog, you’ll know that my hair is very blonde, unnaturally. Naturally, it is a non-descript shade of dark or medium ash blonde, sort of a dishwater/mousey shade. For many years, I had professional highlights that were very attractive, until…

A stylist I liked and trusted in Delaware convinced me to go “all the way blonde”, four years ago. Yeah. I walked out of the salon that night with a feeling of oh, no, what have I done? Or more importantly, what in the hell was she thinking? Shades of orange, peach, and pale blonde framed my fair skin. A co-worker from Delaware still remembers that color job, reminds me of how horrible it was, and how I refused to say, “I hate it.”.

I fixed it, alright, by resorting to boxes of Preference by L’Oreal from the grocery store. Used it carelessly, too, unintentionally allowing my hair to glow in the dark. I’m only 61 inches tall, but in a sea of 1,000 people, one could say, “Oh, there she is. See Mary over there? The neon blonde.”


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No longer will I stand out in a crowd. I’m so happy with the results that I wanted to get a good photo. Holding the camera at arm’s length just didn’t work. After thirty frames of trying to hide my sagging chin, I decided to use the bathroom mirror. My cheeks puff up when I smile widely so I chose a serious face.



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It’s nice. The birds won’t mind it too much. When I told Michael my hair was too bright for the birds and how it scares them away, he shook his head and said, “Don’t tell anyone that...” Pfffffhht.



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Perhaps I still need a green hat but I’m happy with it. Visiting the salon every six weeks will upset my cash flow but I’ll devise a way to continue to give the birds what they need, want, and expect from me.



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Must have Zick dough.



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Must have sunflower seeds.


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Must have worms and NUTS.

Tonight at 7:30 p.m., I received another belated gift on this warm day. After four days of winter weather, a sub-freezing night, and the absence of hummingbirds, a male hummer landed on the Hibiscus then took a few sips of nectar. Waiting for a female now. :o)

55 comments:

nina at Nature Remains. said...

I like seeing pictures of you--the third one best--not so "serious."
And you look pleased.
Isn't it amazing how much better we feel knowing we look goood!

I'm still wrestling with growing mine out--physically wrestling--the humidity of summer may soon make me rethink this.

NCmountainwoman said...

The third picture needs to replace the one identifying your blog. Great hair, great expression, and holding the camera that takes plenty of fantastic shots for us. It's you, Mary.

thailandchani said...

Well since we apparently use the same color, obviously I like it. :) Is that 9A? Wish I could remember the number of mine.

Sandpiper (Lin) said...

I like your hair! Right now, mine has a white streak that needs tending to, but I keep forgetting to do it until it's late at night. By morning, I'm too busy again. :)

Love your bird pix, too!

Ruth said...

Yes, I like your hair very much and your new profile picture. I am a blonde that went brown as I got older, not too grey yet, but I couldn't be bothered with colour (yet). I am very low maintenance.

Mary said...

Nina, by July and the heat, I will have less hair :o)

ncmountainwoman, will you start a blog???? And yes, as you suggested, DONE.

Chani, I was using 9 or 10 NB. No more!

Peg Silloway said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Peg Silloway said...

Great hair, Mary! And a great self-portrait, too. I'm a firm believer in make-up for my hair...probably still be a redhead when I'm 75. The nice part is that I already don't care if someone thinks that shoulder length red hair is inappropriate for a woman who just turned 64. [Sound of Bronx Cheer] to that!

Nothing quite like a bit of self-pampering to brighten the outlook. It's not an extravagance; it's an investment in your career and shows proper self respect. ;-)

Susan Gets Native said...

Well....check out Miss Hot Mama Mary!
That is YOUR color. It looks natural, but gorgeous.

I tried salon color ONCE. Never again. And then I tried just the solid hair color, but I was never happy with it.
Now I use Loreal Colour Expert, with the highlights. Happy Susan!
Nina: I am SO jealous of your hair. Miss Thick, Unadulterated Curliness. Dudes, you should SEE her hair in person. Amazing.

KGMom said...

Mary--you have set off a hair raising bunch of comments! I have tried taking photos of myself recently (also hair related, as I am trying to let mine grow a little longer). I angled the viewer to see the image, and then tilted my head this way and that. Finally got one that's OK. Of course, my hair hasn't looked that way since.
Nice hairdo and color, by the way.
Are those sunflower seeds sprouting in the one photo? We have chipmunks who "plant" bunches of sunflower seeds in my flower pots.

Julie Zickefoose said...

You are soooo cute! I love these pictures! Mary's back, big as life!

Just FYI I use Ronco Dishwater Brown with Shots o' Gray #7, in case anyone wants to look like me.

Julie Zickefoose said...

Mary--forgot to add:

Go to www.npr.org, and do a search for Driveway Moments. Scroll past Charlie the parrot and go to the Toadsucking Dog. Make sure Chloe's on your lap when you listen to it.

I loved those pictures of her frothing at the mouth. Silly girl.

Rose said...

The new hair color is very flattering, Mary. I'm very lazy about coloring my hair; I keep telling myself that because I'm a blonde, the gray streaks just look like highlights. I think my friends are too kind to tell me the truth.

beckie said...

Oh Mary, been there, done that! Lovely color and style. Great pics of the birds..as always. Belated Happy Birthday!

Anonymous said...

Your hair looks fantastic Mary! Happy late birthday!!

Angie

JeanMac said...

I love the color and style- very soft.

Beth said...

Nice pictures, you look beautiful. What a nice birthday present for yourself--a trip to the salon. Enjoy your trips to the mirror!

Jayne said...

You, my dear, are ADORABLE! No matter what shade of blond you are, the beauty shines through. :c) It's so nice to walk out of a salon and feel like it's "right."

Anonymous said...

Mary, You look wonderful! Where in Delaware? I moved to NC from Wilmington, DE.

Mary said...

Cindy, oh you were a northerner in DE! I lived right smack in the middle of the state in a little town called Magnolia, not far from the Dover AFB.

RuthieJ said...

Oh Mary, I LOVE your new hair (and your glasses too!) You look great!

Beth said...

You are SO beautiful! You inspire me, girl. Looking mighty fine there, too - as good as the beautiful birdy pics.

Enjoy the beauty EVERYWHERE and have a terrific weekend!

Anonymous said...

Mary, you really are beautiful.

dguzman said...

You're a beautiful lady, and happy bird-day to ya!

I hope the hummers come soon. I've heard about a few all the way up here in PA, so keep watching.

Anonymous said...

Mary, I know just where Magnolia is. I believe that qualifies as slower lower, since it's below the canal!

Mary said...

Cindy, oh, yeah - slower, lower is right! It was the slowest moving town I've ever lived in. A real culture shock!

Kerri Farley said...

Mary, you are Beautiful! On the inside and the out!!!
Love the hair!!

Your bird shots are FAB as usual....and glad another hummer showed up for you! It is supposed to get close to 80 here today....I bet your have more visiting this weekend!!!

Cheryl said...

Great photos as always, love the birds, as usual your photography is amazing.

Love the pictures of you Mary, love the hair. The camera shows you in artistic mode.

Lisa at Greenbow said...

A little birdie told me that you have beautiful hair and that you are a pretty lady that is very generous with Zick Dough and other seeds.

Crayons said...

Mary, you look beautiful in all three photos. I agree with one of the commenters that it is fitting to have your camera in the photo. I like the color of your hair.

I starting getting highlights in my hair when I went back on the job market at age 49. The salt-and-pepper would not hold up to the 20-somethings.

NatureWoman said...

I love the photos of you, Mary, and your hair is very pretty!!!

NCmountainwoman said...

I've thought about starting a blog. I have great backyard birds, two gorgeous and funny dogs, lovely forest and mountains, waterfalls, lakes, and creeks, all sorts of animals, and hiking trails with wildflowers and wildlife.

However, there are so many great blogs, how would I fit in? What about Nina's wonderful prose, backed by sound scientific knowledge? Or Susan's raptors, not to mention her marvelous sense of humor? Or your fantastic photos and musings that are so entertaining? I could go on and on, but you know them all. In short, so many of you are so talented, it is rather intimidating.

I selected a blogger identity so as to respond to some of the marvelous blogs out there, some of whom do not accept anonymous entries.

In short, I have to do things as well as everyone else, and at this point, I'm not at all certain I can play in your league. Perhaps there is a blog in my future. Be assured...if I decide to test the waters, you will be the first one to know.

Stacey Olson said...

Beautiful lady you are. I am glad the birds approve. LOL

Mary said...

Dear NCMountainwoman,

I've been reading your comments on others' blogs as well as mine and I think you have much to share. You have a flair for writing, it's evident, so nothing should hold you back. Here in this blogging community we are all unique with varied talents. And, have you been reading my blogs lately??? Huh? How I've been struggling with what some might call an inferiority complex?

Let me tell you this. The first blog I ever read was Julie Z's back in August 2006. How intimidating is THAT? Through her, I read wonderful blogs and started to embrace the special people behind them. Two months later, with some nudging from a few friends, I softly and quietly entered the blogosphere and was thrilled if one person left a comment.

So, dear NCMountainwoman, look around you. You have mountains! Share you spirit and lovely spot in NC! There's no competing here. E-mail me when you start your blog.

Mary

Unknown said...

Wow Mary,
Love love love the photos of you.
I can here the birds now calling pretty woman.

Debbie said...

Hi Mary!
I'm a new reader. Love your hair...it looks great and your photos are gorgeous. I look forward to reading your blog in the future.

TR Ryan said...

You are gorgeous!!!

Robin's Nesting Place said...

Mary, the birds are gonna love you even more, cause you look so natural. You are a beautiful lady indeed! Love the self-portraits.

Mel said...

You look GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LauraHinNJ said...

Mary,

I almost didn't recognize you.. then I did and just smiled!

You're gorgeous! And the look on your face just makes me chuckle and wonder what you're thinking.

Oh and hair advice to Nina from another curly-headed girl - longer is better in the summer - all that weight is a good thing with the humidity - that and lots of anti-friz products!

Chrissie said...

Great hair, Mary. Happy belated birthday! Nothing wrong with being a neon blonde really LOL I am naturally grey and all my colour comes from a box :-)

Mary said...

Debbie, welcome! Thanks for visiting.

Mary said...

All,

My God you are making me blush. I only wanted to show the pretty color of my hair - that's all! Hey, you'd take your compliments back if you saw me now, 20 minutes out of bed, no make-up and pillow wrinkles decorating my face.

Anonymous said...

Hi Mary,

Fantastic. I like the second and third photo of you, but not the first only because it is blurred. Beautiful blue eyes as well.
Olivia Newton John use? to be my favourite blonde. !!??

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing the many faces of Mary. I can related to hair disasters. Amazing how "blondes have more fun" seems to be at war with "only her hairdresser knows ..."

entoto said...

Mary,

You look beautiful! I love the impish look on the last photo of you. I like your frames, too.

You looked lovely before, but now you look fantastic.

dmmgmfm said...

You were always a beauty Mary, but your new do really is fetching. Love the post, love you...
Laurie

Q said...

Dear Mary,
Did I miss your birthday???
Happy birthday! Glad you are giving yourself presents. A day off work and new hair color is very nice. I love your cut too. You look so happy.
The birds love you. I still would get a pretty green hat just to protect your pretty hair.
Sherry

Reginas Cottage said...

Your hair is so cute!!!!
Wonderful photo.
Regina

Carol Michel said...

Sounds like a wonderful day off with good results. Your hair likes great.

I don't know who NCMOuntainwoman is, but I think based on her comments, she would be a great blogger. Keep prodding her, Mary!

Carol, May Dreams Gardens

Cathy said...

Mary - You're back and you're just as pretty as all the lovely things you see and share.

Does Michael serenade you?

Here are some Jerome lyrics I encountered lately. Somehow they just seem to apply :0)

You are the promised kiss of springtime
That makes the lonely winter seem long.
You are the breathless hush of evening
That trembles on the brink of a lovely song.
You are the angel glow that lights a star,
The dearest things I know are what you are.

Sherry said...

Mary, your hair looks great! I love your cut and the color!

Kathie Brown said...

Mary, I gave up the hair color a year ago and now let nature take it's course. My long brown hair has turned to blond and gray. Oh well. But you look lovely, darling, and so young! I love your new photos! By the way, is that a brown-headed nuthatch? I have never seen one before!

Dorothy said...

Wow, love your new color Mary! It's very flattering to your skintone too.
Doesn't it feel good to have a new color, cut, or manicure?

And I love love love your bird photos....you manage to outdo yourself with each new blog.

Unknown said...

Mary,

As so many have said you are truly beautiful inside and out!

Your last comment about no makeup made me think of that Martina McBride song "My Baby Loves Me"

Singing :-) Don't need no copy of Don't need no copy of Vogue magazine, don't need to dress like no beauty queen. High heels or sneakers, he don't give a dang.
My baby loves me just the way that I am....

Happy belated birthday!