Welcome! I hope I bring a spot of calm and happiness into these uncertain times. I blog about flowers, gardening, my photography adventures, the importance of chocolate in a well lived life, or anything else on my mind.
Hot days aren't fun for us humans, but the plants in my Southern Tier of New York garden are soaking it up. And, the garden has announced that summer is here.
The daylilies are blooming. These pictures, except for the last, were taken yesterday.
As of today, I have four varieties blooming. I don't know the names of any of them, because either I forgot, or I never knew (some of what I have bought were "unknown", sold at a discount).
This was the first, already blooming before the 15th of the month. It has a lot of blooms and buds now.
This, on the side, is a rebloomer. I'm positive it isn't Stella D'Oro. I got this at a clearance years ago. It's a short variety.
Finally, this is one I bought two years ago from a daylily nursery in Thompson, Pennsylvania, Lambertson's Brookside, which went out of business at the end of 2022...and then reopened for a while in 2023...and is going to reopen again for six days (I think) this July. The owners are in their 80's and I suspect they just can't let go.
You can search July daylily posts from previous years, when my memory was better. I should, but I'm too lazy.
Earlier this week, we were under a heat advisory. We decided to walk in the park where we sometimes watch sunsets. We weren't sure we'd see a good sunset but maybe we would. Maybe we could get some walking in, too.
This is what we saw. It was hot and humid, even near sunset, and there looked like there was a thunderstorm starting to build. Suddenly, spouse points at the sky and says "is that a red rainbow?"
I just stood there and clicked.
The red cloud continued to build.
Red rainbow or not?
At this point, we were hearing thunder. Time to end the walk.
Here the red rainbow or pointer from the cloud is starting to disappear. You can see it just to the right of the tree.
We headed home.
Now, you can decide. I think it had something to do with us being so close to sunset. And we never did see a full rainbow, just did. So...maybe.
As you grow older the parents, relatives, other adults, childhood heroes, favorite musicians, childhood sports favorites, and others, grow older along with you.
Eventually, they all pass on, as you know (intellectually) you will also, one day.
This is life, and we must accept it.
Tuesday, another sports figure of my youth passed away. Willie Mays, the Say Hey Kid [so named because it was how he greeted people in his youth], was 93.
True, Willie Mays was one of the greats of the sports of baseball. Many consider him the greatest all around baseball player of all time. What statistics he compiled in his career in all categories of baseball play. He entertained with his smile and showmanship.
Mays eventually won the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States.
Also, consider this: Mays grew up in Alabama, in the segregated South. He started his career in the Negro League, which existed because Major League baseball did not admit black ballplayers at the time. Mays may have ended up having a spectacular career without much of our population ever knowing, or perhaps caring, if history didn't provide otherwise.
Ironically, Major League Baseball held a major league game yesterday in the same park as Willie's Negro League team, the Birmingham Black Barons, once played. Willie had already announced he would not be able to make that ballgame.
It was only earlier this month that Major League baseball included statistics from the Negro League in the stats of former Negro League players who had entered the major leagues after integration.
Ironically, perhaps, I learned of May's death Tuesday evening while watching a New York Mets game with my spouse.
So,where do I fit into this?
Neither of my parents followed baseball, but I somehow found (and loved) watching games, starting around age eight. In high school and college, I went to a handful of games with friends. Also, I met another New York Mets fan (the spouse mentioned above) in college. By the fall of 1972, we were engaged.
In May of 1972, Willie Mays, at the tail end of his career, was traded to the New York Mets. We in New York loved Willie Mays. He had started his major league career (once he could play in it) with the New York Giants. It was a homecoming.
In 1973, the Mets didn't play well for most of the year,and by the end of August they were in last place. But then, they started a winning streak. By September 21 they were in first place. It was such an exciting time. We went to some games. By then, Willie Mays wasn't playing every day (he only played in 66 games total). For me, it was enough to be in the same park as him.
On September 20, Mays announced he was going to retire after the season ended.
On September 25 the Mets held a Willie Mays celebration at Shea Stadium. Some 53,000 fans showed up. My future spouse and I were two of them, and we, his fans, gave him a six minute standing ovation.
Mays never played in the regular season again, but he played in several postseason games. We went to at least one of those, game five of the playoff vs. the Cincinnati Reds, where the Mets won the National League pennant. We were also at game three, where Mays went out with several other Mets players to calm fans successfully, and prevent the Mets from forfeiting the game, after a brawl.
Mays' last base hit was in game two of the 1973 World Series, held in Oakland, California.
We went to World Series game three, in New York, and that was my last major league game ever. I don't know if I will ever go to another one. Such again is life.
I haven't been a baseball fan for many years, but I still admire the players from my era and before. For example, seeing Bob Feller play the year before he passed away was a highlight of my life.
What a thrill to have been able to be present at a couple of historic points of baseball history.
Yesterday, there was a moment of silence before all major league games.
Willie Mays is gone, as we all will be one day. Life will go on, but many will miss him. I am one of them.
A sad morning - last evening, while my spouse was watching a baseball
game, we heard of the death of Willie Mays, a baseball legend of my
childhood, and one of the greatest players of all time, at age 93. I
will blog about him later this week.
I saw one for the first time back in the 1980's when I lived in Arkansas. I was positive I had seen a hummingbird but something seemed a little off. A neighbor told me what I had seen. It's easy to be fooled. They hover like hummingbirds, although they are also smaller.
I've seen them a handful of times where I live now in New York State.
My spouse was out watering my hanging baskets (thank you!) a couple of days ago when he saw this on a basket of million bells (look on the upper right and you'll see a pair of yellow semi-circular stripes and the wings). My apologies for not having better closeups.
Moved onto a low flower on the left.
One more capture on the left. You can see the stripes against the green basket.
Sunday, in the United States, was Father's Day. We invited our son to come over for lunch.
After lunch, dessert, and some watching of a baseball game on TV, my spouse said "Son, there is a favor you can do me. I have to get bags of salt for our water softener. I was going to do that tomorrow, but I'm thinking, could we do that together today?"
"Sure", son responded. Off they went to a local big box store that sold the brand he needed, with me tagging behind.
I had a feeling how much asking for that favor cost my spouse. When he was in his 20's and 30's and even 40's and 50's, my spouse was strong (and his hair was brown). He had physical jobs that required constant lifting. He was proud of his strength. Hefting eight bags, 40 pounds (18.1 kg) each, of water softener salt pellets from the display, pushing the cart, loading the car with them and bringing them down to the basement would have been an easy job if we had had the water softener.
But that was then.
A fall from about five years ago and wear and tear from all those years of physical labor have worked their way with his shoulders. He can lift, but it is an effort. And it would have taken a while. Even six bags (there is a price break at six so that's what he normally buys) are a chore.
My son helped us with a couple of other things like a watering hose repair that needed parts at the same store. Then we headed home with the salt.
My son works a job that is physical at times. He's in his 30's.
After he and spouse unloaded the car, and son carried the salt downstairs, son looked at his father and offered to add salt to the softening device. He then asked, "How often do you have to do that? How long does one bag of salt last?"
"About 11 days", spouse responded to the last question. I could see my son's mental wheels turning.
We are fortunate. Our son lives in the same county as we do although we realize that may not always be the case. We try not to ask for his help too much.
But, I wonder, when he looks at us, what does he see?
Does he see what we saw with his parents when they were our age? A split screen of then and now?
His grandfather, my father in law, died at just about the same age as my spouse is now. His other grandfather, my father, died about four years before my son was born, at just about that same age.
And yes, I think about that. And the "W" word. A lot. I know a number of women, in real life and on Facebook, that are members of the W club. Some of them have been for years. One of them joined that club, overnight, just a couple of months ago.
I think my son is peering into the future. He's seeing the beginning of the changing of the roles. We took care of him through his first 18 years or so. One day...well, we'll see, but we were also caregivers for his mother her last few years.
My son is an only child and I know it must weigh on him sometimes, just as it weighed on me starting at a certain age.
No one knows what the future holds. Perhaps it's just as well.
Bette Davis once said "Old age ain't no place for sissies." I don't feel like I'm old but I think the calendar would disagree with that.
We'll just do the best we can, and hope for many more Father's Days (and Mother's Days) with him.
Who are the Music Moves Me bloggers? Well, we are a group of music loving bloggers who blog about music
each Sunday or Monday and if you have music to share with us, you are most
welcome to join! (Music Posts Only-meaning at least one music video,
please! Otherwise, your post may be labeled "No Music".) Our head host isXmas Dolly, and our co-hosts are Cathyfrom Curious as a Cathy, joined by the knowledgeable Stacy ofStacy Uncorked and, last but not least, me.
Every
other week, we have a theme. On alternate weeks, we can blog on any
music theme we want. This week our theme is Fathers for Father's Day.
This can get complicated. Some of us never knew or even met our fathers. One such artist was Eric Clapton, who also lost a young son in a tragic accident. Upon hearing of his father's death, he was hit b a great sense of loss, which is expressed in this song:
Here is 1998's My Father's Eyes, from Eric Clapton.
I didn't think of this as a Father's Day song, but apparently many people do. Here is The Temptations and My Girl.
Another classic, with a take on "Like father, like son" is Harry Chapin and Cat's in the Cradle.
Included in the word "father" are stepfathers, who often are unsung and underappreciated. Here's the Winstons and their 1969 hit, Color Him Father.
I feel a need to rock out now, so including this 1974 song from Queen: Father to Son.
Finally, in closing, one of my favorite songs, another song about father-son relationships and regret. Here is Mike and the Mechanics and their 1989 hit The Living Years.
And that's a wrap!
Join us again next week for another episode of Music Moves Me.
It's the last weekend of spring and the 15th of the month. It's time for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day.
It seems the seasons are rushing by in my newly reclassified zone 6a garden in the Southern Tier of New York. There is so much blooming that I am just going to show you some random things and save some of all my annuals for another time.
Well, let's make two exceptions. We are going to have a heat wave starting Monday, and we may be looking at the last days of our pansies.
I am calling this my miracle hanging basket. See those pansies? They died out over last summer (or so I thought) but one of them survived the winter when I stored the hanging basket in our unheated garage. It's come back to life, accompanied by some purple million bells I purchased to keep them company.
Our garden sage is blooming.
Catmint.
This is nutmeg geranium, a scented geranium. Scented geraniums aren't supposed to bloom all that much. This plant didn't get the memo.
Salvia "Hummingbird Falls". Only problem is, we seem to be boycotted by hummingbirds this year. Well, no matter.
Our first day lily has been blooming for several days. Several others have buds ready to go.
Variegated geraniums. I bought a couple of these in a nursery about an hour away that specializes in the unusual. The green and white leafed one was a cutting from a plant about three years old now that we overwinter in the house.
Globe amaranth, a first for us.
On the side of our house, this wild rose.
In our back yard, Siberian columbine. It's on its way out so here's a picture from a couple of days ago to show it in better times.
Also in the back, cuphea (cigar plant). It's found its perfect spot and in normal years, hummingbirds love it.
One of our back (part time to shady) yard hanging baskets. This one has fuchsia and browallia. Browallia is new to us and we are loving it so far.
Last but not least, a hanging basket of sunpatiens, another plant I love.
Joining up today with Carol at May Dreams Gardens for her 15th of each month Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. Why not visit others on her linky and see what is blooming around the world?
Time is speeding by. This is the last Skywatch of spring, 2024.
Today, I'm taking you back to May 17, when there was a cruise-in in a local supermarket's parking lot. One of the store's employees, who is a Corvette enthusiast, puts these together. This year, it's expanded to twice a month (first Saturday and third Friday) through the end of the good weather.
The sky looked a little grim in one direction.
But less grim reflected on this little red Corvette's hood.
How about a different Corvette?
Less noticeable on the purple Chevy.
One more plus part of that Chevy above.
I like looking at classic cars, and finding these reflections is part of the fun. I hope you found it fun, too.
Everything in Nature seems to be so sped up this year. I know the winter was mild, but still...
I've done an annual (or nearly annual) post on one of our prettiest native blooming trees, the catalpa. I happened to look at a post from 2019 on that year's bloom. The post is dated June 27, 2019.
In 2017, my post was dated June 22. In 2013, also June 22.
This isn't the only plant that is blooming ahead of time in my Southern Tier of New York garden. I already have one day lily blooming (not the ones you see in commercial landscaping, which are blooming, too) and some others have buds.
Last year I lived in USDA zone 5b. This year it's been upgraded to zone 6a. (The higher the zone number the higher your average winter temperatures are - that's an oversimplification but it will do for my purposes here). How can people deny something is happening?
But back to the early blooming catalpas.
Fast forward to this year, 2024. First, a few facts about these native trees.
This is a native tree (Catalpa speciosa) with beautiful, showy, fragrant blossoms in the late spring/early summer. They can
grow upwards of 40 to 60 feet (18.28 meters) tall and make a good shade tree. Their beautiful white flowers make a
mess for the homeowner who has to clean them up. If you have to cut
one down, they make (I understand) good lumber.
After they bloom, they grow long "beans", which can be upwards of 20
inches (50 cm) long. In winter,these beans are shed.
Time for another cleanup.
You'll be cleaning for a long time, too, as
these trees can live as long as 150 years.
Today is June 13. The trees have been blooming since about June 6. They look to be at peak right now.
This first photo was taken near Otsiningo Park in Binghamton, New York on June 7.
Here's another from June 7.
In my neighborhood, I can get closer. Let's look at photos taken June 11.
Let's get even closer.
Finally, I hope this shows the size these trees can get to.
I am llinking with Thursday Tree Love, brought to us by Parul and her blog Happiness and Food.
Love flowers? Join me again Saturday for more flowers at Garden Bloggers Bloom Day.
Many of our local birds are raising families right now. Even after the young leave the nest, certain species of birds continue to feed their young for a few days (or longer). Sometimes it's the father. Sometimes it's both parents.
I apologize for the blurryness-a downside of my iPhone 13 mini and its zoom.
The downy woodpeckers (left side feeder) have been introducing their young to our feeders. I've seen this hungry pair for a couple of days now. The juvenile is on the left - they usually look a bit ragged.
Here, Dad has flown away. The youngster is waiting for him to return on the left feeder. On a nearby fence, a male Northern cardinal (the red bird on the right) perched.
A few minutes later, I saw, for the first time this year, a juvenile Northern cardinal. I couldn't take that picture; it happened too quickly. The juveniles, both male and female, look like female Northern cardinals (which are mainly brown with some red and a red beak) except for the ragged feathers and a black beak. "Our" cardinals had three broods last year.
Later, the male (left) and female (right) showed up without the youngster. Again, sorry for the blurriness.
Tomorrow, Newtown High School in Newtown, Connecticut is holding its high school graduation.
Before I go any further in my blog post, I must warn my readers that some of the following may be disturbing.
If you're still with me....here's a highway sign. It's a simple highway sign.
Let's take a short drive into Connecticut.
The name "Newtown" may sound familiar to you. If it does, this is probably why:
On December 14, 2012, a 20 year gunman killed 26 people at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. 20 of them were first graders, and six of them were adult staff. (The gunman also killed his mother, bringing the final toll to 27.)
Those 20 first graders would have been graduating from high school next week.
Time flies, doesn't it. Since then, there have been so many school and other mass shootings in our United States that some of them don't even make it past the local news.
It is said that the high school class of 2024 in Newtown has a special closeness, forged by that nightmare day and the many days after.
As for the staff: One of those staff members, Mary Sherloch, grew up in the area where I live. She was the school psychologist.
Perhaps that closeness growing out of grief would not have been a surprise to her.
But, we must never forget that the graduation tomorrow will be a few students short. They were never given a chance to grow. They will not walk across that stage with their peers, except, perhaps, in memory.
The bloggers of Music Moves Me blog about music
each Sunday or Monday and if you have music to share with us, you are most
welcome to join! (Music Posts Only-meaning at least one music video,
please! Otherwise, your post may be labeled "No Music".) Our head host isXmas Dolly, and our co-hosts are Cathyfrom Curious as a Cathy, joined by the knowledgeable Stacy ofStacy Uncorked and, last but not least, me.
Every
other week, we have a theme. On alternate weeks, we can blog on any
music theme we want. This week is Freedom of Musical Choice and I am choosing Musical Questions.
This was inspired by me hearing this song on a trip: The Smiths and "How Soon is Now?" from 1984. Fun fact, it was initially released as a "B" side.
Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavour? (On the Bedpost Over Night) was asked by Lonnie Donegan and his Skiffle Group in 1959. But, this song is actually a cover of a 1913 skit that included a song "Will Chewing Gum Hold Its Flavor on the Bedpost Overnight?" which was then adapted int a 1924 song "Does Your Spearmint Lose Its Flavor" recorded by Jones and Hare aka The Happiness Boys.
And here it is, 100 years old this year.
Next up is the musical question "What Kind of Fool am I", an Anthony Newley song covered by many artists, including Sammy Davis, Jr.
Finally, speaking of covers, here is Leonid and Friends covering the Chicago hit Questions 67 & 68. The quiz show Jeopardy might reject that title because it isn't in the form of a question, but I love the song.
And that's a wrap!
Join me again next week for another episode of Music Moves Me.
Roses at Cutler Botanic Gardens, Binghamton, New York, May 31.
Rose York and Lancaster, which dates from before 1551. I love how not all the roses are the same color; this is a characteristic of this variety. And oh, the fragrance.
Rosa Belle poitevine, from 1894. Another fragrant rose which is also supposed to be a rebloomer.
Last but not least for today, an Apothocary rose (Rosa gallica). This variety is some 900 years old and is tolerant of shade. And if your nose still has room for fragrance - mmmmm.
Joining Lisa at Lisa's Garden Adventures for #ShadowshotSunday.
Every spring, I can't wait to plant something. Usually, it's pansies or violas from a nearby nursery planted in a hanging basket. (Until this past spring, I've created my own hanging baskets with a couple of exceptions).
Then, the weather warms up and when it gets too hot, the pansies give up. I'll try to limp the pansy basket along but at some point, I give up.
The basket goes into our garage. The next spring, it's used for something else.
But this past spring, one of the baskets had a plant growing in it. Despite being in our garage, nature was telling me to see what happened.
I did so. At first I was wondering if I was seeing a weed. But then little flower buds appeared and the plant itself looked familiar. So we planted a couple of other plants (see the pink and purple flowers) and waited to see what happened.
This is what it looks like now. The yellow/black pansies or violas are so happy that I gave them a chance. I'm calling it my miracle pansy.
I know that, sooner or later, this pansy will give out. But hopefully, the purple million bells and pink scaevola will last all summer. After frost, the basket will go into the garage.
It turned out to be quite a pleasant day. We went to a car show.
1964 GMC Truck and a different shade of blue from the sky, but still fun to look at.
Finally, a 1950 Cadillac. It's hard to see but there is a reflection on the side of the car of the sky and hills. These cars are so polished up that it's fun to see reflections in them.
