Welcome! I hope I bring a spot of calm and happiness into these uncertain times. I blog about my photography adventures, flowers, gardening, the importance of chocolate in a well lived life, or anything else on my mind.
In the blink of an eye we have gone from spring to summer.
Yesterday, it was going to be warmer (85 degrees vs the 60's a couple of days ago) than we were used to where I live in the Southern Tier of New York. Obviously, the weather had an eye on the calendar.
So I took a short walk mid morning. The sun was out and the sky was blue. The catalpa trees (a native tree) were blooming. If you enlarge the photo you can see their white blooms.
But this is Skywatch, not Tree Watch, so here's a better view of the sky.
By afternoon, the clouds were gathering.
This is the sky about 1:30 pm.
We got rain later in the day. And, next week, the heat arrives.
On June 12, I was walking in my neighborhood, and came across this.
Ah, the scent of privet. Years ago, I would blog about privet hedges at the end of each June. They bloom earlier and earlier, and aren't covered by bees the way they used to be.
But still, they bring back a memory of over 60 years ago.
I grew up in the Bronx, a borough of New York City, in a city housing
project. All the green spaces in the project were carefully fenced away
behind chain link fences. We children would get into trouble with the
maintenance men who cared for the project if we climbed the fences and
dared to play in the greenery. So, of course, we did it as often as
possible.
In June, the privet would bloom.
It's a scent I love to this day.
The boys would catch the bees the bushes attracted in glass jars. That's not something we
girls got into. Instead, we would look for ladybugs to catch.
The heady scent from a week ago brought me back over 60 years in a matter of seconds. I
was a little girl once again, climbing chain link fences while we
looked out for the project maintenance men, so my playmates and I could
have a few minutes of interaction with nature.
Today
I am joining up with other Music Moves Me bloggers (and you can join us
at the linky above). We are a group of music loving bloggers who blog about music
each Sunday or Monday (or even later in the week). 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 link may be labeled "No Music" or even removed.)
Every other week we have a theme, and this is one of those weeks. Today, our theme is "Sunny days".
Hmmm. This could be songs mentioning the sun, or sunshine, or songs you like to hear on sunny days. Or maybe something else.
But this has been a sad last few days in the music world. I need to report on another two inductions into Rock and Roll Heaven. Sly Stone, born Sylvester Stewart, died June 9 at the age of 82 from complications from COPD and other health issues. He was a funk rock musician, songwriter, and producer, and founded the group Sly and the Family Stone.
And, Brian Wilson, a founding member of the Beach Boys died June 11 at the age of 82.
So I am going to pick some songs from their songbooks and try to stay within the theme. Sly Stone fans, please forgive me for weighing this towards the Beach Boys.
From 1969, Sly and the Family Stone with Hot Fun in the Summertime. I'll have to include more Sly and the Family Stone in a future post.
Possibly my favorite Beach Boys song, next to God Only Knows. Here's Help Me Rhonda, co written by Brian Wilson. OK, it doesn't mention the sun, but so many of their songs sound upbeat and, well, sunny.
Two more Beach Boys songs.
The Warmth of the Sun, from 1964.
Good Vibrations, from 1966-1967 because, well, it does mention sunlight. And because I love the song.
Here are three more songs I intended to include as my contribution to today's theme.
A song from my childhood: You Are My Sunshine - Ray Charles, from 1962.
Sunny Afternoon - The Kinks, from 1966.
Finally, there is Katrina and the Waves and Walking on Sunshine, since it required by law (Ok, it isn't) to be included in any Sunny playlist..
And that's a sunny (but also sad) wrap.
Join me again next week, same time, same place, for another episode of Music Moves Me.
Today is another "two memes for the price is one" day. It's the 15th of the month and time for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day, hosted by Carol at May Dreams Gardens.
On the 15th of each month, gardeners show what is blooming in or around their houses.
It is also Shadowshot Sunday (see below), hosted by Lisa at Lisa's Garden Adventure (also a Garden Bloggers Bloom Day participant,. But the current photos don't have shadows because we are into week #30 of our precipitation-every-weekend event. The last time it didn't rain or snow on a weekend was back in mid-November. I was so hoping that this weekend would be the weekend it stopped, but no such luck.
So I found a photo from earlier this month - see the last photo below.
In my zone 6a garden, we are in a bit of a lull. But we still have some pretty flowers. I also had some failures. Only one of my columbine plants came up and it's decided not to bloom this year. But I have other flowers to show you today.
Today, I am starting out with a flower I haven't seen in years. I think this is a lily. For several years now, they've come up, only to have the foliage eaten by small red bugs. Last year, we decided to really keep on top of things with neem oil spray, and this year we were rewarded. There are actually two plants, and both are blooming. The strange thing is, I can't even remember buying them.
Yellow corydalis, Pseudofumaria lutea, which seems to grow wild in my shady back yard.
Formerly Allium bulgaricum, now (I think) Nectaroscordum siculum, orSicilian Honey Garlic.
I've cut way back on hanging baskets this year, only having three. This year it's just too much of a burden. I did make up this hanging basket with sunpatiens.
Purchased basket with petunias. Can you have two much pink, violet, or purple?
This catmint says "of course you can't".
Meanwhile, indoors, two of my three African violets are blooming. This one hasn't bloomed in a while.
Sadly, my two rhododendrons have finished blooming, but for Shadowshot Sunday, here is one of them from around a week ago.
And that's about it for today. Why not go visit other participants in Garden Bloggers Bloom Day and Shadowshot Sunday or, better yet, show us some of your shadows or flowers? Or both?
Finally, if it is Father's Day where you live, today is the day to honor your father, or a father figure in your life.
Where I live in the Southern Tier of New York, the last time we had a weekend without any measurable precipitation (be it rain or snow) was the weekend of November 16 and 17, 2024.
Let's see, that's 29 straight weekends, I think, with rain or snow.
We are hoping that this weekend breaks the cycle. Today is Friday the 13th. Maybe the 14th and 15th be our lucky days.
But, back on June 7, it had rained and it was supposed to rain again later in the day. What an opportunity for some puddle pictures.
The sky and puddles did not disappoint.
Puddle picture 1 - clouds.
The only time I like potholes.
Puddle picture 3 - along a curb.
Oh, so you want to see the sky that the puddles are reflecting, too? No problem.
Here you go.
Everything, at least, is green.
Let's hope the 29 week streak of weekend rain ends this weekend.
Yesterday, I caught sight of a bee hiding in a rhododendron flower.
Can you see her?
Peek-a-boo, I see you!
Now she's more out in the open.
I have two rhododendron bushes. Years ago, there were bees all over it. For the past 10 years or so, the numbers have dwindled. I was grateful to have seen these.
Today
I am joining up with other Music Moves Me bloggers (and you can join us
at the linky above). We are a group of music loving bloggers who blog about music
each Sunday or Monday (or even later in the week). 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 link may be labeled "No Music" or even removed.)
Every
other week we have a theme. This week's theme is "Your choice". I'm choosing another induction into Rock and Roll Heaven.
Rick Derringer passed away on May 26 at the age of 77, possibly from complications from a triple bypass surgery.
I was first introduced to his music with his band, the McCoys, and the song "Hang On Sloopy" from 1965.
The other big hit I loved was 1973's Rock and Roll,Hootchie Koo.
Many people knew Derringer through the 2007 hit Real American, which became wrestler Hulk Hogan's theme song.
Derringer also played with a number of bands and produced many albums for other famous rockers. I could have filled several posts up with hit songs he was involved with, but let's just choose a couple.
Derringer produced Weird Al Yankovic's debut album (and five other Weird Al albums). So why not play one of "Weird Al"'s songs that Derringer produced? Here's "Fat". (You'll have to click through to You Tube to watch this video).
Another hit Derringer produced was the Edgar Winter Group's Frankenstein.
And that's a monster wrap.
Join me again next week for another episode of Music Moves Me.
In my neighborhood, several curbs have had these signs painted near them during May.
Here's another one of them. There are also arrows on both sides pointing to the "ADA" spray painted on the curb.
I had thought "ADA" referred to the Americans with Disabilities act, which requires curb cuts that a wheelchair or other disabled user can use when crossing a street and accessing the sidewalk on the other side. It isn't just for wheelchair users, though. I sure appreciated these when my son was young and I was wheeling him through the neighborhood in a stroller.
But these curbs already have curb cuts. However they are many years old, I think. Laws change.
Today let's turn the clock back to early May when the air wasn't sticky with humidity and the sky wasn't hazy.
A collection of blooming branches.
It was so nice when the sky was blue.
Especially when the clouds were visible.
Back to the blooming branches for one more picture.
Now, in my backward, I hear cicadas and American robins sing. Fortunately our hazy skies are still in the moderate category. Yes, summer is on its way.
May this smoke clear out from Canada and my country soon.
I don't know if these cookies actually have Hatch chile peppers in there, but I wouldn't be surprised. Here, these chiles are sold for a limited time (a week or less) in August.
This is what they look like. They are grown in a limited area of New Mexico, where the soil and climate are just right.
Turns out there are a lot of Hatch chile products out there, and I did find a recipe for Hatch chile chocolate chip cookies. Would you try it?
Today
I am joining up with other Music Moves Me bloggers (and you can join us
at the linky above). We are a group of music loving bloggers who blog about music
each Sunday or Monday (or even later in the week). 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 link may be labeled "No Music" or even removed.)
Every
other week we have a theme. This week's theme is "It's your graduation, what year is it?"
Well, that depends on which graduation I'm thinking of. There's elementary school, junior high (nowadays called middle school), high school, and college.
So I won't say which one I'm paying tribute to, but the year I chose was 1970. Here are some songs from the Billboard charts from June of 1970.
Ball of Confusion (That's What the World is Today) - The Temptations
Which Way You Going, Billy?- The Poppy Family feat. Susan Jacks
The Letter - Joe Cocker was one of these covers that, in my opinion, was better than the original.
Vehicle - The Ides of March. I chose a live version from 2014 because of its power. Rock on!
And, to end the set, two of my favorites: First, The Beatles and The Long and Winding Road.
And, last but certainly not least, Miguel Rios and Song of Joy.
And that's a wrap!
Join me gain next week for another episode of Music Moves Me.
We've been in another rainy stretch of weather. Yesterday, I don't think it even made it out of the 50'sF (around 12 C), but it is supposed to get hot by Tuesday.
I guess summer is arriving soon.
So I chose pictures of bearded iris from the last week.
Purple.
White and purple. I only have one white iris. I can't even remember where I got it from-I think it may have been from an iris show several years ago at a local library.
