A couple of weeks ago, my guest photographer was out in the country and took these pictures. By then we had lost most of the fire haze (hurray!) and you could see the blue in the sky again.
Beautiful Joe Pye weed and goldenrod, too. Nature always combines its colors perfectly.
Joe Pye weed? Here's a closeup. If you wonder how it got it's name, this site explains.
Joining Yogi and other skywatchers for #SkywatchFriday.
Recently, I've seen this small butterfly on my sweet pea plants.
It's Monday, and it's time for music!
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.) We have occasional theme weeks, but you are welcome to ignore the theme and use music of your chice. Why not join us? You don't have to sing, or play an instrument. All music lovers are welcome.
Our head host is Xmas Dolly, and our co-hosts are Cathy from Curious as a Cathy, joined by the knowledgeable Stacy of Stacy Uncorked and, last but not least, me.
This week's theme is "You Pick". (For the immediate future, you can find all the 2025 themes on Curious as a Cathy's blog, on the right hand side where it says "Monday's Music Moves Me".)
We've had so many deaths in the music world that it's become hard to keep up. Some of these musicians were unknown to me. Others...well, here are several of them.
Bobby Whitlock, keyboardist and vocalist of Derek and the Dominos, died from cancer on August 10 at the age of 77. He was originally a soul artist, also working on albums such as George Harrison's "All Things Must Pass". He also performed with other groups, including Delaney and Bonnie. My first selection is a song co-written with Eric Clapton, "Why Does Love Have to Be So Sad?" sung live with Whitlock's wife, CoCo Carmel.
"Bell Bottom Blues", also written by Clapton and Whitlock and performed by Derek and the Dominos, was a hit song in 1970.
Terry Reid, singer and guitarist, died August 4 at the age of 75. Reid toured with groups such as the Yardbirds, the Rolling Stones, and was admired by artists ranging from Jimi Hendrix to Graham Nash. He was perhaps best known for turning down invites to join various big groups, ranging from Deep Purple to being offered the lead singer role for Led Zepplin. Yet, he never became a superstar. All he wanted to do, as he said in interviews, was play music.
Here is "Superlungs My Supergirl", a song written by Donovan and covered by Terry Reid.
Let's switch genres now.
Jazz/Salsa pianist and composer, and founder of several bands Eddie Palmieri died August 6 at the age of 88. Get ready to enjoy some Latin music. First, 1970's "Helado de Chocolate".
Here is his song Azucar. This song reminds me of music I used to hear riding on the New York City subway in the early 1970's. For all I know I was listening to Palmieri's music.
Finally, another jazz great, Sheila Jordan, died August 11 at the age of 96. Here is "Dat Dare".
What a sad month in the music world. Rock and Roll Heaven, which admits all great musicians regardless of genre, has had a busy August.
And that's a wrap!
Join me again next Monday for another episode of Music Moves Me.
In memory of my aunt, who loved hibiscus so much, I planted a hibiscus several years ago.
Apparently, color change with temperature is a common behavior with hibiscus. I thought it was due to the flower maturing, but actually there is a scientific explanation involving several chemicals.
Who ever said shadowshots weren't educational?
Joining Lisa at This and That: A Blog for her #ShadowshotSunday.
(If you are looking for my Skywatch Friday post, please click here).
Today, I am joining up with Carol at May Dreams Gardens for her 15th of the month Garden Bloggers Bloom Day.
In my zone 6a garden in the Southern Tier of New York, we are (I hope!) coming out of a dry and hot spell. Some of these flowers look a little weary, and can't say that I blame them.
Finally, a couple more of my container flowers.
Fuchsia "Billy Green". which I mail ordered from Select Seeds. I also have a fuchsia Annabell which is on strike this morning, but it has pretty white flowers.
Finally, two more from Select Seeds. This one is cuphea Cherrybells. There is a second one next to it, David Verity. which doesn't have many flowers on it right now. We didn't have our hummingbird feeder up this year and, alas, I haven't seen any hummingbirds feeding off of either plant.
I hope these flowers brought some beauty to your world today.
Want to see more flowers? Why not visit Carol's blog (link at beginning of post) and see what's blooming in other parts of our world?
Wednesday, we were at the end of a heat wave. It's been dry, and we needed rain.
Also, hopefully it wasn't going to be too much rain, something that has been happening to too many other people recently.
Joining Yogi and other skywatchers for #SkywatchFriday.
This was a first for me.
I thought I saw two swallowtail butterflies having a, shall we say, romantic moment while fluttering around some tall phlox and glads.
But it wasn't two butterflies.
Once the butterfly started to alight on the flowers, I did a quick ID with my iPhone's built in bug/plant/landmark ID app within the Photos app.
How beautiful.
I've only seen a handful of butterflies this year. I hope this is a sign that this is about to change.
The giant swallowtail isn't endangered-not yet.
Joining Sandee at Comedy Plus for her #WordlessWednesday.
It's Monday, and it's time for music!
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.) We have occasional theme weeks, but you are welcome to ignore the theme and use music of your chice. Why not join us? You don't have to sing, or play an instrument. All music lovers are welcome.
Our head host is Xmas Dolly, and our co-hosts are Cathy from Curious as a Cathy, joined by the knowledgeable Stacy of Stacy Uncorked and, last but not least, me.
This week's theme is "Midsummer inspired song picks". (For the immediate future, you can find all the 2025 themes on Curious as a Cathy's blog, on the right hand side where it says "Monday's Music Moves Me".)
I must go to a song I've loved for many years, ever since my years of growing up in New York City. Here, from 1966, are the Lovin' Spoonful and Summer in the City. Better yet, it was a hit in the summer of 1966. I chose this video because of the video and its vintage footage.
Now, let me drift back to 1966 for a moment. This was a special summer for me, for a number of reasons.
There were a lot of great songs in the summer of 1966. Although these songs may not quite fit the theme, they sure bring back memories for me.
Lil'l Red Riding Hood - Sam the Sham and the Pharoahs.
But now, back to the theme.
Finally, here is Bryan Adams and Summer of 69. Were those the best days of your life, one summer?
I could choose so many of these songs, the songs from the summers of my youth, (except for Summertime), but let's end it here.
And that's a wrap!
Join me again next week for another episode of Music Moves Me.
Our air quality has returned to normal for now.
I'm celebrating with a street shadow shot from the beginning of August.
It's so nice to have sharp shadows again. But we are also going to have near record or record heat after today.
Joining Lisa at This and That: A Blog for her #ShadowshotSunday.
I decided to take some pictures of the smoke haze we've had for the last four or five days.
Monday, I was in a hilly area and decided to take advantage of being up on a hill. It wasn't even humid. This haze is all smoke.
Fortunately, neither my spouse nor I have lung issues.
The air was only (only!) "unhealthy" for susceptible groups.
By Thursday, it was starting to clear just a little, up on that same hill.
Today, the air is supposed to be better, just in time for it to get hot again.
Joining Yogi and other skywatchers for #SkywatchFriday.
Feathers on a lawn.
Were they just shed there as part of molting?
Or was a bird attacked? Did he or her escape?
We may never know the story.
Joining Sandee at Comedy Plus for her #WordlessWednesday
It's Monday, and it's time for music.
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.) We have occasional theme weeks, but you are welcome to ignore the theme and use music of your chice. Why not join us? You don't have to sing, or play an instrument. All music lovers are welcome.
Our head host is Xmas Dolly, and our co-hosts are Cathy from Curious as a Cathy, joined by the knowledgeable Stacy of Stacy Uncorked and, last but not least, me.
This week's theme is "You Pick".
My pick is another induction into Rock and Roll Heaven, although I don't think you could consider this man a rocker. He was a favorite of those who enjoyed intelligent satire, whether or not you agreed with him.
Tom Lehrer, who died at the age of 97 on July 26, was a mathematician, songwriter, satirist, and possibly a researcher at Los Alamos.
Warning in advance: a number of his songs are not what you might call Politically Correct.
This video has two of his songs: National Brotherhood Week and When You Are are Old and Grey. The latter song was written when he was 21. I wonder what he thought about it when he entered his 90s.
An older Tom Lehrer, in 1998, performing Poisoning Pigeons in the Park.
New Math. Can you identify, even years later? (Note, you'll have to watch this directly on You Tube).
Lehrer also wrote songs for the educational children's TV program, The Electric Company. Here is Silent E.
Many of us (including me) were introduced to Lehrer through the Dr. Demento [Barry Hansen] show, which featured novelty and comedic songs for many years until Hansen's retirement this past June.
In 2020, Lehrer released all his works into the public domain, so we can all enjoy them. He will be missed.
Rest in Peace, Tom.
And that's a wrap.
Join me again next week for another episode of Music Moves Me.
From mid-July: my bee balm plant, complete with bees.
We have so many fewer bees than in fewer years. I hope this last, beeless picture isn't our future.
Joining Lisa at This and That: A Blog for her #ShadowshotSunday.
These photos were taken July 25th
And since it's August 1, I'll join the tradition of saying rabbit/rabbit/rabbit.
May all my readers have good luck this month.
Joining Yogi and other sky watchers for #SkywatchFriday.
