November 2020 #GardenBloggersBloomDay

Today is the 15th of the month.  It's time for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day where I live in zone 5b Southern Tier of New York State.

Our unseasonably warm weather is a memory now.  More seasonable weather has taken over, but we still are having some time with the sun, which is normally also a memory by now.

So, what's blooming?

Let's go outdoors first.  We've had a frost, but not a hard freeze, and the frost was borderline, so some plants are still blooming.

My first one is a mystery plant.  We bought it last year, I think at a clearance, and the tag disappeared over the winter.  It is only now starting to bloom.  It's short, maybe less than a foot high.  Does anyone have an idea what this may be?

This begonia got buried in leaves and survived.

A couple of petunias are hanging on. 

I don't know how, but our pineapple sage survived the frost without any damage.

Another survivor was heuchera. The leaves belong to brunneria, which is trying to take over our back yard.

Calibrachoa in hanging baskets, which we took inside in inclement weather.

Bacopa, also in a hanging basket.

Mums.  Very little is left.

Let's transition to the indoors.  This airplane plant was started from a baby in mid summer and I kept it outdoors.  It has done tremendously well and is flowering. I had it out briefly for some sun.

Thanksgiving cactus starting to bloom.

Only one African violet blooming right now.

A pleasant surprise.  We had purchased a small pot of Vietnamese coriander (also called Vietnamese mint) at a gardening center closeout and it did really well for us in a large pot.  But it isn't hardy. We are going to try to take cuttings and guess what I just saw - our potted plant is now blooming.

And with that, my thanks go out once again to Carol at May Dreams Gardens for hosting Garden Bloggers Bloom Day.  Why not visit her and see what gardeners all over the world are posting?

See you next month!

Fall's Swan Song

The trees are bare or practically so.  The great color explosion of fall has ended.  But nature senses that it isn't quite yet time for winter.

Now it's time for Nature to bring on the small stuff.

Bushes turn color.

Rose hips redden.

Mums still bloom.  These I found nestled under a bare apple tree.

Carpets of leaves go on forever.

Geese fly, not necessarily south anymore.

In my yard, the flowers of blackberry lilies are long gone, but the seeds, which look just like blackberries, have burst their pods.

Why not join me tomorrow also, for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day, and get another dose of natural beauty?

Lucky Sunset #SkywatchFriday

Today is....Friday the 13th.

Could watching a beautiful sunset mean bad luck?  No way.

This was the sunset in my part of New York State on Saturday, November 7.

We stood on a floodwall.  The water in the distance is the Susquehanna River.

Watch the sky coloring up.

It's so nice watching the sky's color change.

And deepen.

About a minute later, shades of blue, purple and yellow.

As the sunset started to fade, we left the scene. But we took one last look back, and saw the reflections on glass and the last of the sky fireworks.

Some might say the sky was celebrating something, but who are we to know?  Perhaps it was the stretch of beautiful weather we had, which is just a memory now.

Joining up with Yogi and the other sky watching bloggers who assemble each Friday for #SkywatchFriday.

Symphony in Yellow #ThursdayTreeLove

It's the last of the fall foliage so I'm going to give you a selection this morning.  For some reason, the yellow trees have waited till last.  I believe most all of these are maples.

I know this one is a Norway Maple.

Maybe this is, too.

Because I'm only working part time (and from home) during the pandemic,  I was able to adjust my work schedule to allow me to sit in my backyard.  

Monday, during an unseasonable warm spell, I looked up at clear blue skies and maples (our neighborhood is one of the last to turn color) a glowing yellow.  The bees were nearly gone. Occasionally one bee came to check out my heuchera, the last plant blooming in my backyard. 

Beyond my fence, I heard squirrels scuffing the leaves, looking for goodies to be stored.  I saw one within my fence, jumping back and forth.  Another ran up and down a tree.  I tried to get a picture.  I don't think this one worked.

But the foliage sure is nice.  And now, wind and rain has brought most of the leaves down.  But the memories remain of when the trees showed their true colors before going to sleep for the harsh winter.

Joining Parul for #ThursdayTreeLove.

Veterans Day #WordlessWednesday

Yesterday was the 55th anniversary of the untimely death of my mother.  I was raised after that point by my father, a single Dad who had to cope all the rest of his life with the aftermath of a head injury suffered (not in combat but in support) in his service in the U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.  

 
Today, let us all take a moment out of our busy schedules to think of those who made this day possible for us.

Our veterans, past and present, deserve our thanks, and so much more.

War Memorial, Skaneateles, New York.  It seems every village, every town, in this country has at least one war memorial.

I am not a "poetry person" but this poem always touches my heart. Written by a Canadian soldier in 1915 upon the battle death of his friend in Flanders, Belgium, during World War I, this says all that needs to be said about war.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
   Between the crosses, row on row,
   That mark our place; and in the sky
   The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
   Loved and were loved, and now we lie
         In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
   The torch; be yours to hold it high.
   If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
         In Flanders fields.

John McCrae

Part of Soldier's Monument, Skaneateles, New York, near Skaneateles Lake.

 

Joining with Sandee at Comedy Plus today for #WordlessWednesday

Farewell to Alex

"I'll take 'My Heart is Broken' for $2,000, Alex."

Except that I can't ask Alex.  I can't, because Alex is gone.  It seemed so quick.  Wasn't I just watching season 37 of Jeopardy with Alex still hosting the show?  That's because he didn't want to stop.  He didn't walk away.  He was still taping shows until about 10 days before he passed away on Sunday.

Jeopardy, a game show whose most recent incarnation has been on the air for 36 years,  has become an institution here in the United States.   For all this time, its host was Alex Trebek.  We saw him age from a young, fast speaking man, to a sage 80 year old with grey hair and great wit.  

For example, in a July interview, he said he'd want his successor to be Betty White.

 

We bonded with the contestants, especially this one.

When Alex's pancreatic cancer diagnosis was announced in March of 2019, and several months later into 2019, I blogged these words:

Jeopardy has become an institution.  When I heard the news, I went right to Facebook - as it happens, I went to high school and college with a future Jeopardy champion, and she had already posted. (On the day Alex died, she posted the picture taken with him when she won.)

Pancreatic cancer is personal for me  It killed an aunt, an uncle and a great aunt (both sides of my family have been touched).  Someone I walked with at lunch for years lost her brother in law to it.  A former boss lost her sister to it.  And on and on.

In the past several months, pancreatic cancer has taken the mother of someone I know, and someone I knew of as a great advocate for eldercare issues in our community.  I got to meet her less than a year before her death. 

Alex Trebek gives much of the credit for his cancer shrinking to the millions of people who have been praying and thinking of him.  But prayer is not enough.  We must help ourselves.

Pancreatic cancer, and other "rare" cancers needs to be "brought up to speed".  This cancer needs to have some type of early detection, the way breast cancer and cervical cancer have.  It needs  publicity.  It needs marathons.  All cancers need funding.  It is true that pancreatic cancer is only about 3% of cancer diagnoses in our country.  But isn't it strange that, for its 3% rate, so many of us seem to know someone who has had it.

Yes, having had three relatives die from this cancer (my late aunt was the youngest), makes it personal.  While the survival rates for some cancers have (thankfully) increased, the rates for pancreatic cancer have not.

I do wish recovery for all patients with this dread cancer, whether or not they have extensive support systems. 

I was cautiously optimistic about Alex Trebek, but was also realistic.  It was the speed that took us by surprise.  Quoting again from previous blog posts with an updated last paragraph:

The sad but true fact is that it is the loss of celebrities (or the famous) that call people to action.  Although, as this article points out, there aren't too many "famous" spokepeople for this illness-they don't survive long enough.

If a cause isn't (excuse the expression) "sexy", it doesn't get the money.

Pancreatic cancer certainly doesn't get money for research the way some other cancers do.  Not to take away the importance of any cancer, but I believe funding must become more even between types of cancer.

That would be such a wonderful way to honor our beloved Alex Trebek.  My thoughts are with his family, as are the thoughts of millions of Americans. 

For World Pancreatic Cancer Day, November 21, 2019, Alex made this PSA.

Today, I also honor my mother, who passed 55 years ago today.

I have to believe that when Alex passed through the Pearly Gates, the Jeopardy theme played, and he was met by Larry Martin (Jeopardy champion who died from pancreatic cancer), Art Fleming (first Jeopardy host, who also died from pancreatic cancer) and Cindy Stowell (Jeopardy champion who was terminally ill from colon cancer at the time she became a six game champion and died before her shows could be broadcast.)

May Alex, my Mom, and also all those who have passed away since the beginning of 2020 forever rest in peace. 

Musicians of November and An RiP #MusicMovesMe

Guess what?  It's Monday and time for music!

Who are the #MusicMovesMe bloggers? We are bloggers who blog about music each Monday and if you have music to share with us, you are most welcome to join!  First, there is XmasDolly,   Her co-conductors are:  Cathy from Curious as a Cathy, Stacy of Stacy Uncorked   and, finally, me.  

One more note:  This is a music blog only - please post at least one You Tube or Vimeo video so we can dance with you.  No music, no dance!   

Each month we have a guest conductor. This great month of November our guest conductor is Songbird from Songbird's Crazy World.  

Songbird's theme for today is: "In honor of my daughter, whose birthday is in November, make a playlist from singers/musicians who were born in November."

Here are some November musicians for you.  

Let's get started with Petula Clark, born November 15, 1932 (so, later this week, she turns 88.  Happy 88th, Petula!)  In this 12 odd minute video, you'll find something you like, including, perhaps a song written for Petula by Charlie Chaplin back in 1966. (Yes, I briefly discussed Charlie Chaplin as a music writer the other week.)

Jimi Hendrix, born November 27, 1942, is perhaps most famous for his cover of The Star Spangled Banner at Woodstock in 1969.

Jay Black of Jay and the Americans, born November 2, 1938 singing their 1963 hit, Only in America.

Art Garfunkel of Simon and Garfunkel, born November 5, 1941.  This is a live performance of "Bridge Over Troubled Waters" from 2019, noting the first minute or so is Art talking and the song is missing the "Sail On" verse.

Neil Young, born November 12, 1945, is known for his protest songs.  This one, "This Note's For You", is a song about the commercialization of songs.  You will have to click through to You Tube (and watch an ad, probably!) to listen to this song. What irony!

And now, my blog must take a sad turn.  As I was at a produce stand yesterday, discussing apples with my spouse, my manager (a big Jeopardy fan) texted me with the news that Alex Trebek had passed away at the age of 80.

My heart is broken.  A life cut short by pancreatic cancer.   May he forever RIP.

A tribute probably tomorrow.  For now, I'll leave you with this.  Alex didn't do much singing but he read a lot of answers about music.  Here he recites...well, it's kind of funny.

Join me again next week for another edition of #MusicMovesMe.

Sunday Shadows

There is a flood wall where spouse and I walk several times a week, ever since the shutdown in March.

About a month ago, signs appeared.  I took this picture the day after Election Day.

At the end of the path these signs appeared.  At one point the Biden sign was ripped down.  A few days later, it was put back up.  You'll also see a sign for Claudia Tenney, the Republican incumbent of my district, who lost in 2018.  Vote counting isn't over, but she probably has regained her seat.

At this time of year, it's almost hard not to avoid shadows, so I kept part of my shadow in the photo.

A different day, back in October,  again two shadows.  We aren't walking on the grassy field but higher up on the flood wall.

Meanwhile, the last of the fall foliage is displaying.

Here's a sample.

And now our musical selection for this Sunday.

The Byrds and "Turn, Turn, Turn" with words of wisdom that are thousands of years old.

This song, written by Pete Seeger, was written in the late 1950's and covered by the Byrds, becoming a big hit towards the end of 1965.

May your day be peaceful and filled with happiness.

A Tale of Two Cameras

I think it's time for me to get an actual camera to supplement iPhone.

I have been seeing so many birds recently.  And, so has my "guest photographer", someone whose pictures I should use more.

She has a very nice DSLR and was able to get these shots of a pileated woodpecker.

Here is the woodpecker, feeding on some grapes.

Now, some of my efforts.

Here is a downy woodpecker that was knocking away on my house the other day, taken with my iPhone SE (first edition) after it flew to my fence.

Some of my other recent bird photos....

My spouse says this is a fisher crow.  It will look like a black blob to you.

Yesterday, there was this cardinal on a tree.  A female came just after I took this but I couldn't get  the capture.  The cardinal is the red blob in the middle of the picture.

Then there was the hawk on a fence in the lower third of the photo.

I'm increasingly realizing that I am missing too many captures with my iPhone. I've enlarged these as much as I dared - otherwise they might become pixilated.  

 I still need to learn a lot about photography and I believe I need something better.  But on the other hand, I also know photography is more than equipment - so I don't want to invest too heavily until I have the skills to be ready for an expensive camera.  I do need a good zoom, though, which my guest photographer (first two shots above) has with her DSLR.

So, if anyone has a suggestion about a good beginner's camera that is good for bird photography, please don't hesitate to leave a comment below.

Thank you!

Election Day Sunset #SkywatchFriday

 Election Day was dreaded by many in the United States.  But Nature had a little treat for me at the end of the day - a wonderful sunset.

Taken along the Susquehanna River.

The sun sets over the river.

Love those reflections.

The trees have lost almost all their leaves now.  After the sunset, I remind myself, there is still beauty.  Concentrate on it, and perhaps our country's troubles can disappear from my mind for a few minutes.

Joining with Yogi at #SkywatchFriday.

The Unusual Woolly Bears

Part of this is updated from a 2018 post.

Will we have a severe winter?  Or will it be mild?

In folklore, there is a belief that woolly bear caterpillars can predict the weather.

So, what is a woolly bear caterpillar and how do they predict the weather?  

You are looking at one of nature's marvels.  This is the larva of a moth that will hibernate later in fall, and sleep through the winter.  In fact, it can survive temperatures of up to -90 F (-67 C).

According to the Farmers Almanac:
"Woolly bear caterpillars turn into the Isabella tiger moth (Pyrrharctia Isabella). You can recognize these moths by their yellowy-orange coloration, black legs, and small black spots on wings and thorax. The Isabella tiger moth (Pyrrharctia Isabella) emerges in the spring."

Yes, come spring, the larva will wake up when the temperatures approach 50 degrees.  

See the orange band?  The narrower it is, the harsher the coming winter is supposed to be.

Folklore since our colonial days (prior to around 1776) has held that the woolly bears can predict the weather.  In 1948, according to the Farmer's Almanac, a scientific study was held at Bear Mountain, New York (in the southeastern part of New York State not that far from New York City) which seems to bear this out.  No puns intended, of course.

I used to think that the orange band of the ones I see were the same size each year, regardless of what the winter turned out to be.  But this year, 2020, is different.

The first several I saw looked normal, with black at both ends.  This was around October 9.

Here's another.

 But on October 21 I saw one with black only at one end.  And then I've seen a couple more since like that.

I even saw a monarch butterfly yesterday!  What is going on?

Bald Eagle #WordlessWednesday

I am writing this blog post Tuesday evening, election night in the United States, before any of the polls start to close.  As of posting this (Wednesday morning) the Presidential race has not yet been called.

Last week I was exercise walking with my spouse near the Susquehanna River.  My spouse's vision is better than mine - you could say that he has an eagle eye.

Spouse caught a glimpse of a bird in a tree. I didn't see the bird right away.  In this picture, it's just a tiny dot.

But once he pointed it out, I saw a bald eagle.  The bald eagle is the national symbol of our country.  My old iPhone doesn't have a great zoom and if I enlarged it further, the picture might pixelate.   But the eagle is clearer now, in the upper right.

A website says "the eagle rides on the winds of change, telling us that it's time to gather all our strength, courage, and wisdom, in preparation for life changes..."

What lies ahead for us, and our United States?  Maybe, by the time you, dear reader, read this, we will have a better idea.

 

Joining up with Sandee at Comedy Plus for her #WordessWednesday.

Voting in the Time of Anxiety

Today is the finish line.  Or is it?

Voting wasn't supposed to be like this.

If, in 2016, we could have seen into the future...a future of long, long voting lines, people wearing masks while they wait and while they vote, stores boarding up in expectation of riots, lawsuits, voting sites full of hand sanitizer and this thing called "social distancing"...A future full of absentee ballots, people trying to vote by mail, anxiety, and a dysfunctional post office....

This is the building I voted in, the building that was the subject of one of my most visited posts, Snow Doors, now turned into an early voting site for the first time.

 (This is what the building looks like now - it's a Taste of New York store, and the snow door is gone) 

If we were able to see into the future in 2016, would we have done things any different?  Would more of us have turned out to vote?  Would more of us have cared then the way we care now?

There is nothing like feeling you are about to lose what you've got to motivate you. That's why people took pictures of themselves on line, or pictures of the scenery as they waited, or their "I voted" stickers. 

Our lives, every one of our lives, has been changed by COVID-19.  But one thing hasn't changed - we have the right, and the duty, to vote.

Need non partisan election help:  Try this site, established after the 2000 Presidential election that was decided by the courts. 

Need to talk to someone about election protection:  these are hotlines open right now

English 866-OUR-VOTE866-687-8683

Spanish/English 888-VE-Y-VOTA888-839-8682

Asian Languages/English 888-API-VOTE888-274-8683

Arabic/English 844-YALLA-US844-925-5287

One of many articles about voter anxiety (noting I am not a mental health professional, and if you feel you need professional help, please seek it immediately!  Otherwise, these may help.

I admit, I've been doing too much doom scrolling lately. (If you follow me on Twitter, by the way, you will know immediately where I stand politically.)

I can't see into the future.  Maybe I wouldn't want to look if I was able to.  But, I have no doubt in my mind that the future of our democracy is at stake today.  We have two opposing sides, looking at our current events and convinced that if the other side of the aisle wins, we will be plunged into a most horrible future.

We are tearing ourselves apart.  Family members aren't talking to each other. Neighbors aren't talking to each other.  We are in our own bubbles. 

Can we unite?  Or will we be torn totally apart in the coming days and weeks?

We must unite. 

Our alternative is another civil war.  Our first one didn't end well, but it did produce a speech that is considered one of the greatest speeches in American history.

The war also produced more misery than any of us can imagine.  We don't want to go down that road.  We don't want a speech written during another civil war becoming something our descendants study in school. 

If you haven't voted yet, please don't sit this one out.  Get to a poll and cast your ballot.  In some states, you can register at your polling place on Election Day, in fact.

Vote, if you haven't.  You will feel better.

American democracy will thank you.

Rocking the Vote #MusicMovesMe

It's Monday.  It's time for music!

 

Who are the #MusicMovesMe bloggers? We are bloggers who blog about music each Monday and if you have music to share with us, you are most welcome to join!  First, there is XmasDolly,   Her co-conductors are:  Cathy from Curious as a Cathy, Stacy of Stacy Uncorked   and, finally, me.  

One more note:  This is a music blog only - please post at least one You Tube or Vimeo video so we can dance with you.  No music, no dance!   

Each month we have a guest conductor. This great month of November our guest conductor is Songbird from Songbird's Crazy World

Tomorrow is Election Day in the United States - a day provoking anxiety (on top of the pandemic).

I decided to just go with some music that moves me today.  Some are Presidential campaign songs. Some are just...you'll see.

This song has been stuck in my mind.  It was originally written in 1929 and was included in a 1930 movie "Chasing Rainbows".  However, it's better known as Franklin Roosevelt's campaign song in 1932.  It's been covered by many artists, including Barbara Streisand, but I'm going with this 1930 performance by Leo Reisman and His Orchestra.

"Happy Days Are Here Again" complete with pops and crackles we of the record era remember well.  We can only hope that happy days will be here again, some day.

Al Smith, the 1928 Democratic candidate, used a song called The Sidewalks of New York for his campaign.  The song was written and is still well known today.  I love this video with the vintage photos.

But we need to move along to the recent past and present.

I think I've had this on my blog before but it's perfect for this week - Disturbed, and their cover of "Land of Confusion."

The Rolling Stones performed "You Can't Always Get What You Want." for the Global Citizen virtual concert during lockdown earlier this year.  This song was used by our current President, Donald Trump, in 2016.

Neil Diamond's America, from 1980 and the movie "The Jazz Singer", was used by Democratic candidate Michael Dukakis in 1988.  This is one of my favorite all time songs.

And finally: A random comment on a television show about the late silent film star Charlie Chaplin writing a song called "Smile" sent me on some research.  I know the song; it was covered by Nat King Cole.  What I didn't know is that the music was written by Charlie Chaplin, who also wrote the music for many of his movies.  "Smile" was based on music in the 1936 movie Modern Times.  Lyrics and a title were added in 1954.  The song with the title and lyrics was originally recorded by Nat King Cole in 1954, became a hit, and has been covered many times since.

I discovered that Charlie Chaplin was much more than a silent film star.  I knew he had other talents but "multitalented" doesn't begin to cover it.  

Sadly, his life also had more of its share of controversy.   

But nevertheless, I will end today's post with "Smile", sung by Nat King Cole, music by Charlie Chaplin, lyrics by John Turner and Geoffrey Parsons.  The video has even more vintage movie clips (Chaplin and others you may recognize).  Not a Presidential campaign song, but a song many of us may be taking to heart this year.

I hope you have enjoyed today's post.  And, if you live in the United States and haven't voted yet:

PLEASE VOTE TOMORROW!

Sir Sean

Here is a memory, of years and years ago, when my son was a preteen.

He had to miss an event he was looking forward to.  And, to cheer him up, we decided to have a Saturday movie night.

We knew he liked action movies, so we rented either a VCR or DVD, I forget which, of the first James Bond movie, Dr. No, with the lead - Bond, James Bond - played by an actor by the name of Sean Connery.

It was a big hit with my son.

We made Saturday movie night a standard at our house.  We went through all the James Bond movies our public library system had - From Russia with Love, Goldfinger (my personal favorite) , Thunderball, and grew more and more in love with Sean Connery.  We skipped Casino Royale and forwarded to You Only Live Twice.  

Eventually, we saw all the James Bond movies that had been released for home viewing at the time.

Maybe you have a different favorite Bond actor, but, to me, Bond will always be Sean Connery.   The Bond of the 60's may not have been someone enjoyed today, but his sexist Bond was a product of a way different time.  Oh, yes.  Bond could gamble, he loved his martinis shaken and not stirred, he loved the ladies and broke their hearts, and he could kill when he had to.  What else do you need from a secret agent besides the ability to save the world?

Sir Sean Connery's death was announced yesterday, at the age of 90. 

Sir Sean had quite a distinguished film career, he was handsome (a plus to me and other women) and he could also sing.  Here is one of his non-Bond roles.

Check him out here.

And, as a bonus, the theme to Goldfinger, sung by Dame Shirley Bassey. (I had a more recent live performance on my blog a few weeks ago, so have chosen a live performance at the Royal Albert Hall.)

RIP to another great actor.  2020 can't end soon enough.

Did you enjoy James Bond movies?  If so, who was your favorite Bond?

It's The Scariest Time of the Year

 Yes, it's the scariest time of the year.

It isn't because of Cher Crow.

It's not Halloween candy, because people are figuring out how to give it out safely. (We aren't going to this year, though.)

It's not Halloween weddings.

Or pumpkin people hot dog vendors that make it scary.

It's not a black and white cat taking a stroll in the park.

It's not gravestones in an old cemetery.  No, it's something else.  A full moon tonight, and a blue moon help.  But this is what is scariest of all:

It's the transition back to Standard Time in the United States at 2am tomorrow. 

Why do we do it?

Why do we complain every time it happens and then forget it until next time?  It's a dangerous practice, as explained in this Scientific American article. 

More and more states are wanting to have one year round time.  But it can't happen without an act of Congress, meaning - it won't happen.

No matter.

Tomorrow the clocks turn back.

BOO!