Garden Bloggers Bloom Day August 2023

The 15th of the month has come again.  Welcome to Garden Bloggers Bloom Day!

Here in my zone 5b Southern Tier of New York garden, we've not suffered from the horrible excessive heat parts of our country have been subjected to.  Nor have we had flooding rains of some nearby areas, or the fires of others.  We are fortunate, and I am grateful for it. 

My garden, on this 15th of August, is approaching fall quickly, but we still have plenty of blooms.

First, a RIP for blooms no longer with us.

My blackberry lily only put out two flowers this year total on the two plants that survived last winter.  I don't know why they didn't do well this year.

And now, what's blooming.

Cardinal flower. 

Yellow cosmos.

My one reliable reblooming day lily, reblooming.

Just in time, probably my last of these giant yellow day lilies.

Variegated yellow lantana.

An heirloom French marigold I got from a nursery in Ithaca, New York.

Astilbe (full disclosure - taken 8/13). 

Hosta "Guacamole".

Gladiolus and bee.

Pink ivy geranium.

Pink tall phlox, starting to fade away.  There were two bees on this flower spike - one bee is somewhat hidden.

Zinnia- I think Queen Lime.

Red zinnia.

Variegated geranium.  To the eye this is orange but it always photographs as red.  This plant is three years old - I overwinter it each fall/winter but this year I think it's gotten way too big and heavy.

Red day lily (also in time for its last flower).

Orange day lily. I may have one or two more blooms.  This is my tallest day lily and it did fantastic this year.

Last (I have more flowers but I don't want to break the Internet), daylily Fashion Police.  I bought this last year and was told it might rebloom.  It did.  Last year.  This year it never gave me a first bloom but here it is, just in time for GBBD.  It only gave me three buds this year (the third looks like it might open later today) and seemed shorter.  I wonder if it's happy where it is. I don't have room in my main flower bed but we'll see what we can do.  Anything for my day lilies!

Joining Carol at May Dreams Gardens each 15th of the month for #GardenBloggersBloomDay.

Story Teller Music #MusicMovesMe

It's Monday.  It's time for music!  But first, let's introduce the Music Moves Me bloggers.

We are 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!)   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 yours truly.

You are welcome to join our Monday music group.  It's so easy. All you have to do is join the linky above with a music post that contains at least one music video.  No music video? Your post may be removed, or may be labeled *NO MUSIC*. We alternate theme weeks and no theme weeks.

Today's theme is You Pick.  I decided to feature today songs that tell a true story, or one that is based on history, or...well, just a story.

Let me start by paying tribute to Canadian Robbie Robertson, guitarist and songwriter, who died from cancer at the age of 80 on August 9.  Perhaps one of my favorite of his songs is one he wrote when he was a member of the Band, which was released in 1969.

 

This is from the 1978 movie The Last Waltz, the final performance of The Band before Robbie Robertson left them.  It tells the story of the last months of the Civil War from the viewpoint of a Southerner, Virgil Caine.

How about some other story telling songs?

Coldplay's Vida la Vida lyrics are written from the viewpoint of deposed French king Louis XVI awaiting his execution during the French revolution.  He used to rule the world - now revolutionaries wait for his head on a silver plate, according to the lyrics of this 2008 hit.

Lukas Graham's 2015 song 7 Years is a song about growing up, what he has learned along the way, and his hopes for his future self.

The Devil Went to Georgia from the Charlie Daniel Band, from 1979.  Is Johnny the best fiddle player that's ever been?  Listen to the song and find out.

I'll end today's set with two of the best songs about historical events I've ever listened to.  I've had both on my blog before and I will have them again one day.  First,  The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald from Gordon Lightfoot.

 

My final song is from Rush.  Red Sector A is a story told from the viewpoint of a young girl imprisoned in a concentration camp. This song was co-written by Rush bass guitarist Geddy Lee and was released in 1984.  Geddy Lee's parents were both concentration camp survivors.

And that 's a wrap!

Join me again next week for another episode of Music Moves Me.

Blueberry Shadows #ShadowshotSunday

 Saying goodbye to the blueberry season here in the Southern Tier of New York.

Late blueberries cast shadows August 6.

Shadows on blueberry leaves.

Sadly, it wasn't the best year for the U Pick operation we go to.  They lost their entire early crop.  Because of a lot of hazy days (thanks in part to smoke in the air) later blueberries were delayed in ripening.

The late berries run tart (and are great for baking) but these were really tart.

But I am grateful, nevertheless, for what my spouse and I were able to pick.

Joining Magical Mystery Teacher's #ShadowshotSunday.

August Wildflowers for a Saturday

Please enjoy some wildflower pictures from local walking trails where I live in the Southern Tier of New York.  These pictures were all taken this week.

The yellows.

Goldenrod.

Jewelweed.

Evening Primrose.

The whites.

Queen Anne's Lace.

 

Sweet autumn clementis (I think) or Clematis terniflora , which is on invasive species list.  That plant originates in Japan/China.  It's also possible it's a native, Clematis virginiana. 

Pinks and purples.

Soapwort, which to me is pink and white. These plants poked through mulch the town laid down a year or two ago and looks like a human planting, but it isn't.

Purple loosestrife, another invasive.

Joe pye weed.

Like flowers?  Join me again Tuesday, August 15, for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day.

What's blooming in nature where you live?

Rain and Storm Clouds #SkywatchFriday

Storms spared where I live, for the most part.  We did get some rain, but that's about it.

My heart goes out to all those impacted by our weather recently, including the people of the island of Maui, an island swept by out of control fires fanned by a hurricane hundreds of miles away.

It was interesting watching our sky, though.   August 9, local park.

This time, once I got clear of the power lines.  It started to rain not long after.

August 10 after a drizzly rain and before another drizzly rain.

These last two pictures were taken over our community garden plot.

Joining Yogi and other sky watchers for #SkywatchFriday.

Happiness is a Library Tree #ThursdayTreeLove #4CLSroadtrip

"Library is a garden where knowledge trees are nurtured" - Swaran Singh Jaggi.

This summer, our Four County Library System came up with an idea.

There are 42 libraries in the system.  Urban libraries.  Small town libraries.  Libraries in historic buildings. They are spread out over four counties and it's quite an achievement to visit all 42.  Some people have done it. 

The idea:  visit as many of the libraries as you can between July 1 and September 2 and win some (small) prizes.  They called it the 4CLS Road Trip.

Despite my love of libraries, I had been to the grand total of four of these libraries before the road trip started.   But as of today, I am up to 18.  It doesn't sound like much, but those four counties (in New York State: Broome, Delaware, Otsego and Chenango) are spread out over a large area. 

Today, though, I am going to bring you to the Broome County Public Library. This is an urban downtown library. The population of downtown is varied:  office workers that aren't working remotely that day.  Students. Artists.  People living below the poverty line.  And others. This library serves them all.  But first, I need to mention the original library I remember and loved.

When I worked in downtown Binghamton  I was in easy walking distance of the old Binghamton Carnegie library, which opened in 1903 and closed in 2000.  By 1998, when I was visiting it several times a week on my lunch period, the building was in sad shape.  A new library was built several blocks away and opened (if my memory is correct) in October of 2000.

The current Broome County library, picture taken July 15, 2023

The Carnegie library was a treasure that stood empty until our local community college renovated the library and turned it into a culinary arts school.  

The old Carnegie Library on Exchange Street, Binghamton, New York 1903-2000

I took this picture of the outside of the building on July 5, 2020. I still miss this library, but love how, in this picture, it is framed by trees on the Broome County Courthouse property across the street.

I am not going to take you into the modern library itself today but I want to show you its little gem - its garden, full of trees and welcoming places to sit.  I ate many a lunch in the library garden when I worked downtown.

Even more trees make this an urban oasis.

This artwork is called "Books and Birds".

But what I love the most is the trees. They sheltered and delighted me on many warm/hot days.

I miss them, too.  Happiness, for me, is a library tree.

Joining Parul at Happiness and Food this second Thursday of the month for #ThursdayTreeLove.

Butterfly and Bee #WordlessWednesday

Oh where, oh where have all the butterflies gone?

August 6, the first monarch butterfly I was able to photograph this year.

We see bees but not near as many as we used to.

August 3, bee on anise hyssop.

 

Joining Sandee at Comedy Plus for her #WordlessWednesday.

Memories of Barbie

Somewhere, maybe, still exists a white, blond, bubble cut Barbie with unbendable arms and legs and feet that can't go flat.  This Barbie must wear heels, and it is dressed in a wedding gown.  The last time I saw it, it was lying in my drawer, lying in the embrace of its black stand.

Once beloved, it was put away with other childhood things.  Perhaps it was thrown out after I left home.  I'll never know.

It will never be in a movie.  It will never be famous.  But it isn't forgotten.

I am a senior citizen now.  I can remember my doll, but not the year it was given to me.  I suspect it was 1961 or 1962,  and I loved it.  I played Barbie by myself and with a friend.  I dreamed of the outfits I would dress it (dare I say "her"?) if my Mom could only afford them. 

Needless to say, my Barbie never saw the inside of a Barbie Dreamhouse.  For years, it lived on top of my dresser, on its black wire stand.

I predated all of the career Barbies - the astronaut, the vet, and even the President.  Over 200 of those careers encouraged girls to step out into the world.

I was so thrilled when I got the wedding gown outfit as a gift.  By then, a friend in my apartment building in the Bronx had a Ken, and her Ken became my Barbie's fiancé (whereupon I heard the vocabulary word "fiancé" for the first time).

Now there is a movie, a movie that is on its way-no, wait, it has reached and exceeded- a gross of one billion dollars.  One billion dollars.  For a director who happens to be female. 

At first I thought the movie would be silly but I've changed my mind.  Yes, I'm trying to join the madness, if you can call it that.

The movie? It's become more popular than many could have dreamed. 

And me, the person who last went to a movie in December of 2018, wants to see it.

My spouse wants no part of it.  I don't mind.  I don't expect him to understand, although I don't know if my eyes could stand all the pink (you don't need to see much of this video to understand why).  He won't know what Barbie means to millions of girls and grown up women.

Childhood memories can be so strong.  Barbie gave me many hours of happiness.  If I had been born just a handful of years later, it could have been the catalyst for me becoming something untraditional.

After all, one of my aunts (one I barely knew, I should add) became a doctor back in the 1920's.  And my late mother actually encouraged me to go into medicine, although it wasn't my interest.

Yes, Barbie, thank you.  Sisterhood is strong.  Women are making this movie happen. 

Have any of my readers seen the movie?  If so, would you recommend it?

Opposites #MusicMovesMe

It's Monday and it's time for music!

Who are the Music Moves Me bloggers?

We are 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!)   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 yours truly.

Why not join our music loving folks?  It's so easy. All you have to do is join the linky above with a music post that contains at least one music video.  No music video? Your post may be removed, or may be labeled *NO MUSIC*.

Today's theme is from Debbie at The Doglady's Den and is "song titles with opposites i.e. black/white, night/day, but not necessarily in the same name."

Interesting theme:  Let's see how well I do.  I may not restrict this to song titles.

 

Three Dog Night recorded the song Black and White in 1972, but this song was actually written in 1954 by Earl Robinson with words by David Arkin.  The topic was the recent Supreme Court decision desegregating schools. The original version sung by Earl Robinson is on You Tube but I am using the cover sung by Pete Seeger in 1956.

Ebony and Ivory, sung by Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney, became a hit in 1982.

Elvis Presley's "Summer Kisses Winter Tears" from 1965.

Although it isn't in the title, this song written by Pete Seeger in 1959 and made famous in 1965-66 by the Byrds (adapted from Ecclesiastes 3:1-8) is full of opposites. Here is Turn! Turn! Turn!

And then again, you don't always have opposites.  You can have shades of gray.

 

The 1967 Monkees song "Shades of Gray" is about someone drafted into the Vietnam War who is about to board a train for the first part of the journey.  He doesn't know if he'll ever see home again.

Speaking of war, my final song will be 2014's The Wrong Side of Heaven, from Five Finger Death Punch.  Five Finger Death Punch is active in veteran support and this song is about veterans and their struggle when they return to society at large.  This comes from an album entitled The Wrong Side of Heaven and The Righteous Side of Hell.

And that's a wrap!

Join me again next week for another episode of Music Moves Me.

More Flower Shadows #ShadowshotSunday

Shadows on a walking path begin our shadow shot post today.

Pictures taken (except for the first and the astilbe) this morning in my yard.

Astilbe in dappled shade.

One of my late day lilies.

Heirloom french marigold draped with a shadow on its right side. 

 

Yellow lantana.

Nasturtium. 

Joining Magical Mystery Teacher for #ShadowshotSunday.

 

 

No Bar Code - Now What?

During a recent library visit, I found a crochet book I hadn't seen before.  It looked interesting and I wanted to take it out.

I brought it to the librarian in this small library.  She looked at the book.  She looked at the book again.  She looked at me.  She looked at the book.

Finally, she turned to me and told me there was a problem.

No bar code.

Our local library system transitioned to a bar code system for keeping track of inventory several years ago.  "I don't know how this one could have been missed", the librarian mused, apologetically.

She thought for a minute.  "I could check this out for you, but..."  She turned to her computer.  I wasn't local.  This was a small library that (I assume) knew most all their patrons.

"There are several other libraries [in our four county system] that have this book", she said.  She named two of them near me.

Good to know.  I didn't want to cause her any problems, and told her I would get the book elsewhere.

But this librarian looked close to my age (in other words, we were both senior citizens), so I told her my memories of how libraries checked books out when I was young.

I grew up in New York City.  Those libraries had a machine that would take a picture of the book "lending card" and your library card.  The lending card was removed. Then the librarian would stamp a card with the due date and put in a pocket attached to the inside cover.  I don't know what happened to the picture (put on microfilm?) but I remember that flash of light when the picture was taken.

It appears this was high tech compared to how the libraries where I live now did it (she did remember, and there was no picture taking machine involved) but it was effective.

Now, without a bar code, a library can't even let you borrow the book.

Sometimes, I can wish for the good old days.

Theatrical Skies #SkywatchFriday

Yesterday we had a combination of humidity and haze.  My spouse and I were taking part in the Four County Library roadtrip and we had traveled to a neighboring county.   The sky looks a little washed out because of the air conditions.

A picture from our roadtrip - the Colonia Theater in Norwich, New York, population about 6900.  What a fantastic find.  Yes, it shows first run movies and is independently owned. 

Skies from later that day.

The two photos above and the one below were all taken within minutes of each other, in the same general area.

Nature can put on its own show.

Joining Yogi and other skywatchers each Friday for #SkywatchFriday.

The Crickets of 2023

Not related to my post - just wanted you to see this beautiful hosta flower

Summer ended last Thursday, where I live in the Southern Tier of New York State.  Let's record the date:  July 27.

How did I know?

I heard the song that heralds the end of summer on Thursday evening.  I thought it was my imagination.

I always think it's my imagination, but it's not.  At first, the song is fleeting.  Then it's constant.

This song triggers what has become one of my annual posts. 

I've heard the first cricket of 2023.

On Monday, I definitely heard it, several times.  I heard the buzzing.  I heard the sound of the second half of summer.

In a way, I dread the first cricket song, because it means winter is on its way.  The rest of summer, into fall, will be filled with their song until a hard frost ends the concert until next July.

I've been tracking when I've heard the first crickets since I started to blog in 2009.  Here are most of my previous posts: some of these dates below don't correspond with the post date but the sighting date.  I  don't think I did a post in 2013.

July 29, 2009
July 22, 2010
July 30, 2011 
then, there were two dates in 2012, perhaps due to an early spring
May 21, 2012
July 25, 2012
August 3, 2014
July 28, 2015 
July 24, 2016 
July 31, 2018 

July 8, 2019

July 23, 2020

July 26, 2021

July 22, 2022

Why track the first cricket date?  Many of us continue to take comfort watching nature, be it birds, flying insects, or sunrises and sunsets.  With change all around us, nature is a constant.  It's as dependable as people, apparently, are not.

 

There is also the human desire to keep records.

As I blogged in 2019:

"My blog, with the Garden Bloggers Bloom Day meme I participate in each 15th of the month, has become a kind of garden journal.  I'm no good at diaries or journals, but blogging is something I do keep up with. For now, anyway."

So, what does this pattern of dates mean?  Not much, perhaps. 

But I like paying some attention to the natural world.  I've seen the juvenile birds in our yard grow into adulthood. The late summer wildflowers are on their way.  I've already seen goldenrod.

My day lilies are finishing up.  Our small garlic patch has been harvested.  The onions are nearly ready.

We all are called by Nature in some way.  The trees know when to drop their leaves and sprout new leaves in spring.  The migrating birds of our area know (although climate change is messing up these signals, sadly, especially in spring) when to leave for their true homes.  I never realized many of our birds are visitors.  They breed here and then return to their southern homes in the fall.

I watch the hummingbird whose territory I live in and see it fattening up for fall migration.  She (and it's always a she) will be leaving in just about a month.

For now, I hear the call of the crickets.  It may make me sad to know summer is fleeting, but it's all the more reason to live each day in the moment.

Wild Flowers #WordlessWednesday

We humans may take classes on how to garden, cut, arrange flowers, and create bouquets, but Nature does quite a job all on its own.

Here are some wildflowers for your enjoyment.

Morning glories, also called field bindweed.  You do not want this in your garden but it was pretty in a local park.

Taken July 29, Queen Anne's Lace.

Purple flowering raspberry.  Their raspberry like fruits aren't poisonous but are drier and more tart (I am told) than our common raspberries.

 Finally, soapwort.

Joining Sandee at Comedy Plus for her #WordlessWednesday.

Bainbridge Free Library #4CLSroadtrip

 Last week, I blogged about the #4CLSroadtrip, a summer event our library system here in the Southern Tier of New York is holding.  They are encouraging us in the four county area our library system services to visit as many of the 42 libraries as we can.  We can also win small prizes.

I have visited 10 libraries so far, including nine out of ten in the county I live in. (Up to the time of the road trip, I had only been to four).  Many of our four county system libraries are in small villages/towns, and I am finding that is one of the many joys of this summer quest.

It can be a bit of a challenge, though, because some of the libraries have only limited hours, and if you work traditional Monday through Friday hours (I don't), this road trip becomes more of a challenge.  But, through Facebook, I know that a number of people have already completed the entire road trip.

I don't think I will be one of them, but one never knows.

Today, I want to take you to the Bainbridge Free Library, chartered in 1908.  It is the oldest library in Chenango County.

Bainbridge (population 1269) was established in 1786.  If you've ever used Elmer's Glue, you have a connection of sorts with Bainbridge.

This is a true storefront library.  I took this picture back in 2017.  The library is third from the left.

From the outside, it's unchanged since 2017.  Let's go in.

The day we visited, a small school or day camp group preceded us.  There were two librarians in this small space, but they handled the small group (and inquisitive us!) with ease.

One thing I've learned to ask is how old some of the furniture is, and in a lot of these libraries, tables or shelves can easily be 100 years old or more.  There is almost always artwork, too, or portraits/photos of founders.

One of many challenges these libraries face, besides funding, is the limited space.  There is so much demand for their services, including computers and printers for people who do not have internet access at home.  Many of the libraries keep collections of large print books for their elderly patrons.  These books are expensive. 

The children's area, with an interesting lamp.  No, I didn't ask about it.

 I never did ask about this clock, either.  The librarians were busy with patrons.  Perhaps another time.

Hopefully, I'll have another road trip library post next week.

The Great Gig in the Sky and Two Tributes

 It's Monday and it's time for music.

Who are the Music Moves Me bloggers?

We are 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!)   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 yours truly.

Why not join our music loving folks?  It's so easy. All you have to do is join the linky above with a music post that contains at least one music video.  No music video? Your post may be removed, or may be labeled *NO MUSIC*.    

Today's theme is "You Pick".  Sometimes, though, themes pick you, and, sadly, two greats were inducted into Rock and Roll Heaven this week.  July 26 was not a good day, and my musical mood today reflects that.

Randy Meisner, a founder of Poco (although he left before their first album was released) and the Eagles, and a bassist and singer, died July 26 at age 77 from complications of COPD.  

He was inducted, with the Eagles, into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988. 

Although Meisner was best known for his performance of the Eagles' Take It To The Limit, I wanted to feature a couple of his other songs.

Certain Kind of Fool, which was also co-written by Meisner, was released in 1973.

From 1976, Try and Love Again, was also written by Meisner.

Irish singer and political activist Sinéad O'Connor, also died July 26.  She was 56, and was best known for Nothing Compares 2U.  Having been abused during her childhood (to put it mildly), she championed a number of causes and also struggled openly with mental illness.

This cover of Danny Boy showcases her amazing voice.

Here she performs The Foggy Dew, with The Chieftains.

Here are a couple of other songs to round out this week.  I've chosen a couple of different ones, mostly instrumental in nature but not completely.

Pink Floyd, from their iconic album Dark Side of the Moon, The Great Gig in the Sky.

Electric Light Orchestra - Fire on High.   It starts out weird and then....just stick with it.

And that's a wrap.

Join me again next week for another episode of Music Moves Me.