There's a lot blooming in the garden of the bathing beauty down the street. As you can see, she's got geraniums, foxgloves, some faded lupines and alliums, and front-and-center a big yellow evening primrose. We had one of those one year -- I think it came from a packet of wildflower seeds I sowed -- but it never re-seeded and, seeing this one, I'm thinking I need to plant them again.
Our front patio got a tiny, tiny facelift yesterday. I walked up to Homebase and bought a couple of petunias and gazanias, which I put in pots for the summer. I was amused to see four more King Zacks for sale -- they've restocked! One is quite enough for us.
There was also bathroom cleaning, vacuuming, blah blah blah.
Olga and I then took a walk along Billy Fury Way, where we hadn't been in ages. It's as colorful as ever. I'm not sure what that amoebic blob is -- it reminds me of a Pre-Columbian earthwork from the Nazca Plain.
Fortunately the path was mostly deserted. We saw only a handful of other people.
Dave and I have spent the last several evenings watching "The Midwich Cuckoos," a new TV miniseries based on the 1957 John Wyndham novel. Now I'm curious to read the book to see how it compares. Fortunately we have it in our library! I also want to try some Barbara Pym novels, having read about her in a recent issue of The New Yorker. (I've been plowing through my New Yorker stack the last couple of days, trying to catch up!) But all that will come after I finish my current stack of summer books.
A similar evening primrose grows in our garden. At late dusk, each blossom twirls open in about five seconds. It's an eye-catching spectacle - sometimes a hundred or more blossoms pop open over a quarter hour. You might stroll down to your neighbor's some evening and see if that one does.
ReplyDeleteChris from Boise
PS Love the bathing beauty!
I love the book and the movie came late enough after it that I'd forgotten some of the story, so I couldn't compare and feel let down. I haven't seen the series though and probably won't. It doesn't seem to be the right type of story to become a series.
ReplyDeleteI see Pre-Columbian, too. Will have to check out The Midwich Cuckoos. We’re watching Season 2 of Toy Boys. Entertaining for us, especially since it was filmed here, but pure soap opera.
ReplyDeleteYou are what they call a voracious reader whereas I appear to be on an involuntary diet. I have all the time in the world to read but I have to be in the mood.
ReplyDeleteBarbara Pym, take a glimpse into post-war Britain, friend of Philip Larkin, great observation of people behind closed doors. She went out of fashion but she really was a good writer and should never have disappeared into obscurity.
ReplyDeleteI love what I've seen of your neighborhood. And I'm a fervent fan of Pym, rereader, too. Start anywhere, it's all keenly funny observation.
ReplyDeleteIt certainly is a "look" to have a tub in the yard, made all the more interesting by the mannequin.
ReplyDeleteHave you heard about the Disney film or tv series about Fire Island. It sounds interesting to me, but I will have to pay Disney to see it.
ReplyDeleteThat was a good article in the New Yorker about Barbara Pym. I am also intrigued now.
ReplyDeleteI am so far behind on my New Yorker's. It's truly a sin. I seem to settle down to truly read/read when I'm ill or injured. The rest of the time I'm doing stuff with my ear buds in, listening to books.
ReplyDeleteAre you sure you don't need another Zak? The one you have may be lonely.
The Midwich Cuckoos is on my TBR pile. I've heard it's one of his best, so I'm betting I'll like it since I really enjoyed two others of his.
ReplyDeleteI had forgotten about the Bathing Beauty. People do such interesting things in their gardens. I love your summertime of reading.
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to see that the bathing beauty is still enjoy her tub of soil. Olga looks like she's a tiny bit curious about that mural.
ReplyDeleteI've never read any John Wyndham stories so you've given me a suggestion for reading.
ReplyDeleteThe bathing beauty garden looks very interesting. I have some of those evening primrose in my yard. Enjoy your day, hugs, Edna B.
ReplyDeleteI have geraniums too but they aren't thriving due to the lack of sun. This week should help them out a bit. That's a lot of artwork--or is it tagging?
ReplyDeleteI love Barbara Pym- i re-read her novels every few years and they get better and better each time. She has a very sly sense of humor and great observations of humans. Not much goes on in them but they are (to me) delightful.
ReplyDeleteI'll bet I would like Barbara Pym - but I'll wait to hear what you think before adding her to my list.
ReplyDeleteYou know, I'd never thought to check whether Wyndham wrote anything besides The Chrysalids (which I liked), so I'm glad to hear about The Midwich Cuckoos and will look for it. Also, I'd never heard of Barbara Pym so I'll be watching for anything by her. I'm always happy to hear about authors and books I might enjoy.
ReplyDeleteI don't have a bathtub in my yard but I have a toilet on my deck. Do I dare fill it with flowers? I don't think I have the gumption :D Actually I hope to have it gone within a month or two along with some other construction-type debris, which we have to take to the landfill separately from regular garbage. It's not overly convenient to hire two separate pickups, but that's the way it is.
I think I've watched too many British detective procedurals because that bathing beauty in the bathtub kinda freaks me out. Summer reading! What fun.
ReplyDeleteChris: I didn't realize they opened that quickly!
ReplyDeleteRiver: I thought the series was pretty good, but then, I've never read the book or seen the film -- so I have nothing to compare it to!
Mitchell: Toy Boys? I don't know that show at all! I'll look for it.
YP: I don't think I'm truly voracious. I still feel like I waste a lot of time online. (Although that's reading too, I suppose.)
Rachel: Apparently Pym is undergoing a resurgence, or so the New Yorker article said. (If you're interested I'm sure you can find it online -- it just ran a few weeks ago.)
Boud: Billy Fury Way is actually the LEAST desirable part of our neighborhood! I wouldn't walk it at night.
Bob: This particular neighbor has a very quirky front garden. The tub is only part of it!
Andrew: No! I'll have to look that one up!
Colette: I literally knew nothing about her, except that she was English.
Ms Moon: They really are a source of stress for me, which is probably silly!
Kelly: You'll have to let us know how it is!
Robin: The bathing beauty is a neighborhood landmark!
Sharon: Olga was just being tolerant because I parked her there and told her to "stay."
Red: I've never read any either. He had several popular books in the '50s, all science fiction.
Edna: I love those evening primroses!
Margaret: There's a long, long debate in the graffiti world about the line between artwork and tagging, and whether one exists at all!
Lini: The more I hear about her, the more intrigued I am!
Bug: Well, it will be a while before I get to her, I fear.
Jenny-O: I think toilet planters are kind of hilarious, but yeah, I'm not sure I'd have the gumption to put one out myself! I think Wyndham's most famous book is "The Day of the Triffids."
37P: Oh, I'm with you! I think she's quite disturbing! Especially because her head is way too far from her legs (which you can't quite tell in this photo).
I remember the bathing beauty from last year!
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