Before this rose bloomed, something ate away about half of the bud. I didn't think the flower would survive, but it managed to bloom anyway, a sort of cross-section of itself. It looks like the wild hairdo of a Disney villain -- Madame Medusa, perhaps? Or Sylvia Plath's "Lady Lazarus":
Out of the ash
I rise with my red hair
And I eat men like air.
I thought about taking a walk yesterday. I haven't been on the Thames Path since April 9! But then I got to doing stuff around the house and that kept me so busy that I never even got out the front door. (Well, that's not quite true, because I cleaned the front door and the windowsill next to it and the windows in the door itself, which all entailed opening the door.)
I did some other housekeeping, weeded a bit and mowed the lawn (again!). I did not clean the bathtub, even though it needs it, because supposedly the contractors are going to tear it out any day now. And if that's the case, why clean it? Is there any disgrace in letting the contractors discard a dirty bathtub? I say no.
Olga seemed quite content to snooze the day away, first on her bed out in the sunny grass and then on the couch (above). I think her nose gets cold!
I finally started the Russell Banks novel "The Magic Kingdom," which has been in my blog sidebar as "What I'm Reading" for about two weeks. In fact I didn't even crack the cover until yesterday. It looks promising -- the recollections of an 80-something-year-old man in Central Florida in the early '70s, reflecting on a lost Shaker colony in the area now dominated by Disney. That Shaker community really existed, though like many Shaker communities -- which prized celibacy -- it didn't last long. Anyway, I like Banks as an author and this was his last book. He died in January.
This unappetizing concoction looks like something I scooped out of the bird bath, but it's actually my cocktail-of-the-month from the Craft Gin Club. The accompanying magazine showed an elegant mixture with a lovely tequila sunrise glow, served in stemware, so I got out some stemware and made it just as the directions demanded. The rosy red cocktail syrup didn't settle to the bottom, even with careful pouring. (And no, I didn't stir it -- the swizzle stick is there just to make it look less desperate.)
It didn't taste bad, but once again, I found myself thinking I'd rather have a plain old gin & tonic.
I'm weird, I'd be cleaning that bathtub until it sparkled so they wouldn't think I was a terrible housekeeper when they ripped it out. I've seen plenty of roses bloom after being half eaten by earwigs.
ReplyDeleteThe rose is fascinating. Olga is adorable. That drink... well, it looks like the inspiration for a dirty martini (but just the dirty part). I'd probably clean the bathtub, which I admit would be silly.
ReplyDeletePerhaps Olga covers her nose to suppress the never ending influx of smells that she receives. In comparison, our own noses are next to useless.
ReplyDeleteThat is one stubborn rose to bloom after nearly being decimated!
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting to learn about the Shaker community in Osceola County.
ReplyDeleteYou can't beat a gin and tonic, hands down! The Shakers fascinate me. I love their furniture, their style and visiting Hancock Shaker Village in Pittsfield, MA is one of my favorite places (and best photography -- fabulous light). But it strikes me as being a very bad business model for keeping a church going.
ReplyDeleteI think the Shakers were more interested in making lovely furniture than propagating the species. They did leave some great work.
ReplyDeleteThe cocktail of the month sounds fun if a bit unexpected. If you can tolerate spirits. One sip of gin and I'm sunk in gloom.
That was a determined rose. It wasn't going to let an injury stop it.
ReplyDeleteYou accomplished so much more than I did this last weekend.
I think I'd like to read that book too.
ReplyDeleteAs to the bathtub- who gives a damn what the guys who take the tub out think? Having said that, every time a technician pulls the stove or the refrigerator from its place in my house I spend five minutes apologizing for all the dirt.
I have not edited my side bar since they took away the easy edit tool. I've tried to remove some blogs from the sidebar list through setting but it won't let me. I'd have to remove the widget and then reinstall it.
ReplyDeleteIt was a lazy day for me yesterday after I finished mowing the backyard. we watched four episodes of The White Lotus.
I love that the rose bloomed. Ah the persistence of life and beauty.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I've ever had a cocktail. I hadn't thought about that until I saw that photo. Mmm...maybe I should try one someday.
I might clean that bathtub if I thought it might sit outside before disposal and my neighbors would see it... Maybe I wouldn't care, not sure...
ReplyDeleteI went down a rabbit hole to find out more about the Shakers. I guess there are only 2 left and they live in Maine!
That's interesting the rose still opened, despite its damage! Sweet Olga. It's funny how dogs like to bury their noses.
ReplyDeleteThat tree fern is a formidable plant. It looks slightly prehistoric. As far as cleaning the soon to be departed bath tub - nah.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Olga! I'm not a cocktail person but I do love an occasional draft amber ale. I enjoy photos of flowers this time of year. There are so many colors and varieties.
ReplyDeleteOh, Olga! What a sweet photo :)
ReplyDeleteHere's how it would go with me and the bathtub: Every day from the time I knew the tub was to be removed until the night before the tub was to be removed, I would think, Today I need to clean that tub. The night before, I would finally clean the tub, go to bed far too late as a result, and spend the next day in a tired haze.
No one can say I don't know myself. lol
Ahhh a gorgeous rose and color and a perfect photo of Olga.
ReplyDeleteYou are adventurous for making the cocktail. I would try it just to say that I tried it.
As for the bathtub? Nope I wouldn't clean it. That would just be wasteful of soap, water and elbow grease! At least your windows are clean and that my dear man is enough elbow grease and reserve the rest for a new bathtub if one should ever gets installed.
Have a wonderful day and start of the week.
Clean the bathtub? Absolutely not.
ReplyDelete"(And no, I didn't stir it -- the swizzle stick is there just to make it look less desperate.)" This made me chuckled out loud. Fine living can be hard, but we make the effort.
River: I'm like that with the dog-walker. I like to have the bed made and the dishes in the dishwasher when he comes. But somehow I don't care much about the bathtub!
ReplyDeleteMitchell: I'm glad I didn't because it's full of debris now!
YP: Our house isn't that smelly!
Bob: I was impressed that it hung in there.
Colette: I thought so too! That's a bit of Florida history I never knew.
Jeanie: Yeah, they basically relied on "converts" in an era when people who were orphaned or otherwise without family or support might come to them. Doesn't happen so much now!
Boud: I do love their minimalist aesthetic. One sip of gin and I'm euphoric! (Which is why I try not to sip it too often.)
Sharon: I've always heard roses are tough. This proves it.
Ms Moon: I think you would like the book! Yeah, it's always a nightmare when the pull out appliances. (Or bathtubs.)
Ellen: I've updated my blog list, so that's strange. As I recall you open the list in the dashboard, delete the blogs you want and re-save it. That should be enough.
Robin: Any cocktail? You must not be a liquor drinker in general.
Ellen D: That's sad! Only two shakers left! I think the bathtub is fated to be dirty and damaged by the time it's removed no matter what.
Kelly: It IS funny. She does it more now. Maybe she's more sensitive to cold.
Allison: That's what I said -- nah! I think the tree fern IS prehistoric.
Margaret: I'll provide more flower photos in the coming weeks, I'm sure!
Jenny-O: Well, you're not blogging as "Procrastinating Donkey" for nothing!
Beth: I agree! The bathtub can sit on the street grimy, for all I care!
Jonboi: Never mind that it's a swizzle stick I got from some airline. (Economy class!)