We had a truly sunny day yesterday, our first in a while -- but not the last. Apparently we're in for a warm, dry spell. It's too early to call it an Indian summer, because it's still actual summer, but it feels that way.
Olga and I spent yesterday in the garden. I repotted several plants, using the same pots (because we don't have any vacant ones) but replacing and augmenting the soil so the roots can continue to grow. Olga, meanwhile, shifted between basking in the sun and retreating to the shade in the flower beds. That's her above, beneath the parasol-like leaves of the burdock, though you can barely see her.
Here's a clearer view.
I also sat out and read "Demon Copperhead," which finally, finally got returned to the library. I'm about 100 pages in and enjoying it a lot. It taught me a new word, Melungeon, which I don't believe I've ever heard before.
Meanwhile, Mr. Russia spent all day doing some kind of work on his balcony, scraping or refinishing or something else that wasn't painting our dining room ceiling. I think I'm coming to believe that it's better to just leave that ceiling alone anyway.
I had lunch in the garden, and the meat wasp returned, once again carving off a chunk of my leftover burger and flying away with it.
I couldn't interest Olga in much of a walk. She has been especially lazy this weekend. (Dave thinks the visitors on Saturday took a lot out of her.) We did walk around the nearby housing estate where we found these chairs being discarded. They're all pretty beat so I didn't take any of them, but we do have one identical to the one on the far right that I found on the street years ago. I wonder if it came from the same set? Ours is in much better condition and it's very solid -- we keep it in a closet because it's butt-ugly but we use it when we need to climb up on something, to change a light bulb, for example.
Last night we watched "Red, White and Royal Blue" on Amazon, a silly film about the son of the American president falling in love with a British prince. I read the book several years ago and liked it. The movie was less satisfying -- many reviews have likened it to a Hallmark movie, which is pretty apt. "A royal disappointment," said the BBC, while The Guardian noted Uma Thurman's "deranged" southern accent. (I actually think she's one of the better elements of the movie.) Reviewer Ron Hilliard's take on it sums everything up well. Writer/director Matthew Lopez made a valiant effort to stay faithful to the book and preserve its fun, soapy tone, and it's not terrible -- if you've got nothing better to do it will kill two hours of your life. But the gay romance has been done better. "Call Me By Your Name" and even "Maurice," from as far back as the 1980s, are much more effective.
While we have what we call European wasps here and since the arrival in the 80s? have spoilt picnics but I haven't seen one for years. I've not heard of them carrying pieces of food. Maybe they are different. We also have English wasps (they seemed very flammable when near a lit match) and our own native wasps.
ReplyDeleteCall me by your Name is one of my favourite films of recent times. Andre Aciman upon whose book the film is based wrote the sequel to it where you can see what happens to Elio and Oliver and Elio's parents. It is called Find Me. Aciman is a great writer. He has written about his life growing up in Egypt which is also a good read. Out of Egypt. I recommend that too. I gave up with Red, White and Royal Blue after half an hour.
ReplyDeleteYes, Ron Hilliard described it perfectly. I was disappointed after all the hype. So funny that you keep a chair like that in the closet to be used for climbing. I've heard there are now step stools and step ladders that do that — and they can be folded flat (or so I'm told). Your meat wasp video gave me the major creeps. I didn't watch it when you posted it. Don't know why I watched part of it now. That would have sent me right back in the house.
ReplyDeleteAnd now I'm back to singing the rest of Under the Boardwalk.
I want to tell you about a crazy new invention. It's called the stepladder and it is far safer for household jobs that require altitude than an old chair with thin legs that might collapse and invite hospitalisation.
ReplyDeleteThank you. I'll never hear the Drifters song in the same way again.
ReplyDeleteI am wondering along with others why you keep a butt-ugly chair instead of a handy stepladder.
ReplyDeleteOlga looks peaceful sleeping under the burdock.
I came across the Melungeon term when doing genealogy for people whose ancestors moved from Virginia and North Carolina into Kentucky and Tennessee. It is intriguing, isn't it? Have you heard about the Blue Fugates?
ReplyDeleteMaurice was such a heartbreaker of a movie ... until the end; loved it.
ReplyDeleteOlga clearly knows why burdock is.
ReplyDeleteI had heard the word "Melungeon" but wasn't aware of its true meaning until I read "Demon Copperfield" which I LOVED! As you know. I was thinking about it this morning, in fact.
ReplyDeleteOlga in the burdocks is simply wonderful. She is living the life.
I have something that looks like your burdock growing in my garden but I thought it was a weed. I haven't weeded in quite a while! ;) Do they flower?
ReplyDeleteI hadn't ever heard the word Melungeon before. Now I have heard it. Will I remember it? Maybe.
ReplyDeleteWe have Netflix and Hulu so we can kill two hours of our lives every evening, only time we ever watch "TV".
Well, I'd leave those chairs alone too. what ugly chairs but they look sturdy enough the use for a step stool.
ReplyDeleteOur dogs all excavate the flowerbeds to make cool spots under the bushes. (amazing how few plants they kill, considering) Olga looks content.
ReplyDeleteThanks, I'll have Bette Midler singing in my head the rest of the day.
That's an eclectic group of chairs. Olga looks as though she's questioning why she is posing in front of them. I think the words "humans are such strange creatures" are floating in her head.
ReplyDeleteCatching up, I learned something new about wasps.
ReplyDeleteMeat wasps, eh? Well, if you keep feeding him, he'll keep returning. Olga looks as contented taking her nap under the parasol plants as she looks disgusted at being forced to take a walk.
ReplyDeletewell, my days are ll the same because it is still blazing hot. high 90s today and then back to triple digits. we did get about 10 minutes of rain, hard for a few, but then the sun came out turning all that new fallen water into steam.
ReplyDelete"Demon Copperhead" is a modern day classic; I loved it and learned a lot about that area, including about the Melungeons. I had to look it up. I also didn't understand the history and impact of the opoid crisis.
ReplyDelete@ Ellen D: Yes, burdock is a weed!
ReplyDelete@ Steve: But a very useful weed, it appears :) And now I'll be humming Under the Burdock all day.
I happened on the book Call Me By Your Name a couple of years ago. It was very good and has stayed in my memory the way good books do.
I did not realize how big the Burdock is. It's a nice shade plant for Olga.
ReplyDeleteNow I know what the big plant that grow in my yard (in all the wrong places) is called! In my book, it's a weed. A great, big huge weed!
ReplyDeleteAndrew: No shortage of wasps! I'm not surprised European wasps have made their way around the world.
ReplyDeleteRachel: I also loved "Call Me By Your Name" (the movie). I haven't tried the book but it sounds like I should!
Mitchell: There definitely IS something creepy about a carnivorous insect carrying away a hunk of meat.
YP: Well, as I said, this is a VERY solid chair. I wouldn't stand on just any chair!
Tasker: Points for making that connection! I wish I could say I intended it but it was completely accidental.
Colette: I have not! I will look them up!
Bob: Absolutely, but I loved it. That and "Another Country" -- two of my '80s gay faves!
Boud: She does! It's made for her!
Ms Moon: I love it too! I'm only about 100 pages in and I resent having to go to work and stop reading! LOL
Ellen D: Well, many people do consider it a weed, but I think they're beautiful plants. It does flower, with a thistly-looking bloom.
Robin: Same with us! We only watch for a couple of hours in the evening.
Red: The one we have is, anyway! I'm not sure I'd vouch for any of those being thrown out. :)
Kelly: Did Bette Midler do a version of "Under the Boardwalk"?
Sharon: She definitely doesn't understand when I make her stand still in random places! LOL
Ed: So did we!
Catalyst: I think she was eager for the walk, but disgusted at having to pose for a photo!
Ellen: Oh, I remember those steamy summer days well! A good day to stay indoors!
Margaret: I can tell already I'm going to love this book!
Jenny-O: I know it's weird, but I do love burdock! I really have to read "Call Me By Your Name," apparently.
Allison: When Olga is there for scale, you can tell how massive those leaves are.
Jeanie: It is a big, huge weed, but isn't it beautiful too?!
My recommendation for the book was the sequel to the film. I loved the film so much I never wanted to read that one but the sequel is good because it continues the story of Elio and Oliver and Aciman is such a good writer. I am sure the first book is good too though, as Jenny O said.
ReplyDeleteYes! I love her version, but I love Bette Midler.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tVgExxWaUI