I woke up this morning with the Pointer Sisters' song "Jump" running through my head. Why this happened, I can't imagine. I've never owned the record, or any other Pointer Sisters records. I've never even liked the song. So what on earth, out of all the billions of songs in my brain, made my internal jukebox choose that one to begin the day?
We seem to be going through a bit of a cold snap all of a sudden. Nighttime temperatures on Monday and Tuesday are forecast to drop to 40º F (or 4.4º C). I'm hoping I didn't pot up all those dahlias a little too early. Apparently they hate being cold and wet, and we have a 50 percent chance of rain today and tomorrow.
Speaking of which, the freaking squirrels got into the dahlia pots yesterday and excavated several of them. They didn't dig up the bulbs but they sure made a mess. I had to redistribute the dirt and put some pottery shards and metal screening on top to keep them out. I do this every year. I don't know why I'm surprised.
I brought the Rhipsalis cactus back inside, after those little furry gray monsters reminded me how destructive they can be. No need to tempt fate there.
Having said that, the garden is still looking springlike. Our African daisies (Osteospermum) are blooming like crazy (top), as are...
...the forget-me-nots...
...the bluebells...
...and the camassia lilies. I just read on Wikipedia that camassias are related to asparagus and agaves. Who knew? Who even knew asparagus and agaves were related to each other? Biology is so strange.
Aside from shifting around more plants, I spent most of yesterday reading. I caught up on blogs and read more of my book, "The Haves and the Have-Yachts." I'm on a section that discusses a trend among the superrich to have pop stars come and perform at birthday parties and bar mitzvahs. Can you imagine? Apparently, for five million dollars, you can have the Rolling Stones come to your spacious back garden (or the appropriate venue of your choice) and sing to your spouse or mother-in-law. Rock and pop stars don't mind because they make a ton of money for a short, low-pressure gig, and the billionaires are willing to pay because what else are they going to do with their money?
You could not, however, have the original Pointer Sisters come and perform "Jump" for you, because only one of them is still alive. And she's 80, so she may not be jumping much anymore.
*Addendum: Actually, if she's like the woman in this article, she might be!
I've been waking up with very random things right there on my brain. But, up to now, there have been no musical earworms ... thank goodness. 😄
ReplyDeleteMaybe this post will inspire one!
DeleteI often have songs popping up out of the blue, either waking up with them in my mind or they come to me while I‘m walking. And sometimes it‘s a song I don‘t even like! I wonder what my brain is thinking when it does that.
ReplyDeleteYes, the cold spell was forecast, and it is supposed to reach us here in south Germany tomorrow (Sunday), with today being sunny and as warm as 24C - perfect for a family BBQ, which my soon to be sister-in-law is hosting this afternoon.
Yeah, the mystery is why the brain chooses songs we don't like. I guess the fact that they're memorable is enough to make them an earworm.
DeleteThe weather is much cooler here, still dry. If you pop feet under your pots to allow the water to drain it will help your dahlias.
ReplyDeleteI do have the pots on little wrought-iron stands, to facilitate drainage and also preserve the grass beneath them.
DeleteYou were telling yourself, 'Jump out of bed now, Steve'.
ReplyDeleteHa! Maybe!
DeleteI just read the lyrics of "Jump!" in search of psychoanalytical conclusions but to no avail. I suspect that "Jump!" came into your head because you are literally about to "jump" into the river valley of retirement that leads to The Sea of Death from whence none shall return - not kings, nor priests, not go-go dancers, not entrepreneurs, not diggers of holes and most certainly not school librarians! Sorry.
ReplyDeleteWell, that's uplifting! I don't think "Jump" is a particularly meaningful song. I can't even remember the lyrics except the refrain.
DeleteIf I was a billionaire I would fund every animal rescue I could find.
ReplyDeleteHooray! Lots of animals waiting for food in those empty bowls! Those ads make me sad ... wish I was rich!
DeleteYes!!
DeleteThat is a wonderful idea. I'd join you. Let's find a way to be billionaires.
DeleteI love all the blue flowers. Here squirrels dig instantly into pots unless I soak qtips in peppermint essential oil and push several into each pot. They don't like the smell and stay away the whole season.
ReplyDeleteI remember your peppermint hint and I haven't tried it yet. I should.
DeleteWhat’s funny is that the minute I read the one-word title I started singing along to the Pointer Sisters. Normally I’d go with Van Halen. Beautiful flowers. Freaking squirrels.
ReplyDeleteOh yeah, Van Halen had a song called "Jump" too, didn't they?
DeleteActually, Ruth Pointer (the last living member of the original group) is still jumping and quite well. She performs with her daughter and granddaughter now. She looks great and sounds great. Keep jumping ladies!
ReplyDeleteJohn in Ohio
I'm glad to hear Ruth is still doing her thing!
DeleteClassic Tune For Sure And Who Knows Why Those Songs Bubble Up To The Surface - The Other Day I Was Singing 'Jimmy Crack Corn And I Don't Care' While I Was Riding Home - Damn Those Musical Engrams - These Posts Of Yours Helps Remind Me Of Sweet Queen Olga Girl Doing More Than Snoozing Along In The Backyard - That Ol Girl Was Not Just Resting Her Eyes But She Was Definitely On Duty As Well - Also , I Am So Stoked For Your Retirement That Is Clearly On The Horizon
ReplyDeleteNow Jump ,
Cheers
Ha! Now THAT's an unusual earworm. You went way back for that one.
DeleteWe have a long herb growing planter box on our back deck and the squirrels love coming up and digging in it. Earlier this week, one came shortly after a rain and had all four limbs coats in mud, something I have never seen before. Do squirrels take baths or lick themselves clean again?
ReplyDeleteI have no idea how squirrels get clean. They do sort of nibble at their fur -- I've seen them do it. So I wouldn't be surprised if some licking was involved.
DeleteI love watching the squirrels but hate it when they get into my pots! Can you throw a tarp over the dahlia transplants or bring them closer to the house to protect them? I'd hate to see you lose them. But the garden itself is looking beautiful. I like Jump and wish that would stay put in my head (maybe now it will all day). The last two songs to get stuck in my head were Ray Stevens' "Guitarzan" and the theme from "Gilligan's Island," where I can't stop trying out lyrics to other songs that fit the tune.
ReplyDeleteI don't think the squirrels will actually kill the dahlias, but they might delay their sprouting if they break off the new growth. If I tarp them they won't get sun, but I have some metal screening I can put atop the pots.
DeleteFunny that you and Mr. P. both wrote about ear worms this morning. I wake up most days with a melody that I believe I used to play on the piano and cannot place. It's not that intrusive but it's sort of boring.
ReplyDeleteWe're still getting very cool mornings for us- in the fifties. I'm loving it.
Your flowers are lovely. And I guess squirrels are just gonna squirrel.
At least your earworm is something you have personal experience with, and have actually learned. I have one of those too -- a melody from "Teaching Little Fingers to Play" that occasionally pops into my brain.
DeleteThe world needs to tax the super rich.
ReplyDeleteI agree, and so does Warren Buffett!
DeleteI love the blue flowers.
ReplyDeleteThis is a good time of year for blue!
DeleteI feel ya Steve about waking up with a song in your head wondering where did that come from. Happens to me. Happens to me in the middle of the day too.
ReplyDeleteI would love to live in a climate that allows an English garden. Alas, not in this lifetime.
Yeah, sometimes earworms are midday phenomena. That's true for me as well.
DeleteI hope your dahlia bulbs are okay after the squirrel investigation.
ReplyDeleteSquirrels dig up newly planted daffodil bulbs on my property and often replant them. When I see a random daffodil growing in the woods, I know a squirrel did the planting.
I love all the blooms in your garden. It is still cold here. There are lots of buds but no blooms. Everything needs warmth.
I occasionally find bulbs that have been dug up but I've never known a squirrel to replant one!
DeleteWe had a cold snap last week but are now headed to a warm spell ... that's why they say Wait five minutes and the weather will change.
ReplyDeleteI wake up with a song in my head every single day. Sometimes it's a favorite, sometimes it's an oldie I haven't heard in eons, and sometimes I have no idea where it came from!
This morning it was Mein Lieber Herr from Cabaret.
That's a very cultured earworm! We have the five-minute weather rule here in England, for sure.
DeleteForget-me-nots are really gettin g into their stride now and popping up all over the garden. I love them.
ReplyDeleteI do too. It's funny how they fluctuate from year to year. Sometimes we have tons of them, and sometimes not so many.
DeleteLots of very pretty blooms are decorating your garden these days. It's good that those pesky squirrels haven't damaged all the blooming plants. I notice that the very tip on that camassia lily looks exactly like the tip of asparagus. Interesting.
ReplyDeleteWouldn't it be great if one day we read in the newspaper that for his wife's birthday some billionaire had 10 units of affordable housing built in her name instead of that he bought her a 10 million dollar mini-yacht?
Yeah, I can see the asparagus resemblance, but I never would have thought of it. I think many billionaires have put money into social welfare projects, from George Soros to Bill Gates, but the media doesn't often report those kinds of expenditures.
DeleteI get songs stuck in my head all the time, some good, some bad, don't know where they come from. Glad I'm not alone.
ReplyDeleteIt's a universal kind of insanity!
DeleteFirst Mitchell, then YP, and now you! I always have a tune, or jingle, or rhyme playing in my head. I liked The Pointer Sisters, but when I hear "Jump", my mind goes to Van Halen (I prefer David Lee Roth to Sammy Hagar). I LOVE their video for the song.
ReplyDeleteI can't even remember how Van Halen's "Jump" goes. It's not the same song, surely?
DeleteIt will be a while before I see any blooms at all.
ReplyDeleteIs your snow gone yet?
DeleteI would hope to be like McKenzie Scott and donate generously to charities. Many of the male billionaires don't seem to do that--or am I generalizing too much? John and I are doing some old song recognition quizzes on YouTube (lots of fun) but OH, what the earworms!!
ReplyDeleteI think the guys do it too, but we don't often hear the specifics. It would be interesting to know whether or not women are more likely to give to charitable causes. I wouldn't be surprised.
DeleteI love the cheerful yellow daisies. Can you put a blanket or something over the dahlia pots for the cold nights?
ReplyDelete$5million for rock stars to play for you? I'd be more inclined to plug in a playlist and blast that through a set of speakers. Far cheaper and the $5m could go towards yet another yacht or summerhouse. Heaven forbid they give it to charities.
I don't think the nights will be THAT cold. And the cold periods will probably be short-lived, only in the middle of the night. That's what I'm telling myself, anyway!
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