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| A mural at the Hampstead School |
A pretty quiet day yesterday. Bailey and I stayed home and I read the first 130 pages or so of "Our Evenings" by Alan Hollinghurst, which I'm slowly warming to. I've loved Hollinghurst's past books, but this one is taking me a little longer to get into. I think it's about to get interesting, though.
In the afternoon I walked Bailey through the cemetery and up into Cricklewood.
I found this weird little caterpillar crawling around on a cemetery bench. It's the larvae of the pale tussock moth (Calliteara pudibunda), which I did not know until I got home and looked it up. This struck a memory chord and I realized I'd seen tussock moth caterpillars in Florida several years ago -- a different species. They're not even the same genus, apparently, so I'm not sure how closely related they are.
We found a community open space up in Cricklewood where I'd never been before, and I was impressed by the common yarrow (Achillea) growing amid the dry, dead grass. I've seen it blooming in the cemetery too -- it doesn't seem fazed by the incredibly dry summer. Bailey even posed for me momentarily off the leash! (Or with me not holding the leash, anyway.)
On the way home we passed the vintage Ford Galaxie that I've written about a couple of times before. It's been spruced up with a nice new paint job.
Last night we had a friend, Mark, come over for some drinks after work. Martini time! (For me, anyway. Mark stuck with Budweiser. He likes his watery American beer.)
Don't like the look of that caterpillar - probably harmless but looks vicious.
ReplyDeleteApparently they CAN cause irritation so it's best not to touch them -- and I didn't!
DeleteI took my English brother-in-law out to a cool bar in NYC in the ’70s. I was in shock when he ordered a Budweiser. (He pronounced like it was German.)
ReplyDeleteNice to see that moment with Bailey on her own recognizance.
The Ford Galaxie looks so out of place, almost like the Cadillac Sedan de Ville my friend’s family shipped to the Italian Riviera from NYC every summer. I’m at a loss. Am I supposed to be courageous or be myself?
Oh, you HAVE been courageous in being yourself! I suppose as an Englishman your brother-in-law thought Budweiser was the typical American beer and he should partake.
DeleteBailey is gaining confidence and looks to be more relaxed.
ReplyDeleteCourage is needed to be onesself
Yes, she's much calmer than she was when she first came here!
DeleteYou just HAD to get a plant in didn't you? Common yarrow (Achillea). In the past it was used to stop bleeding from wounds or scratches. Another name for it was "soldier's woundwort".
ReplyDeleteI have heard of woundwort but didn't realize it was the same plant. I think my blog will almost always feature a plant, as you correctly surmised!
DeleteIt is excellent that we have a botanist in the blog world. Yarrow is an elf's herb or a devil's herb and can give you the power of divination. Also if you stick a leaf up your nose it foretold love. That is the second plant I have come across that does this.
ReplyDeleteTrouble with caterpillars you don't know which end the head is.
Seems like sticking a leaf up your nose might foretell a sinus infection!
DeleteThat's a lovely photo of Bailey, looking very girly amongst all the flowers. 🌸🐶🌸
ReplyDeleteIt's very hard to get her to pose, so I was glad she stood still for it!
DeleteI do like Yarrow in all its forms, it's pretty. Bailey looks to be having fun, "he let go the leash! He trusts me!"
ReplyDeleteAnd now, "RUN!"
DeleteThe Galaxie is impressive and we had them here but I can't remember what the front or rear end looked like. Ok, check the links, and there is a rear end view. I think we had the model here, but I'm not certain.
ReplyDeleteI've heard bad thing about Bud and perhaps it is like our Fosters Lager, but at least here, no one drinks Fosters Lager because it is awful. It does sell overseas though.
Gosh, the size of Bailey's mouth. Better to be a friend of Bailey than an enemy.
Yeah, Bud is probably comparable to Foster's -- a mass produced watery lager. I haven't taste tested them though! Foster's used to be sort of exotic in the states. Maybe not anymore.
DeleteThat is a lot of car.
ReplyDeleteI would not want to guesstimate the mileage!
DeleteAssuming whomever had to pay by the square area to ship the Galaxy across the pond, they likely paid a pretty penny... or pence.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I wonder how they did that? And I wonder how long it's been in the UK. At least ten years -- I think that's when I first saw it, about ten years ago.
DeleteLove the car. My uncle had one just like it!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure it was considered luxurious in its day!
DeleteI hope the students at that school are learning to be courageously themselves!
ReplyDeleteThat car is so cool. Bailey looks terrific.
I guess that's the point of the mural! Hopefully they absorb the message!
DeleteChoice Post - All Of It - Short And To Te Point - Nice Stance There Bailey Dog
ReplyDeleteStay Brilliant ,
Cheers
She's a unit!
DeleteI like that mural, Steve, both the message and the colors. Did you feel at all apprehensive about letting go of Bailey's lease long enough to snap a photo?
ReplyDeleteI felt apprehensive but she was in a fairly confined place where I figured I could catch her if need be!
DeleteIt sounds like a very good day! Good Girl Bailey for staying put for her photo op!
ReplyDeleteShe was unusually well behaved in that moment. :)
DeleteBailey reminds me so much of dogs I've known and owned. If it can be said one owns a dog.
ReplyDeleteNice car. As soon as I saw the picture I thought, "Ford, Galaxie" which is odd because the only vintage cars I can truly identify are midfifties Chevies. I must have tucked that identification somewhere in my brain from your former posts and it tumbled out at just the right second.
Yeah, maybe you remembered it from my earlier posts. I am terrible at identifying cars. If it didn't clearly say Galaxie on it I'd have no idea what it is.
DeleteThat caterpillar screams do not touch! I have yarrow growing in one flower bed but it blooms white and much earlier in the year.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in high school, the 'in crowd' the jocks drank Budweiser and I pledged to never ever drink Budweiser and haven't to this day. My beer drinking days it was Lone Star or Corona or Dos Equises.
Yeah, if I were in Texas I'd have drunk Lone Star, I'm sure. The caterpillar spines definitely send a message!
DeleteMy first husband and I had a 1953 Ford Galaxie 500 XL, red with a black vinyl top! It was a real snazzy looking car!
ReplyDeleteThis one is a later model, but also a Galaxie 500, I think!
DeleteFour great photographs Steve.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your weekend.
All the best Jan
Thanks, Jan! You too!
DeleteA lot to look at and think about in this post.
ReplyDeleteMiss Bailey, she of the slim waist, is getting into modelling very nicely!
This made me smile.
DeleteAs long as she doesn't demand union wages. :)
DeleteThe white caterpillar looks spikey. It radiates, do not touch.
ReplyDeleteNice walk.
Restoring old cars is both time consuming and $$$$. Someone has a hobby.
Yeah, someone put some money into it, for sure.
DeleteBailey bragging about being able to lie down and not run away when the leash is down. Of course she'd be totally barking (!) to run away from her five star new home.
ReplyDeleteI often wonder whether dogs think much about their circumstances, beyond "my belly is full" and "I'm tired" -- or "Squirrel!"
DeleteYou'll have Bailey posing like Olga in no time! She looks great there!
ReplyDeleteI like the car. I do not like the caterpillar.
I thought the caterpillar was quite beautiful, actually, but I wouldn't have touched it!
DeleteThat car is looking very nice indeed. And so is Bailey standing among the blooms.
ReplyDeleteA summertime photo!
DeleteHairy caterpillars scare me! Brushed up against one and the pain was incredible, Bailey really is turning out to be a good girl. She’s so very lucky to have ended up with you and Dave.
ReplyDeleteXoxo
Barbara
I got stung by a saddleback caterpillar when I was a kid and I remember it hurting pretty intensely! I don't remember whether the caterpillar survived the encounter or not.
DeleteBailey, what an interesting dog- false pregnancy, clever girl- postponing surgery like that! Though , she will look absolutely royal with a ruff around her neck ( the cone ). make it pretty! Pink would suit her. The car looks like a great make out car... lots of room!
ReplyDeleteWe have a blue donut left over from one of Olga's surgeries that I intend to use, assuming it fits her. Hopefully she won't mind a hand-me-down. :)
DeleteThe galaxies were a very classy car.
ReplyDeleteIt seems so big, but I guess all cars were big then.
Delete