IN THREE WORDS

In this feature, I'll share with you a weekly guest and you tell me in only three words what come to mind.

In three words...

Totie Fields

 

I won't be posting while I'm away...a short break.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day as to the best we could!

See ya soon!!!!

BE THANKFUL

 Thanksgiving Day is one of the best times of the year we use to remind ourselves of the many reasons to be grateful. It's one holiday no gifts are needed, but a day to just be thankful. A day to just enjoy, dinning of a good meal and relax. Thanksgiving is also a great day to catch up with family and friends. Other than a mouth watering turkey and meal, and family and friends, lets us remember even in these times, to be grateful for the small, everyday moments we still have. Life for me changed a lot this year, and yet I still have a lot to be grateful for. I hope that you are surrounded with the love of your dear ones, and are having a nice day of Thanksgiving. And full tummies!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃 

UNUSUAL SUSPECTS

With preparations for tomorrow, a quick post today. Some unusual suspects have been visiting lately. Last week, I captured these pictures...and spur of the moment too. A hawk is setting up residence lately in the tree outside the kitchen window. And sadly there has been some carnage. But tis nature. The poor mourning doves always seem to be the last to take notice when the hawk arrives. The poor dears.

When you come of of the Casa and see Guinea hens running about I think I have had to much gin. But they have ventured down from the lake, and have been scurrying about the ground like crazy. I think they may even be nesting or roosting in the cemetery next door. Which is fine....my neighbors in there are very quiet. But there cool birds to watch and hear with there little clucking. This is another tree outside my door.

You believe this shit? This is where I find Bouvier most mornings awaiting his nut stash for the day. He waits till I come down. I have no idea how he knows when I m here.

And I've been most happy to see that Ash, yes I named it Ash,  is still around. Yes a flying squirrel I first saw when the pandemic came about. Ash visits several times in the night, usually starting around 10 pm and several times through out the night. Its cool to watch her glide from tree to tree. 

So you see, it's never a dull moment around here. 

RUBENA

 Although many do not know of her, or heard of her,  Rubena Rouge has become a very popular character in artistic events, clubs, and party rooms throughout Spain and parts of Europe. She is a queen you will remember.

I first saw her, and only once,  at one of Suzanne Bartschland's parties three years ago, and did she leave an impression. To date, I don't think I had seen a drag queen do make up on to a latex mask and look like a sex doll!!! And she pulled it I may add. Rubena, who hails from Madrid, has done private parties performing from Ibiza to Vienna  and with her impossible performances and costumes like the ones she wears at Medias Puri, her weekend residence in Madrid which, together with her team,  has recently celebrated her third anniversary. Rubena Rouge's appearance is not without inventiveness. What's more, it involves a surprising elaboration. His styling is inspired by the New York movement of Club Kids, an artistic concept that emerged in the 80s,  when a group of young people, with a taste for fashion and assiduous to dance floors began to dress extravagantly. She is also like a mannequin to which Ruben, is a craftsman, dresses with everything she creates and designs personally. But when the mask comes off, he's a normal boy, with masculine appearance, but with the mask is a different person with no shame who does things only Ruben would dare do. Rubena confesses that, on many occasions, the public believes she is a well-operated real woman, although they later realize that everything is a suit. She doesn't cover her face for ugliness, she's a work of art made in herself. Rouge is very  Avant-Garde. The mask Rubena paints are like works of art, and can express different expressions...not to mention saves all that time scrubbing the make up off at the end of the night. His real drag was lost a long time ago. Now it consists of looking like a beautiful and elegant woman sex doll, although in his words..."I always like to give it a touch of old school, a much more exaggerated look." I'm here for this drag style...thinking out of the normal yet again.

A MOMENT

On Sunday I mentioned I was up at the lake doing my run and shared some pictures. Recently with the trail being repaved, they too have added benches to relax, many benches in memory of someone. I was half way around when I decided to take a seat and sit a spell. It wasn't till I got up and I saw my beach was in memory of the above Eric, someone whom I knew, our paths crossed for a time, but had no idea he had passed, and way to early. I won't divulge details, but he was a real sweet man and compassionate man.

I never had a moment like this before. And why that bench?

MONDAY MOMENTS

 
Now you all just knew Ann Miller would be here!!!!! I can't believe we are coming up to Thanksgiving again. For an unusual year that seemed to drag very slowly, every week at times seemed to last a month..... it certainly flew by. What a year,  and what was thrown at us. Even having a tough and shocking year, losing parts of my life, with the pandemic and the crazy political climate...I can still find things that I grateful for on a daily basis. I can most times find something to be grateful for. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays, if not, my favorite. Just a day to be with family or friends. I have the fondest of memories of the day. The sights and sounds of having the parades on, getting up in the morning, smelling the aromas filling the house on a meal that would be cooking all day, and my mother , grandmother and two aunts all talking and cooking together in the kitchen , and me sneaking with every trip to the kitchen, another spoonful of the family recipe dressing, when no one looked. Two uncles sitting at back smoking cigars, or my father watching football games. I'll be heading home for the holiday with my mother and aunt and uncle. A small gathering. But the sounds and smells will still be there, and I will be grateful for the memories and thoughts that will come to mind and remember those passed on or those that can't be with us  this year. I'm glad this year didn't crush me yet and I'm very thankful for myself,  family and all of you, that we have not succumb to the virus. And that is something to be grateful for. Here's my mood board for this Monday!

Happy Monday All!!!

LAKE GALENA

In these times, and with my pandemic summer retreat of glamping and the mountains being over for now...it's times like this that I'm thankful for having the glorious lake five minutes up the road. Each season, it's changes right along. Even as the temps are starting to dip lower, I still try to go and get my 6 mile walk and jog in. I will go till it is just too cold anymore, or it snows. The lake has a paved trail the whole perimeter which comes to just over six miles, so I divide it up into four parts. I start out walking and then jog, then walk and end the last part jogging. It generally takes me about and hour and a half to do the whole thing. One side of the lake can get very hilly too. You can feel the burn on the legs. But some days, I may take one of the many  dirt trails that break off the main paved one. Some go deep into the woods. During this time, it's been great because it's only been the locals who live on the lake or the near by streets like yours truly. Just last week was one guy still running shitless!!! I didn't mind...he was hot. I took my camera yesterday and took a few snaps.

This view is from the dam looking toward the Nature preserve at the other end. At that end, one can see many variety of ducks, geese, turtles and heron. It looks so big. I some days don't know how I manage to get the whole way around. But when I start out, I don't think about it.  In the summer, on the days I don't run, I rent a canoe and paddle the perimeter of the lake. Gives a good arm and chest work out. OMG....I almost sound butch!!!! But come the end of September the boat rental closes. 

Yes!!!!! Wild turkeys run rampant at the lake and this time of year even venture down to the Mistress's abode. It is their time of year after all. In the summer months, I suspect they venture further into the woods.

A Katydid on the path ....

I always thought this curvy twisted, intertwined, tree was cool. In the summer it's covered in wisteria. This also means it's my half way point on the path.

A black headed turkey vulture. They are there in numbers...after all the huge fish that get beached from wind blowing the water, making waves.

And it's for this sunset before leaving the lake that makes the whole thing worth it, and for giving me some solace in these times. How can you not feel at peace from the world, for that moment,  even for a couple minutes. And for that I'm truly thankful.