MIDSUMMER GARDEN

 
What a simply beautiful weekend! It was nice to have a weekend at home and before the next vacation in ensues. While I had a handyman at the Casa installing a new exhaust fan and light in the bathroom and then he repainted the ceiling and did wallpapering, and not bad on the eyes I may add, I spent the time outdoors in the garden, pottering and dead heading. I was a good host though and offered up some refreshing beverages. New stars of the Mexican sunflowers, coneflower, salvia, hellebore, and the Datura Ballerinas, Justicia Carnea or flamingo flower now all in bloom. I know it is August now. I also have a family of cardinals take up residence in the moss bird house, which I didn't know about till I saw the fledglings popping out of the hole and all over that backyard. Which meant the murderous Sophie  has been monitored while outdoors. She did attempt to make some carnage but luckily her plan was foiled. I haven't seen them lately. I just hope the neighborhood cat didn't get them, who sometimes sneaks into the garden at night. It is simply amazing how the garden still to grow and change almost overnight, I swear.

The Mexican sunflowers are now up over my head and over the white fence behind it!!! Over 6ft! To think in May I just planted them as seeds! And it you look close, you spot the surprise I finally captured!!!

I also spent some time getting the seed from spent Hollyhocks. We will have many more next spring to plant.

The perfect toadstool.

Double bumbles!

A passionflower gift to me from a friend.

Dalhia and zinnias are coming in to take center stage next.

The Justicia Carnea

The murderous. 

Sitting and waiting. Don't let the demure, cute face fool you.

And if you don't spot what it was in the above picture at the start of the post...it was indeed one of the hummingbirds!

IN THREE WORDS

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

In Three Words...

Karen Black 

GAY PRIDE

 This week two stories tickled me.

You might have heard the name. A congressional  primary on Long Island probably isn't the kind of story that usually goes viral, but this one, I have been watching. Chris Gallant has just won in a huge margin the democratic primary in New Yorks 1st congressional  district, and again not endorsed by dem leadership....  and will now face its republican incumbent  Nick LaLota in November. Gallant is wildly popular...a black hawk pilot, Army National Guard veteran,former air traffic controller, a union leader and a volunteer fire fighter.  He also happens to be gay and engaged to his very handsome fellow soldier.

What makes the story interesting isn't that hes running as a LGBTQ candidate. It's that much of the coverage barely centers on that at all. Instead the focus has been on his experience  and military  and public service and his attempt of flipping a longstanding red seat to blue. For many LGBT that's a sign of how much things have changed. There was a time when this would have been unthinkable. It's just a good person running..as it should be, and thats a milestone worth nothing.

And then in other news...

 Drag queens aren't staying silent after that wacko Rep Nancy " Crazy" Mace put their faces on display during an anti- drag congressional hearing in July. After Mace used photos of drag queens Kandy Muse and Willam to push anti- drag rhetoric, claiming it's not natural for men to dress as women, and that drag sexualizes childern, and confuses them. Needless to say Kandy Muse and Willam were not happy, along with Joey Jay...and jokingly but also with some seriousness...said if Mace doesn't stop the with the rhetoric and using of their images for negative use...they will take legal action...with Muse asking Can I sue?  While I'm not the biggest fan of Muse...I'd loved to see her and Willam put this bitch in her place. I'm guessing Kandy Muse and these queens would make mince meat of Mace.  I'd get tickets to that. 

AUNTIE AMEX

 I know just how she feels...it makes you want to go postal.