EARTH DAY

Earth Day, a day to raise awareness, but as you know, I feel we shouldn't need a day for this, but should be practiced every day. But time this scheduled post goes live, I've already spent much time cleaning up two alleys in Harrisburg that were littered from disgusting humans. One lady looked at me like I had two heads. I also talked my friend at his flower shop,  if his flower distributors accept back our delivery boxes, which we get daily. The good news...they do! Now we send back all boxes we receive so they can be used over again, plus they even give credit toward next orders if you return the boxes. He had no idea!!!! It's small but made me feel better. Some days I feel good about things, but deep down am very saddened by things in the environment, land preservation, and we continue to pollute the air and water, take more and more land, and a real sore spot with me...preserving our animals. Both political parties should be doing far more, but like most basic of living necessities and living conditions gets pushed to the sides. I fear we do not have time...roads, pollution and our endless greedy appetite for animals are truly destroying this natural world and all of the wonderful beings who live it. Not a day goes by where mercy is shown on the pavement to them from humanity. New bodies constantly litter the asphalt, or are littered in woods and jungles in traps, snares, and other trappings. Our gluttonous appetites seem to eat anything that moves. But what is humanity? Some say the most intelligent life on Earth. I would call it THE disease. A disease that is hell bent on taking everything that it can, so much so that it eventually will consume itself. The Earth is a fine-tuned living machine and takes every living thing to contribute to the workings of it, and most animals serve a purpose and add to things continuing. Same with plants.  How anyone can have disregard for bettering the life of the planet, environment and the animal kingdom baffles me, and I have no time for them. Call me strange, but I have no problem with Mother Nature taking back the planet. And just when we think we can't make a difference, any little bit helps. So many ways to be involved, or ways for better living, recycling, wind power, environment clean ups, supporting green candidates...remember we share the planet with others, it's not just ours. Hopefully it will be a nice day in your zip code to get outdoors and observe the day, doing something to commemorate the day and take in the nature, even in our own backyard. A scheduled post...I will return.... Happy Earth Day! 

EASTER PARADE

"In your Easter bonnet, with all the frills upon it, you'll be the grandest lady in the Easter Parade" Irving Berlin 

As you can see Pam Demic made it for the Easter Parade!!!! She will not be muscled out! A Happy Easter to you all. I hope to be back in a week or two as things are starting to settle. I also came across this old picture of Lady Bunny. Hard to believe this old cow didn't always have big hair, or a midsection.

Happy Easter!!!!

THIS RIDE TEMPORARILY CLOSED

 

Yes Kids.....the Mistress is taking a blog break...with big going ons! With much going on with work, and the end of an era here at the Casa, the Mistress is moving, at least temporarily, from Bucks County,  back to the ancestorial city of Harrisburg, with what, my working at the shop during the week. Long story to be told in due time. Last week found me packing breakables and fragile items and my jewels and houseboys, but today the movers will be here for the heavy work. I'm awaiting their arrival as we speak kids.

Till work calms down for the Easter holiday, and things situated into storage and the ancestral home, I'm taking a few weeks off and will return. All is good and the time seems right for this change at the moment. But as a good friend of mine state when I announced my move. "Your moving?!? Now what will that do to the morale of the men in the greater Philadelphia area?"

Tootles for now!

SPILLED TEA

I had wanted to try and recap this season, but with so much going on, and not seeing the show every week till days later it just didn't happen. But after a few emails from some of y'all, you twisted my arm to give some observations.

I thought the season was going to be a bigger train wreak then it was. Turned out to be better than expected, but this season had a very clear top and bottom half at least for me. As I thought, June Jambalya, Alyssa Hunter and Orion Story, and  Maddy Morphosis were the first ones to leave. Poor Orion. Gorgeous creature...but she was about as exciting as watching paint dry, with June not far behind. June was just a mess. Poor June. She was like the Joan Of Ark of drag, she had good ideas, just very poorly executed. 

Truth be told, I would have loved to have seen Alyssa Hunter say longer and have had Jorgeous leave in her place. Alyssa would have had a much wider repertoire than Jorgeous I feel. Between her and Bosco every single week, it was just all skin, two pieces and knees boots and short one piece jumpsuits. I have yet see any high glam from either of them, and finally they ended Jorgeous's long dying languish on the vine last week. I was ready for Keri Colby to leave the first or second week. I found her about as boring as June. It wasn't till she got eliminated that we finally got a different look from her. And I love me some Jasminne, having met her several times, but I had the feeling she'd make mid way and just in time.... she got cut. I couldn't take any more of her talk and tears. Good God get a grip girl! And the shit she talked about Daya and her performance, and Daya sent Miss Thing packing  in her lip-synch. 

The two best entertaining challenges were the Rusuical and the Girl Group Challenge.

I was so glad RuPaul put all those bitches up for lip synch that one week. That Snatch Game sank more than Kristie's Alley's long dead career. While Deja did good, I still have not a clue who it was she was impersonating. Which Deja Skye was my surprised hit of the season. I thought maybe a mid way queen, but I liked her more then I thought I would, and she was just so flawless and represented the big girls well. Most of her runways were fun, some not quite up to par, but creative none the less. And love her personality. Wouldn't be surprised if she lands Miss Congeniality. I did think she'd bring the roast and win that, but she shocking fell apart for the challenge and I was relieved RuPaul did a double elimination. And why was I SOO NOT SHOCKED to see Bosco had the golden ticket in her chocolate bar??? I just don't know about but that. I smell shenanigans. I almost would have loved to have seen Kornbread make top 5 instead of Bosco. 

Which as I suspected when I did my original post, the top five I thought we'd get.

Willow Pill for being young, has not once disappointed me yet, as I suspected she wouldn't. So many versatile looks, and would bounce from one end of the spectrum to the other from week to week. Last weeks runway was right up my alley, in her jaw dropping look and her best yet, and as held her own in the weekly challenges. I dare say I think Willow Pill will take the crown. My friend disagrees saying no, she has not won any challenges and not had to lip- synch, with exception to the one episode. Bianca also never lip-synched and won the whole season, though she did win three challenges. Nope... I think Willow has this. Yvie has taught her well.

No surprise Lady Camden got into the top 5. I loved her since I caught her shows in San Fran. She can command a stage and a song to be sure. While she is more quiet and reserved than some queens, Lady Camden in the end is not to be trifled with, and she performs a song that way it is meant too. She has yet disappoint on the runway and much like Willow from week to week, you never know what we are going to get. I'd be highly shocked if she isn't in the top 4. She gave us many memorable moments from this season. I had to laugh when Bosco thought she'd beat Lady Camden in their lip-synch faceoff. Bosco was so sure Lady Camden would whip out the bells and whistles and death drops in their number, even if the song didn't call for it, yet Bosco is the one who ended up whipping out the show antics, and lost the number. Funnily enough, every time she came for Lady Camden for a part in one of the challenges she could nail, it seemed Lady Camden would cream her.  Lady Camden would be my choice to compete in top 3.

Daya Betty can get on my nerves a bit, but I would like to see her with the first two for a top three. Daya hasn't disappointed me once this season. I often enjoy her looks. a mix of club kid, glam and clown all mixed together, while still bringing the House of Methyd  feel and look. I feel in some ways she was smart. She conserved energy and just got stronger and stronger each week. I love her runway looks and she killed it in most of the challenges. I couldn't take my eyes off her in the Rusical or in the Daytona Winds skit. I adore her and she gives me great memories of the club drag queens of yore back in NYC. And as one can see from her picture, she may have worn the highest heels in the history of the show yet... and nailed her lip-synch against not one, but two queens in those said heels. I'm glad she is still in the competition.

Funny enough, the two queens with the most wins, I don't think will win. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Angeria Paris VanMichaels. I thought if she didn't make the top 5, this show is fixed for sure. Angeria very seldom disappointed, and she brought the most flawless beat face, the biggest high glam hair, and was by far, the fashionista of the season, in jaw dropping ensembles on the runway. I am sooooooo ready to have drinks with her all-night long. I could listen to her talk all night. As a pageant girl, she brought it, but she also knew when to leave it behind and go camp or bring us something outside her usual comfort zone and did it with finesse. She may win, as I don't think we have had per say a full-fledged pageant queen win yet. As good as she is, would she add anything that is not in RuPaul's winner circle yet? But I wouldn't rule her out for a All Stars season. I dare say she won't take the crown.

Going in the season, I knew very little of Bosco, except from what I saw on her Instagram. While I do enjoy me some Bosco. much like Jorgeous, I felt like by the fifth episode I saw everything I needed to see from her. Week after week, it was the same look over and over and over...the outfit, the make-up and the hair. In my opinion we still have yet see a high glam look and while she is good in comedy challenges, I didn't feel her in most of the other challenges, and I feel Lady Camden was robbed in last week's challenge. The same runway yet again. I wished she would have brought to the show more of the style she has on her Instagram. I figured from the beginning she would make top 5, and she did do a good job overall, while staying true to her style...BUT as we know the judges like to see more versatile looks and style, so I'm confused as to why she is top 5. I'm hoping, she gets chopped this week, and the top four would be my dream list of the four other queens above, who I feel would make for a very diverse and versatile bunch. 

But I still think Willow will be our new queen. Subject: What's your thoughts on the season and who will be crowned?

Talk amongst yourselves....

PETTICOAT 5

 I strongly endorse this gem.

You all have wondered how I blog with ease.

 Now if only it had a gin and tonic holder.

STOP THE CAR

Yay!!! Finally.  About a week ago Biden announced a 20% tax on the wealthiest!!!! But Boooo. One or two dumb shits...read that as, yes... Joe Manchin and Sinema kill it 1 day later. Funny how Biden was sold by media to voters as the bipartisan guy who could bring the Dems and GOP together, yet he can't seem to bring his own party together to pass popular issues like finally taxing the wealthy. Also since Manchin is the fucking biggest pain in the ass of the party, so awful and conservative, I wonder why Dem's backed him in WV instead of his progressive challenger, Paula Jean Swearingen? She wouldn't have voted against the few progressive items in Biden agenda like this proposed tax. We can't win. Who needs Republicans with Dems like Manchin and Sinema? Next time these two are up Dems need to find challengers to knock them both out.

But on the flip side, Biden needs to stop adding more sanctions on Russia in my opinion. Russia and Putin don't seem to mind one bit that they are slowly being cut off from many aspects from the rest of the world. After seeing the news tonight and the latest graphic pictures coming out of the Ukraine, the killing, grisly killing and the widespread destruction is saddening and angering. While I don't condone war, I'm so outraged at what I'm seeing, what's the purpose of NATO, with 30 countries if it is sitting on their ass? I think they should just all go in and just level Russia, Putin and the oligarchs and be done with. If a lesson is learned, you should always cut the serpents head off and be done with it.

I'm beyond frustrated with much, and will never understand why it takes so long to remove and jail criminals? Or just take them out. I said once, I don't have patience.

MOOD BOARD

I think the squirrel today sums up my mood. It was another weekend of scurrying around. Visting family far and wide came in for my late aunt's memorial dinner finally. It was great seeing everyone, and my uncle requested we all come with a quip, or a story that comes to mind of my Aunt Barb. It was great to hear stories I wasn't aware of, especially when it came to her driving. She may have gone to the Cruella De Vil driving school to put it mildly But a common theme? She gave many of us our love of the arts, food, cooking, farmers markets and loving and respecting nature. We even had several artist at the venue painting their art work on the spot, to share with all in the venue and generate excitement, and her youngest son from the Chattanooga Symphony, who's now with the Harrisburg Symphony played a solo piece on his viola of her favorite Beethoven piece. Great stories, good food and drink. It was all lovely. Her friend from 6th grade, who just turned 91 was even there. Now that was amazing. After we left the venue, it was to their home to finally spread the ashes in her flowering bulb and rose gardens. Sunday, my favorite cousin Mahogany, who's was in from Chicago, and I, took the train into Philly to spend the day at the  Philadelphia Art museum. Felt spectacular to get back into a space to view art again. Hence my squirrely mood today. So much going on, and to be quite honest, I just love squirrels. I adore my Bouvier when he shows up.  A couple of weeks ago at the BCASPCA we had a baby squirrel come in, fallen from a nest. A vet from a wildlife refuge came in to take it and raise it. But he told us of some facts I didn't know, beside them being highly intelligent. Like there brains get bigger in the fall and winter and get smaller again in the spring. This helps with  recalling where they bury their stash. In a season, they can bury up to 9,000 nuts or acorns, and easily recall where each is buried. I also didn't know they can and will , if need, feed on bird eggs and smaller frogs. And we know how I feel about frogs. We named him Buck. I also learned that my aunt fed the squirrels and love them too, to the dismay of my uncle.

The day of glee that I got to hold little Buck. I didn't want to give him up. I'm sure Buster wouldn't have minded a pet squirrel? And the tulips here today are ours- the first to bloom.

LATE NIGHT...YOLA

I fell in love with Yola's vocals two years ago with her first album and have been excited for its follow up. Yolanda Quartey, or known as just Yola, is a English musician, singer and songwriter and in her first stab at her first album received four Grammy Awards nominations in 2020. Her music encapsulates the giddy expansiveness, stunning emotional breadth, and exponential musical growth. This woman has such presence, command and an exhilarating sound of country soul. If you've heard of her and fell in love with the singular British artist on Walk Through Fire then you're bound to love her follow up Stand For Myself, filled with pop melodies, disco grooves, rootsy rawness and gospel power. But tonight, it's music that made me fall for Yola in the first place.

Yola performs a cover of Elton John's Goodbye Yellow Brick Road at the Farm Aid in 2019.

Love All Night(Work All Day) from her Dan Auerbach-produced album, Walk Through Fire.

 

 And this was the performance that I loved. Yola performing tunes from her solo debut Walk Through Fire on a edition of Austin City Limits.

IN THREE WORDS

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

In Three Words...

Margaret Thatcher

CATEGORY IS....

...Pebbles Flintstone Leopard Realness 

Selma Nilla