Yellow Daisies /Everyday People

 

September is the month for the native yellow flowers that I have shown you before! They are called yellow daisies, but they are technically sunflowers! {Here is a link -What’s a Daisy? Arabia Mountain - Arabia Mountain ) They are not the great big sunflowers that you are thinking about, those are beautiful too, but these are smaller and they have the most beautiful fragrance! Years ago, I was able to see them blooming beside the road. I made a careful note of where they were, and I went back there and collected the seeds. I cautiously planted them in a pot and hoped for the best. Sure enough, they all came up! They re-seeded and now, I have small spots in my yard with blooming yellow flowers! (Thanks to Richard who watered them when he recognized the leaves when they first emerged.)  They are not as big as they normally are, and not as tall either but they are still lovely to me.  All the photos above are from our yard. 

 And here is one that came up around our bird bath....

Now, if you have been reading my blog before, you will remember them from Stone Mountain, Arabia Mountain and Panola Mountain! Below is a photo from Arabia Mountain from a few years back...

We were just there on Saturday! A glorious day! It has cooled a bit and was very nice to be outside. The flowers are not as plentiful as the ones pictured above due to our drought, but they were still lovely. 

Please remember these are wildflowers! Isn't that amazing?

Here is the video that I have for you! Hope you love it as much as I do.  "Everyday People" with Dolly Parton and Kermit!  The one that I saw mentioned Lou Rawls, but I do hope that you know that the song was by Sly and the Family Stone. (Nothing against Lou Rauls but hey, folks need to get these things right!)  There is another video of "Everyday People" that I also want to share with you, but that will have to wait for another post!  

I have finally figured out that if I click on the feed on my blog, that I must do so TWICE in order to see my blogging friends. Anybody else having these problems?

Take care everyone!  

Two Songs for You

 

Two songs! 

 The first one is a small clip of a song that Dolly Parton sang with the David Hidalgo, the lead singer of Los Lobos. (Do you remember the great film "La Bamba" which was the true story about Ritchie Valens? Los Lobos performed the title track in that film and had a big hit with it.)  I really love hearing them sing together! And he sings it in Spanish at the beginning; it is a nice touch.  Just look at how sweet Dolly is with this singer who admitted that he was nervous to be working with her. After her passing, so many photos and videos of Dolly with other musicians and singers were posted on social media.  I watched a good many. Such a talent, such a loss. 

Now, this next video is a song written by Dolly Parton, "In The Light of a Clear Blue Morning".  It is sung by the United States Naval Academy Glee Club, and the performance was during the pandemic of 2020.  (In case you are wondering about the spaces between them.) As I was watching it, I thought to myself that it was a shame that they couldn't be outside. What do you think? As soon as I thought that someone walks to the great big doors and opens them, and they all march out into the clear blue morning! Love it when the world does what I want it to!

 Let me know if you can see both of these videos!

We had a bad storm this past Saturday and it knocked out our electricity at 7 PM.  The power was restored by 12:30 the next day, just in time for lunch! Thank goodness.  Since we didn't know how long it would be out, we did not open our fridge one single time. (That is what you are advised to do.) Sure enough, everything inside was perfectly fine. It did get hot in our house, but it was bearable.  We just had our TV and computer restored today. (Wednesday). We were able to use our cell phones, but we did not have Wi-Fi until today. (Thank you, A T & T guy!  Hope you liked our homemade blueberry muffin with blueberries from our own garden!) However, I notice that I am not able to add photos on this blog post for you!  So, hopefully, I will be able to figure that out. (Wait, maybe I can get one on here!)

Thanks for the sweet concern about my poison ivy! It looks as if it is all cleared up. I am just a wit bit wonky after the medications, but nothing that I can't handle.   

Take care everyone! Hope all is working in your part of the world.

Last of August

 

Our bird calendar for August has a photo of the Painted Bunting. (I hope to see that bird one day!) For me, that has been one of the best things about this month.  Someone said that we have been suffering from "Post Parton Depression" after Dolly Parton's passing.  It is sad, but I have been truly surprised at the outpouring of love and respect for her. I thought she might be just not quite "edgy" enough for our society, just too nice. I am pleased to be wrong.  Therefore, I feel a bit more positive about the world if there are more people with a "Dolly" mentality! Thanks to all of you for your lovely comments on my last post.

Remember me telling you that I had poison ivy? Well, it got pretty bad and I went to the doctor.  I am on steroids AND an antibiotic AND a steroid cream and for good measure, was told to take antihistamines also.  So, here is a link for you:   Poison ivy rash: Symptoms, treatment, and prevention - Harvard Health     

Poison ivy is in every state in this country except Hawaii and Alaska. (So, all across Mainland USA!)  Hopefully, I am getting better though, but I am on enough medication to make me sleepy and dizzy and sometimes (oh, just sometimes) irritable!

We have been able to enjoy a few butterflies and birds though, so that has been nice for August....

We had this little visitor that we had never seen before!  According to my research, it is a Northern Parula warbler.  Richard did a very good job getting this photo, warblers are very quick. They don't often come to feeders in back yards but as you can see, the water is very attractive.

It has been so hot. Our glass hummingbird feeder looked as if it needed to be in the shade. We can't put it under the tree, as the squirrels will knock it down. So, I found a plastic bowl and put a hook right in the middle of it, and then, hung the bowl by a string.  Can you see? Guess what, it works like a charm!  

Wait, here is another shot, it shows the glass in the shade better!

Yay! A butterfly in our garden!  It is the beautiful Gulf Fritillary. 

It is on a native plant that is truly a wonder!  Elephantopus tomentosus (Common Elephant's Foot, Devil's Grandmother, Elephant's Foot) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox

The common name is Elephant Foot, due to the size of the large leaves at the base of the plant. The flowers are a delicate lavender color and bees and butterflies love them.  Whenever they come up in our yard, Richard leaves them there for the pollinators.  

Wildflowers!  You know I love them!  

Oh, I love rainbows too!

When we walk at the Monastery, I like to walk past this window into the shop and see this statue.  I always say "Hang on, baby Jesus!".

It just seems right to say so. 

The quote with the calendar says, " Faith is the bird that feels the light when the dawn is still dark". 

Hope all of you are doing well in your part of the world. Take care!

Dolly Parton

 

Queen Elizabeth died on Sept. 8, 2022.  Dolly Parton died today on August 25, 2026.  It truly saddened me to learn of the Queen's passing, much as Dolly's has today.  Dolly Parton was Southern and proud of it. For me, Dolly was MY queen. How many songs did she write in her lifetime? That number is believed to be 5000.  How many books has she given away to children in her Imagination Library? I have read different numbers, but it seems to be over 300 million books worldwide. Oh, and remember the Covid vaccine? If you got the Moderna one, Dolly gave a million dollars to Vanderbilt University for developing that one.  Admirable? Yes, indeed.

 I have several videos here for you. I hope they will stay on my post so you can see them.  The first one is her singing with Tammy Wynette and Loretta Lynn.  The second one is a song that she wrote that I remember we had on an album, "Me and Little Andy".  She called it the most pitiful song! And yet, it shows her sweetness, I think and I can listen to it and be astounded at her songwriting ability and her singing and doing the little girl's voice too. If anyone wants to make fun of it, go somewhere else to say so!  And the third one is from her film "9 to 5" with some great lines! How much I love that movie! So funny and the song that she wrote and sang in that film!   Just perfect.

Dolly loved butterflies, they were really like her signature. 🦋 

I hope you all know that this is the Monarch butterfly.

Language, Language

 

 Don't let that photo of the beach fool you.  I have not been anywhere NEAR a beach but hey, I can always remember the cool breeze along the seafront in Eastbourne and the sound of the waves crashing against the pebbles.  I have read that folks that live in southeast England are recalling the coolness itself too, there have been record breaking temps this summer. In years past, I recall visiting and having to turn the heat on in August! It is hot this summer, in Georgia as it always is but it seems to be so just about everywhere. 

I love watching TV shows and movies from the UK.  One of my favorites is "Antique Road Show".  The last two that I watched were from Crystal Palace Park and also from Swanage in Dorset.  Both locations were so beautiful! Now, one of the objects that they showed us was an album of old letters from the 1870's.  You know I had to hit the pause button and jot down a line or two....

A slight sprinkle is just moistening the face of earth as if with teardrops of silent unaffected sorrow at my departure....". 

The above was written by a gentleman to his hosts after he had been with them for a visit.  He ended with this:  "We bear thee in most kind remembrance.". Ah, the language of long ago, isn't it nice to read that? It just so happened that I saw this on the same day that I learned that "birb" is now used for the word "bird".  I am assured that it is an affectionate term much like the word "doggo" is for "dog".  Well. I never!  We all know that new words are added to languages all the time and that some words become obsolete and are no longer used but what is wrong with the word "bird"? 

The brown thrasher is the state bird of Georgia and is a really pretty bird. It is quite large with a very long tail. In the first photo, something has happened to its tail. In the second photo, you can see one with how it normally looks. 

Hey! What words or expressions were added to the English language when you were born? Do you know? Here is a fun site for you - Time Traveler by Merriam-Webster: Search Words by First Known Use Date

There! If you click on the above you should be able to type in your birth year and it will give you a list of words that came about the year you were born. For myself, the words "disco, leaf blower and happy camper".  For my son, "chat room, GMO and man up"! Let me know if you check that out!

 

In the English language, we say "Pardon my French" before we let out a few "choice" words! I wonder is there anything similar like this in other languages? We say it because we actually get this from England.  Oh, it has a long, convoluted explanation but it boils down to some severe bad feelings between England and France. You are welcome to look it up!

Even that quaint expression, "pardon my French", makes me feel a bit wistful.  I just read that at a local government meeting they are considering fining the representatives for using foul language!  Tsk, tsk.  (And that is ANOTHER phrase that I miss these days.)

It is my job to inform you that the photo of above is an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly and what is more, it is FEMALE. We know this because of the pretty blue spots on the wings! Now, remember this! You will be tested!

Hope you are all doing well, my friends!  I managed to have a close encounter with POISON IVY. When I discovered that I had touched it, you might think I let out some rough language of my own. Alas, it was more of a low mournful intake of breath, very animal like, I should think. I have had it before you see, so I knew what I was in for.  I would not wish that on my worst enemy. (A well-worn phrase, I know but trust me, I am sincere.)  It is on my left hand and arm and even though I am right-handed, you just don't know how much you use both hands.  It is getting better, so if you ever need any advice about it, ask me. 

 

New Zealand On My Mind (Spain Too!)

 

The World Cup is now over and Spain is the winner! Oddly enough, the city of Chattanooga, Tennessee is the first thing that came to my mind when they beat Argentina.  Did you know that the Spanish team trained in Chattanooga before their two matches in Atlanta? (Since our son lives in Chattanooga, I follow the news there fairly closely.) I read an interesting article in Forbes Magazine about this. I have a link to that piece just here.  Can't help but think of all the folks that saw these men training in Chattanooga and now, they have won, they must really be pleased.  (And since Spain won out over Argentina, I imagine my English friends are pretty happy too.) AND the match yesterday where England beat France means that they are third place in the World Cup, so that is really not too bad, folks!

Now, you all must know that I can't spend ALL my time watching sports, just most of it! HA HA! Today, Ryan Fox from New Zealand won the Open Championship in golf!  This pleased me very much as he was the one that I wanted to win. I really liked the way that he would march up to hit the ball and didn't linger over it. Also, he is 39 years old and had never won a major championship. Now, I am not a betting person, but I really should be! I really "felt" as if he would win. And he did!  

This past week we lost Sam Neill, a very well-known actor from New Zealand. (He moved there as a child, born in Northern Ireland, his mother was English and his father from New Zealand).  How much he was loved! I knew he was a great actor, but I now know that he was very well respected for his sweet and gentle nature.  "Hunt for the Wilderpeople" is a film that Sam Neill did in 2016.  Search for it! You will enjoy it as much as I did, I am sure!

As I was watching Ryan Fox, I was curious about his background. I found out that his Dad, Grant Fox played for the New Zealand All Blacks and was part of the team that won the Rugby World Cup in 1987!  The All Blacks, you must remember the HAKA that they do before matches, don't you? I have had that on my blog before, but here, let me see if I can show you again....

My friends, I do hope that all that I have written here makes sense. It is so dang HOT, I can't even think straight.  

Take care!

World Cup Winners and Losers/C's New Article

 

Since I last wrote my post, England won their next match in spectacular fashion...and USA lost theirs in an equally spectacular way. As good as the English victory was to celebrate, the USA match was one that we should all forget. It was dismal. By the way, I cannot help but feel for the teams who have played extremely well and end up losing anyway.  I mean, it truly looks heartbreaking.  I am reminded of one of my favorite Peanuts comic strips.  Let's see if I can share it with you here....

"How did the other team feel?" 

That is what Charlie Brown says to Linus after Linus is so excited over his team winning a football game.  (Just in case you can't see the cartoon.)

I also wrote about the joy of the English fans at the Atlanta Braves baseball game and how much fun they had with the outfielder, Michael Harris. Our son wrote about the very same thing in his piece for "The Last Word on Sports"! You may read it just here  and I truly hope you will click on that and read it! It is so well written!

3 Braves Players Who Were All-Star Snubs

Braves Pitching Torched In Three Monster Games

TWO more articles above! Just click on the links!  

By the way, when I said that the USA match was dismal, I am reminded that Chris Evert is not a commentator at Wimbledon this year. She is going through some cancer treatments, I believe.  I really like her.  What made me think of her in regard to the USA being bad, is that I loved it when she was speaking at Wimbledon and after a particularly unusual show of poor tennis play, she would say, "Well, that was just awful".  Not in a mean way, just an honest observation-simple and to the point. Love that! 

If England wins their next match against Norway, they will play July 15th in Atlanta against either Argentina or Switzerland. (I believe that is correct.) You know who I am rooting for! England last won the World Cup in 1966. Yes, that is correct! A lot of their football shirts have that 66 embossed upon them. Here is a photo of Christopher (our son) and you can see the 66 on there!

I think the English sports commentators are very good, by the way! Some of their statements are so clever and funny. I was watching a match years ago and I actually wrote two quotes down. (Yes, I collect things like that to make me chuckle.)  "50 years of hurt is about to be extended".  This was when the match was hopelessly lost and for whatever series that was for, it was obviously the 50th year since they had won it!  And this: "It's as if everyone in a white shirt has decided to have the worst England game of their lives - all at the same time". 

There, I hope I have not jinxed that great England team by sharing these quotes with you.  I sincerely wish them the best and hope that 2026 will be coupled now with 1966 with England being World Cup Champions! 

The English fans sing "Wonderwall" by Oasis after they win. I hope they will keep singing this song!  If you want to sing along with them, I have the song here along with the lyrics.