A young deer has been trying to chomp on the plants in the big garden bed. I happened to look up this morning and saw him eating something. I shooed him away – boy, was he cute – and just now, he was right by the shed and the hostas planted there…I shooed him away again. Both times, he ran up the trail into the woods.
He’s young. He doesn’t understand my Rules For Eating yet.
I mowed the lilac side of the front lawn yesterday and I have to admit it, it was hard, probably because I’ve mowed a lot this week and my arms are tired from pushing that front wheel drive-less lawnmower. I finished, but I’m taking a break for a bit. The back forty needs to be mowed, but sometime next week will be fine. The lawnmower has now moved to the top of the repair list.
Don has been coordinating and hosting a series of concerts this summer. They are held outdoors in a park in a town north of us. Don recruited all of the performers and he emcees each concert – once a month for four months. Anyway, there is another one tonight. It has rained or threatened to rain every Friday there has been a concert and true to form, it’s doing the same for tonight’s concert. So he’s spent a lot of time this week ensuring the performers are coming, pressuring the powers-that-be to find an indoor location and making that decision, not at the last minute, but a few days beforehand so that the public knows the venue is changing. I think they’ve been doing this for 14 or 15 years. Don played in the very first concert long ago. He has noticed that the number of people attending has decreased considerably since Covid. It’s very depressing. The same thing has happened with theater – subscription bases have decreased. Theater – especially regional theater – is struggling. I’ll write more about that later, but several well-known theaters are in serious financial trouble. Back to the concert series: it almost seems as if lockdown kept us home and once lockdown ended, people didn’t return to their previous activities and support of the arts. I’d say it was about money – and it is, of course – but this series is free.
The Arts are in trouble – not-for-profit theater is really in trouble. It seems as if I hear/read something about that on a daily basis.
I’m proud of all the work Don has done to make these concerts happen. I don’t know if he’ll do it next year, but I’m betting that after some time away from it, he will.
Stay safe.
Happy Friday.
bravo, don, for all the hard work and time taken to offer great music free to lucky people! sorry the friday weather has been a bummer, but so good what you are doing!
sad what you wrote/what’s happening to so many theaters, that there’s a need for strikes …. life is beautiful in so many ways, but also hard in many ways and the arts kindly offer us respite full of beauty, laughter, thought- and emotion-provoking words/music/images … life would be harder without the arts. a big thanks from me to all in the arts and especially to my parents for encouraging appreciation of the arts!
glad you were able to send a message to that deer. rules for eating can be hard!
long list of things to do here. signing off because (in the very true words of ‘ann wood handmade’), “things get done much faster when you do them”!
happy friday to everyone. stay safe!
kathy
Thanks, Kathy.
Stay safe.
I have several hostas that the deer ate this year. I guess I should post the rules for eating in the back yard!
I think I am one of those people who don’t go out as much. I find since lockdown I don’t like to be in crowds very much. Hopefully, the arts will rebound eventually.
Take care
Thanks, Marilyn.
Stay safe.
I have rules for Eating in the Yard, too. Unfortunately, my animals can’t read.
Sounds like.Don has been busy this summer….good for him! Do you ever go to these concerts? Has he ever wanted a return engagement? We have Concerts on the Square every summer, and it has gotten postponed a few times due to weather. They’ve just had their 40th anniversary. Maybe Don has a long term gig in his future?
Pretty flower…I want to say hibiscus, but the leaves don’t look like mine. Can you tell me what it is?
Enjoy your day! ;)
A return engagement? He’s not playing in these concerts, he’s just organized them. He’s been playing around the are lately.
I can’t swear, but he might do it one more year, but it takes a lot of work. We’ll see.
It’s in the hibiscus family – it’s Rose of Sharon.
Stay safe, Donnamae.
How nice that Don hosts the summer concerts by you…but, too bad the weather doesn’t cooperate more! I’m sure it’s all appreciated by those that do attend! Claudia, hope you get some down time to rest your muscles from all your mowing. I can see where that repair would be a priority. Happy Friday!
Thanks so much, Barrie.
Stay safe.
Hope Don’s concerts are a success and the rain held off. I see where negotiations have resumed in the writer’s strike. Hopefully you can get that lawn mower fixed. It makes it very hard for you to mow. Hugs, Elaine
I think everyone striking will hang in there and make sure they get what they want.
We’re at a turning point here.
Stay safe, Elaine.
Our county fair is going on right now and I thought it was odd that midday on a Friday, there were still plenty of parking places unused in the vast parking lot of the fairgrounds. A reason could be that some people are taking the park & ride but I’ve wondered if attendance will be down this year.
We do have an uptick in Covid where I live in Southern Calif. I’m being careful as always, still masking. But the masking is spotty with others. One doctor’s office (Thurs) was 100 percent masking of patients and doctors and staff. Next day, another doctor’s office (Fri) was zero percent masking of patients and doctors and staff. Two medical buildings less than a mile apart with clearly completely different scenarios for potential ‘contagion’. The ‘careful’ building was still, with signs posted, saying that specifically due to Covid threat, no more than three people per elevator. The drinking fountains were unlocked/unchained but there were hand-sanitizer stations all over the place. Signs also posted that masking was strongly recommended. I didn’t get the spring booster so I’ll be kinda glad when the next Covid boosters comes up for me in Sept or Oct. My two best friends who live nearby (in their 70s) don’t mask at all now (anywhere). And they are both VERY social, going to all kinds of public places and around a lot of other people. But they don’t have the immune system problems I have either.
Gosh, how disappointing for Don to plan entertainment for the public and to only have the plans dashed by weather and diminished attendance. I don’t go out to know if it’s how it is where I am; like, there’s no way I can compare or to know the diff. Most of the stuff going on in my small town seems to be outdoor-style events although there’s going to be an indoor auction at the local art museum as a fundraiser. I’ll have to find out later if they had a good turnout. It’s sad to think if people today are entertained by their phones only and no longer getting out and actually participating in goings-on around them, Maybe Covid isolation put too much caution into us. I wonder if people are hesitant to gather anywhere due to all the nation’s shootings, maybe not just for lingering concerns over virus; the feeling of ‘safer at home’. Something to ponder for sure. We’re nowhere without the arts. We don’t need to have the arts be in trouble.
Our fair is going on, too. In fact, last night I had a loud warning on my phone because of a severe thunderstorm headed our way – the warning specifically mentioned the people out and about at the fair.
Stay safe, Vicki.
That’s terrific that Don organizes and hosts the concerts. I’ve noticed the same thing in attendance of events (both the ones I’ve been in and the times I haven’t attended because I just don’t want to be in a crowd.) I’m feeling a lot better about that now but I know that things will be ramping up again — if not the return of Covid (at least increasing), the cold and flu season. It’s definitely a dilemma because actors need a spot to be. And musicians and other performers. I’ll be interested in your take.