The catalpa is in bloom. It’s always tricky getting a photo because it’s so, so tall. When you walk nearby, you get a whiff of its glorious scent, which reminds me very much of the night-blooming jasmine that surrounded us when we lived in San Diego.
Last night – because we haven’t installed the a/c yet – we had a fan on in our bedroom and it was bringing the scent into the room. Talk about a heavenly treat!
Groundhog family update: Off and on throughout the day yesterday, one or two or three of them would hang out. Actually, they don’t get going until late morning, so it was more like from 11 am until 5:30, which seems to be the hour they return home. They don’t seem to be going in the garden much, if at all, they’re eating the grass and the weeds that are on the parking level and funky patio.
At one point, mama was hanging out! She was lazing in the sun by the maple tree. I also saw two of them go into one of the tunnels under the shed.
So basically they go in and out of their burrow, the tunnels under the shed, and their original home under the tree.
The world is their oyster.
Zoe and Lucy are wearing new pinafores made by the amazing Hilary Wagstaff of Moshimoshi studios. Hilary lives in England, Cornwall, specifically, and I have acquired several pieces made by her over the past couple of years. They’re a little more expensive, so I only order something once a year. When I first started in with Blythes, I noticed this style of pinafore on Hilary’s account. I always wanted one, but she is very creative and is constantly trying new things, so I didn’t see them again. A month or so ago, I messaged her and asked if she’d ever consider making this pattern for me. Yes, she said. I picked out the fabrics.
And now, they’re here. Bonus for my fellow Blythe friends: she’s put this pattern back into the rotation!
Hilary also does the embroidery. She has the cutest studio in a shed on her property. I’d love to hang out there.
We ended up watching the Tonys last night, simply because I knew the opening segment was choreographed by Karla Punto Garcia, and I know her – she worked on Darko’s project. And two of the dancers were actors I coached in that project. I must say that the entire show worked much better without the addition of written dialogue. Most of the extraneous banter was missing and so they just got on with it. I do hate that the creative awards; set design, music and lyrics, lighting, costume design, etc. are now relegated to an earlier show on a network that nobody has heard of. It shows a disregard for designers that pisses me off. I get it: they’re trying to show musical numbers for every show nominated and it’s prime time. I’d rather see less musical numbers and see those artistic components included.
I saw lots of people who I know or have worked with. I’ve even met Tom Stoppard, that genius of a playwright.
Anyway, we enjoyed it, though I found some of the musicals less than interesting, more pop music-like, lots of big voices and sound with very little depth – “a lot of sound and fury signifying nothing” was Don’s response. When the two revivals by Stephen Sondheim hit the stage, both of us gave a sigh of relief. The difference between his work, and most of the other musicals, save for Parade (brilliant) and Kimberly Akimbo, couldn’t be more stark.
Obviously, my personal opinion.
Stay safe.
Happy Monday.
that catalpa tree is huge (your great old shed gives perspective) and beautiful! and that it has a lovely scent makes it even better. glad it’s there for you, don and countless birds to enjoy.
there is a special tree in the front yard of the home in which my mother grew up. each time we go to nebraska (including twice recently), we stop by to see things there. last week i took a slow video going up the tree to show its height (it, too, is huge). and though this may sound silly to some people, i also hugged the tree and thanked it for providing a place for my mother to climb and play with her two sisters and for providing cooling shade for them and their parents. :)
trees are wonderful (thanks really to God).
happy to hear the groundhogs are providing sweetness instead of frustration.
cute outfits for the girls. glad you could get what you want.
it’s been a long time since i ordered anything online, but yesterday i found two vases and bought them. they are handmade and more to my liking than the see-through glass vases most often available in stores and the jars i’ve often used. and they are smaller … hoping that helps them make it through the mail in one piece. :)
happy monday to you, don and everyone else. stay safe.
kathy
Good for you! I’m glad you found pretty vases, Kathy.
I hug trees all the time. They are everything.
Stay safe.
Your catalpa tree really is big! I would love to smell it! Having the scent waft into your cottage sounds very relaxing… I’d love that. Those smock dresses are cute…comfy! I saw the beginning of the Tony Awards, what a beautiful venue. I’ve subscribed to the Broadway San Jose musicals for about 25 years and really enjoy the shows. Hopefully at some point the shows that won last night might be part of the line up here.
That theater was extraordinary. It’s uptown and I didn’t even know it existed. Beautiful!
Stay safe.
Watching the Tonys last night, I would agree with you. I didn’t like the music much, it all sounded the same. And they made such a to do of it all that it looked like a show of a show. I am really turned off and should have gone to an app to see something else.
I have to remind you: Broadway suffered devastating losses during COVID. Shows closed, actors were out of work. It still hasn’t completely recovered, so whether I like a show or not, they HAVE to make a big deal about it. It’s about bringing in audiences. Most shows make the most money from out-of-towners visiting the city. Please be aware of that. I work with regional theaters as well who are barely recovering from lockdown and who have lost many of their subscribers. I’m a big supporter of theater. So please don’t confuse my not liking certain shows (which is entirely due to my history and my personal taste) with not supporting the Tonys or Broadway theater and I welcome their making a big deal out of it. They should, and whether I like a particular show or not, I do know how much work goes into a Broadway show because I’ve had the honor of working on two of them. Most audience members have no idea how much work – years of it – goes into creating a show. Or, as my husband could tell you – how exhausting it is doing 8 shows a week. These people are troopers, and they are to be applauded. And celebrating the Broadway theater once a year isn’t too much. That’s how the message gets out.
Thanks, Jan.
Zoe and Lucy are adorable in their pretty new pinafores. I looked up Hilary’s store on Etsy. Lots of patterns but no outfits. I’ll keep checking, though. Beautiful catalpa tree. Lovely fragrance. Hugs, Elaine
You have to follow moshimoshi on Instagram, Elaine. Her work is extremely popular. She announces when a sale will be scheduled, and often she posts them on her website, not Instagram. If you follow her, you’ll find all that information on her IG account: moshimoshi_studio
Stay safe.
Those pinnies are just darling and I’m glad the “kids” are leaving the garden more or less alone.
I watched the tech awards on Pluto (streamed free — do you have a roku or view stick? Pluto is free). Bam, bam, bam! They whipped through them and it seemed like there was more time (or less cutting off) for the speeches. I like seeing all the musical numbers and entertainment but also like the others and was glad I spent the evening (6:30-11!) watching. I really hate to say this because I support the writers, but I liked the show MUCH better without the cutesy intros and chat and all. It just moved better and seemed like it wasn’t all that long. I hope they consider that next year.
No, we don’t have roku, etc.
I absolutely think the Tonys were better without the writers!
Stay safe, Jeanie.