What a terrible week it has been. Last night, watching the news, I saw the photos of the policemen who were murdered in Dallas, each of them there to protect those who were peacefully protesting. And now they’re gone. I can’t wrap my mind around all of it. Innocent men all – and that includes the two men who were murdered by officers in Minnesota and Louisiana. All of it such a waste of life. I’m reading Ta-Nehisi Coates’s Between the World and Me. If you want to get a sense of what it’s like to grow up as a black male in our country, I’d urge you to read it. It’s beautifully and poetically written; it’s also raw and unsparing. The winner of The National Book Award, it is sometimes difficult and uncomfortable for me to read because that world is so different than the world I grew up in as a white girl living in suburbia. Oh, but let me tell you, that reaction tells me I need to read it.
There is much that needs to be done to bridge the divide.
It’s been so unbelievably humid here that it feels like walking around in a thick soup. And each day there are thunderstorms and torrential rains that smash down my hollyhocks and hydrangeas. More today and then, fingers crossed, we’ll get a break.
Don and I went out and tied up the hollyhocks for some support while we’re in the midst of these storms.
This daylily is in the flower bed that is right next to the porch.
I remember that it was just a week or so ago when I was complaining about the lack of rain.
The joke’s on me!
The night before last, All the President’s Men was on TCM. Don and I love that movie. In fact, it’s one of those movies that, should we happen upon it, everything else is immediately dropped. Whether it’s mid-story or almost over – no matter. We watch it.
There are others (this is my list):
Any Fred Astaire movie
Any Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers Movie
To Kill a Mockingbird
The Big Country
The Music Man
On the Waterfront
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Hannah and Her Sisters
The Awful Truth
Dinner at Eight
Most any Screwball Comedy
Most any Frank Capra movie
Stagecoach
Red River
Alien and Aliens
Charade
You’ve Got Mail
Any Hitchcock movie
I’m sure there are more, but this list is what immediately comes to mind. (You know me, I’ll probably be editing and adding to it as the day goes on!)
Do you have a list like that? I bet you do.
I got so mad at those dreaded Japanese Beetles that I ran in the house, grabbed my clippers, and snipped off all the buds that that were in danger of being eaten. Take that, Japanese Beetles!
I suppose more reading is on the docket for today. I miss working in the garden and, gosh darn it, I’d love to mow the lawn.
I’ll stop complaining. Our rivers are getting higher and our well is getting fuller. All good.
Happy Saturday.
I find myself so sad today. All this anger, hate, killing of innocent people and distrust. It has sparked some deep discussions among my peers and my kids. They have children to raise in this world and it’s scary. We seem to have passed on the thunderstorms for a few days now. It’s hot but tolerable. Meeting an old friend for lunch today, she was Sara’s gymnastics coach for years and we worked at the YMCA together. I can’t wait to see her. A good and positive thing to look forward to today. Love the roses and glad you snipped them to enjoy.
hugs,
Linda
Have fun with your friend, Linda.
A dialogue about all of this is necessary and it’s certainly sparked some discussion here as well.
Oh, I love The Big Country! I have it on VHS, but it doesn’t do me much good anymore:( Movies that pull me in: The Sons of Katie Elder (reminds me of when I was a kid and watched it on late night with my brothers), You’ve Got Mail, Love Actually. Can’t think, but I know there are more!
Oh, I forgot about You’ve Got Mail – that’s one on my list as well. I’m going to go add it!
I love your hollyhocks! I wanted to comment on them yesterday, but my lack of intelligent words about the elephant in the room kept me from commenting at all. All I can think about that sad subject is, What is wrong with people, anyway? The foggy morning around here today matches my mood perfectly.
Yes, I think I’ve used up all my words on the subject for the time being.
What Shanna said. Thank you, Shanna.
xoxo to you, Nancy.
Love the little roses in the egg cup!
Thank you, Doris!
When I lived in New England and grew roses I would spray my infected roses with a combination of dish soap and water and the beetles died. I watered regularly by spraying the leaves to make sure that the soap did not stay on the leaves longer than necessary to see the beetles die and/or leave and the roses did fine.
Thanks Ann. It’s too late in the rose season now, but I’ll try that next year!
I’m so glad you snipped your roses…they look lovely in your egg cup! I keep thinking about Dallas….hoping it doesn’t happen again….hoping we can have an honest national discussion. Sounds like the book you are reading is a must read! Weather here seems to have broken at least for today and tomorrow…our humidity has left the state…hopefully it’ll be coming your way! I’ve only seen one Japanese beetle…but I’m sure there are more just waiting! Enjoy your day! ;)
Oh, gosh, I’ve seen so many! They apparently live six weeks – I wish six weeks had elapsed, Donna! I think tomorrow will bring an end to the humidity.
It seems like sadness is my constant companion these days and tears start so easily. The heat here is awful too. Allergies have had me dealing with a sore throat for two weeks. My favorite uncle had surgery last Friday and has had two more emergency surgeries in the past twenty four hours. This man is like a father to me and has been such a blessing to me. When I was growing up my uncle and aunt took me into their home and treated me as their child many times. I am trying to stay positive but it’s awfully hard.
I’m so sorry about your uncle, Janie. I hope that healing comes and that he feels better soon, but the state of our country, coupled with your uncle’s illness has to be so hard on you. I’m thinking of you, my friend. xo
I’m almost afraid to turn on the news today – what next? I was just thinking about my workplace and what a diverse bunch we are – we must tick every box in terms of race, religion and sexual orientation. We don’t, however, tolerate lazy or deliberately unkind people.
Funny, I stopped what I was doing as well to watch “All The President’s Men”. Love that movie! Even if I have a copy of a movie that I can watch anytime, there are certain movies that will stop me in my tracks. “All About Eve” (could there be a more perfect cast?) and “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” (even with the dubbed dialogue) are another two that do it every time.
Our postal workers are set to strike on Monday which I respect, but has me worried about a couple of Etsy purchases that are in transit. I confess I was very taken with your mini Adirondack chairs!
I forgot about All About Eve! I love that one, as well. That’s a ‘Stop Everything’ movie!
Oh, darn it! I hope you get your Etsy purchases! I love those chairs and am going to order another for Hummingbird Cottage! Let me know when you get them, Barbara!
Same Time Next Year, Heartburn, The Money Pit, All About Eve, Rear Window, North by Northwest…..and any episode of Golden Girls…because my daughters quote them constantly.
I just added ‘any Hitchcock movie’ Melissa!
Claudia, if you and Don like “All the President’s Men,” you might like “Spotlight.” It’s a different time period, a different (and very difficult) conspiracy topic, but it’s something everyone should see, in my opinion. I was pleased that such an intelligent, thoughtful adult movie received so many accolades and awards. The “extras” on the DVD are fascinating, as well. I give thanks for dedicated and honorable journalists.
We saw Spotlight a month or two ago and loved it, Nancy. A tribute to the best of journalism – righting wrongs, calling for change.
Because of the drought in California, I try to save as much of my dishwashing rinse water as I can. I use it for my potted plants, including the rose, and the soapy water seems to have helped deter aphids and other rose-loving bugs. I found out, though, that rinse water isn’t so good for my tomatoes….they began to taste soapy! So, I use soap-free rinse water saved from washing organic produce and rinsing rice before cooking. I remember East Coast humidity from visiting family in Ontario. It’s very cool and overcast here….typical summer weather.
Good ideas! I haven’t seen aphids yet, though they might be there for all I know.
Oh, the humidity reminds me of the South or Washington DC in August. It ain’t fun!
Hey, please forward some of that rain up North. We’ve had the same humidity and heat, but no appreciable rainfall at all – except for a brief “spitting” of rain early yesterday evening [which barely dampened the sidewalks]. As far as my choices for “stop-everything” movies, there is a massive bunch. I’ll hit the highlights to save time & space. First off, definitely All the President’s Men [even though I have it on DVD]. Almost anything WITH Cary Grant – or Tracy & Hepburn – or Meryl Streep – or Barbara Stanwyck – or Norma Shearer. Almost anything directed by Rob Reiner, Frank Capra, Ron Howard, Alfred Hitchcock, Mike Nichols or Steven Spielberg. And then also: Field of Dreams – Guarding Tess – Giant – The Help – Erin Brockovich – Hannah & Her Sisters – Crimes & Misdemeanors – Radio Days – Quiz Show – Thirteen Days – The Descendants – The Day the Earth Stood Still [1951 version] – Sunset Boulevard – Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid [so creative] – Sabrina [1954 version] – The Uninvited [1943 version] – Tootsie – Leave Her to Heaven – A Man for All Seasons – The Man Who Came to Dinner – Picnic – The Remains of the Day. And if I absolutely HAD to name one single favorite movie of all time [to take along to exile on a desert island] – Moonstruck.
I’d add Tootsie and Field of Dreams to my list, as well. I love Barbara Stanwyck in most anything, as well as Cary Grant and Irene Dunne.
And Don loves Moonstruck (I do, too) with a passion.
I feel spent from sadness, crying, uncertainty; couldn’t even watch the 20/20 special last night on the violence. There was an interesting piece on our local news that (without putting head in sand) we do need to take a break from news headlines. A psychiatrist/therapist was interviewed and she said there’s an increase in people suffering from stress of the world. Seeing someone shot, hearing gunfire…we are NOT desensitized; it piles up inside of us and leads to anxiety/depression. If you were already suffering from some sort of low-grade depression, you will risk getting worse. My translation anyway; I don’t understand all the medical-ese. I do know that I watched too much 911 coverage back in the day, right on the heels of my complicated infertility battle, which I’d lost, and I became too anxious, exacerbating my asthma, on ‘high alert’ and descending into that very thing the psychiatrist on this news piece talked about…when news agencies are repeatedly showing the one Dallas police officer being gunned down and then again shot executioner-style or the masses of people running in panic in the street; the 45-second audio/video of massive gunfire exchange; as you said, the photos of the five officers murdered; the Facebook stream of a woman’s anguish, the sound of her little girl in the car next to her while a man lays dying, bleeding, mere inches away. I can’t take it anymore. And it didn’t even happen to me. Yet it did. It has happened to all of us.
So, today I will take my break when others get no break. But we can get paralyzed by the horror, and that won’t do anybody any good.
A comfort movie sounds good. “You’ve Got Mail” got so panned by critics but I simply love that film. And the real ‘Sabrina’ with Audrey, or ‘Charade’ with her; delightful. (And what’s NOT good with Cary Grant in anything?!) Another movie I’ve recently come to love is “About A Boy” with Hugh Grant, which came out about 15 years ago or so; I feel it’s his finest performance ever. I also love “It’s Complicated” with Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin. (Give me any Nancy Meyers movie; I love her sets…oh, that beach house in “Something’s Gotta Give” or the Vermont farmhouse in “Baby Boom”…big, aahhhh/envy…the interiors in “Parent Trap”…) Mother’d told me that all kinds of fluff/fun/visually-pretty movies were made in the Great Depression and WWII to help people at home feel good when everything else was so bad. A good movie can save your life; heal you. Just like a good book. I hope actors know how meaningful a good performance can be for an audience. Meaningful in SO many ways.
I know it’s adding to our stress level – we are both suffering from mild depression due to all the loss we have suffered in the past two years. So I well believe it can add to stress and depression. I’m going to lose myself in a book today, Vicki.
I drove to another town where there’s a Hallmark store. When I left home at 3pm or so, it was 90 degrees and when I got to the store, they were playing Christmas music because it was their 2016 holiday ornament debut. So, I looked at all the pretty and clever ornaments and listened to soothing instrumental carols which were sort of refined with a ‘quiet’ mood to them. It was just what I needed. That music was like something to hang onto. Spiritual. Hopeful. Reassuring. Familiar.
That sounds lovely and something like quiet, lovely Christmas music can be grounding and comforting. xo
The state of the world is depressing. I t seems hate is on the rise. Evil is rearing its ugly head. Hostile politicians encouraging a mob mentality from which no good will ever come. I’d love to see a shift in the world where we focus on all that is good, rather than allowing media and warped individuals to lead us down a path of despise and destruction.
I would, too, Tammy. What a difference that would make!
I’m going to ignore the horror and go for the movies.
In This Our Life
Fanny and Alexander
Almost all Preston Sturges
Almost all Val Lewton
All About Eve
Casablanca
June Bride
Father of the Bride – Tracy, not Martin
Lots more, but you get the idea.
The heat and humidity here are eyeglass-foggingly horrific and last for months. Last midnight the heat index was 93. This is the norm.
Yuck! I don’t know how you deal with it, Margaret! I love Preston Sturges!
If you’ve never seen “Avanti” think you’d enjoy it kinda crazy typical 70’s film by Billy Wilder stars Jack Lemmon and Juliet Mills.
I think I’ve seen it but it was a long time ago! We’ll watch for it to air, Diana.
Hi there, I think I should read that book. With all of this rain we just lost our very last ancient willow tree which sat majestically at the edge of our pond. Since we moved to this house in 1988, we have lost all three of those beautiful, graceful trees. Two more baby willows have been planted and they look very adolescent out there! I wish we could paste photos into our comments, there are so many beautiful flowers blooming here at Frog Hollow! xxoo
I’m so sorry about your willow tree. We had to take down the weeping willow in our front yard because the roots were screwing up the septic system. I still mourn that tree.
On a good note….I’ve been watching the marathon season 1 of Mr. Robot this afternoon and saw Don several times. I wanted to tell someone…..Hey, I know him! Well, I feel like I do because of your sweet blog.
Cathy
I’m glad you saw him, Cathy! It’s a really neat series, isn’t it?
hi there – i watched “all the president’s men” when it was on the other night, too. i caught it when i was channel-flipping and saw only the last section, when they’re trying to get a source to name haldeman and then bradlee tells them to get a third source. the nonstop teletype wire dispatches are such a powerful ending. “ordinary people” is another one i will always watch when it’s on, and i watch my own copy at least once a year. that and one woody allen movie, “september,” are the ones i’ll watch again and again. i love the house in “september,” too – i read somewhere that the movie house was designed to resemble mia farrow’s real house in connecticut; have no idea whether that’s true. –suz in ohio, also battling the beetles, but they are not as bad here as in other years.
Oh, lucky you, Suz – about the beetles – at least they’re not as bad this year. I’m not sure about ours but they seem as bad as ever!
Isn’t Jason Robards terrific as Ben Bradlee?
We love All the President’s Men, as well. I can remember the little bit of a news trickle about the break in that turned into a huge flood. I was a stay at home mom w/ a baby and watched the hearings every day. I remember gasping several times at things people said and revealed.
To your list I would add The Enchanted Cottage and Murphy’s Romance. Also, two movies that are not classics, but are sweet and make me smile whenever I see them are The Wedding Singer w/ Adam Sandler and Return to Me w/ David Duchovny.
Our humidity finally broke last night and isn’t supposed to return for a couple of days. Yay!! Hope it is heading your way!
I was at an outdoor concert (Joni Mitchell) when Nixon resigned. She announced it from the stage!
Our humidity broke last night, thank goodness!