Stormy Weather, Take Two

The skies turned black. The wind picked up. Thunder rumbled. Rain poured down.

As of 11:30pm, our rain gauge indicates that we have received 1.04 inches. And it is still raining.

I think there should be a limit to the number of warnings that the National Weather Service can issue at one time.

Our Community Garden Plot

Everything is still alive.

Stormy Weather

After checking The Weather Channel off and on all day to see the unbelievable devastation caused by the tornado in Joplin, Missouri, we were surprised this evening to hear the alert for a tornado here.

We watched WEWS track the storm as it went south of us. As of 11:00PM, there are reports of trees down, some structural damage, and power outages. Fortunately, it was not a repeat of Sunday's deadly tornado.

All the photos are by viewers who posted on WEWS

Playing in the Dirt

Black Pearl


My Sweetie and I spent the day gardening, both at our house and at the community garden.

At the house I planted impatiens in six window boxes and a hanging basket. Two coral geraniums went into a large cobalt blue ceramic pot.

When My Sweetie moved here in 1997, he planted roses for me. Even though I love roses, I did not have the patience to coddle them. Last year he cried uncle. No more hybrid tea roses. Today we planted two Knockout roses which are supposed to be less susceptible to black spot, mildew, and other ills that befall the tea roses. Let's hope they live up to their reputation.

Yesterday we had a yard of bedding soil delivered to the community garden to make our raised beds...well, raised again.

In our plot I planted seven tomatoes (Black Pearl, 2 Caspian Pink, 2 Raspberry Lyanna, Sungold, and a potato leaf one), four Mei Qing choi, two Ichiban eggplant, Siam Queen basil, and Dark Purple Opal basil.

Ichiban eggpant

I also planted lettuce seed (Black Seeded Simpson, Oakleaf, and Salad Bowl), Genovese squash, Golden zucchini, and peas, Oregon Sugar Pod II, to be exact.

My Sweetie watered everything at both locations.

Our division of labor is dictated by our bodies. I can still squat without pain so I plant. He still has superior strength so he loads the wheelbarrow and dumps it where I indicate. It works well for us.

Good Friends and Good Food

Usually we go out to eat with friends before a show of some type, usually dance or live theater.

My Sweetie suggested today that we go out with our dear friends, Susan and Larry, when we don't have to make a curtain.

It was lovely to enjoy our meal without constantly checking our watches. After a leisurely dinner at Trattoria in Little Italy, we ordered pieces of lemon cake and cassatta cake to go. Then it was back to their house to chat.

Susan showed us the neatest app. Penultimate allows one to write on the iPad. There are six colors of ink and three pen widths. Email is supported. Once we were back home My Sweetie purchased the app. So I asked him to email me a note to include in my blog.

My Sweetie's note using Penultimate.

I may have to buy it for my iPad.

Our New Neighbors

Instead of rain, today brought blue skies and new neighbors.

My Sweetie was cleaning out the gutter on the garage. I was holding the ladder. I know that I wouldn't be able to save him if he began to fall but I just feel better steadying the ladder. Suddenly I noticed long grass pieces hanging from one of the maple trees over the driveway.

Now I know where the nest is that the robin was protecting the other day. But why isn't there anyone sitting in it?



But then a few minutes later, I saw a tail.



It just makes me happy to watch Mama on duty.



Then later in the day, Dad gave Mama a chance to get a bite to eat.



I hope they successfully hatch their clutch.

We Were That Close

Today Mike the Contractor and John the Carpenter were scheduled to lay the sandstone walk while Benny was going to rebuild the wonky wing wall. But instead we got almost an inch of rain. Our total for May is now more than 2.7 inches over our normal. Enough!

Hopefully, the forecasters have Friday and Saturday correct.


Be still, my heart. Sunshine, really?

Can You Relate? Valentine's Day and Mother's Day Shows

By popular request, here are the other two shows I have been on.


Valentine's Day Show



For those who receive my blog by email, here is the link: Valentine's Day Relationship Roundup

You may wonder about the hilarious reaction Kathy got when she told us that we were going to play the game WaveLength*. We had talked with the creator in the lobby while we were waiting to go on. He asked if we were the people who were going to play the game. Not us; no way. Guess so!

Game Results

We appear at the 2:30 mark in this clip.



Here is the link: And the winner is...



Mother's Day Show



Here is the link: Mother's Day


* For info on the game, click WaveLength. As always the game is available on Amazon as well as other etailers.

Flora and Fauna in the City

Before the deluge began again, we were fortunate to be outside enjoying the sights and sounds of spring.

In our backyard My Sweetie added two new birds to his non-life list*, White-crowned Sparrow and Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Of the two the former was new for me.

This sparrow is an unassuming bird until he turns his head, showing his distinctive black and white stripes.

White-crowned Sparrow taking a bath

White-crowned Sparrow all dry

Rose-breasted Grosbeak


All the usual suspects were here enjoying the fine weather. More than a dozen Goldfinches enjoyed the niger seed. The males are once again bright yellow, having shed their drab winter coats. House Finches joined them. Tufted Titmice, Black-capped Chickadees, and Nuthatches enjoyed a repast of safflower and black oil sunflower seeds. Our suet cakes were visited by several Woodpeckers (Downy, Hairy, Northern Flicker, and Red-bellied).

The Robins were harrying a Blue Jay. Wonder where the nest is?

We heard the Red-winged Blackbirds before they enjoyed a drink at our bird bath. This is a great site to hear their distinctive calls: Cornell Lab of Orinthology.

Red-winged blackbird

Two male cardinals fussed with each other. Maybe one was junior from last year’s clutch. One was finally chased off. Two males coexisted peacefully all winter. But now it is breeding season and a male is very territorial.



Every spring we head to Lake View Cemetery to follow the red arrows to enjoy the flower tour. In the early spring Daffodil Hill is covered with tens of thousands of blooms. This past week it was time for the cherries, crabapples, dogwoods, magnolias, and redbuds to take center stage along with a few late season tulips.

Flowering Crabapple

As we approached Wade Chapel , we spotted a family of Canada Geese. Yep, that is the correct name for this common bird but I grew up calling them Canadian Geese. Mama and Papa were keeping a close eye on their goslings.


Out for a stroll

While My Sweetie was taking their picture, an employee of the cemetery stopped and asked if we had seen the one that lives in an urn. He first explained where to find it. Then said, “Follow me.” It was worth the side trip.


Is that really comfortable?


How close can we get?

As I look out at the gray and the endless rain, I cannot believe that just a few days ago I was looking for my hat to protect my face as we drove through the cemetery.


*That’s what we call our list since we are not birders with a capital B.

*****
Thanks to My Sweetie for all the photos.

The Monsoons Have Returned

Our Soggy Forecast

After the wettest April since 1895, we really, really don't need any more rain.

We are already more than an inch and a quarter over the normal precipitation for the first half of May.

I may start mildewing.

*****
I apologize if you received my January 26th post recently; it must have been a technology glitch.

West Side Story Revival

When this version of West Side Story opened on Broadway in March, 2009, theatergoers were surprised by Arthur Laurents's restaging and the actress playing Maria.

"This show will be radically different from any other production of West Side Story ever done," he wrote in 2008, even before he had cast Maria.

He decided to have the Puerto Ricans use Spanish when they spoke with each other. Even some song verses were in Spanish.

Then he had to find the perfect Maria. Friends in Buenos Aires told him to watch this youtube clip of a young actress whom they thought would be perfect.



Laurents agreed and paid for her to come to New York for an audition. He hired her immediately.












The four of us were disappointed in tonight's performance. Some can be attributed to difficulties with the sound system in the first act.

As one of us said, we are not a tough audience but the play just did not move us. Perhaps we were spoiled by the others in the Broadway Series. Les Miserables is a difficult act to follow.

Can You Relate? May 9, 2011

For those who have requested it, here is one of my appearances on the local TV show, Can You Relate?





My Sweetie informs me that he does not get the video via email but has to go to my blog in order to see it.

Circle Mirror Transformation

Imagine five characters, ranging in age from 16 to middle age, participating in six weeks of acting classes at a small-town community center.

There is Marty, the instructor; her husband James; Shultz, recently divorced; thirty-some Theresa; and 16 year old Lauren.

Through a series of improvisation exercises relationships develop and secrets are exposed. The fall-out is inevitable.

And so another season of Dobama Theatre comes to an end. We have enjoyed some more than others but they are always interesting. I wonder what next season will bring.

Circle Mirror Transformation

An Evening Filled with Laughter

Tonight it was time for #44 on the American Film Institute's Top 100 Films: The Philadelphia Story from 1940.

It has definitely withstood the test of time. Katharine Hepburn is luminous even in black and white; Cary Grant dashing, and James Stewart honorable.

But I had forgotten how laugh-out-loud funny it is. The writing reflects that it was a Broadway play first. The trailer points out that it had Broadway roaring even at the price of $4.40 a seat! (Gasoline was 18 cents a gallon.)

James Stewart won the Oscar for his role. Katharine Hepburn did not.