1. While lying in bed alone on my side, awake (this was not a dream), I felt the firm touch and slight pressing of several human fingers on my right shoulder. I looked around and no one was in the room with me.
2. While changing a fuse in the mud room of my house, I dropped the old fuse before putting in the new one. It vanished into thin air. It’s a small room. Neither Caroline nor I have been able to find it. It seems to have vaporized. She believes me when I tell her that this is what happened.
3. The intense pain in my lower back brought on by my recent severe cold suddenly and completely disappeared like THAT.
just some images of ballet dancers doing their thing. the beauty that the photographer captures, its like you can see their passion for one fleeting second.
As I get older, I find that whenever I catch a cold, they all seem increasingly novel-esque (or at least short story-esque) in aspect. Each cold unfolds in a unique, dreadful way and seems to issue from a different, dark and unknowable pre-history.
Summer colds are always the worst. I always seem to contract one and this summer’s two colds (the first lasted a couple of weeks and departed in early July; I’m now experiencing the “Encore Presentation”) have been hideous.
I’ll spare you the symptoms, apart from the fact that this one has affected my back, rooting me to bed. Like most people, I hate the feeling of immobility. It’s summertime and, dreadful heat notwithstanding, I need to get around and go because I have things to do.
But being merely human, my reach and my grasp are approximately equal and they are greatly diminished. What I can’t reach, I must shout for (uncouth as that is) and if no one is listening………..
On my terrace this summer, I am growing cantaloupes, watermelons and morning glories in large pots. Being rooted in place does not inhibit their ability to move, however. They each reach out from their pots to attach themselves to adjacent neighbors (sometimes several pots down the row) and to the iron railings of our terrace. Multiple tendrils extending to many locations, their reach and grasp seem approximately infinite. You can actually see this occur and we’ve spent many dinner hours in silence watching this amazing phenomenon.
A friend suggested that my cantaloupe friends are perhaps genetically altered Triffids. I hadn’t thought about Triffids for a long time (although one never really forgets them) and, all I can say is, I hope not.
Sadly, it’s all happening out on the terrace right now, but I can’t see it. Sadly also, there’s no cure for the common cold, although I do think the word “common” is misused here. My cold is unique.
CANTALOUPE CONSERVE
Spooning this conserve over yogurt makes a light, sweet summer dessert.
Start to finish: 45 min
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 large ripe cantaloupe, seeds and rind discarded and flesh cut into 1-inch pieces (4 cups)
1/3 cup golden raisins
Accompaniment: plain yogurt
Bring sugar, water, and lemon juice to a boil, stirring occasionally until sugar is dissolved, then boil, uncovered, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in cantaloupe and raisins and simmer, uncovered, stirring frequently, until cantaloupe is translucent and syrup is thickened, 15 to 20 minutes.
Transfer conserve to a metal bowl, then set bowl in a larger bowl of ice and cold water to cool, stirring occasionally.
Yesterday, I was fooling around on my laptop, when I stumbled onto this candid shot of David Beckham and his son. It is a far cry from the usual Beckham they show off in the tabloids and tv, and I love it. It is a great shot of a father and son having a good time while looking ridiculously handsome.
Look at how absolutely fabulous they both look! I love everything about it, the color palette, the different cloth materials, the way he put together the coat and suit together is not something I would have chosen, but it works quite well. It makes me smile
Not only is this the most magical and fantastical thing I have seen in the pages of Teen Vogue...ever, it showcases the amazing beauty that is Emma Watson. Its like a grown up fashion tea party, and I love it!
My favorite:
to see more images of this shoot, they are on stylefrizz and they are pretty amazing!
My friend Andrew McLenon found this wonderful (in terms of the sheer, unforced, sincere joy on Andy Warhol's face and the exquisite weirdness of Lana Turner's expression) "fan photo" of these two 20th century celebrities.
I had to share this with visitors to this blog and will provide explanations and history (if needed, if desired).
Blaine Hoven
