Sunday Smorgasbord

Grab a cold drink as this catch up post could be a long one. These photos are from one of my dinner plate size blooming hibiscus plants. I have three such plants of various shades in my large garden.

Yes, I simply love all types of hibiscus!!! They make such an impact. Here’s a regular size flower from my deck. Note the ruffled petals. I usually don’t bring in plants to overwinter them, but this one is so pretty that I may have to in this case.

 On Wednesday evening, I went with friends to see Lyle Lovett and his Large Band at Plymouth Memorial Hall. What a show!!! 

They came onstage at 8:10 and left the stage at 11:15, three solid hours, no intermission. The Large Band consists of twelve truly impressive musicians and three singers. Two members of the horn section are professors, one from Georgia Tech and the other from a University in Texas. They spend each summer vacation traveling with the Large Band. Lyle features each musician at least once or twice and tells a bit about each one, whom they have played with, and where they met. It seems that most of these musicians have played with Lyle on his tours for years and years. From June 1 to August 31, they play fifty-six shows across the country. 

If they are ever in your neck of the woods, make it a point to see them.

I stitched this piece “Beach Please” by Kathy Habermann of Hands on Design last month. I modified the size of the piece and left off the words. I mounted it on this small blackboard easel with a narrow shelf on which I placed small shells and beach glass.

Wool Applique Alert!!! If you enjoy wool applique, do check out the Pumpkin Village Mystery Stitch - A-Long. You can get information at The Woolen Needle. Each Monday from July 31 - October 29, you may download a free block pattern. Each shop will offer kits and corresponding threads for sale. I should be able to complete this project from my own healthy wool stash. Warning! Wool applique may become highly addictive . . . great fun but highly addictive!!!  

My friends Cathy, Marilyn, and I recently went to lunch to celebrate our birthdays; Cathy and I are July babies and Marilyn’s birthday is this month. We have been friends since we were little girls and no, I’m not saying how many years that has been. :-()

Finally, I thought you might get a kick out of this photo.

These turkeys had thought it would be pleasant to take a stroll in my backyard. Emma took exception to this and set off barking and charging. With a whole lot of squawking and flapping of wings, the turkeys flew up into the tree instead. :-)

Okay, that’s all for now, have a wonderful week.

But wait! There’s more!!! When I write a post, I usually let it sit for at least an hour or so in hopes that when I come back to proofread it again, I will magically spot any silly errors. (Proofreading is tough. I can read and reread something and then much later spot a misplaced modifier, a wrong verb tense, or heaven forbid a punctuation error.  Worst of all, I sometimes leave out a word. 🥴) Anyway, all the time my post has been sitting here, I could not get the word “squawk”  off my mind. What kind of word is it? Where did it come from? Now, in the one in ten million chance that you, too, might also be wondering about this word, let me show you what I found on Etymonline - Online Etymology Dictionary.

Why did it become slang in the US around 1945? Another site referenced the “squawking” of the radios in the planes flown during the second World War. There you have it. I don’t know about you, but I feel better knowing how this word came about. :-)

 Bye! (For real, this time . . . )

Lyle Lovett and His Large Band in Concert

 

On Sunday night, I went with a friend to see Lyle Lovett and His Large Band at the South Shore Music Circus. Truthfully, I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but many people had remarked that he would put on a good show.  Wow! Did he ever!!! It was two and a half hours (no intermission) of great music. In addition to Lovett, there were eleven outstanding musicians and one other singer on the small, revolving stage. He joked about fearing he might lose his horn section as they were pretty close to the edge. The music was phenomenal; gospel, swing, country . . . the only type missing and that I had hoped to hear was western swing.

Sometimes performers don't do much talking, but what I really liked was that when he featured each musician, he would talk about the player and give some background or tell where they had first met. Some members of the Large Band have been with him for over thirty years. For instance, he told how he had searched for a sax player and contacted the music department at a Texas university; long story short, the head sax professor now joins the Large Band every summer when it goes on tour, and boy, could he ever play! Another member of the horn section was asked to tell with whom he had played in the course of his long career. He went on to list a veritable who's who of American musicians. The sassy, powerhouse vocalist, Francine Reed, was great. Also appearing with the band  on quite a few gospel pieces was a wonderful local, contemporary gospel group, Gary Lyon & Living Water.

What also struck me was just how many young people there were in the audience as there were many families in attendance. Everyone seemed to be having a great time.  So, trust me; if Lyle Lovett and His Large Band ever come to your area, don't miss it.