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To Blog, or Not to Blog?

What a silly question!

Today, however, I’ll be blogging in pictures. I’ll spend the time I save not writing, catching up on your thoughtful comments. I read them, love them, and have the best intentions of replying to all of them. Darn that busy life, eh?

I’ll see you shortly in BlogVille.  Meanwhile, here are a few pics from the garden.

It’s the birds…

hummingbird grooming

Hummingbird grooming near the magnolia tree

and the bees…

california carpenter bee

California Carpenter Bee

and the flowers…

sunflowers

Sunflowers

and the trees.

magnolia with scale

Beautiful Magnolia (not so beautiful scale)

female pumpkin flower

Female Pumpkin Flower

cherry tomatoes, self-seeded

Cherry tomatoes, self-seeded

potted succulents and pumpkin vine

Pumpkin vines wrapped around potted succulents

and a thing called [gardening] love.

24 thoughts on “To Blog, or Not to Blog?”

  1. I was already singing the song 🙂 [Head full of trivia!] But I did not know his name – isn’t that odd. I recognise the voice but must never have heard his name. It is unusual and should be remembered, I wonder if he was a ‘one hit wonder’. Do you know?

    Gorgeous photos and so lovely to see a bee – so many are bemoaning the lack in their gardens, it has me quite alarmed!

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    • I didn’t know his name either before I searched for the song. I’ve always loved both the tune and the lyrics. One of the cool things about blogging is all the bits of research and discovery along the way.

      I’m glad you liked the photos. It is a joy taking pictures in my garden.

      I share your concern about the bees, and celebrate our good fortune. The combination of sunflowers, pumpkins and salvia prove irresistible to them. We have both carpenter bees and a smaller golden bee. I’ve been meaning to blog about them and will soon.

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    • He worked in the industry his entire life and just died last year, but as you suggested, only the one big single. Here’s his obit with a summary of his work: Jewel Akens

      Singer had hit with ‘Birds and Bees’

      Jewel Akens, 79, the R&B crooner whose song “The Birds and the Bees” vaulted him into short-lived fame in the mid-1960s, died Friday of complications from back surgery at Centinela Hospital Medical Center in Inglewood, said his wife, Eddie Mae.

      Akens began his career in the late 1950s, working with Eddie Daniels and guitar legend Eddie Cochran, and later recorded singles with the Four Dots doo-wop group.

      In 1965, he was singing with an ensemble called the Turnarounds when record producer Herb Newman brought them “The Birds and the Bees,” written by his teenage son. The rest of the group disliked the tune, but Akens decided to record it solo.

      It became an instant hit, rising to the No. 3 spot on the Billboard pop chart in 1965.

      “Let me tell you ’bout the birds and the bees, and the flowers and the trees,” went the catchy tune, which was later covered by Dean Martin and others.

      “No doubt you’re already singing the chorus,” wrote the Vancouver Province in 2002 when it featured the song on a top-10 list of one-hit wonders.

      None of Akens’ later singles enjoyed the success of “The Birds and the Bees,” but he went on to tour with the Monkees in the 1970s and performed into his 70s.

      Jewel Eugene Akens was born Sept. 12, 1933, in Houston, the seventh of nine children in a working-class family. He became interested in music early in life, singing for the church choir as a child.

      In 1950, Akens moved with his family from Texas to Los Angeles, where he graduated from Fremont High School. There, he met his future wife, Eddie Mae, whom he married in 1952.

      Times staff reports, March, 2013

      news.obits@latimes.com

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      • Thanks for that Alys – I always find it amazing when a life intersects with mine [ours] in such a small way but leaves us instantly recognising the voice and singing the chorus – as the article said. He lived a whole life without me ever thinking about him, yet left a mark… isn’t that an amazing thing?

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        • It is amazing, truly. I’m glad you asked about him, because it set me on the path of learning more about him as well.

          I think it would be a challenge to peak so early, but clearly he continued to work and live his life. Good for him.

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  2. Isn’t it odd to think of these people as 90? I thought of James Garner still as the Rockford Files James earlier this week. I get an imagine of them in your head from their heyday and it kind of sticks. Meanwhile they’re aging just like we are. Being immortalized in celluloid is a double edged sword. I also think the same when I see Harrison Ford…he’s actually an old dude now, not the handsome Raider I always picture him as.
    I really had to look at the hummer picture. For some reason I couldn’t see where it’s head was. I thought it was stuck in a berry or something…LOL. Trick of my eyes. I was watching a Bumble Bee while I was trimming my climbing rose. I was nose to nose at one point…buzzy, buzz buzzzzzzzz. I love to watch them hover. Hummers and Bees sort of fly with similar habits now that I think of it. I really love when gardens bramble together, so you last photo is really cute 😀 xoxox

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    • It is odd. I tend to think people look the way they looked the last time *I* saw them. I’m so ego centric!. It’s is weird to think of myself as in my fifties. I thought I would be 30 forever. Ha!

      Yep, poor Harrison Ford is in the hospital (or possibly home now) recovering from a broken leg on set. A set piece fell on him. They worked around him at first, but I heard they may need to put shooting on hiatus till he can rejoin the cast. Crazy, eh?

      I’m so happy to hear you have bees visiting your garden. I always feel complimented when they stop by.

      I like that term ‘bramble together.’ Thank you. xoxo

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      • Oh dear, poor Harrison! I hadn’t heard that. But I don’t see any Hollywood news unless it hits the Canadian National News like Mr Garner passing away. Eeeek, I hope I didn’t Jinx Harrison…Oh bad karma calling an acting icon old. I take it back 😀 You know, I’ve seen him a couple of times on Jay Leno. He seems really grouchy. Like you just asked him to clean the bathroom or something. Maybe he just doesn’t want to do press for his projects? Who knows? But seeing as he’s an actor, he should fake it. Since he accepted an invitation to be there. That’s my ‘non-informed’ thought on it anyways. I always think the that while a host has a responsibility, so does the guest. xoK

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  3. I love all of your garden photographs! I love watching things grow! I am so jealous that I see red tomatoes already in your garden! I wish ours would start turning already as I have my Italian Dressing ready! ❤

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    • Isn’t that a funny picture. The bird is facing away from the camera, then craned his neck all the way back to groom. With the feathers lifted, it’s heard to make out. The red you see is the gorget wrapped around the front of the neck.

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  5. What a great solution Alys. Loved the wonderful closeup pictures of the humming bird and bee. Great song. I had forgot about that one. Catchy little tune. I’m struggling for time to post too. I don’t need a response. You can always just send a smiley face to let us know you liked our comments. 🙂

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    • Thank you, Marlene. I’m realzing that I need to get back to your recent blog for commenting. I got the notification, but couldn’t access it for a few days. Then I found and read it, but was tired and went to bed without commenting. This has been a physically tiring week for me with several, on my feet clients. I’m looking forward to some sitting down time this weekend. Remember those days???

      And thank you for saying you don’t need a response. You are the sweetest. xox

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  6. i loved the photos this week, Alys! The rare pic of a hummingbird at rest, the jubilant sunflowers, and most of all the volunteer tomatoes. This summer has been such a crazy one for me that I made the decision NOT to plant veggies in my potage, but came to find out that my vegetables had other plans entirely. I had no idea that some of them actually could come back as they did, but strangely enough (and gratefully from my perspective) this was in the cards. Therefore, I feel wholly obligated to show up as their caretaker since they showed up to look after my health. What a wonderful gift and a beautiful surprise.
    I learn so much from gardening–the lessons keep popping up from the earth, whether I’m ready for them or not. It’s a little like some of my blogging friends. You have these beautiful and subtle life lessons that touch folks in the most meaningful and surprising ways.
    Cheers

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    • Thank you, Shelley!

      I guess your lovely plot of land is reminding you that once a gardener, always a gardener. By golly, if you’re not going to plant the beds, they’ll plant themselves.

      It is a wonderful gift, and good for you for embracing it, even though it wasn’t in the plans.

      Thanks for your gracious comments and for stopping by today. I’m glad you did.

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  8. You make me laugh and laugh.

    I agree with you 100%. It’s the gracious thing to do.

    As for Mr. Ford, a colleague of mine (another costumer in the day) worked with him on Return of the Jedi. He was a pill! Difficult to work with, sullen and much as you describe. They had to fly down to LA to do his costume fitting, and he wasn’t very nice to the crew. Phooey on him. I didn’t see the Leno interview, but clearly age has not mellowed the man. Let me see if I can find an article.

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