It’s amazing what a little fringe and a Lady Gaga cover can do for a person: witness the miraculous alchemy of Orville Peck’s cover of ‘Born This Way’ just in the nick of time for Pride Month. Peck earns their first Dazzler of the Day with their unique brand of country sparkle and creamy-smooth country vocal prowess.
The flowering maple is not very much like the typical maple tree, starting with its vine-like form and climaxing with this vibrant floral exhibition. The last time I tried one of these, I potted it up and put it on our back patio, but it didn’t do much at first. Not one bloom could be coaxed out of it, but soon it started a long journey upwards, growing about seven feet by the end of the season, without ties or guides: it simply leaned against a pole and did its thing.
Before the first frost arrived, I handed it off to my brother, and his fiancee took a photo of it a few later when it finally deigned to bloom in their sunny living room.
This year I found a specimen already in bloom, and with a number of buds in the works. It’s less red and more orange than the original one I had, and this tinge of salmon is a lovely addition to our backyard. I can’t wait to see how high this one will go and whether it continues such a lovely parade.
His celebratory ‘Boys Who Like Boys’ song just got a fun fan treatment as seen below, and just in time for Pride month. Even better, Eli Lieb has a formidable career as an openly-gay artist, trailblazing the way for many burgeoning acts in his wake. He’s been a Hunk of the Day here previously, and now he gets to add Dazzler of the Day to his already-sparkling curriculum vitae.
June entered the picture and everything was as if we never said goodbye. One of the happiest months of the year (hello soon-to-be-summer, and perhaps sooner than we usually celebrate here) June has always marked the dramatic start to the season of sun. May proved tricker than usual, with a dip in temps and a steady stream of rain, but June turned things back up with a couple of hot and steamy days. This weekend was spent mostly in and around the pool, so let’s get this recap done and then back in the water…
The month of Pride is upon us.
Scandi attic loft: the summer place to be.
White peonies in a white room.
The marvelous words of Bayard Rustin.
Dazzlers of the Day included Ellen DeGeneres, Tim Ferriss, James Falciano, Karine Jean-Pierre and Tom Daley.
“I believe in social dislocation and creative trouble.” ~ Bayard Rustin
“If we desire a society of peace, then we cannot achieve such a society through violence. If we desire a society without discrimination, then we must not discriminate against anyone in the process of building this society. If we desire a society that is democratic, then democracy must become a means as well as an end.” ~ Bayard Rustin
“Let us be enraged about injustice, but let us not be destroyed by it.” ~ Bayard Rustin
“When an individual is protesting society’s refusal to acknowledge his dignity as a human being, his very act of protest confers dignity on him.” ~ Bayard Rustin
“Every indifference to prejudice is suicide because, if I don’t fight all bigotry, bigotry itself will be strengthened and, sooner or later, it will return on me.” ~ Bayard Rustin
His Speedo-clad form has graced this blog numerous times in the past, and as the world gears up for the summer Olympics he’s back in the Speedo again, suited up and ready to dive into his first crowning as Dazzler of the Day. This is Tom Daley and he needs no other introduction thanks to posts like this and this and most especially this. He’s been on competitive fire lately, with his diving partner Matty Lee, and the world waits with breathless anticipation for what the pair will bring to the Olympic pool.
With Pride Month in full swing, and a large number of Pride events happenings as the vaccinated among us move more freely than we have in well over a year, I’m taking a moment to be both serious and silly about this special month. Hence these photos, taken so I could update my social media profiles with something more seasonally gay.
Next weekend is when some of the main Pride events are happening in Boston, including Pride Night at Fenway Park with the Red Sox. More often than not, Skip and I would find ourselves there for such an event, and it always thrilled me to see the rainbow flags flying at Fenway and on the Boston Public Library. While we mostly skirted the big parade (we did it properly once) it was good simply to be in town for such celebratory fun. Boston enjoys an electric-like excitement in June, whether from the residual glow of graduations, or the exuberant arrival of summer, or probably a bit of both – and it’s sort of a glorious finale right before the city seeps into its sleepy summer slumber (which I tend to appreciate even more).
On the serious side, all the rainbows and unicorns and fluffy party scenes mask the heartache of the history that we in the LGBTQ+ community have endured and survived – and it’s worth a moment to recognize and remember the many of us who didn’t make it this far. It’s also worth challenging ourselves in analyzing the privilege and distinctions among intersectional groups and individuals within our widely-varied community. We are making progress, but this is a long journey, and it’s largely in its infancy. Let’s keep going, and growing, and learning.
Summer whispers sweetly on the warm breeze, hinting at its imminent arrival, teasingly coy and elusive – not quite ready to fully announce itself – and all the more enchanting for it. In aqua and turquoise and yellow – shades of sea and shades of sun – a curated collection of bracelets conjures the spirit of the coming season.
In the night air, a little piano piece by Grieg comes and goes, momentarily stealing focus from the background drone of a lawnmower somewhere in the distance. Piano lessons and summer go hand-in-hand, and not without some bit of tension for those of us who never quite practiced enough.
A lavender and coriander scent from Jo Malone, and a bit of ‘Daisy’ by Marc Jacobs round out this little scene, adding elements of summer fragrance both light and fleeting. That’s why summer is so beloved – it never seems to last.
Karine Jean-Pierre is the White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary, and recently became the first Black person in thirty years to hold a press conference in such a capacity. That historic moment was powerful to witness, and every time she holds court in interviews or press events, she gives a lesson in power and grace. (I still remember the way she absolutely held the floor when a heckler approached then-Vice-Presidential nominee Kamala Harris.) She earns her first Dazzler of the Day honor thanks to her work as activist, political commentator, and author.
Lee Bailey once remarked that June is all about the roses, and that certainly seems to be the case this year, as around every corner there seems to be another bush aflame with flowers. We only have a Rosa rugosa in the garden right now, and it has not yet sent up any buds – hopefully they will be arriving later in the summer – the closest we may get to the beach for some time.
Other than that, we will have to find our rose fixes in public spaces, and they are happily and largely available if you look in the right places.
For me, the best part of a rose is the perfume. Not all roses have a scent, but the very best do, and it pervades and intoxicates like no other fragrance I’ve ever experienced. I love the hints of it in ‘Portrait of a Lady‘ or ‘Oud Fleur‘ or ‘Rose & Cuir‘. It’s still best straight from the blossom, on sunny summer days, and too soon gone with a breeze.
A simple bouquet of three white peony blooms makes for a magnificent scene in the attic loft. All this bright white and lack of distracting colors lends a harmonious peace and tranquility to the space, and it is precisely what we need during this late-spring episode of Mercury in retrograde motion. On a Friday night, when the world is about to get hot-hot-hot, and the work week takes its momentary leave, I sit in the light and pause to take it all in, with mindfulness and a little moment of meditation.
I don’t recall the name of this particular white peony; the ‘Festiva Maxima’ variety, which I had as my wedding bouquet, contains flecks of bright fuchsia, and comes into bloom any day now. This plant is more delicate, with a sweeter perfume and smaller blooms. Each carries its own charm, and every peony has its own unique magic.
Queer artist James Falciano ticks off all the boxes of inspiration, and for such an impressive body of work the Dazzler of the Day seems tailor-made to honor them. With an exquisitely enchanting website to showcase their art, it seems wise to direct visitors there, while quoting from the formidable ‘About’ section:
James Falciano is a Brooklyn based illustrator. They received a BFA in Visual Arts with a concentration in Painting from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University in 2011. Their minor was Art History. James has exhibited drawings and paintings in various venues throughout New York City, as well as exhibiting internationally for the first time in 2016 in Tokyo, Japan. In 2018, their work was included in Metrosource Magazine’s Pride themed charity event to benefit the Ali Forney Center, which was held at the top of the WTC observatory in lower Manhattan. Their work may be found in a variety of public and private collections, including a branch of the New York Public Library located in the West Village.
Currently James’ work is centered on exploring and celebrating Queer identity, sexuality and expression. It has been extremely important for James to create work that celebrates their community and speaks to who they are as a person and an artist. In addition to their own personal works, James has worked on commissioned portraits, promotional posters for nightlife entertainers, album covers and ad campaigns – most notably a partnership with OraQuick, makers of the first over the counter self-administered HIV test. James has been profiled in a variety of publications, including the Huffington Post, Frontrunner Magazine, Queerty, Out Magazine and Bustle.
One of my favorite flowers – the peony – has been in bloom for the past week, right on Memorial Day weekend schedule. Last year, after almost two decades of leaving them undisturbed, it was finally time to divide the plants in our front garden, which was more of an arduous undertaking that I anticipated. Part of me is still slow to realize just how long we’ve been at our home, and all those plants I put in those first few years are now almost twenty years old. For some, it’s a glorious sight to behold – such as the 30-foot tall climbing hydrangea. For others, they are but a memory – such as the failed lady’s slipper orchid that I purchased at a criminally-high price-point, and which died after two seasons, despite my care and coddling in watering it with de-chlorinated water.
The peonies in the front yard proved stalwart and reliable performers, blooming just as we were usually in Ogunquit for Memorial Day weekend. The past few years, we’ve been home to watch them burst open, peppering the space with their gloriously spicy perfume. Lately, however, I’ve noticed a decline in their blooms, a tell-tale sign that they were ready to be divided and reinvigorated.
The best time to do this is late summer – around August, when it’s still warm and there is time for them to settle in and fortify their tubers. I chose a hot sunny day for this, to allow the tubers to air out and dry a bit, helping to prevent rot. It was more difficult than I expected – after 20 years their tubers had grown into substantial mounds, more akin to sweet potatoes than thin roots – and they were wound inextricably into each other, making for a tough process of separating and thinning them.
Eventually, I managed to carefully whack my way through (if one can be careful in one’s whacking), turning three unruly bushes into six smaller specimens. I generously amended the soil with loads of well-aged manure, mulched the surrounding area, and watered them in well. As summer lingered, I made sure they were well-watered through September – I tend to forget about the importance of watering into fall, but to give them the best possible chance for surviving the winter, greater care was exerted, and the results are paying off.
While a few are taking this year off as far as blooms go (which often happens when you divide or move a peony) most are sending up buds, starting with these old-fashioned beauties. Peony season has returned, and with it a sense of hope and happiness pervades from their sweet perfume.
“We don’t come out for heterosexual people to know. We don’t come out for the ones who hate us to know. We shout and make as much noise as possible just so other people like us who are scared and can’t be themselves would know that they are not a mistake and they are not alone.” – Artem Kolesov
Full-disclosure: I first happened upon the brilliance of Tim Ferriss while researching the easiest ways to get my ass in shape. When swinging around a kettle bell proved meddlesome and monotonous for my charmed goals of exerting myself as little as possible, it was his knowledge and inspirational way around a phrase or explanation that kept me following him. Today he earns his first Dazzler of the Day honor thanks to his ongoing quest of educating and inspiring and simply becoming something better – check out his link tree for all his current endeavors.
