“In the night time (Night tiiiiimmme) oh baby that’s the right time…”

Try as I might, I cannot figure out which 80’s relic that catchy little bit originates from, and so I’m left leaving it out of this post. Instead, feast your eyes upon the pool at night, where and when so much summer magic and splendor occurs. We are lucky to have it open already, to make up for last year’s sucky season. Jump in and join the party… 

One of the best ground-covers if you want a touch of blue/purple majesty at this time of the year is Ajuga, commonly known as bugleweed. The weed part is apt for its aggressive tendency, something typically valued in a ground-cover. I appreciate it best up-close and contained, so I allow other gardeners to grow it, then admire it away from my limited yard, which doesn’t have the space for such rampant behavior. 

A little post for a little plant with a lot of spreading power. Saturdays that show promise should be that way. 

Andy opened the pool this past week and quickly brought the temperature up to the 80’s. It turns out that I need it there, despite my best intentions. On the first day, it rose to 74 degrees, and that sounded doable. I’d been working in the garden and the sun – and it was basically he first day I’ve had such sun exposure this year. In the excitement and work of trying to wrestle an unruly clump of Fountain grass into submission, rather unsuccessfully at that, I felt dizzy and shaky and overheated, so I thought a quick dip in 74 degree water would be ideal, just like I used to do as a kid. 

I made it to my waist, and then realized that my tolerance as an adult apparently begins at about 80 degrees. I got out, dried my lower half off, and waited until it got into the 80’s, at which point I jumped in and enjoyed the first swim of the season. 

JoAnn has scheduled her first visit with us since COVID began for this July, and this is the start of the coming summer season. It felt good to give in to some hope, and to indulge in some planning for the future. That’s been the saddest part of this pandemic – not being able to plan for the future. We are taking tentative steps to finding that joy again, and that begins simply with a dip in the pool. 

These buds were just opening in the Boston Public Garden when we were last there, but they hadn’t advanced to the point where I could recognize the tree. It didn’t matter – it wasn’t the name or variety that so enchanted and inspired me – it was the sense of freshness that signifies spring at its best moments. It was that essence of being new, of starting all over again, that felt magical. This year, more than most, I feel the tug of such a moment, when so many of us just want a fresh beginning. If 2020 taught me anything, it was that nothing stays the same forever, no matter how good or bad it might have been. There was something very scary and powerful about that realization, and I’ve carried it with me with a certain weary resignation, couple with a certain fortitude. The rose and the thorn – and without one the other is missing something. 

In honor of this evening’s premiere of ‘The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’ the Dazzler of the Day is Andy Cohen. Anyone who can herd a breed like the Real Housewives is nothing short of a hero in my eyes, and anyone who has carved such a consistently-stellar career in the entertainment business is practically miracle worker. Cohen has also written a few indelible books that are as entertaining as his on-screen persona – ‘Most Talkative‘ and ‘The Andy Cohen Diaries‘. During the pandemic, he successfully transferred ‘Watch What Happens Live’ to his own home and it proved just as enduring and laugh-inducing, becoming the must-see night-time appointment when others floundered and struggled to find their way. His endearing friendship with Anderson Cooper has also proven to be something genuine and dear in an industry where that is all too infrequent and rare. 

From Tom Ford’s ‘Lavender Palm’ to the Beekman Boys latest whipped body cream, lavender has been a favorite scent in these parts, particularly when summer comes streaming in through the sun-filled days. This year I planted a number of new lavender plants near the pool, where the heat stays close to the concrete, and the silvery foliage soaks it all in. The bonus is the scent that arises when one brushes past the leaves and flowers. 

That scent finds its way into just about everything these days, and not all of it is done well. Like my friend JoAnn, I’m very particular about the lavender products that find their way into our home. Only the true lavender scent – simple, not too sweet or cloying, with just a hint of the medicinal – is what we seek. Far too often products contain vanilla or some other addition that mars the rustic essence of true lavender. When done right, however, it is a fragrance that signifies peace and relaxation – and is usually used to bring about better sleep. 

In these photos, a lavender candle burns in our attic loft in the midst of a minor make-over for the space, lending positive vibrations for a summer on the distant horizon. 

These perky pansy faces cheered me up on a recent spring day.

May they do the same for you. 

This was the week we finally moved into a proper spring weather pattern, with the sun appearing and warming things up a bit. It was also the week we celebrated our 10th and 11th anniversaries in Boston, and then a few days later opened the pool for the season. And with an unexpected burst of energy, courtesy of all that Vitamin D, I re-painted the attic to continue my little update of that long-neglected space. It’s almost there. On with the recap…

The Maidenhair fern began its seasonal show. 

Vaxxed & masked.

The valley of perfume.

Lilacs come lately. 

A delicate fucking flower.

Cherry blossom poetry.

Instafloral glory.

An upcoming stay at the Mandarin Oriental Boston.

Our Boston wedding anniversary recap: Part One, Part Two, Part Three and Part Four.

Dazzlers of the Day included Lea Salonga and Eddie Robinson.