birthday meals with loved ones in May!

maritime day



jalapenos w bfe



boo cooter joyce at Bonefish



bananas and scott and willie at fan fest




kevin at Sakura



tony laura noah elvis at Applebee's



dawn at the King & I


jason's deli, solo

still in love with josephine baker

One of the tunes on "T's Happy Songs" sounds like it should
be a downer, about a love never meant to be.
"I'm in love with Josephine Baker", the young man sings,
"there's a problem, she's twenty years dead."
I absolutely love that song by Fossil!
That's why it's on the CD my ex made for me years ago.
(smile)

I was the first to recognize "Josephine Baker"
at the top of the stairs!
In fact, I identified the character before
I did the person in the costume!
Of course I had to remind Cree Rogers about
General Sherman's show at Muse Arts -
such a while that I've enjoyed her acting!
I'm so glad she's at the ball park now!

She was not the only actor in the house, either.
Each Banana of this year's bunch was incognito in the stands until time to take the field.
When his name was announced, the player would rise, releasing a golden cloud of glitter as he removed his disguise and headed to his station.
Absolutely magnificent bit of magic!!!

And then came Bruce!
When I first spotted this Original Man-Nana with
his Dad-Bod and cheerleader skirt, the bouncing
black curls threw me off...
but not those laughing eyes!
I'd recognize them anywhere!
He wasn't the only Man-Nana running around, but
he sure was the most adorable!

Mister Willie was there, too, naturally.
Tonight, for this first sold-out crowd at Grayson Stadium, the man in the yellow tux had stood on the field and showed his appreciation to Willie for being such a faithful fan of baseball, in that house, since the 1940's.
How wonderful to have him be so appreciated!

Just who was that young man looking up at him?
That's my nephew Noah, here for part of the summer heat in Savannah!
He had made sure to be sporting his Banana gear!

Noah and Willie had been chatting about baseball
before the game, with him learning about Willie's
son, the MLB pitcher, and finding him online.
Pretty cool beans, right?
Then, during the game, Noah would even let loose
with a cheer now and then!
Hey, he really had to if he was going to sit
between me and Willie!

Not that my friend Scott ever felt inclined to clap along with a beat or yell out for a "hit, hit, hit!"
In fact, after our third-base coach had waved in two Bananas to their death at home plate, in less than a minute's time, Scott literally washed his hands of them and went in search of fries.
Seriously! It was quite funny to me!

Nonetheless, Scott's 26 rules of watching a game
did not seem to affect how this one against the
Macon Bacon finished up.
It was the bottom of the ninth...
score tied, with a man on third...

C-R-A-C-K! went the bat, sending the white orb
with its 108 stitches flying into the field!
And the man crossed home plate!!!
Tying run scored!!!

The Savannah Bananas win on opening night!!!
Final score: 4 to 3.
I'm so glad I was here for this post-birthday60+1
delight, with my newest nephew and oldest friend
and favorite Eagle Scout!
(smile!)

touching all the right bases before home

Almost felt like I was dining
at a cafe al fresco!
This is where my birthday begins
each year:
at Roly Poly of Savannah, on
Barnard Street.

The next part of my tradition involves taking in some art.
This time, I began at the Telfair Academy's basement.
"Dying Gaul" provided this interesting face and shoulders.
I do like shoulders on men... and tousled curls of hair!
(smile)

With "Laocoon and His Sons" there were plenty of shoulders!
I like the long hair and the beard on the older guy.
Nice thighs and calves on him, too.
Perhaps a bit of hair on his chest would have been nice,
but I could understand that might be difficult to sculpt.
(smile)

I decided to follow Dr. Frank N. Furter's example and 'build' a man for me in this basement!
Now, I was looking for some tush, as ZZ Top would say!
I found it, too, with "Hermes, Belvedere" - such a very fine derriere that I found it difficult not to cup those cheeks and run my hands up that smooth back to those strong shoulders!
(smile)

Time to shift to more serene thoughts on this ultra-hot day!
Up I went, from the basement to the half-floor up from the lobby,
to visit "A Belle of 1810", my favorite painting.
Was she contemplating her birthday as she gazed into the mirror?
Perhaps so... or maybe the sheen of her satin gown.
(smile)

Done with the Telfair, out I ventured into the square that bears its name.
I sat for a few moments, taking in the beauty of the sunlit ancient oaks and the crisp blue sky of Nature's museum.
"I think that I shall never see a poem as lovely as a tree."
Yes, that is still one of this Savannah girl's favorites.

First stop in the Jepson was on the third floor, taking the time to smell the "katniss" at the top.
(Yes, that's my Elvis bag marking my place in this 'selfie'.)
My destination was to the right, for an exhibit I had somehow missed and was soon to leave.

The works of Jaume Plensa were in a dimly lit space, with the nineteen stainless steel structures suspended above the floor.
The lighting allowed a lacy shadow under each, begging the question: were the shadows a deliberate part of the display or a artifacts?

"Talking Continents" provided a cool, reflective site to consider the many languages represented and the art of communication as a tool which can separate, but can also unite.
Then I had glanced in this direction and seen the bright colors of the outside world beckoning.
Time to rescue my car!

But the museum had one last scene to tantalize me.
Why not go fly a kite on this lovely late-spring day?
Alas, I had not yet put my kite back into my car, so that would have to wait for some other time.

Mother Earth persisted.
At Greenwich Cemetery, a near-constant breeze off Bull River kept the flags a-flutter.
Again I felt a tug to loft a bit of man-made flyer into the blue -
I truly must place my kite back into my car!

Today, though, the emphasis was on visiting Mama, tidying up, placing new markers for myself and my three brothers.
As I prepared to take my leave, I found the stars!
Inspired, I snapped this, sporting the heart-shaped key ring she'd given me on my 19th birthday.
I'm so blessed to still have that piece of everyday art!

The next stop?
Well, my traditional birthday visits were now done.
Time to hit the Food Lion - RAWR! - for milk and eggs...
and ice cream!
With blueberries, even plain vanilla becomes something special!
What a lovely afternoon treat!

banana-rama-ding-dong birthday!

Here's me and Scott, walking through the gate, ready for my birthday60+1 party!
Oh, wait, I meant to say we were there for the Savannah Bananas' Fan Fest at Grayson Stadium...
but, hey, we all know the real deal!
Why else would we have been videoed as we entered?
Check the tape at 14:51 - that's us!

Mere moments later, my favorite Eagle Scout snapped this photograph of me and Split.
Little did any of us know that Jesse Cole had photo-bombed us!
That yellow tux doesn't even slow the man down, not one whit!

The Bananas Band was out there on the apron,
in force, to welcome us to the party.
Thanks, y'all!
"That's the way, uh huh, uh huh,
I like it, uh huh, uh huh!"
Nothing like a little KC & The Sunshine Band
to set the beat!
Made me feel like a teen again!

This new bunch of Bananas was out there, too,
as a welcoming committee.
Too bad they were facing the wrong direction
to see me on that yellow carpet...
or were they purposely standing like that so
I could admire their fine shoulders and tushes?
That could be, that could be!

Great Scott!
No, seriously... Scott is such
a great guy!
He was sure to be there early
so he could get maximum time
with me!
What a sweetheart, even if he
does look like he's my bodyguard
with those dark shades!

That photo of him was taken right after we had bopped down for another hotdog, after my interview.
Yes, that's what I said: my interview!!!
Margie was one of the two Banana staffers reporting, via live feed, on the goings on there today.
Yes, that means my interview was live on that feed!

I can assure you that she had no idea who I was when she asked if she could interview me - but she sure found out!
I talked about my birthday!
I talked about loving all the yellow!
And I talked about a hot dog at the ball park being better than a steak at the best restaurant.
(Humphrey Bogart first said that!)

She didn't quite buy that line about the hot dog, but she certainly had fun talking to me and I had a blast talking to her!
Where was Scott during all of this?
He'd moved three rows and an aisle over, to make sure he'd be out of camera range.
He did enjoy watching the two of us have fun, though!

As I said, we'd bounced back downstairs to fetch new hot dogs and see how Mister Willie was doing.
He was just fine, thank you very much, and having a little interview of his own!

And when we'd finally made it back up the stairs again, I talked Willie into taking a seat at a lower level.
Fortunately, a dear friend of his was waiting to surprise him: Bruce Revis!
I would recognize that smile of his anywhere!
What a great surprise for Willie!
Plus, Bruce had reserved Willie's seat for him, so their next stop was up that flight of stairs!

We all sat for a spell after that, taking in
the smell of the green grass, smelling that
summer air, listening to the sweet music of
wooden bats smacking leather balls -
oh, life is so good!

Then, we were every one us allowed to go into the locker room!!!
How very cool that every player's space was marked with bright signs!
The entire area seemed light and airy, not cramped like in the movies.

Scott paused to take a photo of their game day rules, pledging to incorporate them into his own set.
I, of course, took a photo of him taking a photo.
(smile)

And then...?
Then we came up out of that locker room toward the field, just as the Bananas do on game nights, and right up into their dugout!
What a thrill that was!!!
We even sat on the bench for a few minutes!

Time to walk around the bases, being sure to plant a foot firmly on each one before proceeding to the next, just as I had done at the Field of Dreams!
It was so nice to have Scott beside me for this rounding of the bases!
We had walked out to the Green Wall, where I took this shot while my bare feet enjoyed the cool bounce of the turf.

We took the long way back to the concourse,
making a detour to the Banana Stand.
That's where I - and he, too! - received a parting gift that we can enjoy all summer: a bottomless soda cup, courtesy of Enmark!
I love the four photos on it!
The ball park, a Banana batting, a Banana pitching, and a Banana catching - very nice!

Thanks, y'all, for the party!
Thanks, Scott, for your ever-delightful company!
Thanks, Berry Aldridge and Darius Jackson, for helping with Mister Willie!
Time to take him home and take my leave.
What a wonderful birthday celebration!
i thank You, God.

garden delights, peter pan, and aladdin

These were the flowers I had come to see on this hot day!
Oak leaf hydrangeas, they're called, and quite aptly so.
The huge leaves, each at least a foot long, are shaped exactly like those on oaks - just much larger!
They reside in the garden of Mary and Pat Prokop, in the back left section now.

I've become rather fond of these flowers, too.
They look to be on stalks, but that's an illusion.
Actually, gloriosa lilies grow on vines, so they need a trellis or they sprawl along the ground.
Pat told me they're very easy to grow...
so maybe I'll give them a try with my brown thumb!

This dahlia is quite gorgeous, even though it was
wilting a little in the day's heat.
Notice there are two varieties: this lighter, lilac
version, and then the much darker purple of those
in the background.

To my surprise, this crazy little pinwheel affair
is also a dahlia!
I would never have guessed that.
I'm accustomed to that flora genus being
more lushly petaled than this.

This annual event at the home of these fellow Asburians is mostly for folks to enjoy the great variety of lilies.
As well as the gloriosa variety, they also have:
soft summer nights, a cool heart amid pale pink ruffles;
over joyed, boasting a crimson edged in golden fringe;
splash of stardust, with its tiers of frothy salmon;
and firefly frenzy, which resembled bright yellow dragonflies darting about.
Plus, there are the many unnamed varieties that they

have created via cross-pollination.
I learned all this, and more, because I had the time to
sit and visit with them.
I was the only visitor in the afternoon, so we sat and
listened to the burble of the fountain and we talked...
about solar panels and 1970's thoughts about energy...
about shallow wells and blue clay caps...
about hurricane Matthew and their home in Michigan...
but, mostly, we talked about flowers.
I'm glad I was there to start my day!

In fact, I was there for nearly two hours.
I needed to adjust my travel plans and take a lunch
break instead - and I knew where I wanted to go.
I still had a Chili's gift card with three bucks on it.
This shrimp Caribbean salad was just the cool treat on
this ultra-hot day... and the gift card "savings" amply
covered the tip for Gypsy's superb service!

Now, to bounce out to the eastside of town!
Destination: the Savannah Children's Theatre.
It seems like forever since I've been there,
what with one thing or another keeping me away.
Actually, my last time there was last year.
Definitely time to for a visit!

I had been looking forward to this play and had initially planned to see it tomorrow, but I just couldn't wait!
"Peter Pan" drew me in, fairy dust and all!
Plus, I just love the songs in it...
oh! and the dancing! and the flying!
and the antics of Captain Hook!
What a delicious treat to beat the heat!
(smile)

Next up was a new event... or so I thought.
Not that UnderGo is not new - this is only the second year
existence of this outdoor local-groups-only music festival.
However, this was the first time I went to it, only I didn't.
This is Sue Gorecki's photo, from her venture there earlier.
By the time I arrived after five, everyone seemed to be on break, including the artists, both musical and visual.
Back to home to chill out, so to speak!

That is, until Barbara and Carolyn and Sandy
answered my call to a movie!
It must have been all the Bollywood in our
blood that drew us toward this desert adventure!
"Aladdin" was all that I could have hoped for...
and so much more!
Musical? You bet, with a baker's dozen sung!
Dancing? Yes, hallelujah, with skirts and scarves
and heels flying all around!
Romance? Not just one, but two tales of love!
Comedy? Most certainly, and a bit of intrigue, too!
And the colors... oh, my, the lush use of colors!
Not only with the clothing, but with the cast!
There was even one "white" man in the mix, played nicely as a comic foil.
Good for Disney for truly going international!
I'll be back again for this one.
Methinks we all will be!
(smile)