Twilight (hey, we were talking about vampires in another thread, eh 😉)

Robocop

Quote by Cora

Mendalla, as I was reading your post, Frankenstein came to mind. Are you, or anyone else, a fan of that classic novel?

I have read it through maybe 3 times?? Like it and do own an old paper copy as part of a collection of gothic novels but not as fond of it as Dracula. Not sure why vampires appeal to me so much. Besides Dracula, I'm also a fan of Carmilla, the early Anne Rice novels (I found she kind of jumped the shark later on, but Interview With The Vampire and The Vampire Lestat remain favourites), and a few others.

It's a bit of a weird miracle that I don't have any vampire stories written on here. I did write one in my youth but it has vanished into the mists of time and would have needed some serious work anyhow. Much of it was the vampire telling his story to a couple after basically worming his way into their home and lives which, really, I should have put as a flashback. Show don't tell and all that.

Later on, I did toy with a plan to revive it as the prologue to a longer work dealing with the couple's child and the ramifications for her of what happens to them in the story. But that came to nought and not sure I am interested in going there again.

Big anniversary in classical music yesterday. It was the 200th anniversary of the first performance of Symphony No. 9 by Beethoven.

This is a full performance done and livestreamed yesterday for the anniversary. I note that the tenor is Michael Schade with whom I am quite familiar. While born in Switzerland, he was educated here in Canada and is married to a Canadian. Currently based in Vienna, though.

Paint Your Wagon (a Western musical starring Clint Eastwood and Lee Marvin, go figure)

Salsa, though guac is good, too.

Read a novel or read a collection/anthology of short fiction?

Quote by Cora

I started reading Jane Eyre but stopped. I very much enjoy Brontë's writing style, but I know how the book ends. When asked how the book was going I said I had stopped because I know the end. Immediately she said, "How many times have you watched 'Alias?' Three times? You always know how it ends yet you watch it." She had a good point. I think of the book everyday. I think it's one of those things where I just need to force myself to start doing and then I'll get in the swing of reading everyday like I was before. Hopefully that happens soon.

I read The Lord of the Rings probably seven or eight times. Dracula, probably my all time favourite novel, I've lost count (not to mention having seen many of the film versions). The ending is only part of the story. How the author gets you there is sometimes a majority of the fun.

Good morning, folks!

For coffee we've got Kicking Horse 454.

In the teapots, it's English Breakfast and Earl Grey.

Hot water is ready for other beverages.

Cold drinks are good to go.

Later, alligators.

Quote by verbal
A coffee and a cookie would be the bee's knees!

Makes it hard for the bee to walk, doesn't it? 😉

🤣

I discovered Epica not long after I got into metal through Nightwish. The band was founded by Mark Jansen whose first band, After Forever, launched the career of Nightwish lead singer Floor Jansen. Epica similarly launched the career of Floor's friend Simone Simons, who packs similar raw power and musical training, and she remains the band's lead vocalist to this day. Their sound is big and epic, very much in a similar vein to Nightwish though perhaps a bit heavier than NW's recent work.

Today marks a new phase in Simone's career as she launches the debut single of her upcoming solo album. Co-written and produced by Dutch musical wizard (guitarist, songwriter, producer, impresario, and probably some I am forgetting) Arjen Lucassen, with whom Simone has worked on a number of occasions, the debut and album opener "Aeterna" is vintage Simone that wouldn't sound out of place on an Epica (or Arjen's band Ayreon) album. Big, epic symphonic metal that is perfect for her powerful mezzo.

For quick pics and close ups, my phone (Samsung Galaxy S20) does quite well so day-to-day, I use it. For long zooms, I still prefer my Nikon camera (18x optical vs. 3x optical for the phone, digital zoom still doesn't work well for long distances in my experience) so it still comes along on vacations a lot.

WYR have a favourites star's autograph or a selfie with them?

Oo, mine are starting to come out right now.

Juniper

6585 (getting old but still alive!)

Bass - Boss

Hmmm. Could depend on the day of the week, really. Probably gorillas these days.

Big meal at supper/evening or big meal at midday?

Canvas is used for tents.

Hemlock, which could this,

Or this,

Due to the vagaries of how common names get assigned. The former is a lovely evergreen. The latter can kill you if you so much as look at it the wrong way (just ask Socrates).

Moss - Mass

Hey, hey good morning, happy day!!

Throwing on some Fire Roasted Saint Drogo dark roast for the coffee crowd.

For teas, lets go with Scottish Breakfast and Raspberry.

Cold drinks are looking good.

We've got hot water boiled for other teas or hot chocolate.

Sunny here but that's supposed to change as the week wears on, with more variable weather looming.

Quote by WriterGirl

I think chipmunks will end us. They are everywhere. Quietly multiplying underground, then…

Glances suspiciously at the deck planter where one lurks, no doubt drawing up sinister plans

Needed a pick-me-up this afternoon. "Amaranth" by Nightwish, esp. any of the live performances by Floor Jansen, fills the bill handily.

Blooming flowers have many colours.

6582 (let's see animals in the zoo)

Fuschia

Lost - Most

There's some fancy treehouse B&Bs and such so maybe something like that. Not your garden variety backyard treehouse, though.

WYE go to a fancy dress public event (awards show, Met gala, etc.)?

Cook an omelette. Simpler. At least, the omelette guys on my cruises make it look easy. 😊

WYR have cheese or not on an omelette?

Quote by verbal
Crazy night! 75 mph winds came blowing through, all night long. The house was shaking. I went and secured things as best I could at like 4 a.m. and almost blew away! Our front glass door was shattered and we lost 4 sections of fence! Lots of trash and debris in the yard too. Gonna be a long day, clearing the yard and calling insurance and setting up handyman calls. Arg.

Ouch. We had a day of heavy wind a few weeks back but I didn't see any damage of that degree. I've seen a couple fences under repair in the neighbourhood but not sure if that's from the storm or just fences that needed mending to start with. I have a tree that's going to have to come down but its location means its really only a threat to other vegetation and possibly a fence.

Thanks, Cora. I'll see what happens. It's just I have been rather bitchy about the activity level here of late and, yet, not really doing much about it myself given my current state of writing. So I was really hoping to be in this comp for that reason, if nothing else. And seeing that there is still only one entry after two weeks or something like that isn't helping that.

Back to the thread topic.

Mountain biking or mountain hiking?

You know, even after 3 years, I still feel weird saying "son's wife" and "daughter-in-law". Due to circumstances, we weren't at the actual ceremony so that's probably part of it. And part is just realizing he's all growed up, I guess.

Quote by Cora
I'm also very happy you got to see your son via .

And his wife, too!! She doesn't always join our calls but she did for this one (we had some news for them).

Quote by Cora
a local famous ice cream place that also sells candy in rows of large glass bowls

I don't think we have one of those in London. Some of the more touristy places have candy stores with ice cream bars but no place around here does that I know of. Sounds totally yummy and totally dangerous to my blood glucose but, hey, I had a slice of pecan pie for my dinner on Saturday and it didn't kill me. 😊

And a good morning to y'all.

Coffee is Tobermory Flowerpot Island. I've put some English Breakfast and Raspberry Royale in the teapots. Hot water is on to make other teas or hot chocolate. And the cold drink pitchers are washed and refilled with unsweet iced tea and lemonade.

Later, alligators!!