Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

JFC, are there no editors left at that goddamn rag?

“Why isn’t this Snickers bar only a nickel?”

Take hopelessness and turn it into resilience.

People are weird.

Donald Trump, welcome to your everything, everywhere, all at once.

We are builders in a constant struggle with destroyers. let’s win this.

Impressively dumb. Congratulations.

Can we lighten up on the doomsday scenarios?

Putin must be throwing ketchup at the walls.

It’s pointless to bring up problems that can only be solved with a time machine.

“Joe Biden deserved better than he got from some folks in his own party.”

GOP baffled that ‘we don’t care if you die’ is not a winning slogan.

Ron DeSantis, the grand wizard, oops, governor of FL.

Never entrust democracy to any process that requires republicans to act in good faith.

Speaking of republicans, is there a way for a political party to declare intellectual bankruptcy?

Bogus polls are all they’ve got left. Let’s bury these fuckers at the polls a year from now.

Republicans don’t trust women.

The poor and middle-class pay taxes, the rich pay accountants, the wealthy pay politicians.

Too often we hand the biggest microphones to the cynics and the critics who delight in declaring failure.

Whatever happens next week, the fight doesn’t end.

Narcissists are always shocked to discover other people have agency.

When I decide to be condescending, you won’t have to dream up a fantasy about it.

Elections aren’t won by handwringing, cowering, and/or bashing your own candidates.

Give the craziest people you know everything they want and hope they don’t ask for more? Great plan.

You are here: Home / Nature & Respite / Saturday Late Afternoon Respite

Saturday Late Afternoon Respite

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Raining here and I did what gardening I could in the rain. Now I’m going to watch old movies and ignore the rest of the world.

From my garden (there is much more here)

What are you up to this late afternoon/early evening?

Open thread

ETA: Later today or tomorrow I should have Scout’s six month photos done and some of Bixby, who is feeling much better.

Reader Interactions

152Comments

  1. 1.

    Shell

    Baking some bread. Its gray, rainy here as well and downright cold. Seems like a good day to have the oven on. Think Ill stick a few potatoes in there as well.

  2. 2.

    JPL

    Next Friday I plan on grilling steak and fish for tacos. What’s a good fruit salad to have with it.

  4. 4.

    TaMara (HFG)

    Now you are all making me hungry.

    Question: Anyone know how to get a wisteria to bloom? She’s more than five years old, which I think is old enough, but so far, no sign of blooming.

  5. 5.

    debbie

    I love irises! I have a “Tour of the Irises” route through my neighborhood where I pass by yards with white, orange, dusty rose, and all shades of purple irises.

  6. 6.

    Yarrow

    Thinking about going to the gym. Not sure I’ve got the energy.

    I brought scones, clotted cream and various jams to my event this morning and they were a big hit. Someone said I should have brought tiaras. LOL. I’d actually thought about it but not until yesterday and I knew by then they’d be hard to find.

  8. 8.

    Amir Khalid

    Dealing with diarrhoea, alas. My alimentary canal, it seems, can no longer cope with heavy traffic.

  9. 9.

    raven

    My stepmom spent way too much money (again) shipping a big box of grapefruit from her backyard tree in Phoenix so I’m grilling chicken thighs and will throw them together in a spinach salad. I mentioned this morning that my bride had her work retirement gathering yesterday and it was quite an event. She was lauded by folks from all over Georgia for her efforts in breastfeeding and WIC programs. She gave a nice speech and now is exhausted after 28 years of the work.

  10. 10.

    Steeplejack

    @JPL:

    Do something dangerously cl0se to a chutney, maybe with mangos. I think Patti Jinich has something in that vein. I’ll check the archives.

  12. 12.

    Steeplejack

    @khead:

    I’m sort of liking the rain (here in VoVA). It has kept things cool (high 60s), and I think we need the water. I have had the windows open a good bit to let in fresh air, but occasionally I have to close them and run the A.C. to dry out the humidity.

    Plus I put new blades on my car’s windshield wipers, and I am ridiculously pleased with how well they work.

  16. 16.

    Amir Khalid

    @Baud:
    I don’t think it’s that bad this time. I’ve had it worse and I prefer not to skip fasting unless that’s the medical advice.

  17. 17.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    Spent the morning watching the wedding then doing some laundry and taking advantage of the beautiful weather and hanging it outside. Tomorrow we are going to drive up to Coniston Water and hang out around the lake’s edge. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coniston_Water And please don’t ask me why it is called Coniston Water instead of Lake Coniston because I have no idea whatsoever. DH and I have (almost) quit smoking, which has been helped by the use of e-cigs which the health officials over here have now endorsed as a great way to quit. I must admit that the first cig of the morning and one after a meal are hard to give up but we are trying hard and so far so good. My strength is growing daily as we are walking more often, walked 2 miles on Thursday along the River Lune (I sent Alain pictures, hopefully he got them). I could not even have contemplated walking a couple of hundred yards a year ago when I left the US. Moving back to the UK was the best decision I was forced to make.

  20. 20.

    Planetpundit

    Lilacs are the reward for surviving another winter. Beautiful photos. thx

  23. 23.

    Suburban Mom

    @Steeplejack: I’m thinking papaya, pineapple, and watermelon cut in chunks and tossed with a squeeze of lime, fresh mint and maybe just a sprinkle of salt.

  27. 27.

    Shell

    Spent the morning watching the wedding t

    Considering usual English weather they certainly lucked out. Cloudless blue skies.

  28. 28.

    Mingobat (f/k/a Karen in GA)

    Playing the Gibson SG my husband got for me as an early birthday gift, and hoping the news media attention us photography students are attracting will pressure the technical college board to keep our program intact. It can’t help the school’s case that disabled vets with PTSD found the program therapeutic and are livid that it’s been yanked out from under them.

    Raven, I think we may have gotten the attention of the Athens Banner-Herald.

    Also Raven, congrats to your bride on 28 years of valuable work well done.

  29. 29.

    Lapassionara

    @JPL: Mangos, pineapple, and if there is any good melon, add it. Put in fresh mint leaves, snipped, lime juice, and feta, crumbled.

  33. 33.

    Jeffro

    I am watching the replay of the royal wedding on MSNBC …well done, Harry and Meghan!

  35. 35.

    feebog

    I’m getting ready for our annual Citrus Sunday event. Many areas in the North San Fernando Valley still have remnants of fruit orchards planted a century ago. Our Neighborhood Councils coordinate to collect fresh citrus foods for distribution to food banks around the valley. I picked up boxes from our Councilman’s office yesterday, dropped some off at a local temple that is participating. Also went to our storage locker and got everything we will need loaded up. Just finished picking 120 pounds of Valencia oranges from my backyard. We use it as part of our set up and display. Now I’m going to put some ice on my knee because it is screaming at me to stop, and do a little light reading.

  44. 44.

    HinTN

    Sitting in the yard with single malt and birdsong. The salad is made, as is Mrs H’S take on Mindy’s famous chicken dip. Waiting on our friend to arrive.

  47. 47.

    frosty fred

    @HinTN: I haven’t had wistaria since I’ve been in California (decades) but they can take longer than seems reasonable to start blooming. If memory serves (and it doesn’t always, lately) heading back those long shoots with the long internodes can help.

  48. 48.

    Schlemazel

    @JPL:
    I make a mango salsa that goes great with fish tacos. I can scrunge the recipe up if you don’t want to wing it

  50. 50.

    Schlemazel

    @TaMara (HFG):
    I finally ripped my wisteria out because it refused to bloom. The plants were more than 5 years old and never even budded out. A huge disappointment because I love the flowers.

  51. 51.

    HinTN

    @Litlebritdifrnt: Just fucking quit. Call me when you want one and I’ll talk you down.

    ETA: Yes, it’s hard. My touchstones were: after a good meal, after a drink, after the first cup of coffee, after LSD. You can do this!

  54. 54.

    Luthe

    I was already willing to sell an internal organ to get the power back on, but as the temperature in the house (60F) is quickly approaching the temperature outside (55F), I am upgrading that class of organ from ‘spleen’ to ‘kidney.’

    (I have not had power since Tuesday night and my housemates left for Africa on Thursday, leaving me in charge of packing the fridge with ice, feeding the cats, and apparently, freezing my ass off. Eversource is claiming power will be back around noon tomorrow, which is 18 hours longer than I would like to wait.)

  55. 55.

    Steeplejack

    @raven:

    Congratulations to your bride!

    I did laugh, though, because “now is exhausted after 28 years of the work” conjured up a fleeting image of someone actually doing the breastfeeding for 28 years.

  56. 56.

    Schlemazel

    @Baud:
    A large minority of my dad’s family is Catholic and I used to marvel at the number of excuses they could find for eating meat on Fridays back in the days it was not ‘allowed’. My kids have worked with a variety of Muslim believers and my impression was that none of them ever ‘cheated’ on Ramadan obligations. That may have been because they were first generation but I always admired the dedication and also that the kids sid when they broke fast they would insist that everyone have food with them.

  59. 59.

    Schlemazel

    @JPL:
    you can cut the sweet in a mango salsa by using red onion, avocado and cilantro along with peppers. I have never tried it but I bet you could do something similar with watermelon although I would cut back on the red onion (or use a yellow) as the melon flavor is milder & wouldn’t stand up to a red onion.

  61. 61.

    Schlemazel

    @feebog:
    DOes that mean we can count you as another American not willing to pick fruit for a living?

    Seriously though, that is a great thing to be doing, thanks.

  63. 63.

    Schlemazel

    @raven:
    One of the real pleasures of our time in FLorida was fresh pink grapefruit right from the orchard. So sweet & tart.

    Congratulations to the Mrs for doing good while doing well!

  64. 64.

    Mnemosyne

    I made G find the royal wedding on YouTube and we’re watching it now. I had not realized from the arrival photos that the queen and Meghan’s mother wore the same color (though her mom was wearing a lighter shade). That was a nice touch.

  65. 65.

    Shell

    Watermelon salad with tomato and bacon.

    I know everythings better with bacon but hmmm…

  67. 67.

    Luthe

    @Schlemazel: Fun fact: the Catholic Church classifies capybaras as fish in response to the question of whether they can be eaten on Fridays during Lent. So next time you’re in South America, enjoy your capybara!

  70. 70.

    JPL

    Thank you all for the ideas. I plan on doing a black bean and corn salad also, and the fruit salad will add more interest.

    Congrats, To Raven’s princess on her retirement.

  71. 71.

    efgoldman

    @Steeplejack:

    I’m sort of liking the rain (here in VoVA). It has kept things cool (high 60s), and I think we need the water.

    Daughter says the timing of the deluges seems personal. Every time she goes out (to the bus stop, leaving rehearsal at night) she and 5/9 of grandson gets drenched

  72. 72.

    Miss Bianca

    We just got a ton of hail, which hit right as I was getting out of play practice. Am now nursing a peach cider, listening to Watson hopefully rattling an empty food bowl round, and wishing I were watching the Preakness!

  74. 74.

    Schlemazel

    @Luthe:
    There is an Ecuadorian place in Minneapolis that will serve cuy* upon request. I have not asked for it yet but I admit a curiosity about the meat.

    *Not capybara but guinea pig – but your comment made me think of it

  75. 75.

    Luthe

    The assholes at the power company just changed the estimated restoration time to midnight on Monday. I am not amused.

  77. 77.

    Mnemosyne

    @Raven:

    I know, I didnt expect that after seeing the photos.

    Harry keeps crying, which is also adorable. People were saying that Elton John was making weird faces, but I’m pretty sure he was trying not to cry.

  78. 78.

    Steeplejack

    @efgoldman:

    I sympathize with your daughter about the bus stop. I put in six dreadful years with no car working at Barnes & Noble, and the bus stop near my apartment had no shelter. (Although they did erect one right after I got a car, quit B&N and moved to a different apartment. Thanks, WMATA!) So I was out and exposed in all sorts of heinous weather. One time it rained so hard that it killed my cell phone, even though it was in an inner pocket under a jacket (and I had an umbrella deployed!).

    But now, with no regular job and no need to go out every day, I can enjoy all the different weather much more.

  79. 79.

    Ceci n est pas mon nym

    Just saw 2/3 of the Avengers movie. A strange guy entered the theater via the fire door (sounds a lot like an earlier theater shooting doesn’t it?). Some of this we put together talking with people after the evacuation. First we know of something serious happening is when everyone in the front of the theater is standing up and walking out, without a word or signal we’d heard.

    15 minutes later the Philly cops still hadn’t arrived, most of the people were back in the theater, and the guy was being detained, apparently peacefully, by theater management at the front counter.

    The combination of no police response and the guy still being there made my wife too nervous to enjoy a movie she was just kind of tolerating anyway, so we took a rain check and left.

  84. 84.

    Mnemosyne

    @debbie:

    Harry and Meghan could be more relaxed about it than William and Kate because, barring a horrific disaster, they’re never going to be king and queen, so the protocol isn’t as strict.

    Plus I suspect the queen was like, Well, since you’re breaking a bunch of other precedents anyway …

  86. 86.

    Yarrow

    For anyone who likes their fruit with a little heat, I wanted to mention Penzey’s Pico Fruta. Just sprinkle it on top of fresh fruit. Adds a bit of flavor and a touch of heat. Yum.

  87. 87.

    trollhattan

    Busy uploading pics from today’s Amgen Tour of California stages (bicycle racing to you noobs). I NEVER know at the time whether any are worth having, as they go past so very fast. Tough sport to shoot. But a chamber of commerce day, just gorgeous and the heat has not decided to crank itself up yet. Should be pulling weeds but…meh.

  92. 92.

    JPL

    @Mnemosyne: I love that Elizabeth let her use Queen Mary’s tiara, and that Charles escorted part way down the aisle. It was a welcome respite.

  93. 93.

    BruceFromOhio

    @raven: This is most excellent, congrats to you both.

    Grilling thighs with a strange dry rub, to be followed by a dozen breasts for freezing, then steaks for dinner. Sipping a nice scotch and waiting on the rain.

  95. 95.

    Yarrow

    @Schlemazel: I got a small jar of it free a few months ago. I love it too! It does have salt in it, so those watching sodium intake need to be mindful. But the flavor is so good.

  97. 97.

    Achrachno

    @Mnemosyne: People regularly say that, and you rightly qualified it with the baring disaster disclaimer, but Alfred the Great was never supposed to be king either. 4th in line I think he was. Of course, I don’t expect the present royals have to worry much about vikings.

  99. 99.

    JPL

    @debbie: I have a feeling she knows. Bravazo was a long shot and came in second.
    I forgot to watch, but saw a replay and it was so foggy it was difficult to see.

  100. 100.

    Gelfling 545

    @Luthe: Among older Italians I have known chicken was considered acceptable for the Friday abstinence from meat because meat was, well, meat. The story is that the late Theresa Bellisimo of Buffalo’s Anchor Bar made her original chicken wings to supplement a Friday meal.

  101. 101.

    Central Planning

    Mrs. CP is convinced she saw a music video once of a person jumping throughout the whole video. It’s not Goldfrapp, it’s not the Come As You Are video, and it’s not the one from 1952.

    Anybody else know of music videos, maybe from the 80s, that has someone jumping instead of walking?

    Thanks!

  103. 103.

    Mnemosyne

    @Miss Bianca:

    Horse person should check out Harry and Meghan’s carriage ride through London. They used postilions to ride the carriage horses, which always looks hilarious to me. Still debating with myself if it was a barouche or a landau.

  105. 105.

    Shell

    looking forward to HBOs take on Farenheit 451, tonight. That and some chocolate cake ala mode.

  106. 106.

    BruceFromOhio

    As always I am humbled and impressed at the range of knowledge and experience of the commentariat. And that there are several single malt fans. Simply splendid.

  107. 107.

    Miss Bianca

    @Mnemosyne: i had gathered that there was some universal swoon about Teh Horsies, but haven’t seen any of the footage yet. Perhaps it was a barouche-landau? ; ) Mrs Elton has assured me that her relatives, the Sucklings, have one and that it is tres a la mode among the upper crust!

  108. 108.

    Yarrow

    @Mnemosyne: According to Kensington Palace, it’s a landau.

    Prince Harry and Ms. Meghan Markle have selected the Ascot Landau carriage for their procession through Windsor Town after their wedding on May 19th.

  109. 109.

    Schlemazel

    @Yarrow:
    I generally avoid all of Pensey’s mixes because they start with salt & pepper but it was free & it may become an exception

  112. 112.

    Ruckus

    @trollhattan:
    I worked the start in Sausalito the first two years. Watching all those guys peddle down the street handlebar to handlebar, sitting up talking to each other, joking around and going faster than the cars normally do on the same road really cleared up any fantasies one might have had about being anything more than a very, very average biker. I’ve also had professional riders on my fitting bike in my shop and they could pull well over twice the watts of a fast triathlete, all the while not even breaking a sweat and talking in a clear voice. Which was almost 3 times my absolute sprint max on the same machine. Absolutely amazing.

  114. 114.

    efgoldman

    The Capitals are proving to be the choking dogs they’ve always been,
    Adam’s at the gym, but he will be happy

  115. 115.

    p.a.

    Hmmm… trumpism fascism effect?: my credit union’s ATMs used to ask ‘Spanish or English’ before pin, now goes right to pin. Still advertise Spanish and Portuguese speaking tellers…

  116. 116.

    efgoldman

    @Jeffro:

    well done, Harry and Meghan!

    Harry and William know how to prince really well. They seem to take after their great grandfather, King George, who made it a point to go out among the people in the worst days of WW2.
    It probably helps that each served in a front line military combat unit.

  117. 117.

    efgoldman

    @Schlemazel:

    My kids have worked with a variety of Muslim believers and my impression was that none of them ever ‘cheated’ on Ramadan obligations

    The Panera my kids go to for lunch on Saturday was mostly empty today. They surmise it’s because a lot of the regular clientele are Muslim.

  118. 118.

    Mnemosyne

    @Yarrow:

    It’s tricky, because they’re very similar open carriages, but if anyone would know, it’s Kensington Palace.

    @Miss Bianca:

    I felt sorry for the riders having to post at a trot all the way through town. Ouch!

  119. 119.

    efgoldman

    @Steeplejack

    : I put in six dreadful years with no car working at Barnes & Noble, and the bus stop near my apartment had no shelter

    Her bus stop has a shelter, but she has to walk most of the length of the complex to get to it.
    I guess on rehearsal nights she has to park fairly far from the school. Her rain gear doesn’t really close over my grandson to be any more, and carrying an awkwardly shaped/balanced french horn in a case.

    ETA: It’s still closer and more dependable than the Clarendon Metro. Drops her literally in front of her office in Farragut Square

  121. 121.

    Miss Bianca

    @Mnemosyne: Meh. That’s not so hard. Now, if they had to sit the trot all that way *without* posting, I’d be feeling sorry for them!

  123. 123.

    efgoldman

    @Schlemazel:

    they start with salt & pepper but it was free & it may become an exception

    My BP is so low now(*) that I am adding salt in small quantities
    (*)Sometimes borderline dangerous in the morning. Function of peritoneal dialysis

  124. 124.

    zhena gogolia

    Is this thread dead? I got to shake Al Gore’s hand today (he was on our flight from San Diego to Dulles)! I said, “I wish you’d been President,” and he said, “So do I!” And the tag has to be changed: AL GORE IS NOT FAT

    ETA: Of course my husband was laughing at me for my eagerness to get home and tell Balloon Juice all about it.

  126. 126.

    Steeplejack

    @zhena gogolia:

    Congratulations on your celebrity encounter!

    Is it odd that you have to stop here before going on to (presumably) Boston?

  129. 129.

    zhena gogolia

    @efgoldman:

    My husband thinks that ex-Vice Presidents don’t get it. No, he was just sitting in first class with the rest of the folks. (not me) He’s a very impressive person.

  133. 133.

    trollhattan

    @Ruckus:
    Yup. I’ve been in group rides with Cat 1 and 2 riders, struggling to not be dropped and pro riders in the mix at some point decide it’s time for a workout and simply motor off the front. Just. Gone.

    Still uploading but know I have some Peter Sagan shots, afterwards signing autographs. Possibly the best of the best.

  134. 134.

    zhena gogolia

    @trollhattan:

    Yes, I thought that too. Sometimes I think the (down-) turning point for our country was Reagan’s election, but other times I think it was 2000.

  135. 135.

    Amir Khalid

    @Mnemosyne:
    Alas, it doesn’t work that way. You’re either well enough to be fasting so you do, or you’re not so you don’t.

  136. 136.

    SectionH

    @Mnemosyne: Nah, you just let the horse toss you up, hang for a second, and then meet the horse’s back again.

    @Miss Bianca: You got there first. As for a sitting trot, it depends on the horse. My mare had an incredibly smooth trot. Sitting it was so easy.

  137. 137.

    Origuy

    @trollhattan:

    Busy uploading pics from today’s Amgen Tour of California stages

    I’ve shot a few in years past; I live close to Sierra Road near San Jose, which has been a favorite route for a tough climb. It’s tough to get any pix worth showing.

  138. 138.

    Steve in the ATL

    @zhena gogolia: @efgoldman: @trollhattan: knew Al back in the ‘80’s. He was, and presumably still is, a fine human being. This country would be so, so much better today if he had been allowed to serve after winning the election.

    And no, he no longer gets protection.

  140. 140.

    efgoldman

    @Steve in the ATL:

    And no, he no longer gets protection.

    Without looking it up, I think he got it for a fixed term
    Mike Dukakis had it as a candidate, but has’t for years.

  141. 141.

    Ruckus

    @Steve in the ATL:

    This country would be so, so much better today if he had been allowed to serve after winning the election.

    First. This.
    Second. Well dah.
    Third. We rarely hear that last part often enough. He actually fucking won. But the republican crime syndicate was able to steal one more thing. And of course they fucked up massively. Assholes can’t even do crime right.

  142. 142.

    zhena gogolia

    @Steve in the ATL:

    This country would be so, so much better today if he had been allowed to serve after winning the election.

    That’s exactly how I feel — and how I word it. He did not lose the election. Nor did Hillary.

  145. 145.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @Steve in the ATL: Should he have gone with “FFS, you are lying?” I think that the MSM would have killed him for that too. The MSM is a major problem.

  147. 147.

    Mnemosyne

    @SectionH:

    You need to see what they had to wear while doing it, tho. I kept being afraid that one of them was going to land wrong on his dress sword. ?

    ETA: Stiff ceremonial posting vs normal posting.

  149. 149.

    SectionH

    @Mnemosyne: I know what they wear. But I admit “ceremonial posting” wasn’t on my radar before. So sort of all the horses in the same rhythm, so the riders can all the going Up at the same time, because perfecter that way. Which, yeah, with some practice could be done. And I’m sure they practice. I’ve to got admit though that I’m finding it hard to imagine how anyone could get so high (* off the saddle!) that they could get a sword underneath them. I suppose I should go and look at a video. ;->

    *eta that

  150. 150.

    frosty

    @Mingobat (f/k/a Karen in GA): I love SGs. Helpful hint on a dead thread…. use a string set with a wound G. It will help keep it in tune. They’re notorious for that, and I’ve had a lot fewer problems since I switched.

  151. 151.

    Mnemosyne

    @SectionH:

    It was also the helmets. The helmets they had to wear were insane.

    But, yeah, I think it was the formality and ceremoniousness of it that caught my eye. Very different than just going out for a ride.

  152. 152.

    frosty

    @Mingobat (f/k/a Karen in GA): I picked up a beater ’68 awhile ago, but finally got the SG I wanted on eBay, a ’11 Pelham Blue one that I added a vibrola to because it looks great even though it screws up the tuning. I’ve had Fenders but I like humbuckers better and Les Pauls weigh too much.

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