Marilyn's Photos - June 12 2025 - Brian Wilson

 

Alice Cooper's story about John Lennon and Brian Wilson:  “I was sitting backstage after the 1974 Grammys with Bernie Taupin (Elton John’s lyricist) and John Lennon. This was when Brian was really having some mental issues. During the course of the conversation, I kept seeing Brian out of the corner of my eye, just kind of staring at us from different angles.”  "So I merely said, 'Brian Wilson, this is John Lennon. John Lennon, this is Brian Wilson. ' Lennon was very cordial and polite, saying things like 'Hello Brian, I've always wanted to meet you. I've always admired your work, and Paul and I considered Pet Sounds one of the best albums ever made." “About ten minutes later, Brian came by our table again, leaned down and whispered something to Bernie, and all of a sudden, Bernie was saying ‘Brian Wilson, this is John Lennon. John Lennon, Brian Wilson.’ Lennon was just as cordial and polite as the first time, saying essentially the same thing about always wanting to meet him. As soon as Brian walked away, John looked at both of us and casually said in his typical Liverpudlian accent, ‘I’ve met him hundreds of times. He’s not well, you know.’”   This was a poster in Toronto around 2010.  I wonder what it was about - all that's left is John Lennon.

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Marilyn's Photos - June 11 2025 - Picnic Potlucks

 

Eating outside has obviously gone on since we began.  Pictures of what we call picnics date ack to the 15th century.  The term picnic is something that was documented in the 18th century.  It meant something like a potluck - everyone would contribute something to the feast.  It was the wealthy who had elaborate movable feasts.  Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management described all the components of an outdoor meal.  There were plenty.  Victorian times seemed tough to me - a lot of standards and rules.   What do we think of picnics today? Ther will always be the potluck picnic guide describing things like etiquette, what culinary contribution to bring,  serving utensils, keeping food safe in the cooler, labeling the serving dishes clearly. Perhaps we have Victorian traditions still in us. Being a post-Victorian, the major change that has happened in my lifetime is that  it is acceptable to bring things from the grocery store in the grocery store packaging, especially Costco, a brand that has a  religious-like following.   My potluck mentality goes back to my childhood.  We made all the food that we put out on the picnic table. I do remember lots of jello, which today would be a great novelty.  The only thing prepared would have been things like the condiments and the hot dog buns.  What would happen today if everyone had to make a dish for the potluck?  It might be chaos.  That's a very funny scenario. Considering our technology today, I would expect the "smash hit" of a potluck would be a 3D-printed cake.  That would be very exciting.   So considering how things have changed, I found a few potluck jokes for my generation:  I brought weed and poker chips to a potluck picnic last week. Apparently I missed the memo on what a "potluck dinner" was. And this joke about a church potluck written in "baby boomer slang": A man calls his friend to remind him about a church potluck coming up. "Ok," he says, "My wife and I will bring the cheese, and you and your wife need to bring the bread." His friend, who is kind of an anxious mess says, "Oh man, that's a lot to remember. I'm kind of freaking out. I don't know how I'm going to keep all of this information straight!" "Woah woah woah," the first man says to his friend. "Take it easy, man! Just remember: cheese us loaves you."

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Marilyn's Photos - June 10 1015 - Spin the Wheel

 

I can hear the clicking when I say the expression "Spin the Wheel" in my mind.  It must be from my childhood at the circuses/carnivals.   The spin wheel game has been on the record since ancient Greek and Roman times.  Each segment had its own outcome and the game has risk and excitement and in only a few seconds.  That's what we like about chance and fortune.  The Roman goddess Fortuna's wheel of fortune determined people's fortunes.  Wikipedia says she spins it at random, changing the positions of those on the wheel:  some suffer great misfortune, others gain windfalls.  And that it was already a cliche in ancient times. The origin of the word is from the "wheel of fortune"—the zodiac, referring to the Celestial spheres of which the 8th holds the stars, and the 9th is where the signs of the zodiac are placed. The concept was first invented in Babylon and later developed by the ancient Greeks, with early references from Cicero's In Pisonem.  Hamlet know about the wheel of fortune: to "break all the spokes and fellies from her wheel."   I find there are many references in his plays.  From this philosophical context, the wheel of fortune in modern day generally refers to a casino game.  There are lots of them - but wouldn't the most famous be Roulette? And there's the Wheel of Fortune Game Show where (I had to look this up) contestants solve world puzzles to win cash and prizes that are determined by spinning the wheel.  Such a journey for the wheel of fortune.  From the serious philosophies of ancient times to now - where it has become a source of fun and pleasure.   We can buy a spinning prize wheel with 10 - 14 slots sitting on a table top.  Amazon, Temu and Wayfair Canada all have them.  Why don't we all have one?     This is the Port Dalhousie Carousel.  I guess it makes me think of the Wheel of Fortune, going round and round.

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Marilyn's Photos - June 9 2025 - Rosa Rugosa

 

I wondered about Roses and their scent.  I find out that fragrance has three components, top note, middle note and base note. So when it comes to Roses, here's one of the formal descriptions: When used as a top note, the fragrance of Rosa rugosa can add a fresh and uplifting quality to a perfume, while as a middle note, it can bring a warm and comforting element to a fragrance. As a base note, Rosa rugosa can help to anchor the scent and give it a long-lasting quality that lingers on the skin. Find out more here  Wouldn't it be such an experience to be a perfumer - one who creates perfumes? I start looking at the information and have second thoughts.  The average salary in Ontario is $55,888 up to $99,000.  What would compare in terms of professionally creating?  Would a mixologist - one who creates cocktails - be equivalent?  Not in terms of salaries.  Their average salary is $40,000 per year.  I wonder if tips factor into this and improve things.  Could one be a perfumer in Ontario?  One would work in a fragrance company such as  Niche Essence, Lurker, Strange Perfumery, Vigyl and the 7 Virtues.  Who would guess there are actually this many. I'm not familiar with perfume and don't wear it. Funny that I should so enjoy floral fragrances in the garden.   So in addition to the Rose's famous smell, there is the mystique of colour - the blue rose.  The picture below shows rainbow roses.  These are creations of chemistry and not photography.  The stem is split into many parts with different colours of water for each piece to soak up into the petals.   What would happen with one of these at the Rose Show next weekend - I expect that would cause quite a reaction from the Judges.   Let's stop and smell the roses in this Royal Botanical Garden - The purple flowers are Alliums and they have an onion scent so it might be a strange combination.

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Marilyn's Photos - June 8 2025 - The New Top Dog Pilots

 

Have you read or heard about this?  The new pilots in the Russian-Ukraine War are gamers who are using those skills to pilot drones.   These are young men, gaming hobbyists/enthusiasts, who have volunteered for Ukraine in the war.  They are generally 18 to mid 20s, and from countries around the world.  They are trained in drone camps in the Ukraine.  The Brent Branbury news item yesterday said that the recruitment method was to post ads on social media - eg.Reddit.  So I checked it out. "Can y'all give me an honest assessment of how realistic/feasible/difficult it is to get into drone piloting as work? "I have no experience piloting drones (unless being a gamer counts), I'm just a gymnastics coach and construction worker in his mid-30's looking for a way to pay my bills that isn't so hard on my body. What little research I've done so far looks like the necessary certifications are fairly cheap (even if the drones themselves aren't), and it sounds like something that I could enjoy enough not to get too burnt out on. "Do the jobs exist? Do they require years of training? Do they pay enough that I'd be able to support myself (I'm in Maryland, if that makes a difference). Are there other questions I'm not asking, but should?" There are lots of these sorts of questions on Reddit - some more specific about Ukraine and some inviting gamers to become pilots in the Ukraine. The MSN article HERE uses the language of the wild west and top gun to dramatize the military transformation.  They highlight celebrities as part of the team - "former techno music DJ Artem Timofeev, former Ukrainian tennis player Alexander Dolgoopolov.  Others are anonymous and the training school trainers have anonymous names as well.      We're heading into Rose Season.  My Rosa Rugosa, one of the strongest scented roses is blooming.  It is also known as the beach rose.  Here's a description: "This particular flower has a sweet and spicy aroma that is both feminine and sophisticated. The fragrance note of Rosa rugosa is often described as being rich and full-bodied, with hints of citrus and spice. The scent is both delicate and powerful, making it a popular choice for perfumers looking to create a luxurious and elegant fragrance."

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