Musette’s Musings

It’s been awhile since I subjected you to a chapter of Musette’s Musings so buckle up, Buttercups, it’s time for a whirl through the sieve-like Mind of Musette!

  1.  I love talking to my bfffe, Missy Denise.  Only she, when confronted with my musing about being able to hear what hummingbirds are thinking would say, without missing a beat, ‘but you wouldn’t be able to understand what they’re saying, they’re so skittery’  – and, watching them, I tend to agree.  It would be like listening to a blender whirring on the highest speed.  So I’ll just look and leave the chatter to other of their charm.
  2.  Bird flock descriptions.  Speaking of ‘charm’, I love the sometimes crazy terms used to describe groups of particular birds.  Pretty much everyone knows that ‘murder’ is a designation of a group of crows (many ideas of how this came about, the most intriguing is the folktale that crows will gather and decide the capital fate of another crow (and that doesn’t sound ominous at all, does it?) – I lifted that little notion from pbs.org- for more intel, look here. )  A Banditry of Chickadees, though?  That one is mystifying.
  3.  Things people do to mess with my mind:  take Mr Michael Franks.  So, y’all know I’m a  fan – I love his contrapuntal approach to music/lyrics and his devotion to All Things Bossa Nova.  He sings like I think (like, about things like mice).   And he’s Easy Ears at its finest (and ain’t nothin’ wrong with that, especially in these perilous times).  So imagine my surprise when I recently heard his tune ‘I Love Lucy’.  Written in a soft samba style, it wasn’t immediately discernible and, to be honest, I was in traffic, so I wasn’t really listening.  The underlying thread of the tune was familiar, though…..hmm… so I played the CD again, when I was safely back in my driveway – and, yep, it was a samba version of the eponymous theme song.  But, since Michael Franks is, first and foremost, a singer…there were these insane, insipid little lyrics, so different from his normal wordsmithing & phrasing!  So I figured he’d taken some peyote, binged-watched some old Lucy..and come up with this crazy (but fabulous) song.
  4. I love when I’m wrong:  turns out I. Wuz. WRONG.  At least about the lyrics (dunno about the peyote and ain’t mah business).  Turns out….well!  Eliot Daniel composed the score, which premiered in the second season – it’s the score that all Lucy Lovers know.  But!  In the THIRD season, Harold Adamson wrote the lyrics for a Lucy birthday episode.  Desi sings it to Lucy and, understandably, sucks ALL the sexy out of it (omg, the hoops TV had to go through in the 50s & 60s).  Michael put it back it – but!  What I want to know is….what on earth prompted Michael Franks to root that song out in the first place?  Was he taking peyote and bingeing on Lucy episodes and thought ‘hey!  that would be fab in Bossa Nova style!’?
  5. Why that rabbit hole is so dangerous.  That Lucy thread went to perfume.   I thought she might have had a celeb perfume, but no.  Apparently she loved Florida Water (which makes perfect sense, considering her 20yr marriage to Desi) but this photo shows what I figured would be on her dressing table – the vaunted No5

    American actress Lucille Ball (1911 – 1989) with her husband Desi Arnaz (1917 – 1986), circa 1955. (Photo by Archive Photos/Getty Images)

    and, yes, there are actual threads devoted to this.  Of course there are.  Very comforting to know.

  6. Weather & The Garden:  It’s rained nonstop (and HARD) for about 2 weeks.  The ground is like a sodden mattress.  My garden is a jungle.  But.  omg.  The smell of emerging blossoms in the warm Spring rain.  My rugosa, TBug (Therese Bugnet) is  9′ tall, in full bloom and stankin’ up the garden somethin’ wonderful, with its soft Damask/Myrrh fragrance!  Syringa in the Long Border, wafting on that soft breeze.  My deep yellow bearded irises, which I moved last Autumn, are in full swing.  Iris.  How amazing they are.  They mostly do whatever and will survive a polar vortex, sitting atop a compost heap (ask me how I know that 😉
  7. You.  What are you musing about?  Are you have a wonderful Spring?  Are you even having Spring?  This is one of our longest Springs in forEVAH!  and I am here for it!  A bit wet – but a small price to pay for the extended beauty of the early blooms.  Let me know what’s going on in your little hummingbird minds.  Mine is skittering all over the place!  And I love it!  You know The Girl is itching to pull a winner!
  • Jennifer S says:

    Hummingbirds are amazing! I always feel lucky when I can get a glimpse of one and then I’m like…was that a hummingbird I just saw? Lol. Appreciating the new dishwasher we finally got, yay, and feel like a bullet was dodged with one of our water tanks (now replaced) which was rusting away on the bottom, badly, and would have swamped my basement. Disaster averted!
    Oh. I have some variation of tiger lilies growing near the house. They’re a nice bunch of healthy looking green leaves….idk where the lilies are though? Yeah….that’s MY green thumb for ya!

    • Musette says:

      Hummingbirds are wonderful – and the best part is, since they are largely fearless little weirdos, once they get used to you, you can get really close to them – sometimes they are the ones to initiate the closeness! Last night I had one fly up, look me right in the eye, then go over to the blue fountain to play in the water! Too mesmerized to take a photo, alas.

      xoxoxo

      ps. leaves first, lily buds after.

  • Portia says:

    Hey there Musette,
    That’s a LOT of musings all in one place. Just sitting in the Incheon Airport Lounge awaiting my flight to take me home. It feels like I’ve been away for a year. Can’t wait to jump in my own bed. Also to cook a big pot of soup for Sydney winter.
    Portia xx

  • Kathleen says:

    I love your musings! And I have to thank you again .
    My story this week: A while ago, as a winner from the girl’s draw, you gifted me A sample of Solange Stoned, which I savored for a long time. I had been pining for that fragrance for quite some time, but it had been discontinued at Luckyscent and no where to be found. Today, last ditch effort I emailed the jewelry boutique in the UK and they still sell it only from their boutiques. There is a boutique in New York and they will ship the fragrance to me!
    Happy day! The bottle is outrageous gorgeous as well as the fragrance to my nose.

    • Tara C says:

      Wow, that’s so great! I also have a decant I’ve been hoarding, so nice to hear it’s not discontinued!

    • Mo says:

      Could you please share the information about where to find Solange Stoned in New York? I’ve been searching for years for this fragrance.

    • Musette says:

      Wow! See, that’s the beauty of the Messy Armoire – ya nebber know just what The Girl will pull out! And I am thrilled it was something that thrilled you!

      That bottle IS gorgeous!!!

      enjoy! xoxoxo

  • rosarita says:

    I always enjoy your musings, Ms A! It has been a long slow spring here too, but we’re at something like 3x the normal rainfall, it’s crazy, including the worst hail storm I’ve ever seen the other night. It tore a lot of flowers to ribbons and I’ve seen several pitted cars driving around. My biggest recent thing is that our kids took us to see Paul McCartney for our anniversary Monday night. I’ve been to many concerts over the years because I’m old and this was honestly the best show I’ve ever been to – lots of great music of course but interspersed with anecdotes about song origins and other experiences he’s had through his career. He had the audience in the palm of his hand. I’m in a rut, perfume wise, nothing in my collection is tripping my trigger and I have no desire to buy something new, maybe I’m broken. Just wearing No 5 talcum powder these days.

    • Musette says:

      hang in there, sweetie, you’re not broken. As with any other interest, it waxes and wanes. And No5 powder is a perfect thing, whether in wax or wane mode. The concert sounds like a FAB time (not Fab 4, alas, but FAB nonetheless)!

      xoxoxo

  • Pam says:

    Somebody (or somebodies) gave me iris last year. I moved a couple of years ago and the garden couldn’t move with me. Alas. But the multiple irises I was given turned out to be bearded, Japanese, and Louisiana iris! What beauties! It has been a fabulous Spring. But the heat is already upon us.
    Love your musings!

    • Musette says:

      I just googled Louisiana iris – omg, they are gorgeous! May they be the first of many plant gifts for your new garden!

      xoxoxo

  • Ellen says:

    No Spring, just incredibly hot in the southeast. Need rain so badly.

    • Musette says:

      Oh, dear! I would happily send you some of ours, if only I could! Stay safe!

      xoxoxoA

  • Michelle J Little says:

    It is in the 50’s for us in Buffalo, in June and even for us that’s crazy chilly for this time. It’s normally 75 or 80 at this time. And it has been a long winter. Sigh. Oh well, what is going on in my mind is that I have to keep remembering to trust the process of my life unfolding. Woke up with vertigo this morning, which happens sometimes, and thought to myself, I think this is fear over my upcoming huge life change (divorce, major move, new degree, new job, with kids) and maybe I can reverse this, rather than have to go to another neurologist, PT visit. And I got my heart/spirit voice on and remembered that my life has presented miracles even in the most challenging times, yes, even that time my husband had a massive heart attack at 40 and was in a coma for 2 weeks. Life always surprises me, always comes through, (like Spring!) and I should trust that, because when I don’t I get in panic brain and wake up with vertigo. So I’m feeling much better now, the spinning has stopped and I’m going to go on about my day, breathing, trusting, playing. Yes.

    And I love the I Love Lucy history, thank you!

    • Musette says:

      Oh, my poor dear girl! You are certainly living in some interesting times, there. However, I spy several GOOD changes, amongst the drama! Keep breathing, both literally and figuratively – and spiritually. It sounds as if you have a pretty good handle on handling this!

      xoxoxoxoA

  • Ann says:

    Hiya, darling!! Loved your skittery post — so fun and eclectic!! We here in the South are in full-on summer heat mode (ugh!!), but at least we did have a pretty nice spring this year. Been working my bottom off in retail — really need to sell a bag in the next day or two. But last week a lady came in and dropped big $$$ on a vintage Chanel watch on my watch, so that was good! Enjoy your garden, lovely one!!

  • Queen Cupcake says:

    Musette, I love to hear about your garden. Our Spring has been very, very cool and wet, so we have only recently cleaned up the beds and so forth. Rhubarb is loving this weather, and makes for an extra long pie season! Of course, I will harvest and freeze some for later. Garlic is thigh high–yay! I am hankering for an Old Rose, a fragrant Gallica, perhaps, but we will see. Lily of the valley and fragrant white lilacs are just about done–I always want them to stick around longer. I’m off to YouTube to see if I can find that Michael Franks cover of I Love Lucy! I watched many hours of that show as a kid.

    • Musette says:

      oooh! your garden smells DIVINE! I did not plant garlic this year and now regret it.

      Lmk what you think of his Lucy – and watch the original (it’s on YouTube). I would love to know what a musician thinks of both! xoxoxo

  • otamom says:

    My dutch and japanese (siberian? not really sure) iris are blooming right now, lovely shades of blue and purple. It will be a long time before the German iris make their appearance. The lilacs are blooming, it’s fragrance heaven in my yard! I have eight varieties and they all have a slightly different scent, my favorite are the white ones. The rhubarb is ready ahead of schedule due to our wet spring and I am plotting desert options.

    • Queen Cupcake says:

      Yes, fragrant breezes through the white lilac bush–something we have enjoyed all season. And the rhubarb, also! My big green rhubarb sent up some mighty big flowers; hate to cut them down but it is better for the plant.

    • Musette says:

      Siberian are pointy and the Japanese (the ones I always identify as Japanese, anyway) are flat-ish – they always remind me of those cats with the cropped ears and the flat faces……omg. I sound insane. But all are gorgeous!

      Your yard sounds heavenly! xxoxo

    • Tara C says:

      I am baking rhubarb crisp right this minute! Mmmm.

  • Dina C. says:

    Here in Virginia, we’re barreling right on into summer with temps already into the high 80s and low 90s on some days. We’ve had thunderstorms in the evenings — enough that everything around here is jungle-y too. My backyard is so overgrown, I can’t tell the weeds from the good plants!

    • Musette says:

      Holy snakes and cabbage! That’s a wee bit….early? Yikes! I’ve done the one-two punch in the hill border, where I use my heavy gloves to ruffle everything – since it’s knee high I want to make sure I don’t grab a snake (unlikely – but it’s been known to happen). Then I take off my gloves so I make sure I don’t yank up a plant instead of the 4,653,000 lamb’s quarters.

      xoxo

  • Brigitte says:

    Spring? what’s that? We have had only one or two spring-like days and it’s already June!!!

    • Musette says:

      did it go full-blast Summer? Or are you still in some vortex? We’ve had years when we’ve had both! This is the first real Spring we’ve had in eons. Wishing you a good Summer!

  • Tara C says:

    It has been a very cold, wet, non-springlike spring here in Montreal. But the lilacs are finally blooming! And I got my flower boxes up last week on the balcony: lavender, mini roses and geranium. Yay! Someday it will get warm.