Saturday, 30 May 2026

Everybody start to swing


Hemerocallis "Fragrant Returns", lapping up the sunshine! [click to embiggen] At least that's what it's supposed to be - but it's more "buttercup" than "lemon" yellow, and if it is scented, I can't smell it!

The glorious heatwave that has held sway over the UK all week is having its last shout today (29C/84.2F) - from tomorrow, we're forecast to get back to near-normal temps with some showers by mid-week.

While the temperatures are still "up there", how about something totally cool, courtesy of Fred, Ginger and today's "birthday boy" Benny Goodman?!

Perfection.

10 comments:

  1. Oh, Fred and Ginger. Always so cool. Wish I could dance like that. That flower is spectacular. Glad you’re getting relief from the heat. 29C daytime would be a huge relief here. That’s what it is right now at midnight. Tomorrow 40!

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    1. You lived in Seville! You ought to be able to deal with that kind of heat...

      I could watch Fred & Ginger (or Fred & Eleanor Powell, or Fred & Rita Hayworth) all day! Jx

      PS Hemerocallis are fantastic plants. Their flowers open and close in one day, hence the common name "Day Lilies" - but they are profuse, and come in a huge variety of sizes and colours; they're slug-proof, frost-hardy, and practically indestructible (it would appear). Every garden should have one!

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    2. Yep, our first two summers were spent in Seville and we did fine. I whine more now. But we also lived in the California desert and in Las Vegas. So we really do manage the heat just fine. (Of course having a pool to jump into throughout the day would make things more pleasant.)

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  2. What gets me is that that often filmed those dances in one take with little editing. Fabulous. Fred is so nonchalant about it all!
    I like buttercup yellow! Very pretty flower!
    I look forward to the cooler nights so I can sleep better.
    Sx

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    1. It is remarkable what they achieved in the Golden Age of Hollywood, on analogue film, without all that CGI and special effects! Jx

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  3. It may not be the right shade of yellow, nor fill your back passage with divine scent, but that Hemerocallis is still very lovely. Mine have yet to flower, but they did have to contend with getting fallen on by The Father earlier in the season (both survived - the Hemerocallis, as you pointed out to Mitchell, is indeed practically indestructible!)

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    1. They can survive a lot, even falling old people! It is indeed a lovely yellow, and is probably “Stella De Oro” [which we already have, but never flowered as profusely as this one]. Still can't smell it however. Jx

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  4. I cant listen to this music without hearing it sung in a thick Egyptian accent and thinking of that hotel cabaret singer in Luxor
    Happy memories and a fab time.

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    Replies
    1. Ha! Yes - she ululated a great version of this, and (bizarrely) Johnny Guitar! Happy memories, indeed...

      ...from twenty-three years ago!! Time flies. Sigh.

      Jx

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