I’m Ready To Garden, But It’s Too Early (Warning!)

What a March it’s been across the Quad Cities.  We’ve been in the 70s and 80s for highs twelve times this month counting today’s forecast of 78°!  Temperatures are running more than 15° above average and this, so far, is the warmest March on record in the metro area and those records go back to the 1870s!

Flowers and bushes are blooming and trees are bursting with color and buds.

(Sand Cherry Tree in our front yard)

Last weekend, Ray and I planted a White Pine, two Emerald Green Arborvitae, and a Golden Honey Locust “memorial tree” for Miss ABBA.  It’s perfect because this is the time of the year to plant fruit and shade trees.

While daffodils, tulips, and hyacinths are brightening up yards early this spring, hostas on “Hosta Hill” are already taking off.

While all of these flowers, blooms, and greenery are making me and many others smile, I’m getting antsy to plant more.  I’m ready for the herbs, tomatoes, and other tender vegetation plants.  And, Lowe’s isn’t helping matters by having them already in stock!

Instead of having a garden this year, I’m just going to plant  two or three cherry or grape tomato vines in memory of Miss ABBA.  As you know, tomatoes were her favorites and she didn’t have a problem snagging them when they turned red. I’m going to cover the ground under the tomatoes with a mound of alyssum, a white flowering plant is that is part of the mustard family.

As much as I want to start planting, it is way too early and this is my warning for you, too!  As I look at the long-term computer models, there is a batch of colder, Canadian air poised to arrive across the Midwest and Great Lakes late next week and weekend (April 5-9th).  While it’s still more than a week out and the air could moderate (fingers crossed!), early indications are that it could bring some scattered frost or a freeze across the Mississippi Valley or nearby.  And, believe it or not, there could be a rain/snow mix not too far away!

That isn’t unusual.  The average date for the last freezing temperature (32°) in the Quad Cities is April 20th.  The latest date that we’ve had a freezing temperature was on May 21, 2002.  Last year, we even saw a freezing temperature (29°) on May 4th!

Here’s a map of the average date of the last spring freeze (28° or colder).  The difference between a frost and freeze is that a frost can occur with temperatures above freezing and if you take precautions of covering plants and flowers, they will likely survive.  However, a freeze will typically kill any unprotected plants or flowers and can even cause damage to protected ones.

So, with this, I’ll just mow the yard and count down the days until I can plant flowers, herbs, and veggies.

By the way, I believe that peppermint is the “Cher” of herbs.  It will survive anything. 🙂  This is from our herb garden and this is the peppermint that is already up and taking over the garden.  Luckily, some lemon balm is already bursting through the ground and looking good.

Peeps

Chick-Fil-A — Drag Queen Approved???

Confession time:  The last time I had Chick-Fil-A was back in the 1990s at Kentucky Oaks Mall in Paducah and I have to admit that their food is delicious.  However, I’ll never eat there again until the company changes its policies.   Their chicken and waffle fries just don’t taste the same served with a big side helping of hate.

I blogged about Chick-Fil-A (along with Cracker Barrel and Target) and their anti-gay policies back in February.  I’ll link you to that story at the bottom of this blog.

Now, a trio of hot cross-dressers are signing the graces of the restaurant to the music of Wilson Phillips.  Yes, it’s funny and R-rated.

As a disclaimer, it does include adult language and adult situations.

The bottom line and I couldn’t have said it better myself:  “we just want a little meat without your Bible”.

Blog from February 9, 2012, if you want to know more of the restaurant chain’s history:

https://anthonypeoples.wordpress.com/2012/02/09/please-eat-shop-here-we-need-to-support-hate/

Anthony

 

“Who’s That Girl” That’s Had More Top 10 Hits Than The Beatles?

“MDNA”, Madonna’s 12th studio album, is officially out!  Her new song, “Girl Gone Wild” will hit radio Tuesday.  In honor of this release, Billboard magazine has ranked and compiled the biggest Madonna songs of all time.

Here’s an interesting fact:  Madonna has had more top ten hits on the Billboard Hot 100 than the Beatles.  Madonna has 38 and the Beatles have 34!

I’m only sharing Madonna’s 20 biggest hits (plus a bonus).  My favorite Madonna song, which was her first top ten hit, “Borderline”, comes in at #27.  This was also the first of 17 consecutive top ten hits from 1984-1989!

#27 “Borderline”

#20  “4 Minutes”

#19  “Secret”

#18  “La Isla Bonita”

#17  “Cherish”

#16  “True Blue”

#15  “Express Yourself”

#14  “Causing A Commotion”

#13  “I’ll Remember”

#12  “Material Girl”

#11  “Who’s That Girl”

#10 “Open Your Heart”

#9   “Music”

#8   “Live To Tell”

#7   “Papa Don’t Preach”

#6  “Like A Prayer”

#5   “Justify My Love”

#4  “Take A Bow”

#3   “Crazy For You”

#2   “Vogue”

#1    “Like A Virgin”

They Said What??? — Jimmy Carter, Robert De Niro, Madonna, & Rick Santorum

FORMER PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER

“I draw the line, maybe arbitrarily, in requiring by law that churches must marry people. I’m a Baptist, and I believe that each congregation is autonomous and can govern its own affairs. So if a local Baptist church wants to accept gay members on an equal basis, which my church does by the way, then that is fine. If a church decides not to, then government laws shouldn’t require them to.”

MORE JIMMY CARTER

“Homosexuality was well known in the ancient world, well before Christ was born and Jesus never said a word about homosexuality. In all of his teachings about multiple things—he never said that gay people should be condemned. I personally think it is very fine for gay people to be married in civil ceremonies.”

RICK SANTORUM

(In San Antonio, speaking that there are so few differences between President Obama and his competitor Mitt Romney):  “We may as well stay with what we have instead of taking a risk.”

(Clarifying that statement in Pineville, Louisiana):  “Over my dead body would I vote for Barack Obama”

ACTOR ROBERT DeNIRO

“Callista Gingrich. Karen Santorum. Ann Romney. Now, do you really think our country is ready for a white First Lady?  Too soon, right?”

FIRST LADY MICHELLE OBAMA

“And let us not forget what their decisions—the impact those decisions will have on our lives for decades to come—on our privacy and security, on whether we can speak freely, worship openly, and, yes, love whomever we choose.”

MADONNA

(On why she worked with Nicki Minaj and M.I.A. on her new album, “MDNA”):  “Because they’re badass bitches. They’re both smart, clever. They have strength. They don’t just play on their sexuality.”

JIMMY FALLON

(Interviewing Madonna on Facebook to promote “MDNA”):  “What if it doesn’t work out?  You’re Madonna. But did you think about my career?”

SOCCER STAR & UNDERWEAR MODEL DAVID BECKHAM

“I was a pageboy and had a choice between wearing some boring old suit or a pair of knickerbockers with ballerina tights and slippers.  So I went with the tights.  It’s not that I always wanted to be different, but I knew what I liked.”

LADY GAGA

(Preparing for her new tour):  “Hot yoga time, post rehearsal. Though my ass is kicked from dancing may I succumb to the heat and focus on conditioning. No pain, no fear.”

RAMIN SETOODEH

(Openly gay writer talking with former athiest/former child star Kirk Cameron about his recent anti-gay interview on CNN):  “I have to tell you, as a gay person, what you said was very hateful.  I’m sure it was painful for a lot of people to see it on TV”.

KIRK CAMERON

“That pains me in my heart to think that someone who is gay would think that I don’t love them and care about them. Like I told you with my buddy, there’s nothing you could do or say—you’re my friend and I care about you. But I’m a man of convictions. If you press me about how I feel about an issue, you’re going to see my convictions. My convictions run deep, as I’m sure yours do. What I love is to sit down and have conversations about our convictions without calling people names. I’m assuming you’re not a heterophobe. Neither am I a homophobe. We have different convictions on an issue, and we could learn from each other. I think that’s awesome. I think that’s healthy.”

MADONNA

(To the St. Petersburg, Russia city officials on their new anti-gay laws):  “I don’t run away from adversity.  I will speak during my show about this ridiculous atrocity.”

Peeps

“Miss ABBA” Memorial Tree

The unseasonably warm temperatures we’ve been enjoying over the past couple of weeks are really making me want to do some planting in the yard.  However, I know its way too early in the Midwest to plant tomatoes, peppers, and other tender vegetation.  We know how crazy Mother Nature is this time of the year.

So, we took a safer route.  Today, we went tree and shrub shopping.  The main purpose was to buy a “memorial” tree for Miss ABBA.  As you can see here, when we planted our two Hawthorn Winter King trees in two springs ago, Miss ABBA was very willing to help dig a hole without being yelled at. 🙂

We even chose a tree with “golden” in the title.  It’s a Golden Honey Locust.  It’s a fast grower that could reach 60 feet tall.  Initially the leaves are green, but turn yellowish gold by fall. This is the time when they are at the height of maturity. The HoneyLocust tree is one of the first trees to shed its leaves in fall.  This tree also bears thorns. These thorns grow on the branches and along the lower bark.

And, while I was doing my public meet & greet at the Flower & Garden Show in Rock Island today, Ray bought a golden retriever decorative yard flag for the tree.

Gretel chose two Emerald Green Arborvitae trees and Ray chose a White Pine.

So, until we can plant our garden and more flowers, this will have to do for now.

Peeps

An Exciting Week to Dance (Even, on the Ceiling)

Some people collect stuffed animals, baseball cards, dolls, and husbands.  As for me, I buy movies and CDs.   I have close to 1,000 CDs in my collection, but over the past few years, I’ve really cut back on how many I buy since I’m not a disc jockey anymore.

This year, I’ve only bought five CDs:  Kylie Minogue (Aphrodite Les Folies:  Live in London), David Guetta (Nothing but the Beat), Rihanna (Good Girl Gone Bad:  The Remixes), Adele (19), and Ellie Goulding (Lights).

I’m very excited that three new CDs that I want  come out tomorrow and Tuesday.  Without a doubt, the one I’m most excited about is “MDNA” by Madonna.  I’m sure you’ve heard me mention it a few times over the past couple of months.  It comes out Monday!

On Tuesday, Katy Perry’s releases “Teenage Dream:  The Complete Confection”, which is more than just a reissue of her 2010 smash album, “Teenage Dream”.  This one features the 12 original songs, along three new songs, three re-worked versions of her hits, and Tommie Sunshine’s Mega-mix Smash-Up of some of Perry’s biggest radio hits.

And, the third album I’m excited about and buying this week is “Tuskegee”, the tenth solo album by 62-year-old Grammy winner Lionel Richie.  While he’s not as popular now as he was back in the 1980s, I still love his music.

With the Commodores, Richie scored ten top 10 hits and topped the charts with “Three Times A Lady” in 1978 and “Still” in 1979.

Lionel Richie went solo in the early 1980s and has serenaded us with that silky smooth voice and  commanded us onto the dance floor with 12 top ten hits in the best decade of music, the 1980s.

Of those, Richie has topped the charts with four of them:  “Endless Love” with Diana Ross (1981), “Truly” (1982), “Hello” (1984), and the Oscar-winning, “Say You, Say Me”, from the movie, “White Nights” (1985), which is one of three favorite Lionel Richie songs.  As you read on, I’ll post my the videos of three favorite Lionel Richie songs.

For his new release, “Tuskegee”,  Richie has gone country (!) singing with many of country music’s most popular performers:  Kenny Chesney, Blake Shelton, Darius Rucker, Tim McGraw, Jason Aldean, Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles, Rascal Flatts, and Shania Twain on the first release from the CD, “Endless Love”, which is already a Top 20 Adult Contemporary hit in the U.S.

Should country radio take a chance and start playing one of the Lionel Richie duets and it becomes popular, this will not be Richie’s first appearance on the country chart.  He hit #10 in 1987 with the group Alabama on “Deep River Woman”!

Here are the original videos of my three favorite Lionel Richie songs.  On the new CD, Blake Shelton joins him on “You Are”, Jason Aldean duets on “Say You, Say Me”, and Rascal Flatts parties with Richie on “Dancing on the Ceiling”.

Party On!!

Peeps

A New Way To Exercise & Lose Weight

I’ve added a new weapon to my arsenal to be healthier in 2012 and to lose the weight I’ve gained in the past three years.  It sure is easier to put it on than to take it off, especially at my age.

After feasting on ham, turkey, and many tempting side dishes at Christmas, my Ambrosia Pecan Pie (pecan pie with orange zest and orange juice) and many appetizers (and wine) for parties between Christmas and New Year’s Day, I peaked at 168 pounds.

After Miss ABBA went to puppy heaven seven weeks ago (February 3), I started eating healthier, eating less, and hitting the treadmill.  It’s also giving me a chance to read some magazines since I’m so far behind.  I always read “Entertainment Weekly” when it arrives and “The Advocate”, “Instinct”, and “Out” soon after getting them.

However, I’ve been carrying around an August 2010 “Time” magazine in my bag.  Yes, that’s 2010!  Now, I’m up to November 22, 2010, and I just learned that the mid-term elections weren’t good for the Democrats and the Tea Party is really out there– crazy!  Okay, I already knew both of those things, but I’m reading about it  now.

Back to the weight, eating, and exercise.   I’ve dropped from 168 to 157 pounds!  Now, I’ve hit a brick wall since  I can’t get past that number and I’ve started fluctuating between 157 and 159.

Today, I took a gift certificate that I got from Mom (Betty) for Christmas and bought a bike and a helmet.  Now, I can go riding with Ray and Gretel.  I hope it helps with the weight loss.  If not, I’ll have great muscles in my legs.

I went on my first real bike ride before work from our house to my sister’s house and back.  It was a little scary with traffic, but I survived!

Ray, on the other hand, wasn’t as fortunate.  He hit either a broken piece of pavement or a plastic bottle since they were both there in front of Culver’s and took a hard spill.  Luckily, he was wearing a helmet.  However, his five scraped knuckles, scraped hand, scraped arm, and knee weren’t as lucky.  He was a trooper and walked it off and we made it home without any further accidents.

Don’t tell him I told you this!

The main thing I noticed from my bike ride today, and thirty-plus years ago when I was a kid riding a bike, was the seat.  I remember my bike seat as a kid being much more comfortable.  Either seats aren’t the same for adults and kids, they make them differently now, or my butt is much bigger.  However, the bike seat discomfort is something that will take some getting used to!

Peace ☮

Peeps

Parodies For a Saturday Laugh

The weekend is here and I want to share a few laughs with you this morning.  These videos parody some of the biggest names in pop music and highlight the feud between Madonna and Lady Gaga.  No, it’s not really “reductive”, but funny.

*Some could be viewed as slightly offensive, so no kiddies!!!*

Happy Saturday and enjoy!

 

MADONNA’S GAGA NIGHTMARE

 

MADONNA’S GAGA NIGHTMARE, PART TWO

MADONNA’S DIVA CHRISTMAS NIGHTMARE

 

“GIVE ME ALL YOUR LUV”

 

“CHER, FOLLOW THAT, BITCHES”

Peeps

New Hate Groups & Some Are As Scary-Looking As Their Message

The message of hate is always detrimental and scary.  And, here’s proof that some of the people spouting that hate are also scary looking!

The Southern Poverty Law Center recently added 11 organizations to its growing list of anti-gay “hate groups” and “The Advocate” made the list possible.  If you hear any of these names in the news, you know it isn’t good!

* Windsor Hills Baptist Church | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma  (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)

Pastor Tom Vineyard claims that half of all murders are committed by LGBT people!!!!

* Mission America (Columbus, Ohio)

The group has a radio show hosted by Linda Harvey.  She has said gays “hate Jesus Christ,” and that LGBT people should not be hired because they supposedly have too high a risk for diseases, domestic violence and premature death.

* Parents Action League (Champlin, Minnesota)

There have been a string of suicides in the Anoka-Hennepin school district after anti-gay bullying.  Barn Anderson of the group wanted the school curriculum’s to include “ex-homosexual therapy.”  Just to prove how up-to-date the group is, they want school to teach about “GRID”, a term given to AIDS that hasn’t been used by the medical establishment since 1984!

* Sons of Thunder (Luthersville, Georgia)

The Faith Baptist Church and its pastor go by the name “Sons of Thunder.”  Its website claims that “All homos are: sick, brain damaged, perverts!” and there’s a page on the website called “Sodomites can be Saved.”

* Repent of Burn in Hell Ministry (Loxley, Alabama)

A smaller group than the Westboro Baptist Church, this husband and wife travel around the United States the country with their three teenage daughters in a “Hell Van” with messages like “whore-mongers” on the side.  And, they love homemade T-shirts and check out the demonic-looking eyes!

* Jewish Political Action Committee (Brooklyn, New York)

Right before marriage equality came to New York, one protest included two life-size stuffed canines and a warning that marriage equality would lead to unions between men and dogs.

* Save California (Sacramento, California)

Promoting that gays are “NOT Born This Way” on its website, this group is opposed to California’s Fair Education Act, which requires inclusion of LGBT history in school lessons.  This wonderful, informed group says that “the clock is ticking for dads and moms to rescue their children from unnatural and unhealthy homosexual-bisexual-cross-dressing role models.”

* True Light Pentecost Church (Spartanburg, South Carolina)

Bishop Prophet H. Walker’s church says that “the Sodomite/Lesbian movement” is a sign of the end times.

* Public Advocate of the United States (Falls Church, Virginia)

This group sent an inappropriate ad warning of a gay conspiracy to “create a new America” to “The Weekly Standard”.  This group claims that “radical homosexuals” such as Rep. Jared Polis of Colorado are planning to “indoctrinate an entire generation of American children with pro-homosexual propaganda and eliminate traditional values from American society.”

The Tom Brown Ministries (El Paso, Texas), United Families International (Gilbert, Arizona), and You Can Run, But You Cannot Hide (Annandale, Minnesota) also made the list.

Anthony

“Peeps’ Flashback ’80s Fridays”‏

It’s that time again.  Time to get motivated to get through Friday and then the weekend starts.  And, it’s time for my flashback to the ’80s and some of my favorite songs.

While Annie Lennon and Dave Stewart, collectively known as the Eurythmics, had bigger hits, this is one of my favorite songs of theirs and the video is amazing.  There’s just something about “this” Annie.

“I Need A Man” only peaked at #46 on the Billboard Hot 100, but it did reach #6 on the Dance/Club Play chart in 1987.

Eurythmics —  “I Need A Man”

Oh, he’s so dreamy.  Australian Rick Springfield topped the charts with “Jessie’s Girl” in 1981.  This song hit #2 in 1982.

Rick Springfield — “Don’t Talk to Strangers”

I guess I’ve always been a fan of the underdogs.  I featured “I Need A Man” by the Eurythmics and it failed to crack the top 40 in the United States.  And, this song by the English band, Haircut 100, didn’t do much better.

“Love Plus One” only reached #37 in 1982, so I guess that makes them a “one hit wonder”.  The song did reach #8 on the Dance/Club Play chart.

Haircut 100 – “Love Plus One”

Have a great weekend.

Peeps