As of yesterday, I’m ahead of schedule with the completion of my garden clean up & annual planting. When I got off work yesterday, I planted 6 gerbera daisies, 3 torch lilies, 2 hen & chicks, 1 elephant ear, 12 caladium bulbs, put together 3 planter boxes & spread 24 cubic feet of cypress mulch. Basically, I worked like a Hebrew slave for 3 hours.
All that I have left to do is plant 30 gladiolus bulbs & spread a little more mulch & this means that I will have a relaxing but exciting 3-day weekend.
My weekend actually started yesterday after all of my garden work & attending Olivia’s school play. After the play & dinner, Olivia & I went to see the new Indiana Jones movie “
Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”, which was fucking awesome. When it comes out on DVD, I will purchase all 4 films in the franchise. “Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” has been getting some mixed reviews but I loved it. For me it was like an updated version of what I knew growing up. All of the action, dumb one-liners & interesting plots gave me what I needed to be fully satisfied.
Since I am on the topic of movies, I recently saw two other great movies that are worth checking out, “
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian” & “
Iron Man”. The newest installment of the Narnia franchise is good but not as awesome as the first and it is much more violent & IMHO even more violent than “Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”. If you check it out, I would not take kids under 12 & if you do see it, rent the first one so you can be up to speed.
“Iron Man” was fucking awesome & it will be in my DVD collection as soon as it drops. It is totally a man’s movie: action, sex, speed, bravado, back stabbing, shit blowing up, etc… I wish it was in iMax, that would have taken it over the top. And last on the movie note, Monday, I think we are doing a family movie date to see “
Speed Racer”. I’m not all that thrilled about seeing it but the kids are harassing us.
Back to my weekend! So tomorrow, I am I am getting my hair color touched up for the summer & by 3pm tomorrow I will have my look back together. Mary Vesta Henderson @ the
Meagan Mitchell Salon in Ferndale, MI is the shit!!! She is quick & really knows her stuff, which makes it so worth the money.
After I get my red hot look back in place, I will be making my way downtown Detroit for the “
Detroit Electronic Music Festival” (DEMF) for a photo journal adventure with Cousin Dee (also a photographer). Over the last 2 weeks, I was trying to land a press pass, but shit was tight & I was not able to make it happen, so I gave up & just said fuck it, it will be worth the 25 bucks.
Flashback::::::::: Monday, I got an email from my girl & Nicole Brown of the
Detroit Fashion Pages who wanted to interview me & get my thoughts on what the DEMF means to me & the city. It was a good interview & I certainly had an opinion (imagine that).
OK, flashforward::::::::: today I get a call from Nicole.
Phone Rings: Hmmm, it’s Nicole
Bygbaby: Hey Boo (why is everybody’s my boo???)
Nicole: Heyyyyy
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
…Small talk…
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Nicole: Guess what?
Bygbaby: What?
Nicole: I scored 2 VIP tix for the DEMF.
Bygbaby: Wow, that’s awesome!!! (Can you say 175 a piece)!
Nicole: Would you like one?
Bygbaby: Hell yeah!!!
Nicole: When will you be in Detroit?
Bygbaby: Tomorrow around 330ish.
Nicole: Cool, then call me when you make it & I can meet you to give you the pass.
Bygbaby: Bet, talk to you tomorrow!
I then hung up & screamed YESSSSSS inside my head. I was just on the DEMF Myspace page & looked at the VIP package & was like, I wish I had it going on like that to just drop 175 bucks on something not family, flower or camera related.
I am super excited. Now I just have to figure out how to share this with Cousin Dee. I will figure something out; I always do.
After the DEMF (around midnight), Cousin Dee & I are heading to the Northland Roller Rink for Kenny Dixon’s (aKa MoodyMann) Soul Skate. And no, I will not be skating! I am not trying to fuck my ankle back up. We will be people watching, photographing & talking shit with party people friends (not real friends, just friends we meet out & about). Anyway, this is a DEMF weekend must attend party because you never know who will be there & what will jump off!
After some sleep, Sunday breakfast & house cleaning, I will be headed back to Detroit to attend my good friend Dahia Shabaka’s retirement party at the Charles H Wright AA History Museum. Dahia is a real inspiration to me & helped me look at my Blackness in a new & educated light. We have only known each other for a little over three years but it has been a good friendship.
Last year, when I started getting very close to making the decision to change my name, she guided me & helped me understand what I would be going through, legally, mentally & with family & friends. For that I am forever indebted.
After the celebration, I will be headed back to the DEMF to see Mark Farina perform & I am really looking forward to that. I hope to be home by 12ish cause I gotta get my ass up on Monday to help clean up, finish the garden work & season the chicken for our chicken & waffles dinner.
Now that I look back on my schedule, seeing “Speed Racer” is going to be tight. Maybe we can catch the early show on Sunday.
Anyway, back to gardening, here are a few shots from the last couple of days.
Tamra / May 27, 2008
Wasn’t Iron Man awesome??? I’m anxiously awaiting the Incredible Hulk and Batman now. That damned Robert Downey, Jr.–omg… yum! If I weren’t already happily married (14 yrs, this wk)…
Cool plantings. I went utilitarian this year–planted bell peppers, lettuce and a whole bunch of other stuff in my gorgeous Italian clay and ceramic planters (this is SO NOT what they were made for)… I swear, if I see one damned squirrel digging in my stuff I will… Hmpf! BTW, what pesticide/fungicide to you use? Heard of Neem oil? I think I’m going to give that a try–natural, non-toxic, etc. Supposed to be pretty good.
Awesome pics, as usual.
Bygbaby / May 28, 2008
Tamra – 1st of all, happy anniversary boo!!!!!!!!! Yall shoal is old. LOL In July, I am hitting up on 9 damn years…
Oh yes it was!!! The Hulk movie looks like it is going to be hot & a lot better than the last failed attempt.
I saw a sneak mini preview of Batman & it looks like it is going to kick all kinds of ass at the box office. The last one was so awesome that this new one will really have to know my off my feet!
I have never done veggies and probably will not because of all the critters running around plus all of the maintenance.
I do not use any pesticide/fungicides in my gardens. I typically have not pest issues but in June/July, I get them damned Japanese beetles that love to eat my roses, petunias & anything else sweet smelling.
Hope you are celebrating love all week.
Bygbaby
Tamra / May 28, 2008
Why thank you!!! –I keep saying to myself, “Damn, we really are getting old!” I was just joking with him that when we turn 75, I’m going to be all tight, wrinkle-free and cute because I religiously put on my SPF 60 sunscreen–he HATES sunscreen. I told him he can’t be making me look bad with his 75 year old wrinkly ass… Now he wants me to find him some sunscreen that he likes (since I’m the cosmetics whore in the house).
Kudos to you and Suite Suzy coming up on the 9! [This shit is hard work! lol!]
–I’m going to do a post about it some time this week–maybe include a few whack 90’s pics of us…
OMG–I totally love wildlife, but I am SO ready to smash these little robins that have taken over my patio and have been pooping all over everything!!! They even have the nerve to hang around when I show up too. The MINUTE I see them near my stuff… There are two things that can make me illogical and crazy–bugs (in general), and garden critters messing with my stuff…
Peajai / May 29, 2008
OMG I loveddd Iron Man!!! And who knew RDJ was so sexy?? My BF didn’t even mind much when I wouldn’t stop talking about him. LOL I will probably see it again when it goes to the $3 theater, and I will definitely purchase it when it comes out on DVD.