Having already been christened a Hunk of the Day, Simu Liu advances to Dazzler of the Day in eager anticipation of his taking the lead in the next Marvel installment, ‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’. Born in China and raised in Canada from the age of five, Liu has also appeared in ‘Nikita’ and ‘Beauty and the Beast’.
Not quite out of his teens, Daiki Hashimoto has already earned a gold medal at the Olympic Games in mens gymnastics, and to reach such a goal at such a young age is pretty spectacular. My main accomplishment at his age was… let me think… surviving mono? His is better.
This is a deeper, darker variety of the common daylily – that ubiquitous orange beacon currently blooming along many roads and ditches. The plant pictured here has been growing at my parents’ house for at least three decades. For some reason, they always struck me as gorgeously exotic when I would see them in banks and ditches in my childhood. The blooms and foliage would be relatively unremarkable – perfectly fine and pretty, but not of particular note among the variety of grasses and plants that grew beside them – but when they started opening their bright flowers, they were all I would notice.
Andy and I don’t currently have any daylily plants in the garden, and I am always claiming that I’m going to rectify that. Despite the fact that each bloom lasts but a day, they are produced in such profusion that the entire blooming period should last a couple of weeks. Some varieties even deign to re-bloom, extending the season even further. And that foliage remains green and fine for the entire summer.
Maybe it’s all the commercials she’s been appearing in of late, or maybe I’m simply watching more television this week, but Kate McKinnon popped up on my radar, and we needed a comical break from the serious Olympic focus in which this site has been immersed. Hence this Dazzler of the Day crowning of McKinnon, thanks to her hilarious turns on ‘Saturday Night Live’, and in movies such as ‘Office Christmas Party’, ‘Ghostbusters’, and ‘Bombshell’ – an eclectic collection of films which I’ve somehow managed to watch thanks to her presence alone.
Let’s talk about the simple yet epic achievement of making it to the Olympics – all the hours and years and effort that go into a lifetime of dedication to reach such a vaunted place in athletic competition – and then add on top of that all the eyes of the world and the crushing pressure of being expected to perform and exhibit the best that you can do in a strictly prescribed set of hours. I can’t imagine having to simply walk into an arena with that sort of scenario in the works – much less having to put on the athletic performance of a lifetime (or doing anything physical at all for that matter). So when I see someone do anything on that international stage, it’s always impressive, and they deserve all the accolades. This is American gymnast Jordan Chiles, and she exemplifies the power and perseverance required to reach this level of competition.
Does the black-eyed Susan need a new common name? I’ve always preferred its scientific moniker, Rudbeckia, but that goes for most of the plants I’ve encountered. Now I wonder if the common name has more sinister associations, and such ruminations in this politically-charged world are not something I want spilling into the garden. We’ve had enough rain of late literally – a figurative storm on a proverbial parade will just be too much at this point. And so let’s focus on the radial wonder and structural beauty of these Rudbeckia blooms.
A vibrant variation on the quieter colors of the Leucanthemum, the Rudbeckia is a recurving style of the daisy form ~ a classic cornerstone of many gardens. Coming into bloom at the mid-section of summer, and resisting the typical heat that this moment (when summer is performing properly) usually produces, Rudbeckia is a stalwart and reliable garden foundation. I’ve seen swaths of this perennial favorite creating stunning effects in almost any landscape, the way that Miscanthus or hosta can make similar magic – and a good reason why they are all used in so many situations. It’s ok to appreciate such mainstream use of powerhouse performers – and I’m finally coming around to that notion. Life is difficult enough without seeking value in the rare and exotic.
We love the Olympics here, and we love a ginger here, so this post brings you the best of both worlds. Andrew Capobianco is currently in the running for an Olympic medal with his diving partner Michael Hixon (seen as Hunk of the Day here, and a previous Olympic Spotlight here). Capobianco brings his ginger flair to his team, lighting up the Olympic pool.
Joining the Olympic hot bunch (see Brody Malone, Yul Moldauer, and Shane Wiskus), this is U.S. diver Tyler Downs, making his debut beneath the Olympic Spotlight. We’ll let the photos speak for themselves.
The Philippines hasn’t won a single gold medal in any Olympic Games… until now. Busting through that streak is Hidilyn Diaz who won the country its first gold medal, and in weightlifting no less. Through such sheer determination, grit, and literal strength, Diaz also earns her first Dazzler of the Day for putting my Dad’s home country on the Olympic gold medal map at last.
A few years ago I purchased a couple of ‘King Tut’ papyrus plants on a whim, and after drowning them in water and sun they rose to tower almost over my head by mid-summer, pumped up from a steady diet of moisture and fertilizer, and lined pots that only let a little bit of drainage occur. Papyrus do quite well when they are practically standing in water, and the ‘King Tut’ variety that was available took in all the nourishment, and the regular supply of sun that summer, to soar skyward.
This year, I found a few papyrus plants at Lowes – an unmarked variety so I had hoped they were less-hybridized, and even taller when treated well – but they turned out to be some dwarf version. Better for a smaller pot or garden, but not the larger trio of urns I’d wanted them to fill.
That said, they are starting to fill out – sunless days be damned! – and their smaller stature and finer form actually draws the onlooker in, demanding a closer inspection.
Set against the blue water, their bright green hue looks especially striking in the sunlight, which may have made a comeback this week. Echoes of the Nile, and Cleopatra glamour, come with the territory of the papyrus plant. Or maybe that’s just my overactive imagination…
Rounding out a trio of Olympic Spotlights from the US men’s gymnastics (see also Brody Malone, Artur Dalaloyan and Yul Moldauer) this is Shane Wiskus, making his Olympic debut and setting the stage for a future Dazzler of the Day. Watch these guys in the coming days, and years…
Making it to the Olympics is an amazing feat on its own, regardless of whether one wins a medal or not. Making it there twice is even more amazing, when you think about the years and time-frames involved. But to make it to eight Olympic Games is downright superhuman, and so Oksana Chusovitina easily earns this Dazzler of the Day honor for her outstanding achievement of participating in eight Olympic Games. If you do the math and consider the sacrifices that must involve, this woman deserves more than a few medals. She’s a true inspiration, and is still one of my favorite people at the Olympics.
The simple tomato and mayonnaise sandwich is new to my summer lunch repertoire, but it’s better to discover something this delicious and easy later in life than never at all. While I don’t have the same childhood memories that so many others seem to have of this combo, I’m all for making new ones.
Piggybacking off this tomato beginning, we will soon be harvesting some fresh fruit or vegetables (depending upon which side you side on for the argument) from our own backyard. Does food taste better when it comes from your own garden? Absolutely.
This Olympian just had surgery on an injured Achilles tendon a few months ago. MONTHS. And now he’s competing in the Olympic games. Introducing gymnast Artur Dalaloyan as our Olympic Spotlight tonight, in honor not just of triumphing over an injury in such speedy fashion, but in going on to excel at his Olympic experience. As someone who’s had entire weeks derailed by a hang-nail, I find this exceptionally impressive. (See also Tom Daley and Matty Lee.)
Being your most authentic and genuine self is not always easy even for the most confident and secure among us. Whenever I see someone stepping into a more honest representation of themselves, I’m inspired and often awestruck. The courage it takes to be different should never go unnoticed or underestimated, and sometimes just being you in a world that wants to make everyone the same takes an enormous amount of energy and effort. Tommy Dorfman recently exhibited such courage when she revealed she was a trans woman. The star of ’13 Reasons Why’ earns her first Dazzler of the Day honor thanks to such bravery:
“It’s funny to think about coming out, because I haven’t gone anywhere. I view today as a reintroduction to me as a woman, having made a transition medically. Coming out is always viewed as this grand reveal, but I was never not out. Today is about clarity: I am a trans woman. My pronouns are she/her. My name is Tommy.”
