Author Archives: Alan Ilagan

A dip in temperatures has stalled spring again, as the nights descend back into the 40’s. It’s quite disheartening, though I won’t waste any more time lamenting such a predicament. With the moon exerting its full pull, and Mercury in retrograde right around the corner, one does better by not getting bogged down in the things we can’t control. Like the weather. Or the slow walk of spring. 

The road to summer isn’t always as pretty as what I managed to capture here, but it’s full of hope, even when it’s cold and rainy. Sometimes that works to make summer sweeter. Spring holds back and hesitates, with its moody moons and raucous retrograde, and we tread carefully, with mindfulness and meticulous motion. 

Something called the Super Flower Blood Moon rose early this morning, coming just in time to greet a new period of Mercury in Retrograde, so I need to simply hide away from the world until June 22. Slightly problematic for all that must be done in that time, but such is the pull of the universe. God help us one and all. 

Today’s full moon – super and floral and bloody – will likely wreak havoc with plans and non-plans alike, throwing wrenches in the rigid thought-process of any proper Virgo. I hate this sort of thing but I’m much better at dealing with the snafus now than I was in previous times. We’ve had over a year of said snafus and I don’t see them ending any time soon. Besides, this is life. Full moons and Mercury in retrograde are just the chaotic portions of it. Sometimes they angle to imbue the moment with import, something exciting and inspiring. The question is how we channel that frantic energy and put it to use instead of allowing it to muck everything up. Make peace with the chaos. Embrace the unpredictable and varying nature of life. Things run much soother that way, even when they don’t. 

I’m the first to admit to being a delicate fucking flower, and dainty as shit to boot, which is why the Korean lilac is one of my favorite shrubs. It’s in full bloom in the garden right now, and I’ve established three decent-sized specimens, scattered strategically to offer three separate sections a delicious pool of perfume. The blooms, despite all the macro-work here, are tinier and daintier than the native American lilac, and arrive after that better-known shrub finishes its bloom. The effect is a more summer-like plant, that will also throw out the occasional re-bloom if you’re lucky. The leaves are also of smaller stature than the common American counterpart, lending the whole plant a more delicate and elegant visage. 

There is a little more red in the bloom color, lending it more a pink shade than true lilac, another way it separates itself from the more bombastic flower which most of us recall from childhood memories. I like the way it extends the lilac season, and the way it stays on the summer side of spring, nudging the season into the sunnier path of heat and warmth. 

This colorful homage to Nipper is one of several scattered throughout downtown Albany, and thanks to its artistic bark, this may be my favorite. As we barrel into the end of May, good things are in the works – let’s get on with the recap so we can move forward. There’s a full Flower Moon this Wednesday, so I’ll be laying low…Be careful and watch yourselves…

The Pesky & the Pretty.

Palette of spring.

Lavender light.

Unidentified freshness.

The dawn of pool season.

An Ajuga carpet.

Night time is the right time. 

The speckled glove of a fox.

Taking naked pictures.

A floral portal to the past.

Dazzlers of the Day included: Kirk Acevedo, Leslie Jones, Andy Cohen, Letitia James, Brian Tyler Cohen,  and Ken Jeong.

It’s been a while since we’ve had some male nudity on this blog, not for any other reasons than the regular evolution of taste and style, cultural tone, and the gradual trajectory of such an ancient website. Moving deeper into my forties I find myself spending less time on the superficial and frivolous – two founding aspects of this site – and more on items that defy egotistical self-examination or silly frills. Not that I would begrudge anyone, including myself, the indulgence a pursuit in such frills might produce. But that’s getting a little deep for a Sunday post, so I turn your attention to the brilliant Moira Rose, always one with a striking assembly of words and wisdom. 

“Take a thousand naked pictures of yourself now.” ~ ‘Schitt’s Creek’

“In the night time (Night tiiiiimmme) oh baby that’s the right time…”

Try as I might, I cannot figure out which 80’s relic that catchy little bit originates from, and so I’m left leaving it out of this post. Instead, feast your eyes upon the pool at night, where and when so much summer magic and splendor occurs. We are lucky to have it open already, to make up for last year’s sucky season. Jump in and join the party… 

One of the best ground-covers if you want a touch of blue/purple majesty at this time of the year is Ajuga, commonly known as bugleweed. The weed part is apt for its aggressive tendency, something typically valued in a ground-cover. I appreciate it best up-close and contained, so I allow other gardeners to grow it, then admire it away from my limited yard, which doesn’t have the space for such rampant behavior. 

A little post for a little plant with a lot of spreading power. Saturdays that show promise should be that way.