Stacy Horn

I’m going to take a walk along the perimeter of Roosevelt Island today. That’s the Island that was once called Blackwell’s Island. (Readers of this blog know I’m working on a book about the Blackwell’s in the 19th century.)

It will be a roughly 4 mile walk and I will be back with pictures!

The fireworks were on the east side this year, which is on the other side of town from me. Except my neighbor pointed out there were three sets of fireworks going off all around us.

Every summer I have a mosquito problem. Never mind the West Nile Virus threat, I don’t get any sleep as one or more mosquitos feeds off of me all night long, keeping me awake with the horrible itching, itching, itching.

I have screens on the windows! Plus, I went around and tried to plug up every possible opening (they are very old and rickety windows). But at least one invariably gets through.

They always get away if I try to swat them, but spraying them with Windex is effective, I’ve discovered, if you can spot them. Anything spray-able will do it seems. I once got them with leave-in conditioner. The wide spray cuts off all exits, and they fall and then you can smoosh them. The problem is finding them, and this is always an after-the-fact solution anyway. You’ve already been woken up at this point and are dealing with the itching, itching, itching.

Yesterday someone posted a link to this DIY bug repellent on Facebook. I couldn’t find one of the ingredients, the Thieves essential oil, but last night I put all the other ingredients together and gave it a try.

No mosquitos! And while that could just be a coincidence, I’m hopeful. I don’t love the smell though. I don’t hate it exactly, I think it’s the lavender smell that I don’t like. Or the rosemary. Also, I never got around to lighting the tea lights, but I do agree with Claire, who posted her homemade recipe, these are very pretty. Thank you, Claire!

Update: Okay, so it didn’t work. But they were pretty.

I love that they put him on a chair, instead of having him lay down on the sidewalk. “Please, join us cute little dog.” “Why thank you. I will have the squirrel please.”

I’m so glad So You Think You Can Dance is back for the summer. Please please please renew it for next year. In honor of the best reality show on tv, here are more dancing pictures from the Gay Pride Parade, because I love dancing.

Which reminds me, please click on this link of this incredibly attractive and appealing cop dancing. Seriously. Click on that link. DO IT!! I’ll wait. You’re welcome.

I wish I could do this.

I sprayed Febreze in my livingroom, then lightly rubbed it into my rug and promptly had a severe allergic reaction that lasted over a week. I developed a horrible cough and didn’t sleep more than an hour or two a night. My eyes were red and swollen. It was pretty horrible, but I’m okay now, with a slight residual cough.

The carpet cleaners are on the way to pick up the rug (which is rolled up and in another room right now). The couch cleaners are coming tomorrow. After that I will need to launder anything that might have picked up any particles of the Febreze. And, as long as I’m at it I’m having the windows cleaned, just because I’m spending all this money to clean stuff I might as well do everything and have the place completely sparkling.

Here are a few more pictures from this year’s Make Music New York. This is the group I sang with. We sang the music of J.S. Bach and two of his sons, conducted by Thomas McCargar.

We all stood in a semi-circle on Cornelia Street (the Cornelia Street Cafe was sponsoring our sing). It was quite lovely. I apologize to the soprano next to me. Either she was flat or I was sharping the high notes, and I’m guessing it was me.