Saturday, November 24, 2012

Getting Cold, Baby But We're Warm Inside




Well, it is that night of the year.


The night when the temperature is going to dip down below freezing for the first time and so the plants must come in that absolutely cannot take the cold and which I cannot bear to lose.

This is a process in that some of these plants in their pots weigh more than a full grown pony.
But there are not as many as there used to be. I have become far less invested in my plants than I used to be. I think having grandchildren has something to do with this.
Those who have been coming here for a long time remember my passionate affair with begonias, perhaps. I went NUTS for begonias a few years back and went out of my way to find and cultivate the most beautiful and unusual ones I could locate. I have only a few left at this point but I will NOT allow my giant begonias to die in the frost as I grew them from two or three leaves which I rooted in a pot over the course of months of patient watchful waiting, making sure to keep the soil moist but not wet, to not give up when nothing and then nothing and then nothing appeared to happen until tiny little green leaves broke through the dirt and voila! LIFE!

Here is one of them in its winter home. I have two of these and the other one is so big we are having to wait until after the game ends so that Mr. Moon can go get his dolly to bring it in.


Those leaves are far bigger than my hand and those begonias are my pride and my joy. I mean, they aren't as dear to me as Gibson and Owen but I do love them.

My bread is out of the oven.


It did indeed rise although not to the lofty heights I would have hoped. But still, it is half whole wheat and so what did I expect? This is going to take some learning and some figuring out. After the game and when the fellows go home, I am going to make a little oyster stew for me and the husband and that and the bread shall be our supper. Not that we need any supper. We have grazed throughout the day. I didn't even bother to make guacamole. In fact, I took a nap after the boys left this afternoon. I have been useless today.
Which has been wonderful.

I got Anne Lamott's book, Some Assembly Required out of the library today and I have already started reading it. It is about her grandson's first year just as her wonderful and beloved book Operating Instructions was about her son's first year. I think that was the book that put Anne Lamott on the map. I adored it, despite her penchant for calling Jesus "Uncle Jesus." She is one of the people who, to me, proves that there is indeed a religion gene and by god, she has it!
I don't but I recognize that for some, religion is something which sustains and saves them the way love and books and trees and water sustain and save me and I can respect that. I have only read a bit of Some Assembly Required and it is partially written by her son, the father of this grandchild, and so far I am not thinking it is nearly as fine a book as Operating Instructions but I will give it an entire reading and see. For someone who is as certain as Ms. Lamott claims to be that God is in charge and that he does indeed have a plan, she surely seems to have a need to micromanage things. And then she reminds herself that God is in charge and has a plan and she backs off and this is a big theme of hers- the worry and anxiety and then the remembrance of her belief and then prayer and then off we are to the next thing to worry about.

Hey! There is plenty to worry and pray about when it comes to children and grandchildren, especially if the child in question is only nineteen when the grandchild is born. I am not doubting that. But I know from experience that one of the best things a parent can do is to step back and just BE THERE (like God only with the ability to actually oh, change diapers?) if help is needed and try not to interfere too much. Of course, in my case, my daughter and her son have proven to be such fine and loving parents that there's not a whole lot of interference I feel I need to do. If any. Which means, once again, that I am one of the luckiest women alive.



That picture was taken at a gathering for Lily's midwife and although Gibson for once is not smiling, it is still a beautiful picture. We had a good time with those boys and their mother today. We ate pizza and played lion and cheetah and camping and bear and snuggled and cuddled and kissed and THERE WAS POOP ON THE POTTY and well, it's just been an A #1 day in my life in that I have been loved and have loved and I found good books at the library and the bread rose and the plants are going to be safe. The game is over and I hear that FSU lost which does not disturb me in the least and Mr. Moon has gone to get the dolly to get that plant and tomorrow Lisa-Lisa-Beautiful-Red-Headed-Lisa who is in town for the game and her husband are coming by and it is always a soul-deep satisfying experience to see them. I have known Lisa for quite a number of years, since she was practically a child and was with her when one of her babies was born and she lives in Tampa now so I don't get to see her as often as I'd like so that is going to be tremendous. She has two beautiful children now and is a yogini. She is one of those people whom you can not see for years but it doesn't matter because when you do see her, it is as if no time whatsoever had passed and you simply dip your cup into the river of your mutual love and are refreshed.
So. Yes. I am looking forward to that.

It is cozy in the house and it smells of sourdough bread made from the starter that friends brought me and all is well.
All is very, very well in Lloyd.

I wish the same for you.

Love...Ms. Moon











17 comments:

  1. Hey you. I only just starting baking bread and am using the no knead, artisian bread in 5 min a day recipes. But in the second book, HEALTHY artisian bread in 5, they have you use vital wheat gluten to help with the rising I think when you use wheat flour. Bout 1/4 cup. Not sure how that would work with your recipes though. Your bread looks lovely. Am baking some kalamata olive bread right now.
    I loved Operating Instructions but felt like the new one was too meta or something. It annoyed me a bit. Though I still appreciate her and found it interesting.
    Love Lily's hair. Great pic.
    Your begonias make me happy. I still want to try to grow one from a leaf cutting. That seems miraculous to me. Glad you are tucking them in for the winter.
    Will I get up from here and exercise like I really want to?
    I will if you tell me to.
    Love you!

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  2. Yea, Marc was more than a little disappointed with the Noles' performance today, or lack of I guess.

    How exciting that you will see Lisa- Lisa and John! Please hug them for me.

    Hug yourself too.
    xo

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  3. Bethany- I bet your bread will be awesome and wonderful. I bet I could send you one of these begonia leaves and you could root it. They are that sturdy. I might do that. What sort of exercise? What are you talking about? I can't tell you what to do, sweet pea. Unless you want me to. GET UP AND EXERCISE! How's that? Love you, darlin'.

    Ms. Fleur- Will do, baby.

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  4. blasted Nordic Track ski machine. I did it before you told me to, because I knew I could come back here and have a nice message from you. Thanks MM! Now I can eat bread. I would love one of your begonia leaves. But maybe wait for warmer weather to send? You're so sweet.

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  5. How was the bread? I always found it hard to get a good color on the bread when I used the King ARthur starter -- I can't really tell in your photo, but did you get good color on them? It must have something to do with the sugar?

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  6. Vital wheat gluten is good for helping whole wheat rise. 2 tsps for a loaf that is 2 1/4 cups various whole wheats and 1 1/2 cups white flour.

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  7. Anne Lamott is such a curiosity to me in that I feel my thinking is rather similar to her's except for the religious thing. I was also talking to an old friend yesterday whose thinking is much like mine but she is also religious. I just can't figure out how they got that way and stay that way. Maybe it is as you say - a gene that keeps us different.

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  8. Cold outside, warm inside, and bread baking in the oven... there are fewer things holier than this scenario.

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  9. Gibson is really a beautiful baby boy.

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  10. Dipping your cup in the river of your mutual love. Oh, I know what you mean.

    And I know if I walked into your house, I could go to the fridge and help myself, all before saying hello to you.

    That's the best kind of friend.

    Your friend,

    Beth

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  11. I'm glad things are going well there and you saved your begonias! I had a begonia when I was a kid that grew outdoors, right next to our house, and it survived several winters even as far north as Tampa. But then we had the house tented and that did it in. :(

    I'm trying to catch up on everyone's blogging. Didn't have time to read while traveling!

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  12. I love begonias. In my brain i call them beguccis, and i have no idea why. Maybe cause they're so fancy and chichi or somethin.

    I love Gibson's serious mug. Indeed a fantastic photo.

    And yes, those friends where you just pick right up where you left off are the bomb.

    Also, seeing there was poop on the potty, i'd submit it sounds more like an A #2 day. Just sayin'.

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  13. Bethany- Ah. The Nordic Track. You are such a good girl. That bread looked amazing on FB. I mean, AMAZING!

    Elizabeth- Color, well, not too exciting. I didn't even put sugar in this bread! Next time I will though.
    A tiny bit.

    Shoshana- I know nothing about vital wheat gluten. Obviously, I need to learn. Thanks.

    Rubye Jack- I am finding Lamott's writing in this one a bit, uh, well. I don't know. Overly god-oriented for one thing. I don't get it either.

    Nancy- You know I agree with that.

    Maggie May- I think he is gorgeous but he is my grandson.

    Beth- Amen, woman. Amen. Beer is in the bottom of the refrigerator. Juice at the top.

    Steve- It's okay. You can skip a few. We'll still love you.

    Ajax- Ha! You are right!

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  14. hasn't got cold enough for me to bring in my plumerias yet but the time is coming soon.

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  15. Nice photo with Gibson and Lily--black and white is stunning in photographs.

    It was cold last night here but not enough to bring in the plants to the green house. We are so near the water that we don't get the hard freezes often.

    God is in charge is something I hear a lot at meetings. I think that my HP is an energy that connects me with others. And that means that I have to take some action. I have a brain. I use it.

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  16. Fresh bread on a cool day is perfect!!

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  17. Ellen Abbott- Well it sure happened here. Everything's frost bit.

    Syd- So many people check their brain at the door where religion or spiritual beliefs occur. I would never think of you as doing that. And your brain is too good not to use!

    heartinhand- It sure is.

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