Monday, March 21, 2022


Today was get-off-my-ass day and I did. I took a walk down the sidewalk to the county line and walked back. There are a few lovely wildflowers blooming in the ditches. Not that I got any of their pictures and I'm sure I've posted a picture of that old house before. It's just down the road from me and they are clearing around it and I'm not sure why. I'm pretty sure the house is beyond repair. Perhaps they are just clearing the lot next to it for some reason. We shall see. Mr. Moon has seen deer over there in the early morning, right behind that back corner. It's funny how we never seem to get deer in our yard. I know they're around. 

I did not see No Man Lord today and I still haven't heard anything about Pinot. I haven't seen him recently either and I'm worried. I think I would have heard had he died. No Man Lord has a new arrangement in his yard of chairs, about half a dozen of them, maybe more, lined up one behind the other ending at a table where the last (or first?) chair is sitting exactly where you'd expect a chair to be, in just the right place for someone to come along and sit at the table. I sometimes think that No Man Lord is not quite of this time or place but lives in his own space and time. But I could be wrong. He may have the most logical explanations for the way he changes and rearranges his yard. He is a mystery to me. I would talk to him more but I can tell he does not feel comfortable with me. And I respect that. 

Remember my pepper seeds I planted a while back? I have been checking them daily and have not seen one hint of a sprout but today I saw this. 


I had just about given up hope but obviously, they have not. I cheer them on! Grow, my darling little peppers! Please grow!

I spent a good part of the day cleaning out the bed beside the kitchen porch where the bananas grow. 


This will be the first year that the area really gets much sun as we took down the cherry laurel that was shading it. As you can see, the rose has taken off like a rocket since I pruned it back and it barely took a breath before it started budding again. I pulled almost an entire 50 pound chicken scratch bag-full of various invasives. There are at least four types growing there happily. What I plan to do is to plant a few herbs in there. I already have mint growing and of course it will take over if I don't watch it. I'd like to put in a rosemary for sure, and maybe a few types of basil. Whatever I plant, it has to be something that chickens do not like. They consider that bed to be their own personal space and I do not have the heart to try and dissuade them from that opinion. 

Last night I cut some of our broccoli. 


Surprisingly, I didn't find a worm on it. And then I got out my grandmother's recipe for Lobster ala Newberg. 


Now my grandmother never once, as far as I know, made lobster ala newberg. But my mother did, once. Not with lobster, but leftover fish, and I will never forget how good it tasted. It was sort of a shocking thing for her to make. It was definitely not in her usual repertoire of things she cooked and also, it had wine in it. There was always a bottle of Mogen David in the refrigerator that supposedly the stepfather sometimes drank although I can't recall seeing him ever even opening the bottle. His poison was pain pills. Codeine, I believe. 
So you can only imagine how shocking it was to me for my mother to make this dish with its (to me) exotic ingredients. And then sometime later, I was eating at Hanumen's Conscious Cookery in Denver and ordered a dish that I do not remember the name of but in essence, it was fresh, steamed broccoli on whole grain toast, with a sauce that reminded me very much of that recipe. 
And so I have used it to honor broccoli ever since. Only the tenderest and freshest broccoli deserves it and last night's did. I had some of the leftovers for lunch today and it was still delicious. I am so pleased that although I had forgotten, we did indeed plant broccoli last fall and that is has lived to give us enough for at least a few meals. 

Mr. Moon is mowing the yard. First time this spring. The wisteria is putting out leaves and fluffs that will soon become luscious purple flowers. I saw some blooming in a tree on my walk, the vine so far up that I didn't even try to take a picture. We are in the magic spot right now with our weather which is so nicely and deliciously cool at night and not too hot during the day. The bugs are not out yet in force, every day we can see more proof that the resurrection in natural terms is real and true as trees and plants and ditches put forth the newborn green and bloom that only spring provides. 

And that is plenty for me to believe in. 

Love...Ms. Moon


29 comments:

  1. I would love to know more about No Man Lord. Maybe see a picture of him too. You could make him a small pie and take it over. The gift of food can often make a wary man less wary though of course you should remain a little wary of him yourself.

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    1. I think for now I'll just stick to taking him eggs. I don't have a lot of free time to be making random baked goods. I would never ask him to pose for me. I just, well, can't do that. It feels too invasive. It's tricky.

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  2. my sense of Mr No Man Lord, from how you have described him, is that he is very much a hermit. I doubt it is YOU that he isn't comfy with...more that he is just not comfy communicating in general. i know he appreciates your eggs (I believe) and whatever else you bestow upon him. I think about Pinot also...hoping he is alive and well. YES for your pepper sprouts....and for the lobster/fish Newberg! Blast from the past when you mentioned Mogen David. Haven't even heard of that in 40 years but I recall it (never touched my own lips) from long ago.
    Happy evening to you and yours
    Susan M

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    1. I don't think that I've ever had a sip of Mogen David either. I will admit to drinking a bit of Boone's Farm apple wine. Lord have mercy.
      I think you're right about No Man Lord. He IS a hermit although I often see people sitting around his property, sometimes with him, sometimes by themselves. It's a whole world there.
      I, too, hope that Pinot is okay. Very much so.
      And YAY for the brave little peppers and how they grow.

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  3. Yes, the spring and seeds sprouting and weather warming, those are plenty to believe in, to be going on with.

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  4. Busy woman! Does this mean you’re feeling better?

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  5. Lobster, cream, wine .. what's not to like? Love that tattered, stained recipe!

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    1. Me too! I've actually never had it with lobster. Only leftover fish and broccoli.

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  6. After reading that recipe I looked up canned lobster meat on the Internet and learned I could get a 5 pound pack for only $220 plus just shy of $50 shipping. Seems like broccoli might be a good substitution. But I wouldn't ever throw any Mogen David in any recipe. Or in myself.

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    1. Oh, I wouldn't use Mogan David either. I use sherry in the recipe.
      Your research reveals why I've never made it with lobster! Ha!

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  7. Mogen David?? Seriously?? Yuck. The broccoli toast thing sounds interesting...

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  8. That's some fine looking broccoli. I don't eat broccoli anymore, I used to get it from the supermarkets and these days it is grown hydroponically in huge greenhouses and it is bitter, not at all like broccoli grown in the ground the way nature intended.
    I love the old recipe page, with the tattered edges and the look of much use.

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    1. I don't really like broccoli much in any form but when it comes from my garden I will certainly eat it!

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  9. I didn't know canned lobster existed! (But why shouldn't it?) That house isn't the fally-down house, is it? As I recall that was surrounded much more densely by trees.

    Herbs and chickens sound like a bad combo. I'm guessing chickens would love to eat herbs. (Maybe not a woody one like rosemary.) Let us know how that project works out!

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    1. Nope. Not the fally-down house. This one is sort of catty-cornered across the street aways.
      I am pretty sure I can't plant basil where the chickens can get to it but hopefully, the rosemary and some thyme, perhaps.

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  10. You can always tell a good recipe by how dirty the recipe card or page is! Your broccoli looks great and sounds delicious! Glad you are feeling better!

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  11. My tomato plants have just started coming up in the kitchen. I also planted some echinacea, but they're not up yet. We had a huge dump of snow on Sunday but it's melting quickly and the Canada geese are back which means spring.

    I'm reading a very good book right now, "Pachinko". I heard an interview of the author and liked her so much, I tried the book. It's set in Korea and Japan.

    Have a lovely day in the garden Mary.

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    1. I think I heard a big ol' flock of Canada Geese the other day. We get a lot of them here, which seems odd, doesn't it?
      Glad your tomatoes are coming up. Isn't that such a hopeful thing?
      I have not heard of Pachinko. I'll look out for it. Thanks.

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  12. When I see an old house like that I try to imagine myself living in it when it was still liveable. How things have changed right?

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    1. Yes. And I did actually live in a house very much like that one once. It was in somewhat better condition, of course, but not a whole lot. It was magical in some ways. In other ways, it was very hard.

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  13. Glad you’re feeling better. Thanks for the picture of the recipe, I’m going to try it on broccoli and any lobster my son catches this season. We’ve just harvested the first of our tomatoes, the “Barry’s crazy cherry” variety fro baker creek seeds is especially prolific. Few things beat a tomato from the garden, still warm from the sun. This is absolutely my favorite time of year. Much love.
    Xoxo
    Barbara

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    1. The recipe works really well with any leftover fish. How I wish lobster frequented the seas around here! Well, we do get Florida lobster and it's not bad. But it's rare.
      You've already harvested a tomato? Good on you! "Barry's Crazy Cherry"? Never heard of it. I take your word that it is good.

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  14. Everything is so slow here. Not seeing any movement on the wisteria. The maple tree and oak tree have come out and the red buds are just now putting out buds. I need to get out and get my few tomato plants I plan to have.

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    1. Your spring really got slowed down, didn't it? You had lower temperatures and for longer than we did. Our last freeze barely bothered anything.
      I'm so glad you're going to plant a few tomatoes. And you know- really? A few tomatoes is just about enough.

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  15. No Man Lord could be a Recluse, how did he come to have that Nickname from you, it's interesting?

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