Saturday, January 7, 2023

Quite A Lot

 First things first. I took Maggie her quilt this afternoon. 



I think she liked it although since it's not something you can play with, it did not hold her interest for long. They were having a movie day birthday party with treats to snack on and then presents and she wanted to get to the presents portion of the affair. Her mama made her a beautiful and very girly vanity using a piece she'd gotten at the Bad Girls Get Saved By Jesus Thriftstore and also recovered a darling little chair with a velvet dress that the girl had outgrown. 


Would you look at that? What seven-year old girl would not love that? 

I've been thinking about Maggie's birth today, of course. I went back and found the post from the day she was born. You can read it HERE. 
I have since realized that I spelled the midwife's name incorrectly. Her name is Tanashia Roberts Huff and she now has her own homebirth business and her mothers are so lucky to have such a calm, beautiful, and highly skilled woman to help them bring their babies into the world. She also delivered Levon. She is beloved by our family, as is Diane, who was her mentor and who delivered Gibson. 
Here are a few pictures from that day. 



Oh, how I love that one so much! Owen and his sister and his mama. 

It was good to see Ms. Maggie June and her mama and brothers and Lauren again today. Still keeping my distance as all three of the kids are still testing positive. They seem absolutely fine though. It was an ache not to be able to hug that girl. 

You aren't going to believe this-


There is a hen in my coop! Her name is Moana and she is the last remaining chicken of Jessie's. They caught her and brought her out here today to live, for awhile at least. Believe it or not, even in town there are predators that kill chickens and they got to Jessie's. Only Moana survived and she has health problems, laying eggs without shells, mostly. She's a pretty girl, though, isn't she? She hopped out of the box they'd brought her in and began eating right away and I think that's a good sign. It is so very sad for a chicken to live alone but not knowing what her health problems are, it wouldn't be wise to keep her with others. So here we are. Of course I want to let her free range but that would just be asking for death. Which may become the appropriate thing to do. Here she has a big coop and a hen house to roost in at night should she choose to do so. I hope she does because as we know, critters do get into the coop at night, no matter how carefully we try to secure it. 
I guess what I'm saying here is that her days may be limited but she had gotten to the point at Jessie's where she would not go into the coop at night and just roosted on the ground which was not going to end well and as Vergil said, if her last days can be happy, it would be good. She was raised here until she was big enough to go join the flock at Jessie's house so perhaps she remembers, at least viscerally, and feels at home. I hope so. 

Last night, Mr. Moon sat in the kitchen and we talked about Ross and his brother Robert and emotions came up from my guts as I wrapped the tofu and vegetables in the egg roll wrappers. We both cried. Today Ross's obituary was posted on Facebook and I am going to link it HERE.  I think it is absolutely one of the most beautiful, honest, and true-to-life obituaries I've ever read. It says everything I was trying to say when I wrote about him after he died but with far more immediacy and honesty. It was only available online and Tom, who went to a basketball game with Glen today, came in and read it. Tom does not do computers or smartphones. He just doesn't. But he wanted to read it. 
Ross's death has been incredibly hard for him. 
"I will be grieving him for a long time," he said to me today. 
We all will be. 



Birth, death, and all the messy, amazing, prosaic, horrible, wonderful, grievous, miraculous, joyful things in-between. 
As Ross would like you to do- look up. Be tender, even in the confusion and pain. 

I need to remember that. Not a bad lesson for any of us. 

Love...Ms. Moon

40 comments:

  1. FRESCA here: Ross’s is one of the best obits I’ve ever read!
    These were my favorite lines—so funny and touching and heck, why not tell the truth on these matters:
    “He was one of the prettiest men God ever made. Even to his last breath people could not get over how gorgeous he was.”
    R.I.P. to a good man

    And happy birthday to the prettiest and best girl!

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    1. Ross was undeniably gorgeous. As I said about him, "Handsome as the day is long," but the obit writer (his wife, probably) gave the description you quote and I love it. She is right.
      And indeed, Maggie is a pretty girl and she is generally pretty near best, too! Especially when she comes to visit us.

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  2. Maggie, Magnolia , who wouldn't love her blanket and her little vanity. No matter the age, those are memorable and practical, will be with her longer than a toy, that is for sure.
    Sorry you lost such a lovely friend- brilliantly written obit. I am sure he would not only approve but likely be flattered. Bless his soul. Yes, a very handsome man. If there is an up yonder, they are delighted.

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    1. Maggie Magnolia June. I sure hope she likes that blanket and that it makes her feel warm and safe.
      I don't know if Ross would have been flattered. Probably. But everything that was said was just objective truth. I told May that if there is a heaven, I just do hope his is filled with women. He could be an angel up there, attending to all of them.

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  3. beautifully expressed obit for your dear friend. May he RIP....... a larger than life lost, but so fondly remembered. And that Magnolia June.....bless her heart. I hope the Moana hen can enjoy some bugs and *out* time to live out her days at your house! Bless HER heart! Bless everyones heart, really.........
    Susan M

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  4. What a full post. Birth, parties, death, obituaries, all the milestones covered. Maggie will come to love her quilt as she uses it. It's not always the instantly attractive gift that stays the course. I think her quilt will.

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    1. Oh, I think it will too. Even better than a home made dress or nightgown because it will fit her for quite awhile.

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  5. sending love and peace on the loss of your family friend. may his memory always be a blessing xxalainaxx

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    1. You know what, darling? That was a perfect thing to say and I believe his memory will always be a blessing to me and so many others. Thank you.

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  6. That obituary was a wonderful tribute. Sounds like a man it was a privilege to know.

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  7. So true, birth, death and all of in between. Bittersweet. Love the quilt. And I bet she'll have it forever. Just a great gift. The dressing table is super cute, too!

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    1. Ms. Whisk- I have made blankets for all of my children and grandchildren with their names on them. Except for the youngest and I imagine he'll be getting his in the next year. Isn't that the cutest little vanity?

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    2. So great. I used to have a blanket business and made them to sell on weekends. Sewing is so much fun. Cheers, Ivy.

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  8. Ross made this world brighter and sweeter and more loving for sure. Thank you for allowing us to know him. Lily is very talented! That's a darling dresser and chair, fit for a princess.

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  9. What a beautiful obituary for you friend.

    And I'm sure Maggie must just love that vanity, I know I would have loved it as a girl.

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    1. It was an absolutely perfect obituary, I think.
      And I do believe Maggie will love her vanity. She already has far more make-up than I do!

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  10. Wow. that is a candid obituary and a wonderful tribute. Happy birthday to Magnolia and long may she love purple and all things Mer Mer. too.

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    1. Yes! A real tell-the-truth and shame-the-devil obit. It would have been a sin not to talk about the things that made Ross shine on this earth.
      Maggie does love her purple. Royal. Like she is, as a princess, you know.

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  11. Wow what a talented daughter you have and I just KNOW Miss Maggie was thrilled! And that obituary was truly beautiful - he was indeed a beautiful man!

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    1. Lily is a can-do girl. Between her and Lauren, I don't know a thing they couldn't achieve with their skills.
      If you had known Ross, you would know that his beauty was far more than skin deep, too.

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  13. I agree, not a bad lesson at all.
    As Mary Oliver said..
    'Tell me, what is it you plan to do
    with your one wild and precious life.'

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    1. I have that quote hung in my house. It's a good one.

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  14. I'm glad you have a chicken again! That's awesome news.

    I read Ross' obituary -- which was fantastic -- and my mind is blown a little bit. Seeing his last name, I realized he is from the Dormon family that owned the Dormon house on Lake Otis, a structure designed by architect Gene Leedy that I always admired. (I love that modernist architecture!) What a small world!

    http://www.geneleedy.com/structures/dormon-residence/

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    1. Good god- it is such a small world. Do you think that Winter Haven may be the center of the universe?

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  15. Happy 7th birthday to Maggie! Wishing her the best that life has to offer!
    Thanks for sharing Ross' tribute - what a fine man he was.

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  16. Something, at least, is right in the world...a chicken in Ms Moon's coop.

    That is such a cute perfect vanity for a little girl.

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    1. I know. I am so glad to have another chicken, even if she never lays me an egg I can use.

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  17. That is an absolutely lovely obituary. Your friend Ross was a sweet man and a good soul.
    I always use your blog list to check in on my other favorites. There was a blogger I thought was on your list; a woman from Hawaii, an wonderful artist with several kids. I cannot find her now. Do you know who that was? I just can't remember her name/blog title.

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    1. Hey, Elle. Thank you for the nice words. I just checked with Holly, the woman who writes the blog you were asking about and she said I can put her blog back up on my list so there it is. The Harpy.

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  18. Happy birthday Maggie! Lily has created a perfect gift. It warms my heart that you have a hen. That was one of the best and most straight from the heart obituaries I’ve ever read. I’m so sorry for your loss.
    Xoxo
    Barbara

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    1. Thank you, Barbara. I think Lily did a fantastic job on the little vanity. It is personally Maggie's now.
      And yes, how sweet to have a hen again. She's a pretty thing.
      Wasn't that a wonderful obit?

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  19. That was just the most perfect obituary I have ever read.

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  20. Best of luck to Moana

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Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.