The yellow Jessamine is blooming now. The vines drape themselves around other plants and trees and fences, decorating them like birthday cakes.
Sorry about the blurry blossom in the foreground but I loved the way it looked against the gray sky.
I would like to take a moment to thank all of you who commented on yesterday's post and to those of you who e-mailed me too. What I think I am learning is that sex is something that many of us still appreciate and enjoy into our older years. That it can still be so very meaningful. Not always! For some, because of one or a myriad of reasons, the season of it in their lives is shorter and I understand that too.
But mostly what I wanted to say is that you who wrote are so very brave to share your thoughts and I appreciate that so much. I also appreciate those of you who didn't. The topic can make people horribly uncomfortable and if I offended any of you, I apologize.
I figure though, that if I can take on religion and Jesus the way I have and not worry about offending people, well- I can certainly have a little non-graphic discussion about sex.
That was one perspective that I had, anyway.
I took a hot and sweaty walk this morning. I did not seem to have much energy and I don't tonight, either. But I managed a few miles and saw a few things including that gorgeous Jessamine.
And these.
Violets and oxalis. I should have picked some for either a bouquet or a salad. But I just walked on.
Today was the day August got his adenoids out. Poor baby. I do not think he ended up being as excited about it as he thought he would be.
This is what he looked like when his mama brought him home and got him all cuddled up on her bed. She gave him an Ibuprofen and he was soon able to have a popsicle and some yogurt and then some sandwich so he will survive.
Jessie wanted to make him some chicken and dumplings for supper because he loves them so and I had to come into town for a few things and picked up what she needed to make those fluffy dumplings in their delicious broth. Also, the fixin's for root beer floats. And I got a few kid magazines and two calculators- one for August and one for Levon. Levon had begged for one a few weeks ago and today I thought, "Oh why not?" They cost $4.99 which would hardly break the bank.
The boys were thrilled. August immediately asked if he could use his to do his homework.
"You can use it to check your homework," Jessie said, "But you have to use your brain to do your homework in the first place."
I hung out for awhile and Jessie and I talked while the boys played a game on my phone. I was feeling so lazy but I finally hauled myself up and let her get on with her life. When I left, the boys were trying to talk her into letting them have the root beer floats before dinner.
Of course.
The crazy catbird that tries to get into my bathroom was on his bamboo twig perch almost all day yesterday from early morning to very late afternoon.
What a persistent little creature!
Why isn't he out courting a lady cat bird? What is his point? He surely cannot see his reflection in the window at all hours of the day.
The peas I planted last weekend have popped through the dirt.
Look at those clever little pea vine leaves, unfurling from their seed-egg. Oh, my heart!
And one more picture.
That's the black panther kitty who is also trying to move in here. I have no idea if she's a she or he's a he. Whatever. Jack sat ten feet away from her yesterday on the back steps, just watching as she watched him. A few days before that, the other crazy-quilt cat walked about the same distance away from him across the yard and Jack did not say a thing.
I feel certain that the strays would not attempt to get that close to Maurice.
And that is all my news today.
Love...Ms. Moon
I have known men like your catbird. Spend way too much time admiring themselves.
ReplyDeleteBlack cat is gorgeous as is the patchwork cat. Would Jack permit co-habitation? We know what Maurice thinks.
Thank you for your topic yesterday. It is good see sensible discussion around what shouldn't be a sensitive topic.
I meant to say I hope August feels better soon. Wee Alice will be having the same op when she gets on the ever expanding waiting list.
DeleteThank you, Ms. Merlot! I really appreciate your telling me that you appreciated the post.
DeleteAnd I hope that Wee Alice's surgery goes as easily as August's did.
August looks great! My brother looked like he got hit by a truck after having tonsils and adenoids out. But of course that was back in the day, when they removed everything with a saw and hammer.
ReplyDeleteNot that sex is an uncomfortable subject , it is just not very interesting. About as interesting as taking a dump.
I love the little seedling coming up. how sweet it is.
It's all sort of cringy, isn't it? The surgeon told Jessie that he had to remove a lot of "extra tissue." Ugh. I hear you about the saw and hammer. Those are now mostly relegated to the orthopedic surgeons.
DeleteI am sorry that the subject of sex is so boring to you. But it is what it is.
I love my little pea seedlings so much! And this year they can grow on the fence without fear of the chickens plucking the tasty vines as soon as they get tall enough for them to reach with their beaks.
Poor little August with his adenoids out. His throat must be sore. He has been a brave lad. What could be better than an ice lolly (American: popsicle).
ReplyDeleteDay 2 of recovery and he's back at it. Kids.
DeleteMy memories of tonsils and adenoids do not match August's. Best he not be told.
ReplyDeleteYour little pea would need a greenhouse tomorrow, up here in Ohiol
He just got the adenoids taken, not the tonsils. Maybe that's easier or maybe surgeons have figured out how to remove these items without butchering the throats of the children.
DeleteI know it's so cold up north! Bundle up!
I agree with Linda Sue that sex is not interesting to talk about. It's wildly engrossing to take part in at any age, with or without a partner.
ReplyDeleteBut, unlike cooking food, your joy of sex is not about sharing with your children or neighbors. I can soon run out of the will to live when people go on and on, and I wonder if they realize they're talking about education on the mechanics of reproduction, rather than about sexual pleasure. The pleasure of sex isn't about words.
As you see, I gave this more thought after you pointed out that we talk about food, why not about sex. Thank you for pushing me gently to think and say more! I'm done now.
And I posted before I remembered to pass on my wishes for a speedy recovery with popsicles, for our brave convalescent boy.
DeleteI really appreciate your further perspective on discussing sex! And also bringing up how it can be a joy no matter the age and with or without a partner.
DeleteI think when I was comparing it to food, I was more thinking of how difficult it is to talk about "sex" in general. That the subject is as vast and varied as food and eating with all of the different cuisines and appetites and foods available and cooking techniques and, and, and! But actually, I think it would quite interesting and instructional to have more open conversations about sex. Not unlike with cooking, if you only know a few different foods and one or two ways to prepare them, talking to someone (or reading recipes or watching videos, of course) can expand your enjoyment tremendously, both in the cooking and the eating.
Who knew that capers could add such depth and flavor to a dish?
For those of us who struggle silently with sexual issues, I find it so heartwarming and helpful to hear from women (and men) who have found loving, sexual relationships. Sexual bragging and graphic sex are so NOT helpful, but the kind of a discussion you opened, Ms. Moon, is.
DeleteChris from Boise
glad August is home and surgery done! I know he will get pampered with soup and root beer float and love........and will feel better tomorrow. Your emerging pea is exciting! I don't *do* gardens anymore due to the ground squirrels.....but I grow cherry tomatoes, basil and lettuce in huge pots on the deck. Even here in Calif. we've had very cold nights and it's too early to plant even those
ReplyDeleteSusan M
I often think that I would be much better off growing in pots. So much easier on the body! And I know that you can get quite generous harvests that way!
DeleteDo you get freezes there?
I've seen that yellow Jessamine here in Adelaide, people here call it Carolina Jasmine I think.
ReplyDeleteAugust does look a little miserable in the big bed with his toys and quilt, but I bet by the time I am writing this he is much better already.
Yellow Jessamine is the state flower of South Carolina!
DeleteAnd yes, August is so much better already.
Re: talking about sex… (still).
ReplyDeleteEach to her own, but as someone whose favorite thing to do in bed is read, I want to speak up for the erotic power of words.
Lots of people don’t like poetry, of course, but there’s some really interesting poems on the subject.
I went looking for a non-graphic, inoffensive example to share and found one by a favorite poet—Sharon Olds.
This clever little poem makes me smile, but it gets a little warm toward the equator… I hope you might enjoy it.
Poem: "Topography," by Sharon Olds
After we flew across the country we
got in bed, laid our bodies
delicately together, like maps laid
face to face, East to West, my
San Francisco against your New York, your
Fire Island against my Sonoma, my
New Orleans deep in your Texas, your Idaho
bright on my Great Lakes, my Kansas
burning against your Kansas your Kansas
burning against my Kansas, your Eastern
Standard Time pressing into my
Pacific Time, my Mountain Time
beating against your Central Time, your
sun rising swiftly from the right my
sun rising swiftly from the left your
moon rising slowly from the left my
moon rising slowly from the right until
all four bodies of the sky
burn above us, sealing us together,
all our cities twin cities,
all our states united, one
nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
A beautiful example of how sex can be talked about entirely without "dirty words" (not that I don't love dirty words) and still be erotic as hell.
DeleteI can't believe I've missed the sex talk and the removal of August's adenoids. I am so sorry!
ReplyDeleteWith blogs, it is never too late!
DeleteBest wishes to August in his convalescence - which I suspect will be over practically before it started. "You can use it to check your homework," Jessie said, "But you have to use your brain to do your homework in the first place." Wise Jessie.
ReplyDeleteChris from Boise
PS That Jessamine is spectacular!
You're exactly right about August's recovery.
DeleteJessie is a very smart girl.
I hope August is feeling better soon!
ReplyDeleteHe is!
DeleteAugust looks very well looked after in that bed with all the soft toys. Hope he will be feeling fine soon. Not sure what adenoids are exactly, but I remember having my tonsils out when I was 6. I think that in those days, if you ever had tonsilitis they just whipped them out. Jelly and ice cream were the order of the day, and I was also given a " Bayko" set to build with.....early Lego I guess. Did you have Bayko over there? I loved it.
ReplyDeleteYes. August landed in the snuggliest place possible, I think.
DeleteI do not remember Bayko sets at all but having googled them, they look very cool. We mostly played with wooden blocks that my granddaddy made us. We loved those too. Kept them in a laundry basket.
Amazing that August had his surgery and is home ready to eat chicken and dumplings! That's a good recovery. I sure hope it helps him stay healthy and avoid the germs that have been getting him sick.
ReplyDeleteMe too, Ellen! That poor child catches everything.
DeleteI remember my dad telling me that he was sitting up in a chair when his tonsils were removed, sans anesthetic. I don't know if it's true or not but they were poor and I doubt they had the money for a surgery. So glad that August got it done and got a rootbeer float out of it:)
ReplyDeleteIt always amazes me that plants that grow in Florida, also grow here. We have oxalis as well, although probably a distant relative to your own oxalis.
Have you ever gone round to the window that the catbird sits at all day, but from the outside, to see what he sees?
As for sex, it's fun, it's useful and it feels good. It's too bad churches and religion decided it was sinful.
August was a little worried that he would wake up in the middle of his surgery. His mama assured him that he wouldn't. I wonder if it's even possible that your father had his tonsils removed without anesthesia. Did they get him drunk beforehand? What a horrible memory, whether true or false.
DeleteIt is funny that we have some plants in common.
I have gone to look at that window the catbird tries to get in. All I see is the upper part of my bathroom.
You are right about sex. In my opinion, at least.
Aw, crap! I missed out on joining in the sex discussion. :) I hope August is feeling better soon, and I love Black Panther kitty!
ReplyDeleteOh, Jennifer! Go on and comment on the sex discussion anyway. I'll read it!
DeleteI think that black cat is extremely beautiful.
I did write a response to (what is my mind will always be known as "miss moon's breakthrough sex talk") yesterday's post but found my post was just too complicated (as was the beginning of my life of sex) so I deleted it!
ReplyDeleteDo they still take adenoids when they take tonsils? Or don't they talk tonsils anymore? On today's pictures, I really do miss all the beautiful plants and trees and being able to grow food all year 'round in the south but 19 years of my life in the south was enough. I'll stick with Colorado for the rest of it!
I think it's pretty weird and also funny that what I wrote would be considered a "breakthrough" in any way. But I suppose that for our blogging community, it was unusual. I wish you hadn't deleted your comment!
DeleteAugust just got his adenoids out. They left the tonsils. I think they can do one or both.
Well, you can still grow food in Colorado. If I lived there, I'd have to have a green house though.
I feel like many of us welcomed the opportunity to talk about a sometimes sensitive topic in the caring arena you set up, Ms Moon.
ReplyDeleteMaybe you can keep it going? I am a big fan of talking (writing) about most everything.
Everything is potentially interesting! Even (gasp), 🏀 🏈 sports ⚽️.
As Horace said,
“I am a human. Nothing human is alien to me.”
(Except he said it in Latin.)
Thank you, Fresca. And I will be adding thoughts to that subject. You can count on that.
DeleteI love that quote from Horace. I strive to live in the light of it.
And yes, there can be interesting aspects of sports. For me, that would be more about the people who play them than the actual sports themselves but still. You're right.
FRESCA here. Erratum: It was Terence, not Horace.
Delete"Homo sum; humani nil a me alienum puto": I am a human being; I consider nothing human alien to me.
Well, I don't care who said it. I still would like to live in the light of it.
Delete37paddington:
ReplyDeleteWishing August a speedy road to healing, one that includes root beer floats along the way.
Thank you, darling sister. And I think the boys are spending the night this weekend so there will also be a purple cow. And if I know them- more chicken and dumplings and of course...pancakes.
ReplyDeleteI have a similar problem to your catbird. I noticed today that a long-tailed tit was attacking our windows. I hope he doesn't hurt himself!
ReplyDelete