Monday, March 27, 2023

Things That Grow In Lloyd


I decided to take a walk this morning. 
Finally. Not only do I desperately need to be more active both for my body and my soul, I also wanted to see what was blooming by the roadside and I was not disappointed. The red clover is out and it is one of my favorites. I have to be honest with you- that shot makes it look like there is an entire field of flowers but that was just the perspective. It was actually only a smallish patch. Still- so pretty. 

I was very much afraid I'd missed the wild pink azalea that grows in the woods next to a house I walk by but I did not. It was in full glory. 


I realize that it looks more like pink smoke than anything else but it's a bit distant from the sidewalk where I stood. I could have gotten closer but that would have involved walking through underbrush that can hold burrs and ticks and redbugs and I'm just as soon not get involved with those things if possible. I may, however, defy common sense and stalk through it tomorrow if I go again. It would be worth it. There are also Cherokee roses blooming but they are hard to make out in this picture. 

Okay. This made me laugh. 


I read the sign and thought to myself, "Good Lord! April 2 is going to be a very busy day!" That's a lot to fit in one single Sunday. I sure hope people bring their lunches. 

When I got home I checked the mulberry tree and thank goodness! 


I'm hoping for enough to make at least one pie and some pints of jam. I put sugar on my shopping list. I can't wait! 

After picking the mulberries, I decided to check out the bamboo situation. 
Shit fire. 
I've let it get away from me. 


Luckily, those are two of the thinner variety. One of the Big Boys had come up a few feet away and it was too big for me to kick. I kicked at least a dozen in the field by the bamboo jungle and a few more in the front yard. 
Obviously the project is not over for the year yet. 
I have noticed that the pecans are putting out their leaves which means that our winter is definitely over. The pecans are the first to drop their leaves in the fall and the last to get them back in the spring. I also noticed a few magnolias putting out buds across the street. Oh, how I am looking forward to those massive, creamy-white, lemon-scented blossoms. 

Traditionally, gardeners in this part of the world use the pecans' leafing as the signal that it's safe to put tomatoes in. Of course, this year Mr. Moon rushed that but it's turned out okay. I am hoping against hope that some of the little sprouts coming up from the pot where I stuck a few of the sugar bomb cherry tomatoes grow fast enough to be moved to the garden. 


I was thrilled to see that that they were coming up yesterday. Come on, babies! You can do this! Mr. Moon did ask me how I'm going to separate the plants when they get bigger.
"Don't worry about it," I told him. 
Of course this translates to, "I have no idea." Perhaps I should try planting a few more of the seeds in a more appropriate manner. It only took them a few days to come up. 

And so it goes in Lloyd. My left knee is not happy that I took it on a walk today and is doing that thing where it feels like it's going to go out on me. It's been doing this on and off for twenty years so I'm not too worried about it. I even have a knee brace somewhere in my closet if things become dire. Mr. Moon and I are both limping about like two old geriatric patients and laughing at how ridiculous we look. He did TOO MUCH today and is paying for it now. He had a doctor's appointment this morning for a regularly scheduled physical and after that he stayed in town "just running errands" so now he's back in his chair. We had planned on attending a family early dinner at El Patron to celebrate Gibson's birthday but he's done enough today. They'll just have to celebrate without us. It does make me a little sad to think of missing everyone being together but Easter is coming up. Remember back before Christmas and I, in my manic Christmas insanity bought a ham at Costco? It's been in the freezer ever since and I plan on bringing it out for Christ Is Risen! Day. I always hope that my collards are still in enough abundance to make a big pot of them to go with the ham on Easter and I do believe that this year they will be, especially if they are fortified with some kale. We haven't really discussed Easter yet, but hopefully everyone will be coming out here to hunt eggs and dine on delicious foods, specifically ham and challah, deviled eggs and greens. I like to pay tribute to as many faith beliefs as possible. 
Dietarily at least. 

Stay tuned for my annual Easter rant. 

Love...Ms. Moon





25 comments:

  1. Gardening and growing things and a hurt knee, sounds just right. Business as usual. The church sign is a worthy laugh. You are right, that is alot to cram into one church meeting. Easter is about rabbits and eggs, springtime, warmth of the sun (maybe). and two sons having a birthday the same day. Optimism is Easter, nothing to do with that dead guy on a stick having an rez-erection, or whatever.

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    1. I agree with you completely about Easter. Rebirth for sure- of plants and of animals. I'll celebrate that any day of the week. Or year.

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  2. Easter will pass as any other day, here.
    Those tomatoes came up quickly. I might try planting seeds like that in Spring. I couldn't do any worse than this year!

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    1. Well, our family does enjoy a good family dinner and Easter's as good an excuse as ever.
      I'll keep you updated on the tomato seedlings.

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  3. Did you know you can "zoom" in with a camera phone by expanding the image with that spreading fingers thing you do to enlarge a small image to see it better? Focus on the wild azalea, "zoom in" and take the picture. No ticks and redbugs need to get involved. I love the red clover, it's so pretty. My tomatoes seem to never come up until I've forgotten about them and then a whole clump arrives overnight only to be eaten the next night by whatever bug is out there. Last year I got one tomato about the size of a marble from a plant that grew under another of a different species.

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    1. Yes. I do know that. But I also know that there's a limit as to how big you can make an image without totally sacrificing the quality of the photo. I did indeed enlarge the image before I took that picture.
      Tomatoes are needy plants, aren't they?

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  4. I can't believe that bamboo!!! You can see how easy it was to use as an instrument of torture in Japan can't you (not a nice thought but that's what popped into my head). And lucky you being able to plant tomatoes out already. I have mine in the living room and this year I swear I won't plant out before the Saintes de Glace, which is 15 May and traditionally when the last frost is over. I can't wait!

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    1. I would rather not think about bamboo being used as an element of torture.
      We do like to get the tomatoes out as soon as we can because when it gets hot it also gets buggy and at that point it's just about too late.

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  5. It always makes me laugh, that mental picture of you "kicking bamboo and taking names". Yes. Easter is coming. So envious of your garden.

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    1. Heh-heh. I do not bother to take names. Well, sometimes I think, "That's a Big Boy."

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  6. That sign made me laugh too, but not because April 2 promised to be a very busy day-- rather, I was impressed that a church was offering resurrection at all, never mind the date! Wow! Can I join and stop fretting about my inevitable mortality?

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    1. That was the joke- the thing that made me laugh! The thought of people dying, getting buried, resurrecting and THEN having communion- that's a lot to get done.
      I am sure that church would welcome you.

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  7. Ha! Easter is pretty much a non-event around here. Except that it usually kicks off Spring Break.

    Glad you got out for a walk to enjoy the flowers! (And the church signs!)

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    1. Steve! Where are your southern roots? You don't eat ham and potato salad and deviled eggs on Easter? Now THAT is apostasy.

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  8. Those red and yellow blooms are so pretty! I am so glad you took a photo of them for us to see. Nothing like that here yet...
    I will have Easter brunch this year with an egg casserole and a ham and some sweet treats and my sister will bring a nice fruit salad. I am hoping it's a nice day so the grandkids can play outside!

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    1. Egg casserole? What sort? I am hoping that Lily will make the pineapple casserole. It is so ridiculous and so good.

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    2. Well, my daughter is gluten-free, dairy-free and my daughter-in-law doesn't eat pork so the egg casserole will be something that they can eat! I think turkey sausage and gluten-free bread with eggs and spices baked in the oven. And bowls of shredded cheese for the kids to sprinkle on top. I'll look for recipes online...

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  9. I remember olden times at the Church of the Batshit Crazy and look forward to a new sermon. Your garden walks and fauna and flora observations and photos are beautiful. Peaceful to me. Thank you.

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    1. I really used to feel the need to preach about religion, didn't I? Eh, I feel the same way now only more so but the fire in the gut has been tamped down. I have no idea why. Age, perhaps.

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  10. Ms Moon, would you be kind enough to educate this yankee. What the heck is a redbug? :)

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  11. Oh my. You are so lucky not to know what redbugs are. They are also called chiggers and are a type of mite that love to jump onto humans and burrow into our flesh, especially the flesh under the elastic of underwear and socks and bras. The way they burrow is to actually dissolve small bits of our flesh and eat it. They cause terrible itching welts that can last for a long damn time. You can read this to see what happens if a chigger bites your penis: https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/prevent-treat-chigger-bites

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    1. OK, I was actually aware of chiggers, didn't know they were also called redbugs, & thanks for the details, I think. YIKES!!

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    2. Would chiggers be what I know as scabies? Tiny mites that burrow into human skin, sounds the same...

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  12. Holy shit that first picture! Looking forward to all of the growth updates and pie and jam updates!! And the church sign!! Hahaha busy day indeed!!!

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  13. The harvests of this season are good this year, tho' probably not as prolific as there in Florida, where a lot of it might grow Wild. I went to our Library to get Free Seeds from their Seed Library and they finally had Artichoke and Asparagus Seed... yay!

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Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.