A Lot Of Pictures And A Little Nostalgia

Some time ago I bought a potted plant because I liked the leaves. I had no idea it bloomed until a few years ago when I put the plant in the ground. That's it there on the right, trying to escape the Sago palm. It went a little crazy this year, blooming nicely. 

It's a little Sueussian, isn't it? I have since found out that it is called "Leopard plant," or sometimes "Tractor Seat plant." 
We can see why. 

But I discovered something else this year which is that the bees love those blossoms. There are always bees on them. 

Bees are a little bit scary, viewed straight-on, aren't they? 

It's given me a lot of pleasure to watch them working over those pretty yellow flowers. 

I really did not want to do anything resembling work today. I just did not. So I asked Mr. Moon if he'd like to go to Monticello and get lunch and maybe do a little shopping. He said he would. 
And so we did! I even put on some make-up. I have decided that although there is nothing about my physical presence that I can appreciate even the least bit these days, my eyes are still pretty when I give them a little shimmer and mascara.
You'll have to trust me on that one. 

We went to the Rev which is the restaurant where you can sit outside and watch the traffic go around the county courthouse (or sometimes almost crash into it, as Lis and I did once) while you're eating your lunch. They have decent food and there seems to be a new manager in charge and things were going along a little faster today than they usually are. Mr. Moon got a hamburger and I got a crab cake sandwich and we both got what were probably the best french fries I've ever had in my life. 

So that was fun and there were no crashes but we did some cows being trailered and giant bales of hay being hauled and lots and lots and lots of trucks. 

I asked Mr. Moon if he needed to go the Man Store, which is what I call the place across the street from the Rev where they sell all things manly from guns to ammo to bows and arrows to fishing supplies to manly camo-wear to live bait, and deer stands and so on and so forth. He said he did not need to go the Man Store so I suggested we go to Wag the Dog (big surprise) which is the thrift store where I have found many treasures. It's called Wag the Dog because all proceeds go towards the Jefferson County Humane Society. 
I found no treasures today. I didn't really reach level 10 on my looking skills, though. It was just all a little much. Things are CRAMMED into that place and space and there were a lot of people there. I did find this. 

I was not feeling particularly blue so I did not buy it but I wouldn't have anyway. All that stuff is plastic. But lovely blue plastic, right? 

Party in a box! 

So then we went to the real antique store and looked around. This is the place where I got Dorothy Anne. We saw a lot of cool stuff but nothing that we had to have. I decided to go on up to the second floor (which is where I found Dorothy) and Mr. Moon went outside and sat on a bench. I did find this lovely old...object. 

Wheeled kitchen cart? Whatever. I thought I might buy it to use in place of the horrible piece of shit thing I have in the kitchen now where I keep my mixer and random baskets and bowls. I got Mr. Moon to come up and look at it and he was willing for us to buy it but he did point out that when I turned on the Kitchen Aid, that thing would probably roll itself all over the kitchen, vibrating all the way. 
He was right. 
Still. I like it. 

Here are some other things I did not buy. 

There was a time in my life when there would have been no way I would have left that little piece of chalkware glory behind. Those days are over. 

This guy was just way too judgmental. 

Not a soul in this world is going to buy him unless he changes his attitude. I feel sorry for that little shepherdess or whatever she is, standing below him. 

These are buccaneer marionettes (at least that's what the tag said) and again, ten years ago I might have bought them and hung them somewhere in my house. Their clothes alone are gorgeous. 

But no. 
Just no. 

They have been sitting right there, about three feet away from where Dorothy Anne was lying, ever since I've been going to this antique store. 

They've opened up two more rooms in the upstairs and I loved seeing that space. 

Look at those arches! A man who's a vender there and I had a conversation about those. We believe that the upstairs part of the building was a living space while the downstairs was the family business back when the place was built. We conjectured that possibly the arches wall separated a dining room from a parlor but who knows? They are lovely. 

Here. 

You see that face? It's carved from wood. It's a Robert Raikes bear, a circus ringmaster bear to be exact. 
No, no, no, no, no. A thousand times no. There were also two of Mr. Raikes' rabbits and there were rather horrifying as well. 
Why would someone do that? 

While I was in Monticello, I bought a local paper and this absolutely cracked me up. 

That's the header. "If you could go back in time, when would you visit first?" 

Okay. Fine. But it was the answer of the first guy that really made me laugh. 

Don't you think that Mr. Kasdorf would secretly rather go see the fight at the O.K. Corall than to go see Christ? 

We do not need to discuss the obvious need for a proof reader at that newspaper. 

So that was our day in Monticello which appears to be becoming a shopping mecca. There were all sorts of people visiting, eating lunch, walking along the charming little streets with bags of things they'd bought. So different than the Monticello I remember from the mid '70's when yes, Saturday was a big day in town but it was the farmers and ranchers coming in to do their shopping at the Piggly Wiggly and the hardware store that sold just about everything and the shoe store that was dark and filled with tables and tables and shelves of shoes that the proprietor would lead you down to find what you were looking for. I used to get the socks I made monkey dolls out of there. Folks would take their kids for an ice cream at the pharmacy that had little bistro tables. Now there's an honest to goodness coffee shop that sells all the frappes and lattes and mochas and chais and there's a bakery and cafe that also sells bee-keeping supplies and a lot of different cutesy shops that can knock you out with their scented candles and potpourri. 
But there's still a produce stand and the Man Store and the barber shop that closes on Saturday at noon and about fifty churches and the old Opera House where I spent so many wonderful, magical hours and the feed store that I talked about a few months ago and the Jefferson Community News where people are interviewed about there they would go if they could travel back in time. 

Things are changing but that's just what happens and that's fine. 

All is well here at the Moon's tonight. The Weatherfords made a last minute decision to go up to North Carolina yesterday and that's where they are. The pictures I've gotten are so great. The cousins have fit right back into their relationships and even Sophie has a new dog cousin whom she loves playing with all over the mountain. 

It's just a quick trip for Vergil to get a truck he's bought. They'll be back early next week. 

Love...Ms. Moon