An Extremely Disappointed Husband

Look at those little hands.

I actually reached for that little friend as I was picking beans today, thinking that it was yet another bean. Approximately the correct size and also, since the variety of beans I'm growing sometimes have a brownish-purple pattern on them, approximately the same color, too. Excellent camouflage. I did not pick the anole but I did pick four and a half pounds of beans. I weighed them on my granddaddy's old scale which looks beat and battered but which is still pretty accurate. Also, I realized that the bags I've been putting the beans in to refrigerate them before I can them actually hold 2.5 gallons and not 1.5 gallons which is what I'd thought so long story short- I'm picking a hell of a lot of green beans. 

Here's what today's pickings all looked like. 

I'm not sure if that acorn squash is ripe or not but the vine was taking its one last gasp so we picked the squash and pulled the vine and threw it on the burn pile. We also had what were quite possibly the best bacon and tomato sandwiches for our lunch that I've ever eaten. I don't have any pictures of the tomatoes because we ATE THEM!

This is absolutely the prettiest summer garden we've ever grown and it's because of Mr. Moon's participation. He has worked so hard. I think he really loves it. 

He didn't love working in it today though because he was depressed as hell that he didn't get to go fishing. The weather was a little iffy and the guy who owns the boat, and thus makes the decisions, called the trip off due to forecasted high winds. The seas looked flat but the decision was made and that was that and Mr. Viking Moon was sorely disappointed and home by 9:30 this morning. 

Just picking the beans, which took the better part of an hour, was all I could tolerate in the sun. Sweat was sheeting off of me. But after I cooled off and we ate our lunch, I went back out and did a little more crocosmia pulling in the sago bed in front of the porch. 

Here is a picture of a very male sago palm. 

It will get bigger. Sagos do not bother to hide their candles under a bushel, do they? 

Here's a female.

I rather love it. So intricate and shaggy. In a few months, orange ball-like nuts (I just made that description up) will be growing amongst the fringes if the pollen from the male makes it into them. 
As much as I am not in love with the sagos, I can still admire them. They were here when dinosaurs walked the earth. 

Vergil sent us some pictures last night that the camp photographer took that Jessie and the boys were in. 

I'm glad the boys get to see each other. They look pretty happy about that, don't they? And isn't Jessie a darling camp nurse? And of course, Levon looks like The Man on the soccer field. 

Here's something funny- I pulled a trigger fish filet out of the freezer to cook for our supper tonight and did a little google search for recipes. I'm not sure I've ever cooked trigger fish. 

I found this one.

Look up there on the left. See where the recipe is coming from? The South Carolina Aquarium? Does this not seem rude to you? Inappropriate perhaps? It made me stop and think for sure. 

And this is making me happy. 

There's my iron skillets, hanging on hooks that Mr. Moon put up for me. He's going to do three more on a different wall for my three cast iron saucepans too. This is fantastic as I will have more room in the pantry where they've been living and also, when I want my largest skillet, which I use frequently, I won't have to lift out the other four that were nested inside of it. Obviously, I need some decor items on that wall as well. You know me. 

I can't tell you how much it means to me to be married to a guy who listens to what I want and need and does what it takes to make those things happen. 
Mostly. 

I've made an appointment for Jack to see the vet on Friday morning at 9:30. Ms. Merlot and River both suggested that perhaps Jack is having thyroid issues. Hyperthyroid issues to be exact. I have looked up the symptoms and think they may be right but we'll have to wait and see what the vet says and what the bloodwork shows. I have put the cat carrier in the guest room with the door open and a familiar blanket inside to see if he will maybe explore it and get used to it. I doubt that will happen but it's worth a try. Meanwhile, he is still sleeping in the puzzle box lid and sometimes he likes to nap on the old piece of sheet amongst the potatoes I have on it for curing. He continues to think he is starving and spends hours sitting by his bowl, trying to hypnotize me with his big eyes and making his tiny meows to attempt to force me to put some of that wonderful, magical, delicious wet food out for him. Sometimes I do but it's never enough. 

Time to cook the trigger fish. Which did not come from an aquarium, I assure you.

Love...Ms. Moon