Hunting And Gathering

I spent a little time in the garden today, weeding, thinning, and picking some greens for supper. I planted beets in the canvas grow bags a month or so ago, and dammit, only six plants came up in two bags. They are beautiful though, aren't they? Especially with the sun shining through them. Mr. Moon dislikes beets intensely (they taste like dirt) so he's not upset at the low sprouting rate. 

Here's what the row of arugula looks like now.

You can tell that I did not make that row. My OCD-adjacent husband did although I was the one who planted it. 

Mr. Moon and Vergil both went hunting this morning, early, early, early. Vergil went to Tom's property. Tom has allowed Glen and now Vergil to hunt there as he has so many deer. Glen went to some woods in Lamont, which is a teeny-tiny place some miles east of here that he has permission to hunt on and he did catch a deer (okay, he shot it but I call it "catch") and he was pretty thrilled. Vergil didn't get one but they're both going out tomorrow again. Vergil's family is eating venison almost entirely as their animal protein source. At home, at least. 
Now Debby- I have been telling my husband about what a fantastic wife you are when it comes to hunting support. You take your husband food when he's in the stand, you help him process the meat, and one time you even dragged the deer out of the woods after your man had had surgery. 
I do NOTHING except thaw and cook the meat after it's been processed and vacuum-sealed into nice, neat packages. Glen knows that I don't even want to see any part of the process. This is stupid because I do like to eat meat and I am a big ol' hypocrite which is only possible because I'm so entitled. 

My husband insists that he does not mind at all that I don't help him and I have a feeling he's telling me the truth. He did say today that some women even clean fish when their husbands bring them home. Then he added, "And some women have their own boats."
Uh-huh. 

But I am content and happy to work in the garden and it was lovely today, not hot at all, and not humid, either. Just about perfect. 
And then I went over to the area I've been working on for awhile, REDIGGING crocosmia, I found what might or might not be a piece of an arrowhead. It's the right material which is chert, and which I have never found another example of in all my years of digging here and it has the general shape although if it is an arrowhead, it's not all there.

I'm no expert and certainly do not know for sure one way or another but still, it was nice to find something in the dirt besides roots, crocosmia bulbs, earthworms, and bricks. 

In another exciting development (haha!) we seem to have a cat who wants to move in. I have no idea if its a male or a female, spayed or neutered or anything although I am sure it has fleas if its scratching is any indication. She's (let's call it a she) been hanging about for awhile and it seemed today that she was making her move, perhaps motivated by the lower temperatures. When I went to weed in the crocosmia bed, she was laying between it and where I was and didn't bother to move until I got very close and when I came back to the house, she was hanging out on the kitchen stoop. 

She is a pretty thing, entirely black as far as I can tell with very golden eyes. 

Later, she came right up on the back porch and hung out beside me for quite awhile.

I would love to take on another kitty but I have a feeling that Maurice would lose her mind. She is just now getting used to being the only cat in the house. It's hard to believe this one isn't someone's pet. She certainly doesn't look like she's starving so perhaps she simply feels friendly and likes to visit other homes. 
Cats. Whoever knows? 

It would be sort of nice to have another cat to snuggle and pet without having to worry about them crushing our wrist bones with their jaws and scratching our hands and arms bloody. The other night, Maurice got on the bed with me before I turned the light out and did the oddest thing. She sort of gave me little pecks of kisses around the edge of my face as if she were tracing it. I laid there and let her do it, all the while thinking, "Oh, this is so sweet!" and at the same time, "She is going to take out my eyeball."

And that is enough for tonight. It's been a good day here at Ranchero de Casa Luna and I appreciate each and every one of those. Now more than ever.

Love...Ms. Moon