Today has been one darn distraction after another, or what we call around here, the but-firsts.
For example- the picture you see above is the one I got at the Thrift Bendy Man shop and I wanted to hang it. Finding the correct place to hang something around here can be a little complicated. First off, just finding space to hang something isn't easy. I tend to hang things on walls that many people wouldn't even consider hanging on their wall but many people hang things on their walls that I would never consider hanging on mine so there you go.
Also, and more importantly, I have to feel as if whatever I am hanging wants to be where I put it. I do not mean this literally but I think you get my drift. It must somehow fit in. At least according to my definition of fitting in. Glen just holds things up in a space and says, "What about here?" and I'm like, "Oh GOD no. I'll do it."
Now to add to the problem of where to hang that rather silly picture I wanted to be able to tuck in the golden cotton burrs that Liz from Field and Fen sent me when she sent me the sweet golden orange boxes that I posted about two days ago.
I really love those gold cotton burrs and I had to look up what they are called. I have probably seen hundreds of acres of cotton growing in fields that we've passed on the highway but I've never truly studied the plant and certainly did not know what the brown part of the boll in which the cotton is nestled is called.
And Liz (or Boud as she is generally known here in Bloglandia), because she is who she is which is a curious person who finds art to be made everywhere, took some of the burrs she grew and gilded them gold. And it seemed to me that they should get pride of place atop the Spanish dancers.
I finally decided today that I would like to hang the picture and the burrs right next to where I sit on the porch to write but it wasn't as easy as just hammering a little nail in and hanging a picture on it because when I truly looked, I realized that wall was dusty as hell and had its share of spider webs. Also the other things I have hanging on it were filthy. FILTHY I tell you. Which led to me pulling the table out and taking down those other pieces and washing them.
And while the things were soaking in sudsy water, I broom-brushed the wall and yes, it desperately needs painting and so does everything else in and on this house but that's another topic altogether.
And then this led to me sweeping the entire porch and getting at the spider webs and of course there had to be a little tidying going on so that's what a but-first is.
I wanted to hang my picture but first...
Phew.
And then this led to me sweeping the entire porch and getting at the spider webs and of course there had to be a little tidying going on so that's what a but-first is.
I wanted to hang my picture but first...
Phew.
An interior decorator or most likely even a person with a lick of taste would cringe at all that but whatever.
I am happy.
And I did laundry and while I was doing that I was making the bed and then I hung something in my closet and while I was doing that I thought about how many things were in the closet that just don't fit me anymore and I needed to winnow which led to me taking things out of the closet and trying to decide whether I wanted to donate each item or get it altered. I have some dresses that I love so much I don't want to give them up and I have some dresses that I love even more that I want to go into regular rotation again. So that took awhile. I've posted on FaceBook, which is a rare thing, asking for suggestions for a good alterations person. I thought I had one but the last few things she did for me did not really make me happy.
Plus I'm a little afraid of her.
And while I was moving about the house, but-firsting this and but-firsting that trying to get back to the original plan, I kept finding little things that needed doing like toilet cleaning and oh yes, the laundry room needed sweeping and so did the kitchen and I seemed to already have my broom in hand so...
Next I wanted to plant one of my Roseland succulents in a pot where I had, as I thought I did, some of the same plant I'd also dug there a few trips ago and I decided that pot needed to go on the back porch steps where it would get more light and I moved the succulent pot there and transplanted the little darling I intended to plant in it. This reminded me that I had a monstera in the library that needed moving to the front porch. I thought to do it last week but the pot seemed pretty heavy to me so I figured I'd get Glen to do it but I didn't and today I figured I could just do it myself and I did.
And all of these things were but-firsts that I did before I did what I had planned to do today which was to weed in the garden.
I was finally ready to do that BUT FIRST I needed to pick green beans and I did and then I finally got on my knees and did a little micro-weed pulling and then I did some mulching. This time with pine straw.
And all of these things were but-firsts that I did before I did what I had planned to do today which was to weed in the garden.
I was finally ready to do that BUT FIRST I needed to pick green beans and I did and then I finally got on my knees and did a little micro-weed pulling and then I did some mulching. This time with pine straw.
I realized, when I had my fingers in the dirt that despite all the rain we got on Tuesday, the ground was dry. I'll water tomorrow.
Here's a few pictures from the garden.
Here's a few pictures from the garden.
Zinnia.
A nice bunch of tomatoes and why are they taking so long to get ripe?
Come on, babies. Ripen up before one of these fuckers grows up and starts destroying you.
Tiny, tiny baby hornworm. To give you some scale, those brown "sticks" the leaf is on are pine needles.
And yes, I did indeed squash that alien-looking creature after I took its picture.
And I know if there's one, there's a bunch more.
Sigh.
It's been such a beautiful day and even though I didn't get anything major accomplished, I did accomplish a lot of little things.
Unlike Mr. Moon who got up very early and drove to the cabin and just sent me this picture of what he's been doing.
It's been such a beautiful day and even though I didn't get anything major accomplished, I did accomplish a lot of little things.
Unlike Mr. Moon who got up very early and drove to the cabin and just sent me this picture of what he's been doing.
Laying more of that beautiful flooring upstairs. He'll be gone until Saturday evening. He's going to the coast on Saturday morning early to help his friend Alan fix a trolling motor.
I think.
The man never stops.
Unlike me. I stop frequently.
I think I'll go heat up some leftovers.
But first.
Not a one of you needs to watch this but it's another example of some old boys who never stop, never stop, never, never ever stop.
And this was about ten years ago which means they were the age I am now.
Okay. That's all.
Okay. That's all.
Love...Ms. Moon










I love where the cotton thingies now live! It seems to have upended your entire day getting them there, but, all for art, and art for all.
ReplyDeleteOh, don't worry. My day was well served by this project. Looking at the clean Talavera and the slightly cleaner walls ON TOP of the seƱoritas and golden cotton burrs is bringing me such pleasure.
DeleteI have whole weeks like this, start out to do one thing and all the prerequisite tasks keep popping up, at the end of a busy day the original objective is still undone. A case in point is a small pile of seed envelopes by the front door ready to be popped in the ground in a sunny spot. BUT FIRST.... You have captured it exactly!
ReplyDeleteCeci
There are SO many but-firsts before seeds can be planted. So, so many.
DeleteYour new Spanish dancers art and gold cotton burrs look great on the wall!
ReplyDeleteYes. And they go with my decor in that there IS no decor.
DeleteI have a small quibble. When you mentioned interior design, but your stuff is outside, so really exterior design? I know. I'm a smart ass:) And I can't even imagine having a porch where I could leave things like you have outside all year round.
ReplyDeleteI don't mind days when I get a lot of little things done because I can cross them off my mental list. Like today, I've had- book my husband for a hearing test- on a list for quite awhile, and today I did it. Same as an appointment for Jack.
I'm reading a book right now that I think would suit you just fine. It's called "The Correspondent" by Virginia Evans and the writing reminds me of you. And I have started reading out loud to Jack, "Harriet the Spy". We'll see how long that lasts.
Have a lovely day and let hope my windows get installed tomorrow. Yesterday was aborted due to the rain. Sigh.
If a porch is screened in, I think it has a special status as an indoor area. And yet, yes, it is still outdoors. In a way. Now the front porch is not screened in and yet I feel that it is part of the house and as such, should be decorated at least a tiny bit. Also, I think there is a southern tradition that whatever is done on a porch can't be seen. As in- if you're sitting on your porch naked, well...no one would call the police. They'd just think you're crazy. Although these days, someone probably would call the police.
DeleteGood luck with the hearing test. Our saga goes on.
I just put "The Correspondent" on hold via my audio book library app. Thank you. There is a long wait and I'll have forgotten why I put it on hold by the time it gets to me but I'll still listen to it and probably enjoy it.
Did your windows get installed?
Most of them went in today. When they leave today, there will just be two more large windows tomorrow.
DeleteI freaking adore you, Ms.Moon. You are real. Reading what you write about is so peaceful. Thank you for being you. -Nicol
ReplyDeleteYes, well, I am real. I could be even realer but I do not discuss everything here. Probably more than I should as it is.
DeleteThank you for liking me as I am.
I mean, I get it’s not always peaceful… it’s the real I admire. Real is why I come here. It’s peaceful to not read something pretend. -Nicol
ReplyDeleteYou're right. Not always peaceful but I mostly no pretending.
DeleteOh I watched and even turned up the volume, it's a great song. Do you still have that broom in your hands? My floors here could use a bit of sweeping, there's only three small rooms...
ReplyDeleteI like where you put the painting which is a lot smaller than it looked in previous pictures with nothing around it for scale. And I like all the things you hang and place wherever it feels right.
I'm so proud of you, River! I'm sure you must know that Keith wrote the introductory riff for that song IN HIS SLEEP. It's a great story. And only Keith.
DeleteI could sweep your house in fifteen minutes and do my best sweeping too.
Scale is everything, isn't it?
I stop more frequently than you. You owe Boud a world of thanks for sending you the cotton burs. That and your new dancers made you clean much of your house and porch!
ReplyDeleteYou are so right! It's like a thing I read where a guy says that if you put out new doilies, the next thing you know, you'll be tearing down walls. That isn't it exactly but you know what I mean.
DeleteLooks great! You certainly got a lot of things done, Mary.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed that video - goodness the crowds they get and the energy they have! Amazing.
I felt like I got a lot done. Unlike today...
DeleteYou know what they say- The Rolling Stones is the best rock band ever in the world. I agree.
'But first...' the story of life, sister.
ReplyDeleteAmen.
DeleteI cut the hornworms in half.
ReplyDeleteReally? Like with your loppers? Oh dear Lord. I'm not sure I could do that with the adults. They are huge-ish!
DeleteSuch fun to dance through your life with your today...broom in hand of course! Glad that Boud's creativity will be part of your pleasing views. Getting one simple thing done means either wearing blinders to everything along the way, or like you did, just plowing through it all! And laughing about it!
ReplyDeleteBroom in hand, for sure. I do enjoy sweeping. Sweeping, laundry, cooking. Those are the household chores I enjoy. Mostly.
DeleteI love having art made by people I know around the house. It gives me a special feeling.
Yep. Sometimes you just have to get right to the point and purpose. Other times, you gotta go with the flow of the but-firsts.
Sounds like one of my days when I'm feeling energetic. I have lot of piddly stuff to do, one of which is to find a place to hang a painting I bought last November. Right now it's propped against the wall on the nightstand on the side of the bed I don't sleep on.
ReplyDeleteAll right. Find a place for that painting and tell us about it!
Deleteagain...late to the party....but those gilded bolls are beautiful. I have picked cotton (for *fun* on a field trip many years ago?) and a boll will slice your finger to the bone more than the sharpest knife if you don't know what you're doing when you pluck that cotton ball.....I learned the hard way very quickly! your art wall on your porch is divine.....
ReplyDeleteSusan M
That Man of yours is tireless and always going! He gets so much done tho'. I too am okay with Stopping... sometimes you just must.
ReplyDelete'but first' is literally the sum scope and sequence of teaching. you have all the things in your plans BUT FIRST you have to deal with ERRRYTHING else. glad to see all is well in your corner of the world xxalainaxx
ReplyDeleteI think your newly tidied porch looks great! I'd be afraid someone would steal my stuff if I left it out on a porch, but then, I live in a slightly more populated area. :)
ReplyDelete