Monday, June 14, 2010

Rainy Day Woman




Mr. Moon has just left to go to auction in Orlando as he does every Monday when he is lucky enough to have car orders. As soon as he left today the sky darkened and then suddenly, it split in two and lightening flashed and thunder cracked and Pearl (my old boxer dog) and I came in the house to huddle. Storms used to turn her into a quivering mass of dog muscle, determined to get into my lap but now she is deaf and unless the lightening is so near she can feel it through the floor boards, she doesn't get upset. This lightening was, but it didn't seem to move her greatly. Just enough to get her up and into the house with me.
The chickens went tearing across the yard and I hope they have taken shelter and now the rain is pouring down in great sheets and oh, how we need it!
Yes. I see the chickens heading into their house, seemingly unconcerned.

I called Mr. Moon, although I knew he was hardly a mile down the road.
"Are you driving in this?" I asked him.
"No, I've already driven out of it. It's coming from the west."
"Okay," I said. "Good."
And then he said, "You know what? If we weren't married, I would ask you to marry me."
"Really?" I said. It's hard for me to believe that anyone would want to marry me these days. I am not only crazy, I am not even cute any more.
"Yes," he said. "I would."
"Well, I wish you'd write down a list of reasons. I'd like to read that."

And I would.
One wonders sometimes if their longtime mate would do it all over again. Don't you think? I mean, I know I certainly would. In fact, I'd be a lot more enthusiastic about the whole thing from the very beginning of the moment I met that man. When I met Mr. Moon, he was so far from what my "normal" was that I didn't know what to think. I thought maybe something was wrong with him because he smiled all the time.
I'm pretty sure that Mr. Moon was certain there was something wrong with me but he does love a challenge. He told me once that he dated a girl with really bad teeth and he so wanted to help her get them fixed. I mean- really! My teeth are pretty crooked but they're sound but even twenty-seven years ago, I think he knew my mind wasn't quite what it could have been. Not in the intelligence department- he thought I was brilliant (fooled him!), but in the soundness department. As in, I was pretty crazy even then. Oh, let's admit it- I was REALLY crazy back then. But in a different way than I am now.
But. I was cuter.


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This is a two-parter. The lightening chased me off the internet and then Kathleen came by for a porch visit. Thankfully, it was cooler and we could actually sit on the porch. The rain had brought the coolness and it brought some peace to my heart as well. Kathleen is not feeling well again and we sat here and we talked about how tough we think we are and how disturbing it is to us when we can't go work in the hundred degree heat the way we always have and how disconcerting it is to be so stressed in the mind. I kept looking at her, thinking how beautiful she was in her purple top with her hair pinned on top of her head. Looking beautiful is not her problem, let me tell you. We ended up with me giving her some fish and a good, long hug. The chickens and the cat came running out to say good-bye to her when she left. Animals adore Kathleen as well they should.
And I went out to the garden and did a not-very-thorough picking and yet got all of this:


Whatever Mormon there may have ever been in me, or pioneer or hippie woman seems to have disappeared this summer. I have no desire whatsoever to bring out the canning kettle, the vinegar, the jars, the lids, the spices. NONE! Fuck pickling. Fuck canning. It's too fucking hot. But what to do with this great bounty of goodness? And I can't put anything in the refrigerator. It freezes my eggs and my cucumbers. My milk is useless. The carton is solid.

But here's another thing Mr. Moon said to me today:
"I'll get you a new refrigerator this week if I have to carry it home on my back."
And I wasn't nagging one bit. And he means it. And he will. I'll be able to buy fresh mixed spring greens again and not have to cut them up and throw them in some grain dish. I'll be able to make a salad. And the ice maker won't need a hair dryer to get it unstuck.
Ah. It'll be grand.
And speaking of grand- tomorrow Owen is coming to see me. I hear that he took two definite steps yesterday. And cut another tooth so that he has eight now. He is not yet nine months old.
I expect when he sees me he will say, "Hello Grandmother! Where have you been?"
And I will say, "Right here, Owen. Waiting for you."

I'm feeling better. My blessings are being counted like rubies on a gold wire, like pearls on a silk thread, like raindrops pouring from the sky.
Yes, Michelle, it was a rainy day in Lloyd today.
And we keep on keeping on.
And we hold on tight to the ones that bind us, to the ones that bless us, to the ones that keep us anchored to the dirt where we grow the bounty which feeds us.

And our hearts timidly open again and again to accept that which is there and pure water falls from the sky.

Bless our hearts which open. Bless our hearts which receive. Bless our hearts which give.

Bless our hearts on hard, dry days and bless our hearts on the days in which it rains.

21 comments:

  1. Amen.
    And I hope your Kathleen feels better.
    I love your produce pictures.
    Thank you for taking the time to show us.
    They make me happy.
    So do you, and Mr Moon.

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  2. Oh, my dear DEAR Ms. Moon. I have been away from our shared BlogLand for a week or so, and this very afternoon, Rodney and I were walking on the beach together. At one point, we said the same thing at the very same time, then looked at each other and said, simultaneously and RIGHT out of high school, "You owe me a joint," and then burst into laughter. I said, This is one of the joys of being married to one person for a long, LONG time. And we kept laughing.
    Love you so, dear, and thank you for all the marvelous posts I have not commented on, including the one in which Ms. S.B. declares you to be her hero: what an HONOR.
    Love,
    Angie

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  3. Nice Mrs. Moon. I like that Mr. Moon would marry you and you would marry him again. There have been moments when I think that I just wouldn't get married if I had it to do over again. But then there are other moments when I know that I have found my life's mate.

    I will have to do a produce photo.
    The tomatoes aren't all ready yet. But will get some photos of what is growing.

    We need rain here!

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  4. Bethany- We all just keep on with it, don't we? And sometimes, the blessings fall from the sky.

    SJ- I think that may be the only response.

    Angie C- Well, as you know, SB is one of MY main heroes.

    Syd- Oh my god. The frogs are roaring! I can barely hear myself think! They are as happy for the rain as I am. Wait. I think they are happier.

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  5. my goodness! that is SOME rain you have there!
    i love when you write about you and Mr. Moon. you two make me happy.
    i also LOVE the idea of writing down a list of reasons why/things you love about your partner. i think we sometimes get too busy in life and forget to tell them. it's good info to know :)
    your produce looks AMAZING. what a beautiful rainbow of colors!

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  6. Oh I love rainy days. We have them so seldom here, which makes them more precious. And rain washes the dust from the air so it feels good to breathe.

    Mr. Moon is a keeper, all right. And so are you.

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  7. PS I LOVE your new masthead photo! The great blue heron in the haze. Beautiful, evocative, ethereal. Light and life. Lovely.

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  8. I wish I were with you on your porch on that rainy day.

    This is a beautiful post, Ms. Moon --

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  9. How lovely the downpour, husband, good friend and garden bounty, all named and all blessed. And calm old storm-deaf dog too. A lot that's right as rain.

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  10. Do you think Mr. Moon could do a course for all the blogger husbands? Because he does say the sweetest things. I'm glad you got some coolness.

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  11. I adore that first photo, looking from the veranda into the rain. Where I live, Canberra (Australia), it's pretty dry all year round, and right now it's freezing - for the last week it's been getting down to around minus-five each night.

    Last night I spread out on my bed a third doona (yes, I now have on my bed THREE doonas). And I can't remember the last time it rained.

    No, I don't live in Mongolia.

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  12. Will you take a picture of Mr.Moon bringing the fridge home? Modern day "bringing home the bacon," though I know he does that as well. The image makes me smile.

    you make me smile, and I am glad you are at peace today.

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  13. notjustafemme- Well, Mr. Moon. What can you say? He's tip-top. I cooked some tomatoes and peppers and eggplant with quinoa last night. It was awesome.

    Kathleen Scott- Rain makes it ALL right. Except hurricane rain. Don't want to talk about that. Thanks for liking that picture. I like it too.

    Elizabeth- I wish you were too.

    A- You have a gift for words. Yes, you do.

    Mwa- He does say the sweetest thing. As to a course- hmmm. No. He's too busy doing my bidding. Ha!

    Nigel- Oh. How I wish I could trade you some heat for some cool. We are baking!

    Kori- Okay! I'll take that picture when it happens! Love you, dear.

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  14. I was wondering who got all the rain yesterday because it certainly wasn't me! A lot of lightning and thunder threatened my house all afternoon, but only a few drops of rain.

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  15. Lois- The garden is SO happy.

    Ms. Bastard-Beloved- No. I am not cute any more. But thank-you for saying that.

    rebecca- Of course! Here's one just for you.

    Karen- And so are you! What did you have for breakfast?

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  16. "My blessings are being counted like rubies on a gold wire..."

    Perfect.

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  17. I'm all caught up here beautiful Ms. Moon.

    I've missed you.


    Happy Birthday to your son-in-law, your post was every mother of a son's dream i think. To raise a man like that.

    thank you for being here, sharing the world as only you can, in your wonderfully made way. I'm certain my husband would marry me again. I can't describe the feeling of that. And I am less crazy and less cute ~ that's a brilliant observation. Saner, saggier,

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Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.