Thursday, June 9, 2016

Homemade Goodness

Life really is funny. Lately I've been wanting another plant stand to put on the front porch for smaller plants that need a little more exposure to light than what they've been getting, tucked here and there in protected places. But I haven't gone shopping for one because even the funkiest shops ask the most outrageous prices for such things, even the really old ones, and I'm cheap.

So this morning when I walked to the left instead of the right, I passed the home of a guy I've talked about before. I call him the "No Man Lord!" man because he had a homemade sign in his yard for years with that message on it. His yard changes daily. He collects things (and I don't know where or how- he has no vehicle) and makes little altar-like displays and he also sells things. Lawn mowers, old kid bikes, firewood, stuff in general. And today I saw that he had a plant stand out front. I did not stop but texted Mr. Moon about it and he said he'd stop on his way home and how much did I want to offer?
I said that twenty bucks would be more than reasonable if it was in decent shape and when Mr. Moon got home, he told me that the man wanted ten bucks and that he was going to go back and get it in the truck. And so he did.


I made room on the porch for it and there it is. And Mr. Moon reports that the man was so grateful to get the money because he needed eight more dollars to pay his water bill and so ten was a blessing. He is strong on blessings. 
So, in that way, he and I have much in common although he believes in the blessings of the Lord whereas I mostly believe in blessings of the heart. 

And who knows? Maybe he's right. I sure can't say for certain. 
But I love my new plant stand. Here it is in the initial plant-arrangement.


It pleases me a great deal. 

It's been that sort of day. Everything has given me pleasure. All of the little things I've done around here from this


to even this


which is my silly little experiment to see if I can actually grow some damn romaine lettuce from what I would normally throw into the compost. I took the ends of the romaine and put them in a dish of water and let the new leaves begin to grow and have transplanted them into an old baby-bathtub which Mr. Moon brought me home from the dump which itself is set in an old kid's little red wagon which also came from the dump where I have lemon balm growing. Most likely either the chickens will eat them or they'll die because this is NOT the time of year to plant romaine but whatever- it gave me pleasure today, tucking those little plants into potting soil.  

I also made a beautiful venison spaghetti sauce with every vegetable in the world in it (that's a lie but there are a lot of vegetables in it) which has been cooking in the slow-cooker for most of the day and a loaf of oatmeal/rosemary/kalamata olives in it for our supper. 

I've wondered before if I am a bit bi-polar. NOT MUCH! But when I have a day like this wherein I can appreciate with true, simple bone-knowledge the beautiful life I have, I can't help but fear that the next day will bring me a swing downwards and I'll have to pay for such sweet contentment. 

What will be will be and forty-years ago right now I was in labor with Hank and had been since early morning and tomorrow will be his birthday. I am remembering that. Twenty-one years old and having my first baby and all these years later and looking back, thinking what a life. 

Love...Ms. Moon



11 comments:

  1. I have an old wheelbarrow that I found in the junk mental yard and I planted ... something. I can't remember. Right now they are just teeny tiny seedlings. I also have two old two boxes that were not quite found in the dump but the Re-Store which is stuff that probably should be in the dump. At any rate, it gives me pleasure to grow things, especially pretty things.

    Happy Birth Day to you. I will go over to Hank's blog, Hank who I would wish would post more often, and wish him a Happy Birthday.

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  2. Junk mental! *junk metal!* With me it could have been the junk mental yard.

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  3. Birdie- I LOVE junk mental. Uh-huh. Oh yes.

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  4. I swear I wasn't stoned when I wrote the first comment. I do have a terrible earache so maybe that's it. NOT two boxes. *Tool boxes*

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  5. I can't believe you got that fine plant stand for $10. Here in Los Angeles it'd go for hundreds probably in a store called Shabby Chic. As for your life -- I love hearing about it, the good and the bad and everything, the real life in-between!

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  6. I'm looking at my white stand very like yours here in my kitchen, I think I like yours better. Need to go get some paint. Mine has cookbooks and some regular books and a bunch of accumulated junk that needs to be thrown out or shredded or recycled. Then could have a specific space for my purse and lunch bag, what an idea.

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  7. OK, that plant stand is an AMAZING DEAL for $10! Did you ever take a photo of the "No Man Lord!" sign? That sounds like a great picture.

    I've never heard of starting romaine that way -- I can't wait to hear how it turns out.

    You DO have an amazing life, and it comes through in everything you write every day.

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  8. I could be wrong of course, but I don't think dressing a plant stand and planting lettuces really could qualify as a manic upswing. I think this is just normality, maybe?

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  9. This is such a beautiful post, such sweetness in it. The word that was in my mind and heart as I read this post was "verdant." You live in a verdant world, and I don't only mean your wonderful plants. Sometimes, when I come here, I feel as if I am escaping to a fairy tale corner of the universe. And don't worry about tomorrow. If you wake up with the saddles or the angst, just know days like this one will come around again. And we're here with you, loving you, always.

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  10. You scored big with that. I picked up another single plant stand today at an estate sale for $4.

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  11. Elizabeth- I felt guilty that we only gave the guy ten dollars. Glen said that's all he wanted. Some people's needs are not great. You know?

    Cathy H-S- This would look good in my kitchen too but I don't have room for it. I know EXACTLY what you mean about the need to get rid of shit. I have a corner in my kitchen like that and it gives me feelings of dread and guilt every day.

    Steve Reed- I will certainly let you know how the lettuce experiment comes out. It's shamefully pleasing to me. I never did get a picture of No Man Lord. I was too shy to stop and take it. It's gone now. I wonder where it went and why he took it down. He reads a huge Bible constantly.

    Jo- Yes! But to me, it feels so good that it's like a different mindset entirely.

    Angella- I certainly do live in a verdant world. I love that word, by the way. It is one of my favorites. I am so glad you come here to my little green chicken grandchild world. Thank you, love.

    Ellen Abbott- And good deal on that one too!





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