Friday, November 1, 2019

Agitato For No Reason

Do you like the new header? I hope so. I was so weary of the old one but couldn't focus on what I wanted to replace it with. But, as things do go on the Google, one rabbit hole leads to another and I started searching images of paintings by the Highwaymen, which I love, and that one called to me. The artist's name is Robert L. Lewis. You can read about him HERE.  
I noted the fact that he is from Cocoa Beach which is a bit north of Roseland and that he grew up on the Indian River and of course, that's why the picture called to me.

I am agitated this evening. I am not sure why, but Mr. Moon just saved my sanity by finding  my ginger root in the freezer for me. I was about to start throwing frozen berries and sausage and mango puree across the kitchen. I am not kidding. Bless him.
I had a good day. I met Jessie and Levon (August was in school) in town and we went to the nursery to buy plants and seeds. And we were cold! It got down to the mid-forties here as was predicted and never got higher than sixty-something which is damn chilly for us. We all had a good time though, especially Levon because he got to pull a wagon AND push a toy wheelbarrow.



The boy is such a...boy. 
He just is. Call me a sexist, I don't care. I'm here to tell you that I've never seen a little girl want to do the things that Levon is most happy doing. Or, to be honest, is obsessed with. He even found bricks to put in the wagon because that would make the pulling of the wagon a more productive endeavor. Well, he didn't say that but I know it's true. He also loaded up that wheelbarrow with various things. His mama ended up buying him a nice little shovel which he employed in the task of shoveling gravel onto the walkways while we were waiting to check out. Jessie tells me that he loves to shovel chicken shit off the pathways in their yard. 
He is a helpful little man. 
So we bought some plants. I got some cabbages and broccoli because I'm an eternal optimist. We also bought seeds. I got collards, mustards, mesclun mixed lettuces, Bok Choy, carrots, arugula, and radishes. Maybe more. I can't remember. When I got home I threw away all of the old seeds. 
Good-bye! 

I had reached my limit with not seeing my daughter May and so Lily and Maggie met me at Midtown Pizza where she works and we had our lunch there. God, it was good to see her. May is just too much like me and when she's not working, she likes to be at home in her cozy nest with her husband and since she's working at lunchtimes, she hardly ever gets to participate in our big group lunches. 
Hugs and hugs and hugs. My heart took a deep breath of relief. 
And Maggie was happy. She ate her pizza and talked like a grown-up and was quite well-behaved. We discussed Halloween and things like that. 
Here she is, doing what her brother Gibson does, which is to take all of the shakers on the table and make a family of them and create little stories for them to act out. 


I just love this. She and Gibson are very imaginative. 

When I got home I tended to my latest sourdough. I experimented a bit more with this one, making up the dough last night and then putting it in the refrigerator. This one is all white flour (a sin! a sin!) and for some reason, I wanted to try mixing in some yogurt with it. I took it out of the refrigerator as soon as I got up this morning and when I got home this afternoon, it hadn't risen much. Of course it was sixty-degrees in the house so I set about putting the proofing bowl in warm water and then in a slightly warmed oven, etc. 
It is now baking and looks like it's going to be fine. 
I am learning. 
I am also making my favorite squash/sweet potato/cashew/coconut soup. That's what I needed the ginger for. This is the recipe that got me so interested in the NYT's cooking app. 
Soup will be good. It's going to get down in the forties tonight and guess what?
I turned the heat on and, as happens EVERY FUCKING YEAR it isn't working. 
Nope. Not working. 

We will not freeze. We have gas logs in the rooms we mostly inhabit and a full tank of propane. Last night I got the duck out of the closet where it had spent the winter smushed up in a plastic bag and shook it out and laid it on the bed. Heaven. For those of you who are new here, "the duck" is my down comforter. Also, I have my corduroy overalls and my Goodwill cashmere. The moths have apparently been dining on the cashmere all summer so I look even more raggedy than ever but I just don't care. I am warm. I am cozy. My husband still seems to love me.

The folks are arriving at the church next door. The sun has set. I have a martini in front of me. Perhaps I shall de-agitate. 

And look at this:


That looks edible. 
Now that bread is my life I need to get a bread knife like the ones on The Great British Bake-Off and also one of those razor-holders so that I can score my bread. I just looked that up and they are called Bread Lames. I think some of you have told me about them. 

Did you see that DT is going to make Florida his official residence? 
Sweet baby Jesus. Just what we need. 
Well, he'll start at the very top in the Florida Man Contest. 
And I'm here to spread the word that Florida is not ALL hurricanes and pythons and meth addicts attacking their girlfriends with alligators. At least for now we still have beautiful wild places and even vast areas of undeveloped areas where humans rarely go. 
Did you know that the Mormons now own 2% of Florida's land? 
Yeah. They do. 

Sometimes I'm just really glad to know that I won't be around to see the very last of what this once-magical place becomes. 
Until then, I'll be right here, cussin' and fussin' about it all and enjoying the parts of it that are still virtually untouched and unspoiled. 

Happy Friday, y'all. 

Love...Ms. Moon

34 comments:

  1. Love the header photo! It's so beautiful and is exactly how I imagine your parts of Florida.

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    1. It's the sort of landscape that as a child, I fully expected to see a dinosaur walk out of. I still do.

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  2. Please show us a loaf that you score. I need a bread knife, too. Mine has taken a hike.

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    1. I have a bread knife but it's not really up to the task. It's quite old. Haven't scored any loaves yet because I don't have the bread lame!

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  3. That header is beautiful and so is your bread...Have a great night. I wish the cold weather would come down this way.

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    1. The weather is a huge relief. I hope you get some of it soon.

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  4. your bread is lovely...... bread and soup----nothing better on a chilly night... and the martini will help too . ;-)
    Your agitato will diminish, I can tell already. Down comforter, cashmere....snuggle next to Mr Moon and you are good for the night! (add Jack and Maurice too)
    Love
    Susan M
    PS Love your new header!

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    1. Thank you, Susan. The mood did pass but it took awhile.
      All those things helped.

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  5. Can you share that soup recipe? Or point us to the link? The idea of cashews in soup is fascinating.

    Thanks

    Julia

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    1. You may get fire-walled but here's a link:
      https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1014339-creamy-cashew-butternut-squash-soup?action=click&module=RecipeBox&pgType=recipebox-page&region=soups&rank=9
      If that doesn't work, I can write the recipe. I add sweet potatoes to the soup too. I think that just makes it celestial.

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    2. Thank you. the link took me right there. Now I am in a 4 week free trial. I'm going to try this this coming weekend.

      Julia

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  6. I'm feeling a bit agitato today too. Might have something to do with hours on the phone with insurance. Please send some of that cold air this way, the heat is unrelenting and the iguana population needs to be knocked back. I had no idea the Mormons had interests in Florida. Scary. That is a gorgeous loaf!
    Xoxo
    Barbara

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    1. Well, nothing can make you more agitato than being on the phone with an insurance company.
      I'll try to send some cold air your way. Oh wait- do I know where that is?

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  7. My hubs has a good bread knife on his Christmas List for me. This bread hobby is so satisfying--thanks for the inspiration. I've also hinted around about a Banneton Basket--don't know why I feel like I need it, but I do. I completely forgot to make my Saturday bake last night so I've mixed it this morning and the timing is all off. Probably my first disaster. Too chilly in here to prove well I imagine.

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    1. I had to google the Banneton Basket.
      Hmmm...
      Do I need one?
      Yes, when it's chilly it's a busy thing, trying to keep that dough warm.

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  8. Once upon a time, there was a family of shakers. They were called The Moons and they all lived happily together on a table in Midtown Pizza. Mer Moon was a great big sugar shaker and Boppy Moon was a squeezy ketchup bottle and their grand-daughter Magnolia was a cute little pepperpot. There were others too. Then one day a big orange man called Donald appeared in Midtown Pizza - talking about dogs and chickens and walls and suchlike so they all ran away, far, far away and lived happily ever after. THE END

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    1. Ha! Maggie said the big shaker (it held Parmesan) was her Daddy.
      She doesn't know much about Trump yet. Lucky her.

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  9. The picture of your bread is inspiring me. Did you use the KAF method of getting started? I will probably forget to feed it but I don't mind the idea of eating a LOT of bread! My oven has a proof setting that is fabulous. Love your new heading, the essence of Florida I would say. Have a great weekend.


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    1. That's what I really want- an oven with a proofing setting.
      Oh, the luxury!
      Yes. I did use the King Arthur recipe and as you can see, it worked well for me.

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  10. The header is great! I love the Bake Off but have not one smidgen of baking bug in me, so it is enjoyable to read about how you want to do some of their (what I think is) fancy shit. I love reading about your adventures in the kitchen.

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    1. Oh, I could never and WOULD never do some of their fancy shit. And when they get all OCD about how even layers are and stuff like that I go crazy. But I have learned a few things from watching it.

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  11. I'm eating some sourdough bread right now as I read your blog, you inspired me to try again. You all so inspired me to stop following recipes and just try, so thank you for that:) The bread is good, not perfect but good. A work in progress.

    I'm glad it's cooled off for you and you got to see your kids and grandkids.

    Sending hugs.

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    1. As a good basic recipe to fly from, I like the NYT's no-knead sourdough recipe. That's the one I'm basically using. And hurray for you!
      We are loving this weather.

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  12. another day in the life of Mary Moon...love, family, food.

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  13. As I am sure I say every year when you take out the duck, the very first post of yours I ever read was one about getting out the duck. I fell in love with you instantly. So glad you got to see May. I know how sore it can make a heart when one of our beloveds hasn't been folded in our arms for too long. Maggie and Gibsons play with the shakers says something quite beautiful about their experience of family. I hope today holds less agita for you. Lloyd was colder than New York yesterday!

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    1. I am so glad that my duck caused you to fall in love!
      Yep. Sometimes you just have to hold your beloveds tight.
      I am so charmed by the way Maggie and Gibson play these little games.

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  14. I love the header! Temperatures are sure relative, aren't they? We got just above freezing yesterday and I thought it felt nice. Of course I had on my winter jacket and gloves but that little bit of warmth in the air felt good.

    Stay warm!

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    1. I can see how that would be true. It is ALL relative, isn't it?

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  15. The header is just lovely. Just makes you want to step into it and experience paradise.
    The soup and bread sound delicious, as always.
    Hope your weather warms up soon. It's good you have plenty to keep you warm.I have learned how to stay cozy in this brutal winter weather. I almost froze the first year because I didn't have proper clothing and boots and enough blankets and quilts. I use fleece sheets now. Snug as the proverbial bug in rug.

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    1. FLEECE SHEETS! WHAT????!!!
      I am so glad to know that those exist. Sleeping in them must be heavenly.
      I remember when I moved to Denver and had no idea what sort of coat I needed. Socks? What? I needed those too?
      Yes. Yes I did. And boots to go over them.

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  16. I wonder who on Earth came up with that Mormon statistic? That is a very peculiar piece of information! LOL!

    I'm glad you've got enough of a backup plan to be snuggly and warm while you work out that heater situation.

    That bread looks incredible! I'm so impressed!

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