Tuesday, September 22, 2020

Going Away, Coming Back


 The chickens were all out by the garden this afternoon and in the garden too, to be truthful, and also on the fence (there's always someone on the fence, isn't there?) and I was trying to take a picture of how adorable they were and I took about ten pictures but none of them was worth a damn. Here's one of the barred rocks (Alice?) peeping out from behind the field peas which is what they were all after. Mr. Moon is going to have to figure out a way to keep those bad birds out of the garden because we're about to plant their most favorite vegetables which are the winter greens and lettuces. But this afternoon I did not begrudge them the peas at all and I spent a few minutes listening to them talk to each other in their comforting, soothing hen-tongue which I never tire of.

So I went to town today. I mean, I WENT TO TOWN! I had two prescriptions to pick up at two different places and I went to two different nurseries for seeds and a few plants and I even went through a drive-through and bought myself a falafel gyro and sat in a parking lot and ate it, enjoying every bite. I masked, of course, as did most of the other people I saw, but not all of them even though it has been mandated in Leon County that if you're inside in a public space, you are supposed to wear a covering over your mouth and nose. 
As Mr. Moon said this morning before I left, it is surprising that there are not reports of masked people getting in altercations with unmasked fuckwads. Okay, he did not say "fuckwad" but I did. 
Anyway, here are the seeds I bought.


I have made a vow to myself that this fall I am going to space my plants out far more than I have done previously. I like to have some extra plants that I can thin for salads but as Lon has pointed out, I go a little overboard. And as I have pointed out, I CAN'T HELP IT! 
But as GOD is my witness, I'm going to do better this year. I really, truly am because Lon and everyone else is correct in that spacing the plants gives them far more of a chance to grow up. And out. 
Shall we say...bigger? 

I'm going to try spinach again although I never do very well with that. Also bok choy. And I'm going to try celery for the first time. I'm also going to see what happens when I plant cilantro in the fall. It bolts so damn fast when I plant it in the spring but maybe it'll have more of a chance in the late garden. 

That journey took me basically all day long and while I was gone, Mr. Moon accomplished this:


He ran a line from the garage to the hen house, trenched it up, laid pipe in it and hooked it up to a spigot. This will make filling up the chicken waterers so much easier. I appreciate this tremendously. I am sure that the chickens will too. Funny how when I was thirteen or fourteen and dreaming of what it would be like to fall in love and thinking of the things I thought a romantic man would be like, plumbing never really entered the picture. But I will say that I learned quickly and by the age of twenty-five, a man who could and would be able to make water more available to where I needed it had moved a lot closer up to the top of the list. 

Going to town and venturing into places that were neither Costco nor Publix was actually good for me, I think. It was probably beneficial just to get out of my yard, out of Lloyd, and into places where there are humans if only to make me appreciate my house and home even more. I feel more cheerful tonight although I didn't really talk to anyone beyond Hey, how're you today? and Thank you very much. 
Even the most dedicated of introverts are still human beings and as such, we need a reminder that we (and our partners, if applicable) are not the only people on earth. That we can still go out into the world and make decisions about purchases, to wander around in a nursery, enjoying the sight and smells of plants and trees and dirt, to order and pay for and eat something that we ourselves have not cooked. And then to drive home and pull into the place where we feel most comfortable, most safe, and most content. 
And where the man who can build and plumb and garden and love waits. 

I think I better go make him some supper. 

Love...Ms. Moon



22 comments:

  1. My father said if a man could not come home from work and change a faucet washer, he wasn't much of a person. I can appreciate that, or the sentiment, at any rate. Especially because most faucets no longer need washers.
    I do love the drip stones below that faucet.

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  2. Anyone who understands plumbing and electricity is a hero to me. I have tried but usually mess things up. It is so gratifying though when a project does turn out OK, Makes me feel like a genius.
    Your chicken is pretty!
    All of those packets of seeds look fairly ambitious! The chickens will love that you are planting all of those wonderful greenies!

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    1. I've never even tried to fix anything dealing with plumbing or electricity. I fail at being a REAL woman because everyone should know the basics, I think.
      I am being ambitious, aren't I? I'm going to have to mark my rows for sure.

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  3. water spigot complete with dripping stones...are/is a thing of beauty, convenience.....and skill on the part of your Man! I grew celery once....it ended up seeding itself and I had celery all over the yard! So be prepared for that....you are ambitious. I've given up on the garden, as the ground squirrels killed everything I grew this year....thankfully I did get a good crop of cherry tomatoes before they decimated the plants. Minor in the big scheme of life
    Susan M

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    1. Oh dear! I don't want celery everywhere! I'll try not to let it get crazy. I just hope it grows!
      Yes. Minor in the big scheme of things for critters to eat the garden but dammit- we put a lot of work into our gardens!

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  4. You are right about human connection, and Mr. Moon. It must be nice to have your own personal hero in your house. I can't wait to see what grows for you. Have a sweet night.

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    1. It IS nice, e! I am so lucky.
      You know you'll get garden reports. What else do I have to talk about?

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  5. What a growing season you have. There doesn't seem to be any downtime in Florida. Or maybe it's just the Moons that don't seem to have any downtime.

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    1. No, gardening is definitely a year-round deal here. In fact, the winter garden is often more productive than the summer. The heat and bugs aren't as bad. But what we plant has to be frost-tolerant as most greens are.

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  6. Fuckwad is my favorite adjective that I only use for the most deserving people. We think alike!

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    1. I have a feeling that we very much do, Ms. Stella!

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  7. Well done for getting out there and confirming that Human Society is not a mere TV show. It really exists. Could Mr Moon possibly fly over to England to fix our hot water problem? In return, I will teach him how to talk Yorkshire and bake Yorkshire puddings.

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    1. We'll be checking flights this evening, Mr. P. Mr. M. does require a bed that is long enough for a very tall man with no footboard. Can you accommodate him? Thank you.

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  8. Socially distanced plantings! Ha. And I know what you mean about Mr. Moon's plumbing ability being romantic. I'm reminded of the time my daughter called to say the hot water in her apartment was off, and that her love, after showering in the icy water, then put a pot of water on to boil for her so that she could take a warm bath when she awoke. She said, "Mom, it's was just the most romantic thing." And I agreed. Also, the best part of going out for an introvert is coming home. Oh how I love my home after being out in the world. It helps to be reminded of how much of a sanctuary it is by going out among the hoards.

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    1. Aw. That IS the most romantic thing! So thoughtful and caring.
      You're so right about the coming home being even sweeter when we return after an outing. I can't deal with great groups of people any more!

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  9. Practical skills are something my father taught me since he didn't have any boys (it was the 1950s). By the 8th grade, I knew how to use most hand and power tools, how to mix cement, lay brick, put up drywall, lay carpet, paint anything, wire a lamp, hang a ceiling fan (or anything else), fix a leaky faucet, etc. etc.. Not doing so much of it anymore, given my age, but it helps to know how. My DH thinks he is the lucky one, but he does all the car maintenance and takes care of the yard work. So not a bad trade. :)

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    1. I wish someone had taught me some of the basics about the practical things in life but no one did. My grandfather certainly wouldn't have even thought to show me anything remotely "manly". You are lucky and so is your husband! Good for you!

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  10. Marc is not a do-er. he did a lot in his younger days and used to make fun of my father who always said they didn't make tools to fit his hand and now he has become my father. so good thing I have a good handyman right down the street.

    I have a long list of things to do at shopping mecca but after spending so much money of three projects I just can't bring myself to go and spend more on things I really don't need, just want. I'll do it eventually but it's a 30 minute drive through the never ending construction of turning hwy 59 into interstate 69. it's been years and they still aren't done.

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    1. Haha! It's Mr. Moon that they don't make tools to fit his hand for! And yet, somehow he manages. But you do have your Rocky. Isn't that his name?
      I'm not spending much money on things I don't need. Mostly because there's really nothing I want!

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  11. I have heard reports of masked and unmasked people getting into clashes. There was a video of an unmasked woman getting tasered by a police officer in Ohio. I don't understand people who won't wear a mask, but at the same time, THAT seemed pretty extreme!

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  12. My admiration to you both, I am exhausted just reading about all you do. And of course I am jealous of your Florida garden - we are just packing it in for winter, apart from brassica.

    I haven't been inside a supermarket since March. I still don't miss it.

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Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.