Tuesday, February 2, 2021

All The Usual Suspects


I have a glass-front cabinet in my kitchen where I store bowls and platters and relish trays and fancy glassware and, well...stuff that I have no other place for. There is truly no rhyme or reason to any of it and one of these days everything in it is going to come crashing down because it's all set very precariously and honestly I forget that I have half the stuff that's in there. But the other day that ceramic basket caught my eye and although I have no memory of where I got it I do remember the handle breaking and me gluing it back together at one point. It's sweet, but really- of what use is it? It occurred to me that I could put a florist frog in it and use it for camellias which are sometimes difficult to vase because they are so top heavy with such slender stems. So this afternoon while I was baking banana bread I went out to cover my plants because we're about to get two nights of freezing temperatures and then picked some camellias, brought them in and tried out my idea. 
I think it's about the prettiest, girliest thing I've ever done. It's ridiculously precious. And I love it. 

I have an apology to make. I feel so stupid for having complained about the cold here yesterday when some of y'all are getting so much snow that no one can even get out of their homes. Now that's cold. And I am certain there is a degree of being miserable involved in that scenario which I have never, nor will ever, experience. Yes, I did live in Denver for two winters but in the middle of the second one, I packed up and headed south. 
Which turned out to be a good thing all the way around because the guy I was living with got busted for dealing about a week later. 
Phew!
Yes. I was a wild child. Also, a very depressed and sad and confused child but I pulled it together enough to leave the situation and I've never again had the inclination to move to parts further north.
Anyway, yes, it was very cold here FOR US yesterday but it was nothing on the scale of how cold it can be. Mostly I think it was just the blustery wind and the dampness that caused it to be so uncomfortable. Today has been gloriously sunny although still chilly and as I said, we're going to get down into the low thirties for a few nights. 
But I was being ridiculous and I'm sorry. 

It's been a nice day. Hank and Rachel came out for a little porch visit and we laughed and chatted and then a little while later Lily came out to drop off some potatoes to plant, along with a packet of sugar snap peas. We're supposed to have those in the ground by Valentine's Day. We shall see. Lily was going to bring the children but something came up and they didn't come. Still, it was nice to just sit and talk with Lily. In between the comings and goings and baking and flower picking I managed to almost complete a new mask for Mr. Moon. He wanted one like I made yesterday in black and I used some scraps of black silk that I'd bought many years ago to make him some drawstring pants, along with a layer of cotton so it has three layers all together and I think he will like it. 

And for the thirteenth day in a row, I have woken up in a country which does not have Donald Trump for a president and that alone is reason to feel cheerful. Oh, the hours and days I spent checking the news to see if: 
A. He had died, or 
B. He had gotten us into a war, or
C. He had done something so horrendous that he had been arrested, or
D. All of the above or some combination thereof.

What a relief it is. 

Here's a sticker Hank left me.


The guy's not bad at graphic arts, is he?

And one more camellia picture. 


Stay warm, y'all. 

Love...Ms. Moon


39 comments:

  1. your camellias are impossibly gorgeous. They are girlie no matter what vessel they are in. I adore them. They bring to mind confections, cherubs and baby's feet , a chubby little fist, all things sweet. Cold is relative, someone has to live in the south, right? May as well be you- you are good at it. And northerners are good at living in a deep freeze. It is all good.

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    1. I've kept those camellias in the kitchen on the center island so that I can look at them many times a day. They have brought me so much joy.
      And you're right- cold is relative. We differ greatly when we like and what we can tolerate.

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  2. Your camellias are to die for! Whenever I see one I think 'cotton candy.' I know what you mean about HumptyTrump. I tend to ignore his picture and accompanying articles since he no longer has the Nuclear Code (rumor is for him it was '1'). But I did enjoy reading that the reason his impeachment defense counsel resigned is because they refused to start off by saying he won the election fair and square. Stupidity ad nauseum.....

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    1. Stupidity beyond the definition of the word. I read that too about why his attorneys quit. They knew what they were facing if they continued.

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  3. no vessel can be too girly to display those beautiful camellias! Just gorgeous!
    Susan M

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  4. Love Hank's sticker. It is both simple and clever.

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  5. I love that your children are near and pop in and out, with children or not.

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  6. Look--cold is cold. When I lived in the arctic north of michigan I scoffed at folks who thought 40 was cold (that's practically shorts and flip flops weather in March and there are a whole group of dudebros who only wear shorts, no matter how many degrees it is below zero). But then I moved to the PNW where it only occasionally dips below 40 during the day, and I AM COLD ALL OF THE TIME. In fact, I am under three blankets right now.

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    1. the PNW is its own special kind of cold isn't it!

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    2. I think there really is something to the humidity factor. It didn't feel that cold to me in Denver and it is so dry there. We call it "wet" cold here. And it is. And in the summer of course we always say, "It's not the heat, it's the humidity," but quite frankly, I think it's both.

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  7. Your flowers are gorgeous no matter where you put them. Although, i love all your beautiful planters, pots and pitchers!
    Hank did great with the sticker! He’s very talented. Your whole family seems to have a gift for doing many different things and doing them well.
    As for the cold, well, yah. When i complained about the heat, then complained about the cold, my husband said “pick one!” So, officially, i complain about the heat. I swell up like a balloon when my body gets too hot. And, by too hot, i mean anything over 80*. So, there you go! You do the south and i’ll do the north. My daughter’s been in Jacksonville for about 15 years and she’s gotten used to the warmth. She’s asked if we’d ever consider moving to Fl. and the answer is a definite “no.” I do wish we were closer, though...
    Debbie

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    1. I don't know what I'd do if one of my kids moved north and wanted us to come and live near them. It would be mighty hard. I hope it never happens! We can all just stay here and roast together!

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  8. If you felt cold, no need to be sorry for saying it! Everything's relative.
    I wouldn't want to live any further south than where I do. The heat!! The humidity!! You'd never hear the end of it.

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    1. Well, in the summer you never hear the end of it from me, either. I suppose I just tend to be bitchy.

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  9. And as long as you post pictures of camellias in a Fiesta picture, all's well.

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    1. All right. I'll keep posting the pictures as long as I keep getting camellias.

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  10. We got the falling iguana forecast for the next couple of days. Only in Florida! The basket is perfect for those pretties. We’re trying potatoes and sweet potatoes this year. I’m excited!
    Xoxo
    Barbara

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    1. Falling Iguana weather! That's COLD, honey!
      I got two of the prettiest sweet potatoes I've ever seen last fall just from the volunteers coming up from years past.

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  11. Hank is an artist in every sense. Also I love imagining you porch sitting and chatting with your kids. The best.

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    1. We have a good time in the best way we can.
      Hank is an artist. He amazes me.

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  12. Glad you had some porch time with the family.

    Sometimes one can adapt to different weather and sometimes one figures out their limitations. Moved so much from an early age that adaptation has always been the name of my game. I've lived in many different climate ranges over the years (e.g. places with -20F days and piles of snow, or other locations with ungodly heat and regular tornadoes and everything in between). Prefer a cooler clime than a hot one.

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    1. And at least you know from experience what your preferences are!

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  13. Hank should make beer coasters with that design!

    Hey, even if it's not cold in Florida by comparison to other places, if you feel cold, you feel cold! Cold is a subjective thing, isn't it? :)

    Your camellias look fantastic as always, and I'm glad you found a use for your basket.

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    1. You are right- he should make beer coasters. Maybe when he can get back in the bars he will.
      YOU know how cold it can feel in Florida. It's a shock to our systems.
      I'm glad I found a use for the basket too.

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  14. We're all different so don't apologize for complaining about the cold. Heck I grew up in England and if you wanted to do something you did it in the rain. Didn't hurt me (although occasionally NOT having a picnic in the rain would have been nice). The positive is I don't have many wrinkles because my skin never saw the sun!!!! I don't mind the cold, in fact I actually like it. I'm content to just snuggle up and hibernate and HATE the heat, so life evens itself out anyway. And I also have a glass-fronted cabinet with beautiful dishes and stuff in it (picked up for pennies from charity shops). Aren't they lovely! It might not mean much to anyone else but I get great pleasure out of using that glassware!

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    1. That reminds me of the first ever visit I made to a dermatologist for a general baseline fullbody checkup. She looked at my skin and then said, this is amazing, there is NO sun damage at all! I explained I grew up in the north of England, hardly ever saw the sun anyway! She said no need to come back annually, just see me if something really unusual happens. Still looking amazed at the lack of damage. I'm guessing a lot of her clientele are people needing regular care because of sun caused problems.

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    2. Growing up in Florida is probably about the worst thing you can do for your skin. I mean that literally. It's amazing I still have skin. And yes, Boud, I'm sure you are correct- most skin problems do come from sun exposure.
      Treaders, you should post a picture of your glass-front cabinet! I'd love to see your treasures!

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  15. We're just jealous of your warmth so don't mind us! Lots of snow here but the sun is out so it seems warmer today. I will get outside for a walk (all bundled up!)
    Your camellias just bring non-stop beauty and your containers add to the loveliness too! Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Well, I'm not jealous of your snow, so there is that.
      Thank you for liking my camellia pictures. The flowers really do bring me joy.

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  16. we usually get your weather a few days before you do but thankfully not this time. we'll probably get at least one more front that will get down to the low 30s but not this week. that is a sweet little ceramic basket and the camellias are perfect in it.

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    1. Supposed to get down to 30 here tonight. We shall see.
      Isn't that a sweet little basket? I wonder where it came from...

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  17. Your camellias are SO PRETTY! And what a nice container for them. You're right...that's really girly! I like it. And Hank seems to be a man of many talents, just like the rest of the Moon crew.

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    1. It is absolutely frufru, isn't it? I have no idea how to spell that.
      Hank has his talents and that's for sure. All my kids do and they're all so very, very different.

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  18. The sticker's fabulous, and the little bar arrangements are art in themselves.

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Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.