Saturday, June 5, 2021

And No, The Tractor Supply Store Does Not Have Canning Equipment. I Called.


 Bouquet that Lily brought me today. Hydrangeas and gardenias. 

Jack was the one to sleep with me last night. He jumped his chonky self up on the bed with a loud THUMP and laid down right next to my face. Squished up next to my face, as if saying, "You will see no other but me tonight!" And that's how it went. We slept like the dead if the dead have dreams. Well, at least I dreamed. I have no idea if Jack did but I can only imagine the spirits of the sleeping world were so strong in the room that they must have demanded that my cat's brain play with them too. 

I swear I have no idea what I did this morning beyond reading blogs, doing a few crosswords, texting my kids, and making and eating a very late breakfast so substantial that I've hardly had to eat a thing since. What in hell DID I do? 
I went out to the garden and picked some more banana peppers and cherry tomatoes as well as a few zinnias. I was planning on pickling some peppers and perhaps some tomatoes and even got the canning kettle out and found jars and filled up the kettle with water but then Lily and Maggie came over so I never even turned the kettle on. I did cook down the remnants of a roast chicken for broth and meat and that's in the freezer now. 
And oh, wait! I remember something I did. I got a text from Hank this morning. This was it.


And I DID have fun doing that. Here are a few of the pictures I took. 


Aloe Vera


Okra


Banana


Beauty berry


Glory bower


Bamboo


Live oak

I sent way more than ten but that way he can pick and choose what he wants. I love the idea that my yard will be represented at one of his Trivias. 

And it was lovely to see Lily and Maggie. Maggie wanted to see the baby chicks, of course, and I handed her the little basket that I got at the thrift store for her to put eggs in and out we went to the coop. One must hold a baby chick so I caught one for her which is not easy. They are wild little things. I should probably work on taming them some but honestly, they are not pets. 
Well. Sort of not pets. 


Then she gathered the eggs and we brought them in and she was hungry so her mama made her some noodles with cheese sauce while I watched a little bit of a Disney movie with her. "Raya and the Last Dragon"? I think so. I could only deal with about ten minutes of it and then I chatted with Lily while Magnolia ate her noodles. I read her a few books and she was just so sweet. She is a very kind and loving child. She had brought a doll over named Brave which I just loved. The doll has red ringlets and had been transported in a dolly car seat. While she was here, Maggie took Brave and another doll that she'd left here for a "sleepover" on a walk in the stroller and she decided to take the doll she'd left home. She'd been sleeping over enough. She asked if she could take the stroller with her and I said that yes, she could. She said that she'd leave the car seat here for August and Levon to play with. She was thinking that they'll be back tomorrow but her heart was definitely in the right place. 

I do believe the Weatherfords have made it to the mountain. They left this morning at five a.m. Here's the picture Jessie texted to us. 


A long journey for two little boys but I know that it's already worth it. 

Mr. Moon texted me at four this afternoon to tell me that they were back on land. After they clean the fish AND the boat he'll be coming home. I know he's exhausted and I know that he'll be so happy to sleep in our bed tonight. I am grateful that he has someone riding with him- a friend who is also a neighbor- who can make sure he doesn't fall asleep on the that long road through the backwoods. 

I guess the only thing left to report is that I cleaned the hen house after Lily and Maggie left and goddammit! We have rats in the hen house. Mr. Moon told me he'd seen one in the hay bale that we store in there to line the nests with and sure enough- one scampered out when I was getting fresh hay. I never in my life thought I'd wish for a snake to come around but in this case, I do. The rat snakes eat...rats. And by golly, I'd rather see one of them than a rat. 
Too much nature?
Well, yes. 
And no. You can't have the flora and fauna that I love so much without some of the fauna being less than welcome. I don't get to choose what does and does not live in this yard. Hell, I can't even control the flora, much less the fauna. 

So it goes. So it goes. Such is life. 

Love...Ms. Moon

27 comments:

  1. What a creative idea Hank had, identifying plants in his mama's garden for trivia. He must be so good at his job!

    Maggie is a darling little girl. And the boys look they're on an honest-to-god adventure in the car. A drive that long when you're as young as they are must seem like an epic journey.

    I don't know which would be worse, seeing rats or snakes. I want to jump out of my skin and run when I see either one! Even a dead snake on the road down from my house made me jump and squeal like a fool the other day.

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    1. Hank is very, very good at his job. He has the BEST trivias.
      I know- the boys must feel as if they've traveled to entirely different planet. That's a long drive!
      Yeah. Honestly, I'm not comfortable around snakes or rats. I'm just trying to figure out which one I would least rather have run over my foot, arm, or hand.

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  2. That Live Oak and Bamboo are fabulous!!!

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    1. Thank you. I am so lucky to have that oak in my front yard.

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  3. snakes have always scooted away from me, Rats no so much, They stand their ground! We have very large norwegian rats up here - tear drop tattoos under their right eyes , thug life for sure. I LOVE your growing things, they all look so glad to be alive. Such a nurturing place, your house and garden. You have done a fine thing in this life!

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    1. Well, so much of what is here was here when I moved in. I am just the very lucky beneficiary of it.
      Your description of the Norwegian rats made me laugh. I do not want to rumble with one of those! I can imagine them carrying little switchblades.

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  4. Your "quiz" photos were so much fun! I scored about 50% - not bad for a desert rat (oops, sorry!) looking at Florida plants. Have never seen aloe blossoms in my life!

    Maggie and the Chicklet - sweet!

    Chris from Boise

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    1. That is GREAT for someone who lives in the desert. Aloe blossoms are pretty cool, aren't they?
      Maggie loved that chick.

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  5. I love the photos! I hope all the travelers get to their destinations safely and that you have a sweet night.

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    1. Everyone got where they were going safely. Thank you, e.

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  6. What's a live oak as opposed to just an oak? I've always meant to ask.

    And if you haven't seen 'Brave' that the doll is from, you should, it's great.

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    1. They’re called live oaks because they’re evergreen, not deciduous. Google live oak trees for images of these beautiful tall trees with their broad, sinuous limbs.

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    2. MOSTLY deciduous. They do shed their leaves but over a period of time. Also, Jo, there are many other types of oaks. Pin oaks, water oaks, etc. The Live oaks are the ones that live the longest and are most magnificent.

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  7. For a day with not a lot in it I'd say that was pretty busy. What an amazing garden you have.
    And of course Maggie had to hold a chicken. It's what you do! I love her life with her dolls.

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    1. Absolutely- given even the remotest chance, one should hold a chick. They're so soft. I pet the grown chickens when they're on the roost at night.
      Maggie has a very large family of dolls and she takes good care of them.

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  8. We see occasional rats in our back garden. They're just a fact of life. I guess they might eat the chicken eggs, though, right?

    That picture of August and Levon in the back seat makes me miss car trips.

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    1. Oh, and thanks for the pic of the glory bower. You've mentioned them several times but I haven't been able to picture one! (I guess I could have looked it up, but I kept forgetting.) I was getting them confused with gloriosa lilies.

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    2. I bet the foxes eat your rats. We have foxes too but of course they eat eggs and chickens. Hell, what doesn't eat eggs and chickens? And yes, rats do eat eggs for sure.
      That photo of August and Levon did sort of capture the early-morning part of a long trip didn't it?
      You're welcome for the glory bower picture. That one obviously got away from me. I can see why people planted them but they are just horribly invasive. Plus, they stink.

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  9. long lazy mornings are great. I can't believe you already have zinnias blooming. I'm not having much luck with mine. and I noticed that all the roots of the ginger you sent me have finally come up. I spread them out in three locations to see where they liked best. now, hopefully they'll bloom this fall.

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    1. Well, Glen planted all of these zinnias like he was planting a crop. I love it!
      I'm so glad those lilies are coming up. Hurray! If they don't bloom this fall, they will next, I bet.

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  10. Nice to have family keeping you busy and keeping you company. Nice garden trivia quiz!

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  11. I can’t control flora either. I’m pretty sure I’ll be yanking up Virginia creeper and Spanish needle for the rest of my life, or as long as my hands and back hold out. I’m afraid if I stop the house will be completely returned to nature and the flora will be in the house. Too much nature here too, a lot of it invasive and not native,
    Welcome home, mighty fisherman!!
    Xoxo
    Barbara

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    1. I hear you. We have SO many invasives and some of them are just hell to pull, leaving bits of roots behind which makes the effort pretty pointless.
      Dammit.

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  12. I've said it before but you have the most beautiful flora, I'm so jealous. Well not jealous enough to want your summer weather but ... well it's just stunning!

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  13. Hank is so creative. Flora from the Moon kingdom!

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