Monday, July 19, 2021

Life In Lloyd, Part Ten Thousand


More zinnias in a little glass vase that Hank left me here. I cut the flowers short because I wanted to use it. It's so sweet and the zinnias look extra happy there. They are blooming their pretty little heads off. 

The chickens are found. I got a call about 9:30 last night from my next door neighbor who also keeps chickens. Darla, for whatever reason, decided to go roost over there and so she took her babies and broke into their fence. My neighbor put them all in a dog kennel and we went over there and she handed them over. They are all safe and sound and I hope they don't do the same tonight. 

What a day it has been.  It's rained on and off and sometimes it's deluged, not rained. The grass, while we were gone, grew about a foot and there's no way Mr. Moon can get out there to cut it if it doesn't dry up a little around here. I'm not complaining but these are the facts. I felt as if I had a million things to do today and I sort of did and each one of these things required a "but-first". I was so overwhelmed that I spent a good deal of the day simply walking from one room to another with items in my hands, wondering what I was doing. One thing I had to do was to clean out my freezer. I must have left it slightly open when we left because it had frosted up like crazy although all of the food in it was still frozen solid. So I took everything out and got the ice off of it all and cleaned out the bins and then put everything back. That took awhile.
I did laundry. Loads and loads of laundry and I'm not sure why because we had a washer and dryer in North Carolina.
I unpacked. I put everything away. That felt good. I swept up a broken china thing that was in my bathroom which I am sure Maurice knocked off the dresser in there because that's where she likes to sleep sometimes. 

This does not sound like much and yet, it somehow filled my day. It finally quit raining long enough for us to go out and pick the garden. 

Here's some of what my husband picked:




Hard to get a scale on all of that but take my word- it's a lot. And I picked less than half of the green beans which filled an old canning kettle 3/4's full. 
"I am not having fun," I told my husband.
He was sympathetic. "Finish up tomorrow," he said. "Or I'll get the rest." 
I settled on the tomorrow option. 

The mosquitoes are horrible. A trip outside requires Deet. Don't even talk to me about the "natural and organic" types of bug spray. The mosquitoes around here drink that stuff for fun. And then drink our blood for sustenance. With all of the rain we've had, it's no big surprise. I doubt I saw ten mosquitoes the whole time I was in North Carolina. No yellow flies, either. In that, at least, North Carolina is truly superior to Florida.

The most wonderful thing that happened today was that I went to the post office and found three boxes waiting for me. All of them from two different blog friends who I feel are real friends. It was like ALL the Christmases and ALL the birthdays rolled into one. Two of the boxes were so filled with beautifully packaged things that it took me at least half an hour to unwrap and swoon over all of them. Here are a few of the things. 



Probably many of you will recognize who the sender had to be. She is cleaning out and getting rid of things. And she obviously has the best things. She has inspired me to go through and get rid of some of the things I have although trust me- none of my things would delight anyone to receive. Well, maybe some purses. I do have a thing for fine leather goods. 
But honestly, I was completely overwhelmed with her generosity. I really was brought to tears. Even Glen was excited to watch me unwrap treasures. 
I am a terrible gift-giver and am bad at receiving gifts too but as I told the sender, I am going to try to just accept these gorgeous things with gratitude and pleasure and not allow a bunch of weird and unhelpful emotions to get mixed up in it all.
My other gift was a grinder full of Madrona smoked pepper which I think is going to change my life and my cooking. It smells like heaven. Hot heaven. Smokey hot heaven. I'm going to try it out tonight. 

So that part of the day was a delight and I've just popped a loaf of sourdough into the oven and that too, is a pleasure, although on a completely different level. It was fine making meals on the stove in NC that we had in our rental and it was even a gas stove but MY stove is the best and I missed it. My kitchen is filled with produce from peaches to okra and I'm trying not to panic about getting it all preserved in one form or another. I'm trying to remember that life is not about accomplishment so much as it about just living. The pure living of it.

Or not. 

Love...Ms. Moon

29 comments:

  1. That is an abundance of garden goods! All of the soil turning and planting and weeding in spite of mosquitos and flies that take hunks of flesh and god knows what else lives there in your jungle. Gosh , that blogger sent you some stuff, essential and practical stuff, looks like. Ready for the apocalypse.

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  2. Very nice gifts and wonderful produce. You and your family could have a real feast...

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  3. My friend in Wisconsin says the swallows are so prolific this year that they are nesting on her porch as well as her barn. They are so good at mosquito patrol that she has not had a bite this year. It does snow there, even worse than in Ohio.

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    1. We don't have swallows here as far as I know. They have them in Cozumel, I am sure. It's called "The Island of Swallows". What we probably out to do is build a bat house. Of course, since we live on the edge of a swamp, I think we just have to deal with the reality.

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  4. Don't comment often. Please forgive. I read and love but life a struggle. But had to say l missed your words and worried a bit. So glad you are home chick's safe abundance waiting Drat the muzzles brain of my life. You are amazing. Love Maggi from the far too hot UK. xxx

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    1. Oh, Maggie! Don't worry! All is well. Thank you for checking in. I appreciate it.

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  5. Very glad the chickens have come home to roost! Literally. And I love your remembering that's life not all about accomplishing, living it is important.
    What a great postal haul. The dolls!
    Yes on having trouble accepting gifts, I get that. I think it's about wanting to be the giver.

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    1. Yep- another common saying that originated in chicken-tending. I think in my case, the accepting of gifts is an acknowledgement that I deserve gifts which I never really feel as if I do. It's so weird.

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  6. Don't pickle all of that beautiful okra. Just saute it in some butter and I would love to help you eat it. I can't grow enough for us and none of the farmers up here will grow it. In addition to being our very favorite vegetable it has the most beautiful flowers.

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    1. We usually eat our okra either cooked with tomatoes and onions or else fried (often in the oven). Tonight we're having it in gumbo. The plant does have really pretty flowers, doesn't it?

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  7. Recognize the walk from room to room and the "but, first..." line. A little discombobulation is entirely normal given all that happened over the previous eight days.

    Good to hear Darla and the chicks are back. Guess she decide if y'all could take a vacation, so could she and her brood.

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    1. Yes. A sort of disorientation. I suppose we all experience that when we return home from being away for awhile.
      I think there were other factors concerning Darla's decision but everything is cleared up now and she seems happy to be at home.

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  8. It's always fun to get unexpected presents in the mail! I recognize your sender, for sure. :)

    Bravo for the veg harvest. And I'm so glad Darla and her bebes showed up. I wonder what made her move next door? Maybe you and Mr. Moon being gone freaked her out.

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    1. I feel like I received two new daughters in the mail! Plus so many other beautiful things. Just unbelievable generosity.
      The veg harvest is a serious harvest. Slowly I shall work my way through it.

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  9. glad you found Darla and bebes. we had more rain yesterday evening and during the night. hard rain. no standing water this time but there was a surprising amount in the ditch. and what great unexpected presents from we know who. I was determined earlier this year to start food gardening again this fall but have not made on iota of effort towards it so I guess not. apparently all I need do is just throw seeds in the compost pile.

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    1. Raining here again right now.
      I think you are torn as to whether or not to grow vegetables. I think your idea about throwing seeds in the compost pile is an excellent one.

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  10. Always lots to do back home after a trip. You will catch up when you catch up so don't worry about it. My brother lets us pick from his garden while he is gone on vacation and there is a LOT so that is a treat for me! Maybe you could do that with your friends and neighbors - a "come help yourself" day!
    Stay cool and calm and healthy!

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    1. Our neighbors who watched the chickens for us did indeed pick the garden but I'm sure they couldn't use all of it. And we are giving vegetables away.
      Trying to stay cool and healthy. Calm? I do my best!

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  11. I'm glad you found your chickens. I'm off for a week and having a hard time settling down to do one thing. Nobody really cares, do they, if I clean my bathrooms. Just me. Even the big guy doesn't care.

    Just a suggestions, but maybe plant fewer veg next year:)

    It's nice to hear about life in Lloyd again.

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    1. Yeah- have you ever once cleaned toilets and had someone say, "Wow! The toilets are so clean! Thank you, honey!"
      Yeah. Probably not.
      I kept telling Glen not to plant so much but he didn't listen and of course he made Lily a huge garden too. When he does something, he throws himself wholeheartedly into it.

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  12. I love the image of you standing in a room, wondering, "Why am I here?"; I do that 2-3 times a day.
    As for you appreciation for fine leather goods, I feel similarly about nice linens. Lovely crisp cotton percale sheets and a couple of years I discovered peshtemal towels and they changed my life.
    Jenny

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    1. Okay. I might have to try a few peshtemal towels. I had never even heard of such a thing!
      Good sheets are one of my main priorities.

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  13. You said... I'm trying to remember that life is not about accomplishment so much as it about just living. The pure living of it.
    Never more true when we are faced with our (or other's) mortality.
    But I think the best life - a richly fulfilled one - has both achievement and immediacy.
    In many ways life is wonderful every day, no matter how 'everyday' it may appear.

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    1. I agree with you but it is also quite apparent to me that if I died tomorrow, the number of jars of produce and pickles in my pantry would not matter in the least. I think it's important to keep perspective and try to create a balance. Every day IS important for sure although some appear to be more wonderful than others!

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  14. Those gifts are just lovely. I guess somebody knows your taste!

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    1. Glen kept saying, "She knows you!"
      He is right.

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Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.