I took a walk this morning and wisely forced myself to walk a bit slower than usual and by doing so, I not only did not die but I was also able to cover more ground. It was hot but again, the humidity has not been as bad and I was glad to be outside and moving.
That picture is a bit of a miracle because:
A. It's so bright out that I can't even really see what I'm aiming at, and
B. Bee.
I knew there was a bee because I waited for it to enter that velvet tunnel but the odds of getting that fine of a shot as it exited were next to nothing. I was shocked when I got home and looked at it. Those are a neighbor's morning glories. I love them so.
Some of the morning glories were climbing into some crepe myrtle which appears to love hot dry weather. It seems to be stunningly vibrant this year.
I walked up to the GDFDG and got a few shots.
Obviously none of my attempts at halting the project have done one bit of good. The lights are on, baby. Nobody's home yet but they will be.
Nice fill dirt, right? And that is how they will prevent the place from washing away. I still harbor evil thoughts about what could happen during a tropical storm.
Anyway...
I walked on over to Main Street and passed what used to be a sort-of trailer park which is right across the road from the post office. It was there when I first lived in Lloyd in the late seventies and I'm sure it had already been there for quite awhile. One of the trailers, now abandoned, had some gorgeous hydrangea blooming in front of it near the road and I helped myself to some. I brought them home and have them in a pitcher-vase, hoping that they will root.
You can see that there are two types there. The purple ones are French hydrangea, I think, and the others are oak-leaf hydrangea which are a less domesticated version. They are, to my eye, so elegant. Both of them.
And so it's been a slow, easy day for me. I've hung laundry, I've done some ironing which we all know is just a good excuse for me to watch TV.
And now I'm going to make another shrimp salad. This one with shrimp that Mr. Moon bought on his way home from the coast yesterday. When they came in, Chip hugged me hard and said, "I am so, so sorry," and I knew he was talking about the supreme court decision and I cried. It is good to know that there are men who understand, at least as much as they can, what this decision means to and for women.
And yes, I saw that today they busted out the first bricks of the edifice of the division of church and state by saying that some shithead Christian high school coach can pray on the football field after a game and invite others to join him. While he's on coach time. While he's being paid.
Anyone who believes that their god gives a flying fuck about whether or not their football team wins or loses is, in my opinion, an ignorant, superstitious ass (to say the least) but that has no bearing on this supreme court who should have thrown the case out to begin with. And let's not even mention the fact that Jesus himself told people not to pray in public. But these people haven't actually read a Bible, have they?
Anyone who believes that their god gives a flying fuck about whether or not their football team wins or loses is, in my opinion, an ignorant, superstitious ass (to say the least) but that has no bearing on this supreme court who should have thrown the case out to begin with. And let's not even mention the fact that Jesus himself told people not to pray in public. But these people haven't actually read a Bible, have they?
Well, there you are. Today's report from the enchanted land of Lloyd, Florida.
Love...Ms. Moon
Well, it's been a lovely visit and collecting some flowers and just taking a stroll with you! Makes my afternoon as my chicken thighs sizzle in the frying pan! I think they must be done ... hence ... suppertime!
ReplyDeleteWe like chicken thighs too!
DeleteThe bee is stunning sitting exactly where it ought, in a halo. Wash on the line is soothing somehow. Makes me drift out of this reality for a bit and into better times- less insane days...The coach and the football, I must say made me laugh so heartily! Who gives a fuck about a damned jesus football??? Lordy , such a joke on this planet . But there he is in a beam of light on the field , on his knees ...with a jesus football. For effs sake, Mary, what next???
ReplyDeleteYes. I think the bee in the morning glory is one of my favorite pictures I've ever taken. The light is terrific.
DeleteHelp us, Jebus, with Christ-loving football coaches. Time spent hanging clothes on the line is better time spent than kneeling on a football field.
We have always had some different viewpoints but I have enjoyed reading until today. Maybe the “shithead Christian coach” was thanking God for the safety of the children at the school after the game.
ReplyDelete“When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men … " - Jesus of Nazareth
DeleteExactly. And I don't care if that coach WAS thanking his god for the safety of the children after the game. I don't care if he was praying for world peace, the reincarnation of Buddha, or an end to world hunger. Not appropriate to pray on public school property while being paid with tax dollars dedicated to school employee salaries. His actions were virtue signaling, calling attention to his own godly devotion and have no place in a public school event. Let's not even mention the fact that some of his players may have been made to feel very uncomfortable and even felt as if they had to join him because he's the damn coach. No, no, no.
DeleteWell, ok Mary. T’en years of readership abandoned today because I never perceived you to be hard hearted in spite of disagreeing with religion. If there had been a pride celebration on the 50 yard line, would you have considered that a child might have been made uncomfortable? I know you have an answer for that but honestly.., my child embodies her faith just line yours embodies their sexuality and it shouldn’t be taboo to be who you are in the public forum. I’ve followed you and kept good will for your family for so long but I just can’t wrap my brain around what is bigotry in sheep’s clothing.
DeleteWell, if there's one thing I know, it's that I've always been quite clear on my feelings about religion. I absolutely respect your daughter's right to her beliefs and in my opinion, everyone has the right to be exactly who they are in public or in private. Exhorting others to join them in these beliefs on a public high school football field is a different matter. And once again, as the followers of Jesus should know, he supposedly told them in Matthew: “When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men … but when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your father who is unseen.”
DeleteIt would have been completely appropriate for the coach to go into his office after the game, close the door, and pray to his unseen father god.
Not to mention the whole "separation of church and state" thing which is what my point was all about. The supreme court has struck a blow in that very, very foundational wall of our country.
Also- the coach had been inviting not only the press to come and "watch" his prayers but a state legislator too. Somehow I just don't feel like this man's devotion was as sincere as his desire to appear devoted.
DeleteMary that Jesus football dingaling lives on Bsinbridge Island up here in blue WA. Just a reminder that Florida doesn’t get *all* the weird.
ReplyDeleteXO Rebecca
Well, if what Jim Davis said below is true, he's now brought his weirdness to Florida which is not unexpected.
DeleteMen have mothers and sisters and female work colleagues and female cousins and aunties and remember women teachers and nurses.. Most of us understand implicitly why The Supreme Court ruling is utterly vile and a huge backward step for women's rights. Good on Chip for hugging you.
ReplyDeleteChip is a very sweet man and has four sisters and a daughter. He knows. As should most men.
DeleteWe in NJ are responsible for Alito, sorry. Local boy makes bad.
ReplyDeleteLloyd sounds pretty good though. As does Chip.
Well, you can't feel guilty because Alito comes from your neck of the woods. I just discovered today that Mark Meadows went to FSU which is in Tallahassee.
DeleteLloyd is okay. And so is Chip.
Yep. We are becoming a fundamentalist theocracy, no different than the taliban. How I wish they believed and cared about Anita Hill and Christine Blasey Ford. Seeing your laundry on the line is a soothing reminder that we go on the best we can.
ReplyDeleteXoxo
Barbara
I will never forget either Anita Hill's testimony or Christine Blasey Ford. Nor will I forget Brett Kavanaugh's big old cry baby tears. WHY AREN'T WOMEN TRUSTED TO TELL THE TRUTH?
DeleteYou cannot even move that much dirt around here without six feet of paperwork. Maybe they got it. Ha.
ReplyDeleteThey probably did. I imagine that DG has extremely deep pockets although I still can't figure out how they think they're going to make tons of money in Lloyd. I guess from the interstate traffic. There's an exit right there.
DeleteI delight in watching the bees in my flowers - I caught, by accident, a lovely snap of a honeybee deep inside a Peace rose. I’ve been following with horror the Supreme Court decision on abortion. It’s a dark day for women, as again our rights are eroded. I remain thankful to live in the Frozen North, with universal healthcare, universal childcare, parental leave (paid, even!) AND gun control. It’s not perfect, but golly, our rights as women are respected and enforceable. There’s a meme I’ve seen, offering help if our southern friends need to have poutine. We’ll help them travel for poutine, look after them while they recover from eating poutine, etc. I don’t know why, but your laundry on the line struck me as a…a message. (Was it the Underground Railroad that used quilts hung to convey messages?). Yours signifies “this is a safe place”, I think.
ReplyDeleteMrs F
Thank you, Mrs. F, and you should be glad that you live in that Frozen North which is so much more intelligent in the way your country is run than ours which is getting worse by the way. I have seen those memes about helping women and I am grateful for them but I cannot believe that we are actually having to think about things like that. It is beyond horrifying.
DeleteAnd yes, I think the Underground Railroad did use quilts to indicate certain places of safety. To me, my laundry on the line represents normalcy and sanity. In that, it is comforting.
That is a perfect photo of bee and morning glory. The same variety (Grandpa Ott's) of morning glory grows up here and lights up our garden fence. Now when I see it I'll think of Lloyd.
ReplyDeleteChris from Boise
Granpa Ott's? Wow. That is so cool.
DeleteLet a Muslim coach pray and invite the players to pray with him on the field and see how that goes over. I’m so impressed by your walking regimen.
ReplyDeleteRight?
Delete37p^^^
ReplyDeleteJesus himself told people not to pray in public? It's my very firm belief that religion has no place in school.
ReplyDeleteMatthew 6:5
DeleteI don't have a bible so I'll take your word for it.
DeleteThat bloody store is going up REALLY quickly isn't it!!!! I'm so sorry!
ReplyDeleteYes it is. And I'm sorry too.
DeleteThe hydrangeas are marvelous. I hope you get a hearty root so you can have some in your lovely yard.
ReplyDeleteNo words for how awful these decisions have been. Every single one makes me grab my chest and wonder how our children are going to engage in this nation being created by theo-authoritarians. My 20 year old daughter announced that she's wearing black on July 4th and refuses to participate in any of the annual festivities. "It's certainly not MY independence day," she quipped as tears filled her eyes. What's a mama to do?
Ooops. Not anonymous. Susan from Ohio
DeleteSusan- I'm with your daughter. I think most of us are. Not OUR independence day. What a crock of horseshit.
DeleteI hope I get some nice roots going too. THAT would make me happy.
I love the flower photos! Every time SCOTUS announces another ruling, I am just in shock! I'm speechless, Mary!
ReplyDeleteIt's beyond my ability to understand, Ellen. Can this really be happening?
DeleteThat football coach (Joe Kennedy) has moved from Bremerton WA to Florida.
ReplyDeleteSomehow this does not surprise me in the least.
DeleteI'm glad there are still good men in this world, a lot of good men, but of course it's hard to remember that sometimes.
ReplyDeleteAs for praying in public, it's just for show, nothing else, in my opinion.
As I said- virtue signaling. And yes, there are indeed good men. More of them should step up and support women, though, I think.
DeleteI thought the same thing when I read the news about that coach -- WHY would anyone pray after their team plays a game? Do they think God cares who wins?! Maybe they're just thankful no one broke their neck, but that says just as much about the insanity of football as the insanity of religion.
ReplyDeleteI was going to say the same, Steve- if football is that dangerous, why is it allowed?
DeleteI sincerely hope muslim and pagan and jewish and hindu etc teachers start their class with a prayer and we'll see how long that lasts.
ReplyDeleteThose hydrangeas are gorgeous, that delicate lavender color.
Well, exactly.
Delete