I know it's been a good day for me when I have to take a shower because I am filthy with garden dirt, drenched in sweat, and perhaps a little bloodied from a thorn or...something. Today was a good day.
When I got up this morning I determined that I would have a stay-at-home day. A take-it-easy day. And I did stay at home. And honestly, I did take it easy, gliding from one little task to the next, working outside between the rains which kept things relatively cool.
Relatively.
My first real goal was to pick all the field peas that needed picking and I think I got most of them. Enough to keep me busy shelling the pretty little pea-beans from their sturdy pods for hours. While I was going through the vines picking, I was also pulling a few of the taller weeds and despairing at the overall plethora of them. I determined to try and get a least the ones right around the okra dealt with and I have done that and a little bit more, too.
Before the weeding had barely commenced, Mr. Moon came home from the gym and running a few errands with our grandboy Owen. We had discussed having him spend the night tonight but somehow that had morphed into him going on a fishing trip with his grandfather and a few friends tomorrow. They got everything packed up to go to the coast this evening so they can get a very early start. While Glen was getting the fishing poles and tackle all sorted and ready, Owen sat in the kitchen while I snapped the green beans I picked yesterday. We talked and talked and talked. I ended up telling him some of my (and thus his) family's history, some of which is pretty interesting, some of which is dreadful, and some of which is something to be proud of. It made me want to do some genealogical research which I have been flirting with the idea of doing for some time now. I guess that an interest in doing that comes with older age, just as does the bizarre interest in wild birds that I do not truly understand but which is real. Old people love watching birds.
Soon enough Mr. Moon had gotten everything packed up and ready to go and both of them kissed me and hugged me and I made them pose for a picture.
I am not sure who was more excited, the man or the boy. It looked for a little while last night like the fishing trip was not going to happen and my husband was so depressed but he figured and wrangled and made it work as I knew he would.
After they left I finished up the beans and did the weeding I mentioned and now the beans are simmering on the stove in one of my biggest pots. Most of them are very mature and are going to need quite a bit of cooking in order to be tender and I'll just get these cooked and freeze them in portions. They were way too big to make into dilly beans.
When it was raining today and I wasn't doing laundry, I watched some of a basic video on how to use the camera on my iPhone and have been fooling around with the macro function. I just love this. There is so much more to learn but here are a few pictures illustrating what it is capable of.
That is a pen on a place mat that I have my MacBook on. Can you believe the detail in the weave of it?
One of the Golden Orb Weavers (aka Banana Spider) on the front porch. She is not a mature lady yet and is actually fairly small.
These are tiny mushrooms which suddenly appeared overnight in a potted succulent. After some research, I see that they are Leucocoprinus Birnbaumii, the yellow houseplant mushroom. According to the article found here, I should probably get rid of the plant but I have no interest in doing that. The mushrooms are as interesting to me as the plant is.
One of the Publix BOGO orchids' blooms. I have not killed it yet!
I am so impressed with what this camera can do and I am looking forward to learning more about it.
Darla is still alive but I do not know how long she can survive. I made her a scrambled egg which sounds cannibalistic and wrong but chickens love eggs. She did not touch it as far as I know. I also put some baby chick electrolytes and probiotics into her water but I haven't seen her take a sip of that, either. I am honestly very surprised she's hung on this long. She does not appear to be suffering but really- how would I know? She appears to be alert and awake.
Here's one more picture, this one of part of the flock as they were hanging out on the kitchen porch waiting for the drizzle to cease.
My little dinosaurs.
Love...Ms. Moon
Can you see if Darla might have an egg that is stuck? Poor thing!
ReplyDeleteThat spider 🕷️ OMG i would totally freak out if I ever came across one of those!
The guys have done gone fishin'! I hope the fish are biting!
That doesn't seem to be a problem. I checked. But I will check again tomorrow. Thank you for the reminder, Marcia.
DeleteI wrote a lovely long comment, hit the wrong button and lost it. Cliff notes: yes birds love to eat eggs. My pet birds loved hard boiled yolks. I get fungi in houseplants and find it interesting so I leave it alone. So you think you fancy genealogy then? Look out, it's a black hole!
ReplyDeleteYou know- that's what I'm afraid of. That I'll go down a black hole and never come out. I already have too much going on in my life! But I sure would like to know more about my forepeople, especially my foremothers.
Deleteyou did alot, yet you call it a *take it easy* day! What a woman ! Poor Darla.....I do find at times......even when it is their *time*...they can linger seemingly forever. I hope she may pass (if it is her time) peacefully with ease. Lovely pics, all, with your fancy new phone camera! and hopefully tomorrow you will have fish for dinner!
ReplyDeleteSusan M
Well, I took it easy in that I did not go to town! That is beyond stressful for me sometimes.
DeletePoor Darla. I just don't know what to do.
That weave is just all day, every day plain weave, but your camera picks up the fine texture it has acquired over the years. It is the over, under; under, over of the potholders your daughters wove for you.
ReplyDeleteAnd the potholders that I used to weave! Those fussy nylon loops.
DeleteI love Macro! So much detail can be seen on tiny, tiny things. My first digital camera was almost permanently set on macro. Now I have two bigger cameras and I just leave them on auto most of the time. There must be a macro setting somewhere but finding it in the pages and pages of settings is a nightmare. And the original camera is kaput. The lens won't open so it can't be used.
ReplyDeleteWhat are the bright green plants in the picture?
The plants in the spider picture? Sago palms and cabbage palms.
DeleteYou sound like a REAL photographer!
Absolutely loving the quality and clarity of your new iPhone photographs. I love using mine, which isn’t the new, improved version yours is. There are a couple of really good websites where you can learn additional tricks with iPhone photography.
ReplyDeleteSuch a super photo of your two handsome menfolk. I wonder if Owen will reach his grandfather’s towering stature?
Desirée
I need and want to spend some time learning about this new camera. I was shocked sometimes at how good the photos I took with my old camera were and this is beyond that.
DeleteI, too, wonder about how tall Owen will get. I often wonder which of my grandchildren will grow up to be as tall as their Boppy.
My favorite part of my phone is the camera on it, the reason I chose my particular phone in fact. Your photos are beautiful but you have to give me a heads up that there is a spider shot coming.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite photo? The chickens of course. They do look prehistoric, you're right, but so beautiful.
I'm glad you had a good day.
I will try to give you a trigger warning, dear Pixie.
DeleteWouldn't it be wonderful if the actual dinosaurs had been covered in brightly colored, patterned feathers? They may have been. Oh, how I wish I could see one!
I love that last picture -- the dinosaur flock. Dave has been trying to talk me into getting a new phone (because he would get one too) and I've been resisting...but maybe it really is time. I would love those camera functions.
ReplyDeleteI hope Darla pulls through, but she may simply be tired and at the end.
Steve- do it. You will love the camera. I know you will.
DeleteI think you may be right about Darla.
Oh my, that spider and the picture of the hens - just beautiful! And can there be a happier man than one who gets to take his grandson fishing? I doubt it!
ReplyDeleteThere could be no happier man than Glen Moon when it comes to taking his grandson fishing. That, I know.
DeleteWow, nice photos, I hope the fishing is good and you did a lot, Thank you for your comments and I hope your hen pulls through,
ReplyDeleteThank you, e. I am truly resigned to the fact that she may well die.
DeleteOh this new phone is going to be a gift to all of us because your pictures will be even more beautiful. Owen is such a good kid; you can just tell. Plus we are all biased!
ReplyDelete