Wednesday, August 3, 2022

Joyful Reunion


 I've somehow let a rather invasive variety of morning glories get hold of one of the corners of the garden fence. Somehow I just don't feel the motivation to get rid of it although Mr. Moon glares at it every time he walks past it. Yes, he could do it but I'm the one who does most of the weeding while he does the heavy lifting of bags of mulch and tilling the garden when that's needed and also he likes to do the planting because as we have discussed, his rows are straight and true while mine are a bit more...wobbly. 
Part of the problem is that it's rooted by a particularly thorny rose in an area where the fireweed grows so it's not going to be a pleasant task. And of course, it's pretty in its own way. Nothing fancy and the flowers all close by noon and I will get around to pulling it but it hasn't happened yet. 



It's just so damn hot that any work I do in the garden needs to be only the most necessary of tasks. The idea of being near the heat-stroke point AND bleeding from thorns AND possibly getting into the fireweed sounds like a level of hell that I'd just as soon avoid if I can. So far now, I let it be. 

Today was a go-to-town day. My grocery list filled both sides of an index card. So I texted Lily and Jessie to see if they needed to go to Costco and that ended up with us meeting at Chow Time for lunch at the buffet. I've probably been to Chow Time about five times now and I never cease to be amazed. The food is such a mixture of cuisines and the variety is huge. You can even take advantage of a hibachi grill, choosing raw ingredients that a hibachi chef stir-fries for you. There is sushi galore and it may not be sushi that Anthony Bourdain would have touched with a ten-foot chopstick but it's decent. There are salads and fruit, all of the regular "Chinese" food with your broccolis and green beans and sweet chicken dishes, egg rolls and spring rolls and at least four kinds of soup including miso. There's fried chicken, fried catfish, macaroni and cheese, pizza, fried okra, boiled shrimp, oysters, delicious baked salmon, and of course, french fries. 
It goes on for days. Let us not even mention the various desserts. Customers range from families like us to business men, ladies who lunch, and lots and lots of construction workers who know a good deal when they see it. 
So of course it's fun and the food is not bad at all and when we met up, all of the cousins were so very glad to see each other. It was a joyful reunion. 
I took this picture of Levon and Owen while we were still at the table. August and Levon worship Owen. He is everything in the world they want to be which is mainly so grown up. And Owen could not possibly be sweeter to them. 


After lunch, when we were all full to bursting, I took this one outside. 


Owen arranged them all. 

I did end up shopping at Costco with Jessie and my heart was happy in the coldy room as August was in my cart and we could shiver together once again. I also got to see Brenda and dammit! Why didn't I ask if I could take her picture? Her eyes were especially mermaidy today, and her lipstick was glittered. When we hugged I said, "You are so pretty!" 
She is, too. And that girl ain't afraid of color which is one of my favorite traits in a human being. 

And then I went on to Publix to get everything else on my list. Dear god. I was in town for weeks, months, years, eons. 
Or so it seemed. 

By the time I got home and had everything unloaded and put away, I felt as if I'd crossed the Sahara with a camel on my back. 
Or something hyperbolic like that. 

Y'all! I am so sad to report that the fox obviously got Annie. She is gone but her feathers litter the yard. And one of the teen chickens is no longer around either. I do not know what we're going to do about this problem. 
But here's something far more cheerful- I saw Violet today, little, very old Violet, hanging about the door of the hen house and look what I found in a nest this afternoon.


See that tiny egg in the center? I am almost certain it is hers. Not only is she old, but she also just came off of a long brooding period followed by the raising of a chick, and on top of those things, it is so very hot and it is molting season, and the hens are not laying the way they do in spring. 
The force is strong in that one. 

Speaking of the force. 



The Stones played their last concert of this summer's 60th anniversary tour in Berlin last night. 
I can't help but wonder if truly that may have been their last tour and even possibly last concert. 
Well, if they have showed us anything, it is that it is not wise to ever underestimate their spirit and desire to be out on the road again, to do what it is they do so well, together as musicians, as old mates, as the originators of something pretty damn amazing. 
And it would appear that they're still filling seats. So...
Who knows? 

Gold rings on 'em. 
Gold rings on you too.

Love...Ms. Moon


27 comments:

  1. you MUST get a pic of Brenda of the mermaid eye shadow one day soon. I love her through your descriptions...... but would love to see her. Sorry to hear about Annie. that is 2 or 3 hens you've lost of late....... unless Mr Moon goes out at night and lays in wait all night....... only other thing would be a live trap (have a heart)......... Mr Fox needs to move on, one way or another. And the Stones......and Bruce too......I think they are winding down.....and rightly so for all the joy they've brought us
    Susan M

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    1. I did post a picture of Brenda once. You can find it here: https://www.blessourhearts.net/2022/02/im-absolutely-amazed.html
      I don't think that either Bruce or the Stones are winding down too much. Bruce is going to do a tour next year and I bet it'll be huge.
      You're right about the fox- I can't have him picking off my chickens one at a time. Damn.

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  2. Yes I'm thinking a Havahart trap for Reynard too.. And the cousin lineup, too cool! Morning glory isn't invasive here because it's killed by winter, so it's an annual. In the case of mine, a great burst of foliage and zero buds.

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    1. I'm not even sure it's legal to relocate a fox. I need to look that up. And if it's a mom, feeding her pups, I don't want to do that.
      Florida's flora is as crazy as its fauna, isn't it?

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  3. I love that kid line up. Owen did a good job. Sorry about your chickens though. Don't you just love the fun those guys seem to have on stage? They make me want to dance...

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    1. Mr. Moon and I did actually dance to them on my birthday night. It was a moment of glory for me.

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  4. I have no answer to the fox situation. Here, the answer is often a gun as they are an introduced pest and destroy our native fauna. If you trap and move will he not come back knowing there is an available source of tucker?
    Lovely to see cousins together. Precious faces.

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    1. Yeah, I think we'd have to relocate a very long way and as I said in my comment to Boud, I'm not sure it's even legal. A lot to consider. I really don't want Glen to shoot him. Or her.
      It made me so happy to see the kids all together again.

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  5. The most necessary of tasks...you got that right. Besides the bindweed is pretty and provides food for bees and other insects. Let it be. And that Owen, OMG. Were I a youngster.

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    1. Isn't Owen growing into a fine-looking young man? I do not know quite how I'll handle it when his voice starts breaking and his beard starts coming in. For this second, he's still my baby.

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  6. A lot of loveliness here; grandbabies, eggs, Stones! Yay!

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  7. chickens in the spirit world laying custard eggs for baby angels- that's my story... that is what I can live with. I also like chicken...I could eat chicken all day long- fox and me.
    The kids - adorable children they are!

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    1. How can we hate an animal for loving to eat something that we love to eat too? It doesn't seem fair, does it? Violet laid another egg today!

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  8. my neighbor gets rid of the morning glory plants on our fence by putting a propane torch to it. i should try it but we just got new neighbors and i don't want to set their house on fire in the process... xxalainaxx

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    1. Propane torch sounds a little like overkill to me but what do I know? Do you suppose it really kills the roots? I doubt it would in Florida. Yeah, best not to use that method too close to a new neighbor's house.

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  9. I love morning glory. I know they are invasive but for me they always cover up much uglier spots. The cousins look so happy to be together.

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    1. I don't hate them and that's for sure. The morning glories, that is.

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  10. Oh, Well done Violet! That chicken is amazing! Sorry to hear about Annie and one of the young ones though.
    I love seeing photos of your grandies, they are all so happy each time.
    I also love big shopping days, when I buy ALL the things and fill the pantry and it's just so satisfying knowing I don't have to shop again for a while. The food at Chow Time sounds amazing.
    I suggest leaving the morning glory until it is time to prune the rose, then do both together and hopefully it will be cooler by then. Do you have elbow length pruning gloves?

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    1. I do not have elbow length pruning gloves. I just try to be really careful. But I think you're right- I should just let it wait until it's cooler.
      It is a good feeling to get the cabinets and pantry and refrigerator all restocked but it seems like I always forget SOMETHING! And I did this time, too. Dang it.

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  11. I was thinking about fire to get rid of the fireweeds and the invasive plants. When it is not so dry out, maybe Mr. Moon has a blow torch he could burn it out without getting too near and you could man the hose. It sounds too painful to do by hand. I would not be brave enough to try it, but I think Mr. Moon is.
    Perfect pic of the grands! What a happy group!

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    1. Like I said above, I'm not sure that fire would kill the roots of either morning glory or the fireweed. I've read that vinegar sure doesn't work.
      I think the grandkids were very happy in that picture.

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  12. I wondered when you mentional fireweed, why would it be a problem? We have fireweed here and it's just a beautiful plant and flower that grows after fires. Then I looked up Florida fireweed, the name in latin is urtica something. The Urtica says it all and it sounds awful. A hazmat suit sounds like it would be needed. Yikes.

    That morning glory looks lovely but I understand it's invasavie. It isn't here, here, it's hard to grow:)

    Your grands look so sweet and glad you had a good visit with them.

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    1. Oh god- it IS awful. It's like stinging nettle but ten times worse. Just thinking about it makes my skin literally crawl. I hate it! Florida is excellent at the growing and nourishment of many, many types of pests. From fireweed to cockroaches to crazy-ass Republicans. We got 'em all.

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  13. Wow, The Stones can still pack 'em in can't they!!!! And that picture outside of your grandkids is just adorable! Lucky you!

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    1. I read that on this tour this summer, the Stones played to 750,000 people.
      I am so lucky in my grandchildren.

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  14. I'm sorry to hear about Annie! So it IS a fox, you think? (I may have missed that post.)

    I like the purple convolvulus. Don't they die back in the winter anyway? So it won't be around forever. Enjoy it while you can! :)

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Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.