Wednesday, March 22, 2023

A Little Journey Around Lloyd


Another day with a sky that would be hard to beat when it comes to blue. The Japanese maple tree has been sending out its animal-paw leaves and the way the sun lights them up is nothing short of spectacular. 

Mr. Moon is not the happiest husband in the world today. It is upsetting to him when his body is not running in perfect order and he knows that this is all normal but is still not thrilled about the process of post-surgical healing. I am trying to be here for what he needs but I think that what he really needs is to just feel better which is obviously going to take some time. He has spent a lot of time in his chair which is telling. The man is not good at resting so he must truly need it. I feel so helpless. Here I am, going about my life, and he is going through such difficulty. 

I did a tiny walk-about today, going to the post office and then walking down Main Street to the fally-down house. One end of it is just about gone to ground. 



It still calls to me, though. I just feel that there are so many stories it could tell about the lives of people who sheltered in such a small and simple house. It's odd how we all know the stories of the big buildings, the stately homesteads, the impressive houses and yet, we never know anything about the stories of the cabins, the shacks, the humble homes unless someone famous grew up in one. And then the story is always the rags-to-riches kind.
Can you believe that Abe Lincoln grew up in a log cabin?
Etc.
And yet, so many log cabins were lived in by people who were born and died in them, lived their entire lives of growing up, being part of a family, working, dreaming, making love, giving birth, being sick, eventually dying right there and are their histories less important or dramatic than the ones who "escaped" to become rich and famous?
Some may look at the rags-to-riches stories and be inspired and that is fine but there is, to me, more inspiration and wonder to be found in the slave cabin than the plantation house. 
The strength of the souls of the people who lived in them could never have been matched by the people who lived in the Big House.

On my walk I stopped again at the GDDG to pick up a few things Mr. Moon needed as well as milk which I did not get at Publix for some reason. It is such a bizarre place to me. It truly does have a good selection of things that people really need from OTC medications and supplements to food to housewares to cleaning supplies to gardening supplies. And more. I am sure that each and every item they carry has been researched as to its potential to be sold. There are many name-brands and the mark-up is not steep.
I saw one employee stocking shelves which is a never-ending and never completed task there. When I got to check-out, there was a couple at the self-check out and no employee in sight except for the one I'd seen on a ladder. They went through the process and bagged their purchases and left and then I did the same. We could have easily walked out of there without paying. Of course everything is on video camera. So there is that. 
I've been thinking that there are so many of these stores that even if the monthly take for most of them is ridiculously low, the profit must still add up. I mean, I'm sure it does or otherwise they would not keep building the damn things. 

Walking home I saw that the wetlands to the south of the store are filled with water right now. We have gotten a lot of rain but I do not know if what I saw was a normal amount. The run-off of the built-up piece of property the store is on must amount to something. 
But whatever. Here we are. The store is there and I do use it. 

It is such a joy to be outside these days. The oak trees' new leaves are such a determined and youthful green. 


There is an old, abandoned house behind that tree in the forefront. When I moved to Lloyd, people still lived there but they have died and I guess the kids don't know what to do with it so slowly it is becoming one of the dying houses which is sad because it's rather beautiful, even cloaked in the encroaching vegetation. 

I had an encounter today with someone and I will certainly not give any identification details but it was somewhat of a surprising encounter. Within the space of a few minutes, deep and very private details were exchanged, first by her, and then less so by me. I find that women do this- we share hearts, as I say. We must have talked for half an hour and I have spent a good deal of the afternoon wondering how an event has turned out that she told me was about to happen in her life. This seems to be a week for me of becoming even more aware than ever that every one, EVERY ONE has a story or stories that you would never have imagined. They have lived through things that may have brought them to their knees but they got up and they continue to live their lives. 
It is humbling, isn't it? 

I planted cucumbers today and was stupid enough to try and plant through the ants which means that I have bites all over me. And it's not just stupidity, it's also stubbornness. I can do this! I think but honestly, one cannot come out unscathed in a red ant stand-off. Perhaps you could if you wore a hazmat suit but I do not own one of those. They can and do crawl right under clothing and find the most tender and delicate skin to attack. 
I will live. At least I didn't have to take off my overalls in the garden to frantically brush them off today which I have done before. 
And knowing me, will probably have to do again sometime. 

One more picture. 


You know how I'm always bitching and moaning about the invasive plants in this yard? That is one small patch- ONE SMALL PATCH- of the Croscomia that I speak of so often. Theoretically, it puts forth a lovely stalk of orange flowers but I guarantee you that there will be maybe, if I am lucky, six flowers produced in that whole area. And of course they must be removed by digging up entire bulbs. More bulbs than you see represented by the plants themselves. 
Sigh. 
I need to get to it. 
I probably spend more time on my knees than a nun with questions. 

See you tomorrow.

Love...Ms. Moon










30 comments:

  1. I love the fally-down house and wish someone could buy it and rebuild it and live there. The Japanese maple tree is a beautiful colour. I hope Mr Moon's recovery is speedier than expected.

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    1. There is no way that house could be rebuilt. At best, a board or two might be saved to use in something new. It has lived its life.
      I love that Japanese maple.

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  2. I love your fally down house pics. Getting close to it would probably inspire me to make up a whole story of who used to live there. I do that sometimes. As for the fire ants, OH HOLY HELL! I would go without cucumbers for the rest of my life if it meant getting within twenty feet of those little bastards. I stepped in a hill about three months ago and had blisters for weeks. Still have scars that I doubt will get better. Props to ya, Mary! I was told pouring bleach in their hills kills them, but I won’t get close enough to try.

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    1. I have mused many hours, thinking about the people who might have lived in that house.
      Damn ants. They are pests, aren't they? And yet, they are absolutely one of THE most important part of our ecosystem.
      I can't use bleach in the garden. I don't imagine that would be too good for further plant growth.

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  4. I have seen nuns "walk" on their knees. You don't want to do that. And red ants? I have been their victim in the past. Never again. I hope Mr. Moon feels better soon.

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    1. But I do walk on my knees from one end of a row to another! It's easier than getting up and down over and over.
      Being from Florida I am certain you've known your share of red ants.

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  5. Sorry Mr moon is feeling down. He was a good patient for the hard part, but the boring part maybe not so much. He's not used to being out of action.

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  6. I suppose that if you were to "re-wild" your yard it would eat all of you including your house. But that seems to be the trend these days, "re-wilding". It does make sense especially if one does not want to cultivate roses or other demanding flora. Surgery is never any fun, takes the wind out of your sails and when not used to that can be very upsetting. I look at it as an opportunity , to do nothing but concentrate on healing well and properly. Everything else on hold.

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    1. Well, I wouldn't mind re-wilding but these fuckers are not native and not wild. I mean, they've gone wild, but you know what I mean. I just read that they are part of the native grasslands of south Africa and that makes sense.
      I'm with you on recovering from surgery or illness. Or broken ribs. Just rest.

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  7. "More time on my knees than a nun with questions." That's awesome.

    Diatomaceous earth for the ants! It works. I swear to you.

    There is nothing worse than watching someone you love struggle...unless it is getting bit by ants. I've never understood why quiet people's lives are any less compelling than the lives of those folks with big names. The more blog reading that I do, the more sure of it I am.

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    1. I should try the diatomaceous earth. They never stay in one place for too long and I've found that unless they are actually killed, anything that discourages them from being in one place just causes them to move to another one close-by.
      You're right about blog-reading allowing us to see that everyone's life is interesting. And think about the things we don't even write about- those are probably the MOST interesting things.

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  8. I find the quiet lives far more fascinating. I wish we could know more about the life and times of people who live in these old falling down houses.
    I wish Mr Moon a speedy recovery. It is always hard on a person who is used to being busy and now can't - even if it's only for a short time.

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    1. Quiet lives do not mean boring lives, do they? And we never truly know what goes on with most people. We may think we do, but there is much that is hidden from sight, I think.

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  9. While I love to visit stately homes and castles, I agree with you, I'd be so much more interested to learn about the lives of the people in the fally down house! Shame we'll most likely never know though eh!

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    1. You're right. No one is writing down the history of the people who lived in these houses. Their stories are lost.

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  10. I still remember falling into a red ants' nest as a child......those little buggers sure can sting! I have always hated ants since then.

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    1. That sounds horrible! I know that Lily got into a nest once and it was awful. It's probably happened to every Floridian at least once.

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  11. my daughter brought me a bag of bulbs with foliage attached from a co-worker trying to give them away. I looked at them suspiciously, did she show you a picture of the flower? Sarah sent me the picture, yep, crocosmia. I know just where to put them...the burn pile, which I did. I get more blooms but they lay on the ground. also ants. they are everywhere, not just the big mounds you can see but small ones hidden in the grass/growth that you don't see until you step in them. I did that three times yesterday. what the fuck!

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    1. You are smart, Ellen! Throw that shit away! Burn its ass.
      I think the ants are coming back to the surface right now as winter has ended. That's probably a sure sign.

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  12. Hope Mr. Moon is up and out of that chair soon and feeling like himself again. I'd be reading and binge-watching some TV show!
    You need to listen to Debby's advice about those red ants!
    Old places always get one's imagination going!
    Too bad you don't like those plants near your gate - I think they look pretty!

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    1. For at least a day and a half, he didn't even feel up to watching TV.
      There are so many ants in Florida that trying to move them is sort of a fool's errand. They just move to another place close by.
      I'm going to post a few more pictures today of how the croscomia is taking over my yard.

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  13. Sorry Mr. Moon is feeling the aftereffects. I don't understand people who "don't know what to do with" a house. Sell it, maybe? Why just let it collapse? And yet we see it over and over. It makes sense in inner-city Baltimore or Flint where there's no market for houses, but not in Florida -- even in rural Florida.

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    1. I don't know, Steve. They probably feel like they can't sell the old places unless they're "fixed up" and that is just so expensive.
      You'd be surprised at how many people DON'T want to live in Lloyd. That particular house behind the tree is quite close to the cement plant AND the gas station. It's surrounded by trees and plants but it's not an ideal location.

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  14. I hope your man will feel more himself soon. I find pampering a not too well adult male can be harder than looking after a sick toddler. I suppose he is past cartoons and sweets as bribes.
    I loved the way you wrote about the way women share private details and it reminded me of a small farmhouse bed&breakfast place somewhere in the country where we had stopped on our way to somewhere else. I was down early for breakfast and watched and eventually helped the elderly woman who was setting up the place - the granny it turned out - and soon enough, she was leaning her head on my shoulder sobbing because she had discovered a lump in her breast that morning and did not know how to tell her family. It was so sad but then the other guests arrived and she vanished into the kitchen.

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    1. Haha! I did buy Mr. Moon a chocolate covered cherry yesterday which I think he enjoyed. He's feeling better.
      That story you told is exactly the sort of thing I was talking about. I surely hope that the granny got to the doctor and that all was well.

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  15. hoping Mr Moon is going to feel better soon! Not easy for someone so active and busy, to be *quiet*. You have never found any history of the story of the fally-down house? No one in Lloyd knows? And I'm SO curious as to the person you had the encounter with today....... I'm thinking it might be the woman you have met at No Man Lord's..... ?????
    Susan M

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    1. I do know one tiny bit of the history of that house. I think I wrote about it- a man who lives quite near it now, whose name is Abe, told me that he and his wife lived in it when they were first married. He chuckled when he told me that.
      No hints from me who I had that conversation with.

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  16. I SO agree with you about people and their stories! I’ve always said ‘everyone has a story’, and I really love to hear them… such an amazing world we live in!

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Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.