Monday, May 15, 2023

Well, Yes. Summer Is Here. AND- The Best Picture Of Levon Ever


 If there is any one thing that I have posted way too many pictures of, it's probably that basket filled with green beans. 
I apologize.
But it is the only picture I took today and I'm too tired to go walking around right now to find something vastly more interesting, artistic, and/or cute to take another picture of. 

I finally took a walk today. It wasn't a very long walk, but it is already so hot that I went as far as I could without making myself a candidate for spontaneous combustion. After having done a quick google search, it would appear that human spontaneous combustion is a myth, despite how it was depicted in Spinal Tap
But you know, I didn't want to risk it. 

I saw No Man Lord but he didn't wave to me. I guess it was one of those days. And if I thought I was hot, I can't imagine how he felt. He lives in a decrepit RV without electricity, in the middle of a naked plot of land and it's got to be terrible. The only other people I saw were in cars and because we live in the south, we always give each other the very subtle two-finger wave. This is manners. I am not sure what this wave really represents but I assume it simply means, "Hello. I see you. I am a human. You are too."
That's how I translate it, anyway. 

Anyway, I survived the experience once again and later, when it had gotten REALLY hot, I decided to pick green beans which you know is going to be my life for the next few months. I suppose I need to get all my pickled green bean canning supplies gathered together and get on with that chore. Not only are they a tasty treat which even children enjoy, they are also delicious in an icy martini or a bloody mary. 
Plus of course we eat a lot of green beans this time of year. We will be having some tonight, in fact, and I am going to take some to Hank and Rachel tomorrow and oh, Lord. The season has just begun. 
Picking the beans I had sweat rolling off my face and from other body parts. I really don't know how I'm going to survive the summer. I look at all of the weeding in the yard I need to do and I do not seem to able to gather the necessary strength for the job. I swear to you, the sun seems hotter than it used to, beating down with an actual malignant power. Which of course it is because it can definitely give you skin cancer and it's only going to get worse as our planet experiences its own spontaneous combustion due to the horrible things we humans have done to it and continue to do to it and I'm as responsible as the next person.

So yes, I'm tired and spent the rest of the day in the house, even doing some ironing and watching a few more episodes of Parenthood and I realized once again that I am losing my mind because I found a dress that I've probably worn at least fifty times in the section of a closet I keep things in that need ironing and for a moment I did not remember it. It quickly clicked back into place in my mind, though, and I ironed it and put it in my closet with its sister dresses. Things like this are becoming commonplace and it's a little frightening. Here's another thing I do- I cannot find things in the refrigerator or the cabinet or the pantry. It's like I've become a man. I look right at shit and don't see it. And then later, I'll open the refrigerator or cabinet door and there it is, right in front, staring at me. I try to tell myself that there's actually some sort of parallel universe/black hole situation going on here but we all know that's not true. 

Well, whatcha gonna do? Laugh and make lists, be delighted when you find a "new" dress, especially if you like it, and if you're like me- buy more of the same products you already have because when you can't find what you're looking for in the kitchen, you put it on the list and dutifully purchase it on your next shopping expedition. 

Here's a picture of Levon that Jessie sent me yesterday which very much expresses how all of this makes me feel. 


They were on their way back from the Itchtucknee River where they had spent Mother's Day with friends, kayaking and swimming and so forth. It is an absolutely beautiful river and there are springs too. The water is clear and cold, not unlike the Wacissa. Another part of Florida that too few people know about. 



Or actually, probably too many people know about. 

And not unlike my mind, we need to appreciate it while we can.

Love...Ms. Moon




16 comments:

  1. *discovering* relics in the closet is almost always fun...... Levon pic is wonderful....your beans- I am envious. I could eat them every night in every way. And yes......the 2 finger wave.....SO familiar with it.. where we live (on a large property of 1000 acres with only 9 total households)....... we only occaisionally are able to stop and chat......but always the 2 finger wave........ saying.....*yes,....love you neighbor, and see you*. Makes me think of the film Avatar.......... where the two title characters (can't recall their names) placed their hands over the others hearts and said *I see you*.......which has such deep connection when you think about it. I blathered on too long, sorry to everyone LOL! Hope you still have leftover Lily cake to enjoy tonite!
    Susan M

    Susan M

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    1. You do not blather!
      These beans, the rattlesnake heirloom beans, are almost too prolific and they make beans for months!
      I actually froze at least 2/3's of that cake today. It's just too rich and delicious to waste but I have to be sensible about it. When Mr. Moon got home from town today and looked at what was left in the cake container he said, "Did you freeze some of Lily's cake or did you eat it?"
      "I ate it," I said to him, with as much of a straight face as I could manage.

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    2. PS......would Lily be willing to share her lemon rosemary cake recipe?
      Susan M

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  2. That picture is a wall hanger, and boy, does that water look wonderful. It is not hot here. Like the little bear's porridge, it is just right.

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  3. I can’t wait to be able to pick beans!😅And about that dress.. I get bursts of ironing energy, and I’ll iron everything.. then I’ll wear it all in the space of a week or so.. and then it ends up in the ironing pile for another few months!😂I can definitely relate to the No Man Lord- if I lived with no electricity in your climate, I’d just hit the road and hitchhike my way up north! Crikey! I’m loving seeing all your garden produce, but I wouldn’t last a month where you live!😅 come north to visit anytime! (Except when I’m in Norway, to escape it all as long as possible🤪)xo, Rigmor

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  4. I think you will acclimate to picking beans like you acclimate to summer every year. You think you won't bear it, but every day it happens and every day you put up with what it is, until fall comes again.

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  5. You have had a lot going on of late, Ms Moon. It is therefore not surprising your brain is in need of a wee break from functioning. Give it time and don't ask too much of it and you will be amazed at its capacity to rebound and remember all sorts of things for you.

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  6. Just last week I found a blouse in my closet that I swear I haven’t seen before. We leave Florida for the summer so I’m pretty sure I brought it to our summer place with the rest of my clothes. But I honestly don’t remember it. I’ve had ‘man vision’ several times, too, which really bugs me.
    Ahhh, the Golden Years!

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  7. I'm happy there are still some little known places in Florida, not paved over and packed with condos.

    You do seem to get through summer each year after swearing you'll never manage!

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  8. Jessie really has an eye for photography doesn’t she wow love this xor

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  9. I couldn't find my brown sugar this evening. I used it to make the sauce for the pork and then I could only find the lid. I looked everywhere and then I spotted it on my computer desk, probably because that's where the recipe was. Bloody frustrating:)
    I ran my ass off at work today which was good, I didn't have much chance to think about Lucy. A friend of mine sent us some photos of her this evening, taken he had dogsat for us. It was probably four years ago but Lucy looked so young. Anyway, enough of that.
    Have you tried gardening by moonlight? We were as hot as Lloyd today but thankfully our humidity is way lower. Maybe moonlight is the way to go, although I think you have to be naked when gardening in the moonlight, pretty sure:)

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  10. I have "blank" moments with my dvd collection. I wanted to watch a particular series from the 80s but could not find it. perhaps I hadn't bought it after all. So I ordered a copy and when it came took it to the alphabetical slot where I would keep it and RIGHT THERE was the exact same one that I couldn't see! so now I have two and will send one to my brother, I think he might like it.

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  11. "It's like I've become a man" - that gave me a belly laugh (well at least until I start becoming a man too, I guess)!

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  12. You come up with the bests phrases, Mary Moon. Ha!

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  13. I remember going to the Ichetucknee many years ago. And now I'm thinking of tubing on a crystal clear river with a martini containing a crisp green bean. :)

    You never hear about spontaneous combustion anymore, do you? It was such a '70s thing. Back when everybody was smoking. Hmmmm...

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  14. Your writing style is fabulous! Saw your blog on This and That.

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