Outside Stuff

Well, that does not look very attractive does it? And yet, to me it is gorgeous because what it shows is a mostly-weeded garden, ready to be tilled and planted for the fall and winter garden. We really need to get some mulch on that garden but the oak leaves that people in Tallahassee neighborhoods so thoughtfully rake and bag-up and pile on the side of the road for us to pick up have not yet begun to fall nor will they for quite awhile. The oaks really don't lose their leaves until the new ones push the old ones off. 
"Bye, Pops," I can hear them say. "Good job. We'll take over from here."

Now I have to get to the nurseries and buy my seeds. I guess a lot of people start their fall vegetables inside but I don't. They seem to spring up pretty fast as soon as we get them in the ground and watered. I don't know, maybe I'm just lazy. We've been discussing switching over to raised bed container gardening but we're having a hard time committing. There are dozens of options and methods and ways of doing this and they all seem to be

A. Very expensive if you buy the containers pre-made, or

B. A lot of work if you make the containers yourself, or 

C. Both. 

No matter what sort of container you use, you have to fill them up with good soil and compost. I suppose this is one of those projects where once you get everything going, it's pretty easy and pays off. But oh, the getting-it-going part is definitely not easy. 

I made an extremely short video today when I was weeding, of ants hauling a tiny caterpillar somewhere. I have no idea where they were taking it. To feed their queen, possibly. But look at these guys go! 

Interestingly, while I was watching those guys haul ass I was listening to a book entitled The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak which has, as one of the first-person narrators, a fig tree who discourses about many things in the natural world including different varieties of trees, mice, bees, Mycelium, birds, humans, and...ants. 
I find the parts of the book in which the fig tree is given voice to be the most interesting. There is also a love story, a war, and lots of talk about Middle Eastern foods, both Turkish and Greek. It's interesting but truly, the best comes from the mouth of the fig tree. I am learning things that make me want to go and hang out with my own fig tree whom I must admit I ignore terribly. 

It has been a fairly easy, loving day today. Not horribly hot and according to the weather widget on the phone, it's supposed to get down into the sixties tonight! WHAT?!
Getting up tomorrow morning will be worth it simply to see what that feels like. Is it possible that summer's fiery grip has finally loosened its hold upon us? 

Here's what may be my new favorite picture.

May and Michael and Jessie and Vergil met up last night to go hear and dance to a band they all love. It's the same band that played at May and Michael's wedding. Aren't they beautiful? 

Nothing makes me happier than thinking about my children having good times together. 

It's been as still as a photograph here for the last few minutes and now, we are starting to get the tiniest bit of rain. For a second there, the leaves began a little dance of their own, just a flutter of skirts being moved gently from side-to-side as the musicians first begin to play. A tiny bit of ankle revealed, the merest hint of a petticoat. A flirt, a wink, an invitation. 

Come on, rain. Dance with us. 
Come on.

Love...Ms. Moon