A Day With Maurice

It's been another crazy-beautiful day. I can't stop looking up and being gobsmacked at the glory of it. It would have been a complete and utter sin to be inside for much of it and I wasn't. We went to lunch in Monticello and we even ate outside there. So, okay, we were looking at a road and buildings but it was still gorgeous and we could see the sky. The restaurant where we ate is relatively new. Someone's spent some money on it. We've never eaten there before and I was reading Yelp comments online before we got there. One of them said, "Poor parking and staff are all alcoholics poor variety of people." (sic)
Well, we had to go eat there after reading that. The variety of people seemed okay to me and our server was sober as a person can be to my discerning eye. She had a lot of tattoos and I would not have messed with her in any way and she was a fine server. The menu was pretty limited for lunch, heavy on the burgers and fried things, but Glen got a lovely BLT with avocado and I got a nice salad with adequate shrimp. It's ridiculous for me to get a salad anywhere but my own garden right now but the greens were perky and the chili-lime vinaigrette was just sweet enough and the feta cheese was abundant. 
What else could you ask for? 

Here is what the courthouse in Monticello looks like. 

That is the north-facing side. All of the sides are impressive. It is a good example of a true southern, small-town county courthouse. And look at that sky.

We walked over to Wag the Dog but I just wasn't in the mood. We did a quick browse and then I said, "Let's go home. I want to work in my yard." 
And so we did. 

All right. Maurice needs to absolutely give up the charade that she is not following me around the yard. Or perhaps she already has. I took pictures of her all day long as she tagged along. 

First off, we hung out the laundry. She seems to enjoy this activity. Perhaps she finds the dancing shadows on the billowing sheets as lovely as I do. 

Then we were off to the garden where I had gone simply to survey the new growth, check the progress of the beans (they are sending out their fence-grabbing tendrils) and pull a weed here and there. 

Then I did an entire circle of the yard to check on blossoms and kick bamboo. We made it all the way to the old barn at the far east end of the property and back to the house again. 

"Come on," I told her. "Let's go inside for some water."

She also followed me out to the kitchen garden where I've almost finished up the work I want to do there. Slowly, slowly things are looking better. 

She's hiding in the phlox jungle. 

Here are a few more pictures from the yard today.

Blooming aloe. 

Oxalis. We've never had so much of it. 

Japanese maple on fire. 

And that's been the day here. I have been known to write a sort of diatribe about Good Friday (Happy Day They Crucified Our Lord!) and Easter too but I don't feel worked up about it right now. Mostly I feel so sad that so many people feel the need to believe that they were born in sin and can only go to their eternal happy place if they worship an ancient, probably mythical, carpenter-rabbi whose blood was given in atonement for the sins they were born with and the sins they committed, and who arose a few days later from the tomb to prove his presence to his mama and his dude-posse and then to arise to heaven to be with his daddy god. 

I absolutely understand that there's more to it than that and I also realize that many, many people find great comfort in this story but it enrages me that religions have monetized this myth and belief in various ways and flavors to make the big bucks. 
Did you know that the Mormon church has more than 250 billion dollars not including property? That they own 2% of Florida? Do you know how many Mormon LGBTQ+ kids die by suicide every year?

Oh dear. I guess I still have some issues. 

Meanwhile, the true miracle of spring and the fecund beauty it presents us is all that I need. The seemingly dead trees and plants that surround us burst into bloom and color and that, as far as I am concerned, is resurrection enough. 
And you should see the way the squirrels are chasing each other and the brilliant attention the birds are giving each other. Love is in the air and babies will be the result. Another miracle. 

Maurice right now sharing the table on which I am writing. 
My friend, my familiar. She and I have had a good day.

Happy Friday, y'all.

Love...Ms. Moon