A Variety Of Photos And Explanations

I took this picture last night after dark, obviously. Jack was lying on the table here on the back porch looking at something and I followed his gaze to find that ghostly image of what I do believe is a gecko. I rather like it. Since it was outside, the lizard had no worries when it came to Jack who was watching it as closely as if it were a TV show with a complex plot. 

Another beautiful day here. All that rain washed away the rest of the pollen and everything is clean and shiny. Not one cloud to be seen all day long, just bright, azure sky. 

This morning I was about to step into the rose bed by the old shed to take a picture of this

when I looked down and saw this little guy.

A small rat snake, warming his blood and so sun-drunk he didn't move an iota as I got closer to take his picture. Those are magnolia leaves which are large so he's not as tiny as he might look compared to them. 

I knew I needed to go to town to get supplies for the boys' upcoming visit and again, I took the interstate and water is still very high in the low spots. There's been a whole lot of damage from that storm. Entire schools are so deep in water that classes can't be held in them. People's houses and cars and businesses are still flooded. So it was a sensible thing to take the interstate. I decided to do a quick trip to the Bad Girls Get Saved By Jesus Thrift Store as I haven't visited in awhile. Whoa! Things have changed there! 

It's not only lit so brightly now that you need sunglasses to shop, but it's been cleared out and reorganized. 

Almost too much. 
I found no treasures today. There were a few things that piqued my interest but not enough to motivate me to buy anything. In the furniture building, there was a painted oak table and two chairs that I did send Lily a picture of, thinking that perhaps she could use them on her new porch. They were quite sturdy. 

I sent Lily a picture and she was interested. All three items were being sold for $49.00 Not bad for a solid oak table just by itself. If someone hadn't painted it, it would have sold for antique prices. But someone had. 

Then on to Publix I went. Yes- again. I got what I needed and was in such a carefree and cheerful mood that I decided I'd take my usual route home, trusting that the waters had receded. 
Haha! 
I did cross this intersection. 

The road to the west was closed but although the road that continued straight on and the road that went to the east did have some standing water on them, they were still open. I was heading straight and got to Old Lloyd Road, the road we actually live on, just fine. BUT, I was stopped by a sheriff who informed me after I'd driven a mile or so towards home, that the road was not passable which meant I had to drive all the way back to the intersection with standing water, drive through that to a main highway, take that up to where the Hilltop is, and get home from there. So what would have taken me fifteen minutes TOPS if I'd driven on the interstate ended up taking me about 45 minutes. 
Oh well. La-di-dah. Beautiful day, etc. 

We have many, many creeks here and they are usually slow-moving, shallow things but not right now. 

I spent the rest of the afternoon just piddling around doing a few things that I've been meaning to get to like potting up a monstera plant I've rooted over the winter. This is yet another descendent of the monstera I got at the dump a year and a half ago or so. Probably more like three years the way times flies for me these days. When I pulled that piece of plant out of the very large peach jar I'd used to root it in, I was stunned by the thickness and sturdiness of the roots. My main thought was, "Jesus God Almighty, if this plant ever gets loose in my yard we'll never, ever get rid of it." It was almost frightening. 

I've got it sitting on the back porch next to some hydrangea that I sort of by accident cut when I was trimming the dead wood. I am hoping to root it.

I hung up my fishes.

I may move them but for right now, they make me happy there. 

All right. Have you ever seen this picture?

I found Maurice in the baby cradle that Mr. Moon made when I was pregnant with Lily today. She was lying in front of a mirror that Jessie gave me for Christmas which we still haven't hung yet. And for some reason, the way the bear was holding the mirror with Maurice in front of it reminded me of that painting. It's the Rokeby Venus painted by Diego Velazquez in the seventeenth century. Tell me what you think.

Do you see what I am seeing? 

I'm probably just crazy. 

Anyway, happy Friday, y'all. Time for martinis. 

Love...Ms. Moon