Could It Almost Be Time For The Duck?

My volunteer zinnias are finally blooming and I'm glad I didn't pull them because they are so pretty. It's somehow special to have brand new zinnias in October. I would love it if they would continue to bloom before the first frost. 
Speaking of which- go ahead and laugh at me but I am wearing a sweater over a long-sleeved shirt with long overalls (albeit light linen ones) and I'm still chilly because it's a brisk 67 degrees here in Lloyd right now which explains my chilblains. Okay, I don't really have chilblains but they could appear at any moment. 

Let me assure you that it's not just me who has such thin blood. I guarantee you there were people at Costco wearing fur-lined boots and down jackets today while alongside them there were shoppers wearing shorts, T-shorts, and flip-flops. This is the way of it here in North Florida where it gets as hot as it does in South Florida but is often cooler in the winter. And fall, of course. We just get so confused.

It's been gray all day long which has made it feel cooler than it really is because there's been no sun beating down on us. This made working in the garden far more pleasant. I didn't touch my sweat rag once! I knew I wanted to cut the field pea plants down to the root and gather the vines to compost. Legumes actually increase the nitrogen in soil by way of the nodules on their roots so it's good to leave those roots where they are as they decompose. And of course composting the vines and their leaves will eventually add back to the garden as well. I took a few pictures but since they're pictures of things not there, it's hard to get very excited about them. 

The absence of beans. 

More absence of beans. 

I also pulled some weeds, many of them betony or rattlesnake root, as it is sometimes called. I have a love/hate relationship with this weed. It is incredibly prolific but if the soil is loose enough and you are careful when digging and pulling it, you can get the white rhizome which connects the plants which is sort of thrilling to me and yes, I need to get a life. Supposedly the entire plant is edible, especially the tuber which it often grows which is supposedly a delicious, radish-like treat which can even be pickled. 
Hmmmm...
I just pull them and put them on the burn pile, wasting all that goodness. 
There is a lot more weeding that needs to be done and I will get to it but today was a very nice day outside and I felt as if I had accomplished something, getting the field peas out. They were spent, anyway. Or almost at least. 

In Maurice news, she left me the third squirrel tail in three days on the back porch this afternoon. WTF? This was ONLY the tail and some blood. The greedy little bugger ate the rest of the meat herself. It was a very small tail and I'm sure it was a juvenile squirrel. I suppose I should feel bad about this but we have so many squirrels. I don't mind squirrels at all. I do not call them tree rats as others often do. They amuse me, especially when it is their season of love, as they chase each other up and down trees and across branches. I am sure that mother squirrels love their babies as much as any mammal mother and that makes me feel a little sorrow but at least Maurice isn't murdering birds. As far as I know, anyway.
And I will say that I haven't had to add any cat food to her feeder in quite awhile. Perhaps she's trying to avoid processed foods. You know this cat is going to live forever. 

For those of you wondering about the fate of the bully pup, please be assured that he is part of an extended family now. He is Owen's mostly, and he has been given the name of El. The name of the road where he showed up is Ellis and also, there's something about Kal-El, which is Superman's real name or so I'm told. I believe I shall call him El Perro. The Dog. Although who knows? I could end up calling Boo-Boo. Frankly, I think his name should be "L" for Lucky. 

Mr. Moon has been quite cheerful today and so have I, actually. He's in such a good mood because he's leaving for Canada again on Tuesday, this time to go hunt ducks. A cabin will be involved! He broadly hinted that I should make cookies for him to take when he asked if I needed to add chocolate chips to my grocery list. 

Subtle, right? 

I told him I already had chocolate chips, and I do. And yes, I will make him cookies. He's going back up to his own cabin tomorrow to try and fix the fuel pump. He's taking Gibson with him because Gibson wants to do some target practice at the shooting range which they will do on their way home. For those of you who do not approve of kids handling rifles I can only say- I hear you. But it's also a chance for Gibson to spend some special alone time with his grandfather and I know he cherishes that. He really must want to do it because he has to be up and ready to go at 7 a.m. tomorrow. 
His grandfather takes him to target practice and I tell him that the god his other grandmother believes in and takes him to church to learn about and pray to is not real. 
What can I say? We are who we are. Not unlike Popeye who says "I yam what I yam and that's all that I yam." 

Martinis are being enjoyed. Clean sheets are on the bed. The doors and windows are open. All is well for now and I am so very grateful. 

Happy Friday, y'all. 

Love... Ms. Moon