Beauty And Strength

I'm pretty sure that we can safely say that the number of pictures I have to post when I sit down to write every evening is an excellent gauge of how my day has gone. 
Lots of pictures? I've probably been pretty content with my world and appreciative of so much in it. 
Few to no pictures? 
Eh, not so much. 

Yesterday there were pictures. Today, well, okay. Here's a picture.

That is, according to Google Lens, a Christmas wreath lichen. 
I'll buy that. 
When I took the sheets out to the line to hang this morning, I realized that a rather largish branch had fallen from a live oak which saddened me because that tree isn't old. In fact, I would think that the owners of the house before us may have planted it or else it sprang up and they let it live. So maybe twenty-five to thirty years old which is a baby in live oak years. 
But there it was. And it was in two pieces so it was not a healthy branch at all. 

But what a pretty patch of lichen it had allowed to take hold. 
I think the part of it which is bordered in white, rather than the pinkish red looks like a photo of an ocean taken from high, high in the sky. Can you see what I mean? 
And the part that is bordered in the pinkish red could be an arial photo of land far beneath, the red bumps hills and mountain ranges. 
Sort of reminds me of when someone first gets stoned and comes up with the theory that perhaps the universe is just the vastly enlarged image of an atom, a molecule, a building block of creation. 
Hell yes! 
And it may well be. Who knows? 
Not me. 
I'm saying that a lot recently, aren't I? 
I do not use those words lightly. I don't even know enough to know what I don't know. 
But still- pretty lichen on oak tree branch. 

I got my regular Friday stuff done today, washing sheets, hanging them on the line, making the bed up with them, smoothing the covers over them as best I can, coaxing out all of the wrinkles below them. 
No matter my mood or outlook, this simple act does give me pleasure and satisfaction. It is self-care and it is husband-care. He may not really notice on a conscious level but that's fine with me. I know I've done my best to make his rest easier. And my own, too. 

I went to town to pick up a few things I needed and to drop some things off at Oak Tree Treasures. While I was there, I ran into a woman whom I immediately recognized as someone I knew and quickly realized she works at The Wharf, a restaurant we eat at quite frequently. She recognized me too and asked if I ever eat at the Wharf and I said that yes, and that's where we recognized each other from. We ended up having a very good conversation and I learned that she's worked at the Wharf for seven years, has loved it, and loves the people she works with but that she's leaving soon to move to Austin, Texas to live with her long-time, long-distance boyfriend. She's a little apprehensive but she's ready to spread her wings. 
We ended up talking about everything from sewing to knitting to jigsaw puzzles to, well, a lot of stuff. I knew I liked her before today but now I know why. 
She finally asked me what my name was and I told her and asked her what her name was and it is Katy. Or Katie. I don't know. 
And that was truly the high point of my day, making that connection, hearing her story. Or at least part of it. 
You know how much I love that. 
She is a beautiful young woman and I wished her all the luck in the world. 

There's more to say but it's not yet time to discuss that particular subject and so I won't, but things are a little emotional around here this evening for Mr. Moon. 
I will say that when I first met him, I was astounded at his physical strength. I will never forget watching him pick a boat up and putting it in the back of his truck. 
Okay, the boat wasn't THAT big or it wouldn't have fit in the back of his truck but it was big enough to require a red flag on the end of it which stuck out. 
But over the years I have watched his emotional strength grow until I do believe it surpasses his physical strength. And that is what he is about to be called on to use. 

Martinis. Clean sheets. 
Trying to keep the perspective of looking at the universe in ways that help explain so much from both very near and so very far. 

I believe I should go kiss him now. And then start our supper. 

Happy Friday, y'all. 

Love...Ms. Moon