Wednesday, November 4

Had a lovely, long visit with an artist and gardener today. We walked her acres and looked at the apple trees, greenhouse, painting studio, chickens and her hooped raised beds full of beets, chard and carrots. Then we went inside for hot coffee and fresh baked orange cranberry muffins. We talked, we laughed and we just enjoyed each other's company. We have worked together at the greenhouse in the short but sweet Spring seasons of 2008 and 9. L is smart to leave in June and tend her own garden. I may be just as smart next year.

Now,----- I want an apple tree (or two), a greenhouse and some season extending hoops for my own raised beds. NO chickens. And her raspberries are all by their lonesome. Not in the garden.

G got all the leaves (on the ground) picked up and the lawn in the back mowed. Nine large bags of leaves and a huge pile of leaves in the back corraled into a chicken wire bin to rot slowly. for years. Oak leaves take forever to break down. Maple leaves take only one winter.

My walking buddy left for Florida on October 25 and was back here in Maine on November 2. I think there is serious trouble in her daughter's marriage. My friend looks sad and very worried. Her only child and her only, very young, grandchild. It broke my heart just to see her back here and so miserable. She won't talk about it.

We had deep fried smoked ribs for lunch today dipped in Cajun sauce. My lips were on fire. SO good. And I had fresh squeezed lemonade. And then we went next door to RM Tate's and I bought 6 packages of 3 inch long plastic skeleton leg bones (Halloween) for the "new, improved" Spooky dollhouse for next year. And some glittery foam sheets for the roof shingles. And some spiders. And some wooden beads because I liked them. Most fun I've had with $20 in a long time.

G is taking a shower, Riley is playing with his new squeaky toy and I am going to watch the two West Wing episodes that TiVo recorded this morning. and have a cup of coffee.

For your information: my town voted No to repealing the same sex marriage law as did our close neighboring towns. Alas, we still lost. Other towns had a larger majority of votes and repealed the legislation to allow same sex couples to marry. It seems that towns and cities with a younger population felt it was okay and towns and cities with an older population felt it was wrong and somehow demeaned their marriages of one man and one woman. A sad way to think and feel. Gay couples feel demeaned today, here in Maine, and in America. I guess we will have to wait a bit longer for these civil rights.

My bowl today is filled with equal parts of happiness and sadness & hope and despair.