There is something about moonshine-something magical, something enchanting-something beautiful that nothing else can claim.  When the moonshine falls on roses, it will make you glad to see it and if there is a rabbit under the rosebush-well,  you are in “high cotton”.

Yesterday , even the morning was a miserable affair.  I found out early, while hanging diapers on a line, that I would not be strolling by the river for a good while.  It was a disappointment, as I would be leaving the next day, so I decided, I will walk in moonlight and that consoled me.

Jenny, wanted to fix supper for a friend , a few doors down.  We started rambling through the kitchen to come up with a menu.  We found just enough of everything we needed-down to the last bit of sugar-3/4 of a cup to make ice-cream, for dessert.  Every time, we thought something couldn’t be done, we would find the missing ingredient.  It was almost peculiar . Jenny  brought up all of the nice things her friend had done for her, while we cooked.  She took great pains to make every dish just right.  We packed the food in a basket, making sure the fresh bread was at the top. She carried the ice cream and took off at a quick pace, so it would’t melt.  I watched her and realised how glad I was at that moment.  Children give us many reasons to feel “proud” of them.  They excel in some fashion and Jenny has done her fair share of that.  I will not list her virtues, but they are many.  She is devoted to her husband Will and their Lyla -that alone is so touching and does wonders for my spirit, but as I saw her carrying that basket to her friend, a peace came over me.  I felt as proud as a mom has a right to-and if Lyla hadn’t been crying for her mommy, the entire time-I would have cried too at the beauty of that moment.

Lyla and I took out the trimmings from some vegetables for the rabbits.  We watched them come out to eat.  The rabbits in Elizabeth City are social for wild rabbits.  Some one had just told us that he had seen a mother rabbit nursing her bunnies in his yard!  Lyla could get pretty close to the ones we were feeding. When  the sun was making slanted shadows,  we  set out in search of the moon.  

We walked down to the river and counted rabbits the whole way.  A cool breeze was blowing by the time Jenny joined us and so we walked for a long time.  We kept looking for the moon over the river til finally darkness started falling-and Lyla started fussing.  We headed for home.  I was in disbelief that we couldn’t find the moon!  I had heard it was extraordinary the night before-and I set great store by such things.  

 The stars were appearing right before my eyes and I was taking notice of that when Jenny’s house came into view.  Jenny took Lyla in and I went out in the backyard.  Over the top of an old oak, I saw the moon rising.  Soon  there was moonshine falling on the roses and some young rabbits playing beneath them.   The house that sheltered my daughter and her family, was quiet and the moonshine fell over it, too.

   I stood in the night and considered the day .  It was good, I remembered  and my heart was grateful – most especially for the Hand that casts the moonshine on roses, rabbits and the people I love.