“Star Light, Star Bright “

~ rabbitpatchdiary.com

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At last,   I am back at the “morning table” writing an account of life on the rabbit patch.  I have not written in  the diary for a week-and “something felt missing”  because of it.  It surprised me to find out, that I have become so accustomed to the internet.  While we were waiting for a new line to be installed,  I collected all sorts of questions.  The topics ranged from “african violets”  to “sea glass.”   I also wondered how everyone was faring.  I care for the  people that read the diary and consider them “friends”  though I would not recognize many faces.  I do not know what sort of houses they dwell in, yet I “know them by heart”.  It is a beautiful thing to consider, I think.

My son, Tres got quite a bit accomplished on his weekend visit.  I say again, without shame, that he is wonderful.  I have been painting-again. The awnings are a cheerful sight, with their red and white stripes.  I have only a few minutes of work left. and then it will give me great pleasure to put that ladder back in the barn.  I am halfway through the floor of the porch.  I ran out of paint and so must go get some more, today.  Oh, what a difference paint makes.  A freshly painted porch with geraniums, is a pleasant place to abide.  I painted flower pots for zinnias at the back door.  When the appraiser comes,  I hope they take notice of my efforts.  

Keeping the yard mowed has been difficult this year.  My mower has been “in the shop” quite a bit.  Still, the rose -of -sharon bushes are doing their part-and the mimosa blooms, making the air so sweet.  The roses are reliable and so are the hydrangeas.  If charm makes a difference,  then the rabbit patch,  should have no fear of the formality of an appraisal.  I cling to that-but Tres and Will  are experts at keeping me grounded in such matters.  Geraniums do little to impress them, nor does the peach tree with peaches hanging in abundance,  Will and Tres look at beams and windows.  Still, I hope that things like old trees, do make a difference.

Butterflies are all over the rabbit patch, these days.  It is hard to be grumpy when the air is full of brightly colored wings fluttering about.  Butterflies are friendly and apt to say hello as I toil in the awful heat.  They especially love zinnias and “butterfly bushes “.  I made up my mind yesterday, to plant for the butterflies wherever I dwell, in the future.  I never caught butterflies in my childhood.  I never wanted to, fearing I would cause harm to them.   The world does not need one less butterfly.  When, I go back to Elizabeth City, I plan to find butterflies for Lyla.

In July, the early morning light is soft and the air is damp and cool.   I walked out the other morning and a mist was hanging over the field.  The whole territory was still and silent.  The air bore the scents of blooming things.  I remembered being young on the farm.  Work started early, but no matter how early, you weren’t going to escape the southern heat.  By late morning, it was hot.

 In July you can smell corn growing, when the sun shines on it.  You can smell rain long before  you see it.  You can smell  a patch of watermelons, too.  Old people said they could smell snakes, because  snakes smell like watermelon.   If you smelled watermelon out of season, it was a bad sign.  I do not know if this is so, as the scent of watermelon, caused me to leave from wherever I was, just in case, it proved true.

The other night, I went out to say good night to the world.  I always do so.  I think of what I am grateful for and say a prayer of thanksgiving.  I lift  any sorrows  to somewhere north of the moon -just like Lylas’ bubbles, I imagine them disappearing when they reach the heavens.  In July, there are millions of stars in the night sky.  To stand in “star light”  is like standing by the ocean.  I feel small, but far from insignificant.  I feel humbled, yet, one with the  “Mighty Author” of life.   I think “The Heavens  really do declare His glory”  and I know  . . I must show Lyla the stars, too.

Dear Diary, I am glad for July, when the world is full of butterflies and stars come out in great numbers.  I am glad for the cool shade of old trees and friends that “I know by heart.”

 

  

 

37 thoughts on ““Star Light, Star Bright “”

  2. So glad you are back in your Rabbit Patch with butterflies & starry nights. As a stars & moon groupie, I, too, stand in awe of our Creator’s heavenly paintbrushes that are so busy night and day!
    grace, peace & starlight – Virginia💜 ✨🌙✨💜

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  4. Men look at structure, but women looks for the house to “talk” to them. Your house sounds like it would be heaven to any family, especially one with a young family. Best of Blessings and will throw in a little luck.

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  5. How marvelous that you know bloggers “by heart”! My life has been enriched by the people I have come to know and love via my blog. Our Rose of Sharon bushes are just beginning to bloom. Most of ours are white, contrasting with the yellows and reds in the garden. This post is full of peaceful things, making me want to linger and go out to say goodnight to the world with you.

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    1. the thought us saying good night together is beautiful! I will think of you tonight. My rose of Sharons are all purple. I had no idea how many friends were out there. It is like pen pals-eh? I am glad you are one of them! xx love Michele

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      1. Blogging is like having penpals, but it’s so much more satisfying. It’s almost instant, and we can reach many more people without using a single stamp. Goodnight Michele, and goodnight world.

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  8. I love this post!! And welcome back home.
    Your home sounds so lovely, not just the brick and motar, but especially all the beauty of nature surrounding it. Wishing you well with the appraiser.
    I especially was moved by the ending of your post about saying good night to the world. Standing under the star light sky, how could one not Believe!?

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  9. That watermelon smell? It’s also a sure sign of trout feeding in the water — at least it is in our bays. When I start smelling watermelon here and there, I know that full summer is coming: the bait fish are thick, and the trout are happy and well-fed.

    Now, I’m wondering about the association between watermelon trout and watermelon snakes. This requires some exploration!

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  10. Welcome home, beautiful Rabbit.
    It’s wonderful to go wandering, but it’s oh so nice to come home.
    Getting your property ready for sale has been a long journey, but it will all have been worth it when you finally hear those words “They’ve made an offer”.
    I can relate to all the work you are putting into selling, for I did the very same journey almost 6 years ago. By the time I’d finished ‘de-personalising’ it and making it ready for someone to just walk into and put their furniture down, I loved the cottage all over again and didn’t want to move.

    Your journey will soon come to an end, and someone will fall in love with all the things you fell in love with. Then the excitement begins.

    I’m so glad to see you home, safe and sound.
    Sending love dear friend ~ Cobs. x

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      1. nodding …. I know that feeling.
        Life, the next chapter, is now waiting. It’s getting ready for your arrival. It might feel like a strange land for a while … and you might wish you hadn’t moved. But … give it time. Plenty of time. Things settle. You make a new place into a home, and then one day, you’ll begin to see things differently. You will settle into a new home and a new routine. Just give yourself time to let the dust settle, and wait until you feel that you wouldn’t want to move from the new place because … well …. you kinda feel good there.
        Sending you big love. ~ Cobs. x

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  11. Oh my friend…your words are like cool water on dry souls. You just take your thoughts, pour them out through your fingertips and let them pour like liquid over us. I am always refreshed after a visit with you, my friend by heart.
    I am fully confident that someone will take a look at the peaches hanging lush on the tree, see the beautiful geraniums and wonderful warmth of the rabbit patch and love it just as you do.

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  16. I would not be surprised to find someone loves the peach tree, the old barns, the trail in the woods.
    The mimosa, the stars, the butterflies, the porch and the rabbits.
    When I bought Holiday House, I counted the rooms to see there were enough, ignored everything else about its condition (except the exceptional smell of horse-hair plaster & lath).
    I ran outside to see the fields, the barn, To estimate where the sun would rise and the moon would set.
    To poke through the old outhouse and shed.
    All your hard work has not been for naught, as the lover of such things always has a pragmatic partner, keeping one grounded, like your boys.

    Seek peace,

    Paz

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