While the Moon Shines Brightly

~ rabbitpatchdiary.com

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It seems a lot longer than four days, since I watched Lyla play by the pink ocean water in the shine of a silver moon.  There has been a good amount of details, to tend, since our holiday, at the beach.  There is a hurricane to watch, after all.

Waiting, in general is not a passive state, as I used to think.  There is an art to waiting without desperation.   I have practiced waiting a lot in life and find to preserve my sense of well being,  I remind myself, often, that things happen when they ought to.  Waiting for a hurricane,  takes a lot of  energy in several aspects.  I am storing water and am well stocked with all sorts of flashlights, lamp oil and candles.  I have bought food that doesn’t require refrigeration.  We will use the grill for cooking what we can.  Thankfully, the rabbit patch does not flood.  The creeks will rise and close the road off in both directions,  but in all the time I have lived here, I have never had to even wade in the yard.  Of course, there are the old trees that stand like warriors, all over the territory.  If one goes down on the old farmhouse, I will be “between a rock and a hard place” immediately.  It has been raining off and on for weeks, so with the ground , already wet,  I must consider the trees.

Currently,  the path of the storm is just unpredictable, so we all do what we can and hope for the best.  In the past,  we have lost power for up to two weeks during a hurricane.  I washed clothes as my great grandmother did and hung them on a line to dry.  This took all morning.  We took showers in the privacy of the “Quiet Garden” using a water hose.  This was a hard time for many folks.  Christian and I fared better than most as we wrote poems and played music to pass the time.  Reading was very difficult, but we managed til, the lamp oil was running low.  I hope we do not face these circumstances again, but I can hardly complain, in light of the suffering of others,  I have seen. 

 For now, September at the rabbit patch has felt like a visit from an old friend. Every year, September arrives and  dependably brings relief from the heat and humidity of summer.  Days are bright  -or stormy.  Mornings are golden-or foggy.  Marigolds and chrysanthemums will join the geraniums on the porch. The Autumn Joy,  given to me by Miss Susie, years ago, will deepen in color and the zinnias will fade.  Shade will gradually grow sparse and at some point, trees will give up the secrets of spring, as the robins’ nest will be in plain view. . .and full of old leaves and pine straw.

Soft throws will adorn chairs and sofas in the old farm house. Now, that it is September,  nights are just a tad longer and a tad cooler, too.  This morning, I wore a light jacket to work.  Even the kitchen table bears witness to the prelude of autumn.  Already, I have made a large pot of steel cut oats with a generous amount of cranberries and apples.  The cabinets are stocked with dried beans for supper on chilly evenings.  It will not be too long before roasts smothered in gravy and freshly baked bread is served on Sunday. . .September changes the world at the rabbit patch, slightly but surely.

I sit now, at the morning table as twilight falls over Farm Life.  Everything is hushed, both wild and tame.  The kitchen table , with its’ flashlights, oil lamps and stored up water  is the only sign that the peace can be disturbed.  Meanwhile, the bright moon is rising over the oldest barn and casts a milky shine on the countryside.  The air is as still as it has ever been and smells faintly sweet.  There are only a few stars out, but they are  a fair sight to behold.  The beauty of this night in September, fills my heart and leaves little room for things like burdens and worry.  The moment is comforting like  the love of a mother and as dependable as a steadfast father.  Somehow, all my needs-and more, are met . . . and “hope does spring eternal”  . . .especially, in September, while the moon shines brightly.

Dear Diary, I am glad for September with its’ pink ocean water and the moon shining brightly.  I am glad for the still and silent evenings.  I am glad for the refreshing coolness.  I am glad for the  slight but beautiful change in the rabbit patch that happens in September . . .and the chance to wait, hopefully.

33 thoughts on “While the Moon Shines Brightly”

  1. I do hope the storm stays away from the patch. You have worked so hard to get things ready to change ownership and oh goodness…lets just don’t think about anything but safety..
    Fall is in the air here as well and wonderful. Take care and stay in touch as things get’ ifee’.

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  3. I always read every single one of your beautiful blog posts and am thankful for them.
    Watching each season change is a favorite pastime of mine.
    Your words about waiting are truth.

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  6. Ma’am,
    I hope you stay safe and warm and happy on the patch. I wish these days that I had your happiness too in my heart. I am sorrowful for my youngest who has left home and is not happy where she is.
    Susie

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  13. You’re all stocked up with food and well prepared, lamps, candles and all. Yes, the hurricane seems to hit the Keys on Sunday morning, then go west in the afternoon. You must be okay if your Rabbit Patch is not flooding. Pray for your safety.

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  14. Your description of September is just beautiful. I love the gentle rhythm of your blog, it reminds me of the past when life was lived more slowly and we were more aware of our natural surroundings. I’m glad it sounds as if the hurricane will miss the rabbit patch, especially after all the work you’ve done on it to get it ready to sell. I certainly hope you stay safe, Michele! Please keep us updated.

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  15. As always, you picked me up with your opening words, and carried me along with you. I was there with you at the morning table. I saw your memories of past lost electricity through storms, and saw how you managed by kind of turning it into almost an adventure.
    I was also thrilled to pieces to read that you, like me, always have an abundance of candles around the place … as you might need them at some point.

    Maybe it was being with my grandma for long periods when I was little, which taught me these things for a day that could be imagined … and if it ever happened, I would be prepared.

    Although I’m so very happy that the hurricane has changed direction, I’m also aware that you could still be affected, and that which ever direction it takes next – someone(s) going to experience the force of it. May God protect those people and keep them safe, and you too Rabbit.
    Sending you my love ~ Cobs. xxx

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  16. I have a friend in South Carolina, and am glad indeed that this has shifted away from the both of you. On the other hand, friends in places like Lighthouse Key and Fort Myers aren’t faring so well. First we wait for these things to arrive, then we wait for them to pass, and then we wait again while we make ourselves whole. Each kind of waiting is different, but each teaches its own lessons. Be well!

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  17. I sometimes feel uneasy that I count so many blessings with joy while others suffer.
    This season of hurricanes magnifies this.
    Still, is this not the way of our whole lives?
    Each of us wishing blessings on another when our hearts burst with overflowing.

    Stay dry,

    Paz

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    1. I get what you are saying-but you and I have loss and hurt too-every one does-still, I find a grateful heart makes a difference in the healing. I think we both practice looking for joy and beauty-that makes a difference too. Maybe we can convince others to do the same. When I stumble or am struck by some calamity, I will read your posts for peace.

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