August Moon

Grain Moon, Green Corn Moon, Red Moon, August Moon, Blueberry Moon, Full Sturgeon Moon, Blue Moon. All magnificent names, each significant to someone or none at all. One glorious sight.

Full moons always astound me. There is something so beautiful about the light of the moon falling across a pasture, illuminating the lingering flights of horseflies and bats. This August moon is especially lovely. The mild summer that we have had here on the plains made tonight perfect for "moon watching".  I anticipated the moon's appearance all evening. We listened to murder ballads and blues albums and I read a collection of American folk tales. I went to bed and set my alarm for "early".

Ginger and I sat outside in the wee hours, when you can just smell the morning coming, and I watched the moon slowly set. I sipped a cup of coffee between glances to the sky. I allowed my mind to wander as I watched that moon sink low and the morning stars faded.

I thought about this great big ol'earth and our stewardship thereof. I thought about the plants and animals under our care. I thought about dirt, and the bees, and the smell of sweet rain, and drought. I thought about the miracle of sprouting flowers and the wonder of holding their root systems in your hands. I thought about the fish in the sea and the birds in the air. I began to feel downright tiny and full of wonder.

Let's Have Coffee

Let's have a cup of coffee. You would come over and I would have made us some sort of a snack. I would hope that you would be impressed with my coffee making skills and how I can make a cappuccino at home. But because it is summer we take some cold brew out onto the balcony. You tell me you like the plants. That my balcony feels like a tiny forrest in the middle of suburbia. There would probably be music playing, probably something that I knew wouldn't annoy you. Ginger Beagle would want to sit in your lap and you would indulge her. I would ask you about your day. About your new job or work in general. About your kids - if you had them. How are things going for you? 

You would return the questions in kind. You ask about the music I have on. You ask about the coffee we buy (because you know I love to tell you). And you might notice that I am intentionally trying to be upbeat. You might notice that our home is a little different. Quieter. That a spark might be missing. If Grant was home you might notice how much I hold his hand or put my head on his shoulder. You would know that we are still sad. 

The last few weeks have been so hard. Our home feels so different without our noisy Nyx beast keeping us on our toes. Losing a pet is never easy. I think it is especially hard when they are so young. Nyx got pancreatitis and she was gone before we even knew that she was really sick. There was hardly anything that we could have done. To make things harder, I was away in Georgia when it happened and Grant was here alone. 

We miss our growly baby. Our hellcat. I reach to pet her at night while we are in bed. I expect to see her at my feet in the kitchen while I am trying to cook. I have to keep an eye on her or else she will be bold and steal a piece of meat or bread from the countertop. I wait to hear her taunt the birds at the feeder. I hold my breath for the moment that she wants to be cuddly and comes to sit with us. 

So you hug me. You let me know that it is okay to feel this way. Losing a pet is just hard. You might tell me about your own experience with that. We both might cry a little. You decide to tell me a funny story about Nyx, because Nyx always gave us funny stories to tell. We laugh a little, maybe even a lot. We drink some more of our coffee on my balcony with the wind chimes playing. Inside, I am thanking you. 

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Corncakes

These little babies were inspired by our friend Stephen's most recent visit. Stephen is gluten intolerant and this always delightfully challenges me to be creative with my recipes. These corncakes were also inspired by a recent trip I took down to Georgia where I tried pumpkin cornbread on St. Stephen's Island. It would seem that by providence of Stephens that this recipe has come about!

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Corncakes 

Gather These:

• 1 pkg gluten-free cornbread mix.          
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 cup oats (or more if you prefer)

Method:

• Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl.
• Grease a muffin tin and fill each cup with a generous portion of the mix.
• Heat oven to 400*
• Cook muffins for around 15 minutes or until just crispy on the tops.
• Make 9-10 cakes

Serve:

I served our cakes alongside a variety of honeys and preserves. The favorite combination was a cake topped with Savannah Bee Company's "Tupelo Honey" and Livesay Orchards peach preserves.