rockets and a big band

recent spirea leaves front garden

les details ... or for Martha

Oh, my love, my darling
I've hungered for your touch
A long, lonely time
And time goes by so slowly
And time can do so much
Are you still mine?
I need your love, I need your love

Unchained Melody - The Righteous Brothers

oh ! did I mention he sings ... to me and all the time. He's a dream, he's my dream come true.

The cowboy pulled into his own driveway shortly past 8:30 am on Friday morning. He had been driving practically continually for 2 days - there was no telling him, no convincing him that slower would be better. He and the beautiful brown hound Bess unfolded themselves from the vehicle and into my welcoming arms. The cowboy's face was scruffy with salt and pepper whiskers and his eyes bloodshot and half closed. He looked drunk and so very tired. I helped him unload the motor home (a new black Ford Escape the perfect vehicle for a family of 5) and convinced him that after our initial relieved reunion (pas de rockets and where did that darn band get to ?) that I would leave him for a few hours to putter, to put away, to bath and shave, to sort and organize to nap and chill awhile. We are so much a like he and I. Disorganization and overwhelm can and do cause shut down.

I returned a few hours later and met up with a different man. Relaxed and shampooed and with some sense of order returned to his world. Ah ha I began to hear the band playing low in the background and as the light began to dim that evening, as we sat at his dining room table to eat our supper of haddock chowder* I'd made the day before (with a big tossed salad and a multigrain baguette straight from the oven)- I looked out the window into the inky blackness and I noticed that the rockets had begun their show - far off in the hayfield behind the cowboy's house.

* I've altered my chowder recipe (inspired by a chowder served to me recently by the handsome cowboy himself - who is a very good cook). I now cook the new potatoes separately and only until they are just cooked. I let them cool completely, peel the skins and add them in big chunks at the very end (this way they don't dissolve into a cooked-to-death potato mush). I also add steamed chopped broccoli, steamed new carrots sliced and a cup or more of frozen peas (ya know how I love my peas) - also all added at the end. Then reheat on a med/low burner until steaming hot. The new chowder is much more of a haddock vegetable chowder and with all the vegetables cooked to perfection. Delicious.

It's snowing here this morning and a bit wild. I'm off now to the lands and will attempt more TTD productivity over the next 6 hours until he and meet again. 6 hours - my new eternity.