I loaded two baskets of laundry into the back seat of the Silverado this morning and, while waiting for Deb to emerge from the camper, I went back to where we’d seen the turtle yesterday. It wasn’t there. What I did see on the rocks was a whitetail.
It wasn’t a deer but a skimmer, a dragonfly known as a common whitetail (Plathemis lydia). And they’re definitely common on The Mountain this time of year.
But where’s the white tail on this whitetail? On the male of the species. This one’s a girl.
So around these rocks recently we’ve seen lizards, which traditionally symbolize prosperity, good fortune and survival. Add to that now a turtle (protection, health, long life) and a dragonfly (protection from death).
I’d say we planted in just the right spot.
Our weekly visit to the laundromat isn’t something we can negotiate away. Today, at least, we realized a Mother’s Day bonus — unlike a normal Sunday (when it’s packed), we had the place almost all to ourselves. For a change, that meant we got to use the big machines, saving us money and time.
I asked Deb to pick a place to have Mother’s Day lunch, and she chose Letty’s Mexican Restaurant, just up the road in Gassville. We’re both pretty predictable when it comes to Mexican food — she always goes for an enchilada plate and I’m a sucker for almost anything with chorizo in it. And that’s what we did again today.
We agreed that Letty’s gets the nod for the best Mex around here. But there’s something else about the place we love (and didn’t expect).
The last time we hit the closest McDonald’s drive-thru, also in Gassville, Deb got a chicken sandwich meal with medium Coke and fries; I had a two-cheeseburger meal, a quarter-pounder with cheese, and medium Coke and fries. When we paid our tab this afternoon at Letty’s, the total — a two-enchilada plate with beans and rice, a chorizo-and-scrambled-eggs plate with hashbrowns and warm tortillas, two large sweet teas, plus complimentary chips and salsa — it was less than that McDonald’s meal.
Seriously.
And that was pretty much our day. We came home and napped like a couple of old people. Later, Deb put the hummingbird feeder out and replenished the seed in another feeder. I gave my .38 and .357 revolvers, the firearms I carry on The Mountain, a routine going-over.
We brought the dogs outside with us — Scout for the fresh air, Smudge for an entertaining tussle with the hose.
Rain, in the form of showers and storms, is in the forecast this week. We’ll take all we can get.
Life is good.
Take care of yourselves, Patriots. Stay calm. Stay sharp. Stay free.
#WiseUp #LibertyOrDeath #Ungovernable
#LetsGoBrandon #FJB