CLINIC CONSULTATION

Yesterday's doctor's consultation went very well.   Am scheduled for pre-op and first procedure first week in August.  A second procedure will be required, one on my forehead and the other the eyelids themselves.  Initially when setting up dates, the first open surgery date was in November.  OMG!  I cannot wait that long, cuz my eyes are driving me to an early grave.  Beyond my control, tears ran down my face.  I asked if there were any scheduled for beauty purposes, and, if so, if mine (as a medical woe) could be considered a higher priority.  Answer was no.  First come, first serve.  His assistant came in with the scheduling book that she keeps, and the OR had a cancellation on August 6th.  It was mine if I wanted it.  The boyfriend nodded his head yes, and that was that.  We were going to have a house guest for a few days the first week in August, but, for once I'm putting myself first.  

The doctor is yet another to be added to my list of blessings.  A person can sense what a doctor is like by how he treats you the minute he meets you.  I was very apprehensive before meeting him, simply because I'm very fussy when it comes to doctors.  The boyfriend asked him if he has a sense of humor, and his smile said it all.  He was very kind to me and made me feel like he really wants to help me.  He said I was referred from the other doctor because my case is considered severe and medically necessary because of the loss of peripheral vision.  

Not being judgmental, but I was astounded by the number of very obese people at the clinic.  The waiting areas have furniture to accommodate large bodies, and that's something I'd not seen before.  Sometimes I watch My 600-Pound Life, and there were two patients waiting in this one area yesterday that would qualify for that TV show.  There is one bathroom on the main floor with equipment specially made for overly large bodies.  This saddened me, and my heart went out to those sitting around me.  For the first time in my life, I felt tiny. 

 Obesity is personal for me.  It's not that I'm morbidly obese, but doctors refer to the overweight as obese, which alone can break any human heart.  Losing weight is a struggle and requires intense will power.  In my book of words, I think it requires mental Olympian strength.  Probably more than anything, yesterday encourages me to eat sensibly and properly.  So so sad.  

Before leaving the clinic, I needed to go to lower level Medical Media, where I was placed on a stool in bright lights.  About 15 photos were taken of me with different facial expressions, one smiling, one frowning, front views and side views.  The doctor will refer to these for his part in this gig.  I can only imagine how ridiculous I must look in those photos.  

Went to the North Country Buffet for lunch at 2:30 p.m.  The boyfriend had grilled steak, and I had the grilled chicken.  Our plan was to go to Woodsman's to get groceries, but I was worn out and begged to go straight home.  Boyfriend felt the same, so home we went.  

The day was at a perfect temperature, the sun was out, the corn crops were growing, so again we were blessed with safe conditions for our trolley.  When we visit the big clinics now, we take advantage of valet service rather than trying to find an open parking space and then having to walk another distance.  We're to the point where we take advantage of these offered conveniences.  

Gotta share a little ditty about the elderly lady who was volunteering her time to welcome patients into this large facility.  We walked in, and there she was standing right in front of us, as though a 130-pound frail woman could stop anyone.  She asked where we needed to go.  I told her I had an appointment with Dr. RM, and she told me I was in the wrong building, that I should be across the street.  The directions I'd received proved contrary, so I held my ground.  She got a bit huffy with me and asked us to follow her to a desk (to prove she was right).  As it turned out, she wasn't.  I was.  That was enough to readjust my mood before seeing the doctor.  These annoying types are sprinkled all over the earth, and I call them menaces to society.  I told myself to let it go.  

Today I'm getting back to Buffy's blanket.  Yes, there's enough fleece left.  Guess I hastily threw in the towel.  Gotta cut and tie and take a photo of it for tomorrow's post.  Hopefully there will be no further happy little accidents.

DISTRACTIONS

It's always something.  Those are my mother's words, and now they're mine.  

Remember me saying that yesterday was the boyfriend's eye appointment?  Well, he's been experiencing some annoyances with his eyes and wanted to be sure nothing else was going on.  His examination was lengthy and thorough.  I chose to remain in the car and work on Buffy's blanket.  I had made a pattern for the 4-inch square that needed to be cut out on each corner.  Even made a pattern for the 1x4 strips that I needed to cut.  Everything was going fine, the 4 corners were cut out, and I started cutting the strips.  

Then my phone rang.  The conversation ticked me off, and my mind was out in the stratosphere somewhere, far from my task at hand.  That's when I realized that I had cut strips and actually cut them out like the square.  My mind was nowhere within the continental USA, and I royally f'd up Buffie's blanket.  I was too upset to cry, more angry than any other emotion.  So, I stuffed it back into the bag and threw it in the back seat.  Good thing I took a book along.

But, my mind couldn't absorb the words, nor was the book interesting.  My mood had thrown a net over my brain, and that was that.  The 2+ hour wait got worse as the sun moved over to where it shown right in the car window onto me.  Now, I was not only upset, but inside an oven.  Oh, the driver's and passenger windows were open, but that didn't cool me down.  Not a good afternoon.

When the boyfriend returned to the car, he found me in a snit, which he certainly didn't deserve.  But, it's for better or worse, and once in a while the worse rears its unpleasant head.  The problem now is whether there's enough fleece left.  For part of the afternoon, I went into turtle mode.  By 6 o'clock the net had lifted and I was able to see life clearer.

Set the siren this morning for 7, giving us time to shower and get on the road by 10:30.  Appointment is at 12:45, and I filled out the questionnaires regarding meds, etc., online.  That'll save time at the clinic.  Love MyChart. 

The plan is to wait until after the appointment to eat lunch.  We're thinking about going to the North Country Buffet.  They offer everything from grilled steaks to a taco bar and everything in between.  My aim will be the plentiful salad bar, along with grilled chicken.  Will give the two of us something to look forward to, plus we'll be able to talk about the surgeon and proposed procedure.  

That's the state of the place today.  Can't say something else won't pop up to derail me.  Guess that's life, and by this time I oughta be accustomed to surprises.  The mind is the critical part of our being, cuz it governs every single thing we do, and how we do it.  When our minds get distracted, life gets distorted.  Anyway, it does for me.  Controlling the mind is like pulling in the reins of a runaway horse.  Takes a lot of strength and stamina.  

Time is important here, so ta-ta till the morrow.  

FRESH RADISHES

 There's always something to wonder about.  Like yesterday, when I got my hair cut in a short summer pixie style.  When the stylist was finished, she said, wow, look at all the hair we took off your head.  I looked down on the floor and reached for my phone to take a picture.  She grabbed the broom and swept it on a pile.  Doesn't it look like a road kill lying on the side of the road?  Well, my question is why is the hair on the floor brownish/blackish and when it's on my head it's gray?

As usual, the stylist and I had a fun visit, with laughs stirred in with the serious life stuff we all go through.  She's the type of girl who'd easily earn my choice of a daughter.  It's that business of people placed in our path at the right time, in the right place, and for the right reason.  I'd like to think she finds something in me that helps her, as well.  I'm one to find photos of hairstyles, and she's kept them in her drawer.  When I asked for a short pixie, she reached in the drawer and said, like this style?  Yuppers, like that.  She grabbed her scissors, and I left with a haircut that the boyfriend loves.  

Sun is shining this morning, and I think I'd best give my herbs, tomatoes and olive tree sips of sustenance.  Everything is growing nicely.  The boyfriend picked fresh radishes yesterday, and that was a treat.  Another couple grew another kind of radish and shared them with us.  Cannot wait for the tomatoes.....I'm gonna eat tomatoes till they come out my nose this year.  I'm really wondering what the Jelly Bean Tomatoes will taste like.  That plant is planted on the deck for easy snacking.

Buffy's fleece blankie is cut to size and edges trimmed.  Today I will cut out the four corner squares and the strips for tying together.  The boyfriend has an eye appointment after lunch, so I might go along and tie the strips together while waiting in the car.  Eye appointments can get kinda lengthy.  If he has eyes dilated, it's best if I drive us back home.  The temperature will determine whether I work on the blanket in the waiting area or in the car.  Cannot tolerate the heat.  

Tomorrow is my plastic surgeon appointment.  Was reading online about the type of surgery that lifts one's brows and forehead.  Two techniques, and have no clue which one he'll recommend.  One surgery requires being cut from ear to ear.  The other is more non-invasive.  My eyelids are annoyingly droopy and worsening.  Hope I don't end up having bug eyes after they get done.  Lord, help me.  If I was ten years older, I wouldn't dream of having this done.  But, there's a lot of p___ and vinegar left in me.  So, am gonna be as good as I can be while I'm able to still flail my way through life's maze.  I've had so many surgeries in my life, that they don't frighten me.  It's just whether or not the doctor will be good at what he does.  I looked him up online, and he looks like a really nice guy.  Will update this opinion later.

Got a couple of things to get done here, so will close the book for now.  June is around the corner.  The boyfriend just called his auntie.  Today is her 103rd birthday.  She lives alone, cooks for the "old" people who live in her apartment complex, and tonight is going out for Chinese with her granddaughters and daughter.  Isn't that something?  

HAIR CUTS

Today's agenda consists of giving the boyfriend a haircut and myself getting a pixie cut.  It's time for wearing capris leggings and short-sleeve t-shirts and wearing a haircut that's what I call 'wash and go.'  

Man alive, how did we endure wearing rollers to bed?  The sizes ranged from large ones to small ones, depending on the length of our hair and the style we wore.  Rollers were pink plastic, some had harsh bristles, and others were snap foam.  Then there was the ratting, or back combing.  OMG, that was something else.  The bigger our hair, the better we thought we looked.  I still will find myself doing this to the front to give me a little height.  Guess we drag out childhood habits along with us right up to the end. 

And, we slept with these rollers, by laying on our stomach and propping our face somehow so they wouldn't come undone.  All in the effort to fit in.  After nearly seven decades, fitting in is not my tassie of tea.  Shouldn't say that, but peer pressure has lost its grip over me.  That's a point in life where one realizes we don't have to live for everyone else, 'cuz no one is giving us a thought.  

Cut out the fleece material to make Buffy's birthday blankie.  My tasks these days are done in increments.  This week's calendar is pretty much filled, so will fiddle around today cutting the corners and strips.  Then all that'll be left is tying the strips and wrapping it up for the little girl.  

Watched my usual Iran nomad videos yesterday, along with depositions of priests taken ten years ago.  All I can say about all of us C's, ignorance has been bliss.

The boyfriend is getting antsy here to get his ears lowered.  There was a day that I cut my own hair and my mom's.  These Iranian videos often show where the men go for haircuts, and they also take their little boys for haircuts.  The men are very concerned with their looks, and that culture is very good-looking, with dark skin and black hair.  It's enjoyable to watch the barbers trim their facial hair and give haircuts.  One can learn a lot by watching others.

Ta-ta till the morrow.  Now that Memorial Day has passed, summer has officially begun.  

DECORATION DAY - MEMORIAL DAY

Memorial Day was initially founded in remembrance of Confederate and Union soldiers who died in the Civil War.  Also referred to as Decoration Day, this holiday has come to represent all Americans lost in all wars.

For younger generations, Memorial Day kicks off summer, with parades, travel, camping and so on.  It's the first 3-day weekend of the calendar year.  Their older relatives spend the weekend visiting cemeteries, decorating their loved ones' gravestones with flowers and flags. The first official Decoration Day was May 30, 1868.  In 1971, Congress established that Memorial Day was to be commemorated on the last Monday of May.

The boyfriend and I are no longer among those out and about celebrating by travel, camping or other summer recreation, so today I choose quotations to help us all remember what is important in life and what is not.......We are born, not only to receive, but mostly to give of ourselves.  In order to receive, we must earn.  The younger generations must understand this, or the result will be moral decay.  Any of us know only what we learn, and everyone is responsible for passing down the knowledge of past experience and individual duty.  We don't have to wear a uniform to do good for our country.  Each one of us can find tiny ways of sprinkling grains of goodness on our fellow human beings and creatures of nature.  We forget that none of us asked to be born.  We are placed here, dropped off like orphans left in the hands of those who made us.  That's where the responsibility begins, where the teaching begins, where the love begins.  Why can't we spread love like Covid spread sickness across the globe?  

My prayer is that our country somehow stay a country of freedom.  Once we lose it, it's gone and that's when we no longer will be able to buy our plane tickets and go where we want, when we want.  We won't be able to buy the camper we want and go camping wherever we want.  There will be an iron hand over every one of us.  We must teach the younger generation that they are entitled to nothing, except the chance to better the world they've been born in.  Enuf.

"All the great things are simple, and many can be expressed in a single word:  freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy, hope." ~Winston Churchill

"True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic.  It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost."  ~Arthur Ashe

"A hero is someone who understands the responsibility that comes with his freedom"  ~Bob Dylan

"This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave."  ~Elmer Davis

"For every thorn, there's a rosebud........For each twilight, a dawn.......For each trial, the strength to carry on........For each storm cloud, a rainbow.......For each shadow, the sun.......For each parting, sweet memories when sorrow is done."  ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

"No duty is more urgent than that of returning thanks."  ~James Allen

"To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die."  ~Thomas Campbell

"The legacy of brave men and women who have fought and died for their country is the freedom we enjoy as Americans."  ~Lucian Adams

"Great achievement is usually born of great sacrifice, and is never the result of selfishness."  ~Napoleon Hill

"The nation which forgets its defenders will itself be forgotten."  ~Calvin Coolidge

God, please bless the land upon which we stand.

God, please protect those who fought to keep us free.

FIRST BIRTHDAY GIFT

After the boyfriend's shopping excursion yesterday, I was proud to see the stem of a red poppy tucked inside his shirt buttonhole.  Seeing that poppy embraced the meaning behind the 3-day weekend.  And, yes, it's been a rainy one.  Again this morning, rain is falling as I type this.  

May 31st is Buffy's 1st birthday, and we're invited to her party.  May have mentioned that before.  The little girl has a mother lode of toys, so I see no sense in getting her one more to throw in the heap.  Have decided to make her a fleece blankie.  The boyfriend went to Walmart yesterday, and I gave him full rein to pick out the fleece.  His artistic eye gives me a good reason to trust his choice.  We tend to veer off the expected, so I wasn't surprised that he chose a Native American design.  Along with the blankie, we'll anoint her with her Native American name....Little Fox.  We could have gotten a pink girly type of fleece, but my tendency is to make her into a little tomboy.  Incidentally,  the term 'tomboy' is generational and belongs to us baby boomers.  With all the gender nonsense these days, I'd guess my referencing a tomboy would tick some people off.  'Ticking people off' is another of our slang phrases.  Am gonna honor my youth and keep using the lingo of our era.   

The type of blanket I'll make is the no-sew where the fleece is doubled and the edges are tied.  Have made these cuddly blankets for puppies in the past.  Will share a picture of the finished gift.  

This Thursday is my appointment to get my eyelids fixed.  It's been the second 3-month wait.  First I waited three months to see the surgeon, and then he referred me to a plastic surgeon, which has been another 3-month wait.  I'm so ready to get my eyes back to where I can see like normal.  Right now it feels like I'm looking through a small rectangular hole.  My peripheral vision is really impaired.  Anyway, this week we'll see what he recommends and when he will be able to fix me.  Am to the point where I may get on my knees and plead for an early surgery date.  If that doesn't work, well, I'm up for offering anything he wants.  Sad part is at my age there's nothing he'll want.  Life is like that.  

We're getting real close to the month of June.  The next big event will be Father's Day.  Back in 1908, the same year that Mother's Day was started, a small church in West Virginia held a public event honoring the fathers of their community.  The day was held in remembrance of the 362 men who were killed the previous December in a mining explosion.  This specific day I'd not transform into an annual tradition in the town, but it did set a precedent of reserving a day for fathers everywhere.

It's definitely a sleepy day, and it doesn't help that the little fuzz bucket woke us up at 5:30.  She must do this at home, 'cuz she acts like it's her job to get the day going.  An afternoon nap might be in order.  Just took this picture to show the little fruitcake as she has her nose buried in a cuddly throw that's beside me.  

Buffy Baby Boo a/k/a Little Fox

POPPY FIELDS

The fur baby arrived at 2:30 yesterday afternoon.  She just now finished breakfast and is curled up on my lap.  This is one time I'm quite okay with my soft pillow-like lap.  A bony body wouldn't be as comfy for the little mouse.

Thank heavens, we were spared from damaging storm winds yesterday.  We got rain and that was it.  A cloudy overcast day, and, no, we didn't get groceries.  The days of having to do things are in our rear-view mirror.  Sure, some day I'll have to leave this world, but until then, I'll do as I darned please.  (The boyfriend says that I talk big sometimes.)

Worked on my June newsletter article.  The editor has pushed his publish date up closer to the beginning of each month.  I like to edit my articles days apart, because fresh ideas come to mind all the time.  It's different from writing this blog.  Here, my fingers just type my thoughts, I hit the 'publish' button, and that's that for the day.  Most mornings when I get up, I have not a clue what will be posted.  

The boyfriend and I each have separate grocery lists going, and he has offered to go shopping today.  I'm one to try new recipes, so my list has some ingredients that may require him to hunt up and down the aisles.  Don't want to put him through that, so think I'll place my order online and he can pick it up.  His list he wants to get at WM anyway.  My job today is spending time with Buffy Baby Boo.  

Am a stuck record when it comes to talking on and on about the canine cuties.  The smaller they are, the more they appeal to me.  My all-time favorite breeds are Bichon, Shih Tzu and Yorkie.  This little girl that's laying in my lap just loves having me hold her head in my hands, look into her eyes and talk to her.  It's as if she soaks up the love like a sponge soaks up water.  Each time we puppy sit for her, the attachment grows.  I can see this happening both ways.  How blessed can we be.

The boyfriend watched the girl's basketball game on his phone last night.  Now we have reason to root for the Indiana Fever girls, and last night they beat the LA Sparks 78-73.  Two sports that I enjoy watching...basketball and baseball.  As a little girl, our Sundays were spent down at the park 'cuz my daddy was a devoted and very handsome baseball player.  All the guys knew him as "Chink" or "Chinky," and I have no idea why or how he earned the name.  I think about him a lot and have a list of things we could visit about.  When we're young, we don't think about asking our parents serious questions.  Anyway, I didn't.  Life back then wasn't a serious deal to me.  Thought life would last forever, and now I'm nearing the finish line and realize it doesn't.  

Bought myself a floral watering can for my herb garden.   It's actually smaller than I thought, but that's okay.  It's cute nonetheless. 

The lady across the hall from us is moving closer to her children, so we'll be getting a new neighbor.  She lost her husband not too long ago, so the move makes perfect sense.  Late life requires harsh decisions and parting of ways.  Guess we're all walking on banana peelings and shards of sharp glass.

As a way for me to honor Memorial Day and its meaning, may I share a couple of paragraphs about the traditional poppy.  

Poppy Fields

After World War I, the poppy flower flourished in Europe.  Scientists attributed their growth to soils in France and Belgium becoming enriched with lime from the rubble left by the war.  From the dirt and mud grew a beautiful red poppy, which came to symbolize the blood shed during battle, following the publication of the wartime poem, "In Flanders Fields."  The poem was written while serving on the front lines.  

September 27, 1920, the poppy became the official flower of The American Legion to memorialize the soldiers who fought and died during the war.  In 1924, the distribution of poppies became a national program of The American Legion.

Each year poppies are distributed with the request that the person receiving the poppy make a donation to support the future of veterans, active-duty military personnel and their families with medical and financial needs.

Poppy Day is celebrated around the world.  The American Legion brought National Poppy Day to the United States by asking Congress to designate the Friday before Memorial Day as National Poppy Day.

Best finalize my grocery list and place my order for pickup.  My wishes for weekend safety go out to all.......ta-ta.

FLOWERS, CLOUDS AND MOON

The final photo from our fun trolley is this wooded area we came across on our 'back in the boonies' adventure.  Couldn't resist a photo of the blue Sweet Williams along the way.  And, let's not forget the Dandelions.  It's their world, too.

This morning we were awakened by our weather alert radio blaring out a warning for severe weather in our area.  Steel gray clouds are moving quite fast above us, and it's raining.  I remember Daddy showing me what the high wind clouds look like, and these look like that, frilly and feathery.  The meteorologist, with Live Doppler Radar, is keeping everyone informed about the storm's path.  Here's a photo of the shelf-like cloud that I just took looking toward the east.  

Last night was a full moon, so we captured a photo of that, too.  Actually, the reason we took it was so I could text it to our sky watcher, Sheila Rae.  The sky is her favorite realm, always has been.  Her sky photos have been featured on local tv.

Pardon the double moon, the green one is a reflection from inside the camera lens.  Maybe there's a way to delete it, but I'm not aware.  It's kinda cool how the two cell towers are positioned like two candles on both sides of the moon.  Kinda eerie, actually.

That's about all the news from my sanctuary.  The highlight of our day will be when the 4-pound ever-ready battery arrives.  For sure she'll add spice and sugar to our weekend.  Our plan was to go grocery shopping this morning, but the weather will decide whether we should go or stay home.  It's interesting that our memories through the years recall rain on most Memorial Weekends.  Maybe what we think is rain is actually Heaven's tears.

GUYS GOT ALL THE GOOD LOOKS

 The day of our recent trolley was topped off with this beautiful creature.....

Wished I could've posted a picture of this peacock fanning out his feathers, but no such luck.  Like the pheasant, it's the guy that struts the most decorative and colorful feathers.  The last thing on earth I'd have expected to see that day was this royal bird prancing around like he owned the farm.

As we were leaving the driveway, the peacock called out a loud "may-AWE" a couple of times.  Legend tells that The Creator gave the peacock a horrible voice so its beauty wouldn't make him overly conceited.  Can't help but wonder what he was saying to us in such a 'fowl language.'

STORM CRAWLS THROUGH IOWA

Des Moines KCCI News posted this photo of a shelf cloud over Iowa yesterday...

A drone photo of a tornado's destructive path through Greenfield, Iowa, causing several fatalities.

Greenfield, Iowa

Our local schools closed early due to the weather conditions forecast.  This was the first time ever that schools closed and evening activities were canceled due to a summer storm.  Usually schools close because of snow storms.  

Where we live, we were spared, although sirens and warnings went off.  We got maybe 2-3 inches of rain, some wind, but nothing destructive.  

Mother Nature has her way of reminding us just how fragile our lives are.  It doesn't matter what we have, how important we think we are, or any of the other human hooplah.  We're all at Her mercy.  When I look at the above picture, I think how many lives were affected, how life will never be the same for some.  In a matter of seconds, their homes are gone.  Seems these tragic events are happening almost daily in one place or another.  

This morning the sun is shining and cotton candy skies have returned.  A beautiful breeze has the tree branches dancing as if yesterday never happened.  That's where gratitude comes into play.  Those of us who were spared must be grateful that our homes are intact and we are safe and well.  

CEMENT FENCE POST

Our area is under a storm warning, with possible hail and powerful tornadic winds.  Some places are already experiencing flash flooding, and other places are under flood warning.  Right now, a light rain is falling, the kind the soil receives with glee.  

I'm now the official owner of a herb garden.  Two long narrow planters with parsley, oregano, thyme, sweet basil, rosemary and chives.  They're situated alongside the deck railing, so they're recipients of this natural watering. 

Yesterday I was in a blue funk and kinda cranky.  The boyfriend threatened to put me down in the recycle room.  Yah, right.  Like he'd do something like that!  This morning I'm feeling a titch better.  When these moods hit, I go in my turtle mode.  Don't expect me to do anything but breathe and blink....inside my own space.

Have another photo to share from our trolley.  We were driving a road less traveled back in the boonies when we came across a farmstead.  I spotted this cement structure all grown up with weeds.  We stopped to take a picture, and the farmer drove up to us with his four wheeler.  Nice talkative guy about our age.  We inquired about this cement post, and he explained that when they bought the farm years ago these cement posts were all over the place.  Evidently the previous owners made them.  Fancy fence posts to adorn the driveways.

For sure, there's an interesting story here, but at least we know what we know.  These are the hidden treasures we find on our day drives.  They're everywhere out in the countryside, but one must look to see, not just look and not see.  Does that make sense?

Received a text from Buffy's mom, asking if we could puppy sit this weekend, starting Friday afternoon.  After I picked myself up from the floor, I responded with a big YES.  Gonna be a cuddle fest at our house, trust me.  It's hilarious to think there was a day when Memorial Day meant camping in a tent by the river.  Without fail, it rained on Memorial weekend.  But, the memories are some of the best and the funniest.  Back then, camping required taking half our household along, unloading from the car and into the boat, finding a sandbar, unloading everything and setting up camp.  Then Monday we'd dismantle everything, load, unload, load and unload back at home.  Just thinking about all that hassle tires me out.  Now, I go bezerk if a puppy stays with us!

SHEEP IN THE PASTURE

The Amish are known to be respectful stewards of the land, as can be seen by their pasture-raised sheep.  They refrain from using pesticides and use only natural fertilizer.  Our trolley took us by quite a few pastures, where the sheep were grazing or napping.  Like this picture......

There are few things sweeter than baby lambs.  Nowadays it saddens me to see the corporate farmers raising beautiful animals in buildings, animals that will never know what it feels like to lay on green grass.  Corporate farming = big bucks = GREED.  One of the seven deadly sins.  I've often wondered what it must be like to die and leave behind millions of dollars.  Inheritance is wonderful, but that also breeds its own kind of discontent and encourages more over-spending.  The cycle is non-stop.  That is why a pastoral scene like this warms my heart and tells me there's an ounce of human kindness left among us humanoids.

I have a special place in my heart for sheep, always will.  Maybe it's because we raised them on the farm when I was a little girl.  My happiest times were feeding lambs with a nippled pop bottle.  Those little lambs were so hungry, and their tails showed just how happy they were.  If I had to choose one childhood memory, I'd pick that one for leaving the biggest dent in my heart.

Isn't it interesting that sheep are mentioned over 500 times in the Bible, more than any other animal?

Early morning thunder and lightning.  Light rain is falling as I type.  Some of the corn is up.....that's how we always refer to a new crop popping out of the ground.  When the rows of corn become visible, that's when we say the corn is up.

Played online games most of yesterday.  Went from one to the other, just like a hamster running on a wheel.  By the time 10:30 p.m. arrived, my brain was worn to a frazzle.  Don't know what today holds.  Right now, crocheting sounds kinda fun.  Gotta get more crosses finished.  I function best when I put a goal number and a deadline on myself.  Then I'm able to crochet like crazy until I hit the mark.  I've always worked best under pressure.  At my age, I have to create my own pressure.....how silly is that! 

STORMS HEADING OUR WAY

Country roads in our area are mostly gravel.  It's a real menace when it comes to getting one's vehicle covered with dust.  Meeting vehicles creates a cloud of dust that makes me close my eyes.  Yuck.  These same roads have small bridges crossing the Upper I River, and we crossed this one on our trolley the day before yesterday.....

Oh, man, do I wish we were still young and able to go canoeing.  We were water bugs, from small rivers to the Mighty Mississippi.  We canoed, we boated, we water skied.  My heart yearns to go kayaking, but I'd most likely break my neck by getting situated inside of it.  Maybe some night I'll have a dream of me kayaking and have to call that my kayaking adventure.

Peaceful is the word that comes to mind when I look at this photograph.  Humans are enjoying one another's company.  The scenery from where they are sitting in these canoes is breathtaking.  This is limestone bluff country, where nature's genuine beauty abounds.  

Seeing things we did when we were young is hard when we can no longer safely do them.  That's one part of aging that hurts me, anyway.  Going Up North to lake country was my/our heaven.  The old-time lake resorts have gotten beyond affordable, so they've been sold and mega homes built there.  Oh, there are still resorts, but not the homey cabin type that we liked.  Big bucks have replaced the lake resorts that required reservations a year ahead.  Yup, those were the best of times.  Lakes and rivers were havens for summer fun in the sun.

Wanted to share a photo that I just took of the bridal wreath bushes now in full bloom.  They, too, symbolize peace and contentment.....two rare commodities in today's societal arena.  Guess we each must carve out our tiny niches of nice places and dwell there.  There's a greater need, as I age, for categorizing things and people of the past.  Our importance to others lessens, anyway it has for me.  The older we get, the less important we are in the lives of others.  If we don't pursue a connection, there won't be any.  It's just like sending birthday cards or Christmas cards.  All one has to do is stop sending someone a card, and that person will no longer send you one.  Even our common courtesies have gone by the wayside.  I'm as guilty as anyone, because I've turned to sending my wishes via satellite vs. postman.  It's cheaper, quicker and easier.  Guilty as charged.

Sounds like severe weather is heading our way today.  Let's hope and pray that the sky will be kind to us.  Such pitiful destruction, just don't know how people recover from the ravaging tornado winds.  They lose their homes and their possessions, everything blown away in a matter of seconds.  The human spirit is resilient, but it should not have to endure such harsh testing. 

So much is beyond our understanding.  Why do we even try to crack the code of craziness that's everywhere in 2024? 

VISITS TO THE AMISH

Yesterday's trolley was SO much fun, and we saw many photo ops that brought our car to a stop.  Patience is my boyfriend's virtue.

Our purpose was to buy a chocolate tomato plant at one of the Amish greenhouses, but they were already all sold.  So, I chose a fun alternative by buying a Jelly Bean Tomato Plant with mixed colors of yellow and red.  I'll plant it along with the Sun Sugar one.  

Then, I also bought more herbs, 2 chives, 1 thyme and 1 rosemary plant.  The flowers in the Amish Greenhouses were absolutely heavenly, hanging from the ceiling and others situated on long tables and on the floor.  Our deck doesn't have enough space for too much stuff, so this year we've decided to keep it down to herbs and tomatoes.  

The Amish farmers were working in the fields.  We stopped to watch this 6-horse hitch.  On another farm, we watched a farmer working with his 6-horse team hitch by the barn.  The horses were so well-behaved and moved from one spot to another as if they were slow-dancing.  The Amish don't like to have their pictures taken, so I made sure no faces were facing my camera.  Their way of life is very intriguing, and, honestly, is a lot like life on the farm when I was a little girl.  However, with them, time stopped there and never moved forward like it did for the rest of us.  

 

It was on this farm that a young lady was mowing the lawn with one of the old, old style push lawnmowers.  She was barefoot, and all I could think of was what if she steps on a wiggly?  We mow our lawns with power mowers and riding mowers, but this gal was working hard with that relic of a mower.  It's not for me to say why they choose to live their one life working so much harder than they need to.  But, then I look at our society and don't see many of the admirable aspects of Amish life.  They probably say the same things about us, wondering what's wrong with our thinking.  

We left at 10 in the morning, ate lunch at a tavern-style restaurant, and returned home around 4 in the afternoon.  I have more photos to share, but will make them last a few days.  The four of us had such a good time, laughed, visited and reminisced about our childhoods that mirrored one another.  They live down the hall from us at Venny, and when we returned home she sent home a decadent tiramisu dessert for us.  That was the sweetest ending to a memorable trolley.

EVERYTHING GROWS OLD

Up at 7.  Today we're taking a trolley to Amish country, in the hopes of buying another cherry tomato plant for the deck.  I ordered the planter (to match Athena's planter), but had to order one size bigger.  There's enough space for two tomato plants.  Actually, it's a perfect excuse for us, and another Venny couple, to leave the nest.  Lunch will be somewhere along the way.

On one of our trolleys, I quickly snapped this photo of an old dilapidated house.  Just love the design.  First thing my brain kicks in gear and imagines it refurbished from roof to cellar, inside and out.  Wouldn't that be a wonderful project?  Would take a lot of $$$, but so does building a new home.  It's that business of trying to bring beauty to the broken.  The concept is at the center of my soul.

The old pump brings back memories, as does the outside cellar entry beside the pump.  Porches on these forgotten houses are sweet, and my Adirondack deck chair would add a welcoming element.  The windshield of our car and the rear-view mirror are visible, cuz I took the photo in such a hurry.  Two black and white signs are posted on the house itself, but cannot read what they say.  Note the stone foundation.

Hopefully today on our trolley we'll come across something that will require me to move fast so I can preserve whatever it may be.  There is always something that catches the eye, or presents itself in a way that screams for my attention.  The power of observation brings to life the little things around us....they're so close to us that we don't see them.  

"The best things in life are old, loved and rescued." 

BRIDAL WREATH

Yesterday afternoon I spent crocheting out on the deck.  The day was perfect, and the bright sun had moved to the west enough so as not to be too bright in my eyes.  The boyfriend spent his afternoon in the garden.  

As I sat out there, I watched others live their days.  Neighbors were outdoors putzing with their flowers, and maintenance mowed Venny's lawn.  The fragrance of freshly mowed grass reminded me of daddy cutting hay on the farm.  Freshly mowed hay has an earthy essence that seeps right into one's soul.  That's what it was like for me, sitting and reminiscing.  

I took a picture of the bridal wreath bushes (spirea) that are not yet in full bloom.  Thought they were so pretty, they deserve to be shown in today's post.  One by one, Mother Nature is bringing to life the perennials that announce the time of year.  One of the gals who lives here walked by the bridal wreath bushes.  She reached inside the bush and picked two sprigs of white blossoms.  Would imagine they're in a vase of water bringing her joy this morning.  The flower beds aren't for picking, but I see that as a way for someone living alone to add a bit of life to her unit.  

The bushes will be even prettier when in full bloom.  They, too, wake up memories of the bridal wreath that grew in my maternal gramma's yard.  I often wonder how and why I can remember things about her home and yard, more than I can remember about our own on the farm.  Maybe it testifies to my love for my grandparents.  My cousin, Ricky, and I worked hard at staying overnight there together.  Those were the best of times, and they still bring me giggles by thinking of them.  

Sky is overcast.  Early morning thunder, must've rained a little.  We put up our new hummingbird feeder, and think it just might be taken down and replaced.  One bright orange Oriole few up close, but flew away without stopping to snack.  Venny is like an all-day buffet for hummers, lots of feeders here to choose from.  

CHANGES

Lots of changes to our everyday world.  50 Red Lobster restaurants are closing across the country.  Aaaah, the memories of special events celebrated there.  Some were with the girls, with friends and, of course, each other.  Their seafood platters were to die for, especially the shrimp scampi and scallops.  Lobster, of course, is the #1 food created by Our Lord, according to me.  (giggles)

Although, I will say that a couple of years ago my meal there was far from up to par.  I didn't complain at the time, because I was with a group of girls.  What I did was save my slip and email my complaint.  Received a $30 certificate for another meal, which we redeemed at a different Red Lobster, and it was fine.  

This morning I logged into my email, to find that the company that prints my blogs into books is going out of business.  My heart fell on the floor.  My brain took over and asked, well, maybe there are other companies that print blogs into books.  I found PixxiBooks, and immediately put in an order for two volumes so all my blogs will be in book form up until yesterday's blog.  

Nothing stays the same, and that's life's way of teaching us how to adapt to the present and let go of the past.  The older we get, the more there is to let go of, so it seems.  We simply must release the energy that's pent up within us when we tightly embrace that which is being outdated.  

Now, I have the anticipation of a new company printing my blogs.  Just maybe it will offer an even better book design.  Either way, I'm grateful to preserve my daily thoughts.  Truly wish I had someone to legally will all my writings to, but at the present there are no readers in my family who would cherish them.  I'm afraid the days of cherishing inanimate objects are also gone.

The boyfriend bought herbs for me to grow on the deck.  Am going to have to learn which is which, cuz right now all I can say is that they're green.  Will wait and see how that pans out.  Guess I'll be tossing plants in my food.  It's kinda fun to incorporate new little things into life when so many things are being taken away.  Even if it is only a plant.  Maybe I'll become a herbivore.  

SPEND VS. INVEST

Yesterday afternoon, while sitting on the deck reading a book, I needed to nibble on something.  About the only thing in the fridge was a bag of carrot sticks.  Can you imagine I've reached the point in life where I buy them cut into sticks, rather than cut them up myself?  Regardless, I tried something new.  

Took a bunch of 'em out of the bag, put them in my Drew Barrymore Air Fryer, sprayed 'em with olive oil and sprinkled on Accent Salt.  Put 'em in the Air Fryer at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.  Holy Lord, they were like eating french fries, not as crispy, but absolutely the best nibble imaginable.  They kinda tasted like sweet potato fries.  

The boyfriend has a dental appointment after lunch, and I'm staying home.  This is perfect weather for porch sitting and reading.  The boyfriend called my attention to something he was reading the other day.  He said, "Listen to this, it's just like us.  Retirement is the time in life where you can design your day however it suits you."  Thought that was a great way to explain to people why we love our retirement.  There are those, sadly, who do not have the ability to design their own day.  Not us.  One might say, we're professional designers, each of us designing our individual days.  We're open and respect one another's interests, cuz life has made me sort of a hermit-nerd, where the boyfriend has a doctorate in socializing.  I visit with my fingers on the internet, while he visits on the phone or in person.  Psychologists would say I probably have a problem, but they're not the ones designing my days. 

Leo Tolstoy wrote in War and Peace, that the two most powerful warriors are patience and time.  There's a big difference in how we SPEND our time and how we INVEST our time.  

Best say toodle doo.  

NATURE'S HEARTACHES

 Sad news about the robin's nest.  The last photo Debbie sent me was this one.....

This makes me ponder all the hardships that our fellow creatures must endure during their lifetimes, no different than we humans.  I'm not in total agreement with the biblical gift of dominion over all others.  

We'll keep a watch and hopefully one little birdie will survive.  Please keep the daily photos coming, Debbie!

There's a haze in this morning's air.  Looks like it could start sprinkling any moment.  Last evening we sat out on the deck...the boyfriend worked sudoku puzzles, and I read a book.  We stayed out there until shades of darkness settled in.  One tiny hummingbird stopped by to take a few sips out of our new feeder.  We've missed the little buggers.  

We also have grape jelly out to lure the Orioles.  Winter has officially been put back in the closet for a few months.  It's time now to bring out all things that flourish in the warm sunshine.  

Do any of my followers grow an herb garden?  I'm thinking about planting a few in a deck planter.  I bought chives at the grocery store the other day and figure I could just as easily grow my own.  I'm a chive and onion foodie, and most every meal somehow incorporates either.  Onions are high in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.  I've read, too, that they help our immune systems.  Ken's Vidalia Onion salad dressing is probably my favorite on salads, or for dipping veggies.  We're always buying onions at Kwik Star and keeping them on the counter top in a vegetable bowl I found at a thrift store.  We like and use garlic in cooking, as well.  

We were gifted with a small Sun Sugar Tomato Plant.  We're gonna plant it in a new planter that I ordered that matches the planter my olive tree is planted in.  Both will be on the deck.  Am going to pamper the tomato plant and hopefully be able to nibble on them like candy.  The plan was to once again plant a chocolate tomato plant, but even the Amish don't have them the last couple of years.  These Sun Sugar tomatoes are touted to be sweet and very yummy! 

My all-time favorite tomato quotation is:  "Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad. 

Since starting today's post, I received a text message from Debbie.  The last robin egg is gone this morning.  Guess that ends our nest watch.  Can't help but wonder how the momma bird feels after putting so much time and effort into building a nest and laying three eggs.  We don't stop to think about all the birds' emotions that flit and fly around us.   We know they have feelings by the way they nurture their babies.  

Till the morrow.

OUR BEAUTIFUL MOTHER NATURE

Kudos go out to Mary, for identifying the white blossoming tree that I posted a couple days ago.  It is a Chinese Crabapple!  Am thrilled to know this.  There are a lot of crabapple trees, pink and white, in our area, but these have a different branch structure.  

Nature is today's theme.  Here is the next picture of the robin's nest.  It's a closeup that shows how the nest is constructed and positioned up close to the airplane lawn ornament.  Just look at the circular weaving.  And, three blue robin eggs that we will watch turn into little birdies. 

Look how many tiny twigs it took to put this nest together.  It's like the web that spider weaves.  Creatures are born with these skills/behaviors.  They have no institutions of higher learning cuz they come equipped for life.  If someone gave me a stack of little twigs and asked me to recreate the nest in its design, well, I'd have to declare defeat.  Couldn't do it.  

Now, on to last night's Northern Lights.  My great-niece, Sheila, is a sky watcher.  The sky has been her number one fascination since she was a little girl.  Last night and this morning she shared photos that she took last night of the Northern Lights during the solar storm.  Here is one, and if you look closely, you'll see stars, too.

While we're talking about Nature, let me show you the biggest strawberry I've ever seen in my whole life.  Yup, it was in a container of strawberries the boyfriend bought at our local grocery store.  This baby was chopped into slices, along with slices of banana, for the best fruit salad in the whole wide world!

Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth

find reserves of strength

that will endure as long as life lasts.

~Rachel Carson

WHERE SHE BUILT HER NEST

This early afternoon, the boyfriend is chauffeuring our friend to the local hospital for a blood work and checkup following his heart surgery.  During his wait time, his plan is to drive out to the trout stream and drown some fish bait!!!  I'm staying back to do what I do best....probably nothing.

Starting with today's post, I'll be sharing photos taken by my sis-in-law, Debbie, of the robin's nest she found in their yard's circular drive.  She'll send me a photo every day so we can monitor the incubating process.  Should take about two weeks for the eggs to hatch.  

First, we see where Momma Robin chose to make the nest for her babies. 

Momma wove a perfectly round nest back of the red plane propeller, snug between it and the green part of the plane.  

It bowls me over when I think about all the beautiful things happening in nature.  It's so true that we must always be on the lookout for the presence of wonder.  

Each day I'll post the picture of the nest as Debbie sees it in her yard.  Thank you, love, for taking the time to share what goes on in a birdie maternity ward.  This will be fun!

Till the morrow.....

CAN YOU IDENTIFY THESE TREES?

On our out-and-about yesterday, our eyes feasted on springtime's glorious blossoming trees.  I ask myself, did I once actually live and function without my smart phone and trusty camera.  Out of all the trees, these two were my number one picks....

Can anyone tell me what kind of tree this is?  The tree is shaped so the branches go upward and each branch is covered with blossoms.  Would really like to know what kind they are.

We ran errands, and one stop was at Norby's Farm Fleet.  Hanging baskets are displayed outside.  My plan is to wait until after Mother's Day to buy the hanging plant for our deck.  Most likely the plants will be picked over and won't be the prettiest, but I'm known to buy those left behind and baby them back to life.  At my house, they're free to be themselves.  With a little love and a titch of luck, in a couple of weeks they're pretty as can be.  Plants are a lot like people.  Without love, they wilt and lose their enthusiasm.  

Once again it's overcast, with a forecast for some rain.  Maintenance mowed the grounds yesterday, and the lawn is at its finest.  

We stopped out at our garden plot.  While the boyfriend planted a cucumber plant, I sat down and visited with our master gardener, who is the head of the garden project at Venny.  She's out there every day, and this year she's planted a garden that's available for those who don't plant their own plot.  A communal thing.

The peony bushes are forming tight balls that will burst forth into a deep magenta color.  A line of these bushes are planted along the garden fence.  The rhubarb's ready to pick, and I want to freeze some, 4 cups to a freezer bag.  A couple days ago our doorbell rang, and there stood Mary with two pieces of freshly baked rhubarb cake topped with whipped cream.  Omigod, was it ever yummy.

If you know what kind of trees these are, please let me know.  Ta-ta.

SUMMER SALADS

The boyfriend and I postponed our grocery shopping yesterday, which put it on today's agenda.  I've decided to push my own cart up and down the aisles, choosing ingredients for salads, which I dearly love to eat.  Kwik Star's chicken tenders are perfect for lettuce salads, along with hard-boiled eggs, onions, radishes, cucumbers, and whatever other veggie fits in the bowl.  

Later today am going to make this dressing:

1 c. fat free Greek yogurt

1/4 cup chopped fresh chives, or green onions

1 clove garlic 

1/4 c. parsley (will use flakes)

2 tsp dijon mustard

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

Everywhere we turn, there's food advertisements that literally make me drool.  Food is my one and only sparring partner.  Growing up, second helpings were normal at our family table.  I remember once being invited to a family's house for dinner.  They had 8 kids, and we all sat around one long dining table.  The food was passed around, we each took a helping.  When the food on my plate was gobbled up, I waited for the platter to be passed around again.  Nope.  That doesn't happen in a home with 8 kids.  Life is a classroom.

I enjoy trying new recipes, and spring is the perfect time to look for healthy foods that serve my best interests.  Thank heavens I'm a veggie and fruit lover.  I'm not so much into cottage cheese, but if I put it in sugar-free jello, then it's okay.  Good old jello.  When we were kids, we ate jello all the time.  Mostly red jello with bananas, sometimes fruit cocktail.  We only buy the sugar-free now, cuz jello is high in carbs, with 19 grams in a 1/2 cup serving.  

Looks like it's clouded over, might get another shower.  Think it's time to run errands and get back to the nest.   

A morning lullaby of thunder and lightning about 4 o'clock this morning.

We made the trip up to Rochester to bring our friend home from St. Mary's Hospital.  It's interesting how hospital protocol has changed as a result of our violent society.  Twenty years ago we could walk in the hospital and go to whichever floor and section of the complex.  Today we enter, are told to walk through a metal detector, ushered to a desk.  At that desk is a person with a computer.  The patient in the hospital has to tell the staff who they are expecting to visit them.  We were asked our names, and if they were in the computer, we were issued a day visitor tag to affix to our clothing.  There are people stationed in different places in the admissions area to watch that the process goes smoothly.  It gives one a feeling of security, but it also screams of a new and less congenial society.  I'm one to err on the side of caution, so it's fine with me.  I couldn't help wonder what it would be like if a shooter would barge into the admissions area.  Thoughts like that weren't part of visiting the sick twenty years ago.

This morning is a general meeting out here at 10 o'clock.  Council members are elected at this meeting, and the boyfriend's second 2-year stint expires.  I served on the council before he did, for two years.  He did four.  After the meeting, we're going to the grocery store to shop for some necessities.  Seems there's always something or other that we need.

A sparrow just landed on our deck railing with a long skinny twig in its beak.  She's obviously out and about collecting materials to build her nest.  Such tiny beings are born with basket-weaving skill.  We humans must attend classes to learn the weaving technique.  They are wee miracles that can fly and weave baskets.  I can do neither.

A Sparrow

A little bird, with plumage brown,

Beside my window flutters down,

A moment chirps its little strain,

Then taps upon my window pane,

And chirps again, and hope along,

To call my notice to its song;

But I work on, nor heed its lay,

Till, in neglect, it flies away.

So birds of peace and hope and love

Come fluttering earthward from above,

To settle on life's window sills,

And ease our load of earthly ills;

But we, in traffic's rush and din

Too deep engaged to let them in,

With deadened heart and sense plod on

Nor know our loss till they are gone.

(from Oak and Ivy, 1893)

VIOLETS

My Baby Bubba Buffy Boo left last evening about 7:30.  Relinquishing custody was like ripping a scab off of a wound and letting it bleed.  Her parents are sweet, insisting whenever I need to have her for a while, they'll bring her over.  Kinda like an emotional support puppy.  That's kindness in its finest attire!

When the boyfriend took her out yesterday, they took a walk around the Venny grounds down to the garden plots.  The boyfriend has never been one to buy me flowers, but he excels at picking me springtime violets.....itty bitty bouquets....cuz he knows I dearly love them.  Only one time did he give me a dozen long-stem red roses, and that was for our 50th wedding anniversary.  I took photos, cuz I'm not sure we'll make it to 75 years.  

"This little flower, so sweet and wild,

Is Nature's fairest, simplest child.

With whispers soft, May's earliest breeze,

Seeks for it, under budding trees.

By sunny banks and waters cool--

The gentlest bud in beauty's school."

We're waiting for word that our friend is being discharged from the hospital.  If he is, then we'll be making a trip up to get him and bring him home.  He's had a few post-op setbacks, so I hope they aren't sending him home too soon.  

Athena, my olive tree, is out on the deck.  We put her out there yesterday when Buffy came over.  We've noticed her nibbling on the leaves.  Athena stayed outside overnight, and that was her first solo night away from me.  The boyfriend bought an Amish Tomato Plant the other day, along with a Celebrity Tomato Plant.  He'll plant them in our garden plot.  Can't wait for juicy tomato time, BLTs being the premier summertime treat.  Grilling out, sitting out on the deck with friends, that's the best part of warm weather.  Packing picnic lunches, going to sit by a trout stream, listen to the birds sing, and just soak up Nature's fresh air.  Of course, there are the pesky bugs and mosquitoes we have to contend with.  I hear the ticks are just awful this year, and that's enough to keep me on the sidewalks.  I may have grown up a tomboy, but I am not brave when it comes to things that can suck the blood out of me.

Best put myself together and get on with the day.  Ta-ta till the morrow.

LADY OF WISDOM

The day we drove up to visit our friend in the hospital, we stopped at two Amish greenhouses on the way home.  The hospital patient asked us to buy 8 celebrity tomato plants, 3 pepper and 1 jalapeno for his garden plot.  The Amish are known for selling glorious spring flowers and started veggie plants.  Gardening provides their sustenance, and they pass the same opportunity on to us Englishmen (as the Amish call us).  Prices are fair, although they've gone up like everywhere else.  

Before leaving one of the two greenhouse farms, my boyfriend was asked to stop so I could photograph this massive tree standing in front of their large white house....

The tree makes me think of humanity.....branched out in different directions.....each branch claiming to be the main one.  We fight, we wage wars and for what?  Why cannot we see that we are all part of the one human tree, period.  One trunk, many branches.  This ain't rocket science, yet for thousands of years the battle continues and worsens.

I like taking photographs of Nature, because I think She left answers for us to find ourselves.  The power of observation is a valuable skill, costs nothing, yet can help us formulate thoughts that satisfy our curiosities.  

The stones encircling the tree form a grotto of reverence around her.  She is a true Lady of Wisdom, having lived a long life and experienced many of life's storms.  Truly, my favorite part of the drive. 

Thought this was an interesting little ditty that I want to save........

VISITING THE SICK

Today we're out and about doing one of the corporal works of mercy, visiting the sick.  Don't hear much about the works of mercy these days.  Our world is too focused on adversity to give thought to helping one another.  

Riding as a passenger gives me time to work on my comfort crosses.  The guys will be in the front seats, and I'll be relegated to the back seat.  The boyfriend will take command of the steering wheel.  My hearing is challenged even with my hearing aids stuffed into my ears.  Those who ride up front usually forget there's anyone in the back seat, but I cough once in a while to remind them.....that is, if they can hear me.   

Won't go shopping like we did years ago.  Our one stop, other than the hospital, will be the Star Ocean Buffet, where rows of Chinese foods are served buffet style.  Salad and dessert sections, as well as a grill and sushi bar.  This girl is not into sushi.  I tried the octopus and seaweed salad one time, and all I can say is that my gag reflex functions well.  The coconut shrimp, however, makes me swoon.

Will use the step-counting app on my phone to track the number of steps I'll walk.  This will set a base number for a springtime walking routine.  That is, if my left knee doesn't fit, fret and fuss.  

Best get ready.