Tis The Season

Of perpetually dirty feet, fingernails and buds and blossoms all around


In my garden (gardens) the rhubarb is looking good


My 'Wentland' Iris's are poking through

The goose and raspberries are preparing to make fruit

And the menopausal maiden is patiently awaiting (who in the heck that is menopausal is ever patient....ah well) anyway she is waiting for the mums to give her some protection
We have already eaten two batches of asparagus (gotta get it before the deer do)
And as my gardening mentor Mary laughingly says, "If you don't like it in one place dig it up and move it" Alrighty then move it I am.
The raspberry bushes seem to be encroaching on my flowers so they are being moved to their very own spot, another new garden plot.


And I am in the process of redesigning the hillside flower bed. Digging up what is there and planting things that I hope I will like better :)

Yup tis the season.

And of course since we were at the Leonard Hotel last weekend I have to share one picture of Julia. These shoes of Daddy's are hard to fill but she certainly does try. She loves shoes not only her own but whoever else's are laying around.

A New Shoulder

David went in for surgery at 12:15 and at 4:30 he was in his bed good and looped up. Contraptions, the ole boy has contraptions. Not only does he have the sling that immobilizes his arm but he has a catheter in his neck that is dosing out a Novocain type med. The medication is in the ball type bag hanging around his neck. Because shoulder replacement is so very painful they do this for pain management. He still has to take his pain pills as the Novocain only numbs the area, it does not get rid of the pain and swelling. So, we are currently at the Leonard Hotel and today David had to have his shoulder rap removed. I started to do it but became woozy at which time Lenny took over to complete the unveiling. The wound looks good it does. What in the heck am I going to do though on Tuesday when the catheter comes out. He does not go to the doc for this.....we do it. Apparently it is not such a much...for most people...but this is me that we are talking about. I will do it and not pass out, I will do it and not pass out, I will do it and not pass out, OR we will just stay here until Tuesday :)

Because he had not eaten (or had coffee) in about 24 hours the nurse ordered up supper. I brought the coffee.
What more can you ask than a good fart, food and shitty coffee after major surgery.



Later that day David was expected to get up and walk a bit. Walk we did from the 8th floor (via the elevator) outside and over to McDonalds
For an after dinner ice cream cone. Does he look like a happy camper? He is.
Day two was release day (yesterday). If you have ever been hospitalized you probably know that it takes FOREVER to get released. Here he is pacing the halls waiting for his pain meds to arrive so that we can head home.
He did finally get sprung. The ride to Lenny and Kel's about did him in. He was feeling pretty good up until then. Every bump in the road jarred that shoulder but it will get better with time.
Thanks to Len and Kel for cooking for us and letting us (David) recuperate. I got some gamma time in as well

What A 'Spot'

Any eagle sighting is a good 'spot' as far as I am concerned and seeing two or three in one place is even a better 'spot'......

On our way to Grand Rapids yesterday, as I had my nose in my Blackberry checking email, I heard David say, "Look at that". " What" I say. "Ten eagles feeding on something back there" he says. So we turned around, I put my blackberry down and picked up my camera :)Nope there were not 10 eagles but at least 20 of them on a back road feasting on something. As we approached of course they flew away from their feast but I was still able to get a great shot of the bunch of them. This is only about half of the bunch however. There were young eagles whose heads and tails had not yet turned white as well as mature eagles and of course a few ravens...very few as they usually do not come in until the eagles are pretty much done. There are only two ravens in this picture and they are on the ground.


On our way back the bunch was still there however they were more easily spooked. This fella flew away from the table as I approached

And this one was in the tree not happy about my intrusion

As I said....what a spot. When I wasn't shooting I just stood there looking, saying 'Wow' and shaking my head at the beauty.

The pond behind our house has taken on many forms.
It started out as this small pond that Tack (and Pixie too) spent much of her day in. This pond was quite small and full of clay.
Each year David would get on his bobcat and 'futz' with the pond. This is the latest development. It is maybe 30 feet across, 15 feet wide, maybe 4 feet deep at the deepest spot, has an island and a sand bottom as well as sandy shores!

The pictures do not show it well but the water is clear as a bell and you can actually see the bottom of the pond now with the sand layer. Peeko loves it but Tack not so much these days. She has gotten to the age where swimming just is no longer the thing to do. I just may take her place, get myself a floaty and spend warm days relaxing in the water of the newest pond. David also has an extra pile of sand for the grand kids to play in...what a good grampa he is.


The plan is to circulate the water with a couple of pumps. We will pump the water up to the top of the creek bed, it will then run down the creek back into the pond and circulate back up again. This should keep it nice and clear throughout the summer.

Becky's Good News

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/beckyhewitt

A few weeks ago I actually met Becky Hewitt. She is the young gal from Nicollet that is struggling through her second battle with cancer. I introduced myself to her and as she did with everyone else there, she gave me a huge hug. I cannot explain what I felt from that hug. I felt strength, love support.....it really is hard to explain but what amazed me is that Becky was conveying this to me...she is the one who needs strength, love and support but she is the person giving this to others. Becky is a true warrior and I am so happy that finally she has had some good news in her fight with this cancer.

There is so much more that I would love to say about Becky her courage and what her fight does for those of us who have walked that path and those who unfortunately are still to walk it. But fitting words do not come to me......

Hang in there Becky. You are loved by many.

As always, keep Becky in your thoughts.