Rain

Rain all week and the ground is saturated.
Flowers do not look good,
black spots and their heads are hanging.
The seeds for soy beans planted a week ago may have been washed away

They say it is ending
hope so.
Much green stuff on deck and screen porch
and really do not feel like having it power washed and repainted.

The smallest home I have lived in over 50 years, I sketched the plan and thought
it would be so easy to care for.
Now the inside is easy but the outside and surrounded by trees is beginning
to need a lot of work.   Tree's need to be trimmed, with all the rain they are
hanging low.  Progressing in making flower beds smaller.

Therapy was on Thursday and could hardly walk in and after Victor's magic
 left pain free, balance improved for a good 4 hours.   Thankful but wish it
lasted longer and did not return.

Tried to find something to capture with my camera and not much found.

Now this one did not bloom last year
but now blooming and many more on the way.

and this one is a beauty

A long weekend
and much to supervise with helper arriving.

Have a great weekend.....

Last Friday

Rain almost stops
so I head to the Cracker Barrel
and lately their food is really good.
Half way it starts raining really hard
have not driven in the rain in several years
and I keep going with the thought
this good for me.

Child's plate of fish, cole slaw, turnip greens,
cornbread and a new offering which is so good
Blackberry Tea.

Large servings and I eat 1/2 and take the rest
home to warm and finish later in the day.
A lot of food for less then $10.00

As I drive
my mind continues,
in between the words "may I be happy, may I be safe, may I be well
and at peace and may I be filled with loving kindness"
this one experiences calmness with these words.

Thoughts begin to arise
so much from the past and I do not like their replay
then the present time arrives
one says
don't talk health
just breathe
another
don't talk weight
another
don't talk about  pain
and another
you are doing all you can
and I think you are amazing
a smile comes on my face....

A book has arrived "Natural History Of The Senses" by Diane Ackermandand I open at random and words about pain is on a few pages.    Shares about medications, meditation,
just letting it be (don't focus on it)  shares that pain is as much a emotional and psychological affliction
as a physical one.   Enough shared and will read all of this book soon and probably
underline much.


Also another book recently arrived "A Path With Heart" by Jack Kornfield.
Glanced through this book and will entirely soon and the habit of
underlining will continue

Paper work piled on desk and just do not feel like tackling
also a lot of ironing and this one always liked ironing on a rainy day
but not today.

Think I will just, relax like Callie who is now asleep by the door
and will finish my Blackberry Tea
an try and stop my mind...

View From The Mat

6:00 A.M
view from the mat.
I get up
pick up my camera
to take a picture
of the reflection
I see
looking out the door
from the mat on the floor...

Rainy Day Sharing

Many cups of tea
are enjoyed in this cottage.

It seems the teapot I use
holds 6 or 7 cups
and lately seems so heavy.

This smaller one
which arrived in the mail 4 days ago
 holds 3 to 4 cups
and twice that amount in a small cup I now enjoy using
is perfect...

Love the color blue
my big teapot
is brown.

My small garden by screen porch is the perfect size
surrounded by concrete terrace, nothing has ever disturbed these plants
and now
seems a mole has decided to visit this area :(

Cool and Misty Rain

Just came inside,4 bird feeders filled 1/3 as it is really high in price and cannot keep the squirrels
away in the evening.   Small bucket of grass seed is spread, pick up some sticks and add to fire pit.
I am very careful as I vow not to fall but then the thought if I ever fall would rather it be at this
 special home among all that was planted almost 8 years ago and I will not call anyone
will just lay there among my plants and trees.

Still beauty surrounds me and I am pleased but so much not the way it has been in the past.   A lifetime of pleasure working
outside, planting, weeding, pruning and guess dirt is in my veins and my small lawn tractor
sits and 2 years ago on a day like this I would be on it, clearing paths, throwing limbs out of the
way and just riding through the woods.

Young man who helps me - when he wants to has not been here for 2 weeks but know soon he
will want some spending money and will arrive and I will be outside with him actively pointing
at what I want him to do...

My heart wants to walk in the woods but the mind says "not a good idea" the paths
that I made years ago, kept clear are now overgrown and many many limbs covering them.
I vow I will walk them again, clean them up some when someone will walk with me.
When my children and grandchildren visit for some reason they do not love the woods like I do
they walk down my long gravel drive and on the country road.

The small garden by my porch has a special plant that needs some trimming or it will cover the screen.

Noticed in this small area a few plants missing and all of a sudden a big rabbit ran behind
some plants.   Hopefully Callie does not notice and a thought that maybe she (the rabbit) is going to have
babies.
Area in the front the same plant is beautiful and not going to trim and let it go where it wants too.

Going inside
for lunch, yesterday bought some corn beef, Munster cheese, special bread and will make a sandwich.

I Wondered Did I Lose You

Last year
you did not bloom
and now
how beautiful you are

Now it seems
my beautiful yellow Iris has not bloomed.

Therapy and as always makes me feel so good for several hours.  No healing but relief
from pain for a while is wonderful

Lunch

roast beef, melted cheese, tomato on small role, fresh asparagus
red pepper humus (so good) with chips
ice tea
and a eclair with a glass of milk...

My garden has never looked so awful, full of weeds, need to get use to them, can
remove some and no longer can spray, hopefully most will not have to be cut down
in the future.

Doing all up until a couple of years ago
but now it seems cannot do a lot I want to do
and do not like it.

Guess what is going on
is a lesson on accepting
and realizing
a lot I cannot control
like in the past.

This one
not good at either one...

Stormy Night

Storms all night
lightning that never seemed to stop
and hail which was the biggest I have ever see.

The hail lasted about 15 minutes
and was hoping it did not break a window.

Electricity on and off all night
and as I was writing family to tell them
it went off again
just came on after 8 hours.

Wish I was not so sensitive
but it unsettled me.
I could not open garage door to back car out
and cell phone was going to need charging soon.
Hopefully this is all just a memory.


At the moment
sun is shining
and received call that
new insurance ok'd
more therapy sessions

Want to go once a week
instead of twice like in the past
as it really helps me with pain and balance,
and the people there
are so thoughtful
and kind
it is helpful.

So a horrible night
and most of day
but blessings arrived.

A Good Day

My Jamie, Alan and girls came to visit.

Alan cooked on grill and brought a number of side items.

Caitlin brought her dress for grandma to see
for first dance and she looks beautiful...

Amelia showed me her cheers
that she is practicing for cheer leading next Fall.
She is good and was one of 10 picked out of 40.

Meaningful

Though no one can go back and make a new start,
anyone can start from now
and make a brand new beginning...

Looked at Facebook

Yes, I logged in
and this picture brought back memories

My Jamie and I
her a little over 2 years

and this one\
middle 30's.

Quite stylish at that time
with all the red
but
remember it was Christmas...

Jamie, thank you for the memory.

My baby girl
and still is....

Interesting

Is this the way it is for many?
will answer before I share
it is not this one...

Reading N.Y. Times
on Friday afternoon

and it shares
current average time on Face book - 50 minutes.
Not this one, it use to be about 10 minutes several times a week to check
family pictures, not anymore as I now might check monthly.

2.8 hours daily watching television.
Not this one, quick check of local news at 5:00 AM and evening world news
at 5:30 for about 15 minutes.

Now this one was amazed at
17 minutes of exercise daily.
Now this one
at this time\
25 to 35 minutes on the mat at 7:00 AM
and the same at 4:00 PM
sometimes cannot make this/
I miss long walks
but gravel drive is dangerous
and not that easy to walk long distance
with cane in hand.
(should have put blacktop when building 8 years ago)
Guess best walking is at the market
holding on to grocery cart
and try to go around store
several times
Never thought it would be this way
but now I know
life changes in many ways
as time goes by..

Also shared about new film
"Mothers and Daughters"
do not go to the theatre anymore
and would like to go occasionally...
shared a line
that mother said
after she gave birth
"I never thought I could love anything that much"

This I can relate too
for I felt that way with each of my 4 children's birth

Cards arriving
and one line
so special...

"I've never been alone in this world
because I have always had you"

So this mom
feels well loved....

and probably on computer
too much
as it is sometimes
2 hours a day
but it is my link to the world,
communication with family,
ordering from Amazon, downloading my camera images
and a lot of knowledge,
also try and read about an hour a day...

Happy

Eating breakfast
leftover tiny piece of steak, sweet potato, an addition of mushrooms, scrambled egg,
sliced blood orange with green tea

email just received

Need to straighten room
do laundry
buy some food
and the travel vest
you gave me
was great
pockets for everything..

I love my travel sleeveless vest,
wear all year with turtle neck sweater or blouse
bought from LLBean years ago
and always comments when wearing.

A morning in the 40's
 sun is shining.
So with this news
a good day ahead
for this one.

This Day a Thankful Heart

A frattata this early morning
using left over vegetables in the crisper,
Broccoli, yellow squash, red and yellow pepper, onion and tomato

So much help, encouragement and healing
over the last weeks
I am so thankful
and take nothing for granted.

These 5 weeks passed so quickly
but now time
to return to his home at this time in life.

Looking at this image of Bangkok
I am reminded of New York :)
and mom needs a view of the woods,
flowers, the sound of birds and
peace and quiet at this time of life

I always learn from his kind words, encouragement and now plan on striving to be
on the mat - early morning and late afternoon....

Safe travel wishes going forth
and
May the Good Lord
Bless, watch over you, protect you,
and direct your paths
until I see you again.....

I smile when I look at this picture