What’s outside

This summer I have not gotten a lot of flowers like I usually do every summer. Usually as soon as the greenhouses hang their baskets I like to go and pick out flowers for all my pots and to plant around.  But this year I am hampered with not using my shoulder so I have only the minimum.

I bought two of these to put in the pots on the arch which is outside the kitchen door. I used my new phone’s special effects and took this picture below. 

Here are some other photos of outdoors...

On my walk

Everyday I am feeling a little stronger so yesterday I called my friend Sandy and we went for a little walk around the Willow Dale Cemetery. It was fun connecting again and chatting. Before my surgery Sandy and I would walk every single day for a mile. 

     I saw something on my walk that I hadn’t ever seen...

It was a tree that had been pecked by a pileated woodpecker. He was busy getting insects out of the dead tree and evidently he has been very busy as you can tell from all the wood shavings underneath the tree. 

Pileated Woodpeckers drill distinctive rectangular-shaped holes in rotten wood to get at carpenter ants and other insects. They are loud birds with whinnying calls. They also drum on dead trees in a deep, slow, rolling pattern, and even the heavy chopping sound of foraging carries well. Their flight undulates like other woodpeckers, which helps separate them from a crow’s straight flight path.

Memories

“Yet occasionally we discover in the folds of an old handkerchief a shell or insignificant stone that had once embodied our happiest of afternoons.” 

-- Patti Smith, Just Kids

This quote reminded me of the two stones that I have. One stone I picked up from the Mediterranean sea when I was on vacation in Provence in France. I went with my friend Yrsa. The other is from the Baltic Sea. It was my first trip overseas when I went to Denmark with my friend Yrsa. I had never travel to Europe before and it was a wonderful experience being with all Her relatives. Just seeing those stones brings back such a warm feeling. It reminds me of all the good times that we had together. I will never forget Those trips.

Surgery update 3

I am on my eighth week of recovery now from rotator cuff surgery. I had a large tear of a tendon away from the bone caused by bone Spurs which eventually tore it in half. The surgery went well and I had to be in a sling for six weeks. The first week was really rough but my sisters took very good care of me. Don took over those duties for a few weeks till I felt like doing things again. Now I am on my second third of recovery going to physical therapy two times a week and doing exercises twice a day at home. I still don’t have a lot of strength in my right hand and still have pain from using it too much but I know it will be a long recovery.

Who knew Reese was a mouser. We kept her in the house since Thanksgiving and I intended her to be an indoors cat. But she had other ideas and finally wore us down by constantly sneaking out the door and pestering us with meowing. She sticks around the house close and loves to pounce on critters. I don’t know how she does it with no front claws . (We didn’t do that, she was a stray and already declawed.). She is so proud of her catches and tries to bring them inside. 

Joys

“One thing is certain, and I have always known it - the joys of my life have nothing to do with age. They do not change.
Flowers, the morning and evening light, music, poetry, silence, the goldfinches darting about.”
- May Sarton

This is the time of slowing down. With my arm in a sling and my shoulder immobile there’s not much I can do. Because it’s my right shoulder I am unable to really do much. So life is slow down even more than it has during the pandemic. So now I look for small things to enjoy. I love that the hills have become green. I like how the Forget me nots Are growing and spreading. I love that it’s finally getting so warm. I love sitting on my porch swing outside. And I really love my Family is coming to visit this weekend.

Surgery update 2

It’s been a little over two weeks now and I’m feeling a lot better. I have to have a sling on all day and night except when exercising or showering. It’s important to keep the shoulder still while it heals. I had a complete tear in the tendon which was repaired. The sling has to be on for six weeks and then I have six weeks of exercising. The recovery for this type of surgery is very long 4 to 6 months. So I have been taking it easy since it’s my right arm I can’t do much. I go to physical therapy three times a week and she manipulates my arm. Other than therapy I stay in most of the time either reading or watching TV. The weather here is improving every day and the leaves are coming out on the trees almost fully.This beautiful flower hanging basket was given to me by my good friends Lisa and Joan. It is so gorgeous and I finally got to put it outside.

Surgery update

Last Thursday I had really rotator cuff surgery. It’s been almost a week now and all I can say is you need help. I couldn’t have gotten through it without my sisters here to take care of me. It is my right shoulder so since Typing left handed I will keep this short. Now I am using the microphone and it’s a little better. I find myself very tired and also not able to do anything. I know each day will be better and better. I started physical therapy last Friday. It hasn’t been too bad so far but all I do is lay there and she manipulates my arm. Today my sisters put up my spring curtains and that was a nice lift lift in my mood. They have been cooking up a storm and we have been eating very well. Things will improve.

Visitors

I was so thrilled to have a visit from my son Chris, wife Wendy and my grandson Scott. Chtis hadn’t been up since they closed on their house in January and I hadn’t seen Scott in quite a long time.  We had a wonderful time celebrating Chris’ birthday by going out to dinner Saturday night there was a lot of chatting and story telling as well as playing games. It was so nice to have the house filled with laughter. 

A new fountain

Sometimes you just can’t pass something up. Don and I went to Erie shopping and to have lunch. I saw this poppy fountain in the .Christmas Tree Shoppe and couldn’t resist bringing it home with 

If it seems like I’m always decorating it is because there isn’t much else I can do. If I use my arm too much I have pain. So I’ve been trying to cheer myself up by creating signs of spring throughout my house. 

There is this.....

And this...

Decorating the kitchen for Spring

I am doing a little decorating while I still have use of my right hand. I will be having rotator cuff surgery on April 29th. After that I must keep my shoulder absolutely still for at least four weeks. 

So I put up some faux African violets to cheer me up during the recovery time. This injury came at a time when I thought I could begin to travel and see my family. I’ll have to put that off for a while.  

April Journaling promp

 Thanks to my friend at Common Ground I have some new journal prompts. If you enjoy these please comment your answers to the questions below. If you don't have a blog you can comment anonymously.

1.
What are you excited about in the coming month? 

 Well, I don't know if this qualifies as excited but I will be relieved to have rotator cuff surgery on my shoulder this month. I started with pain in January, went to rehab all of February, and finally in March saw an ortho doctor who recommended surgery for my complete tear. At this point I just want to get it over with and on the way to recovery. I know it will be a long, long process and I am sad to miss out on the rides on my electric bicycle.

2.
What are some of my favorite Easter memories as a child? 

   Who didn't get new shoes and dress (and even hat) for Easter Sunday?
As a kid looking for the Easter basket and coloring eggs was so exciting. Since Covid things have not been normal and the usual family Easter dinner didn't happen. Don and I were alone. I am hoping now that we have had our vaccinations that as soon as I am able to travel we can go and visit family. 

3.
Make a list of everything you love about spring.

   Marking the end of winter is my favorite thing about Spring. Spring comes later to us in Bradford and I envy those who already are seeing flowers and blooming trees. It is so thrilling to see the first daffodils raise their yellow heads. Then to watch as each bush and tree begins to bud and put forth flowers and leaves is amazing. I love getting out my porch swing for that signals that nice weather is here and once more I can spend time outdoors. 

4.
Write a list of ways you can connect with nature.

    As I have gotten older I find that besides going for walks (and riding my bike) that we don't do the things we once did when the kids were little. I remember piling into the truck and riding on lease roads up into the hills. We would stop whenever we saw a deer or porcupine. At each pond we would get out to see if we could find beavers. We just loved to ride around. 

5. 
If you could have any job in the world, for just one week, what would it be and why?

   I think being an interior designer or an event planner would be fun. I would love to have access to all the decorator's hidden gems and set tables with someone else's funds. Planning theme parties would be right up my alley. 

6.
What is your favorite recipe? Who gave you the recipe or where did you find it? Why do you like it?

My mother was famous for her chicken pot pie. There was no recipe of course but she dictated the steps to me. Every time I make it I think of her. She was from Georgia and our table featured southern dishes. 

7.
What are some things that you can’t live without? Why?

I cannot live without books, music, art, friends, and family not in that order. Those things make my heart sing. 

8.
Write about your hometown. What is special about it?

Bradford is a small town with not a lot of shopping or restaurants but it has always been home to me. I love how it is nestled in the valley and how the seasons are so beautiful. I love that the people in this town are friendly and generous to one another. I love that we have a university here. I love how the outdoors is a big part of our area with hiking trails. We have close access to New York's biggest state park. And we have a huge lake for boating and fishing. it is small town living, quiet and peaceful. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Snow

Woke up to snow this morning. As my son says in bradford April snow showers bring June flowers. We always seem to have snow in April. I will be facing rotator cuff surgery soon.I will be happy to have it over because this is painful. I hope you all have a happy Easter. Ours will be very quiet.

Spring decorating

I did a little rearranging for Spring by putting this vignette at the end of the fireplace. I painted the picture. I have missed my weekly art classes and hope that soon we can start up again. I need the encouragement that being in class gives me. 

This arrangement shows off my paperwhites painting. 

This house sale purchase is one of my favorites. Going to estate sales is another thing that I have missed during lockdown. This past year has been one for the history books with the Covid 19 virus spreading around the world. We have mostly stayed inside our house only going out for groceries and doctor appointments. Now that we have had both shots of vaccine I feel we could go out more now. 

I can’t believe next weekend is Easter. I’m afraid that with my torn tendon in my shoulder I won’t be making a large dinner. We will probably just go out to eat. 

The little reading bunny has come out again this year along with a copy of Peter Rabbit. 

Happy Spring to all of you. 

Put a bow on your chicken hat

Me...waiting to have my eyes checked....

What I love about a small town is that my eye doctor is the daughter of my former hearing aid specialist so the first thing we do is talk all about her three babies.  I always have to see pictures.  

Me...wearing the blanket/cape that my sister got me for Christmas. ....

Me...snuggling up with a cup of cocoa. ..

Topiaries

I love topiaries and tried my hand at creating a few. 

In our backyard

Five deer came waltzing across our yard. They were large and healthy looking. A family up the road feeds them all year long. When we rushed close to the window to see them one caught our movement and warned the others. Like a flash they rushed off and all you could see was the inside white of their long tails. 

White out one day, sun the next

Our weather has been know to change quickly.  I took this picture during a snowstorm and used the Prisma app to create artwork. But today the sun is out and the snow is starting to melt. Don saw a robin in the snow yesterday. I wonder how they can survive the cold. Spring is coming. I can feel it.  The last few years March has been fairly mild. In the days before global warming we would have a blizzard on St.Patrick’s Day. 

The scent of Spring

There is nothing that says Spring like the smell of hyacinths. At this time of year when I get tired of winter I like to buy some hyacinths to put on my windowsill. 

When I walk by I inhale a big breath and take in their sweet perfume. It reminds me that even though it is white outside that someday it will warm up and once again I will be able to go outside.

Next week I will be going to the orthopedic surgeon to have my shoulder checked. Unfortunately the month of physical therapy did nothing to help the pain so I am on to the next step. I’m hoping surgery isn’t in the picture but the way it is hurting continually I feel it may be necessary. 

    I will be getting my second vaccine on March 16th so I am happy about that. Then I would like to travel a bit to see family (depending on what the doctor says of course). I have missed being with my kids and sisters.

     

If thou of fortune be bereft, 
and in thy store there be but left
two loaves, sell one, and with the
dole, buy hyacinths to feed thy soul.”

― John Greenleaf Whittier

Getting a Headstart on spring

There is still snow on the ground as I look out the window today but there is spring in my heart. Today I have hardly any pain in my shoulder...the aspirin I took this morning kicked in and this is the best I have felt in a month. Last night I didn’t get to sleep until one thirty because of pain so it’s a relief today. Because I felt so good I got a little start on spring decorating. 

Missing

I have definitively been missing on this blog this year. I am calling it a hiatus but it is really just ignoring blogging for a while. Life goes on, even through this pandemic. But it isn’t a very exciting life right now and the sameness of the days gives me nothing to blog about. 

   I have spent the last month going to physical therapy for the pain in my shoulder. Finally we decided that it wasn’t helping so my next step will be to go to an orthopedic surgeon for a consultation about my rotator cuff. I have been in a lot of pain with it but am dreading surgery.

    The weather has been consistently in the twenties with snow on the ground so I can’t get out to walk. It seems my only outings are to the grocery store and doctor appointments. 

     I have lots of time to read and watch Netflix now.