Sunday, January 25, 2009

Penny on thin ice and possum

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The creek is thawing, slowly. Beyond Penny is a bend where the creek runs in from the right. That area is all melt, save for some white crumply ice. Penny is very cautious for a beginner.
It's possible Belle has told her to listen for the cracks.


She is near the edge here and it was making loud cracking noises so she wisely climbed the bank . It's not but knee deep, still I'm glad she is that cautious because her next experience might be deeper water.

Tonight the dogs were whimpering to go out, so I opened the door and looked out into the yard for critters before letting them out as I always do. They flew off the porch and scrambled around the weeping cherry, so I stepped out to see if they were after deer. I stopped short and looked down to see a possum eating the waffles I had left out to feed the horses!


Belle and Penny both ran right past it, so I ran out to the truck in my slippers and pj's and pretended to be going for a ride, coaxing the dogs into the H2 with my usual command of 'kennel up'. Then I slammed them in, and went back into the house to get the camera and Bob to help me get it gone.

It was not intimidated with the stick I prodded it with, nor me clapping my hands. It seemed to actually 'play possum'. It acted like I couldn't see it behind the tub of bird seed ( in the tidy cat bin).



Bob came out with an umbrella, so naturally I said "you'll need something stouter than that."
He opened and shut the umbrella at it a couple of times and off it ran. Then he just gave me that smug "told you so" look. I hate that look, the look of "I'm right again".
Wish that possum had hissed at him like the one that hissed at my nephew John in Texas. That umbrella would have been a crummy shield if it got mad.
I'm hoping for next time.
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Thursday, January 22, 2009

tree folk and mini horses

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This is Skye, prancing through the trees in her field. She and Akila had themselves a good time galloping around and around with Belle on the outskirts of the fence, egging them on.

If you look closely at this picture, Belle is the blur on the right side of the fence near the cedars.


The run through the woods was not as cold as previous days this week, so we stopped and checked out some of the tree 'gremlins' that live in hollow spots in my trees.


You never know what the fairy's or 'gremlin's ' have deposited in the hollows...


When my great-nephew Adam comes to visit, he has promised to help me find them all.
That might be a hard task since more and more are added weekly!!
Pesky little devils!
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Saturday, January 17, 2009

Frozen Creek

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It's REALLY cold here. The creek is frozen over in most of the deeper areas. This rock fascinated me. The patterns around the edges that stick out from the ice were really cool. (No pun there.)




The dogs needed a run, so Bob and I ventured out. Penny and Belle couldn't figure out why they couldn't get a drink. They walked around on the ice licking it. Why their tongues didn't stick is beyond me!







This is what one wears in 20 degree weather while 4-wheeling. Makes me think of my friend Debi talking about her friends from the city visiting her at her farm. How do you think they'd like my outfit, Debi?


Bob decided to check out how frozen the creek really was by riding through one of the deeper pools. It held until the last edge, but he made it fine. I chose to run the woods, just incase.
By the way, notice Bob has long pants on!



One run today was all we did. Too cold!
Maybe tomorrow. It's 26 degrees now at 10pm, as it has been most of the afternoon.
We had the fireplace going all day, and just heard on the news that there is a major power outage in our County, and many others due to the overload. We are lucky we aren't in the outage area as they say the power may not be resumed until tomorrow night! I feel bad for those poor souls.
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Thursday, January 15, 2009

GG and Caine and bubbles

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I took Mom with me to visit Caine on Tuesday. She really seemed to enjoy playing with him, and he loved her. Seems that babies and elderly people are a good mix.

Caine will be 1 year old on Feb. 13th, and a big party is planned. Mom will be able to come to it, and I think his other GG, Marge, will come as well. I will have Bob with me to help me, so it will be much easier.
I have to say, getting my Mom ready, in the H2, out of it and into Michele's house is a chore by itself. Then I have Caine, who is VERY active and of course in diapers, and my Mom who also needs assistance to the bathroom, and feeding both of them... I was so tired that I could only manage soup and grilled cheese that night. Bob had taken care of the horses and the dogs for me, so I got Mom ready for bed and got Bob's lunch made and crashed. I have healthy respect for mothers with more than one child. Having children should be done at a young age!




Caine is fascinated with bubbles. He cried when I stopped blowing them for him.


A future orb watcher?


I would like to visit Caine again next week with Mom, but I have to say, I'm thinking about bringing Jill, the girl up the street, to help me. I really have to get in better shape to spend more time with Caine as he gets older and starts walking. He gets around like a commando now. Elbows and knees 'swim' him across the floor, and then he gathers himself up with his feet under him and kneels, or sits straight up with his legs in front. He is so strong he can sit up from a laying position without anything but an elbow to help! He has also decided that baby food isn't for him.
I think he will take after Bob. Meat is what he likes. And check out those mitts! Bobs hands for sure!

Grandma is recouping...
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Friday, January 9, 2009

praying mantis babies!

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OK, I've done it now. My friend Becky, gave me some holly boughs to decorate for Christmas this year. One of the boughs had a nest I had never seen. Becky told me it was a praying mantis nest, and it would hatch out in Spring. Cool thought I. So I stuck it up on the branch with the nests in my stained glass room. Well, they have hatched!


They are crawling all over the walls, and my work desk!







Now what do I do?
What do they eat?
Gees, sometimes I can't believe the things I get myself into!!
Next stop on the www is learning about praying mantis's!
Hope they don't get into my bedroom!
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Thursday, January 8, 2009

sunny-snow shower and blooms

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The ride through the trails with my dogs this morning was a weathermans delight. It started with sun, that changed to snow/sleet showers that went to drizzle and back to sun. Belle didn't care that she had snow/sleet drops on her, she just wondered why I had stopped!

Penny also does not care if its cold or wet.She already went for her swim in the icy creek and now my stopping so close to home really had her confused! Notice the snow showing against the pine tree.

My orchids were brought up with me from the Florida Keys and they still seem to be on that blooming time. Most all have buds on them. I had trees full of them in the Keys, but I gave all but these to my friend Nancy, who loves them as I do. Now my bathroom is the orchid room.

What really has me going is the new blooms in my outdoor garden!
These are the new hens and chicks coming up under the old growth that I don't remove until Spring.




These are one clump of three that I have found to be up about 1-2 inches. They are daffodils, and I am amazed to see how far out of the ground they have sprouted.
Is Spring coming earlier than usual this year?

If Spring is going to be early, I better get my butt in gear and get to the pruning that is needed!
Sun, snow, sleet and spring flowers. This is a crazy winter!
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Wednesday, January 7, 2009

after the rain...mud

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My little girls, Skye and Akila have enjoyed the break in the rain. They are packed tightly with quality mud. They must have spent quite a bit of time rolling to pack it so well! The wind tonight is rising rapidly, and with that, the little horses gallop around their field snorting and bucking, at nothing visible to me.



The dogs finally got to run after a two day wait, they were full of energy. The river is running very high. This mornings ride was dark, even though it was about 10 am. The river is muddy and there are creeks all over the property that were not there prior to the rains. I beleive they are called 'seasonal creeks'. Foam gathered at fallen logs, and trees have lost their foothold, toppling across the water.





This last photo is of a run-off that has found its way to Jacks creek. This new creeklet goes right across my 4-wheel path, so I stopped to snap this picture. I have no idea what that white thing is but I am sure there is a technical reason for it being in my picture, however, I prefer to think it is a happy spirit enjoying the ride along with me and my dogs.



You all can decide for yourself what it is. I'll stick with my reason.
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Saturday, January 3, 2009

Mother Care-- a ride and lunch

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This is going to be the start of some writing that is necessary for me. I will head all my writings as mother care , so if in the future you would want to skip these segments, I wouldn't blame you.

I am caring for my elderly mother. She is 85 and quite overweight and extremely out of shape. She is also in the throws of dementia. All in all, it is difficult mentally and physically for me and I need to vent as well as document some of the things I am learning, because I am sure that as I am much like my mother, I will be experiencing the same things she does. Hopefully I will be as fortunate as she is to have family take care of me. I don't have biological children so I don't know where I will be if I reach the state my Mom is in. Let it be said here and now, I would not blame any of my family for putting me in a home where people are trained for this kind of care. That being said, I also hope I never have to experience the care of someone who does not love me.

We went for a ride today up the Parkway. Getting my mother in and out of the H2 is a problem. She can barely lift her foot up to a stool, then on to the rail and up into the floorboards. Once she does she falls into the seat and cannot lift her own butt with her legs and arms, to get properly into the seat. Then we have to stretch the belt full out, and I have to get into the back seat and buckle her in. She rides in the front at all times, since she doesn't fit in the back. Every time there is a stop to be made, the same procedure begins anew. After a day of riding and stopping , I am more exhausted than she. Today she made the comment,"Gee's, its like having a 200 pound baby to care for, huh?".
I couldn't have said it any better.
The problem is, with a baby, you can do what you please. With mother, she still has a say. She can be quite snippy. We took a short walk down to the pond at the Peaks of Otter. I am trying to get her to move. I thought the walk would be nice, it was such a pretty day. She was huffing and puffing after a short way, and stopped and said ,"Is this the way to the truck?"
I said no, its back there, I thought we'd have a walk and set out there by the water for a bit.
She went on and then before the benches, she said,"Are we going to sit there? There aren't any backs on those."
I said, I thought we just sit a bit, and then go back, is that ok?
She said,"Well, I guess it will have to be, won't it."

Lunch was at Dairy Queen, because the bathroom is accessible, and she can eat the bland food. Plus she wants icecream. Just try saying no to her.
There are times when she is like my mother used to be, but thats not often. Most times its all about her.
There will be segments on bathroom tatics, and the tissue and papertowel thing. She reminds me of a bird I had that was mating. It tore bits of paper and stuffed them in its feathers. My mother does this. When you remove her clothing, peices of paper fall out from everywhere.

Everything is explained, only to be re-explained again and again and again. Repetion seems to be her only foothold on life, and even that is slippery. The groveling bothers me alot. When I go in to wake her and get her to the bathroom, she kisses my hand and says, "I love you so much."
Usually thats when she is very wet and needs cleaning up, like a child who has done something wrong and diffusses his mother's wrath by saying, I love you Mommy. It makes me very sad when she does that. Maybe shes thinking back to when I wet the bed and she would yell at me.

Well, thanks for letting me vent. I think this will help me through these next months, and if I help just one person who has become their parents 'parent', then great. If not, I feel better, anyway!

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Thursday, January 1, 2009

New Year old cold

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Happy New Year!
Why do we say that? I always wonder about the origins of sayings, so I will have to look that one up. Resolutions are another wonder. Why make a New Years resolution? Any day is a new day, so why not resolve a new day?
This is my hubby and my Mom stretched out in the sun filled tv room, and I beleive the snoring has begun.Mom has a cat draped over her feet. Quarrie. Bob, Mom and I are fighting a flu or cold or something like it. . I sound a few octaves lower than usual, and my voice actually breaks like a teenage boys on occasion.

This picture was taken Christmas Day of me and Caine. I didn't realize how peaked I looked until I saw this, and had I paid more attention to myself I would have known what was coming. I suppose you can't stop a cold anyway, if thats what this is.
The sun is beautiful today, but its quite cold. Bob went out and fed the horses for me this morning, and he plans to run the dogs later so I won't have to get out in the cold. It seems to really aggrevate my sinus when I get cold blowing in my face. This morning I spent extra time with the hair dryer blowing in my face, heat on high. Sometimes I really miss the Florida Keys and all the warmth.
For New Years Day dinner we will have pork roast with sauerkraut and Hoppin John. Tradition says that the combination will bring good luck for the year. I think I'll have an extra helping of the Hoppin John....couldn't hurt!
I hope all my family back home in New England and all my friendsand extended family scattered throughout this big country have a healthy and prosperous year ahead. It seems to hold the promise for a year of change, so I'm hoping it is change for the good.
Blessings~
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About Me

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union hall, S.W.Virginia, United States
Newly retired from Franklin County Public Schools.Prior to that I was a cosmetologist for several years.