The Incredible Shrinking Woman

There are only 50 days left in summer.  I am not sure where this season went, but I am doing OK.

I used to be 5'4 1/2" tall. When asked now (especially by my doctor), I say "about 5'4".  If somebody measured me today, I am probably closer to 5'2".  My grandchildren used to be little, now we are eye to eye and they keep growing.  So is the circle of life.  I disappear a little at a time and the younger ones sprout as fast as a daisy and take over the garden.  Nature has its way in all things and no matter what man does through medical technology, the sands of time move on and everything changes.  However, the fountain of youth stays always in our hearts.

So, what to do, what to do.  I look for sneakers and shoes with a little lift.  I stretch my head to look forward and try not to look back. I stand as tall as possible with pride for what I have accomplished. I play happy music and sing along as loud as I can and sometimes hit those high notes. I dance when no one is looking and also when they are.  My clothes are colorful, and I don't care if the shades are too bright for my age. I want to be noticed.  

My surroundings have so much to do with my mood so I spend much too much money on plants.  I am a giant amongst my flowers.  I do not listen to the news so my head will not tilt low, and I make sure there are always cookies in the cupboard to turn my lips up into a smile. I can't change what Mother Nature and the world are doing, but I have to get through my day as best I can, so I never say no to sweet things and plant as many blooms as I can. This year especially.

Being Perfect

Beautiful summer days and I am doing OK.

I was choosing a new picture for my header and I loved this one of a double Hibiscus that I have growing in my garden.  The flowers only last for a day or so but they are a magnificent sight when they just get to full bloom.  I thought it was a beautiful picture to end the month of June.  However, when I enlarged it, I saw that there were spots on it and I hesitated because it was not perfect.  I had a few others to choose from, but I kept going back to that flower.  Sure it might have been a little past it's crowning moment, it had a bruise or two, but it was looking up to the sunshine and was taking in all it could. 

Then there was this cookie I made:

My taste buds didn't notice the broken candy.  It was yummy!



Being imperfect is just perfect!

It Has Been Awhile

I never really went away, I was just resting and am doing OK.

Things happen in life that makes you pause, so I did. 

Spring came, the rains fell, the flowers bloomed, the pollen spread, we all sneezed, and the world went on.  I will not talk of the bad, but will look ahead for hope and joy even if it sometimes eludes me for awhile.  I know it is there, it will just take more effort.

Most of my gardens are completed, although, I will fiddle with them and continue to move and replace plants until the first autumn leaf falls.  This year, for the first time, I had to ask and pay for help.  I realized that I could not shovel the eight yards of mulch by myself anymore.  It was hard to make that decision as I pride myself on being self-sufficient and able to "do it all".  However, being found slumped over a large mound of shredded wood is such an undignified way to go.  I still helped spread the mulch over the gardens and I had pride (and my breath) doing that.  I also learned the lesson of acceptance.

My children and grandchildren took me to Longwood Gardens  for Mother's Day.  What a wonderful day that was.  We walked and walked and saw such glorious sights. 

Earlier in the day
 



Later on

 

In a few weeks my California family will be visiting us so they can see what rain looks like.  With the terrible drought in the west, coming east to our lush, green Pennsylvania seems like the best choice for them and for us also.  I am hoping, though, that the sun will shine and there will be cool breezes and starry nights for us all to appreciate.  However, no matter what the weather brings, I know I will get my joy back when my daughter and her family arrive.

 

Thank you to those who inquired about me when I was absent from Blogland.  Your concern touched my heart.

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

Flying into the Sun

 

 



When spring comes, I will be OK

Some of the blogs I have read today have to do with people seeing the birds coming back to their area. Two of my favorite writers, Cro,of Magnon's Meanderings and Joanne, of Cup on the Bus wrote about their sightings of Cranes and Blue Herons.  Any sign of the promise of the coming spring brings great joy to us who have been beaten up with the storms and solitude of this wretched winter.

Due to the oversupply of bird feeders in my yard, we have become "destination point" for many species of the northeastern American continent.  One lovely thing about the snow (yes, I said lovely) is that it is a wonderful backdrop for the colors that these birds bring.  We have hundreds of Cardinals, Blue Jays, and Red-Winged Black Birds and I am always in awe of the beauty that these creatures add to the landscape.

In December of 2012, I was awakened by my husband in the morning and told to look out the window.  Sitting in the tree closest to my house sat Turkey Vultures that appeared to be looking in my window contemplating dinner.  That was not exactly a happy greeting to start the day.   I wrote about it in a post then and included was this picture.

 

Not an encouraging sight.

This year, though,  they have been replaced by more pleasant looking Pheasants.  Yes, we do see them in many of the fields and farms in my area, but never have I spotted them in my yard.  First we saw the rooster.


 
and if you have noticed my header picture, you will see his hens in the background.



He walked among the brush towards the creek which flows through our wooded area.  The ladies stuck together, I supposed discussing the merits or not of their chosen one. 

I tried to follow them with my camera, but once deeper in the trees and the bushes, their color was morphed into the background. 



Hopefully the scenes from my backyard will change soon and instead of the above, I will look out to this.



Looking forward to a season change and the sight of many Goldfinches.

Right now, though, I wish I was surrounded by Flamingos and sipping a yummy tropical drink.

My Winter Love Affair

It is warm and wonderful and I am doing OK.



I am not a collector of anything. Yes, I have plenty of junk, but it is all diversified. As I move along in years, I realize that I have way too much and besides trying to pass my treasures on to my children (who have politely said no), I have tried to curb my desire to buy more. However, during the cold months of winter when I am being couped up in the house too much, I find myself on the computer checking out the latest of the must haves for the gardens.  Now, most of the time I am sensible and just look, but then the days become greyer and greyer and the snow falls and my resolve softens and, and......I give into the charms of Mr. Amazon and Mr. Burpee. 

Now it is time to pay the piper.  Mom told me never to trust anyone who had easy answers to everything.  She warned me not to push any buttons and a cart half empty is better than one half full.  I was weak and so the seeds have been sent, the plants and gardening supplies will follow and the bill for my indiscretions will appear in my mailbox on May 1st. 

Bless me Father for I have sinned..., but the devil made me do it.  It was not my fault at all, it was Mr. Apple, Mr. Dell, Mr. Microsoft and above all, Mr. Internet.  I am just a sucker for the Mr.'s.