Today was one busy day. Yesterday, my partner made a deal on a generator,
but didn't pay for it until after talking to me. It was a 1200.00 generator, 8,000
watts, for 350.00. You bet I said Yes! We already lost power once for about
6 hours plus, and we have no desire to lose power to the point where our
refrigerator is affected--or the heat or air conditioning.
My partner started the day with a walk after dropping me off at the curb market.
They were having some sort of festival. In the Hendersonville, Asheville area,
a weekend is a good excuse to have a festival. I only bought some field peas
from the woman my partner calls Grandma, and some coconut cream cheese
bars from the same person I bought them from a while back. They are sheer
perfection.
When he came back from his walk, we headed to Asheville. On the way, we
got behind someone who had issues with driving. He was all over the road,
driving very slow, and at one point just stopped--and not a stop sign. He got
horned for that one. I would have done the same. He moved forward and then
leaped out of his SUV and commenced screaming at us. He called my partner
an "old man"--and he is seven years younger than myself. He was not fit--had
too much weight on him--and made the colossal mistake of assuming we were
intimidated by him. And he knew nothing about the art of fighting--he was
standing in front of the truck door. My partner could have had him down in less
than 5 minutes. But he showed restraint. The man was yelling, "Do you know
who I am? You really don't want to mess with me!" It was all I could do to keep
from mouthing off something irreverent and sassy. But I kept my mouth shut.
His wife was so distraught--he probably beat her up when he got home. He
struck me as that type. But the "Oh Yeah? You and whose army?" was flying
through my head.
After that, the rest of the day was very pleasant. We had a few things to pick up
from Walmarts and then on to pick up that generator, that is now living in the back
of his truck, encased in plastic, with a sheet of plywood on top for good measure
awaiting the arrival of his brother to assist in getting it down. It weighs about 300
lbs. We went to Ingles; I needed yogurt if I am to take all the antibiotics. There
was a list--and we didn't get home until 3:30 pm. I was exhausted by then, and
decided we could start the rest of the chores--regarding the fleas--tomorrow.
I had a bunch of mail--Bird and Bloom magazine came. I had to peruse it
before I napped. I ate some Lime yogurt and looked at the pictures mostly.
There was one of a hummer trying to run off a hawk. The hummer was very
unsuccessful.
And that is really all for today!
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Joys of Owning Cats and Catching Up in General
My cat, as you may recall, is allergic to fleas, so you can imagine my
horror at seeing a flea jump from her to me on my bed! Oh no--not
again. Oh yes, again. All the bed linens will be washed today, as well
as any other exposed clothing. Daisy gets a bath and a trip to the vet
as well. (That is probably where she got them!) All the dishes will go'
outside in boxes--as well as any boxed foodstuff. Cans can stay indoors.
Yes, it is time to bomb again.
And we are having company next weekend, so had planned to do some
cleaning, but not quite this much. My partner's mother, brother and his
kids are coming to visit. I am actually looking forward to that part--just
not to the flea intensive house cleaning. Oh well, the price of owning a
cat. I think she owns us really. And she is such a well-behaved and
loving cat. I am changing from Advantage 2 to Revolution for flea control.
I think it will give me, or rather Daisy, better coverage.
I did get sick again. I was sort of out of it for past 2 days; I'm feeling
better this morning despite little sleep. Still bug-phobic. This time,
though the symptoms were nearly the same, antibiotic was changed.
This time I am on Keflex for 10 days. My grandson became ill also,
with exactly the same set of symptoms. We are both on 10 days of
antibiotics--which will get me through to my "real" doctor's appointment.
The hummingbirds are still here--more numbers than ever. I have had to
clean and fill one of the three feeders already, and the other two are
getting low. For such little birds, they are surely eating a great deal.
Speaking of eating well, Frankie the Friendly Marsupial is eating quite
well. She/he especially enjoys left over pancakes with syrup. Frankie
definitely has a sweet tooth!
Wish me loads of fun as I go through the deflea process again.
All for now.
horror at seeing a flea jump from her to me on my bed! Oh no--not
again. Oh yes, again. All the bed linens will be washed today, as well
as any other exposed clothing. Daisy gets a bath and a trip to the vet
as well. (That is probably where she got them!) All the dishes will go'
outside in boxes--as well as any boxed foodstuff. Cans can stay indoors.
Yes, it is time to bomb again.
And we are having company next weekend, so had planned to do some
cleaning, but not quite this much. My partner's mother, brother and his
kids are coming to visit. I am actually looking forward to that part--just
not to the flea intensive house cleaning. Oh well, the price of owning a
cat. I think she owns us really. And she is such a well-behaved and
loving cat. I am changing from Advantage 2 to Revolution for flea control.
I think it will give me, or rather Daisy, better coverage.
I did get sick again. I was sort of out of it for past 2 days; I'm feeling
better this morning despite little sleep. Still bug-phobic. This time,
though the symptoms were nearly the same, antibiotic was changed.
This time I am on Keflex for 10 days. My grandson became ill also,
with exactly the same set of symptoms. We are both on 10 days of
antibiotics--which will get me through to my "real" doctor's appointment.
The hummingbirds are still here--more numbers than ever. I have had to
clean and fill one of the three feeders already, and the other two are
getting low. For such little birds, they are surely eating a great deal.
Speaking of eating well, Frankie the Friendly Marsupial is eating quite
well. She/he especially enjoys left over pancakes with syrup. Frankie
definitely has a sweet tooth!
Wish me loads of fun as I go through the deflea process again.
All for now.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Still Here
Yes, my tiny hummingbirds are still here despite the dips into the high 30's
and low 40's during the night. There are even more birds than before. I
put out a third feeder and the other 2 feeders are getting quite low, plus,
they have put quite a dent in the amount left in the new feeder. They are
still perching on the trees, preening and grooming and totally unconcerned
with date of the month and the approaching winter.
I am finally feeling better healthwise. I'm not sure how long this will last
as I took my last antibiotic today. I may or may not return to the Urgent
Care tomorrow. My grandson is also sick. He went to his pediatrician
today; he was diagnosed with a sinus infection and placed on antibiotics.
My partner is not feeling too well either.
All for tonight.
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Clear and Cold
No enveloping mist shrouds the mountains this morning. It is clear--and cold.
I arose from bed and changed clothes; a pink fuzzy sweatshirt and warm soft
grey pants are keeping me warm. The temperature on the back deck, which is
covered, is 40. One hummer is making frequent trips to the feeder so as to
keep her body temperature up. There are no bugs out and about this morning.
I am continuing to fight this cold or whatever it is. The antibiotics seem to be
working. I have a voice instead of a labored whisper today. Yesterday, too
weak to do anything constructive, I perused my gardening books. I was a
bit overwhelmed. There is enough plants here, but not the kind of want. I
want the entire property to be ablaze with flowers all summer and into the fall.
Trying to pick the right flowers and shrubs to achieve that is more difficult than
one might think. I am starting with the area that is nearly in complete shade,
the area closest to the highway. I plan to plant lilies of the valley and yellow
primroses there. That will provide flowers, and an attractive ground cover.
I'll add circles of trilliums and other flowering plants and some young white
dogwood to the understory. That will not be much, but it will be a spring
start. As for bulbs, I will probably wait until next fall to plant the fall bulbs.
Or plant them on one o the porches, so it is easy for me to control the weather
conditions for them, and mulch and cover them easily. Any farther, except for
small trees that need to come down, that is it for fall endeavors. One step at
a time.
I'm almost scared to check my lettuce though it can withstand cold temperatures
and is more hardy than most edible crops, I still should have covered it. I was
just too sick to care.
Here are some more interesting hummingbird facts, again from The Hummingbird
Book by Donald and Lillian Stokes.
"A hummingbird's flight (or pectoral) muscles account for one quarter of its total
weight." If you've been lucky enough to have one land on your finger to eat at a
feeder, then you know that it feels like the weight of a single feather. They feel
nearly weightless.
Hummingbirds bathe and groom daily. They will fly through "sprinklers or spray
from a waterfall." They will intentionally take advantage of a soft rain to bathe
and groom; they have no problem flying when wet that I have noted. They will
also pick certain leaves and use those for a bathtub. It takes only a quarter inch
of water for a hummer to bathe in.
Ruby throated hummingbirds fly 500 miles nonstop across the Gulf of Mexico
on their migration. Before they get to the Gulf, they will stop, sometimes for
a week or so, and re-fuel, depending on how far away they have came. This is
how I came to have "skinny" hummers--they are resting and re-fueling for a bigger
journey.
"Hummingbirds are fiercely aggressive and will attack much larger birds, suchas
jays, or even hawks." A bird after my heart. Fierce and unafraid. Doesn't
say much about how wise this course of action is, but I admire their fierceness.
"Hummingbirds have no sense of smell, that we know of," and rely on sight to
find nectar. Yes, red is their favored color, but they will just as easily eat at
white flowers as I have witnessed with the butterfly bush this summer.
"Humminbirds do suck nectar. They have a long bill, and when drinking nectar,
the open their bills and extend their tongues and lick up the nectar at a rate of
13 licks per second." Per second! That is amazing to me.
I just read the part about ruby-throated hummingbirds migration patterns. It would
seem the books do not agree. This book has the northward migration as Late Feb.
to Mid-May and the southward migration as Late July to Late October. So I guess
the females are not so late after all. Thus far, I have seen none but the Ruby-Throated
species, it is documented that in November of last year, Rufous hummingbirds were
seen at feeders in Hendersonville.
The first time I ever saw hummingbirds was at my Uncle Gordons. There were so many.
I wanted to go and live there--on his mountain. But I was there rarely. At my cousin's
house, I was flogged by a turkey. Fortunately, it was traumatic enough to be erased
from my memory and did not interfere with my love of birds at all.
The second time that hummingbirds were part of my life was in the high country of
Colorado. The tiny apartment I lived in had a very long sprawling porch with hooks
for hummers about 4 feet apart. The birds would light easily on your fingers as long
as you stood still.
All for today.
I arose from bed and changed clothes; a pink fuzzy sweatshirt and warm soft
grey pants are keeping me warm. The temperature on the back deck, which is
covered, is 40. One hummer is making frequent trips to the feeder so as to
keep her body temperature up. There are no bugs out and about this morning.
I am continuing to fight this cold or whatever it is. The antibiotics seem to be
working. I have a voice instead of a labored whisper today. Yesterday, too
weak to do anything constructive, I perused my gardening books. I was a
bit overwhelmed. There is enough plants here, but not the kind of want. I
want the entire property to be ablaze with flowers all summer and into the fall.
Trying to pick the right flowers and shrubs to achieve that is more difficult than
one might think. I am starting with the area that is nearly in complete shade,
the area closest to the highway. I plan to plant lilies of the valley and yellow
primroses there. That will provide flowers, and an attractive ground cover.
I'll add circles of trilliums and other flowering plants and some young white
dogwood to the understory. That will not be much, but it will be a spring
start. As for bulbs, I will probably wait until next fall to plant the fall bulbs.
Or plant them on one o the porches, so it is easy for me to control the weather
conditions for them, and mulch and cover them easily. Any farther, except for
small trees that need to come down, that is it for fall endeavors. One step at
a time.
I'm almost scared to check my lettuce though it can withstand cold temperatures
and is more hardy than most edible crops, I still should have covered it. I was
just too sick to care.
Here are some more interesting hummingbird facts, again from The Hummingbird
Book by Donald and Lillian Stokes.
"A hummingbird's flight (or pectoral) muscles account for one quarter of its total
weight." If you've been lucky enough to have one land on your finger to eat at a
feeder, then you know that it feels like the weight of a single feather. They feel
nearly weightless.
Hummingbirds bathe and groom daily. They will fly through "sprinklers or spray
from a waterfall." They will intentionally take advantage of a soft rain to bathe
and groom; they have no problem flying when wet that I have noted. They will
also pick certain leaves and use those for a bathtub. It takes only a quarter inch
of water for a hummer to bathe in.
Ruby throated hummingbirds fly 500 miles nonstop across the Gulf of Mexico
on their migration. Before they get to the Gulf, they will stop, sometimes for
a week or so, and re-fuel, depending on how far away they have came. This is
how I came to have "skinny" hummers--they are resting and re-fueling for a bigger
journey.
"Hummingbirds are fiercely aggressive and will attack much larger birds, suchas
jays, or even hawks." A bird after my heart. Fierce and unafraid. Doesn't
say much about how wise this course of action is, but I admire their fierceness.
"Hummingbirds have no sense of smell, that we know of," and rely on sight to
find nectar. Yes, red is their favored color, but they will just as easily eat at
white flowers as I have witnessed with the butterfly bush this summer.
"Humminbirds do suck nectar. They have a long bill, and when drinking nectar,
the open their bills and extend their tongues and lick up the nectar at a rate of
13 licks per second." Per second! That is amazing to me.
I just read the part about ruby-throated hummingbirds migration patterns. It would
seem the books do not agree. This book has the northward migration as Late Feb.
to Mid-May and the southward migration as Late July to Late October. So I guess
the females are not so late after all. Thus far, I have seen none but the Ruby-Throated
species, it is documented that in November of last year, Rufous hummingbirds were
seen at feeders in Hendersonville.
The first time I ever saw hummingbirds was at my Uncle Gordons. There were so many.
I wanted to go and live there--on his mountain. But I was there rarely. At my cousin's
house, I was flogged by a turkey. Fortunately, it was traumatic enough to be erased
from my memory and did not interfere with my love of birds at all.
The second time that hummingbirds were part of my life was in the high country of
Colorado. The tiny apartment I lived in had a very long sprawling porch with hooks
for hummers about 4 feet apart. The birds would light easily on your fingers as long
as you stood still.
All for today.
Friday, September 21, 2012
Cold Front Moving In and a Tribute
There is a cold front moving in and, unless they left at dusk, the hummingbirds
are still here. They sure look like they weigh enough now to make the trip.
But I am not a bird. So what do I know? And if were one, I would more
resemble an injured or clumsy ostrich than a hummingbird. Maybe that is
why I like them so much--they are so NOT earthbound, and I wish I could
be more free, but I can't. Sometimes life is what it is, and one just has to
deal with it.
I am ill--have a terrible cold. The cough wakes me up and forces me out of
bed--so that I will eat cough drops and stop coughing. It is feeling more
like pneumonia as each day passes. I should know. I have had pneumonia
multiple times--and three different kinds. In 1986, I had mycoplasmic
pneumonia--it took nearly 6 months to recover from it. I would be fine,
and then get sick again. I have had bacterial pneumonia many times--the
most inconvenient--my first travel assignment. I left Wilmington NC in
November of 97 and before I left Tennessee, I had to stop at the clinic
and was given the bad news. Since I couldn't rest--had to drive at least
7 hours per day--it was a very long trip. The last time I had it, the strain
was viral. I was exposed to a patient that had a dry cough, and by the
next night, I knew I had Right Upper Lobe Pneumonia. That was the worst.
Everyone that got near that patient became sick. We nurses said it was
SARS--but no one would listen to us. One girl nearly died, and she was
only in her 30's. She developed lung abcesses. So in comparison to her,
I did well.
I went to the doctor today--an Urgent Care--with another PA. Who didn't
listen when I said I had an extensive history of pneumonia. She diagnosed
me with sinusitis--which does not make one cough until they feel they are
not going to be able to draw the next breath. She gave me Zithromax,
which will help as long as I am taking it. Maybe I can get through until I
see my doctor, who knows me and he also knows when I show up, I
usually have my diagnosis in hand. Only occasionally have I been incorrect.
OK--enough of sick talk.
My plans for cleaning the bird feeders this weekend are now on hold. They
can wait another week I suppose.
Now I want to pay tribute to my Uncle Gordon. He was 17 when he enlisted
to go fight in World War II. I believe he was Marine, but am not certain. He
ended up as a stretcher bearer at Iwo Jima. What he saw haunted him until he
died. I found out later that he was in the first wave at Guadacanal and he was
also at Okinawa and a few other other island battles. He was a flame
thrower in the cave holdouts. I learned these facts from my cousin. The
stretcher bearer--that was his last duty before coming home.
He lived in the mountains of Virginia, and he was mountain tough. But
could spin a yarn and have you in stitches from laughing so hard. And such
it was about the time he lassoed a bear. According to the tale, he had just
gotten off from work and was driving through town when he saw this drunk
lasso this bear. So he stopped to help the poor man, who was no match
for a bear. He got a lasso over the bear also, but the bear took off towards
him, so he ended up turning loose of the rope and started running. Then a third
man got a lasso over the bear, and my uncle was able to get hold of his rope
and between the three men and three trees, they held the bear there until animal
control got there. Dramatic and funny story--now for the real tale! My
cousin Mike enlightened me as to the facts. The bear had wandered off
from the circus. It was tame and trained. After they lassoed it with three
ropes, it was a bit perturbed by the situation--especially since it hadn't
bothered a soul. So it broke all three ropes. About then, his trainer
arrived and snapped a chain around his neck and led him back to the circus.
Both versions are good and funny. I am telling this because my uncle Gordon
could have shot the bear, but he didn't. Years and years later, he went out
to cut some wood in the cold of winter. After he finished loading his trailer,
one log moved, threatening to fall, so he stopped and got off the tractor, went
back to adjust the log, and the tractor was not quite in gear and started
rolling backwards. He was caught between a tree and the trailer. The pain
was so intense he passed out. His shoulder was crushed. He couldn't
stand up to walk, so he crawled and dragged himself towards the road.
It was quite a distance and he would pass out from the pain. When he woke
up, he knew he had to get to the road or he was going to freeze to death.
No one knew exactly where he was. He owned 200 acres, so that is a
lot of land to cover. He did make it to the road, and he was found and
taken to the hospital. He lived through the ordeal, but lost the use of one
arm.
I still miss him all these years later. I remember being at a Christmas gathering
and feeling so alone and lost. He came and sat beside of me and talked to
and said things would get better; I didn't believe him then, but he was right.
Being a teenager can be rough--especially if you're keeping secrets--and I
was.
Now I have a house and yard I truly love. Even if I don't live but a few more
years, this is a wonderful place to live. I am so in touch with nature and the
cycle of life and that is a good thing.
Here's to you, Gordon! Our loved ones never die as long as their memories
are cherished.
All for tonight
are still here. They sure look like they weigh enough now to make the trip.
But I am not a bird. So what do I know? And if were one, I would more
resemble an injured or clumsy ostrich than a hummingbird. Maybe that is
why I like them so much--they are so NOT earthbound, and I wish I could
be more free, but I can't. Sometimes life is what it is, and one just has to
deal with it.
I am ill--have a terrible cold. The cough wakes me up and forces me out of
bed--so that I will eat cough drops and stop coughing. It is feeling more
like pneumonia as each day passes. I should know. I have had pneumonia
multiple times--and three different kinds. In 1986, I had mycoplasmic
pneumonia--it took nearly 6 months to recover from it. I would be fine,
and then get sick again. I have had bacterial pneumonia many times--the
most inconvenient--my first travel assignment. I left Wilmington NC in
November of 97 and before I left Tennessee, I had to stop at the clinic
and was given the bad news. Since I couldn't rest--had to drive at least
7 hours per day--it was a very long trip. The last time I had it, the strain
was viral. I was exposed to a patient that had a dry cough, and by the
next night, I knew I had Right Upper Lobe Pneumonia. That was the worst.
Everyone that got near that patient became sick. We nurses said it was
SARS--but no one would listen to us. One girl nearly died, and she was
only in her 30's. She developed lung abcesses. So in comparison to her,
I did well.
I went to the doctor today--an Urgent Care--with another PA. Who didn't
listen when I said I had an extensive history of pneumonia. She diagnosed
me with sinusitis--which does not make one cough until they feel they are
not going to be able to draw the next breath. She gave me Zithromax,
which will help as long as I am taking it. Maybe I can get through until I
see my doctor, who knows me and he also knows when I show up, I
usually have my diagnosis in hand. Only occasionally have I been incorrect.
OK--enough of sick talk.
My plans for cleaning the bird feeders this weekend are now on hold. They
can wait another week I suppose.
Now I want to pay tribute to my Uncle Gordon. He was 17 when he enlisted
to go fight in World War II. I believe he was Marine, but am not certain. He
ended up as a stretcher bearer at Iwo Jima. What he saw haunted him until he
died. I found out later that he was in the first wave at Guadacanal and he was
also at Okinawa and a few other other island battles. He was a flame
thrower in the cave holdouts. I learned these facts from my cousin. The
stretcher bearer--that was his last duty before coming home.
He lived in the mountains of Virginia, and he was mountain tough. But
could spin a yarn and have you in stitches from laughing so hard. And such
it was about the time he lassoed a bear. According to the tale, he had just
gotten off from work and was driving through town when he saw this drunk
lasso this bear. So he stopped to help the poor man, who was no match
for a bear. He got a lasso over the bear also, but the bear took off towards
him, so he ended up turning loose of the rope and started running. Then a third
man got a lasso over the bear, and my uncle was able to get hold of his rope
and between the three men and three trees, they held the bear there until animal
control got there. Dramatic and funny story--now for the real tale! My
cousin Mike enlightened me as to the facts. The bear had wandered off
from the circus. It was tame and trained. After they lassoed it with three
ropes, it was a bit perturbed by the situation--especially since it hadn't
bothered a soul. So it broke all three ropes. About then, his trainer
arrived and snapped a chain around his neck and led him back to the circus.
Both versions are good and funny. I am telling this because my uncle Gordon
could have shot the bear, but he didn't. Years and years later, he went out
to cut some wood in the cold of winter. After he finished loading his trailer,
one log moved, threatening to fall, so he stopped and got off the tractor, went
back to adjust the log, and the tractor was not quite in gear and started
rolling backwards. He was caught between a tree and the trailer. The pain
was so intense he passed out. His shoulder was crushed. He couldn't
stand up to walk, so he crawled and dragged himself towards the road.
It was quite a distance and he would pass out from the pain. When he woke
up, he knew he had to get to the road or he was going to freeze to death.
No one knew exactly where he was. He owned 200 acres, so that is a
lot of land to cover. He did make it to the road, and he was found and
taken to the hospital. He lived through the ordeal, but lost the use of one
arm.
I still miss him all these years later. I remember being at a Christmas gathering
and feeling so alone and lost. He came and sat beside of me and talked to
and said things would get better; I didn't believe him then, but he was right.
Being a teenager can be rough--especially if you're keeping secrets--and I
was.
Now I have a house and yard I truly love. Even if I don't live but a few more
years, this is a wonderful place to live. I am so in touch with nature and the
cycle of life and that is a good thing.
Here's to you, Gordon! Our loved ones never die as long as their memories
are cherished.
All for tonight
Late Night Meanderings
I awakened to my phone ringing. This is not unusual for me; I know people
in all the time zones, and I don't mind being awakened. I started coughing
as soon as we hung up--I could barely talk as it was. This cold has taken
a distinct liking to my chest--curtailing my talking most definitely. I have
been sick to some degree or another since before I moved here. I tried
to see my physician once. They were just going live with a computer
system--and I couldn't see him. This Doc is one of the few I trust to treat
me. If I think my knowledge level is better than the doctor's, I switch.
I want someone smarter than myself because I come with complications.
Multiple allergies, serious ones, and strange and not so strange auto-immune
diseases. I only show up when absolutely necessary. I finally got to see
his PA--she fell in the category of not as smart as me. I took 2 rounds of
antibiotics and finally felt better--for about 3 weeks--then the sinus infection
returned. I had to go to my doctor today to pick up my prescription for
pain pills--and the person at the desk was worried that I had been sick on
and off since June, and managed to get me an Oct 5th appointment. The
previous appointment was for November. But I will have to weather another
Urgent Care to get whatever I got treated at least until this coughing stops.
The hummingbirds are still here. The one that was so skinny--well, she is
very plump now. Looks like a miniature football! So I would say it isn't
going to be long now till the females leave.
I talked with my sister today and she asked where the pictures of the house
were. I was a little confused as to what she meant until I thought about
it. She wanted the outside shots of the house, and there is still a lot to do
outside, so I didn't take any outside pics--except of the crepe myrtle
removal and the front porch.
I will try to get some pictures of the front of the house tomorrow, but
the back still needs a lot of TLC. So it will be a while. The downstairs
screened in porch, due to all the wet weather we have had, has an attack
of mold--that is just something I really don't think people would want to see!
My partner's mother and his brother are supposed to be coming up after the
first of October. So I imagine he'll have the back porch and a few other
things spiffied up by then.
I have had some learning experiences with my Rhododendron. Not good
ones either. After they bloom, you prune them. But if you wait until after
they have sprouted shoots with buds on the end, and then you prune, well
you can kiss those pretty flowers goodbye. I pruned some back like that,
but not all. They need serious pruning back, but it can wait. I am actually
hoping I can get into the master gardener program that starts in January.
This will be my second time. The first time I learned that I knew nothing.
And I didn't even want to learn the bug end of things. Owning a house
makes a huge difference. I want to learn the good bugs from the bad,
even though my natural inclination is to kill all bugs/insects/spiders. I am
trying to be more karmic about it. For me, even thinking this is huge.
I am reminded that all the bugs provide a very diet for the hummers
and the rest of the birds.
Speaking of birds again, not far from house is someone who has purple
martin houses, so maybe attracting them will not be so difficult. And we
will have bat houses too. But the first thing we are getting (Besides a new
kitchen spigot--ours has a leak--in the hot water of course, so that comes
first--as in tomorrow!) are worms. Part red wrigglers and part European
nightcrawlers--this is for a happy garden and compost pile. I plan to find
us some good old fashioned horse manure. People raise horses near here;
I am sure they wouldn't mind if we mucked out a stable or two. I haven't
done that in a very long time. (Truthfully, I can only supervise the mucking
process now.) My partner is building the worms new homes.
I priced throw pillows the other day--and said, "That's it; I will make my
own." The price for one single pillow is $14.00 and up. I have looked
at pillow patterns,but now I want to quilt them, both sides. I know they
will look better than the purchased ones--unless they are hand made--and
I prefer my hands to be the ones to make them.
That is all for tonight.
in all the time zones, and I don't mind being awakened. I started coughing
as soon as we hung up--I could barely talk as it was. This cold has taken
a distinct liking to my chest--curtailing my talking most definitely. I have
been sick to some degree or another since before I moved here. I tried
to see my physician once. They were just going live with a computer
system--and I couldn't see him. This Doc is one of the few I trust to treat
me. If I think my knowledge level is better than the doctor's, I switch.
I want someone smarter than myself because I come with complications.
Multiple allergies, serious ones, and strange and not so strange auto-immune
diseases. I only show up when absolutely necessary. I finally got to see
his PA--she fell in the category of not as smart as me. I took 2 rounds of
antibiotics and finally felt better--for about 3 weeks--then the sinus infection
returned. I had to go to my doctor today to pick up my prescription for
pain pills--and the person at the desk was worried that I had been sick on
and off since June, and managed to get me an Oct 5th appointment. The
previous appointment was for November. But I will have to weather another
Urgent Care to get whatever I got treated at least until this coughing stops.
The hummingbirds are still here. The one that was so skinny--well, she is
very plump now. Looks like a miniature football! So I would say it isn't
going to be long now till the females leave.
I talked with my sister today and she asked where the pictures of the house
were. I was a little confused as to what she meant until I thought about
it. She wanted the outside shots of the house, and there is still a lot to do
outside, so I didn't take any outside pics--except of the crepe myrtle
removal and the front porch.
I will try to get some pictures of the front of the house tomorrow, but
the back still needs a lot of TLC. So it will be a while. The downstairs
screened in porch, due to all the wet weather we have had, has an attack
of mold--that is just something I really don't think people would want to see!
My partner's mother and his brother are supposed to be coming up after the
first of October. So I imagine he'll have the back porch and a few other
things spiffied up by then.
I have had some learning experiences with my Rhododendron. Not good
ones either. After they bloom, you prune them. But if you wait until after
they have sprouted shoots with buds on the end, and then you prune, well
you can kiss those pretty flowers goodbye. I pruned some back like that,
but not all. They need serious pruning back, but it can wait. I am actually
hoping I can get into the master gardener program that starts in January.
This will be my second time. The first time I learned that I knew nothing.
And I didn't even want to learn the bug end of things. Owning a house
makes a huge difference. I want to learn the good bugs from the bad,
even though my natural inclination is to kill all bugs/insects/spiders. I am
trying to be more karmic about it. For me, even thinking this is huge.
I am reminded that all the bugs provide a very diet for the hummers
and the rest of the birds.
Speaking of birds again, not far from house is someone who has purple
martin houses, so maybe attracting them will not be so difficult. And we
will have bat houses too. But the first thing we are getting (Besides a new
kitchen spigot--ours has a leak--in the hot water of course, so that comes
first--as in tomorrow!) are worms. Part red wrigglers and part European
nightcrawlers--this is for a happy garden and compost pile. I plan to find
us some good old fashioned horse manure. People raise horses near here;
I am sure they wouldn't mind if we mucked out a stable or two. I haven't
done that in a very long time. (Truthfully, I can only supervise the mucking
process now.) My partner is building the worms new homes.
I priced throw pillows the other day--and said, "That's it; I will make my
own." The price for one single pillow is $14.00 and up. I have looked
at pillow patterns,but now I want to quilt them, both sides. I know they
will look better than the purchased ones--unless they are hand made--and
I prefer my hands to be the ones to make them.
That is all for tonight.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Storm, Power Outage, and Hummingbirds
Night before last we were under a Tornado watch. I woke up at 0300 and
the wind was fierce. Rain was falling in hard pelting sheets. I stayed up awhile.
Listening to the wind and rain. I'm not scared of storms. Not even a little.
I've been through a number of hurricanes--the worst was Fran, a Cat 4--and
she was wicked! On the way to work, we watched one of those green
interstate signs sail by as if gravity no longer existed. We were stocked on
ice and water. One cooler was full of the most pricy meats and cheeses.
The second cooler was full of sodas and beer. At noon we still had telephone,
no power. And the hurricane party began in earnest. Friends of my partner
dropped over. He was a contractor then and knew a lot of people. We
grilled steaks and had baked potatoes. We had a lovely meal while in the
eye. Meanwhile, the hospital wanted me there an hour ago. So after eating,
he drove me to work and he went back to his party. The next morning,
we nurses walked out into an unfamiliar world. There was literally no
evidence of the existence of all the side streets. Trees were down everywhere.
The damage was amazing. This was the second hurricane in 6 weeks.
Bertha was only a Cat 1, but she did damage--and all those trees with
loosened roots from Bertha, they came down plus others. And of course,
with the hurricane sitting on top of us for nearly 24 hours, we had major
flooding. There are pictures of people in the lower lying areas getting around
by boat. A co-worker went 3 months before her water and power was
restored. We went 3 weeks without power. Why so long? Fran, like
Bertha before her, removed the meter box from the house. And all
electrical contractors are busy after a hurricane, so we just got in line
with a lot of others. The beaches were closed for 30 days--the first day
they re-opened, I was there. What a sight it was! Someone had left
a really cool red sports car parked 1 block from the water. It was still
covered with sand. Huge houses were missing. A motel 2 streets over
from the beach was missing. There was these 3 really OLD small trailers
that had been there forever--I was rooting for them to be there. They were
ocean-front, so their odds of survival were slim. But they were still there!
Their owners were there scooping sand out of their abodes with
shovels. The beach was pristine, washed clean of all human contact.
Anyway, back to power outages--We we one of thousands who awoke
to no power. We puttered around for a while. I was worried about
the hummingbirds. I saw not one. We finally left and went to the library
where I returned some books and checked out some more--yeah,
more! I dearly love books. This time I got some books on plants and
houseplant, planning garden, and pruning. And quilting.
We returned 1 and half hours later--still, no pwer or no signs
of hummingbirds. We left and went into town for lunch. We ate
at the Dugout--I hesitantly ordered fries again--these were perfect!
I was glad I risked it. Mike's on Main--well, I'll never go there
again. After finishing our meal, we walked across the street and
Kilwin's fudge shop grabbed me--I love fudge and pralines--and
pralines were fresh made today. Did I mention I loved pralines?
Today they had pumpkin nut fudge! I love pumpkin anything!
So I bought fudge and one praline. Ok, I confess. I bought a
slice of plain chocolate fudge and one of pumpkin nut. I eat it
by the fourth of a slice over a period of time. If one could live
off of fudge and not gain weight, that would be ideal!
When we got home, the power was on, and the hummers were
back. Busy, busy, flying to and from feeders. I wonder where
the tiny birds rode out the storm. They're sure tough to be so
tiny.
All for today
the wind was fierce. Rain was falling in hard pelting sheets. I stayed up awhile.
Listening to the wind and rain. I'm not scared of storms. Not even a little.
I've been through a number of hurricanes--the worst was Fran, a Cat 4--and
she was wicked! On the way to work, we watched one of those green
interstate signs sail by as if gravity no longer existed. We were stocked on
ice and water. One cooler was full of the most pricy meats and cheeses.
The second cooler was full of sodas and beer. At noon we still had telephone,
no power. And the hurricane party began in earnest. Friends of my partner
dropped over. He was a contractor then and knew a lot of people. We
grilled steaks and had baked potatoes. We had a lovely meal while in the
eye. Meanwhile, the hospital wanted me there an hour ago. So after eating,
he drove me to work and he went back to his party. The next morning,
we nurses walked out into an unfamiliar world. There was literally no
evidence of the existence of all the side streets. Trees were down everywhere.
The damage was amazing. This was the second hurricane in 6 weeks.
Bertha was only a Cat 1, but she did damage--and all those trees with
loosened roots from Bertha, they came down plus others. And of course,
with the hurricane sitting on top of us for nearly 24 hours, we had major
flooding. There are pictures of people in the lower lying areas getting around
by boat. A co-worker went 3 months before her water and power was
restored. We went 3 weeks without power. Why so long? Fran, like
Bertha before her, removed the meter box from the house. And all
electrical contractors are busy after a hurricane, so we just got in line
with a lot of others. The beaches were closed for 30 days--the first day
they re-opened, I was there. What a sight it was! Someone had left
a really cool red sports car parked 1 block from the water. It was still
covered with sand. Huge houses were missing. A motel 2 streets over
from the beach was missing. There was these 3 really OLD small trailers
that had been there forever--I was rooting for them to be there. They were
ocean-front, so their odds of survival were slim. But they were still there!
Their owners were there scooping sand out of their abodes with
shovels. The beach was pristine, washed clean of all human contact.
Anyway, back to power outages--We we one of thousands who awoke
to no power. We puttered around for a while. I was worried about
the hummingbirds. I saw not one. We finally left and went to the library
where I returned some books and checked out some more--yeah,
more! I dearly love books. This time I got some books on plants and
houseplant, planning garden, and pruning. And quilting.
We returned 1 and half hours later--still, no pwer or no signs
of hummingbirds. We left and went into town for lunch. We ate
at the Dugout--I hesitantly ordered fries again--these were perfect!
I was glad I risked it. Mike's on Main--well, I'll never go there
again. After finishing our meal, we walked across the street and
Kilwin's fudge shop grabbed me--I love fudge and pralines--and
pralines were fresh made today. Did I mention I loved pralines?
Today they had pumpkin nut fudge! I love pumpkin anything!
So I bought fudge and one praline. Ok, I confess. I bought a
slice of plain chocolate fudge and one of pumpkin nut. I eat it
by the fourth of a slice over a period of time. If one could live
off of fudge and not gain weight, that would be ideal!
When we got home, the power was on, and the hummers were
back. Busy, busy, flying to and from feeders. I wonder where
the tiny birds rode out the storm. They're sure tough to be so
tiny.
All for today
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