Christmas is over, and soon we will be at the end of the year. The lead up to Christmas is so long, and then, bang, it's over. I went easy before Christmas, decorating a bit at a time, and I should have done the same when taking things down, but oh no, that would be too smart. I worked all day yesterday, and put all the decorations and the tree away, and yes, I feel it today.

There is not much that goes on here after Christmas, after the girls and families have come and presents have been opened. There is no celebration on New Years, and on my part there is just the anticipation of getting back into routine.

     Routine won't happen for a few days, I expect. There is a rather large snow storm heading our way, due to hit tonight. The local mall has already announced that it will be closed tomorrow, and I suspect that church will probably be cancelled, if we get the amount of snow that the weather people are calling for.

     I fear my little black cloud is visiting me again. Dawn says it does every Christmas, and I expect she may be right. It is probably because of, well, I guess I don't really know...if I did, I could fight it. Maybe I do know, but don't know how to avoid it.

     I do enjoy giving gifts to my family. That is the best part of Christmas. That and the Christmas services at the church, but somehow there always seems to be the darkness, even while I am practicing and doing my duties as organist. My daughters and granddaughters are my joy, but it seems time with them is so short. Of course they have their own lives and adventures to attend to.
Speaking of which, Heather and Rupert, of Ironwood, have 3 little lambs, born on Christmas day.

   I have done a bit of needle felting, and I should get started on a sympathy card, but I am just scuffling along in low gear. I tried keeping a journal for a few days, but that didn't work. At least when I write here, I do think first about how things will sound.....well most of the time....I wouldn't want to leave the impression that I am crazy or anything like that.

   Sadie and I wish you a Happy New Year, and blessings in the days to come.

Christmas Eve, and Sadie and I want to wish readers a very Merry Christmas, and all the blessings of the Season.

A Journey

                                                                                                                                                           

Come now, let us take a journey
Back in time, to a hillside of long ago.
You are there. 
Close your eyes.
You are a shepherd…..
Feel the rough bark as you lean back against a tree.
Your eyes are heavy, you want to sleep,
For all is quiet, even the lambs are sleeping.
See them there, snuggled close to their mothers for warmth,
For the night is chill and you gather your cloak
Closer around you. – Then—suddenly you are startled
From your drowsiness ----
The air is filled with wondrous music – are you dreaming?
No!  This is real, the sheep hear it too – they are looking toward heaven.
Can it be angel voices – yes – listen – hear the words-
“Fear not—for unto you is born a Savior, Christ the Lord.
In Bethlehem – Good Tidings – Great Joy – A Savior – A Savior…..

And without realizing it, you have risen, picked up your crook

And even though you are weary, aching from the long day,
You begin to walk, stumbling at first –
For your eyes are on the brightness of the heaven –
Your ears full of the joyful angel songs.
In amazement, you slowly wend your way down the winding path
You hear the other shepherds – they are coming too,
And the sheep that follow you, always, are coming too,
And you continue quickly to the place.
Your thoughts are puzzling – a child – yet a king –
A Savior – a Savior….
But how can it be…………born in a stable….. a rough, lowly stable…..
A Savior….. how can it be?
But there – in the sky – a star – more brilliant than you
Have ever seen – over the stable – in Bethlehem…..
A Savior……… a Savior.
And you come to the place where He is lying,
And you sense something wondrous is taking place here……….
Your heart pounds, you can hear it in your ears.
You must walk softly though you don’t know why…your pace slows………..
You can see the manger and those who are there.

Not yet ready to look upon this child, you hesitate,

Gather your cloak around you for you are shivering—
Yet it is not from the cold—it is something else –
Awe at what you see.
There, the father stands – hand gently resting on the woman’s shoulder,
His eyes full of love for the woman and the child.
You look then to the mother, sitting close to the child.
She looks at the tiny babe, her eyes too, are filled with love,
But you can see there too something else – almost – almost a sadness?
No…that can not be…this is a night of joy….and yet….And yet….?
Then, finally you look to the child,

And you are drawn closer and closer to the place where He lies.

You wipe your eyes, for tears have welled up unexpectedly…..
Something is happening to you—you are a bit fearful, and yet calm.
You are drawn closer, until at last you look upon the face
Of this boy child who shivers a little from the coldness of the night—
And you cannot look away.
You look into His eyes and somehow you know,
You know that you are in the presence of the King,
The God Man – a child in a lowly manger…..A Savior…………
And you know at that moment that you will never be the same.
For your life has been touched with an overwhelming love,
And a peace that you have never felt before.
A little lamb softly licks your hand, as if to show you
That this is really happening, and you kneel down beside the lamb,
And gently rub your hand over its soft, woolly head,
And you keep your eyes on the child, the King, the Savior.

You will leave the stable after a while and return to the hillside,

But you know that you will never want to take your eyes off the Savior.
You know that you will look to Him forever.
For unto you was born that day, your Savior, Christ the Lord.                           written December 1994

Well, it finally happened.....snow, and lots of it. School was closed in the Annapolis Valley, and it's probably a good thing. I think the roads are rather dangerous, though I have not tested them personally. The ground was bare when I got up this morning, though it looked like it had been raining. About an hour later the snow started, and it hasn't stopped all day.

This was late morning

Snow wet and heavy

This scene is never the same

 

 

All of the pictures were snapped from inside the house, and it really was very grey, but beautiful. I had to cancel my appointment with the eye doctor, as I really am not up to driving on slippery roads. A new appointment was made for Friday am, so hopefully things will all be clear then.

 

                         Here are some faces of Christmas. I think I painted them last year.

 



Smile, it's Christmas

How close did you say Christmas was?

Hope I didn't forget anyone...

I made ol' St. Nick from clay several years ago.

And Sadie is not the least bit excited. She had just been out, and was melting the snowballs on her feet, with what was left of her body heat.

 

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, just look at all the snow............

Beyond Sad

I am having a coffee break, before I put the lights on the tree. I have Christmas music playing softly in the background. Sadie and I are alone, and I am trying not to listen to anymore newscasts. It is enough to know that a tragedy occurred, and beautiful little children have lost their lives, others will be traumatized, and parents who are left with no answers cry tears that will flow like rivers. I am sure the broadcasters will be on this story for several days, asking why, seeking answers, showing pictures over and over again. I just cannot listen or watch anymore. I know that a most terrible thing has happened, and the sadness is beyond measure, and my prayers are lifted for the families involved, parents of children lost, and children so frightened who survived, and families of the adults who were killed, and Newtown itself, who somehow must make their way through this madness. It is beyond sad.

And then I begin to think of all the areas in this world of ours, where children's lives are taken because of war, or hunger or little or no health care. Each child's life is precious, as is every life, and yet, and yet......

'Twas the Night Before Christmas...

With apologies to Clement C. Moore.......

'Twas the night before Christmas
And all through the house,
Not a creature was stirring,
Except for a mouse -

Who came out of his hole
And went straight to his work.
He ate all the candy, he was a real jerk!

When out on the lawn I heard such a noise,
I jumped out of bed, and fell over the toys.
I looked out the window and what did I see -
The partridge had fallen out of the pear tree.

As I turned and tripped back across the floor,
I heard another sound, just outside my door.
I though I should look, but I was full of fright,
So I crept back to bed and pulled the covers up tight.

I thought I could sleep, but that wasn't to be,
'Cause the mouse was still crunching on the candy.

Then, I heard ol' Santa and all his reindeer,
Heard him shout "Merry Christmas" and "Happy New Year".
Then he yelled something else as he drew out of sight --
It sounded like, "I'm glad I only have to do this one night -
Rudolph, put that partridge back up in the tree,
And let's go home, I need a hot cup of tea!"

Snow....no show.....

I know that winter doesn't really begin until December 21st, but usually, as we draw close to Christmas, the weather seems to be sensibly "winter". Today was not an example of snow sensibility. This morning I felt that I should get my little birds fed before the ..ahem...storm came. Out I went and filled the feeders, as a few flakes of snow began to fall. This was around 8am or so.
Next on the list was a short trip to the drug store for prescriptions, and as I left there a nice little coating of freezing rain was on the windshield, and snow pellets on the parking lot. I took my time coming back up the mountain, not wanting to challenge whatever was under the wheels.

Realizing that an error had been made in the prescription, I called the pharmacy and they said they would fix it up, meaning another trip down the mountain. I waited till mid afternoon, when I was sure that it was just raining. Off down the mountain I went again and pulled into the pharmacy parking lot, which was still covered with ice pellets.
Now, this evening the temperature is 11 or 12 C. Winter in Nova Scotia. Puddles in the driveway, and I'm waiting for the bathroom ceiling to start dripping again. (No the roof has not been fixed yet....but that is another story, for someday when I feel like a grouch again, or perhaps a big green grinch.

Our Sunday School held its little Christmas Concert yesterday morning. There are a lot of little ones and they impressed with their lamb ears, their shepherd costumes, their pretty dresses and all that goes with the telling of the Christmas story. It was excellent, as always, because there are no mistakes when the Sunday School puts on their performances. They are always good, no matter what happens, even though the teachers are always nervous before hand. I sit back now and smile and enjoy, having been one of the nervous teachers for about 20+ years.

In the afternoon, a friend, Pearle and I went to a concert put on by Lindsay's choir, the KCCC, which is the Kings Chorale Children's Chorus, and the Honor Choir, who teamed up to share their music. It was very well done, beautiful voices from young people who love to sing. The directors certainly know what they are doing and how to get the best effort from the young people. The Honor Choir will be singing in Prague next year. What a fantastic opportunity for this group. Ah...music, without which, life would be stagnent.  I can't imagine what my life would be like without music. Pretty sad, I would think.

I do not have any decorations up yet, so I had better start thinking about doing something. Lindsay mentioned it to me a few days ago, that perhaps she had better come and get me started. Hint, hint.
The decorations are in the attic, and I'm not quite ready to face it yet, as I cannot stand up straight in there. Perhaps when and if my roofers ever come to fix the roof, they could add a few feet to the attic space......naw.....that will never happen.....Perhaps Santa will land on the roof and go right through, then his elves will have to fix it, and my bathroom won't leak, and then I will be a happy little dreamer.

I'm getting a little carried away now, so I'd better come back to reality, before I do get carried away.
Hi ho, Hi ho....to the padded room I go........

A Dreary Day

     Well, we certainly go from one extreme to another weather-wise, here on the mountain. A few days ago, we had snow, and icy roads and frosted windows, and today it is warm, wet and windy. The grey clouds hang heavy and the day is very dark.

I couldn't see my bird friends at their feeder, but I could hear them. The window is now clear, and the feeders, dripping from rain showers.

Our church held a Christmas Luncheon for our Seniors in the community. It was well attended, and each person brought an item for the food bank. It is a great time for all these folks to have a good chat about what has been going on in each other's life since they last saw one another, have good laughs about past events, and generally enjoy a time of togetherness, with a great meal served up by the Church social committee. I've been a senior for a while, but I keep forgetting. Lindsay and a friend Leanne sang a couple of Christmas songs, for the entertainment. We can always count on these girls to sing, whether for something like this or in a service. It is so nice to have the young ones eager to do their part. Some of the youth went out in the afternoon, to gather food bank items. There is a challenge among area churches to see who can gather the most food for the food bank. There is a great need for the food bank here, as well as in other areas across our province.
.
This Wednesday will find me at the local residential home, to play for our WMS group, as we do some carolling and serve some goodies. The folks always enjoy our coming, and the singing of Christmas songs.

I haven't heard from the printers yet, and am getting a bit concerned about my cards. I'll be patient, (I am working on that this week) and give them a call if I haven't heard anything by mid-week.

Hurray! Our Bible Study group has finished the first five books of the Bible.  It has taken us quite a while, but it has been a real adventure, book by book, chapter by chapter. We are weary after tramping in the wilderness for forty years. In the new year we will begin our conquest of Canaan, with Joshua. 

Hope everyone has a good week, wherever you may be.

The LISTS....

Oh my. I have already spent a good chunk of time out of my day, reading other blogs, which I enjoy so much, and I do lose track of time. I have some very interesting blogs on my list.

I was determined to write today, and now I find that I'm in a bit of a rush, to get it written, before setting off to do the items on my list today. I wonder if others make 'to do' lists. I make them all the time. That way, I can look back, and see all the things I didn't get accomplished, and then add them to the 'today' list.

I wanted to share with you our first snow. Yes, it finally arrived.....my bird friends are not impressed, Sadie refused to go out at first, but in the end could not put it off any longer, if you know what I mean. It took me 10 or more minutes to clean off the car yesterday, so I could get to church.

 

I have almost finished the decorations, some only require a string so they can be hung. I almost feel lost, now that they are finished, and it isn't even December. Now what will I do? Oh, wait, just look at the 'to do' list, uh huh.

 

 



I had these wood 'slices' and decided to use them

 

Felted snowmen. Great fun doing these

 

 

Felted on one side, painted and little gingerbread figures stuck on the other

I had felted just the circles, but wasn't pleased with them alone, so added the wooden circles

 

 

Add a few items, and the bears become Christmas Bears

 

Time is flying, and I had better get a move on. Should I check and see if there are any more blogs for me to read?  Self control, Bonnie........Oh yes, I am working on that this week....Publish this blog and go check the LIST. Oh, alright, but.......No...go.....now!

 

About Birds and Blossoms

The sun is shining today, with just a light cloud above. The days have been quite nice this week, and the temperature above  normal for this time of year. Last year, at this time, we had a heavy snowfall. You never know in Nova Scotia what the weather will be. It is a good time to get things tidied up in the orchard, and raspberry fields, before the snow flies.

I have just left the garden as is. It will be patient with me. It is not demanding. I do not move quite as easily in the cold, so I will just leave it.

I have been busy with painting and felting, getting ready for Christmas. I like to make little things for my friends in the Bible Study Group, and the Choir. If I have enough, I will give what is left to the little ones in church.

There is still lots of activity in my yard, around the feeders. The goldfinch are getting quite brave about coming to the window feeder. They will cling to the window frame, bottom or even side, waiting their turn. The ones on the feeder are a bit greedy, and chase the others away. Even the chickadees are coming to the window. It is the one feeder that the blue jays cannot land on. Squirrels are making a nuisance of themselves, and I am still catching hornets in the house. Weird.

My Christmas cactus began to bloom a few days ago. I am always surprised when it blooms, as I am not particularly a good caretaker where it is concerned. Perhaps it thrives on not getting water very often. I do not know what the trick is, but it blooms somehow.

such a pretty colour

 

Latest painting, Apple Blossoms

A visit to the yard by pheasants

 

 

There are several things coming up, things to attend during the Christmas season, along with more doctor appointments. I'm still taking drops for my eye, at least until the 19th of Dec. I am glad that I can keep busy, but the days go by so fast. I don't want to turn around or blink, or it will be Christmas day, and I am really not ready.

 

Last weekend was quite busy. I spent Saturday morning helping out at the church, tidying up the Choir room, Library and Resource room, as it was indoor clean up day. I did what I could. Then, Saturday afternoon, I went to a fundraiser Tea, for Lindsay's choir. The choir sang several pieces, and some individual children did separate performances. They served very tasty deserts.Then on Sunday evening I attended a Gospel Concert at a neighbouring church. It was a fundraiser as well.

 

That may not seem like much to some, but after the weekend, I am still very tired, and this weekend is about to start. Thankfully I do not have anything on but Church. I get so weary, especially if I go to more than one event a day. Sounds strange, but just the going is hard. 

Lest We Forget

 

Karl P. Johnson

Served his country in WW1

 

 

about not saying something..

that I really want to say. The words are right there on the tip of my tongue. Just four little words, that are bursting to be released.
#1 I
#2 told
#3 you
#4 so

Oh, how I want to say them out loud, within hearing distance of B.

I did mention the problem quite a while back, that if the bathroom ceiling was leaking, perhaps we should have someone take a look at the roof.
Answer: No, it's ok. I do it later.

Gradually, through rain storm after rain storm, my suggestion continued to be ignored.
Every time I collected the buckets to put under the drips, I said not so nice things in my head, but heavy sighs, and oh nos, and not agains, didn't seem to speed up the resolving of the situation.

I has been many months, perhaps years, (yes years) but finally, finally, after this last big rain, finally B had someone come and look at the roof.
I almost swallowed my tongue when I heard him say to the fellow, "It's pretty bad, so we need something done now...."
To myself....It wouldn't be this bad, if you had listened to me..."
That's when I wanted to shout it to the mountain tops ...... those four little words.... but I didn't, coward that I am.
Back in the spring we were talking to this same fellow, and I said to him that I would like to have him come and fix the roof, but, of course B said no.
It would take me a long time to explain about B. All decisions must be made by him, when he is ready. He isn't easy to live with, and since the stroke, it is worse..

Sometimes I feel, as my mother used to say, that I have the patience of Job.
You know what happens if you take a bottle of pop, and shake it up, then open it? It's sort of the same thing with B. I just never know when that 'pop' is going to fly all over the place.

Well, now that I have ranted a bit, I guess I won't worry about saying those four little words out loud, but I will know in my heart of hearts that those words are true.

I have been sitting here, questioning myself, and wondering if I should hit 'publish'.
The answer is yes, otherwise, there might be a pop explosion, and I'd have to clean up the mess.

Of wind, rain and ladybugs...

My, oh my, it is the 1st of November, already. There certainly is no holding time back. It passes like a breath of wind, and a month has gone.

Speaking of wind, we had a few days of good blows, and lots of rain, but not nearly the situation of the folks in New York, or, Toronto for that matter. I think we got away without too much effect of Sandy. She sure created a lot of havoc, and destruction. Though I really want to complain about my leaking bathroom ceiling, I can't allow myself more than a wimper, when I consider the fate of others.Those who know, say this size storm is due to warmer waters in the Atlantic, and other things that all aligned to make things worse. Global warming?

The days have been warmer than they should be this time of year, and there are lots of flies and lady bugs taking advantage of a few more days. The hornets are persisting in the basement. A good freeze is what they need, or, um....what I need. The flies, make so much noise as they batter themselves against the ceiling, or the window, and then, after a while, they lie, feet up on the window sill, or floor. I do not mind the ladybugs. They are special. (see below)

The weather eased off for the trick or treaters, last night. There was a bit of drizzle, but not the hard rain that fell earlier in the day.

I am not a great fan of hallowe'en, but I do enjoy the little ones who come to the door. Sadie, on the other hand, just can't quite get her little mind around these strange little creatures that arrive through the early evening, though she is pretty good, and doesn't bark. I had 11 young ones come to the door, 10 in the evening, and 1 in the afternoon when I was visited by the cutest little ladybug. Sadie actually took to this little sweetheart. I could not let this post go by without this picture.

 

 

I was also entertained, in the evening by pirates, creatures of unknown origin, a witch, a devil, princess, flower child, and others. We never have a great many children up on the mountain, and last night was a dark, dreary night to be out on the road.

 

     We are all finished in the orchard, except for a few trees that will be picked tomorrow.  Things are looking pretty bare, though the leaves seem to cling to the branches, unlike the other trees around.

 

 

 

My eye is much better. I have a follow up next week, and hope that I won't have to use the drops for much longer.

 

Wishing you a great November, and it won't be long before, well......you know........snow.......

 



What a week

Latest felting, not sure what it is, though it does have a turtle head

It has been about 5 weeks since the cataract operation. Everything was going so well, and I spent most days without using my glasses, except for reading. I was even able to read piano and organ music without glasses.

And then.....
Tuesday morning, as I woke up my right eye felt a little strange, and a bit sore. When my housekeeper arrived, (She comes once a week for 2 hrs), she asked what was wrong with my eye? It seemed that the eye was quite bloodshot. I hadn't noticed, as I make it a general rule not to look in the mirror first thing in the morning. But when C  pointed out how red my eye was, I went to have a look. The eye didn't look very good at all. It was a bit sore, and as the day wore on it got more painful, to the point that light really made my eye pain, even the computer made it hurt. By 8 o'clock, I'd had enough, and went off to bed, just so it would be dark and I had no reason to open my eye.

Needless to say, I was very concerned. What was going on with the eye that had done so well, up to this point? After calling the doctors office and the cataract office, I finally got to talk to a person instead of a machine, and got an appointment for the next day.

"It is a good thing that you called", said the assistant, after a thorough look at my eye, and the doctor having a second thorough look. I can't recall all the reasons why my eye was so sore and red. Residual inflamation. Some folk cannot stop the drops as fast as others. There were a few other thoughts about what could be causing it, including a small piece of the cataract that hadn't dissolved, but that reason was very slight. Therefore.....back to the drops, starting again four times a day.
If it didn't show improvement then I was to go in this morning to have another check.
Thankfully, it is better today, and I have an appointment with my doctor, and hopefully all will be well. The unfortunate thing, is that it has affected my vision, and I am back to using my glasses, most of the time.

Sadie looks a little grumpy..please take this leash off.....now

To top it all off, my other doctor, bless his dear little heart, has decided that my blood pressure is too high, even when I don't appear to be stressed, and so, add a blood pressure pill to the one I take for depression. and the one for fibro..........

I took a few pictures today of the trees, and their colour. They aren't quite as brilliant as they have been in past years, but they are still beautiful

same old same old

Neighbour's house across the road

a very old bean thrasher

I think I should paint a scene on this shed.....

Not this year.....

 

Apple picking almost over

Bees still buzzing round the clover

Hornets in the basement window

Attracted by the basement light

from a nest under the shingles

where there is a hole

outside and inside

How did that happen?

and

in they fly.

Soon they'll be gone

when fall is over

and there is no clover,

Heavy frost upon the ground

will bring the end of basement flights

I can only hope.

Living with Fibromalgia....living through fibromalgia......living despite having fibromyalgia.

It is always with you, even when you are feeling fairly good. It never quite totally disappears.

 It reminds you, often, that it is there, just under the surface, waiting to reach out and grab you.

I thought it was a fibro flare, but now it is getting to be a full blown fire.

It is that time, and I have been grabbed and shaken and left to battle my way through the effects, and try to keep up with the things I want and need to do

I am tired all the time. It is not a good kind of tired, like one might feel after a hard day's work, or after running a race, but rather a nagging fatigue that causes me to drag myself from one thing to another. There is no resting up, or getting a good night's sleep to rectify this.

To others I look a little tired, but that's all. There is no cast, or bandage or any other tell tale sign that something is wrong. I may walk slower, or limp a bit, depending on my legs, but it isn't that noticeable, except to my girls. There are the muscle aches and pains, the tender spots, which if touched hurt so much, the headache which is almost always present, the itchiness that has no visible cause. My brain does not talk well to my muscles and nerve endings.

Fibromyalgia is a complicated condition. It is a rheumatic disorder, and there is no cure. FM sufferers are all different in the way the syndrome manifests itself. The cause of fibro is not really known, nor the reasons for a flare.

So why am I writing about this today? Perhaps because it is hanging heavy on my shoulders right now.

It is Thanksgiving time, and I am thinking of the things I am thankful for.
I was listening to a radio program on the CBC this morning, and there was a replay of a documentary on Raylene Rankin. For those who don't know, she was a founding member of the Cape Breton group, The Rankins. She sang so beautifully, especially a song called Rise Again. On the program, she spoke about coming to terms with having cancer, and having it return, and seeking out what was important in her life. She succumbed to the cancer and passed away last week.
One of the things she said jumped right out at me. "accept the road taken", and how she had learned to do that.

Four words, and the wisdom that is found in them.

I suppose that everyone of us has struggles and difficulties in life as we go along the road taken. But, once on that road, there is no turning around and trying to start again. Perhaps we might wish that we had taken a different road in the beginning, but then all the wonderful things that have happened to you, would have been missed. The road is long and winding, going up hill and into valleys, and full of potholes and detours, and ruts, but there is smooth pavement too. The potholes help you appreciate the smooth pavement.

I guess what I am trying to say through all this, is that I need to accept my limitations, when fibro raises it's ugly head, and keep on trucking down the road that I've taken. There's new views ahead, whether it be valley or mountain, and I am thankful.

It's a rainy day on the mountain, and a deserved day of rest for out orchard workers. They've been going straight out for two weeks. Most of the apples are going for processing this year, because of so much scab.

I am struggling a bit right now with the dreaded fibro, which has raised its ugly head and decided that it would affect my legs more than usual. It doesn't take much walking to start my legs burning and I even found as I tried to sleep last night that because of sore points, I couldn't get comfortable at all. Oh well, I've been here before. I just hope this doesn't last too long, and that it doesn't get any worse. At least I can still accomplish daily chores even if they do take me longer. One step forward, two steps back.

On to other things.....Sadie and I have been enjoying the new bird feeder I hung in the window. The goldfinch discovered it and have become used to me moving about. Sometimes I startle them, but most of the time I can move, and they will continue to feed.

Who's watching who?

 

 

We had a lovely day last Sunday. My eldest granddaughter made a decision to be baptised, and though the day threatened rain, it held off and all went well. She has made an important decision in her young life. Though I realize it is not for everyone, in our family it is a special step, taken after much thought. The Baptism took place at a lake near us, and friends and family joined together to witness it.

 

Two of Rae's friends (foreground), Other grandparents, and Lindsay

Three generations

Church family

My very special young friends. Love them.

 

That's it for today.



 

 

Finally...

I can start posting again. It has been exactly two weeks since the cataract was removed, and I am really doing fine. I had to be very good the first week. One of the things I was not supposed to do was bend over.

Well, I hadn't realized how much I do that requires bending over. A lot of the things I need in the kitchen are in the lower cupboards; getting something from the lower shelves in the fridge; picking up something I dropped; all manner of things.

And then there's Sadie. Her food dish is on the floor, she herself is close to the floor, so that when she wants out, and has to get her leash on, you guessed it, I bend over. So, for the first week, I wished that Sadie was a Saint Bernard, and tried to remember to bend my knees and look straight out, and not down.

Now bending my knees shouldn't be a real problem, for most folk, but having the dreaded fibromyalgia meant that after the first 20 times or so, my legs started to burn a little. Anyhow, I got through it, and the second week went much better, when the Dr. said I could go back to normal activity, and drive the car, and bend over. Hurray!

I only missed one choir practice and one church service, as I have an assistant who took over for me. She's a sweetheart. I did attend church, and it felt very strange sitting in the pew.

That reminds me. I had better wrap this up for now, because it is choir practice night, and I have a job to do.

Eye operation was a success, however I am finding it difficult to spend any time on the computer. It seems one eye is battling the other, or something, and the result is squinting and a headache. So for the time being, I won't be blogging. Hopefully, as the eye heals, I'll be able to catch up on my blog reading, which I miss very much. Thanks for all your kind comments.

Here I Sit.....

......fingers poised over keyboard, and suddenly my mind goes blank. What was it that I was going to write about......stop, answer phone, now what was it.......stop, talk to Dawn.......now, what was it I was going to write about? Sadie, what was I going to write about? Sadie ignores me..... Oh well, there was something on my mind, but, now, what was it?
Sometimes I have to wonder about my state of mind, but that gives me a headache, so I don't do that too often.

I started taking the eye drops necessary before the cataract operation, that is coming up on Thursday.
Two different kinds, four times a day. Most people I have spoken to, say that anyone they know who has had a cataract removed, have been thrilled with the results. That's encouraging.
But....that is not what I was going to write about.

I spotted a big squirrel on the lawn yesterday, so I quickly grabbed the camera and took a picture through the window. It was not the usual little red squirrel. I'll show you.

I think this is an Eastern Grey Squirrel

 

This is the red squirrel that is usually around

 

 

I can't remember seeing a grey squirrel in all the time I've been in NS, but then......I can't remember what I was going to write about.....

 

I've done some felting lately.....



 

That wasn't what I was going to write about either.

 

Sadie says, forget it.

I said, I already did.

 

Nap time

 

 

 

 

Antics in the Yard

We had a lot of rain yesterday, which is a good thing, since our well is pretty low. We really have to watch our water use. This is definitely a consequence of a dry summer. The wind has blown fairly hard all day today, and this morning it was quite chilly. Fall can't be far away. I tried to post a video of the chipmunk and bird antics, but it just wouldn't "finish", so I finally gave up. Stills will have to suffice. I so enjoy watching. Even if I can't share the videos, I love to watch them myself. Perhaps they are too long. I sort of got carried away, and there are neat shots of blurry trees, and leaves on grass, while I tried to follow a bird or the chipmunk. Ah well.

There are usually 12-15 finches around

The purple colour doesn't show up very well, but the bird on the left looks

like it has been dunked in raspberry juice. It's a purple finch. The female

looks more like a sparrow. The young goldfinch on the right is ok with the company.

A bit blurry, but I had to add another feeder to accommodate the numbers

And of course, little Chippy.

 

The hummingbirds are still here, though it won't be too long before they start heading south, perhaps they'll stay another week if I'm lucky. I will miss them.

 

It will soon be time to start up Fall programs at the church, so I have been going through music, to get ready for choir. It will be interesting to say the least, doing this on my own. Hope all goes well.

I have an assistant who will play when I have to be away. That's a good thing, since I have an operation on my eye coming up. Darned cataract...........!