Different stuff...

Dirty girls. They look awful like this and then go roll in the sand 'pit' and come out looking much cleaner. They have burs in their tails and their manes. The manes won't be an issue because I trim them off.

Fifteen is our only horse and I never wanted her here anyway. We don't like each other much and the feeling is mutual. I don't have time to do right by her. 

The mules are trained and have perfect manners and will accept a saddle and go without any extra work.

I may have finally found a home for 15 with someone who will work with her and give her what she really deserves. Of course we have to wait and see if it works out. If not, then I will search some more.

She is pretty, but as I said, I don't need her and she and I don't exactly see eye to eye. The photo below is her this past fall. She does have a pretty color to her. She is a bright red bay with a beautiful mane and tail.

Less mouths to feed = less expenses in feed. With today's economy these things are important.

My hiking pal --> Jason the Geologist Pony Tail Guy -- is coming out this afternoon with his two tumbleweed dogs. [My stepdaughter calls him the Pony Tail Guy so we've given him that moniker!]

Jason is going to provide me with some coverage while I get our taxes done and some other errands that take me out of the house. We'll also have some time to explore the creek bottom and give our 'puppers' some time to stretch their legs.

Apparently Jason is coming with some food and plans on doing some cooking for us? I never thought a random meeting during a hike on December 31st 2021 would produce a friendship like ours. Jason and Rich get along too. That is another bonus. 

This week will be busy also. 

Taxes, errands, and then another visit from one of our ex neighbors [along with the home aide and the nurse].

Caring for Rich is like having a toddler again. We arrange things around his 'eat' time and his 'nap' time.

Yesterday afternoon was so beautiful! It was up to 70F in the late afternoon when I took Charlie for a walk up the road to get the mail and some exercise.

I took my Infrared Camera with the 850nm filter on it. 850nm only lets you shoot black and white. Anything with chlorophyll will show as bright white. The clouds will show up white also, blue sky shows up dark colored.

This was our walk up and out to the ridge. 

It was another very windy day and I heard a tree fall in the woods, so we stuck to the gravel road.

This was the view of our house after our muddy walk. Our gravel roads turn to mush when the frost is coming out of the ground. Charlie got properly dirty and wet so we spent some time drying off on the porch.

We love our porch.

I found this doll head in the ditch. I know who lost it there a long time ago. One of my previous neighbor's kids used to take his dolls and make them into Zombies. [No, he did not grow up to become a serial killer..].

I found this on the edge of his old property and had to laugh as I recognized his work right away.

Perfect for a black and white photo.....

Zombie gal...

A 45 minute walk is about perfect for Rich's nap time and break time to breath fresh air.

This summer, I will be the yard mower since he won't be able to help. I plan on doing a bit more flower gardening to keep me near the house and focused.

I'm thinking Cone Flowers, Dahlias [maybe], and bunches of Lily's of different kinds. Bachelor buttons and then my mixes of cosmos, zinnias, morning glories, sunflowers and whatever else I can dream up.

I have most of the seeds I need from collecting them last year. Now I just have to figure out where I'm going to expand for more flowers.

I can always dig up the not so great sections of the yard to mow!

Last year's side garden....

The Creek and Prunes

So, I got out of the house and down to the creek. I was really surprised at this one section of the creek. The difference from February 25th to March 9th was pretty incredible. First shot March 10th. Second shot February 25th.

So how thick was this ice?

Thick. I tried counting the layers. There were over 10 layer lines of ice. Yes, that ice was really quite thick.

Charlie walked alongside of me while I was standing in the creek bed. The ice had grown tall over the water seeping below the ice. The height from the rocks to the ice was about 2 feet.

How does that form? The creek holds secrets that I may never figure out.

I couldn't help but stop to admire last fall's moss on one of the logs that stretches across the creek.

Of course, I had to take Mini Me and Charlie along. 

We also found a wild strawberry leaf!

The real life Charlie got quite muddy and wet. It didn't bother him at all. He was so happy to be out after days of being left alone in the house for hours on end and no humans to tell him what a treasure he was.

A word about our nurse from Hospice. We know each other. It was pretty funny when he asked Rich if he'd eat prunes to help with ... well you know... and Rich made a face.

I jumped up and brought out some Prunes that I have that are individually wrapped and tossed two down on the table.

The nurse picked one up and dared Rich. Rich picked it up and made a huge face.

Of course I commented "Come on Rich, you were Army, are you going to let a Navy man show you up?"

When you do a Double Dog Dare between two Service men things get done.

 

Catching up

Well here we are on a Sunday. I was going to send in a grocery order and go pick it up in town when we got a phone call.

Rich's nurse is coming out at noonish today. He called while I was doing morning chores.

So instead of doing that, I am readjusting my schedule once more.

Before the Rich got sick, I did a nice long hike in the neighbor's valley.  There is this very gnarly and twisted tree in the grassy part of the valley that always fascinated me. The tree has been dead for quite a few years and has a lot of interesting lichen on it.

I've always wanted to do a 'good' shot of this tree but never quite figured it out. So here is the tree. Once I decided to convert it to black and white, it seemed to stand out a bit better.

It is surrounded by a variety of plants and quite a bit of golden rod shown below. I'd read an article about shooting through a plant at another plant to give a bit of interest to the shot. 

So I shot the tree from the other side with the lens close to the golden rod for a light blur effect. Below is the result. It only took me a gazillion years to get a shot of this twisted tree that I liked. And there it is.

During the big melt down on February 25th, I spent quite a bit walking around through the creek bottom. In my bag I had another Titan 13. This one is gold. I thought with the late afternoon sun he'd surely shine.

I had a bit of excitement when the Titan fell forward into the rush of water. I had to chase him downstream a bit to rescue him. The water wasn't deep at all. But I had to try another shot just for the heck of it.

I thought he'd look more regal and I wanted to shoot more up at him than this direction. I'll find another time and place to do that but without the water.

That run off on the 26th was really quite beautiful. I enjoyed taking it all in. The sound of the water was relaxing and invigorating at the same time.

Now I'm trying to figure out my new routine[s] and get used to another change in our lives.

Including creativity is going to be a new challenge to explore. I can think of it in a way as being pushed to change things up.

Caught up and now moving forward.

March comes in like....

This week winter decided to come back with a vengeance in certain parts of the country. The shot below is one taken through our back door.

I love how its branches twist like old arthritic fingers. These trees are quite abundant in our forest near the house. I did hear that the CCC -- or the Civilian Conservation Corps may have planted the locust trees and pines as part of the reforestation project. I cannot prove or disprove it. The locust tree log once debarked makes a great wooden fence post. They last quiet a few years. 

The shot below is one of the Red pines that still live on our land. We have three left. When we moved here, there was a stand of Red pines where one of the sheds now resides.

These trees are old. I mean old old. I took 4 down last year that were dying and am grateful that they won't fall on the house. However, their shade when they were in their glory days was wonderful. Plus, the wind sighing through the needles make a most calming sound.

When I had to go retrieve mail in the last ice/snow storm this week, I thought I'd take the slightly longer way through the woods. It was pretty. However the gusting winds kept things creaking above my head so I returned to walking up the driveway. 

You know I had to walk Charlie and take my camera at the same time. When I got to the ridge and stopped to look, I figured out what was causing all of the creaking above me. 

We had rain that became ice before the snow hit. The trees were heavy with it. 

Since I'd left hubby napping, I didn't take much time to scout around like I usually do when I get the mail. I generally take a round about route to tour my favorite part of the forest.

However, we are trying to establish a new routine of sorts.

Sorting and resorting the medications and the medication changes are quite the chore. 

I'm also trying to master some indoor photography. I had a bit of fun. Mostly though I have been too tired from the week to do a whole lot.

Nina took her goats for a walk and had to have a dog help her keep her goats together.

[The fake foliage is actually a cheap pack of plastic fish tank plants! The green is a green fake grass mat. The rocks are what the fake plants were stuck in. How fun is that?]

I've got an idea or two to work on this week. It is so muddy and windy outside that I gave up on trying to set things up right close to the house in the yard.

Hello March. What a month you already have been!

Time out...

Promise me you'll always remember

you're braver than you believe

stronger than you seem

and smarter than you 

think.

A.A. Milne

Hubby took a major turn for the worse so he is in the local hospital at the moment. They are  adhering to his wishes of no ventilator and no resuscitation. At least I can be with him all day right now and not have to travel over an hour to be with him.

So for right now I may be hanging around in the background and cruise through others blogs, but I am taking a time out. I probably won't comment or make an effort to catch up at this point.

I may write a bit more on the other blog I started years ago when he was first Dx'd with throat cancer. I've used The Long Road to sort of write about the things most people wouldn't want to see in light 'happy' reading.

Being in a silent house feels very strange.

Hold their hand
Sit by their side
Hugs
Just be present

Be Still by Fray

Be still and know that I'm with you
Be still and know that I am here
Be still and know that I'm with you
Be still, be still, and know

When darkness comes upon you
And colors you with fear and shame
Be still and know that I'm with you
And I will say your name

If terror falls upon your bed
And sleep no longer comes
Remember all the words I said
Be still, be still, and know

And when you go through the valley
And the shadow comes down from the hill
If morning never comes to be
Be still, be still, be still

If you forget the way to go
And lose where you came from
If no one is standing beside you
Be still and know I am

Be still and know that I'm with you
Be still and know I am