A Word Choice

Just for fun I decided to try that Word Generator for the Word of the Year.

Immerse was the first word that popped up. Epic was the second. Hmm.

I still like....

Explore

But that was my word last year. And I am still Exploring. However, the Nudge word is fun to think about. Did I explore last year? Yes I did, I found so many new wonderful places to see close to home. I explored and found the old abandoned trails at KVR. I explored more in macro photography and of course in toy--story--imaginative photography.

Immerse
or
Epic

Hmmm. I have Epic things happening in my life. Rory, for example! I have new directions happening and interesting discussions for my future life too. [Not going to share any of that at the moment.]

I Immerse myself in play and creating stories. Not novels, just playful imagination. It is a wonderful way to distract from the mundane life of being the Caregiver.

The last word that came up was Devotion. That works too. I am Devoted to taking care of what happens in my little world and those around me.

But all of those words are kind of meh. They don't move me much or even excite me. I decided to look up a list of motivational/inspirational words and read it to see if anything popped out at me.

This word salad works better:

I'll take it.

Surely it is better than:

But there is that word: Mundane
I can sure do Mundane too!

But I think I will stick with the word salad and just be me, creative and mundane at the same time ~~ a sort of exploration in the opposites of what life offers.

I leave you with a mundane but inspirational and beautiful find in the woods:

Life

Is like an old leaf

It has a story to tell

So many aspects

Exploring

 

Mr. Charlie and I went Exploring last week on Saturday. We left early and got to the Reserve before most people are getting up and about. I like it that way especially when I take my UnCharted Trails.

Actually, they are trails from long ago and are no longer included on the maps. They are perfectly fine for walking though and equine traffic would have damaged the sensitive plants that are in certain areas of the reserve.

I decided to walk along the base of some bluffs alongside the river. I'd gone this way in the late fall and thought it would be nice to see if any ice was forming along the NW facing bluffs.

Charlie and I saw some Coyote Hunters getting a lecture on something from the game warden otherwise, we saw no one. We turned off the main trail and found our way to the bluffs.

The bluffs sometimes have some incredible ice formations on them and in other spots they have some of the most interesting looking roots and fern growth.

This tree stops me in my tracks every time I walk by it. The twisted roots cling to the bluff and variations of cooler weather ferns hang out with it. Behind it on the rock are various colors of lichen.

To me, it is a wonder.

The edges of some of the bluff tops did have ice forming on them.

This one below is spectacular depending on the year. In past years I've observed these bluffs from the other side of the river. I wanted to see it up close. As melts and freezes continue, it becomes a river of frozen little waterfalls. 

More ice shot with the infrared camera:

When I got past these bluffs, I came to a spot where I'd have to climb rock or go up a valley to head further north. I decided to just end the hike here.

I peered at the huge chunk of rock upstream and noticed it had a gap in it that cannot be seen from the other side of the river.

If I am correct in my thinking, this is the same rock seen from the other in 2017.

And...I think I know how to get to it. Looking at the topo map, it will involve some rather difficult hiking.

That is one of my goals this winter or spring is to check out that 'hole'. It may not be possible, but how will I know unless I try?

The view from bridge 16 with my infrared camera. I was shooting for the black and white effect and was pleased.

I'll be returning to this bridge in the next few days to check out some more ice features and study that bluff from the west side of the river.

Possibilities

Getting close to surgery!

Mondays are usually a disaster. Between phone calls from his doctor at the VA, other calls, and getting him ready for PT,...well...Mr. Procrastinator sometimes has issues with Mondays. It is like nudging a kid who doesn't want to go to school and says...
My tummy hurts
My head hurts
I don't wanna...
No, he doesn't say those exact words, but his actions are those of 'faces' and expressions when I set things up for showers or set out a change of clothes.
He'd rather not go, he tells me. I have learned that arguing is of no use. Sometimes I win, sometimes I loose.
His doctor from the VA called at 8am, which was scheduled. That set his whole day off from track. He doesn't like to get up before 9am.
Period.
He was grouchy and well, just his ol' Grumpy Self.
He talked with the doctor for about a minute and then handed me the phone.
His PCP who was not very cooperative in helping me figure out some things needed for surgery seemed all bright and cheery.
Whatever. She suddenly wanted to be helpful. This after I bypassed her for the cooperative Psychiatrist.

The extreme humidity we are having doesn't help much. Nor does the mornings of dense fog and over cast days.

The folks at Pulmonary Therapy are Angels and helped him through his rough Mondays. It seems that Mondays for whatever reason are really tough for him.
We discussed the ever present Monster of MDD or Major Depressive Disorder and he said he had no idea why he was the way he was and why things were so hard for him.
By afternoon, he is usually more cheerful and by evening, he is more like the guy I once knew.

Anyway....

On Saturday...
In order to break up Rich's monotony of TV binging, I offered to take him for a drive out to Runge Hollow where we have fished once in a while. He said NO at first and then agreed to it.
It was a nice drive.

I had a chance to park up above the earthen dam and bring out my camera. The day was rather dull looking and very grey so I thought I'd see what happened with my IR filters.

Even with barely any sun, I was able to get some great IR reflections off the grass.

And then the black and white 850nm filter...

It changes the perspective by making the green bright and the water dark. This shot would have been dreary in color.

And lastly, some X's in the water and trees from down by the lake itself.

This always reminds me of how my Grandmother used to claim that she left X's in the water at the good fishing spots.

Rich looked around and at the fishing dock then claimed he'd have to walk too far or...it didn't look like a good fishing spot. I cheerfully pointed out that I'd seen good sunfish reports from this man made lake and that the fishing dock would be a perfect place to sit after surgery and toss worms into the water.

Grumpy vs. Hopeful.
Sometimes I think that is my role in life.
He points out the misery, I point out the possibilities.

And life goes on.