What now?

Last year, I saw an Endocrinologist who put me on another bone med for my severe Osteoporosis.

 Per our agreement in May, we decided to go off the medications 'short term' (her terminology ~ mine was...Never!).  -- I called that discussion -- What Next?

So with that out of my mind and feeling much better, I went back to the gym and started with Mobility Class and then talked with a coach about doing exercises to Challenge my Bones and improve balance, strength, and increase core muscle strength in my lower back and hips. 

After 8 months of working one on one with a coach, I've gone back to the regular classes.

I modify my workouts to suit my abilities. I feel confident and strong. Yippee me!

Then I got this letter yesterday in the mail.

Emily E Peterson, PA-C has asked you to schedule an appointment in April. Please call------ at your earliest convenience.

Talk about out of sight out of mind. I had wished the problem away even though I am well aware of it. Especially while running up the driveway yesterday and leaping over a patch of ice to find myself on another 
patch of ice. Boom. 

I didn't fall apart. I rolled and came up trotting never giving it a thought.

I guess it is time to have a chat with the specialist again and see what she has in mind. In my mind, I want to wait for another bone scan before anything else occurs. Since I am not on specific medications for severe osteoarthritis, the insurance won't cover a yearly scan but I can have one every two years as part of preventative diagnostics.

I did wear my YakTraks later while hiking as Thursday's rains and snows made things a slippery mess.

The sun is strong this time of year so the ice in the creek area was starting to melt.

I hope to take some time on Sunday morning to go looking for something interesting at the Reserve. I hope to see some birds at least, if nothing else.

March 17th last year, I spotted Swans, Geese, Sandhill Cranes, and Red Wing Black Birds at KVR!

Social Butterfly!

 Somehow this week, I became a Social Butterfly.

A few weeks ago, an old acquaintance of mine texted and asked if we could meet for supper in Mid March. She was one of my 4H students from years ago. I think we met when she moved into the area and I rode my horse past her house.

I stopped to say hello and she went nutso over my horse. She joined 4H and I worked with her in the Horseless Horse Program. We worked with my grade gelding as my mare was still pretty green. She was in High School and a great student. She went on to place in the upper 10 slots at State for Horseless Horse walk trot. A lot of other folks helped us do fancy things like doing the mane and tail and they provided her with a show saddle.

We've remained friends through the years. Now her older daughter is in her first year of college, the youngest will be 15 soon. They live near Racine so we don't get to see each other a lot.

We met for supper in Spring Green as that was about half way for the both of us. She was doing a travelling set up for the company she works for and ended up in Baraboo, WI. 

We spent a couple of hours at Culvers getting caught up on each others' lives. It was great to have just myself and her at the table without her kids or hubby interrupting. 

There we are. Not a great shot of us but who cares? We did the math and ... geeze, we've been friends for over 30 years! Yikes!

Hint. I'm not the blonde one. I'm the one in the old sweatshirt and baseball cap.

I drove home in the dark. Hmmm. Now a year ago, I wouldn't have done that at all. BUT!
I could see! I could see even with normal headlights. Things were clear as a bell unless someone with those new fancy LED headlights had their brights on and didn't dim them. I had no visual problems.

Wow. I was so happy and stunned at the same time. I turned up the volume on my Pandora Station and enjoyed the drive. This will be another positive I can report to my eye doctor next week when I see him.

Tuesday evening I did CrossFit, Wednesday I hiked at KVR in the morning and went out to meet my pal in the evening. This morning, I was at another great CrossFit workout and got my errands done before the rains started.

Friday my ex neighbor Teri is going to pick me up and we are going to dinner together! 

Whew!

Charlie leading the way
on Wintergreen Trail
[photo taken in IRChrome]

Ice Falls melting on
Wintergreen Trail
[IRChrome]

March may be kind of mucky, snowy, rainy, and icky. But this week I'm enjoying it. 

Meanwhile...

It has been snowy but beautiful. Of course we think this weather should be December weather, but the sun is strong and the days are longer

so March will continue doing its thing and mud will soon be the main theme of March again.

This is the view out my front door. Those are the hills to our west. 

Mules snuggled together and waiting for the sun to come over the hills and trees to the east. They all just finished having snow baths and are nodding off.

They aren't cold, though one might freak out looking at them.

This is Siera, falling asleep about 30 feet from our front door.

After chores I decided to go check the woods out. Charlie and I went snow trudging. It was too wet and heavy for snowshoes and in some places, it was too deep for Charlie to plow through.

He waited for me to walk ahead of him and then used my tracks to keep moving.

We always walk to this spot. Over the years it is the one place that I continue to photograph over and over to mark the changes that happen in the creek.

2018:

The trees that had fallen across the creek were solid. In the shot above, they are rotting and falling into the creek which is dryer than in years past. More trees have fallen over the past 5 years. The path that the creek follows changes ever so slightly with little flash floods.

2013:

Morris and I stop to sit and pose under those trees back when we could still duck under them. Now we have to step over them.

I really enjoy seeing how things change over time. It seems static, but I know it isn't. Time for a new updated shot of me in that same spot!

 2020

2023

I nick named that busted tree above the creek 'The Dragon Tree'. I can see the difference in the amount of water that flows through the stream in this winter from past winters.

I think I need to go back and make a note of a few different spots. 

I'm so lucky to have lived here long enough to be an observer.

Dreams

 I rarely remember dreams. Usually if I have a disturbing dream, I just wake up and know it was a dream.

However, I had the most realistic and terrifying dream the other night and it bothered me for 24 hours.

I was sitting in an airport and I looked down at my ticket I had in my hand. I knew I was travelling somewhere but Raleigh was not familiar to me. I looked at the departure board and couldn't decide if I was going to Raleigh North Carolina, or should I be going to Raleigh in W. Virginia. I knew if I was flying east it should be to Charlottesville if anywhere. At least I thought so.

In my other hand was a folder with pictures of people in it. I carefully studied the photos and I didn't recognize any of the folks. No matter how hard I looked, nothing was familiar. In my other hand the ticket said Raleigh. The flight board didn't have any Raleigh showing.

Now I was confused. Where was I going and who were the people I had photos of?

People were walking around me and I didn't know want to look as though I were lost or confused so I just kept my head down.

The feeling of dread and anxiety just kept getting worse until I was ready to flee.

I woke up.

I got up and went to sit in the living room. I knew it was a dream. But where was I going and WHO were those people? What was up with Raleigh? Why would I even remember that? Those people! Just strangers!

I made coffee and sat down to have my first cup. 

It hit me then. What I had been feeling and the whole dream scenario would possibly be just like what it could be to have Dementia.
It was terrifying. So terrifying that the feeling of loss and confusion over something I should know [even though it was a dream] hung with me all day.

I can't imagine living in that world and coming in and out of memory issues like that. However, I have seen it more than once in my life dealing with elderly folks I know.

Can you imagine it?

-- Well if that wasn't a bummer, I don't know what is.

Oh wait! I have a diversion!
The new motor that was replaced in the heater started making noise again. Enough so that it gave me a headache and I returned to the space heaters for blissful silence on this 2 degree morning.

So the $$$ I spent lasted exactly 6 days. I expect that perhaps that motor was only part of the issue? Just call me a bit disappointed and frustrated. 

Time change and snows...

 This was too good not to share with others:

We had another 3 inches of beautiful snow and I know a lot of folks are wishing winter was over. I just think of this beautiful stuff as Winter's Last Hurrah for the season.
Of course I'll take a walk in it and enjoy it because soon enough, I'll be hoping again for Spring and the colors of Spring.

Mud season will appear again and make me grumpy so today I played with some colors and some AI text and came up with just a few pretty things. I like mixing a real photo with an AI text and getting something more unique than fairies and strange looking things.

I'm not impressed with some AI most people just want pretty plasticky looking models and others are really far out weird. 

I really am looking forward to daffodils and maybe even some crocus flowers appearing in the yard...then come the tulips.

The wildflowers begin to emerge by mid April in the forest and burst forth in the first few weeks of May.

Truthfully...I miss the color world right now!

I'm thinking of gobs of zinnias and mixed flowers just like last year. The zinnias provided me with a lot of color and interest with the butterflies, hummingbirds, and beautiful insects.

I'm going to plant a large swath of Nasturtiums around my porch. I did this last year and was amazed at how tolerant the plants were and how prolific they were. 

I gathered quite a few seeds this fall and will add a package of mixed colors.

The pallet garden was somewhat a failure last year so I'm going to be shade tolerant plants in the pallets this year. I forget that by June, that side of the house gets a lot of shade.

As soon as I can, I'll be moving iris plants. 

I guess I'm missing flowers!

I did take some photos of my neighbor's woods yesterday in the snowstorm. The deer really loved the fact that he has been cutting down the trees that were damaged from overgrazing with goats.

We counted 14 deer!

And just for fun.

This mornings doings around the bird feeders. 14 seconds.

Enjoy your day. I'm going to go out and admire the snow before it turns to mud.

Finally

I got out and did some hiking. I couldn't stand being stuck in the house any longer so I must have been feeling better.

I waited for hubby's nap time and started out to just walk around the summer pastures and look around. 

Our driveway was plowed at 10am and I am so glad that Frank had decided to add us to his list of places to plow.

View from behind the machine shed towards the driveway. 

Yep, we really are in a hollow. 

I just kept walking. It felt good even though the deep snow was a bit of a struggle. My snow shoes would have collected the wet heavy snow and so would my skis. The extra effort wouldn't hurt me at all.

This is part of the trail to the creek. I'll have to get someone to come next year and clear it for me again. I've had several trees come down over the past couple of years. 

It makes a nice walking trail down to the creek. It is steep.
The mules don't mind, they often go to the valley on hot summer nights to cool off near the creek.

The creek! I was so pleased to find water in the creek this time around. This part of the creek reflects how much moisture we've had. The last two years have been very dry around here. The creek then is dry in places except for where the tiny springs are.

I just loved how the snow piled up on the rocks and the reflections that were created. 
Looking down...I can see the forest above reflected in the water.

Walking the creek becomes a bit trickier when the boulders and rocks are covered with snow. However, I just take one little step at a time. The extra caution lets me just stop and look and soak in all the winter beauty around me before I take the next step.

I usually walk from one fence line to another just to see if anything has changed and which animals have been down for water.

Interestingly enough, I found very few tracks. The deer will move a few hours after the storm has let up depending on a few factors. 

The answer to water in the creek came to me at one of the dry runs. There was still moisture and melt water coming from the ridge. Water was slowly moving under the snow and dropping into the creek. If you enlarge the image you can see the water droplets coming off the rock.

I walked to the edge of the property and peered under a fallen oak towards the east. It looks like a mess with fallen branches and tree tops from other storms. 

Once past that tree, the valley starts opening up and that is where my neighbor's land is.

I decided not to go further as I'd told hubby that I was just wandering around looking for birds and whatnot in the meadow above the creek.

I didn't see the birds, but I could hear them. I even heard a Robin in the distance. 

The Queen Annes lace and other flowers have released their seeds and they too are waiting on spring.

The weather forecast is for snow this afternoon of 1 to 3 inches more. I imagine I'll see Frank and his plow again then. 

Today looks like another perfect day for walking along the creek. This time I'll head into the neighbor's valley.

Ahhh. And tomorrow the clocks change for us! Yipee! Truthfully, I wish they'd stop messing with the this time change.

So much fun...

 I certainly have forgotten how head colds can progress. I'm over most of it but my sinus area and head is so clogged I feel like I need an overhaul of drain cleaner for the sinuses.

It certainly hasn't helped my mood much. 

So while the snow storm progressed yesterday, I thought I'd try baking cookies. I had not intended to. However, I had an idea and it had to do with peanut butter cookies.

I had some peanut butter on hand and looked up a recipe. Thank goodness my helpers were along!

They took care of putting the lines in the cookies...

Seriously. That was my motivation for making these cookies. I mean, why not?

Hubby said the cookies were just okay. I thought they were yummy. Then he said I should check with his daughter on the recipe. Geeze Louise...what a way to ruin my excitement and wonderment at NOT burning food! 

I went out pre snowfall and thought it would be fun to try some perspective photography.

The little person is an HO model scale person. 

See? You never know what you can find while wandering the woods!

As soon as I did this next shot, I decided to redo it because the Lego person should have been wearing her back pack too! However, I did this anyway for practice.

I'm not sure I accomplished doing what I wanted to do, but this got pretty close to what I imagined in my head:

Less distraction and a sense of distance and perspective? This will take some more work and practice. 

Anyway. My head is clogged and I am a bit cranky. But I will leave this with you...

Funny story about my mom and her cooking. Once upon a time her long time boyfriend suggested that the meal she served was not up to par. 

My mom didn't take criticism very well.
She said nothing, but walked over and picked up his plate. He'd only had a bite or two...
She dumped it on the floor. 

Her remark afterwards was: The dogs ate good that night.
His remark afterwards: Never criticize yer ma's cooking.