Busy on a Spring Sick Day

The sun is shining and the breeze is beautiful here on Darling Hill. Mom and I washed sheets early this morning and hung them out. Syd is still moving slow and he and I took a very gentle stroll up to take a sit on the deck with Mom and watch the sheets dry while the dogs romped and Ruger barked at the neighbor dogs below the hill. I am taking a much-needed day off, with the added benefit of being sick. Last night every joint began to ache and my throat (which I had noticed getting sore at the PO in the afternoon) became raw. Syd was already experiencing this "cold?" and on top of healing from his operation, is still feeling pretty yucky. He did call the doctor yesterday to see whether this weakness and bleeding was normal. They said, "yes, as this is the second operation; all is normal", and not to push it. We hope that his strength is totally built back up before the third operation in a couple of weeks! Praying to this end. So today I am popping Tylenol and Advil and, despite a sore throat, am getting quite a bit done.

I love this picture of Ruger spending time sympathizing with Syd. He has been very in-tune with him during recovery.

Mom went to see the doctor yesterday too - thanks to all of you who have been praying for her leg pain. She has, as suspected, sciatica. We had already started one particular exercise (which takes care of my sciatica every time) and are continuing it, but with more determination now. The doctor suggested that we take her to a physical therapist and he wants to see her back there next month. I'm thankful that it is nothing that must keep her in bed or in a chair. Walking is actually good for sciatica, but there are a few modifications that we have to try to get her to do. Thanks for continued prayer along this line.

Though a lot of people told me not to do it, I have gotten all our summer clothes out and winters put away! The bedroom has been slightly rearranged and vacuumed. It has been a great day.

Yesterday, the 2nd FULL day of spring, the rose-breasted grosbeak returned to our side of the hill! I could hear his bright, melodic voice sounding out from a nearby treetop.  We'd seen him at my mother's feeder in recent months, but I had not heard his sweet singing all winter. Perhaps he was here but changes his tune once the weather warms up!

I'm thankful that much of our mud is drying up. Isn't this a hilarious picture? I'm so glad that this is NOT Ruger under there, though it looks like him. It's just a picture that someone emailed me and I love it. I can't decide whether this dog looks really happy or shocked.

Well, the wind and sun are calling me outside to sit with the pooches and drink a cup of coffee. Thanks for stopping by and come again soon! Happy Spring!

Sunspots on a Spring Day

Happy, happy Spring! With the jet stream flowing through it feels just like summer here on the hill. It is actually muggy but we won't complain, will we? On our easy walk today Mom and I spied the first golden drops of coltsfoot dotting a small patch beside Darling Hill Road.

It's such a sunny flower. Though come summer I will think of it as a huge pest, on this first full day of spring it is a very welcome sight--our very first color after the snow!

Today the sun shone full then ducked behind great, puffy clouds giving us a cool reprieve as we strolled across the field and down the hill. The mud is drying up along our stretch but if you travel by car there is still plenty to enjoy along the well traveled roads. On my way home from morning work I chose the high spots and only occasionally fell into deep ruts. 

Remember that I told you about our little "waterfall and brook" across from our house? It was only about one week ago. I had exclaimed that we would enjoy this gurgling waterway until ALL that snow in the field disappears. Today it is totally GONE. There is no more snow except along the upper hedgerow and in low ditches. The brook is all but dried up and the waterfall only a memory. We'll be happy to see it return next spring and perhaps can enjoy its music to our ears for a longer period then.

The coltsfoot will soon be trying to invade my garden plots and I will be digging and pulling in an attempt to get ahead of her creeping roots that travel 2 inches beneath the soil's surface and cover our side hill. At that time I will try to remember this spring day when I looked at these sunny faces with delight.

Happy Spring to you all. Thanks for stopping!

The World, Upside Down

One shiny black dot below a little white stripe;
Around the tree he peeks at me;
 beady-eye.

A seed clamped tight, in a short pointed beak;
he hops around, all upside-down
 while other friends stand on their feet
 heads right-side up, enjoying sup.
 
I hear the call come to my ears;
"yank-yank-yank", hopping to the bank;
  poised to fly.

The seed gets cracked while his little head bobs
to and fro; see him go
 back to the tree where once again;
 peach-belly north, he presses forth.

From behind the feeder, head pointed south
I see him chance, take a glance;
 feeder's spy.

Yellow and pinks, gray with flecks
 of black converge and meld;
 then Nuthatch's friends come sweeping in;
Their flash of slate-blue crosses my view!

-Cyndy

Though the poetry is mine, this picture is not one of my own but is taken from a website. I found that I had no photos of these lovely little nuthatches. Isn't he sweet?

A Day in the 70s

It's hard to believe that it is mid March and temperatures were around 76 degrees. What a beautiful Lord's Day we had. After we had all eaten lunch many of us sat outside on the church steps and enjoyed the sun. During the afternoon service the windows were thrown open wide and balmy breezes flowed through while the old fashioned hymns flowed out! It was a refreshing day all-round, with good preaching and fellowship. I had the privilege of teaching the youngest children's Sunday School class, as my sister in law was not here today. Unfortunately, that meant that the congregation was forced to sing to my piano playing also. I praise the Lord for enjoying the piano so much, perhaps it makes up (at least a little) for my lack of ability.  I do miss having one in our home, as it is a very relaxing pastime.  Syd made it through S.S and both services, though in much pain.

Just an update:  On Friday we got to the hospital at 6:30 a.m. and Syd was in surgery by 8:03. They had to work most of the two hours allotted, on one kidney stone that had become badly impacted into the right ureter. They got it all broken up and "picked out" then moved on to remove the stone from the left ureter. He was in surgery for 2 1/4 hrs.  New stents had to be put in place (those are very uncomfortable and he'd hoped that they'd be able to be removed altogether) because they expected quite a bit of swelling in the ureter after such extensive work. In two weeks they'll let us know when the next surgery will be; this time to remove the stents (potentially) and a stone that is still low in the left kidney. I think they'll leave the ones in the bladder to pass on their own? though I'm a bit unclear on that one. Soon we hope to know what they're made up of so that we can truly know what foods to avoid most. Thanks all you who asked about him and have been praying. He's very uncomfortable but coming along well.

After church today Mom and I took the dogs for a short walk, as her hip is still hurting some when she bears too much weight on it. After she's been sitting for some time it is the worst. Truly, as she walks a bit more it does really start to limber up. We ask her a lot of questions about it and I feel that this week I'll need to call the doctor to try to get her in to see him.  I knew that Mom would be going for a walk when I left her off after church, so figured I'd rather be with her when she goes. She did fine. It's impossible to keep her in on these nice days. Thanks for remembering her too.

I was just thanking the Lord for my sewing machine. When we returned from church we discovered that Sturm had, once again, chewed through his halter. I had done extensive work on it two days after we purchased it, as he chewed it up nicely at that time too. Using a nylon leash that we have I was able to piece in the missing straps. It's not pretty, but it still works. Being one year old is truly a learning experience, for Sturm and for us!

I'm sorry I had not been on the blogs to bring any news from the Hill for days. Tonight's is just a rambling post, as you can see.  I'll leave you with a few recent pictures from the living room.

 basking in the afternoon sun

This one was Jaden and Ruger at Mom's house last December. How they loved one another!

I hope you had a good weekend. It's supposed to be a truly beautiful week. Be well and enjoy the Spring weather!

Happy Anniversary to Sydney!

Hello to all of you, our friends. Syd was over at the computer at 5:15 this morning, casting furtive glances at me from the corner of his eye as I let the dogs out then went about preparing his lunch and getting the dogs food.  He ALWAYS remembers our engagement anniversary before I do!! He was (though I have not looked yet) posting it to our social network ( :

I used to work at a tax firm and March 15th is a very important deadline for businesses to have their taxes in. You would think that those years would have been VERY easy for me to remember this date - not really. Syd always wakes up and tells me, first thing - except today, when he told all our "friends" first. Back to this morning: he asked me what time the appointments are, which I'm driving my 'ladies' to today. I responded and he said, "Good, then call me and I'll meet you at "the Colatina" for our anniversary dinner". GOT ME! again.

So, "happy 32nd anniversary, Hunny!"

               This was a pic I asked a coworker to take, last time Syd sent flowers. It was for Happily Married Week.

I hope you all have a good day. It didn't make it down to freezing last night. Feeling pretty bad for the sugar makers out there. Sturm got up on the back of the couch this morning (he thinks he's a cat) to chase a moth at the back window; another moth. I'll admit, I'd like to see it freeze up and be even a little cooler during the days too so the buds don't swell and burst out. The Lord knows best and, "This is the day which the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!"

Thanks for stopping to say hello.

Between the Phoebe and Sugarin' Time

Between  Phoebe and Sugaring Time

“Phoe-ee-be”, resounds in the distance ‘gainst white, blanketed hills.

We walk without speaking; bending our ear for an echoing, “drip, drip” of sap quickly

            filling buckets, yet unhung.

Strange, brown earth rises to meet the souls of our feet; awakened from its sleep beneath  

            a once-deep crust of ice and snow. 

This is a brief period; a wisp of time; a day, a week, depending on how weather turns.

The crust has failed; now too soft to follow creature’s trails toward hidden dens. 

The fox prints can be seen from last night’s hunt.

Senses are alive.  Balm is in the breeze.

No mittens or scarf encumber today.  Coats remain unbuttoned.

Our boots finally need not keep out winter’s cold and snow;

              --only the MUD, glorious mud!

I wrote this last year and am about three weeks late in posting it for this Spring. "Sugaring time" is certainly underway. Syd and I even saw two moths the other night, fluttering outside the porch window. The time for maple sugaring is drawing to a close soon. The nights have been quite warm. Snow on our north side of the Hill is holding tightly to the ground while the mud on the driveway steals your shoe as often as it gets a chance.

The phoebes were singing their little hearts out this morning; I suppose they're waiting for the buds to swell then burst forth their leaves, just like we are. It won't be long before we see the poplars and birches pale yellow-green appear on the gray hills. Syd always says that "it's like looking at a Bob Ross painting, the way the light greens are spattered across the mountains." He brings it up every year, noticing it before I do. 

Steam has been pouring from our neighbor, Mike's sugar house and the boys up the hill have a nice outdoor operation, with their woodpile nearby and sap buckets lining the driveway. Now and then you hear their snowmobile heading up the hill across the field, sled attached, going to gather.

"Oh, the drip, drip, drip in the bucket; Oh, the drip, drip, drip from the tree; Oh, the drip, drip, drip makes me want to take a sip from the old sap bucket on the maple tree." Syd sings this song; something he remembers from childhood. I'd never heard it before until he sang it at the beginning of a video he did about maple sugaring. He visited lots of old sugar houses and especially went in to see our friend, Jim's, operation. We like to call Jim, "Uncle Jim-ima". It is from him that we buy all of our maple syrup. He was pleased that Syd did the film, as his grandkids never had gotten to come and help him make syrup because it is while they are in school and they don't live nearby.

Well, if you come to the hill soon, watch the mud and take it slow. If you can, stay in the middle of the road.
Thanks for stopping by!

Nearing Spring!

What a beautiful day. I had to work for a few hours this morning and tried to get out early enough to avoid the rain. As I was walking to the car it was sprinkling but the dogs and I got to Mom's and talked her into a walk anyway (it didn't take much). We got our hats on and headed out into the increasing mud but never got hit with a drop of rain! It had stopped and the sun even peeked out for us. Praise the Lord!

As you can see, we had a little mud to dodge here and there.  Ruger didn't hold still long enough to get his picture taken (he generally hides when he sees a camera anyway).

We got a surprise when we heard water running - almost like a little brook - through the culvert. As we looked over the edge of the road there WAS a little brook running - even a little waterfall. It was thrilling because we both know that there is really no brook anywhere on our hill and we both love the sound of running water.

If you look carefully down near the right corner, you'll see the little waterfall. The picture doesn't do it justice. This brook will run until the snow in the field above is gone. It's very exciting for us, actually.

Look, the snow near the top is almost gone! It was a beautiful Spring walk. Do you notice yourself being excited about the end of Winter as if it has never happened before? I do, every year. Spring is a time of renewing and of things being born and started. I hope for more very cold nights and warm days, for the sugar makers, then I'm very excited to see the buds come out and little flowers pushing their way up through the dirt.  

Anyone of you who are 'pray-ers' I'd ask you to pray for Mom's hip. She may have twisted her back and she might have a touch of sciatica trouble. We are doing exercises along that line. We're watching it carefully and seem to be seeing improvement. If we don't see that it's better by next week she'll be seeing the doctor.  Thanks for remembering her.

Happy Spring! hope you can get out and enjoy it!