tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55376429293327091502024-02-14T12:55:17.157-08:00Menagerie Manor A Gardener's DiaryThis blog is hopefully going to prompt me to keep better records of the goings on in my garden and home.Dochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05230334534323236665noreply@blogger.comBlogger475125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5537642929332709150.post-50430393740983040212022-05-27T00:06:00.001-07:002022-05-27T00:06:38.382-07:00Holden Clough<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFCd8tF6lqYFW8-bk6qLe-r3ral8OBTTdHpqRsQdWGtz8QBZgtbc5X2aP7MC9piu0ZeDSvbPPOCD-pSJh8SJMCXf5P6i9oSz3ZOY74M1oL5iToNwS-Awv34WbK_QBfkO4f44EZh2ZZ6nJ8-Ns5WlIv0v7pf-eXH_iydGiaGoP30zK0eOGkPYGGbbc8fA/s4032/IMG_3599.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFCd8tF6lqYFW8-bk6qLe-r3ral8OBTTdHpqRsQdWGtz8QBZgtbc5X2aP7MC9piu0ZeDSvbPPOCD-pSJh8SJMCXf5P6i9oSz3ZOY74M1oL5iToNwS-Awv34WbK_QBfkO4f44EZh2ZZ6nJ8-Ns5WlIv0v7pf-eXH_iydGiaGoP30zK0eOGkPYGGbbc8fA/s320/IMG_3599.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgom078SI5Ps2j6sXQt-i2g_C7R7LnyIRSXfQ-AMO6q9lplvr1Gzv2c34Psv5ADh8K4dIwyW_d_Y95tX3dIIFylVrkzY3_xMcDH3luge5leJ4GL6EO-ao-dMHWmqyzRZkf2hCwS41kVEx-wCfSkwbYzchdjo1IhHMfpDVA4Cr-gXfryQ1kCn91kpGiujA/s4032/IMG_3601.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgom078SI5Ps2j6sXQt-i2g_C7R7LnyIRSXfQ-AMO6q9lplvr1Gzv2c34Psv5ADh8K4dIwyW_d_Y95tX3dIIFylVrkzY3_xMcDH3luge5leJ4GL6EO-ao-dMHWmqyzRZkf2hCwS41kVEx-wCfSkwbYzchdjo1IhHMfpDVA4Cr-gXfryQ1kCn91kpGiujA/s320/IMG_3601.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><br /> <span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Iris ’Holden Clough’, is truly one of the gems of our gardens. It easily took ten years to acquire. Over those years I attempted to obtain a specimen from all local nurseries and when that didn’t work I contacted British nurseries to no avail. Then a few years ago Marjie and I were buying peonies at a nursery in Canby and as we were leaving with a car load of peonies Marjie suddenly shouted “stop, Holden Clough”!! I slammed on the brakes but when I looked at what she was pointing at I saw a large clump of blackberries. We got out of the car and walked down to the blackberry patch and sure enough stood Holden Clough. I immediately walked back to the farm house and asked them if they would sell me a specimen of their Holden Clough iris. The farmer looked at me as though I was speaking a foreign language, he attempted to repeat the name and shrugged his shoulders saying that they only raise peonies. I told him he had a clump growing by the roadside and I was willing to pay him for a specimen. He quickly dug out a small clump of the prized iris that contained more blackberry root then iris. Marjie needless to say was absolutely thrilled that she was successful in bringing Holden Clough to Menagerie Manor. So my love your beautiful little iris is having it’s best year</span><p></p>Dochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05230334534323236665noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5537642929332709150.post-77657556918369905262022-05-24T18:02:00.005-07:002022-05-24T19:11:48.140-07:00May Garden Upgrades<p style="text-align: center;"><b>The planning for my late wife Marjie's Celebration of Life is involving some changes at Menagerie Manor. These changes involve some hard work and with myself being fairly crippled up with bad hips most of the hard work has been undertaken by my son Ian and his wife and her parents. </b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiekGq6uEmPLkjSMIBz9VTp0hFwGMWBm45J970dePNsfnaJa4hdwt55ZB4oP3j9wHtWE8m0Q22_WMOBaS6rp8wIUZc5xGPhBjkYGHAyI6y5OxKvb1jgl9OFHkLtKYhkD4rRBfjpt43S2FIMn5Vm47stX7YihfcO24nS8NwU7zW-zMv1JfP5UTzC43pYiQ/s4032/IMG_3573.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiekGq6uEmPLkjSMIBz9VTp0hFwGMWBm45J970dePNsfnaJa4hdwt55ZB4oP3j9wHtWE8m0Q22_WMOBaS6rp8wIUZc5xGPhBjkYGHAyI6y5OxKvb1jgl9OFHkLtKYhkD4rRBfjpt43S2FIMn5Vm47stX7YihfcO24nS8NwU7zW-zMv1JfP5UTzC43pYiQ/s320/IMG_3573.HEIC" width="240" /></b></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Several weeks ago they poured cement pier blocks for the large Gazebo that I purchased. Which replaces the massive arbor that held our old Wisteria, now removed.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Cm6t997uxNlWWTGR4VwFcg15kiO5QIeIf2JMWnTshPOyWVSeHZrVC2emKVAZJ1Eger6oL2vsvKrJIfC2BmRogrD1ghprUxgAo_cRbX5Wi_-MidtkBtND7LPWF8U0Aa9nSMeqD4WEDSla61Cvy_ewECHgMFqAHPgKUoKLYPmn5O7SGYag1S4ZEkDREA/s4032/IMG_3590.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Cm6t997uxNlWWTGR4VwFcg15kiO5QIeIf2JMWnTshPOyWVSeHZrVC2emKVAZJ1Eger6oL2vsvKrJIfC2BmRogrD1ghprUxgAo_cRbX5Wi_-MidtkBtND7LPWF8U0Aa9nSMeqD4WEDSla61Cvy_ewECHgMFqAHPgKUoKLYPmn5O7SGYag1S4ZEkDREA/s320/IMG_3590.HEIC" width="240" /></b></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCK_YYE6l8xEJXIl-W8LSs_FEjVbJnUXbh1VWuF5DkK0tDwIKg0joPa13Xk_4w3EiKAaVSv8zUJ1fcbBu9i0Tl1JpFlyJigDWCuXTlrwXYoy2YJyGY2_bbiI86c_rLlxmuB_3bfhaEOa2pwFdb24Qy0oYv_uVKKRGuxUgi_egYvk13iPA0YE-NmPmCTw/s4032/IMG_3591.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCK_YYE6l8xEJXIl-W8LSs_FEjVbJnUXbh1VWuF5DkK0tDwIKg0joPa13Xk_4w3EiKAaVSv8zUJ1fcbBu9i0Tl1JpFlyJigDWCuXTlrwXYoy2YJyGY2_bbiI86c_rLlxmuB_3bfhaEOa2pwFdb24Qy0oYv_uVKKRGuxUgi_egYvk13iPA0YE-NmPmCTw/s320/IMG_3591.HEIC" width="320" /></b></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>It will have a metal domed roof on it but that will have to happen later as my son is now suffering a painful back after lifting the heavy timbers and getting everything bolted into place.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip2js1VBygkjuzV0I8UkBLRGHakg1uGgDkguVkhHrV4k4CgCvaycAeKlNu7zpgaDWRH9JiI7vIL4k1KsUSwL8IUISkk7OKQGaXuKd_vWdi2PLT5IiQfJi_e1t-AzQAPWav7Y4v_K-9wdk67Ye1TOmyihfPub8s3f-o_3fYWUoY8I6RiffsMDFC5B-QWg/s4032/IMG_3598.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip2js1VBygkjuzV0I8UkBLRGHakg1uGgDkguVkhHrV4k4CgCvaycAeKlNu7zpgaDWRH9JiI7vIL4k1KsUSwL8IUISkk7OKQGaXuKd_vWdi2PLT5IiQfJi_e1t-AzQAPWav7Y4v_K-9wdk67Ye1TOmyihfPub8s3f-o_3fYWUoY8I6RiffsMDFC5B-QWg/s320/IMG_3598.HEIC" width="240" /></b></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The gardens have been made weed free and Marjies beautiful collection of peonies are starting to bloom. </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizvOs2xi-gDrq9j6QcCx7k8rP4qd_sui-a9MwT849VBKImVrkbSCG0XXZobSNzqP0YVpDHezZLjNZVQw6SWmp67WABpLHDmq46hvEJUECJMVSLPsqDSppRE6FMDxeQbzTubGABvx-y3uu0nKo033oMzvOi_ApLvlah6XfRxZH60rq4g05oZSLoV8HPwg/s4032/IMG_3577.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizvOs2xi-gDrq9j6QcCx7k8rP4qd_sui-a9MwT849VBKImVrkbSCG0XXZobSNzqP0YVpDHezZLjNZVQw6SWmp67WABpLHDmq46hvEJUECJMVSLPsqDSppRE6FMDxeQbzTubGABvx-y3uu0nKo033oMzvOi_ApLvlah6XfRxZH60rq4g05oZSLoV8HPwg/s320/IMG_3577.HEIC" width="240" /></b></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>I probably planted to many seed trays of Zinnias but being over zealous has its benefits, the extra pots of zinnias will be laid out for guests to take and plant in their gardens in her honor. </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>As of yesterday all of MeMa's / Marjies dahlias have pushed through the soil</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXDRtr6-i28KIpFfK_8oYxmVtpbW_5ou-ogMGb6Msaiy39KkMtCZhLu_bz15zBs6fhp1p3UsI9VVpaHGAGKey0igXaOgBJrfgIB3DcUtyNFfPWN_vZ89Ymt4Cfy-9XEZHxbVahTlOdScVRw7gd8-cgV_QA-9Yqxia5InixLE_PcClJEoSTJ2hb1w7-BQ/s4032/IMG_3596.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXDRtr6-i28KIpFfK_8oYxmVtpbW_5ou-ogMGb6Msaiy39KkMtCZhLu_bz15zBs6fhp1p3UsI9VVpaHGAGKey0igXaOgBJrfgIB3DcUtyNFfPWN_vZ89Ymt4Cfy-9XEZHxbVahTlOdScVRw7gd8-cgV_QA-9Yqxia5InixLE_PcClJEoSTJ2hb1w7-BQ/s320/IMG_3596.HEIC" width="240" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Her Kitchen window box has been planted up</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF9wQfEQAoXi-TcHKzHGnObFZ6sEDIfnu027JOqiCZQNfoMot3pBEYYFohGM-he9ylkft28H7tnfzpM3AmAKOQv5mvVeAs7FdKqWs9mUuM7vkJGg_KwIEdOxX7hHp2ckmoT2u3DZO0AdA6grYbHls3l_tw8SLkNHzo9Kq15oPehxeZ4Cgkjte5uLXtZA/s4032/IMG_3602.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF9wQfEQAoXi-TcHKzHGnObFZ6sEDIfnu027JOqiCZQNfoMot3pBEYYFohGM-he9ylkft28H7tnfzpM3AmAKOQv5mvVeAs7FdKqWs9mUuM7vkJGg_KwIEdOxX7hHp2ckmoT2u3DZO0AdA6grYbHls3l_tw8SLkNHzo9Kq15oPehxeZ4Cgkjte5uLXtZA/s320/IMG_3602.HEIC" width="240" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>The Yuma Garden has returned along with a small collection of historical pelargoniums</b></div><b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8TxnwLPpf8jEtxotmXH788vdFBxq1Fs3M0YNtJaSKgCTB-ktEf94KT-H3XxFsBqry8fgY0E8kyxyWImNoMRDmpMvGjtWfnjeMFqn7lIxJlZQ2K9uSsw88-pOxKxwBwDQKUOLQiEnVY9Kuqge43x1cjhTreF7xu1ihnbUGNT-0UTTqWan2TlzTxiJjwA/s4032/IMG_3603.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8TxnwLPpf8jEtxotmXH788vdFBxq1Fs3M0YNtJaSKgCTB-ktEf94KT-H3XxFsBqry8fgY0E8kyxyWImNoMRDmpMvGjtWfnjeMFqn7lIxJlZQ2K9uSsw88-pOxKxwBwDQKUOLQiEnVY9Kuqge43x1cjhTreF7xu1ihnbUGNT-0UTTqWan2TlzTxiJjwA/s320/IMG_3603.HEIC" width="240" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Since it is just me here now I did away with the Kitchen Garden saving a small strip for a row of new dahlias and some giant zinnias</b></div><b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmMIu43B6_SxkjxZ-IZW2w9UcvHBcqUnA_SZNnaKU5snoxa230Sc70-bgzsEqb3QkGya2CJLe6-9X-D8_IVNlL0JZrIzokcJDvITp-63vfnDc22DV-iA7R1xmGrhNNw-gQ7hQuw-9vCZTPf5GkgmzUGXsdLGle8IjfS-e_jBBYW2QrWEFi_404R5f8gw/s4032/IMG_3604.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmMIu43B6_SxkjxZ-IZW2w9UcvHBcqUnA_SZNnaKU5snoxa230Sc70-bgzsEqb3QkGya2CJLe6-9X-D8_IVNlL0JZrIzokcJDvITp-63vfnDc22DV-iA7R1xmGrhNNw-gQ7hQuw-9vCZTPf5GkgmzUGXsdLGle8IjfS-e_jBBYW2QrWEFi_404R5f8gw/s320/IMG_3604.HEIC" width="240" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>My pots of seed potatoes are growing well against the warm wall of the Garden Shed</b></div><b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi58BgaM-tVLfqyi_BEsbhnSZ5FDacSmYNqbIhg-w2kn2YPDnrAgIAlgeEDDsB5QiYc4FsMf0nswR2-ne3wzPzG_wndJ5j0_cMp225a7sIVh2gBulRPh-OEGCX8SNVTE1z87m51Op0sddJGPD6LnviTr1cXYRWkzUW33K3NJlLDy8XhS0EwaSTT9Mkyzg/s4032/IMG_3605.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi58BgaM-tVLfqyi_BEsbhnSZ5FDacSmYNqbIhg-w2kn2YPDnrAgIAlgeEDDsB5QiYc4FsMf0nswR2-ne3wzPzG_wndJ5j0_cMp225a7sIVh2gBulRPh-OEGCX8SNVTE1z87m51Op0sddJGPD6LnviTr1cXYRWkzUW33K3NJlLDy8XhS0EwaSTT9Mkyzg/s320/IMG_3605.HEIC" width="320" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>'Holden Clough' was MeMa's favorite Iris, they truly are a gem in the garden</b></div><b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-D3zB8yyl5K2K3aE8pSk3Owf4cyxMQvAiYdtCKxKi-KQmAgGCeKkV5LsM6gp-xR6uwfW9JCMm3QTkxPB6K_3zXlEqJh1blKOM4vt522SZxS9Bduzbnc3Jkr_ZKwLl-nMJU4Gvo4I6GfZBXnabhSZ5sHIEZ2T2NDbCS1DUxwNLOaVa6Wy2qEBFA7vtKA/s4032/IMG_3601.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-D3zB8yyl5K2K3aE8pSk3Owf4cyxMQvAiYdtCKxKi-KQmAgGCeKkV5LsM6gp-xR6uwfW9JCMm3QTkxPB6K_3zXlEqJh1blKOM4vt522SZxS9Bduzbnc3Jkr_ZKwLl-nMJU4Gvo4I6GfZBXnabhSZ5sHIEZ2T2NDbCS1DUxwNLOaVa6Wy2qEBFA7vtKA/s320/IMG_3601.HEIC" width="240" /></b></a></div><b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNYRZrWaIZX01FKC9L11_KQmJGi6t-B7B7IR4xnvlZyCEUTgXO9O8IK5Mefi5W_My8uyV9eldE4DcYwx3S3TGeFEhBbVTKv0CbZl4UyqbBmhPGWfboTcz6yEAJYkJ4f9Ztto63dpclNRt9UYIVvXKDSp-3ho9ZQwM09WA3ufT5sZT3QrvVDXegQRD9xA/s4032/IMG_3599.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNYRZrWaIZX01FKC9L11_KQmJGi6t-B7B7IR4xnvlZyCEUTgXO9O8IK5Mefi5W_My8uyV9eldE4DcYwx3S3TGeFEhBbVTKv0CbZl4UyqbBmhPGWfboTcz6yEAJYkJ4f9Ztto63dpclNRt9UYIVvXKDSp-3ho9ZQwM09WA3ufT5sZT3QrvVDXegQRD9xA/s320/IMG_3599.HEIC" width="240" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Had this metal sign made dedicating our labor of love to my one true love.</b></div><div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim7E4WEIZC4bepOli4FGCCIuoHANHOgqsh1JUsCCok40Qjg4WUzDpZNnVcE_rRLZm8mwA4Og0xGTGd535VDJu2famGxSJ62L8nkW9BttlBDblVHpDUNDI5KfGMPEyz_JuktbjSj8m5UGlbG5hv69CdPaxwHMAA71SjZk35rDcGUYYPhYNQKZlLEzHXSA/s3024/IMG_3526.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="2076" data-original-width="3024" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim7E4WEIZC4bepOli4FGCCIuoHANHOgqsh1JUsCCok40Qjg4WUzDpZNnVcE_rRLZm8mwA4Og0xGTGd535VDJu2famGxSJ62L8nkW9BttlBDblVHpDUNDI5KfGMPEyz_JuktbjSj8m5UGlbG5hv69CdPaxwHMAA71SjZk35rDcGUYYPhYNQKZlLEzHXSA/w400-h275/IMG_3526.HEIC" width="400" /></b></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p></div></div>Dochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05230334534323236665noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5537642929332709150.post-66155380660654169412022-04-06T23:19:00.001-07:002022-04-06T23:19:58.376-07:00Spring<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjGTqnwNVE5RJoovN5Q9lISI-zigAPImGmowK_xAw69FXMJ5nl42Z9c-JN8vs1J98AjtRBfsk5bNjFLyYiBAdY2VeD_3i7vMdxVax5mEEAP1GLOOPPphHYXWY8xVClZgpNYMHW8S1k9twTVhrVeSMIHB3vv43efRrVMYXjQ6zNUecIbTM0QLgt7gKdbw/s3147/IMG_3400.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3147" data-original-width="2918" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjGTqnwNVE5RJoovN5Q9lISI-zigAPImGmowK_xAw69FXMJ5nl42Z9c-JN8vs1J98AjtRBfsk5bNjFLyYiBAdY2VeD_3i7vMdxVax5mEEAP1GLOOPPphHYXWY8xVClZgpNYMHW8S1k9twTVhrVeSMIHB3vv43efRrVMYXjQ6zNUecIbTM0QLgt7gKdbw/s320/IMG_3400.HEIC" width="297" /></a></div><br /> Spring brings a feeling of renewal. I admit that losing my wife at the start of winter and Holiday season made it very difficult to stay positive and depression became a real battle for me, especially the evenings. To replace conversations with my wife I would turn the radio on and have music playing just to have the noise, the quiet was killing me. Recently my physician filed the documents declaring Roxy my emotional support dog which allows me to take her with me almost everywhere and she fly's for free when I take a flight. My last trip to Arizona in February cost me one hundred dollars trip to take Roxy with me. Roxy is no stranger to air travel from her days of being a show dog. She traveled in a soft crate which sat at my feet, she slept the entire trip. Roxy fits her new status well, if I am struggling and tears begin to fall Roxy is at my side immediately licking the tears away until she has me laughing and she will not leave my side until she feels dad is back in a good place. <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoWCr86Wui1wIBU2AdhoS246T5bhOt1cW0LGAefvAqbHr0GjknNNPFjPqCEPMOb-qpNdrbr-UhOvRNyrerqEyPqYnUjBWRV51WBbRmauHybs4pbumFhZYM6Xan_638kjgCS6ofiKfqvxyEHfLGt8KQo6KqQeeUVEZ7R4ePzItKC1bWIXxpNzhvUaDR-A/s4032/IMG_3413.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoWCr86Wui1wIBU2AdhoS246T5bhOt1cW0LGAefvAqbHr0GjknNNPFjPqCEPMOb-qpNdrbr-UhOvRNyrerqEyPqYnUjBWRV51WBbRmauHybs4pbumFhZYM6Xan_638kjgCS6ofiKfqvxyEHfLGt8KQo6KqQeeUVEZ7R4ePzItKC1bWIXxpNzhvUaDR-A/s320/IMG_3413.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p>With the coming of spring life in the gardens here at Menagerie Manor is bustling, getting the gardens back in shape. July we will have a Celebration of Life for Marjie. I chose to have it then as we will have all her lovely flowers in bloom. She loved her flowers and filled all thirteen rooms with fresh flowers. On the fireplace mantel I keep her photo and keep a vase of fresh flowers next to it. The greenhouse is filled with flats of zinnias and many other annuals. Today the seedlings are at the stage for pricking out and putting them into individual pots before I plant them out. What used to be the kitchen garden will be planted in zinnias and dahlias. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdLlfZKTimJ72f2LiBSHbj3wM2MO1aBYVQ9EZ79BnFAxuKqu9LMlbnBmte45vAqo1c4OLLk94t0WdL0bsnIxQl8fIeieC0Jj-ei_vOI7upK3VeLGWwsPQqCLjYwZdFZ069QwZpxn9VYDnOWZ1H8tscaByCl9J0axCp5itOHxW9_7dLFrae08oVoYgD7g/s4032/IMG_3406.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdLlfZKTimJ72f2LiBSHbj3wM2MO1aBYVQ9EZ79BnFAxuKqu9LMlbnBmte45vAqo1c4OLLk94t0WdL0bsnIxQl8fIeieC0Jj-ei_vOI7upK3VeLGWwsPQqCLjYwZdFZ069QwZpxn9VYDnOWZ1H8tscaByCl9J0axCp5itOHxW9_7dLFrae08oVoYgD7g/s320/IMG_3406.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqDexaTtNIJs4l5vxLckyykkLb1Zq4A5aBFONroMYy2QkmL9FzIyplrHS_nqEeMCmZrRW7KMfLQpZVBOEFIoUObDSyrlmgTyJkkJiBi0Rr8q-aEN0Xl5BmIVNucw80yfKA6oFkUGcoNaxvL6FgjTYlkNLCgRY-P18iHsSBCT1JXAgnOqW9cGdWHYrb1A/s4032/IMG_3407.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqDexaTtNIJs4l5vxLckyykkLb1Zq4A5aBFONroMYy2QkmL9FzIyplrHS_nqEeMCmZrRW7KMfLQpZVBOEFIoUObDSyrlmgTyJkkJiBi0Rr8q-aEN0Xl5BmIVNucw80yfKA6oFkUGcoNaxvL6FgjTYlkNLCgRY-P18iHsSBCT1JXAgnOqW9cGdWHYrb1A/s320/IMG_3407.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p>We have been having some strong winds so the pathways are covered in debris from the old Redwood tree. I had just spent a day cleaning the pathways before the wind so I shall be spending another day doing what I had already done. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHiHVGNXyBYN2bjsu1Df3eo57sOwC-M6mI1AOu73TEYRuLrH4IiGNXI6-uYKZQ9-Ms32Woqa1LfJWM5EQBK73EHnYeV6RyrvST-p37oNEbOhz3Yi8IPow9Btv8Cbyxxs0zrxg-CN59B0NWk7kWlkvZ6vF3q6VXK2p7Y6BpB9bXcxtO9hl7INw8RAMs5Q/s4032/IMG_3412.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHiHVGNXyBYN2bjsu1Df3eo57sOwC-M6mI1AOu73TEYRuLrH4IiGNXI6-uYKZQ9-Ms32Woqa1LfJWM5EQBK73EHnYeV6RyrvST-p37oNEbOhz3Yi8IPow9Btv8Cbyxxs0zrxg-CN59B0NWk7kWlkvZ6vF3q6VXK2p7Y6BpB9bXcxtO9hl7INw8RAMs5Q/s320/IMG_3412.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div>But spring in the gardens brings such beauty that if I have to do a job that had already been done seems to take the sting out of the job. <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguIoDJIL8wIWoqDLTF-h3KomVt5WSnR6UgZJvJtZMaD_NAAqsxEuGmHqp68ZpfrxwKlwg5dt2PlVRUPf1huADZrd5Be9Ex419Y4ZZjTMPWe0sHO-SGf4-cXpVu895vINh6cqYmh7bIjCInjsU0AwbVwSjnyuTkD-CS8mbOcRp5l3Jtob_e-xgj_c8fAg/s4032/IMG_3399.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguIoDJIL8wIWoqDLTF-h3KomVt5WSnR6UgZJvJtZMaD_NAAqsxEuGmHqp68ZpfrxwKlwg5dt2PlVRUPf1huADZrd5Be9Ex419Y4ZZjTMPWe0sHO-SGf4-cXpVu895vINh6cqYmh7bIjCInjsU0AwbVwSjnyuTkD-CS8mbOcRp5l3Jtob_e-xgj_c8fAg/s320/IMG_3399.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p>Every week I have purchased six large bags of potting mix in order to prepare and plant trays of seeds.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8bAH9ePfaKotOt8AwkbdKjrzK8yvHXey7GP-P3VF45lOfAB3dN1gb_Pdk2mp9AYUxAA9zky7_yvo5JBF0uYtmqqIRVCwQXDpXFJUmuY4WMu6bh95NPjffFdH6A_8Dzx9Jzcl2MiAZLQHZdJld_05KI_Xi-2l53A3dw7PHH0RQjdKgy_IKFfPI6oISlQ/s4032/IMG_3403.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8bAH9ePfaKotOt8AwkbdKjrzK8yvHXey7GP-P3VF45lOfAB3dN1gb_Pdk2mp9AYUxAA9zky7_yvo5JBF0uYtmqqIRVCwQXDpXFJUmuY4WMu6bh95NPjffFdH6A_8Dzx9Jzcl2MiAZLQHZdJld_05KI_Xi-2l53A3dw7PHH0RQjdKgy_IKFfPI6oISlQ/s320/IMG_3403.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div>I moved the wall of the kitchen garden in a bit in order to give me a wider path between it and the new garden shed. The kitchen garden this year will be planted in more flowers. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaRa2ToRvGmzClLMVhWiMcNJGa0hXmNTMMpmv04TN_IJ2d6LWJfbCRnzhODr-yBtMEVGlshDELKSzpQ7cEIxt2yPCokd86NK7Jm_xJUjvpB5yBH7QqUtFmJ6s8519pCGcB13vodQE5y1hSsSkJ1J_lbcBd-bSJzwo4cqmJy5mbwTW5Vn84mdZdKirrtA/s4032/IMG_3323.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaRa2ToRvGmzClLMVhWiMcNJGa0hXmNTMMpmv04TN_IJ2d6LWJfbCRnzhODr-yBtMEVGlshDELKSzpQ7cEIxt2yPCokd86NK7Jm_xJUjvpB5yBH7QqUtFmJ6s8519pCGcB13vodQE5y1hSsSkJ1J_lbcBd-bSJzwo4cqmJy5mbwTW5Vn84mdZdKirrtA/s320/IMG_3323.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj6pBSoWuWarzabvE9fyx-uoT2YX-F5xTlsar1CKpbhsSIBuYoxQchGtO9Xj6JAylO8ABkfzD0BSTwegkfPzwQlpW6BXS9wcmS79pbbC-_gdgA0__n9krt-9Y_4n7usmpcM_JbDYp7V27D6kLs5wvCCDL7-F7OZcWUg1DWQIuzAgqgpwxlylkNDwrZiQ/s4032/IMG_3321.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj6pBSoWuWarzabvE9fyx-uoT2YX-F5xTlsar1CKpbhsSIBuYoxQchGtO9Xj6JAylO8ABkfzD0BSTwegkfPzwQlpW6BXS9wcmS79pbbC-_gdgA0__n9krt-9Y_4n7usmpcM_JbDYp7V27D6kLs5wvCCDL7-F7OZcWUg1DWQIuzAgqgpwxlylkNDwrZiQ/s320/IMG_3321.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaLBZeq4QKbPInLIRSi7TdGRTInDq1rJbtw3wEBqlkGJ6dpXMhAbvPbSwDBx224cI_FnA2N6CYspyrhgpAMwMlaWg6sYp9g2diT8i7Y_BDyImAVKj6Wp4JaXjoLvnaxxfrH5eDeKLgFcryNGf1XjrJMWVwx_WPSLNekZup6tlo7EOXUqTmH-eJ5Cas-A/s3338/IMG_3322.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3338" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaLBZeq4QKbPInLIRSi7TdGRTInDq1rJbtw3wEBqlkGJ6dpXMhAbvPbSwDBx224cI_FnA2N6CYspyrhgpAMwMlaWg6sYp9g2diT8i7Y_BDyImAVKj6Wp4JaXjoLvnaxxfrH5eDeKLgFcryNGf1XjrJMWVwx_WPSLNekZup6tlo7EOXUqTmH-eJ5Cas-A/s320/IMG_3322.HEIC" width="290" /></a></div><br /> Spring brings hope<br /><p><br /></p>Dochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05230334534323236665noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5537642929332709150.post-85986594925450899582022-02-01T09:07:00.000-08:002022-02-01T09:07:15.751-08:00Cheeky Has Landed<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiRppKUycoMdIy8-iNJZ9vGZTN7tM6qp3wm4GCtRHVKas1NqIGFgHJIHf9DES0JyuBIbN2aJ-vJwWn6hBWaXOkXo2HJ3G4e3tWkIJLJE0FxrxnqSrq9P5q2GK2hMTXTFQfEGUERX19gLBVs1-3TMT_w8veiGEMjlNtvhTKYA8pFQKF7CY94Lci9lQuong=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiRppKUycoMdIy8-iNJZ9vGZTN7tM6qp3wm4GCtRHVKas1NqIGFgHJIHf9DES0JyuBIbN2aJ-vJwWn6hBWaXOkXo2HJ3G4e3tWkIJLJE0FxrxnqSrq9P5q2GK2hMTXTFQfEGUERX19gLBVs1-3TMT_w8veiGEMjlNtvhTKYA8pFQKF7CY94Lci9lQuong=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><b>This is Cheeky, he is 26 years old. His dad and mom passed over the rainbow bridge without him. Al and Wanda used to have the cabin across the road from the our family cabin. They used to Snowbird with my folks every winter destination Yuma Arizona. A very content Cheeky would ride on his perch mounted to the center column between his mom and dad chattering and whistling all the way. </b></p><p><b>When Wanda passed Al’s health was failing as well but he and Cheeky took care of each other. Last year Al’s health started a downward spiral and when he became bedridden Cheeky would climb out of his cage and walk through the house, down the hallway to Al’s bed, climb up and sit on his towel laying on the side of Al’s pillow and keep his dad company. When I heard that Al passed I asked about Cheeky and was told that Al’s son was looking for a home for him. Twenty six years old is exceedingly old for a cockatiel and at that age they don’t adapt well to environmental changes so I called Al’s son and told him I would come get him. I drove out yesterday and Cheeky was locked up in his cage and sitting waiting for me. He really enjoyed the ride home, calmly talking to every vehicle that passed us. When we got home I set his cage on the table I set up for him right across the room from Marjie’s canary Jason. The two started talking to each other immediately, I’m hoping it was all good whatever they said. Welcome to Menagerie Manor Cheeky may you spend what time you have left enjoying life before mom and dad call you over that bridge.</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJC7jE-TK387BprITrwrcxLO5kOi7PN_TA_HU6cfyTLOCxpjW5Fj2iMGD8Ws9D8mDttlDNHDlk-rXe76XeWTPR8dhOBl9tdS5Txvn1Av0iF8A13SYrmdfmaPXyvI63E8jScnsBRSigO9qX8WjesGdOR5bnWcw9EoiQBGTW2nb02lXHkglcAzM74LGjOw=s960" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJC7jE-TK387BprITrwrcxLO5kOi7PN_TA_HU6cfyTLOCxpjW5Fj2iMGD8Ws9D8mDttlDNHDlk-rXe76XeWTPR8dhOBl9tdS5Txvn1Av0iF8A13SYrmdfmaPXyvI63E8jScnsBRSigO9qX8WjesGdOR5bnWcw9EoiQBGTW2nb02lXHkglcAzM74LGjOw=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Dochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05230334534323236665noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5537642929332709150.post-82426170720380980332022-01-14T17:46:00.000-08:002022-01-14T17:46:43.381-08:00Dealing With Life<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Since the loss of my dear wife I have sat down many a time to write something, anything. But each time I would sit and look at my screen and then close it up. Marjie's death has left me at the edge of a black hole if you will. I try to keep myself busy so that I don't spend my entire day crying for my loss. God bless our little dog Roxy, when she feels I am going toward that black hole again she will grab one of her many toys, come bounding in growling and daring me to try and give chase. We play keep away for a good while and she loves to go for walks.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjHyH8LD1vWonBefwRqSkiMxX6N9p2jS-pAsILsqcuAh5ONgQ9pJFpmjPUeAgVumZKFOcgQ_vlTxGHOclRaGiMU2aMattBJpAicGfBvK5ZUMK0Fu9EKntrBrcjts20cG1MBkxfQY0B2-3Kh-p9Pyh5tKomX2to7KBVmN03u8rZ8SF-Jf2joH5wDJUBFAQ=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjHyH8LD1vWonBefwRqSkiMxX6N9p2jS-pAsILsqcuAh5ONgQ9pJFpmjPUeAgVumZKFOcgQ_vlTxGHOclRaGiMU2aMattBJpAicGfBvK5ZUMK0Fu9EKntrBrcjts20cG1MBkxfQY0B2-3Kh-p9Pyh5tKomX2to7KBVmN03u8rZ8SF-Jf2joH5wDJUBFAQ=s320" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /><div> My good neighbors have been keeping a very watchful eye on me, if I forget to open the heavy drapes in the morning I will usually get an inquiring phone call or knock at the door to make sure this old gardener is well. I have so many frozen dinners in the deep freeze that I certainly will never starve. <div><div>Deep sadness held onto me for quite a while but I have my family to think about, I am never short of something to do. </div></div></div></div><div>Our youngest son Ian and his family came over and helped demolish and haul away the old chicken house making way for the new garden shed that will be delivered on February 3rd. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhXxtDeNC_MXj8KYGyg6wGmMVfQfdIfhWnvZAIa4k7jEa4g38siaRzFZUHB0alg7vFRI2Ukzff_pOqffkz-AOB9n0_PwfvUwZeKlUaeuk82g4nPDypHvQnQ6yzpp0-22TjdejaEfguI03UKlD5a1yk4pmDondzXPJmNJdycZOsko7NPPu9deAbETY0c_w=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhXxtDeNC_MXj8KYGyg6wGmMVfQfdIfhWnvZAIa4k7jEa4g38siaRzFZUHB0alg7vFRI2Ukzff_pOqffkz-AOB9n0_PwfvUwZeKlUaeuk82g4nPDypHvQnQ6yzpp0-22TjdejaEfguI03UKlD5a1yk4pmDondzXPJmNJdycZOsko7NPPu9deAbETY0c_w=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhVCNIsrkVwkhdkQkqj9lTclXwSR8OwSdObXlx0CpKPWES0S0523z0ZbUlskoLlPvpX_a1Bf05SShfH-65x5Gjbboo_qpjvpV4Sjs1r3ozohKBwZGVAu_f3leuGyJigRKprUFRzAw7ahCiyuVN3FQ553ZscsFTgY50-xbR7f80lZhGjLEZ9OgambhCUnw=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhVCNIsrkVwkhdkQkqj9lTclXwSR8OwSdObXlx0CpKPWES0S0523z0ZbUlskoLlPvpX_a1Bf05SShfH-65x5Gjbboo_qpjvpV4Sjs1r3ozohKBwZGVAu_f3leuGyJigRKprUFRzAw7ahCiyuVN3FQ553ZscsFTgY50-xbR7f80lZhGjLEZ9OgambhCUnw=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>A couple of days ago I had a cement pad pored for a good solid base for the new shed which is 8 feet by 14 feet. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiKUCWRUv6XUb9tJTMDvb6HreKiek9yVki6-rKWjfxKC25Xqdpajpes4b8UT-RJhDuU9SAGajgmP3S0EMKgJA9I8pkDf02gt2ICjTWbPqMD0sZUxIEvjX-QHsmaae4fFVhQa_IoqPCsDRVyJ6C5GxIG2yV_0lq5AGzfrw-oc9qRVUOdX6pFBOSWUv5nXA=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiKUCWRUv6XUb9tJTMDvb6HreKiek9yVki6-rKWjfxKC25Xqdpajpes4b8UT-RJhDuU9SAGajgmP3S0EMKgJA9I8pkDf02gt2ICjTWbPqMD0sZUxIEvjX-QHsmaae4fFVhQa_IoqPCsDRVyJ6C5GxIG2yV_0lq5AGzfrw-oc9qRVUOdX6pFBOSWUv5nXA=s320" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The boys and I are planning a Celebration of Life for Marjie / MeMa, in July so that all of her roses and dahlias will be in bloom. She so loved her flowers and I am sure my "Flower Lady" will love that we planned it around her flowers.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi9-p9snVg8H0oKlH92mpxt1dJ2CVOb50N-FLJRCRseWsvl5YkBCpyEL6aI2k0Kk8b3d-V_wLGYZBV8Nf4GtguXKgs7KaYt_oEMs4W9X_ETd4MCuZ1vPgdvBh2qoGkUhyx773pTGYvTsNqdG3rD_qFxUUXgxUIQ80k1JfbKwuabsu38QuRQlw0BE74x9A=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi9-p9snVg8H0oKlH92mpxt1dJ2CVOb50N-FLJRCRseWsvl5YkBCpyEL6aI2k0Kk8b3d-V_wLGYZBV8Nf4GtguXKgs7KaYt_oEMs4W9X_ETd4MCuZ1vPgdvBh2qoGkUhyx773pTGYvTsNqdG3rD_qFxUUXgxUIQ80k1JfbKwuabsu38QuRQlw0BE74x9A=s320" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MeMa and our granddaughters Taeya and Lucy delivering flowers to all of the neighbors</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Dochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05230334534323236665noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5537642929332709150.post-53001191117595506552021-11-07T13:18:00.000-08:002021-11-07T13:18:38.777-08:00<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXYWsIAnI8kfyXSS4G7wseaOfl1RQ_dHF0VKzNUOP7nSlOm7VRjadPXtGoxaN2KhNRmP-V7viLDRqAUleyyFC4Yo24gze5QsibewNuckhUXNqxHOJX7mpdUuFDUPF_EJ-3AvZ3Lc-EnhX5/s2048/CFD65F0F-0F97-4106-8277-33C548BD7552.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXYWsIAnI8kfyXSS4G7wseaOfl1RQ_dHF0VKzNUOP7nSlOm7VRjadPXtGoxaN2KhNRmP-V7viLDRqAUleyyFC4Yo24gze5QsibewNuckhUXNqxHOJX7mpdUuFDUPF_EJ-3AvZ3Lc-EnhX5/s320/CFD65F0F-0F97-4106-8277-33C548BD7552.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /> Marjie Chambers passed away Wednesday, Oct. 27, after battling cancer for over a year. She was surrounded by her loving family at home.<p></p><p>Between trips to the Oregon Coast, Hawaii and Disneyland, her most precious destination was that of her home in Southeast Portland.</p><p>From befriending her grade school librarian in Clatskanie, Ore., to working in several Portland Public High School libraries, reading was a passion for Marjie.</p><p>She and her husband Ron raised two sons in which ultimately led to five grandchildren between the two families.</p><p>A menagerie of animals were also a major part of the Chambers family throughout the years.</p><p>May she rest peacefully now.</p><p>We love you, MeMa</p>Dochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05230334534323236665noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5537642929332709150.post-73936257659005145502021-07-19T20:00:00.006-07:002021-07-19T20:00:49.837-07:00Making The Best Of A Situation<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start; text-size-adjust: auto; white-space: pre-wrap;">As the saying goes “When you are served lemons, you make lemonade.” So that’s exactly what we did. Last year the city of Portland notified us that they would be removing a large portion of our front walk and installing a wheelchair ramp. I asked if that was a wise expense since there are driveway approaches on either end. The response was “They are not ADA approved.”</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2QAgeTuNYGB_9JEXcEfe-4w6fur7T0an7GS7eOzydyBwL8MtueW5WEHW5Yy9sInhLlZQcNJWxkc5-r2Y5jouaNhyphenhyphenWehWwGShBV3D73940tl0jE9O8R22lBQcnbksPTgr40yNwVsQMrLOy/s4032/IMG_2532.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2QAgeTuNYGB_9JEXcEfe-4w6fur7T0an7GS7eOzydyBwL8MtueW5WEHW5Yy9sInhLlZQcNJWxkc5-r2Y5jouaNhyphenhyphenWehWwGShBV3D73940tl0jE9O8R22lBQcnbksPTgr40yNwVsQMrLOy/w300-h400/IMG_2532.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start; text-size-adjust: auto;">As the work began the first lemon rolled our way....they needed to cut into my neatly trimmed ground cover, “Just a little bit” because the walkway was not wide enough to accommodate large wheelchairs.<br /><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVMRSfFBeu7lgdrcbteDbH4odPRmBzmqardnfowKufmq97O2_N_Zk41ZR-H8RyYm0SM1pBUuejMFiqeppisEJBeDDwhYjBHrtLQS1zgq3GuIQ-osQI8gGre7Y6vAH2HT-VDqJov8HNRL9W/s4032/IMG_2533.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVMRSfFBeu7lgdrcbteDbH4odPRmBzmqardnfowKufmq97O2_N_Zk41ZR-H8RyYm0SM1pBUuejMFiqeppisEJBeDDwhYjBHrtLQS1zgq3GuIQ-osQI8gGre7Y6vAH2HT-VDqJov8HNRL9W/w300-h400/IMG_2533.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start; text-size-adjust: auto;">That’s not “a little bit”.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start; text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicumCw6UWkEBnRjXh9eKUl4ZNMlBt5XtvuaxA3m0jnKZnDusy5XoVks4F_0pZjRC7bzoL5hIAABHlnnMx3KoEzPxoe9V_KXjKBqd82R4LJyGpx9LHma9gY3Z5CeafF73Y72fT32MNnT3m2/s4032/IMG_2547.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicumCw6UWkEBnRjXh9eKUl4ZNMlBt5XtvuaxA3m0jnKZnDusy5XoVks4F_0pZjRC7bzoL5hIAABHlnnMx3KoEzPxoe9V_KXjKBqd82R4LJyGpx9LHma9gY3Z5CeafF73Y72fT32MNnT3m2/w400-h300/IMG_2547.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; text-size-adjust: auto;">They were very apologetic as they removed more and then a little more.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start; text-size-adjust: auto;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5IHjWtACTiFSmgcven_rVKKYgKFBzd15ItsxhA6hbIvHDkSpVxgaedZPQF6StVcIFWFjfoFvQjGvSOVmO3qknLUPu4pP13pxt4uazCVWWVXhPOrJwgzA8F0rpG1uL1sVuIaZjg2Kiiu-d/s4032/IMG_2571.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5IHjWtACTiFSmgcven_rVKKYgKFBzd15ItsxhA6hbIvHDkSpVxgaedZPQF6StVcIFWFjfoFvQjGvSOVmO3qknLUPu4pP13pxt4uazCVWWVXhPOrJwgzA8F0rpG1uL1sVuIaZjg2Kiiu-d/w300-h400/IMG_2571.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; text-align: start; text-size-adjust: auto;">The work was finished but the problem remaining was the portion of the ground cover that was left quickly started dying, not to mention was very unsightly.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2SIRbhmeYhh9CYDagw-veJ1Zs5vJRoNJs7I_SCr-3Qnk1P3lC5cpOkSdqzwFfXwbht9x5TFpauSn964OzOYiVt1MuBL4aVPyeWf4Pc2ax5i3mjkBg9Wi5BBllXy-pYjQCs0WdQe3FpF-2/s4032/IMG_2588.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2SIRbhmeYhh9CYDagw-veJ1Zs5vJRoNJs7I_SCr-3Qnk1P3lC5cpOkSdqzwFfXwbht9x5TFpauSn964OzOYiVt1MuBL4aVPyeWf4Pc2ax5i3mjkBg9Wi5BBllXy-pYjQCs0WdQe3FpF-2/w300-h400/IMG_2588.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; text-align: start; text-size-adjust: auto;">So with the help of our son Nathan it was removed.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihuyJ1JXzAMlqzPJ5dcnEH8sXXGM4Kwuh8hTS_jMCoQM6S967uUP2y8s-opOytJcig_oQ1ANV2r12UQC9iZ3lgSG3KwUWJt8EQrfNypKeZOOgDDlsPmsMZ10Vl-CTTyjMJHOBdGSvYJHao/s3120/IMG_2831.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2645" data-original-width="3120" height="339" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihuyJ1JXzAMlqzPJ5dcnEH8sXXGM4Kwuh8hTS_jMCoQM6S967uUP2y8s-opOytJcig_oQ1ANV2r12UQC9iZ3lgSG3KwUWJt8EQrfNypKeZOOgDDlsPmsMZ10Vl-CTTyjMJHOBdGSvYJHao/w400-h339/IMG_2831.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; text-align: start; text-size-adjust: auto;">And we now have lemonade.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; text-align: start; text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; text-align: start; text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></span></div><br /><span style="font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></span></span></div><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <p></p>Dochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05230334534323236665noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5537642929332709150.post-72858439537012143002021-05-25T22:39:00.000-07:002021-05-25T22:39:18.050-07:00Fix It<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Up early this morning we busied ourselves getting Miss Roxy fed and then outside to do her business and then loaded her into the car for a thirty minute drive to Hillsboro were MeMa checked into the Hospital to have her third stent replacement which help protect her kidneys while the chemotherapy continues. As usual I was able to go in with her while all the paper work was completed but because of Covid restrictions we said our goodbye's and then I joined Miss Roxy in the car. Try as I might I just can't get comfortable in this car......not our car. Yesterday a pesky little warning light appeared on the reader board of our car so we stopped at the dealer to have it checked out. We were given a rental and the nice lady told us they would let us know. It was a combination of MeMa's successful surgery this morning and having to drive this god awful rental, that when the nice lady called back and said the problem will disappear when we approve the 12 hundred dollar bandaid. I said, "Fix it, I hate this rental, I want my heated seats, sunroof and all those electric buttons and gizmos that this rental doesn't have ." And I promise I won't complain about the fact that it is dark grey instead of red, even when I can't find it the next time leave it in a parking lot filled with dark grey cars. </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <b style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2103" data-original-width="1577" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq_svusuNoAuJAgWoWPm6VwwTuQqHnC9u4AUI9dVQ2_sd5vxsfqJiPyJ76dQAHTqCEnziDEqU84lDdXoNYkfV4etxR71T6mHbMJHvYKHy3SNxXnobnmPLtKAgLlUm_buoZ3T6xmSY_fix5/s320/IMG_2683.JPG" /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>This car was parked in front of me at the Hospital. I was a bit slow when I looked at the jumble of letters but then I put the type of car, an Infinity with the plate NBYND. The Toy Story hero Buzz Lightyears famous saying "To Infinity and Beyond" </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwi9giDvl1hG46M2SzHn9IUp2YrBk7EEEFpkTdX_6xl0IOVCZGijAU7eXHwgwqSUxJWCOb5A1RdhxaEeXtr4mGc6P3AQ3Z5yINk4tNDly1IUrvfncbN92Xt27bZKY-7GEFNRHv1ApzNfd0/s4032/IMG_2679.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwi9giDvl1hG46M2SzHn9IUp2YrBk7EEEFpkTdX_6xl0IOVCZGijAU7eXHwgwqSUxJWCOb5A1RdhxaEeXtr4mGc6P3AQ3Z5yINk4tNDly1IUrvfncbN92Xt27bZKY-7GEFNRHv1ApzNfd0/w480-h640/IMG_2679.JPG" width="480" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>A first timer Peony bloom in the garden - Duchess de Nemours</b></div><b> </b><p></p>Dochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05230334534323236665noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5537642929332709150.post-13655737501087631152021-05-23T19:11:00.000-07:002021-05-23T19:11:17.663-07:00Photo Op<p> </p><p><b>While my wife was having chemotherapy our eldest son did a great job of keeping me distracted. I was showing him what I had planted in the kitchen garden when this little Anna's Hummingbird fed on the pendulous flowers of this clump of Cerinth growing along the fence of the old chicken yard. She was completely unafraid of us standing less than a foot away and didn't mind us snapping photo after photo.</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBV8RkpZATfoaosTIDOrKCgkWTDJ0gis0W-KXABTM8Lu8J2iWyBT-6OxdRVB6xlRVjbQmjtvRaVUmqzDJ_IOLkUbOGcc1CBKcOpXqQzBJJwEUfZi0qUfDlxRXOZx6PvJ31E4PJKSYpoeAX/s1200/IMG_2646.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBV8RkpZATfoaosTIDOrKCgkWTDJ0gis0W-KXABTM8Lu8J2iWyBT-6OxdRVB6xlRVjbQmjtvRaVUmqzDJ_IOLkUbOGcc1CBKcOpXqQzBJJwEUfZi0qUfDlxRXOZx6PvJ31E4PJKSYpoeAX/w480-h640/IMG_2646.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Dochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05230334534323236665noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5537642929332709150.post-43054348820938377152021-05-20T20:39:00.000-07:002021-05-20T20:39:27.151-07:00Peonies<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6o2BBSKay5FEIXV2DN5WdtwUxrnDKON_nTm_gMD_uLQvBr0dRi-54Q72xUIdNe-vrCD1lKFVJK8g31NQozPT4s8rtiepLGczhLKMC-H6VdxozdNvYXQ82_ZC8ozO51w7-sBXTp2nDrS18/s4032/IMG_2631.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6o2BBSKay5FEIXV2DN5WdtwUxrnDKON_nTm_gMD_uLQvBr0dRi-54Q72xUIdNe-vrCD1lKFVJK8g31NQozPT4s8rtiepLGczhLKMC-H6VdxozdNvYXQ82_ZC8ozO51w7-sBXTp2nDrS18/w300-h400/IMG_2631.JPG" width="300" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Boreas</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJoL_KdKQnW1Gmb5m1DONlLZ-RhEWKQSVXllST8UbrjyKZCvERLi_AV-sKGxSMDEH6oRy36PyzpTN9u9946tNZ_c-4adyuJINhCijQABlKPULWVkTAT_WKr4-8yCwb6RC_y0aWkQ0KjCO_/s4032/IMG_2631.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><br /></b></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJoL_KdKQnW1Gmb5m1DONlLZ-RhEWKQSVXllST8UbrjyKZCvERLi_AV-sKGxSMDEH6oRy36PyzpTN9u9946tNZ_c-4adyuJINhCijQABlKPULWVkTAT_WKr4-8yCwb6RC_y0aWkQ0KjCO_/s4032/IMG_2631.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><br /></b></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJoL_KdKQnW1Gmb5m1DONlLZ-RhEWKQSVXllST8UbrjyKZCvERLi_AV-sKGxSMDEH6oRy36PyzpTN9u9946tNZ_c-4adyuJINhCijQABlKPULWVkTAT_WKr4-8yCwb6RC_y0aWkQ0KjCO_/s4032/IMG_2631.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><br /></b></a><b>It is peony season here at the moment and like Camelia season it is over with in a hurry. MeMa picks as many as she can and brings them in the house where our unpredictable weather will not play a roll in shortening their already short bloom period. Peonies are one flower that can be picked while in a tight bud, brought into the house and in a few days they bloom and make a lovely display.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwPZj-7IKHdlWgLDGbwtrPopel6nOJpqsCeHB-j3bhRoIPYzlArO4CuMyWy2s840whXvvuIEE_GYcB39hMtn2g9nUd4HhwaBcn0CBcpeIbyMn7EYvvNjR0jG8D5IJxj7wxO1hD_dcIGwt2/s4032/IMG_2630.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwPZj-7IKHdlWgLDGbwtrPopel6nOJpqsCeHB-j3bhRoIPYzlArO4CuMyWy2s840whXvvuIEE_GYcB39hMtn2g9nUd4HhwaBcn0CBcpeIbyMn7EYvvNjR0jG8D5IJxj7wxO1hD_dcIGwt2/s320/IMG_2630.JPG" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Tree Peony "Boreas"</b></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpy-xVSybFJKa1SsFVXB12wWOUWREVlc0SQGexJYEefvZkFIluYGseK0vDGAuQOBKjihHMuid8xbGr88f1EZpEoD42OXKIghzCyMFMzMBUMJjHwCUNZVgfrpPGYcVrsB6kGkPCSfoaM_3e/s4032/IMG_2630.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><b><br /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOStQwV-bObGATd5dD2s4KHXeA9a3FOnBttOCLiv0uxwIPhahOYMS9dMkqqE_uo8Ad7Q4XPOjw8WIq6mfjFPtzeJxZZ9KKjtEolsmrNZpZ6CDJDu0y5xBFAl-iVT6UMifS2AowgWPdWDqW/s4032/IMG_2663.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOStQwV-bObGATd5dD2s4KHXeA9a3FOnBttOCLiv0uxwIPhahOYMS9dMkqqE_uo8Ad7Q4XPOjw8WIq6mfjFPtzeJxZZ9KKjtEolsmrNZpZ6CDJDu0y5xBFAl-iVT6UMifS2AowgWPdWDqW/w400-h300/IMG_2663.JPG" width="400" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Bush peony "Mothers Choice"</b></div><b><br /></b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmvTjE9lCn34YJ09G6vz60L5IvEIp2zYjFFiTC8hc1GrF4V5sQ8GTZedXDVFQ7cksYmxhtnq_9iaS9hhXAZGrJd2l8fPFyqGvPlOSEUyY7jmaYgPU5_M8b7x0WUnztAnp4i81tRHNdVKCR/s4032/IMG_2657.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmvTjE9lCn34YJ09G6vz60L5IvEIp2zYjFFiTC8hc1GrF4V5sQ8GTZedXDVFQ7cksYmxhtnq_9iaS9hhXAZGrJd2l8fPFyqGvPlOSEUyY7jmaYgPU5_M8b7x0WUnztAnp4i81tRHNdVKCR/s320/IMG_2657.JPG" /></a><br />Intersectional Peony "Garden Treasure"</b></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /><br />In all we have around twelve different peonies and plenty of room for new ones. And if we are feeling up to going to the Peony Festival this year I have prepared the beds for any new purchases. I had a treatment yesterday, my fifth. Tomorrow morning MeMa has another five hour chemo infusion and typically is feeling poorly for the next three days.<br /><br /></b></td></tr></tbody></table><b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYrazd8EaBw2D4hJ0y6fPXW4c4EUNzkKLei7oowWkw_wCjRzGSLXfPy19LCNfhN5YZixzmtVAF2lAu4y_l1RhFCsUhbdR6Bm8l9CvQhWVSNSNB1V_VmF3PG_VoKswcvBs31IhqPgx2zSHP/s4032/IMG_2653.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYrazd8EaBw2D4hJ0y6fPXW4c4EUNzkKLei7oowWkw_wCjRzGSLXfPy19LCNfhN5YZixzmtVAF2lAu4y_l1RhFCsUhbdR6Bm8l9CvQhWVSNSNB1V_VmF3PG_VoKswcvBs31IhqPgx2zSHP/w400-h300/IMG_2653.JPG" width="400" /></b></a></div><b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>When the peony beds are finished blooming then my collection of hydrangeas (20+) start their long bloom period and halfway into that season MeMa's dahlias start blooming.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>In the meantime there are so many other plants and flowers to enjoy. When MeMa is not able to wander about the gardens that I have built for her enjoyment then she can lounge in the sunroom which looks right out into the gardens.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTTm_wLplMwJhzRYI4xB40SSOIBsCzCd46dDDMeDwPDnYEwOfmHYOHW9jiXnT3R-tEdk8u_KPZKIYyUnmHSOnZOCA0QqJWTFMn5I2bkfNhrGokE0uYWKuDe_IdxlUBcxJVD5tmdrUPW8RU/s4032/IMG_2651.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTTm_wLplMwJhzRYI4xB40SSOIBsCzCd46dDDMeDwPDnYEwOfmHYOHW9jiXnT3R-tEdk8u_KPZKIYyUnmHSOnZOCA0QqJWTFMn5I2bkfNhrGokE0uYWKuDe_IdxlUBcxJVD5tmdrUPW8RU/w400-h300/IMG_2651.JPG" width="400" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The main view out the sunroom</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b><br /></b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaNI_c6hQfOp1KwqwJkstaJkVtSPrOKGcis7JNyD4SaggbpeD1TkqZ64FPRqQcVhPoqrqYqBsu0N53ranqVd7r4qDdzJcWY8_Nfyalt39L3Se5DSBau2zEF3V7y98rcC2N565Y7kbVMSQ9/s4032/IMG_2654.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaNI_c6hQfOp1KwqwJkstaJkVtSPrOKGcis7JNyD4SaggbpeD1TkqZ64FPRqQcVhPoqrqYqBsu0N53ranqVd7r4qDdzJcWY8_Nfyalt39L3Se5DSBau2zEF3V7y98rcC2N565Y7kbVMSQ9/s320/IMG_2654.JPG" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>We have 18 trees in the gardens, but one of my very favorites is this golden chain.<br /><br /><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsgLG-i3c5OnXbDsmmOubidw4qJ7sGzP7W_Q3PUhNY4Z4G0vbTj6-I6Qhf4tNV0CVgUTPQi9DEjeXPUA3myjP1D7F2DmR4p-YjKeDRmuqgqVhREIM-jqiGN3nPSSZCQymtZWHfjkz8uOZ5/s4032/IMG_2649.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsgLG-i3c5OnXbDsmmOubidw4qJ7sGzP7W_Q3PUhNY4Z4G0vbTj6-I6Qhf4tNV0CVgUTPQi9DEjeXPUA3myjP1D7F2DmR4p-YjKeDRmuqgqVhREIM-jqiGN3nPSSZCQymtZWHfjkz8uOZ5/w300-h400/IMG_2649.JPG" width="300" /></b></a></div><b><br /> </b></td></tr></tbody></table><b><br /></b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7GUauxdRUv_EKSR2vd-1ek4Rb6KPtaFCFa7sbQyNgLBqz2TnUX918pBUaJpL2EHS_Im2Oug2zu4RAM_aUcrt4XuW0PuH5X2pFf9TG5ip-JqfoAmlwB8a7SmxEB5BX-Xv_eYVxANlbAOlO/s4032/IMG_2666.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7GUauxdRUv_EKSR2vd-1ek4Rb6KPtaFCFa7sbQyNgLBqz2TnUX918pBUaJpL2EHS_Im2Oug2zu4RAM_aUcrt4XuW0PuH5X2pFf9TG5ip-JqfoAmlwB8a7SmxEB5BX-Xv_eYVxANlbAOlO/s320/IMG_2666.JPG" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>My Holden Clough Iris </b><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><b><br /></b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnMCNMa0jp1IqnrxffmGbhYvhuMToeojJ-0bGV1Hyu1Im6F0jbKBrh6hQzl-vLi_jQjj8_VB5rrTa9jQbaxGU4eex-9wWDDR7Y-qtnbDuqUpx0QfcRt_qdWxVNeCZF6g-A0YNNtLtmAgSa/s4032/IMG_2667.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnMCNMa0jp1IqnrxffmGbhYvhuMToeojJ-0bGV1Hyu1Im6F0jbKBrh6hQzl-vLi_jQjj8_VB5rrTa9jQbaxGU4eex-9wWDDR7Y-qtnbDuqUpx0QfcRt_qdWxVNeCZF6g-A0YNNtLtmAgSa/s320/IMG_2667.JPG" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Calla Lilies</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b><br /></b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf1A2Jbj1chhgwdPN4M6UpN5DbH3yRAsBInqg0OIO2sgiiYOjHdOSwbsbLnlFv4cbqPPxFwh0pOGbNecPdGGv0OzqEU2AnQEBOaR12sY0WaFEcpq4RO1URN7VyJ4G6S7Z-WspBn2lexaCm/s4032/IMG_2665.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf1A2Jbj1chhgwdPN4M6UpN5DbH3yRAsBInqg0OIO2sgiiYOjHdOSwbsbLnlFv4cbqPPxFwh0pOGbNecPdGGv0OzqEU2AnQEBOaR12sY0WaFEcpq4RO1URN7VyJ4G6S7Z-WspBn2lexaCm/s320/IMG_2665.JPG" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Very patriotic looking Basket that our eldest son gave MeMa for Mothers Day</b></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><b><br /></b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn0MblsZdJNMJR9ohdYOSwh8-bEO558kSxwu9bWidS3QnNdKVzDh4M-Dsu1IIwetaVZlA5lZkynElg_6S5lvXFEpJOds9u85GJEFc8CVZG_0k-jhlQ5S8rBv5SmLR4Ku9KUYTnSQmpHO4h/s4032/IMG_2661.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn0MblsZdJNMJR9ohdYOSwh8-bEO558kSxwu9bWidS3QnNdKVzDh4M-Dsu1IIwetaVZlA5lZkynElg_6S5lvXFEpJOds9u85GJEFc8CVZG_0k-jhlQ5S8rBv5SmLR4Ku9KUYTnSQmpHO4h/s320/IMG_2661.JPG" width="320" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Just planted this window box on the kitchen window</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><b><br /></b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj5xflSRpHQnEhICWC4Rb7zHWRju_woEjEMpplDhRc11wZgSQHXrrvprkLOl8JUS_lnkbkvkF0kMCYgTLIWlSWmXeCsXLn_SjF8G-IrJB40hVDMnoxhTLOSmZCWU1eYaGEGDqyd_fRgZlf/s4032/IMG_2660.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj5xflSRpHQnEhICWC4Rb7zHWRju_woEjEMpplDhRc11wZgSQHXrrvprkLOl8JUS_lnkbkvkF0kMCYgTLIWlSWmXeCsXLn_SjF8G-IrJB40hVDMnoxhTLOSmZCWU1eYaGEGDqyd_fRgZlf/s320/IMG_2660.JPG" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>By the end of the day we are all exhausted, even Miss Roxy. It's a lot of work being cute.<br /><br /><br /></b></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBTvCx5-usOsBuiZLquQ97yzQ6gRtO5BVPDjm3s8WjbWFR5B7SMpCaxBEBwOHe61CPBqe1TzWI6Qp_o7FwJDZNBN9UWv-KtkoCu7xYC3JmcppuKGnXvqlW-J-ue82c8VjGiVmR0nUrAnun/s4032/IMG_2659.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBTvCx5-usOsBuiZLquQ97yzQ6gRtO5BVPDjm3s8WjbWFR5B7SMpCaxBEBwOHe61CPBqe1TzWI6Qp_o7FwJDZNBN9UWv-KtkoCu7xYC3JmcppuKGnXvqlW-J-ue82c8VjGiVmR0nUrAnun/s320/IMG_2659.JPG" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The End</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /> <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Dochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05230334534323236665noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5537642929332709150.post-57999457802964584522021-04-06T21:35:00.003-07:002021-04-07T08:19:22.262-07:00Busy Week<p><b> When I drew back the curtains this morning there was a group of dog walkers standing out front with cell phones pointed my way. One of them gave a wave as I stepped back into the shadow of the parlor. They were taking photos of the old Mt Fuji Cherry tree that is in its height of bloom and others were taking photos of the Monkey Puzzle tree. They were all happily talking and comparing photos while their dogs looked for something more to pee on. </b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqAgezvXQP31Hty0VtyZzIADkD3FDmDNps1OQjJe3ziNqixm04079Jqi2FaSHz2AMINIA_fZs-2_kRTOv-a4G_ad542IjrY0V24l-BivrIMn13m42G1bBPeE7uf95UVb5Hb-kijfdxafPQ/s4032/IMG_2572.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqAgezvXQP31Hty0VtyZzIADkD3FDmDNps1OQjJe3ziNqixm04079Jqi2FaSHz2AMINIA_fZs-2_kRTOv-a4G_ad542IjrY0V24l-BivrIMn13m42G1bBPeE7uf95UVb5Hb-kijfdxafPQ/w480-h640/IMG_2572.JPG" width="480" /></b></a></div><b>It has been an exhausting week here at Menagerie Manor. The Crazy Cat Lady who lives next door announced that she was going to have her current drive removed and a new one installed. So we told her to hold off her contractor and we would have our old oil tank decommissioned. A past neighbor three properties over was in the process of selling her house and was told she couldn't do so until she had her oil tank decommissioned. She got an estimate of five thousand dollars and by time they finished she had to pay fifteen thousand because it leaked and the soil had to be removed as well as most of her cement drive in order to get to the contaminated soil. Her house was built in the 50's and Menagerie Manor was built in 1916 so we expected a considerable expense. That old tank has to have leaked, but we were very wrong. The company that I called arrived promptly and told me that our tank was pre-war so it was probably made of better material. during and after the war there was a shortage of metal so the tanks are an inferior quality. They took a core sample and sent it in to be tested. We received a letter back from the state and they said there was leakage on one end but very insignificant so no further testing was necessary and the tank could be decommissioned.</b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZBK2DzQfNOZNafRmNl1quUV5Yt1CNmtNFbE11927-4Lu6PeWb_Z4vdBd244xPq_NlBy6gRrzxj_sb1Nr5fP_GnsV5rO92n6bF3_aNMw6A5mwhh0Pq9ValRPlE6Jv-JctwPlNm-eIHagpB/s4032/IMG_2565.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZBK2DzQfNOZNafRmNl1quUV5Yt1CNmtNFbE11927-4Lu6PeWb_Z4vdBd244xPq_NlBy6gRrzxj_sb1Nr5fP_GnsV5rO92n6bF3_aNMw6A5mwhh0Pq9ValRPlE6Jv-JctwPlNm-eIHagpB/s320/IMG_2565.JPG" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>The tank itself is eight feet long and would hold 675 gallons of oil which we had pumped out 30 years ago when we switched to natural gas. They had to dig down and remove a small opening to the top of the tank, clean out the small amount of sludge. and fill it with all of these bags of perlite.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiERN3bAUhG9FBeJGLp5UgxgYxRqHG4tt6p2UiPFx8CNMPQ26reCRD2H8RpfdAZ_GY94col2polPDm1xK3jjMvbtix2_9KeRQ6IV48ev9FiV8bx93qXFD8C61CB9zK8f_VMClsrVbIrkuvU/s4032/IMG_2567.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiERN3bAUhG9FBeJGLp5UgxgYxRqHG4tt6p2UiPFx8CNMPQ26reCRD2H8RpfdAZ_GY94col2polPDm1xK3jjMvbtix2_9KeRQ6IV48ev9FiV8bx93qXFD8C61CB9zK8f_VMClsrVbIrkuvU/s320/IMG_2567.JPG" width="320" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>After they left I re-planted the two Rhododendrons back over top of the tank area and it looked as though nothing happened. The whole process cost us just under two thousand dollars. </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinxxSJSiApYBU8RhpWrfKMOTIpXXnJqvOcOgt1lgbw5cDcxfBZaYJyTyTxytD5ItHxwuY36YZQRyt9SmITIbYVUNC_eoY4wj3-1xs-aEwHxH3Bi4-vuKBi8PpxRxQyowRcCHqmrpM2dcG5/s4032/IMG_2568.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinxxSJSiApYBU8RhpWrfKMOTIpXXnJqvOcOgt1lgbw5cDcxfBZaYJyTyTxytD5ItHxwuY36YZQRyt9SmITIbYVUNC_eoY4wj3-1xs-aEwHxH3Bi4-vuKBi8PpxRxQyowRcCHqmrpM2dcG5/s320/IMG_2568.JPG" width="320" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Basically at the same time the oil tank debacle was going on our 20 year old gas furnace decided it was going to retire immediately without two weeks notice. So I called our good friend who happens to own the heating and cooling company that we have always dealt with. So with "friends of the family" discount and several other discounts mostly due to our age and just over five thousand dollars we now have heat</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQeXNfIclQXpLjTf71skJ-qWcymmIVrYpMOLdiPJ26hchQCnyTrBq2-9zLlLz3D5QnpbPt4CsDKkWu-zKtuzZePThPgf-Dyx7Q05DKPr_c5qyKcmAJCnwIETKJ3lucbu3FhBQ2YdvlHwnB/s4032/IMG_2557.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQeXNfIclQXpLjTf71skJ-qWcymmIVrYpMOLdiPJ26hchQCnyTrBq2-9zLlLz3D5QnpbPt4CsDKkWu-zKtuzZePThPgf-Dyx7Q05DKPr_c5qyKcmAJCnwIETKJ3lucbu3FhBQ2YdvlHwnB/s320/IMG_2557.JPG" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>The new one reminds me of a hot rod with all of its fancy pipe work on the top</b></div><b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz5HQxH5njOALTk6wZCcMHs_PxHbS6JZxTQHxU7s_l3fLX6NqZMgC9qvF3bx491PS7HyWX_-cxDQZXbd4HNSptWVy-E6qrQ7Su9dcTIwGeJaeHPVnp0FoTd4NqxzgmClTYPcZA5G9YcpWu/s4032/IMG_2556.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz5HQxH5njOALTk6wZCcMHs_PxHbS6JZxTQHxU7s_l3fLX6NqZMgC9qvF3bx491PS7HyWX_-cxDQZXbd4HNSptWVy-E6qrQ7Su9dcTIwGeJaeHPVnp0FoTd4NqxzgmClTYPcZA5G9YcpWu/s320/IMG_2556.JPG" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>They are returning tomorrow to install an extra heat vent in the laundry room free of charge so our resident tortoises will have an abundance of heat during the colder season. The installers were quite taken by 110 year old Ruby and the young buck Elmo at 85 years.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>This is a photo of our eldest son Nathan holding Ruby shortly after I rescued her, Nathan is 41 years old now.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuAPk0g7ieMl0jBb4wcEj6wvwcA_S3ehgBN9zPFLra9PTuV8Zyq5R5-Gb381seDZK5QYOPlRLcoTXxXCvu3WJHYjTBbvL0S9f39U5MYPE5Nf6_nPpIS9AG3w3Ck4DUQU_KlFAtLwyONcSY/s320/5AB74BAE-1892-48BA-A3EB-F2E0056F6201-11210-0000076AB0FADAA5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuAPk0g7ieMl0jBb4wcEj6wvwcA_S3ehgBN9zPFLra9PTuV8Zyq5R5-Gb381seDZK5QYOPlRLcoTXxXCvu3WJHYjTBbvL0S9f39U5MYPE5Nf6_nPpIS9AG3w3Ck4DUQU_KlFAtLwyONcSY/s0/5AB74BAE-1892-48BA-A3EB-F2E0056F6201-11210-0000076AB0FADAA5.jpg" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>This is myself holding Ruby many years later just before I retired.<br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPVUAupHMqtj4zg1l9Gb35JTXT9ycCvhpjNAnpu7IKPnetEIPifhZ3g1IQBX-zao0zt8Y-y_0kVJCQoBPmaXdifDZAobt12NN7CJ8sZv22TPQvnLf_Xuq2TOYftqk60F8XLiYlV0hpQnoS/s320/71B8A16F-A5EE-4A9E-8944-C699DB071EAF-11210-0000076AAB2D4210.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="231" data-original-width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPVUAupHMqtj4zg1l9Gb35JTXT9ycCvhpjNAnpu7IKPnetEIPifhZ3g1IQBX-zao0zt8Y-y_0kVJCQoBPmaXdifDZAobt12NN7CJ8sZv22TPQvnLf_Xuq2TOYftqk60F8XLiYlV0hpQnoS/s0/71B8A16F-A5EE-4A9E-8944-C699DB071EAF-11210-0000076AAB2D4210.jpg" /></b></a></div></div><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>While all these escapades were going on the city was hard at work ripping out a perfectly good sidewalk in front of our home.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfYraUfviDPZ1xFVupjHxubyE3ne4Ay84tjnB2s047ru3e0maGKlPEXA9VnOkzLmEPX5U55HMK5E3C-L6AsPwC4g7zXke4Upx7-jUwlCkfVOD-4drpK_fJ4DxqsaCP1UriVNKhHtErZFGa/s4032/IMG_2553.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfYraUfviDPZ1xFVupjHxubyE3ne4Ay84tjnB2s047ru3e0maGKlPEXA9VnOkzLmEPX5U55HMK5E3C-L6AsPwC4g7zXke4Upx7-jUwlCkfVOD-4drpK_fJ4DxqsaCP1UriVNKhHtErZFGa/s320/IMG_2553.JPG" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>They were very careful not to disturb most of the landscape and by the end of the same day they finished up their work and now Menagerie Manor has a new sidewalk with a wheel chair ramp and no it did not cost me a cent......yet!</b></div><b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh38sIYLMK7I2yMowp6S1pqJQmod1Rei0N9UWO75PaJCPHIknlLZCa8v0AUhM8Vkv5yE2Dkl4w9QXb9ANZHLvwOIw3ZkksQlGS33GP30XkrF7Q6uXrJaYIOCd7UyunurHwAYZCH2AthsY5K/s4032/IMG_2571.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh38sIYLMK7I2yMowp6S1pqJQmod1Rei0N9UWO75PaJCPHIknlLZCa8v0AUhM8Vkv5yE2Dkl4w9QXb9ANZHLvwOIw3ZkksQlGS33GP30XkrF7Q6uXrJaYIOCd7UyunurHwAYZCH2AthsY5K/s320/IMG_2571.JPG" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><b>MeMa has been doing very well with her new Chemo regimen surprising her Oncologist because this chemo is considerably stronger causing severe nausea and vomiting which she has not experienced. I have started my new treatment for bladder cancer as well which will continue for nine weeks. It has also proved to show none of the expected side effects. </b><div><b>My 88 year old father fell and broke his hip and is recuperating very nicely in a local re-hab, he says the staff are amazing and the food is good. Two things my father loves are good food and nice people. He is doing so well they may release him to my sisters care by the end of next week. </b></div><div><b>We both received our second Covid vaccines on Easter Sunday, such a relief to have that out of the way. By the second day we both had slight side effects, MeMa was extremely tired and slept which was the best thing. I just felt like every muscle ached but nothing that kept me down. </b></div><div><b>As spring blossoms fade, pruning season starts. The roses will soon receive their first dose of fertilizer and the work load increases from there. The trays of annuals in the greenhouse will need to be hardened off before planting out, three different varieties of zinnias, two varieties of marigolds, one tray of spider flowered Cleome or </b><span class="clr-black attribute-val wrap" face="Lato, -apple-system, blinkmacsystemfont, "Segoe UI", roboto, "Helvetica Neue", arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #242424; font-size: 15px; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-size-adjust: auto; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cleome hassleriana, my grandfathers geraniums, eight tomato seedlings and numerous single pots of other annuals.</span><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div>Dochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05230334534323236665noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5537642929332709150.post-74852451985531612842021-03-25T21:35:00.000-07:002021-03-25T21:35:06.395-07:00Spring Has Sprung<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>We sleep with the door to the bedroom wing of the house closed and the door to the back of the house were the sunroom is as well. This is because at 06:45 Jason the canary starts singing non stop even with a heavy cover over his cage. This allows us to sleep at least another hour. Not today! 07:00 I woke to the rumble of equipment tearing out our old sidewalks to make room for the new ADA approved walkway with wheelchair ramps. When the racket started Roxy gave a little growl of disgust and rolled over to MeMa's side of the bed and went back to sleep. I opened my eyes to see the water in the glass on my night stand bouncing up and down. I quietly got up without disturbing the ladies and went out to the front windows to see what was going on</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUtG_MMrEItI1crujysND2dgQx-AxStNG5F1SI_eI6UdnuuO7skEVkdEGqo92fuQhBJSZPKKnIT8s8rZPN_O14AOJjXWUBAPXO24AgIgq-2Q6tVm9G9NK0v79Kw4wsP-ZKmsyWRC4F9uVV/s4032/IMG_2546.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUtG_MMrEItI1crujysND2dgQx-AxStNG5F1SI_eI6UdnuuO7skEVkdEGqo92fuQhBJSZPKKnIT8s8rZPN_O14AOJjXWUBAPXO24AgIgq-2Q6tVm9G9NK0v79Kw4wsP-ZKmsyWRC4F9uVV/w480-h640/IMG_2546.JPG" width="480" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUL5yiuUz58Sz7URkEFAHUEFzaIL6h07-LRJxJ0SW380WdicjlTHxSPuC9aRSnEI8FWWTlj01EEm1Gh0HA_F53Z3iK0hkNQ3Ls5WRC5YzW2z-C_3m-Ujsc0NwS52ZD9ENZ4Z9V06XYMval/s4032/IMG_2542.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUL5yiuUz58Sz7URkEFAHUEFzaIL6h07-LRJxJ0SW380WdicjlTHxSPuC9aRSnEI8FWWTlj01EEm1Gh0HA_F53Z3iK0hkNQ3Ls5WRC5YzW2z-C_3m-Ujsc0NwS52ZD9ENZ4Z9V06XYMval/w300-h400/IMG_2542.JPG" width="300" /></b></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>So in PJ's, robe and slippers I went out waved a sleepy hello and grabbed up the morning paper. Returning to the house I turned on my coffee maker and then uncovered the already singing Jason. I wish I could wake up in the morning like Jason, such a happy little bastard. Hell, after my allotment of two cups of coffee I still can't sing like him let alone flit from perch to perch. </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3SWLAi1nqd975d_OTTkklPs4rjYsyc6-yJ6W0C0d4Jnl4xqlMchID2EjjanxtrFUCsW0TkOCA6JBmxt28-krlI9BYx3xk5gmwsvDEbgfGCsT56fxO1-aDzKeqBtkXW4ea8w5huWlkdcr_/s4032/IMG_2262.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3SWLAi1nqd975d_OTTkklPs4rjYsyc6-yJ6W0C0d4Jnl4xqlMchID2EjjanxtrFUCsW0TkOCA6JBmxt28-krlI9BYx3xk5gmwsvDEbgfGCsT56fxO1-aDzKeqBtkXW4ea8w5huWlkdcr_/s320/IMG_2262.JPG" /></a></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>I sat in the sunroom enjoying the morning light flooding in through the windows while looking out at the gardens that are coming to life after the winter dormancy. I noticed a big fat squirrel stopping for a drink from the waterfall that spills into the Koi pond, if Roxy was awake she would not let this happen in her garden, no sir!</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>After MeMa and Roxy got up We enjoyed a small breakfast together before I dressed to go out to start watering the seed trays in the greenhouse and then went out to see what was blooming.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><b>About five years ago I was weeding a narrow bed that borders our front porch and found an old stump of a camellia that was sporting a small stem with a few leaves. In all the years that we have lived here I had never noticed it because there was a large rhododendron growing over it. I pruned the Rhododendron back letting light get to the camellia. It is now about four feet tall and I have trained into a pyramidal shape and this year it has bloomed for the first time.</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9J5nEA3fwNvOmuKR8RTUGzTlCvdMGEvs4PV7aVOK-cevklnMEa9zjJqcvD5fhzm70jUez5KzFLFkToBqPs1URfA9xkHELMMWCRNTzd3NPhdDfxbDu5sktBPA8YM8nWIQHTYV-3-xad8EZ/s4032/IMG_2539.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9J5nEA3fwNvOmuKR8RTUGzTlCvdMGEvs4PV7aVOK-cevklnMEa9zjJqcvD5fhzm70jUez5KzFLFkToBqPs1URfA9xkHELMMWCRNTzd3NPhdDfxbDu5sktBPA8YM8nWIQHTYV-3-xad8EZ/s320/IMG_2539.JPG" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiaqiNAm6KapNrnxvWHneDDwINITAWIWN56N7SqCc97aSQ0Vxd0hdsENXYiGH9DI8zGilffkIFcL7cJgNBDC6zWngV0FDVUZog3lsjt9UkK_aQrw6Rn0Y2LZnAoT9B06BlypG0mZNNiyyb/s4032/IMG_2540.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiaqiNAm6KapNrnxvWHneDDwINITAWIWN56N7SqCc97aSQ0Vxd0hdsENXYiGH9DI8zGilffkIFcL7cJgNBDC6zWngV0FDVUZog3lsjt9UkK_aQrw6Rn0Y2LZnAoT9B06BlypG0mZNNiyyb/s320/IMG_2540.JPG" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>One of my favorite plants that is blooming at this time is my Star Magnolia. I love the bright white and very fragrant flowers. It is the first shrub I planted at Menagerie Manor in 1976.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd1GgSP7o8K18ZNBtDWtqY4rScy1zJScRsncLuBGinGIu9nLjIkRI07_h-Qud3egPIwsw9MK1nQDvS_r2klNwqlck-mZxEFM8FlaJWCoEdEQRd6JR-W5AphifFxg6QvDj6axspgd2WD3P8/s4032/IMG_1629.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd1GgSP7o8K18ZNBtDWtqY4rScy1zJScRsncLuBGinGIu9nLjIkRI07_h-Qud3egPIwsw9MK1nQDvS_r2klNwqlck-mZxEFM8FlaJWCoEdEQRd6JR-W5AphifFxg6QvDj6axspgd2WD3P8/w300-h400/IMG_1629.JPG" width="300" /></a></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Bridal wreath spirea is from MeMa's childhood home in Clatskanie.</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbEi7Kkm2e_LktKz8J7HR0z8H5AKwDEcR2DElxRJHYOQdhKENZMV_uKzozRQdHNxBt_2qMywH05ETcvr1osLresBfQVynqlE2HPX8OLi5cQ8efit0htaihHmb3EUtcRcKoVSIe-dW3iabM/s4032/IMG_1625.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbEi7Kkm2e_LktKz8J7HR0z8H5AKwDEcR2DElxRJHYOQdhKENZMV_uKzozRQdHNxBt_2qMywH05ETcvr1osLresBfQVynqlE2HPX8OLi5cQ8efit0htaihHmb3EUtcRcKoVSIe-dW3iabM/w300-h400/IMG_1625.JPG" width="300" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Its diminutive little flowers are a delight in the early spring garden.</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhblztYzZtGlUgEa0_X-hL8TYSkxL3wVspsyKQm9Nud7DCTQAbLeXgUqNh-lZuTH00uw7zmrQ8ZayQFwi8g3RiAX68-Y-6DMgNxtTyalHPKF_xMyZfUOIYKZBgRvbf8Uqyepcx6SaMYMue6/s2035/IMG_2551.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="2035" data-original-width="1910" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhblztYzZtGlUgEa0_X-hL8TYSkxL3wVspsyKQm9Nud7DCTQAbLeXgUqNh-lZuTH00uw7zmrQ8ZayQFwi8g3RiAX68-Y-6DMgNxtTyalHPKF_xMyZfUOIYKZBgRvbf8Uqyepcx6SaMYMue6/s320/IMG_2551.JPG" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>I love this ancient pink camellia it is one of the original shrubs planted by the previous owner. It is so old that for the last ten years I have been carefully pruning it in order to revitalize the plant and hopefully it will live many more years.</b></div><b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV6fgEdDEPyCAw1kzMii3HjzPNQQEq1x7XJ-9gNQE_h3gfzxY8QG3ljbluIsx0bMdCpwktzkmWEexWMGpC-AOH0d8WgS9Cq-rPf5SOkk50OwXUGSPysdWYH6ilF8hyfzT9lp_Qr0v66X47/s4032/IMG_2550.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV6fgEdDEPyCAw1kzMii3HjzPNQQEq1x7XJ-9gNQE_h3gfzxY8QG3ljbluIsx0bMdCpwktzkmWEexWMGpC-AOH0d8WgS9Cq-rPf5SOkk50OwXUGSPysdWYH6ilF8hyfzT9lp_Qr0v66X47/w300-h400/IMG_2550.JPG" width="300" /></b></a></div><b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Dochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05230334534323236665noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5537642929332709150.post-31688445453317699842021-03-11T21:31:00.004-08:002021-03-11T21:31:50.098-08:00Update<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>After such a long absence from blogging I was really hoping to return with cheery news that everything is as wonderful as the following photos. Unfortunately that is not the case, MeMa's oncologist has informed us that the cancer has returned to her abdomen and in the lymph nodes under her arm as well. She will start her on a new chemo regimen this Friday. We are staying strong and hopeful that the chemo will make for a positive outcome.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMWyMDSEwwcKPb8OnzEP-v_k7-0A-2jrmLHokSkituKBhThG2pD4Ha6NsjuS6PSqoAwB3M8wLW9Xq9lReU6fvtVR7iSoYWhqFkMp_AbqKIna4GxzDZCLQwyPO0rQMysvuFMKJiE1hb9C83/s4032/IMG_2499.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMWyMDSEwwcKPb8OnzEP-v_k7-0A-2jrmLHokSkituKBhThG2pD4Ha6NsjuS6PSqoAwB3M8wLW9Xq9lReU6fvtVR7iSoYWhqFkMp_AbqKIna4GxzDZCLQwyPO0rQMysvuFMKJiE1hb9C83/w400-h300/IMG_2499.JPG" width="400" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Spring is in the air, love these little jonquils at the base of the old Cherry tree.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ5bb5Balyfq2bZ3sB6WqLrw86jaFuJCpkAo9HyTWgedyLbVf_0T93_ctqLpzYy3aRVyjCHbpE_qvwFLjpJgXjKVklDSWI7FAR2HMZyVdlk_QoL57j6XWmEghPupk0PEQOkqpCmLfDrA6k/s4032/IMG_2494.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ5bb5Balyfq2bZ3sB6WqLrw86jaFuJCpkAo9HyTWgedyLbVf_0T93_ctqLpzYy3aRVyjCHbpE_qvwFLjpJgXjKVklDSWI7FAR2HMZyVdlk_QoL57j6XWmEghPupk0PEQOkqpCmLfDrA6k/w300-h400/IMG_2494.JPG" width="300" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The city has decided that our front walkway should be wheelchair accessible so they have marked and cut the portion of the walk that will become a bright yellow ramp.</div><b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO2xQw741NWKLiCuTk4giSwWFUadAtzeC2r2Jd9OTR-6NP4irGhl14nlovZMyMKUies1Cj3eGdQ3msu6apWTmU4d0kbKIMGEY0MjAG9gqCCGR2Ug83z3EVHD1eIiNSIuiotYDgyPPq7cth/s4032/IMG_2493.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO2xQw741NWKLiCuTk4giSwWFUadAtzeC2r2Jd9OTR-6NP4irGhl14nlovZMyMKUies1Cj3eGdQ3msu6apWTmU4d0kbKIMGEY0MjAG9gqCCGR2Ug83z3EVHD1eIiNSIuiotYDgyPPq7cth/w400-h300/IMG_2493.JPG" width="400" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Roxy is MeMa's constant companion, this little bundle of energy never lets her out of her sight.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Today we took 41 year old "Vivian the Volvo" through D.E.Q. and of course she passed with flying colors. While we were in line my doctor called to give us the news on my biopsy. They found that the cancer has returned and now I will be receiving chemo once a week for six weeks. I am feeling good about the treatment and outcome.</b></div><b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><br />Dochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05230334534323236665noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5537642929332709150.post-73377739605999667712021-02-18T12:27:00.000-08:002021-02-18T12:27:24.538-08:00The Big Freeze<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>We are completely frozen in, something that rarely happens here in Portland anymore. We are quite comfortable with the furnace and the fireplace. Food a plenty we have nothing to complain about. Our eldest son and his family have been without power for the entire weekend and not expected to get power until late Monday. I asked if they would like to come here as we have more than enough room for everyone but my son and daughter-in-law are closer to work from their house than they would be from ours. So they are toughing it out, cooking on a portable camp stove and keep a fire burning in the fireplace.</b></div><b><br /> </b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbhuraDadgFskwxeVHIPO6n8FmOmIaWmvTem53sCnjsN8hrcvCPRJYxCjgdSfhY2unkkB_RB1dFAgGP3HoKJC-jYcYZaEzvnciWlm_EXn-cs60eIrx2bY_q6w2etHZSyjMA9bJT2_S0HiL/s4032/IMG_2428.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbhuraDadgFskwxeVHIPO6n8FmOmIaWmvTem53sCnjsN8hrcvCPRJYxCjgdSfhY2unkkB_RB1dFAgGP3HoKJC-jYcYZaEzvnciWlm_EXn-cs60eIrx2bY_q6w2etHZSyjMA9bJT2_S0HiL/s320/IMG_2428.JPG" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><b>Last Thursday evening the temperature dropped significantly, then the wind started howling and shortly after it started snowing and never stopped the rest of the evening and all day Friday. The wind remained pounding keeping this old gardener inside. I don't mind working in rain or snow but toss in any sort of wind and I'm inside. Saturday morning was a beautiful winter wonderland for all the neighborhood children and a few adults dragging sleds and disks to the hill in the local park a short way from Menagerie Manor. We actually bundled up and took Roxy for a short walk. She seemed to enjoy the quiet snow filled streets. </b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDntMTJoNyO9GaCHAiqVpEQu5oAPPL1RQo4QzB1YbUZow4aLlxG0TMvFWROtlvqB7-is5_2L1OvBde9P6CtCK0SgmS1WbyGMlO1Rc0jVJUuYQL0E66bh1hJXFgN4dDwpG1SkN6PkZg176l/s4032/IMG_2429.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDntMTJoNyO9GaCHAiqVpEQu5oAPPL1RQo4QzB1YbUZow4aLlxG0TMvFWROtlvqB7-is5_2L1OvBde9P6CtCK0SgmS1WbyGMlO1Rc0jVJUuYQL0E66bh1hJXFgN4dDwpG1SkN6PkZg176l/s320/IMG_2429.JPG" /></b></a></div><b><br /></b><div><b>After our little walk it was time to get MeMa back inside by the fire with Roxy snuggled down next to her. I was concerned about our mail carrier trying to deliver mail with our front porch frozen with a thick layer of ice. The old chicken house had a stock of Ice Melt that I would have to work hard to get to as everything was layered in ice. There was a good foot of snow that had to be cleared from the pathways and to get the gate to swing open. </b></div><div><b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR7wC4ZA7JHeyGQjLHJDSUMAqwLPgr1ZgfO8MSz3O29z0DocOMfAv5IvkUt-Eiuheluj0qBfklymz9jfZTfu6pVayuwuInBC8TD868YRNp-RSjIM36KnqLtzIQ71jbDO978EjURlaneTrU/s4032/IMG_2451.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR7wC4ZA7JHeyGQjLHJDSUMAqwLPgr1ZgfO8MSz3O29z0DocOMfAv5IvkUt-Eiuheluj0qBfklymz9jfZTfu6pVayuwuInBC8TD868YRNp-RSjIM36KnqLtzIQ71jbDO978EjURlaneTrU/s320/IMG_2451.JPG" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>It was hard but enjoyable work as there was no wind so I was able to finally get the Ice Melt out and get the front porch cleared for safe foot traffic. </b></div><b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOFQryqTRk1CNn93pcDB41AsROgVfvYAIlxEZLnNqTelGalUaiiujpWYx5w2OlbI4hBsXIQFCnIq1CHm_jjAh3TMS3L935FE2C3ek8JeK7bCCeIH5NBnfIJ7-yQXeyvSS8MMPLTjV3QNqf/s4032/IMG_2449.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOFQryqTRk1CNn93pcDB41AsROgVfvYAIlxEZLnNqTelGalUaiiujpWYx5w2OlbI4hBsXIQFCnIq1CHm_jjAh3TMS3L935FE2C3ek8JeK7bCCeIH5NBnfIJ7-yQXeyvSS8MMPLTjV3QNqf/s320/IMG_2449.JPG" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>The greenhouse had a good layer of snow and ice on the roof, always a worry of collapse I was able to knock most of it off. </b></div><b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdEFOzB-deDghMM9WzsiiC9Z3MGIMFfJaMlIa9VHzfQKrAl1NNBIOxYw4viWlfWwuAUdt32esF4BSSCEI8bhyV0by4f6GeWjaRBq8JugWIgPP1dpiM8dXy_18n765OZuciFTrAkMgO31tm/s4032/IMG_2448.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdEFOzB-deDghMM9WzsiiC9Z3MGIMFfJaMlIa9VHzfQKrAl1NNBIOxYw4viWlfWwuAUdt32esF4BSSCEI8bhyV0by4f6GeWjaRBq8JugWIgPP1dpiM8dXy_18n765OZuciFTrAkMgO31tm/s320/IMG_2448.JPG" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Thankfully there are no birds in the aviary</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrAMTvTCTksgm70Z1y6T1ccDmc4Om-UC2UKrDJZ42sxtc6q8IS7IYNCwKkPvQtZLa9W_DnVA1QJYF-Wq8o1W6J5MvnypCq_tFOqSq72yW1NyJCCbe8_Y7yWU7M07Z3YoPMk2Dzln4Xraj5/s3803/IMG_2441.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="2414" data-original-width="3803" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrAMTvTCTksgm70Z1y6T1ccDmc4Om-UC2UKrDJZ42sxtc6q8IS7IYNCwKkPvQtZLa9W_DnVA1QJYF-Wq8o1W6J5MvnypCq_tFOqSq72yW1NyJCCbe8_Y7yWU7M07Z3YoPMk2Dzln4Xraj5/s320/IMG_2441.JPG" width="320" /></b></a></div><b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkLhd1SntSDWF82xi_d12PVu6WQNu4DsPKAOAfpMTtLjQtTZlLclfn9v8lgcU0YJdkwY9j58oGMFGFNnxWsaziEqLxwM3xORBdvdLEy5-5SiCR_clsqu6d0IvLQuv9nPvUOJWrqubUtZgM/s4032/IMG_2447.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkLhd1SntSDWF82xi_d12PVu6WQNu4DsPKAOAfpMTtLjQtTZlLclfn9v8lgcU0YJdkwY9j58oGMFGFNnxWsaziEqLxwM3xORBdvdLEy5-5SiCR_clsqu6d0IvLQuv9nPvUOJWrqubUtZgM/s320/IMG_2447.JPG" width="320" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><b>The Koi pond was so covered in ice and snow but I could hear water running back into the pond from the filter. I was able to slice a chunk of ice out of the ice in order to allow gasses to escape. </b></div><div><b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJnjRO6zrDTnlR8ECPpDVs55-jIuZuFYXRKgMuKecObsHlfUIjAgldjQp5czrLWHVf5LeaBy7qWAy3y1zGTjlz1vzJgyok-5MS4DT3b52Cycm4K767k-QdrpdN9jGuhTAwyE2cn8WKJ0PM/s4032/IMG_2445.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJnjRO6zrDTnlR8ECPpDVs55-jIuZuFYXRKgMuKecObsHlfUIjAgldjQp5czrLWHVf5LeaBy7qWAy3y1zGTjlz1vzJgyok-5MS4DT3b52Cycm4K767k-QdrpdN9jGuhTAwyE2cn8WKJ0PM/s320/IMG_2445.JPG" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>The next morning after breakfast I went out and started removing a narrow path from the driveway which is covered in 8 inches of snow. I decided to try and get just a cars width cleared but the snow was covered in a thick layer of ice which was making this job very daunting. MeMa has to be at the hospital tomorrow and this stuff was not melting quick enough on its own.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7yY5ld12LZtHH68b7r7rbDoP2GcTj1jlmTcq857PmQhEy0qk1nA-05-u7sO5AL0hnKWpkEszQzetkWL5Fz_RNOS_t7bkdRbp4RfH_ixAK1YZa1bY0T29duF4GTFsPswlMTn3L-BATmHEc/s4032/IMG_2458.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7yY5ld12LZtHH68b7r7rbDoP2GcTj1jlmTcq857PmQhEy0qk1nA-05-u7sO5AL0hnKWpkEszQzetkWL5Fz_RNOS_t7bkdRbp4RfH_ixAK1YZa1bY0T29duF4GTFsPswlMTn3L-BATmHEc/s320/IMG_2458.JPG" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Our wonderful neighbors herd me chipping away and soon arrived with shovels and really set to work.</b></div><b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCK94n0dJTSlii-756nd3fchv6gpul5EAhdrWUVFtDt5PszEIDIJT1JObkiO4EYOejZYIcY8YJH4JfhIumijnJwykPECEKwGK95q3p0hoSGVk1WHNyRAEUh8FHuIDBZ4eyjvSw1uWFCtnb/s4032/IMG_2477.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCK94n0dJTSlii-756nd3fchv6gpul5EAhdrWUVFtDt5PszEIDIJT1JObkiO4EYOejZYIcY8YJH4JfhIumijnJwykPECEKwGK95q3p0hoSGVk1WHNyRAEUh8FHuIDBZ4eyjvSw1uWFCtnb/s320/IMG_2477.JPG" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>It was less than an hour and the entire drive had a good clear path for us to leave. I thanked them and went in to check on MeMa. As I entered the parlor MeMa pointed at the "army" of neighbors clearing ice and snow from our front walkways and porch. It literally brought tears to our eyes, they are truly wonderful neighbors and just knowing we will be able to get to the hospital helped remove some of the stress.</b></div><b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRhyphenhypheniES28P1SPrG3KpHA71LAcVKgCXJ_H2G2E9ndOIdyrWEsJ74ts_1JBFfjHhq1DqZkkvOWdz0Wxit-OJvCdgdqfEcsCU2gh4wzO7PP1cE1rQZmqh4qKSGCwJlVJCsGC7YU5hyphenhyphenbEquMgi/s2592/IMG_2894.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1936" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRhyphenhypheniES28P1SPrG3KpHA71LAcVKgCXJ_H2G2E9ndOIdyrWEsJ74ts_1JBFfjHhq1DqZkkvOWdz0Wxit-OJvCdgdqfEcsCU2gh4wzO7PP1cE1rQZmqh4qKSGCwJlVJCsGC7YU5hyphenhyphenbEquMgi/s320/IMG_2894.JPG" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><b>The next day we drove out to the hospital so MeMa could undergo surgery to remove one of the four lymph nodes. When we arrived our eldest son was waiting for us to wish his Mother good luck. He and his family are one of the three hundred thousand Oregonians who have no power or heat. After I got MeMa checked in I had to leave do to Covid restrictions so I took my son out for lunch. We had an enjoyable visit and then headed back to the hospital parking lot were we said goodby so he could head home and get things ready for work the next day. I, of course was not alone, Miss Roxy is my willing companion on these hospital visits. When the waiting gets to me then we take a good walk around the grounds.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEH71UVghl4eaD8gUiyesPjIGHHpvYZQGYBpKqZvpLh6W49wM6xEIt_vg1MOTr10WJhuWv20pUYhkxSSVTMJ7KFOISYO42mPDMLubV7r-Tkpv54e_WGZI4LxjB6wO_iT6hZm1oHhtXB_0c/s2576/IMG_2482.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="2576" data-original-width="1932" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEH71UVghl4eaD8gUiyesPjIGHHpvYZQGYBpKqZvpLh6W49wM6xEIt_vg1MOTr10WJhuWv20pUYhkxSSVTMJ7KFOISYO42mPDMLubV7r-Tkpv54e_WGZI4LxjB6wO_iT6hZm1oHhtXB_0c/s320/IMG_2482.JPG" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Surgery went well, removing one of four lymph nodes with cancer. This one will tell them what form of lymphoma and the course of treatment that will follow. As I type this last entry the warm Oregon rain has returned helping to melt this frozen country.</b></div><br /><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div><br /></div></div>Dochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05230334534323236665noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5537642929332709150.post-35665537075653764122021-02-11T12:47:00.000-08:002021-02-11T12:47:58.734-08:00Update<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><b>We are currently house bound again, MeMa is having surgery again next Tuesday to remove one of four lymph nodes with cancer on them. They will remove one lymph node to determine the type of cancer and what treatment. Yesterday she had her consult with the surgeon that will be involved, she was not impressed with his lack of personality. At one point he made the statement that in some cases of Lymphoma the patient is diagnosed and then dead in a week and finished up by telling her that her body can only take so much chemotherapy. Due to Covid I was not allowed to join her during this consult so the ass of a human lives to see another day.</b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEpIvt9F0hNs0p5m6kyY2o4NbPsJerjg8XcZ8Zh0njwc0jYc2mvMRJFg8nbcTr2YVukjBmu9ouxSkrL-hSt3T3p85cwcGwka5-T8ef2AAM35V1cZ2Th0gSdpb_a7TIi4HKX_zhD9edpBl7/s4032/IMG_2418.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEpIvt9F0hNs0p5m6kyY2o4NbPsJerjg8XcZ8Zh0njwc0jYc2mvMRJFg8nbcTr2YVukjBmu9ouxSkrL-hSt3T3p85cwcGwka5-T8ef2AAM35V1cZ2Th0gSdpb_a7TIi4HKX_zhD9edpBl7/s320/IMG_2418.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MeMa's latest "Porch Post" for the dog walkers.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b>This morning we drove out near the hospital so that MeMa could get her seventh Covid test, a requirement before surgery. The Covid test center is set up in the large overflow parking lot at a local Shopping Mall. We are now home sitting by the fire, keeping our distance from the rest of the world. </b><div><b>We are on a winter weather alert for the next three days. Snow and freezing rain is the threat for after 4:00 pm. </b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimVQs6DZ3eVPbrQkepvbDBoR0IB68SkbMlJ0H5tQjnzkykd1Q7GizjhTgh1AjzdzaVK9Il89eH1J2_svpWU8oCjDbwrIctsY4xW-hxPsqMhhwgDeEGQIvL-jJqi8FM06nVJfnLvD4oQwXb/s4032/IMG_2404.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimVQs6DZ3eVPbrQkepvbDBoR0IB68SkbMlJ0H5tQjnzkykd1Q7GizjhTgh1AjzdzaVK9Il89eH1J2_svpWU8oCjDbwrIctsY4xW-hxPsqMhhwgDeEGQIvL-jJqi8FM06nVJfnLvD4oQwXb/s320/IMG_2404.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I recently planted this terrarium with miniature African violets </td></tr></tbody></table> <br /><b>MeMa is doing well, her appetite is good and her energy level is amazing and sometimes I have to plead with her to sit and rest. We are keeping the faith that all go well and soon life return to some form of normalcy.</b><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYuG7Ayc4azNFmQB_9VHmVJfgxgnK0lBJyAXpH9pYJ5L4j4z2tP8O5d1Iac-SOyyaPxLgPkUUcjd8CnWQDqWpP03bch0z7DSQmFqyU0U48n05DUDt45HnBYIkBrq8Mfe20tNJRM3KI8p2l/s4032/IMG_2389.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYuG7Ayc4azNFmQB_9VHmVJfgxgnK0lBJyAXpH9pYJ5L4j4z2tP8O5d1Iac-SOyyaPxLgPkUUcjd8CnWQDqWpP03bch0z7DSQmFqyU0U48n05DUDt45HnBYIkBrq8Mfe20tNJRM3KI8p2l/s320/IMG_2389.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fresh from the greenhouse, Cymbidium "Bethlehem Ridgeway" </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /> <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div>Dochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05230334534323236665noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5537642929332709150.post-56856466966276559352021-01-29T11:55:00.000-08:002021-01-29T11:55:54.299-08:00One Year<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo5hz21eyu32vj68WYmzXtvFA5yXBkPneEwZ_faSddDWr_41OxFJL5YAU7xhtk01ftdiMwxgcpWraG9Y2NZWVYu8jd30t72NrNymApKkUcAko5GO3iPK72TnyutcyRcm_HDpu4KYIvpPmL/s3264/IMG_1125.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo5hz21eyu32vj68WYmzXtvFA5yXBkPneEwZ_faSddDWr_41OxFJL5YAU7xhtk01ftdiMwxgcpWraG9Y2NZWVYu8jd30t72NrNymApKkUcAko5GO3iPK72TnyutcyRcm_HDpu4KYIvpPmL/w300-h400/IMG_1125.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><b>It has been one year since our dear, sweet Roxy came into our life. I must say if there was ever a more perfect dog, Roxy is it. She has settled in so well and is such a game little dog ready for what ever comes her way. When Covid is over and life returns to some sort of normal we will have to take some nice long road trips as car travel is one of her favorite joys. <br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSgnDs0O76euaIrMK5ljUMrkxsZe5J35jMln-IosjqDL1krQhEPaE44Ov3FGa1g8QzY1e7mH32JvolZ7cDsvArtNyerou6z1dmQsROIB1ZMNL_RS4Pe9tMJyURGSy5NDdft7pzlzsVKPh9/s4032/IMG_1531.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><b><br /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6LCAB3DHNDy-uS41wYDRV7L9HTNPcWaPLBsbJk2pQH8ZOrXhYgCxIl7lbASIW26Cf6sT-wiXferJmw4GKIfzkEIANCPkKOt76UvRE3iDcvM_QdaScX78maqnAoFVnX5qr7TwIJ2VJPGMv/s4032/IMG_2376.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6LCAB3DHNDy-uS41wYDRV7L9HTNPcWaPLBsbJk2pQH8ZOrXhYgCxIl7lbASIW26Cf6sT-wiXferJmw4GKIfzkEIANCPkKOt76UvRE3iDcvM_QdaScX78maqnAoFVnX5qr7TwIJ2VJPGMv/w300-h400/IMG_2376.JPG" width="300" /></b></a></div><span style="text-align: left;"><b><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">When we brought her home one of the breeders requirements was that she travel in a crate, which we dutifully obliged. But she was six years old not a puppy so after arriving home I folded the crate up and it is stored in the attic. Roxy has never had an accident and lets us know when the need to go out to the garden is necessary. She enjoys a good walk, has never missed a meal, lets us know when there is something afoot but never barks just to be heard. </div></b></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTO2EgmW5geixKkMxMikHsjNc1pcKs3eOJ-8a6bVaHfC1vz4ZiRWqJWMHY9l4o1jbF1IOO-ws5ISiQqps52ECynI4Hz6iU0y0fjB3C1ColQxlnsVZB-5UwU_EmVL7qGCaEbM8S-ABtf73e/s2645/IMG_3423.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="2297" data-original-width="2645" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTO2EgmW5geixKkMxMikHsjNc1pcKs3eOJ-8a6bVaHfC1vz4ZiRWqJWMHY9l4o1jbF1IOO-ws5ISiQqps52ECynI4Hz6iU0y0fjB3C1ColQxlnsVZB-5UwU_EmVL7qGCaEbM8S-ABtf73e/s320/IMG_3423.jpeg" width="320" /></b></a></div></div><b><br /><br /></b><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>During Covid and MeMa's battle with cancer she has adapted well to our quarantined life. She is so in-tuned with MeMa and recognizes when MeMa needs some extra snuggle time. The neighbors have all fallen in love with her sweet nature. <br /><br /><br /> </b><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWb3vyXYamyLBL0Kgn1wrADvWNH0MZD5tOlbDUT_BTUCiPJkMl1AQste9yQEjguxBuhYsiIQVwQEn2xeydzOaBYd7-3QOdwZ_03q73-UG1GXmLEa6gtNZfMl5b9KmTC9fY8VjtODnYv_3k/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><b><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWb3vyXYamyLBL0Kgn1wrADvWNH0MZD5tOlbDUT_BTUCiPJkMl1AQste9yQEjguxBuhYsiIQVwQEn2xeydzOaBYd7-3QOdwZ_03q73-UG1GXmLEa6gtNZfMl5b9KmTC9fY8VjtODnYv_3k/w300-h400/IMG_1350.JPG" width="300" /></b></a></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><b><br />When she first arrived Roxy would watch out the front window but never bark, she would watch goings on but remain silent. After a few months she decided that the neighborhood was part of her domain. Besides a shared hatred for squirrels she has a big hatred for the UPS delivery vehicles. Both receive a sound scolding until out of her sight. <br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbqs3SQNgn6KtizT9DR-xU3yu2s8nwY_RTsDQHX0D8AMP97KKwqoQvyS58HvXK4vU7ablMEsLjDxMGAwsgHMo-R1n6E5vRIdQLnmhxNalml8tjwFQqh_ssBXmV7AFxQyh27_rKRPt2MbZG/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbqs3SQNgn6KtizT9DR-xU3yu2s8nwY_RTsDQHX0D8AMP97KKwqoQvyS58HvXK4vU7ablMEsLjDxMGAwsgHMo-R1n6E5vRIdQLnmhxNalml8tjwFQqh_ssBXmV7AFxQyh27_rKRPt2MbZG/w300-h400/IMG_1359.JPG" width="300" /></b></a></div><b><br /><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>When bedtime approached Roxy is the first one ready to call it a day.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: right;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVXv5rpGcmS2Z38m8BOtMKLxsUhyNQA-EOdNAWhbFXLj8j5Yl4qeCekT__4QyaBJIlOT4mbyiQ3NxGNiz7-BtqE6M7g0drbpX7R78oahagxDdye8gzee-lS18DTI4ySbJ-mfc9QFJKogKG/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><b><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVXv5rpGcmS2Z38m8BOtMKLxsUhyNQA-EOdNAWhbFXLj8j5Yl4qeCekT__4QyaBJIlOT4mbyiQ3NxGNiz7-BtqE6M7g0drbpX7R78oahagxDdye8gzee-lS18DTI4ySbJ-mfc9QFJKogKG/w300-h400/IMG_1363.JPG" width="300" /></b></a></div><b><br /><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>When we take too long getting ready for bed Roxy will attempt to speed things up by pulling down the bedding.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><br /></div>Dochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05230334534323236665noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5537642929332709150.post-89631705915144433342021-01-21T17:40:00.005-08:002021-01-21T18:40:12.236-08:00The Journey Continues<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Although the temperature is 51 degrees it is sunny and beautiful out so While MeMa rested by the fire and read I took advantage of the good weather and went out into the garden. earlier in the fall I had taken a bunch of cuttings of my grandfather Potters geraniums and stuck them in a jar of water to form roots so first job was potting them up. That done I went out to the front garden and hoed over all of the planting beds. It always looks so fresh and clean after and got plenty of comments from passers by. </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXnEsgQNkuzsBD8G0SfPRYmXKAtzxcEVMe0mL_ue4-40B3Y2dEDVv29LryAaqfd8SmNcVSZT2X7esaOsMUusD0WboLmilI8Ov7W8rxZeUzlGLWYV07mLEd1rA8aH7cD6R1MYN-dKbqOsDl/s4032/IMG_2363.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXnEsgQNkuzsBD8G0SfPRYmXKAtzxcEVMe0mL_ue4-40B3Y2dEDVv29LryAaqfd8SmNcVSZT2X7esaOsMUusD0WboLmilI8Ov7W8rxZeUzlGLWYV07mLEd1rA8aH7cD6R1MYN-dKbqOsDl/w300-h400/IMG_2363.JPG" width="300" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><b><br /></b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Earlier I had decided to reduce the number of roses in the rose garden. </b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1xOtMeWPxfDNtLecraVQbtzOwEdMqft1ZLAACaFSY98fn_ReukN8zZesCOnoAK1fBkeYQD7S1YMipWy9HE7XVfcgYAG81upi5kMeYZIdI8qZYhrLJ5gLsX1RgWRMEG6bXLYe58_OdltAm/s4032/IMG_1061.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1xOtMeWPxfDNtLecraVQbtzOwEdMqft1ZLAACaFSY98fn_ReukN8zZesCOnoAK1fBkeYQD7S1YMipWy9HE7XVfcgYAG81upi5kMeYZIdI8qZYhrLJ5gLsX1RgWRMEG6bXLYe58_OdltAm/s320/IMG_1061.JPG" /></b></a></div><b><br /></b><div style="text-align: left;"><b>We had over forty roses which as plants go are more work than most parts of the gardens. MeMa always has cut flowers and in the past the rooms were filled with roses but after I put in her "picking garden" she has used mostly dahlias and perennials from the main garden. </b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhptCHRFf653NF5BsYavElT4sM54d7WsBUoYx6YGLPeTUZOd4eaOb7JIumDzztoX-Y6gTj4w0avR_iZLPuMMrenZ-72dZRvD0IdtuwCLaJnauKddymLt_J2ALeraLO9m4-UZ6kqWMNvxXj9/s2592/IMG_2198.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1936" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhptCHRFf653NF5BsYavElT4sM54d7WsBUoYx6YGLPeTUZOd4eaOb7JIumDzztoX-Y6gTj4w0avR_iZLPuMMrenZ-72dZRvD0IdtuwCLaJnauKddymLt_J2ALeraLO9m4-UZ6kqWMNvxXj9/s320/IMG_2198.JPG" /></b></a></div><b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhi2YczrYfxuGQWmEcipr6ngPkBFCahYOPm4vSNDBgnGDCUukpZ4qYNfhKvlvDkMoqPfvoO1paJyWWdTE_zbkU1hwSc72brNl77lGKJgmdfjyo5oHcSWJq_ZqzyLo7FvV5kxduGlD5cecl/s2592/IMG_2196.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="1936" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhi2YczrYfxuGQWmEcipr6ngPkBFCahYOPm4vSNDBgnGDCUukpZ4qYNfhKvlvDkMoqPfvoO1paJyWWdTE_zbkU1hwSc72brNl77lGKJgmdfjyo5oHcSWJq_ZqzyLo7FvV5kxduGlD5cecl/s320/IMG_2196.JPG" width="320" /></b></a></div><b><br /></b><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>So I made a list of roses that would stay and another list of roses to remove. I carefully dug the roses out and put them in nursery pots, then MeMa made labels for each and I put them on the front walkway with a big sign that says "Free". It was about fifteen minutes before a nice lady in a big pickup truck stopped and loaded all of the roses into the back. She told me her sister lost everything in one of last years forest fires including her rose garden. She said they are having a new home built and these are going to bring her such joy. I told her that I am glad that I could be part of that joy and wished her good luck as she pulled away.</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbkDWgzdJhLKPkHYrOp2WsU6N_sa-zI2bEHAU1ngjXsjdSbtx5NPD0HUkAN7jtjqxx2lL21pd-ZDXOge6SSNQHinmAOOjp8IT5f07421OkNollAFJNS_U8ypevuYZkNk84iaL0x4Ns8TpH/s4032/IMG_2082.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbkDWgzdJhLKPkHYrOp2WsU6N_sa-zI2bEHAU1ngjXsjdSbtx5NPD0HUkAN7jtjqxx2lL21pd-ZDXOge6SSNQHinmAOOjp8IT5f07421OkNollAFJNS_U8ypevuYZkNk84iaL0x4Ns8TpH/s320/IMG_2082.JPG" /></b></a></div><b><br /></b></div></div><b>The gardens here at Menagerie Manor are high maintenance which I have never complained about, I have always enjoyed spending every spare hour keeping everything looking its best. But with the recent health issues my lovely wife has gone through, the desire to be in the gardens has dwindled. It is a good thing that I got rid of all lawn areas years ago. Every garden chore other than general tidiness, is on a monthly calendar. So when any tree or shrub needs pruning, then it is on the calendar, if a perennial needs cutting back or needs to be dug up and divided then it's on the calendar. When my orchids need monthly or bi-monthly fertilizer, it's on the calendar. I keep a hard copy of the calendars in the garden shed and I have them all in an electronic folder in my computer so there is never a job undone. This has proved to be an invaluable tool in maintaining such gardens. </b><div><b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO5R3feHCzmWe_OaRz65Y6ThlWhQVl5pvHSJI6PMowP8zds5P_2sEc_ZZAYfqRb6NLBH1tcLeZHnj9zO2xYcOWIC8-9ldKMmwZoI9nPjf4M603HNY12lVpSAAfE2RePFA_euwMTyKG61-f/s4032/IMG_1902.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO5R3feHCzmWe_OaRz65Y6ThlWhQVl5pvHSJI6PMowP8zds5P_2sEc_ZZAYfqRb6NLBH1tcLeZHnj9zO2xYcOWIC8-9ldKMmwZoI9nPjf4M603HNY12lVpSAAfE2RePFA_euwMTyKG61-f/s320/IMG_1902.JPG" /></b></a></div><b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF0QRMd0d-tK-TMvjX_61gWjBDtTGJB7wIKPk0dGwCrB5DRVFiwoecvOXgtJw-2cWbRXY4k8DYNUWwXuTH7IEVroUH_U-nGyp1JGhJLdoh6zM2X2LTJP7o9eBVimCrmzXFQoR_88Vkyxey/s4032/IMG_1913.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF0QRMd0d-tK-TMvjX_61gWjBDtTGJB7wIKPk0dGwCrB5DRVFiwoecvOXgtJw-2cWbRXY4k8DYNUWwXuTH7IEVroUH_U-nGyp1JGhJLdoh6zM2X2LTJP7o9eBVimCrmzXFQoR_88Vkyxey/s320/IMG_1913.JPG" /></b></a></div><b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ_ACOJZVbEHcfVmpXI_8u5RVAL-ffMlrjSmooh5LEG6FV1T4GrgWcoRkhU0SeUwb66frrURwdJ_e6NkirH-3hIyOcYs37WkzfG4-Tv_EEYk3JFg06_QbC2vc0pdlILYxkT8qFgbd22wuD/s4032/IMG_1872.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ_ACOJZVbEHcfVmpXI_8u5RVAL-ffMlrjSmooh5LEG6FV1T4GrgWcoRkhU0SeUwb66frrURwdJ_e6NkirH-3hIyOcYs37WkzfG4-Tv_EEYk3JFg06_QbC2vc0pdlILYxkT8qFgbd22wuD/s320/IMG_1872.JPG" /></b></a></div><b><br /></b><div><b>When I am out in the garden all I think about is my wife and if she is needing something or if she would like to go for a drive or a walk with the dog. Cancer is such an evil disease and I won't let it take a minute of time away from us. MeMa has been feeling so strong as of late but after her last CT scan they found that her lymph nodes were swollen and there was a suspicious tiny spot on one of them, so after a mammogram and an ultrasound they now want a biopsy. If anything they have caught it early on, it also could be scar tissue from the chemotherapy. Regardless, the up's and down's of this journey are exhausting. There may be long periods of time when posting on Blogger is the furthest from my mind. So I will apologize in advance.</b></div><div><div><b><br /> </b><p></p></div></div></div>Dochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05230334534323236665noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5537642929332709150.post-52672068024736947972021-01-20T23:01:00.001-08:002021-01-20T23:01:20.795-08:00Paying Our Respects<p><b> </b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY1VZJFIq5YRay53RVp01_PRR5g71o_goe7kWhFwMK9Y5ouTsV1uE7PmGaR_42Yv05MPtBh83cls6KstVJjuQX5zfcdFTCB483onueN32nDoA7u8Xgt47m_FQo1YcQRoqBeCNlsdN9qSph/s4032/IMG_2381.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY1VZJFIq5YRay53RVp01_PRR5g71o_goe7kWhFwMK9Y5ouTsV1uE7PmGaR_42Yv05MPtBh83cls6KstVJjuQX5zfcdFTCB483onueN32nDoA7u8Xgt47m_FQo1YcQRoqBeCNlsdN9qSph/w300-h400/IMG_2381.JPG" width="300" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Supper eaten and dishes washed, MeMa suggested we take a night time drive down to the Convention Center. Portland's Convention Center's twin towers were all done up in red, white and blue lights to pay homage to the 400,000 people who lost their struggle with Covid 19. </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwKieXSCaTIBIjwXBYoMhUSBtIQ870tdvWVhnQdEg73k5HEplrti5Uwrgb-TiaArBKm7Yk_KuXP8xEw9qS8Wy1SLBK7vIjjYdUrCYFPkN4yEgncnNAsmDOhkYSFhL-uapEiL6bqVMkjedy/s4032/IMG_2378.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwKieXSCaTIBIjwXBYoMhUSBtIQ870tdvWVhnQdEg73k5HEplrti5Uwrgb-TiaArBKm7Yk_KuXP8xEw9qS8Wy1SLBK7vIjjYdUrCYFPkN4yEgncnNAsmDOhkYSFhL-uapEiL6bqVMkjedy/w300-h400/IMG_2378.JPG" width="300" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>It was nice to get out for a drive, we enjoyed seeing the city at night. Roxy stayed awake for about the first three minutes of the outing.</b></div><b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><p></p>Dochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05230334534323236665noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5537642929332709150.post-23114736202596236002020-12-26T19:00:00.000-08:002020-12-26T19:00:16.174-08:00Covid Christmas<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br style="text-align: left;" /><span style="text-align: left;"><b>Covid Christmas was rather low key, no big family breakfast gathering. MeMa and I had our morning cups sitting in the parlor and watching the rest of the neighborhood waking up. This is the third day after her chemo infusion so typically she is not feeling well, surprisingly it has started just the opposite. We were up late Christmas Eve but the only one showing any tiredness was Roxy.</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg20cwvMnvR56xeOKAyQVi5kmbiDR9GbPrR_x15I7XRrvj2UGLmSwyHbuDl87M24cIlg-3qiAZlBTI7IZbW_kuxMv7z3rGoeZ8VpJpfR_PvjEU-KOabg9-TZZeXFCE-BvGUHI-m9hU1ttBO/s4032/IMG_2305.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg20cwvMnvR56xeOKAyQVi5kmbiDR9GbPrR_x15I7XRrvj2UGLmSwyHbuDl87M24cIlg-3qiAZlBTI7IZbW_kuxMv7z3rGoeZ8VpJpfR_PvjEU-KOabg9-TZZeXFCE-BvGUHI-m9hU1ttBO/w400-h300/IMG_2305.JPG" width="400" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><b>Just before bedtime Christmas Eve. our youngest son Ian called and asked that MeMa read "T'was the Night Before Christmas" via zoom to our two youngest granddaughters. Some traditions just have to be kept.<br /></b><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9WlujT3MsAO2r9XQ0ls09rfs-FW_w-B1-ZieAUVZt555vJBgZM-dzioXQUtroCn3dHM4YALqWUyUBV4VIKzuq_YNbNjs-emrRCxzE3NDWy20r6KU8ZHFvyfhKuMzzCD9Je1V6utguLyCx/s3326/IMG_2876.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="3326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9WlujT3MsAO2r9XQ0ls09rfs-FW_w-B1-ZieAUVZt555vJBgZM-dzioXQUtroCn3dHM4YALqWUyUBV4VIKzuq_YNbNjs-emrRCxzE3NDWy20r6KU8ZHFvyfhKuMzzCD9Je1V6utguLyCx/s320/IMG_2876.JPG" width="320" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><b>Earlier in the day we received these photos from our son's who had gotten their families together for gift exchange at our eldest sons home. All wore masks.</b><div><b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZp_Z7ONin-hZAKFVi7M_CqBT5B-1my2IveU84XSqno8A1G2prOtUGv8prX3JfuDxgjFX-_c3UF9Q3NSW2xlHGqR-BaDxPFACTIctGPDHhr1HH_SkLaPZioK6hHeGqu9vp3PKKTMHbgBN_/s1200/Resized_Resized_20201224_154319.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZp_Z7ONin-hZAKFVi7M_CqBT5B-1my2IveU84XSqno8A1G2prOtUGv8prX3JfuDxgjFX-_c3UF9Q3NSW2xlHGqR-BaDxPFACTIctGPDHhr1HH_SkLaPZioK6hHeGqu9vp3PKKTMHbgBN_/s320/Resized_Resized_20201224_154319.jpeg" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Youngest son Ian is on the left and eldest son Nathan on the right</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcZ6gMaGVM-pCu56yv2z3qGtVlYty6kmLUqql03vH7RbdGWl3VEDVKQ2bINbtvZQb_HkgV3ou9u_DQma09xvQF0xK9Jiiyjt_tVTUm-gxkaMlZBYpuRTb96-taIyeecErZdpIbNeEVDo8Z/s1192/20201224_160007.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="1192" data-original-width="1057" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcZ6gMaGVM-pCu56yv2z3qGtVlYty6kmLUqql03vH7RbdGWl3VEDVKQ2bINbtvZQb_HkgV3ou9u_DQma09xvQF0xK9Jiiyjt_tVTUm-gxkaMlZBYpuRTb96-taIyeecErZdpIbNeEVDo8Z/w355-h400/20201224_160007.jpg" width="355" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Left to right</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Taeya, Lucy holding Jupiter, Nathan, Brooklyn, Jackie, Aungelle, Adrianne, Ian and Jill</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><b><br /></b><div><b>Back to the cozy parlor and Christmas morn, we prepared the house for our youngest son's family coming to open their gifts and to celebrate Lucy's birthday. Just after eating cake there was knock at the door, daughter-in-law Jill's parents came bringing MeMa and I a complete Christmas dinner including desert</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK5PJodfE0J8K2rL3q90SJyZo4rorpEQb63SaIAFZKhjTKKwLbKRimGqkuEdJLD80jQZvDIoZRXkRR3L-arsdNWqKip_yTjWJKa-QeE8Nc9EIg6W787qlRMJe-Zfbl64EfBIASB8iE9WRX/s4032/IMG_2362.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK5PJodfE0J8K2rL3q90SJyZo4rorpEQb63SaIAFZKhjTKKwLbKRimGqkuEdJLD80jQZvDIoZRXkRR3L-arsdNWqKip_yTjWJKa-QeE8Nc9EIg6W787qlRMJe-Zfbl64EfBIASB8iE9WRX/w300-h400/IMG_2362.JPG" width="300" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><b>Soon they all left to have their Christmas dinner out at Grandma and Grandpas house and quiet returned to Menagerie Manor. MeMa and I settled in and had an early supper. Thank you Grandma Debbie</b></span></div><div><br /></div></div>Dochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05230334534323236665noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5537642929332709150.post-55937667862866542102020-12-23T20:14:00.002-08:002020-12-23T20:14:53.572-08:00Holiday Fun<p style="text-align: center;"> <b>We had a very enjoyable weekend entertaining granddaughters, Taeya and Lucy. Nothing better to lift MeMa’s spirits having this sweet girl to help bake dozens of shortbread cookies. MeMa’s secret family recipe is a cherished favorite. Lucy was such a big help.</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz-6i2hKlVUMGMW_olay83fg3UTSxD2ksUrlx72yuTjPGY-Qgx6uIujBS67eaMf-3hWvDjdgo9IsQBT68JN-RK1UyvqcrCxVyjjdamuPDU72kSrlpEgOoz2ns_fHPj4Obw4d3fthO_mWaQ/s4032/IMG_2351.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz-6i2hKlVUMGMW_olay83fg3UTSxD2ksUrlx72yuTjPGY-Qgx6uIujBS67eaMf-3hWvDjdgo9IsQBT68JN-RK1UyvqcrCxVyjjdamuPDU72kSrlpEgOoz2ns_fHPj4Obw4d3fthO_mWaQ/w300-h400/IMG_2351.JPG" width="300" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOp47_Jqh7sCvMg_LFbDQuXdmsfWFPx_kMMMiJjOhYROfo8gWY4eUnU7bDmfJNfN0BJtaEAY2tqTjnZA0yDK8eoD0zLe6lGBZr9WU1W8OcyV3RVLL1vob77au-nf_WDFfE_8cmSKz9AR48/s1054/IMG_2859.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="1054" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOp47_Jqh7sCvMg_LFbDQuXdmsfWFPx_kMMMiJjOhYROfo8gWY4eUnU7bDmfJNfN0BJtaEAY2tqTjnZA0yDK8eoD0zLe6lGBZr9WU1W8OcyV3RVLL1vob77au-nf_WDFfE_8cmSKz9AR48/w341-h400/IMG_2859.JPG" width="341" /></b></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>While cookies baked Taeya and MeMa played Monopoly, Lucy was the official Banker.</b></div></b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja4CkBYk3o-aBh7WflV2y_Yv7eS7FNdl5rbAMP5fQ4A6PwhhcdHTwalqe1WCw-62g_RJAFLcaC-g552nFslQCXXgSv224YsV6Pr20LSNxTa3Yob_MM-ojE6CpIVjqUVPsod4ukcU3fLS44/s3264/IMG_1327.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja4CkBYk3o-aBh7WflV2y_Yv7eS7FNdl5rbAMP5fQ4A6PwhhcdHTwalqe1WCw-62g_RJAFLcaC-g552nFslQCXXgSv224YsV6Pr20LSNxTa3Yob_MM-ojE6CpIVjqUVPsod4ukcU3fLS44/s320/IMG_1327.JPG" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The weather was less than cooperative so the entire weekend was spent indoors.</b></div></b><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1bdYpLLkxLUR8_6-nbHSlxFaam_CdZlxBrdHrHcOOnd_eMsH-IrIOgKdtEXEE6bPqNantNxnp6jLFan2tmHX7a5ozpJslYMMv4Rgu0FoFlBfaGaTp08Gfvw_7IpppX7s7MfG7mpXmRzTV/s3264/IMG_1324.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1bdYpLLkxLUR8_6-nbHSlxFaam_CdZlxBrdHrHcOOnd_eMsH-IrIOgKdtEXEE6bPqNantNxnp6jLFan2tmHX7a5ozpJslYMMv4Rgu0FoFlBfaGaTp08Gfvw_7IpppX7s7MfG7mpXmRzTV/s320/IMG_1324.JPG" width="320" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>We did get a small break in the rain and took the girls on a hunt for the annual Chris Willis' Santa display, which has been a fun event for the last ten years. And always in a new location with clues given over his Instagram account.</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-M0hqSaXK6VRM7Sl_wDwGGzjTziRsSH2NUtWQoMW8qQe-CVVENAbgssClrFylbM4U1AvW9MQoO_KPIN9kqNWt02zwPrpZrdjsgZnOKJ7Yt5HEsHOETuxflTObs7kBbzNLVo2L0m7r1iRw/s3264/IMG_1323.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-M0hqSaXK6VRM7Sl_wDwGGzjTziRsSH2NUtWQoMW8qQe-CVVENAbgssClrFylbM4U1AvW9MQoO_KPIN9kqNWt02zwPrpZrdjsgZnOKJ7Yt5HEsHOETuxflTObs7kBbzNLVo2L0m7r1iRw/s320/IMG_1323.JPG" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>This year all the 300 + Santas had face masks on.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh87fxyEFFPBNU0gP6Z2MsZouB7Amkagesgp40pIpY5goxTO8i5ojl5tFSn07iHtqxAGvh9vABawSQQCxIg_9lyQAGBhCf8EMlRVZ1XpT0pSL77cI0-F9pk0laZnc-tVIH_X6N4RTFlhRPd/s3264/IMG_1319.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh87fxyEFFPBNU0gP6Z2MsZouB7Amkagesgp40pIpY5goxTO8i5ojl5tFSn07iHtqxAGvh9vABawSQQCxIg_9lyQAGBhCf8EMlRVZ1XpT0pSL77cI0-F9pk0laZnc-tVIH_X6N4RTFlhRPd/w400-h300/IMG_1319.JPG" width="400" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Roxy was a real sport posing for our Christmas card. We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a healthier New Year.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p></div></div>Dochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05230334534323236665noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5537642929332709150.post-29794777278415829422020-12-15T22:34:00.000-08:002020-12-15T22:34:17.413-08:00Christmas Postcards and Bananas<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Today we had an early start for a couple of old retired folk getting up at 07:15 leaving us enough time to dress and feed and exercise Roxy before we left the house. We made our one shopping trip to Costco which is a bulk store where we purchase a few things monthly that we cant get at our local grocers. Back home we spent the next hour trying for the perfect photo to grace our Christmas postcard. This following photo is not the one but is one of many that were taken this morning. Roxy doesn't mind being photographed but objects to the stupid hats she had to model.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb9pgMrLGwY3qmGAg7NK_zpSwO7itZSGWvzFWSC40Cz1LvKrGBwqdBKcQbpsN9oZgckyGGuJ3WBSUfhbiL7D3jtkJ6rTr-fc_cs_C53ycIUUwMvGk36keoDPBeScGdRCkHoiWGsbH_nuM9/s3260/IMG_2318.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3260" data-original-width="2715" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb9pgMrLGwY3qmGAg7NK_zpSwO7itZSGWvzFWSC40Cz1LvKrGBwqdBKcQbpsN9oZgckyGGuJ3WBSUfhbiL7D3jtkJ6rTr-fc_cs_C53ycIUUwMvGk36keoDPBeScGdRCkHoiWGsbH_nuM9/s320/IMG_2318.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>After the photography session I felt Roxy deserved a walk so MeMa and I took her for a nice long walk in the cold crisp air. Being long time residents our walks are broken up with visits from friends and neighbors all wanting to know how we are faring. One gentleman that has known us for many years called out to us so while we visited Roxy laid down on the walkway giving one of those patient looks. Mr. Thompson told us that he just paid an enormous vet bill because his little poodle ate a piece of meat that was thrown into his fenced in yard that was loaded with these nasty looking things. I just can't believe the cruelty that is some hearts.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTxu55qjEU9q8VN2wl3rzCeH4QSnZqg3aRdBgKJU9su4FoQjOp4OiWBpfAkWQC0QXgQ5MRQhXhMWATm4PRTm4OtywSsWZzuUk5rcczFv5gRBD3nGAf5TLWJDgx5TWxaU57fyt7WHNNnu-L/s4032/IMG_2328.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTxu55qjEU9q8VN2wl3rzCeH4QSnZqg3aRdBgKJU9su4FoQjOp4OiWBpfAkWQC0QXgQ5MRQhXhMWATm4PRTm4OtywSsWZzuUk5rcczFv5gRBD3nGAf5TLWJDgx5TWxaU57fyt7WHNNnu-L/s320/IMG_2328.JPG" /></a></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Today, because of the weather and the fact that MeMa is having a very good day I went out into the back gardens and cleaned out so much of the fall debris that I have been ignoring. I was totally amazed by the little bananas that I cut off the three most mature hardy banana trees. Go ahead, ask me about global warming. We have had several years of the big flower heads forming but this is the first year that we have actually gotten fruit</b></div><b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiek_StISUfDX00Q6lcE-WU-hTNThEpMJj27L_PD_q4MT96KBAgUUcTNHUppSnJPUJYHI9whedD7KzFWRNNcq5s-SnqUGSv79Ag5IIsUbQnAbBQTzGbLvDelOfr3o1L43K0vpJS3jOcI_-/s4032/IMG_2347.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiek_StISUfDX00Q6lcE-WU-hTNThEpMJj27L_PD_q4MT96KBAgUUcTNHUppSnJPUJYHI9whedD7KzFWRNNcq5s-SnqUGSv79Ag5IIsUbQnAbBQTzGbLvDelOfr3o1L43K0vpJS3jOcI_-/s320/IMG_2347.JPG" /></b></a></div><br />Dochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05230334534323236665noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5537642929332709150.post-6204879264756319752020-12-12T17:20:00.000-08:002020-12-12T17:20:28.964-08:00Break Please ?<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">T<b>oday was a busy day at the Manor. I have gotten quite used to doing little bits of activity and then resting as this is usually all MeMa can handle while going through chemotherapy. Unfortunately she developed an abscess high up in the pelvic chamber, so high that antibiotics will not work. Her surgeon said it appears to be draining and if it doesn't then she will have to have antibiotics intravenously which requires her to go into the hospital again. Meanwhile because of this situation they have postponed her chemo. So no chemo to drain her energy, she is full of it, today is a perfect example of what I normally live with.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>While having our morning coffee she put together her latest "Porch Post" for the dog walkers.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicho2IShAK2GejTEyiUKj7ditOw7GQIiAArWcK8HOj108m5IVjx66vY8hihH29XVvG4-CUg4mOJr6H-RFdXG4znP6OJN0e5vHOBZnIDSPY2Awo6FGyRDA2Og_oFURVdt_jYUGwXCYTfHVQ/s4032/IMG_2301.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicho2IShAK2GejTEyiUKj7ditOw7GQIiAArWcK8HOj108m5IVjx66vY8hihH29XVvG4-CUg4mOJr6H-RFdXG4znP6OJN0e5vHOBZnIDSPY2Awo6FGyRDA2Og_oFURVdt_jYUGwXCYTfHVQ/s320/IMG_2301.JPG" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Then she had me remove the Thanksgiving chrysanthemum and fill the same pot with poinsettias. That was a good start, how about a break? Nope!<br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0iMU4oMCjI4sCT4iUpMVaoFd4ypG1viybAIVTVzYyIpKp9PfJ8KE5Bb5v4FGqZmUSwj2o-lotz4OqY3fT46qqsjLijP0kHIMNuNPnE4UYHMQ8V3jABTSKf9Xg-vlck9E0shGRdxdIg-oQ/s2100/IMG_2302.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="2100" data-original-width="1575" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0iMU4oMCjI4sCT4iUpMVaoFd4ypG1viybAIVTVzYyIpKp9PfJ8KE5Bb5v4FGqZmUSwj2o-lotz4OqY3fT46qqsjLijP0kHIMNuNPnE4UYHMQ8V3jABTSKf9Xg-vlck9E0shGRdxdIg-oQ/s320/IMG_2302.JPG" /></b></a></div><b><br /></b></div><b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>While I ran the vacuums over the floors she appeared with the silver tree that used to grace her fathers television repair shop. It looks good in our theatre room.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpRipPxj7Ey7feD40stgQl9QBkYi8JYOyBAnHPC-jfSIUCb5X97H4uwGG6c0farErHGew85rPwl1R7FXIymhJo3ItUtNY8ZCxWJm6Zijk8walQfpDLKWJDe4Gj7PsqaJpQ2aBUK1pKdpFJ/s4032/IMG_2285.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpRipPxj7Ey7feD40stgQl9QBkYi8JYOyBAnHPC-jfSIUCb5X97H4uwGG6c0farErHGew85rPwl1R7FXIymhJo3ItUtNY8ZCxWJm6Zijk8walQfpDLKWJDe4Gj7PsqaJpQ2aBUK1pKdpFJ/w300-h400/IMG_2285.JPG" width="300" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>I could tell that this was not going to end soon so tried to help as much as I could by doing what I was told to do while keeping an eye on her. The large frame contains all the photo's of our two sons with Santa and the individual frames are all the grandchildren with Santa.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsSPD9DUDPPUKMx6ChdYXcc71jqbsCdut7DbbNpeqLW3VBK6WCLmrE-U-WV0hr1N1uF4Vhzr6Kv-rZD_2KW_0J1uFGaAmka8AKgyxpBF3wcCJy5VRbZSGHUifodg9O3MBx29MNI-zNo2av/s4032/IMG_2298.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsSPD9DUDPPUKMx6ChdYXcc71jqbsCdut7DbbNpeqLW3VBK6WCLmrE-U-WV0hr1N1uF4Vhzr6Kv-rZD_2KW_0J1uFGaAmka8AKgyxpBF3wcCJy5VRbZSGHUifodg9O3MBx29MNI-zNo2av/s320/IMG_2298.JPG" width="320" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Next appeared my favorite Christmas decoration, the hand stitched cloth that MeMa made which is the perfect base for the antique Manger. A cherished gift from good friends who have both passed many years ago.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6hiPLKqtQkMs3ouNWO29EwvpFqM26IqBfjqcRJGf2gEMPr-LgQaEDq7xnZ7w2i45B1gyLbAQYABii-WL-DeKyq3iTJqGBoADRGY83Uq8LIpycp_C6j02q-6hfyNOj4EfrLTXfS2J6Ffu_/s4032/IMG_2296.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6hiPLKqtQkMs3ouNWO29EwvpFqM26IqBfjqcRJGf2gEMPr-LgQaEDq7xnZ7w2i45B1gyLbAQYABii-WL-DeKyq3iTJqGBoADRGY83Uq8LIpycp_C6j02q-6hfyNOj4EfrLTXfS2J6Ffu_/s320/IMG_2296.JPG" width="320" /></b></a></div><b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvGkF5WywqYle_lznREHqRfDPIN93eb16IKII6uKaroWdyXCgArwPkhfYLvrxgjZ_eQaFgmUiJ2VvP8MKXq5hGZrU6pMptorNBaXLa8cKvT921v6-BsiJVDK5XFEQUabzutSIFnQ_-FYTa/s4032/IMG_2297.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvGkF5WywqYle_lznREHqRfDPIN93eb16IKII6uKaroWdyXCgArwPkhfYLvrxgjZ_eQaFgmUiJ2VvP8MKXq5hGZrU6pMptorNBaXLa8cKvT921v6-BsiJVDK5XFEQUabzutSIFnQ_-FYTa/s320/IMG_2297.JPG" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>I convinced my lovely wife to take a break and have some lunch</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-rSU1Z7hmIkuLcxvyJRn8NCQ_tdKr6jS_yrnQripcKxNqBIuCRl2r7j6phFb6DEK-1D9GXoSImgsvtB_schdEiP6OxQLgbBIvy5r6UPbZkixlgV8VqZiQUeIr2BCjIM1g-fXc_BHMvwIH/s4032/IMG_2294.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-rSU1Z7hmIkuLcxvyJRn8NCQ_tdKr6jS_yrnQripcKxNqBIuCRl2r7j6phFb6DEK-1D9GXoSImgsvtB_schdEiP6OxQLgbBIvy5r6UPbZkixlgV8VqZiQUeIr2BCjIM1g-fXc_BHMvwIH/s320/IMG_2294.JPG" width="320" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Lunch finished, out came the Mickey Village. I just love the little streetlights that actually light up.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwUFV3fVeKrABILBGWXeic1W9dRf-4rYwwKB2xbIU7wbf6jWUD-EKkgPpRN928liRP7y_6cbC5KQW9CdGuwewORirK82yDGS09Wdy8PhDztlavkdSilamyDyyvrxNFewcQZyKl1TPe7ICh/s4032/IMG_2295.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwUFV3fVeKrABILBGWXeic1W9dRf-4rYwwKB2xbIU7wbf6jWUD-EKkgPpRN928liRP7y_6cbC5KQW9CdGuwewORirK82yDGS09Wdy8PhDztlavkdSilamyDyyvrxNFewcQZyKl1TPe7ICh/s320/IMG_2295.JPG" width="320" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Then it was time to move furniture to make room for the big tree. So many boxes of ornaments that all have a special memory. </b></div><b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ_-7A-dfpeqBfYg10hVuBwSDpg6P35ohCYTzQTYBhGOZaEeM-0ds39k9Pv9m6VupQrKy5nD1F0RQlxNOeNv22uGsxjfOOCnK-USVBJy3WBwW1wUJRGw7U-jFKpovaGc6JZ5O57O5-ngsr/s4032/IMG_2300.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ_-7A-dfpeqBfYg10hVuBwSDpg6P35ohCYTzQTYBhGOZaEeM-0ds39k9Pv9m6VupQrKy5nD1F0RQlxNOeNv22uGsxjfOOCnK-USVBJy3WBwW1wUJRGw7U-jFKpovaGc6JZ5O57O5-ngsr/s320/IMG_2300.JPG" width="320" /></b></a></div><b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIqeDiBLBDS5wNPbFGLzUZT32W1Kp6fPOrQB9FshIrFfms5dwErxEiXen0hkNqtF29GTpAx07utbCX5bfOhDro2cAAmDvucIvbfaV0fwZsV5NkM-NX13D3KJg67GMBkf_UCKDNkM0A_gIy/s4032/IMG_2287.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIqeDiBLBDS5wNPbFGLzUZT32W1Kp6fPOrQB9FshIrFfms5dwErxEiXen0hkNqtF29GTpAx07utbCX5bfOhDro2cAAmDvucIvbfaV0fwZsV5NkM-NX13D3KJg67GMBkf_UCKDNkM0A_gIy/s320/IMG_2287.JPG" /></b></a></div><b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg85w1qPiX-g7OWT3Xov_Qh9KtemZvkHPWaMp0Xd2SBXXtGP_f7dsBmP3s2h3Jhv42kaxh59ZbLYtLvQ46uHp-DOsZJOaCENRVWngLXBZledKj2ZV2QhjSFUU7f8mSJxXTBCR3U-O0mE4q0/s4032/IMG_2289.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg85w1qPiX-g7OWT3Xov_Qh9KtemZvkHPWaMp0Xd2SBXXtGP_f7dsBmP3s2h3Jhv42kaxh59ZbLYtLvQ46uHp-DOsZJOaCENRVWngLXBZledKj2ZV2QhjSFUU7f8mSJxXTBCR3U-O0mE4q0/s320/IMG_2289.JPG" /></b></a></div><b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvUtV69_CGTPIJhQOl9PyOJHIBDoSbri2GiBeXOjbN3WlQCsT_gC9vhJg9a2KTizaNo6X7Duf3SJScyk-mnibJ1eAWICVG7ZFGEGSZYMxvIS8nYdHD53kgOUu7w3ls05IZjhGpz9KYNyx_/s4032/IMG_2293.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvUtV69_CGTPIJhQOl9PyOJHIBDoSbri2GiBeXOjbN3WlQCsT_gC9vhJg9a2KTizaNo6X7Duf3SJScyk-mnibJ1eAWICVG7ZFGEGSZYMxvIS8nYdHD53kgOUu7w3ls05IZjhGpz9KYNyx_/s320/IMG_2293.JPG" /></b></a></div><b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXalSTYEQnJooW3CiXeo3AyJ9irI340V4t-dAgesQSENuSfNwraxfehtYhclUKhFigduk3PPgxPAE7HBd8B1fxsLjybGJnBF5bwiwiECqb7Shb2gkSFLESUK63v3V8E67BY8RIGR5m7od_/s4032/IMG_2290.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXalSTYEQnJooW3CiXeo3AyJ9irI340V4t-dAgesQSENuSfNwraxfehtYhclUKhFigduk3PPgxPAE7HBd8B1fxsLjybGJnBF5bwiwiECqb7Shb2gkSFLESUK63v3V8E67BY8RIGR5m7od_/s320/IMG_2290.JPG" /></b></a></div><b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9yfNFOGbUbSmb840WdjOg46s4GQOQx1aUc-LPFeJiq0o0fSNor2A53EtLTwEg0_YlZoxFxW-3gKD6jF0JdogXaS7ISp7W6UPfqKjtUtOSVKbB92dOgpcbU5RxUMa2rz_anH4a7v27WRHm/s4032/IMG_2291.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9yfNFOGbUbSmb840WdjOg46s4GQOQx1aUc-LPFeJiq0o0fSNor2A53EtLTwEg0_YlZoxFxW-3gKD6jF0JdogXaS7ISp7W6UPfqKjtUtOSVKbB92dOgpcbU5RxUMa2rz_anH4a7v27WRHm/s320/IMG_2291.JPG" /></b></a></div><b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpQfRh0Ar9LqQT2IIW0QfEKgOnCemebkd1or0_HBBuQlryS38UNXPkvqTluJhESsyBwazvKwnu-PBu_8JFZa6zPgFCF9cduvzEcf52r1DAN3NAAeGKl9Uxp30iWoxC8x5z144IJ_YdDFw-/s4032/IMG_2292.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpQfRh0Ar9LqQT2IIW0QfEKgOnCemebkd1or0_HBBuQlryS38UNXPkvqTluJhESsyBwazvKwnu-PBu_8JFZa6zPgFCF9cduvzEcf52r1DAN3NAAeGKl9Uxp30iWoxC8x5z144IJ_YdDFw-/s320/IMG_2292.JPG" /></b></a></div><b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><b><br /></b></div><b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><b><br /> </b><p></p>Dochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05230334534323236665noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5537642929332709150.post-20359846361944393162020-11-28T18:10:00.000-08:002020-11-28T18:10:19.392-08:00Thankful <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Thanksgiving was not a holiday that I really want to remember. MeMa was only able to eat about a tablespoon of mashed potatoes and gravy before she needed to retire. Earlier in the day I was able to get some of the garden work done before the daylight disappeared on me, there is so much to be done that I choose to ignore in order to spend time with my wife. This last infusion seems to have taken longer to bounce back from. But tomorrow brings a better day and that is something to be thankful for.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdI47sExu328G9vQsZU2E5tVEi5pWoKWy9VIalemBH5gB2HAdIQ5iymM5RmVKwsp1Ysq-I8LRIZd3vIHftGzOpDFW66wtkHY-W_s9RXbr7MZMve3frQ0bNZshaBWwsyss-GFrl70fkD3De/s4032/IMG_2284.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdI47sExu328G9vQsZU2E5tVEi5pWoKWy9VIalemBH5gB2HAdIQ5iymM5RmVKwsp1Ysq-I8LRIZd3vIHftGzOpDFW66wtkHY-W_s9RXbr7MZMve3frQ0bNZshaBWwsyss-GFrl70fkD3De/s320/IMG_2284.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>MeMas latest "Porch Post" for the dog walkers.</b></div><br /> <p></p>Dochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05230334534323236665noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5537642929332709150.post-16779262539710071822020-11-25T19:48:00.002-08:002020-11-26T17:11:55.370-08:00Bored Blogger <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Jason’s Thanksgiving Eve performance.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyBpseVOmpYEbvb8hWvSeOlRPPG8fCwPPEf8Qs6QH5ZkEJlN2Fu4LfOnsxUBYBls0qCLA6SnezIJ5AJdklsAw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /> <p></p>Dochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05230334534323236665noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5537642929332709150.post-75533662251875696632020-11-23T21:40:00.000-08:002020-11-23T21:40:11.921-08:00Purple Jam Up<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Our neighborhood has always had many walkers, whether with or without dogs. It is one of the older neighborhoods and most everyone on our street has a keen interest in their gardens so there is always something interesting to look at. Since the year we moved in I have always kept the front gardens tidy and designed the landscape to be pleasant to the eye of the pedestrian. I like color especially dramatic colors or shape. This callicarpa or Purple Beauty Bush fit the bill. It is planted right at the sidewalk edge and is about five feet tall. This morning while we sipped our morning coffee there was literally a foot traffic jam up consisting of several dogs all wagging their tails as their owners oohed and ahed over the bright purple berries.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLCMJIV7vpBX29r743QDiMHaq7JihdSle2l-zWu0pDeuJk82Q8-5El9KwaK9Y7ZBEpi_hyZdyJszXYb7QlkfbUJ3cnSGdJ_I4x2G9XXcG3VzXtkuhs26McMxIamuLQ-9x3cm8m3_0VN8JS/s4032/IMG_2267.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLCMJIV7vpBX29r743QDiMHaq7JihdSle2l-zWu0pDeuJk82Q8-5El9KwaK9Y7ZBEpi_hyZdyJszXYb7QlkfbUJ3cnSGdJ_I4x2G9XXcG3VzXtkuhs26McMxIamuLQ-9x3cm8m3_0VN8JS/s320/IMG_2267.JPG" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Spring time, this now vibrant plant looks like any other shrub leafed out with dark green leaves. Berries start forming but are green nondescript little bundles tucked into the leaves. When fall comes, the cold nights drop the leaves, leaving the purple berries. </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH1Aa9ddY2EgO4c3ccgDXbYvQwrnhsKP8Eo3P85PH-o-V0M8X-n0z05E8oPAxMs4vXDQjnGDbsIuug49AOzgOo2WZTA_aUirGCuK47OT-NNtmp7Wv_dmJ4iD4Ib6cOvQBG1da2Vy9pIbqf/s4032/IMG_2268.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH1Aa9ddY2EgO4c3ccgDXbYvQwrnhsKP8Eo3P85PH-o-V0M8X-n0z05E8oPAxMs4vXDQjnGDbsIuug49AOzgOo2WZTA_aUirGCuK47OT-NNtmp7Wv_dmJ4iD4Ib6cOvQBG1da2Vy9pIbqf/s320/IMG_2268.JPG" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>The berries stay put until food sources become scarce then within a half hour the birds will strip every berry from the once vibrant Purple Beauty Bush leaving it just another shrub in the landscape.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ZmIOU9B3uIdH0bARbfqBMz4PMOUfvsYwlWml95dG7lqFSUsUeN7Yv2E7KLk8fNys7t0i7LcDSVhQDcIA9eu89JBpIw9fUn6Us038X8mbq0UhVnCBuViS8rgxu6b6vdEeh3bVIkrygFJm/s2592/IMG_1304.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1936" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ZmIOU9B3uIdH0bARbfqBMz4PMOUfvsYwlWml95dG7lqFSUsUeN7Yv2E7KLk8fNys7t0i7LcDSVhQDcIA9eu89JBpIw9fUn6Us038X8mbq0UhVnCBuViS8rgxu6b6vdEeh3bVIkrygFJm/s320/IMG_1304.JPG" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><b><br /> </b><p></p>Dochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05230334534323236665noreply@blogger.com3