The Gardener Housebound

Outside the temperature was hitting high 70's;  birds singing their little beaks off;  greenhouse brimming with trays of seedlings needing transplanting into individual pots; weeds needing to be pulled;  deadheading and all the general tidying up that this old gardener loves to do.  But alas, the only activity I was able to muster was roll slightly every few minutes so the pain seemed to lessen for just a few more minutes in my new position.  My very own Florence Nightingale  (MeMa) would float into the room and make sure I had every comfort within reach.
I'm not much good going to a doctor's appointment on my own and I have come to realize that as the Doctor comes into the exam room and asks, "How I am doing?"  The first thing out of my mouth is, "Oh, I'm doing great. Thanks." Or, after my exam when the Doctor is giving me instructions to follow, I nod my head in affirmation and then promptly forget everything he just told me.  Sparing you some details; after an incident while at work it was decided that it was imperative that MeMa should accompany me to my appointment at the hospital.  Kidney stones are nasty little buggers but the procedure involved in discovering them is excruciating.  The doctor was quite pleased when he asked MeMa if she wanted to remain while he performed the procedure and she said very emphatically, "Yes." I squinted through the pain and watched the total concentration on MeMa's face, her eyes glued the screen while standing next to the doctor as he guided the camera through me explaining every detail, "Stone one, stone two, stone three and......ok..... we are done here."  MeMa asked.  What was that?"  "A tumor in the bladder."
I am pleased to say that in the following surgery they were able to remove all of the low grade cancer and not so pleased to say that I will have to undergo the same horrific procedure every year the rest of my life.

The pathways are just teaming with new growth on all sides

Useless gnomes. They haven't lifted a pudgy finger to help.  Look at them just standing there with their hands behind their backs.

That was last week and this week although slightly cooler temperature the rest of the scene is much the same with a very frustrated gardener housebound with a diagnosed bulging disk that leaves him with a very painful left leg that is numb from the knee down.  I am a very impatient patient especially housebound when I have so many big garden plans.

The kind folks from the nursery behind our property gave us five, eight foot arborvitae to help screen off the view.
They were also kind enough to not only deliver them but planted them all as well.

New to the garden this year is this beautiful little Coral Bark Maple