Ah, Progress! The last couple of months have been full of ups and downs. Some ups have been higher than others. Some downs have been lower than others.
It is a well know fact that Jerry completed the AT in October it is also well known that he tore a tendon about 2 weeks before his heroic finish. He had 2 surgeries and since the beginning of December we have been dealing with an unbelievable stubborn infection. Somehow that seems to be putting it mildly.
Jerry has gone from being unable to bend his arm for quite a long time to being able to bend it enough to feed himself. Two steps forward, one step backwards – is that the old saying? Let's just say it has been a looonng journey.
Even though the infection is still rearing its ugly head, great strides have been made. This past week while we were camping Jerry managed to split wood for the campfire. (Even though I told Jim that he was not allow to let Jerry do this – Jerry did. Thanks, Jim! Guess it’s just the motherliness in me wanting to be overly protective.) And some campfire we had! Even in the rain.
Yesterday, WooHoo!, Jerry got his old friend out of the garage and managed to ride his bike once again! I think the cry of triumph was heard throughout the whole neighborhood. It has been over a year since he had his wheels under him but the world is once again beginning to open up. Loveland Bike Trail here we come.
There is another change in Jerry but I don’t want to spoil the surprise for anyone who might see him – no he isn’t losing weight – after all, Sally, our wonderful niece and wound care nurse keeps saying ‘eat, eat, more protein to heal the arm’ – but it is a change that is truly noticeable.
YEA for splitting fire wood,
YEA for riding bikes,
YEA for friends, family, green, earth day and Easter !
Friday, April 22, 2011
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
It is Like Coming Home Again
This is the thought that Jerry and I both had at the same time when we saw the sign for Koomer Ridge Campground last week. It had been almost two years since we had been to the Red River Gorge area. Since Jerry was hiking the AT last year we missed out on our annual spring camping trip with friends that we been doing for almost 25 years – wait we can’t be that old!
We had planned to leave on Tuesday but woke up to wet, chilly weather. After checking the forecast for Slade KY I decided to wait until Wednesday. Jerry was anxious to get there but decided to wait also.
When we arrived on Wednesday the campground host said that Tuesday was a completely miserable day. Yea, for a good decision!
So we arrived on Wednesday. Our friend Jim pulled in right behind us. We settled in campsites next to each other.
The next few days were, sunny, windy, rainy, chilly – it’s hard to remember which days were what. There was a sunrise or two and at least one sunset that we saw. Looked for the space station a couple of times but it was just too cloudy to see it.
Jay came over on Thursday and the three men did their ‘guy hike’ thing. Seems like the Pinch-m-tight trail was true to its name – only Jim could make it through.
Thursday brought Joan and Dave. Friday brought Christy, Karen, Nick and 9 month old Ethan – go Ethan, your first of many camping trips! Saturday saw Christy, Joan and Dave leaving. Nick and Ethan also hit the road back home. Joanna and Mike came and later in the day Sheila arrived with Micah and Toby.
We made a trip towards Whitleton Arch by way of the lower trail – saw a lot of spring wild flowers. We took Ethan to see our favorite Frog Pond. This hike we later repeated with Sheila, Toy and Micah. The boys seemed to totally enjoy it. They ended up with wet feet but also a tadpole, salamander, and frog eggs in their net.
We enjoyed campfires, saw a few lightning bugs, had some good camp food, talked a lot, hiked some, played a little dominoes, laid in our sleeping bags and listened to the wind and rain, lightning and thunder, enjoyed the campground with very few people around, watched a guy with his leaf blower cleaning the campsites in a national forest – talk about job security, talked about going back in a week or two to watch the progression of the wild flowers.
It was good to be there and we are grateful for the opportunity to once again enjoy the wonders of nature so close to home.
We had planned to leave on Tuesday but woke up to wet, chilly weather. After checking the forecast for Slade KY I decided to wait until Wednesday. Jerry was anxious to get there but decided to wait also.
When we arrived on Wednesday the campground host said that Tuesday was a completely miserable day. Yea, for a good decision!
So we arrived on Wednesday. Our friend Jim pulled in right behind us. We settled in campsites next to each other.
The next few days were, sunny, windy, rainy, chilly – it’s hard to remember which days were what. There was a sunrise or two and at least one sunset that we saw. Looked for the space station a couple of times but it was just too cloudy to see it.
Jay came over on Thursday and the three men did their ‘guy hike’ thing. Seems like the Pinch-m-tight trail was true to its name – only Jim could make it through.
Thursday brought Joan and Dave. Friday brought Christy, Karen, Nick and 9 month old Ethan – go Ethan, your first of many camping trips! Saturday saw Christy, Joan and Dave leaving. Nick and Ethan also hit the road back home. Joanna and Mike came and later in the day Sheila arrived with Micah and Toby.
We made a trip towards Whitleton Arch by way of the lower trail – saw a lot of spring wild flowers. We took Ethan to see our favorite Frog Pond. This hike we later repeated with Sheila, Toy and Micah. The boys seemed to totally enjoy it. They ended up with wet feet but also a tadpole, salamander, and frog eggs in their net.
We enjoyed campfires, saw a few lightning bugs, had some good camp food, talked a lot, hiked some, played a little dominoes, laid in our sleeping bags and listened to the wind and rain, lightning and thunder, enjoyed the campground with very few people around, watched a guy with his leaf blower cleaning the campsites in a national forest – talk about job security, talked about going back in a week or two to watch the progression of the wild flowers.
It was good to be there and we are grateful for the opportunity to once again enjoy the wonders of nature so close to home.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
And it's Good-bye Again - again
Once again Clair was Leavin’ On A Jet Plane. It was a good visit but after 2 ½ months back in the states the Ice is once again calling her name and she must answer (because she signed a contract to do).
She seems to enjoy her job in Antarctica as Solid Waste Manager, which includes Haz Mat control, and as Fire Marshal.
She hasn’t seen a summer season in a few years as she spends her winter on the Ice and then heads back to KY during our winter season. Crazy woman! I don’t know if I could go without seeing spring wildflowers for that long.
It was great to have her home if only for a bit. We’ll miss her. The dog will miss her. But it does a parent good to see their child doing what makes them happy – however crazy it might seem.
She seems to enjoy her job in Antarctica as Solid Waste Manager, which includes Haz Mat control, and as Fire Marshal.
She hasn’t seen a summer season in a few years as she spends her winter on the Ice and then heads back to KY during our winter season. Crazy woman! I don’t know if I could go without seeing spring wildflowers for that long.
It was great to have her home if only for a bit. We’ll miss her. The dog will miss her. But it does a parent good to see their child doing what makes them happy – however crazy it might seem.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
There and back again - again
The weekend road trip started with Clair’s friend Neal from CO arriving here on Wednesday. After an afternoon of Neal meeting most of the immediate family it was an early to bed evening. We headed out about 6:00 a.m. (late start due to Clair fixing her famous oatmeal). Clair’s and my destination was the PA/NJ boarder, Neal was headed to NH. It just so happened that Google maps took him past Covington and past my favorite spot in all of PA, Judy’s house. (Judy = wonderful sister-in-law and aunt.)
10 hours after pulling out of Covington we pulled in to Bangor, PA. Neal spent the night there and moved on the next morning. The trip was chilly, rainy.
It was good to see Judy, Len and Justin. The next five days were spent talking, eating, sleeping, knitting, reading, hiking, riding in the car – to the liquor store, to the bakery shop, to the state park, to the gas station, to the bank, to the grocery store, to the drug store….
…And to the farm where we visited with Smadar and Mike, saw Samson and Hannah from last year, met the new guy James, gathered eggs, washed the eggs, watered the chickens, took care of the chicken who met his demise at the hands of a hawk, hiked to the pond, weeded, watered, planted, shucked beans, sorted beans, bagged beans, ground corn, bagged corn meal, helped get ready for distribution day, helped prepare for a mailing.
The biggest disappointment of the trip was to find out that The Run Way Café was closed for the month of March. Darn! That is my second favorite place in NJ next to the farm. It is a place where you can go, have a greasy lunch and watch planes and gliders come and go – if you’re lucky. And you can go in your farm clothes, the muddy, really dirty ones. And you can go without worrying about your hair and make-up (not that I normally do – worry about it). On the up side we had some great food by way of home cooking – home made tomato soup, corn casserole, C lair’s oatmeal, coconut milk based chicken dish, somosas.
It is always a good to visit the farm, to work in the dirt, to walk the hills. It be with people who are so well grounded. It is always hard to say goodbye to Judy and her family.
The trip end with the long ride home - rainy once again.
10 hours after pulling out of Covington we pulled in to Bangor, PA. Neal spent the night there and moved on the next morning. The trip was chilly, rainy.
It was good to see Judy, Len and Justin. The next five days were spent talking, eating, sleeping, knitting, reading, hiking, riding in the car – to the liquor store, to the bakery shop, to the state park, to the gas station, to the bank, to the grocery store, to the drug store….
…And to the farm where we visited with Smadar and Mike, saw Samson and Hannah from last year, met the new guy James, gathered eggs, washed the eggs, watered the chickens, took care of the chicken who met his demise at the hands of a hawk, hiked to the pond, weeded, watered, planted, shucked beans, sorted beans, bagged beans, ground corn, bagged corn meal, helped get ready for distribution day, helped prepare for a mailing.
The biggest disappointment of the trip was to find out that The Run Way Café was closed for the month of March. Darn! That is my second favorite place in NJ next to the farm. It is a place where you can go, have a greasy lunch and watch planes and gliders come and go – if you’re lucky. And you can go in your farm clothes, the muddy, really dirty ones. And you can go without worrying about your hair and make-up (not that I normally do – worry about it). On the up side we had some great food by way of home cooking – home made tomato soup, corn casserole, C lair’s oatmeal, coconut milk based chicken dish, somosas.
It is always a good to visit the farm, to work in the dirt, to walk the hills. It be with people who are so well grounded. It is always hard to say goodbye to Judy and her family.
The trip end with the long ride home - rainy once again.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Seeds and a Fork in the Road
This weekend was a good one spent primary with Jerry’s family sharing a meal, prayer and great company.
On Sunday some of us met at the local coffee house to discuss our garden plans for the summer and to order seeds. This is a step up for us. We usually have a small garden of some type in our yard, just a few tomato and pepper plants, etc. Last summer we had a bumper crop of strawberries. The kids next door came over and saw how strawberries looked before they appeared on the store shelf in plastic containers. They enjoyed picking them and taking some home to the family. More often than not though by mid-summer the weeds have taken over and we end up just harvesting what we can.
However yesterday was a power meeting of what our garden could look like.
Spring fever set in and we began ordering seeds. Brother-in-law Jack was the experienced one. While Dave and I have done a little gardening for many years, Jack has done mega-gardening, at least by our family standards. Our true inspiration comes from sister Judy who has worked on Genesis Farm in NJ for over 23 years. She is the one with the ‘know how’ and the experience. She is the one who answers all our questions and offers advice. She is ‘the one’!
So a couple of hours later we were thinking green and tasting wonderful veggies in our heads. Over $100. worth of seeds to be shares 3 or 4 ways. Not too bad for a summer worth of vegetables. Oh, and don’t forget the flowers! Judy says that you must plant flowers in order to feed the soul as well as veggies to feed our bodies. I like that kind of thinking. So some of the flowers we ordered are edible.
So that was a fork in the road for me – to get serious about gardening and eating locally grown. How much more local can you get that your own back yard. Perhaps we’re taking the road less traveled but I think there are a lot of people beginning to walk down that path.
But wait, there was another fork in the road that we responded to yesterday. We attended two fundraisers on Sunday. Two different local high schools, two different causes, both worth our time and money. Besides you can’t beat $8 for breakfast and $6 for dinner.
As I was thinking about dinner I had an epiphany that I decided to act on. Jerry graciously went along with the idea or at least put up with it and decided to humor me once again. Instead of using the plastic knives and forks we took our own forks (didn’t really need knives) from home and our own napkins also.
When we refuse the paper napkin wrapped plastic ware the lady looked at us kind of strange but eventually said ‘that’s an interesting idea’. I’m not sure she meant it but I hope the idea got talked about later.
At the table we were sitting with some of the family. They either didn’t notice that we were using real forks and napkins or decided to ignore it as to not embarrass us – not that it would have. I would have liked to have had the chance to say, ‘yea, we did it on purpose’.
So another literal fork in the road has been taken. Hopefully we will continue down this path also. A friend of our daughter for some time now has taken his own container with him when he east out so as to eliminate the need for a ‘doggie bag’. I like that idea. Hopefully I’ll someday remember to do that also.
On Sunday some of us met at the local coffee house to discuss our garden plans for the summer and to order seeds. This is a step up for us. We usually have a small garden of some type in our yard, just a few tomato and pepper plants, etc. Last summer we had a bumper crop of strawberries. The kids next door came over and saw how strawberries looked before they appeared on the store shelf in plastic containers. They enjoyed picking them and taking some home to the family. More often than not though by mid-summer the weeds have taken over and we end up just harvesting what we can.
However yesterday was a power meeting of what our garden could look like.
Spring fever set in and we began ordering seeds. Brother-in-law Jack was the experienced one. While Dave and I have done a little gardening for many years, Jack has done mega-gardening, at least by our family standards. Our true inspiration comes from sister Judy who has worked on Genesis Farm in NJ for over 23 years. She is the one with the ‘know how’ and the experience. She is the one who answers all our questions and offers advice. She is ‘the one’!
So a couple of hours later we were thinking green and tasting wonderful veggies in our heads. Over $100. worth of seeds to be shares 3 or 4 ways. Not too bad for a summer worth of vegetables. Oh, and don’t forget the flowers! Judy says that you must plant flowers in order to feed the soul as well as veggies to feed our bodies. I like that kind of thinking. So some of the flowers we ordered are edible.
So that was a fork in the road for me – to get serious about gardening and eating locally grown. How much more local can you get that your own back yard. Perhaps we’re taking the road less traveled but I think there are a lot of people beginning to walk down that path.
But wait, there was another fork in the road that we responded to yesterday. We attended two fundraisers on Sunday. Two different local high schools, two different causes, both worth our time and money. Besides you can’t beat $8 for breakfast and $6 for dinner.
As I was thinking about dinner I had an epiphany that I decided to act on. Jerry graciously went along with the idea or at least put up with it and decided to humor me once again. Instead of using the plastic knives and forks we took our own forks (didn’t really need knives) from home and our own napkins also.
When we refuse the paper napkin wrapped plastic ware the lady looked at us kind of strange but eventually said ‘that’s an interesting idea’. I’m not sure she meant it but I hope the idea got talked about later.
At the table we were sitting with some of the family. They either didn’t notice that we were using real forks and napkins or decided to ignore it as to not embarrass us – not that it would have. I would have liked to have had the chance to say, ‘yea, we did it on purpose’.
So another literal fork in the road has been taken. Hopefully we will continue down this path also. A friend of our daughter for some time now has taken his own container with him when he east out so as to eliminate the need for a ‘doggie bag’. I like that idea. Hopefully I’ll someday remember to do that also.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
To Elk or not to Elk...
...that is the question.
The past couple of weeks/months have been long ones. The temps, the snow, the lack of sun, the arm ( I know I haven’t address that element but perhaps sometime in the near future.) So when the opportunity came for a short mental health get-a-way I took advantage of the situation. Called my BFF, managed to get reservations and headed to Jenny Wiley State Park for a night and for an early morning elk sighting tour.
After we made the reservations I found out that the tour was on land that had been the victim of mountain top removal. I became aware of a knot in my stomach. I do not remember reading that the tour was on land that was still an active surface mine and was not aware of that fact until the presentation began at 5:30 m. Saturday morning. The knot in my stomach was growing larger. Surface mine, mountain top removal, strip mining (I was told that is a dirty word and not used anymore.)…..the knot began to grow even more.
There were about 28 people on the tour, three vans, three employees of the park system.
The good thing was the ground was frozen - so there was no mud to get stuck in. The bad thing was that the frozen ground was covered in spots with snow and ice.
Our van driver who fit the description of a ‘good old boy’ to the T – really nice guy, said he was just ‘Dukin’ ‘ it. (took only a second to get his reference to the Dukes of Hazard-after all that is the country we were in.)
Well, that wasn’t the extent of the good and bad of the morning trip. That was the easy part to handle.
The driver sang the praises of Mountain Top Removal every chance he got – the wonderful economic boost that it brought to the area touched all the people, the jobs it created, the cheap energy source, the great landscapes it created for things like recreational activities, golf courses, sports complexes, ATV trails, hmmm, elk viewing – sponsored by the state park system ( How can that be?). All kinds of stomach churning examples.
I hesitate to say too much here since I haven’t done a lot of homework on the subject but I know what I heard in the past. So I invite you to goggle Mountain Top Removal. Check out some of the videos. Listen to the people from the area and their opinion of MTR. The people who are not on the payroll of the mining companies. The people who love the mountains.
So the knot is the stomach is still festering, still growing. What have I contributed to?!
Sure it was great to see elk. But I think next time I’ll head over to western KY to the Land Between the Lakes area where there are no mountainsto be harmed. Or better yet out west somewhere where the mountains have not become victims of MTR!
Or maybe just stay home!
BTW this very weekend a group of concerned citizens of KY occupied the office of the governor to protest Mountain Top Removal.
Read more at…
http://www.kftc.org/our-work/canary-project/campaigns/mtr/MTR-generalinfo
The past couple of weeks/months have been long ones. The temps, the snow, the lack of sun, the arm ( I know I haven’t address that element but perhaps sometime in the near future.) So when the opportunity came for a short mental health get-a-way I took advantage of the situation. Called my BFF, managed to get reservations and headed to Jenny Wiley State Park for a night and for an early morning elk sighting tour.
After we made the reservations I found out that the tour was on land that had been the victim of mountain top removal. I became aware of a knot in my stomach. I do not remember reading that the tour was on land that was still an active surface mine and was not aware of that fact until the presentation began at 5:30 m. Saturday morning. The knot in my stomach was growing larger. Surface mine, mountain top removal, strip mining (I was told that is a dirty word and not used anymore.)…..the knot began to grow even more.
There were about 28 people on the tour, three vans, three employees of the park system.
The good thing was the ground was frozen - so there was no mud to get stuck in. The bad thing was that the frozen ground was covered in spots with snow and ice.
Our van driver who fit the description of a ‘good old boy’ to the T – really nice guy, said he was just ‘Dukin’ ‘ it. (took only a second to get his reference to the Dukes of Hazard-after all that is the country we were in.)
Well, that wasn’t the extent of the good and bad of the morning trip. That was the easy part to handle.
The driver sang the praises of Mountain Top Removal every chance he got – the wonderful economic boost that it brought to the area touched all the people, the jobs it created, the cheap energy source, the great landscapes it created for things like recreational activities, golf courses, sports complexes, ATV trails, hmmm, elk viewing – sponsored by the state park system ( How can that be?). All kinds of stomach churning examples.
I hesitate to say too much here since I haven’t done a lot of homework on the subject but I know what I heard in the past. So I invite you to goggle Mountain Top Removal. Check out some of the videos. Listen to the people from the area and their opinion of MTR. The people who are not on the payroll of the mining companies. The people who love the mountains.
So the knot is the stomach is still festering, still growing. What have I contributed to?!
Sure it was great to see elk. But I think next time I’ll head over to western KY to the Land Between the Lakes area where there are no mountainsto be harmed. Or better yet out west somewhere where the mountains have not become victims of MTR!
Or maybe just stay home!
BTW this very weekend a group of concerned citizens of KY occupied the office of the governor to protest Mountain Top Removal.
Read more at…
http://www.kftc.org/our-work/canary-project/campaigns/mtr/MTR-generalinfo
Thursday, December 30, 2010
The trouble with snow is....
…that you can’t hear it falling. Sitting in bed at the moment listening to the rain hitting the terrific little roof window that my husband installed many years go in our bedroom. It’s a great portal to the wonderful outdoors. Sometimes when the sky is clear we can see a few faithful stars that whisper good night to us and then continue their dance across the sky. At times the moon light serves as a natural nightlight to let us know that all is well with the natural world (well, at least mostly). On nights like these it is somewhat of a temperature indicator. It’s late December and it is warm enough for rain not the snow we would normally have this time of year. During a summer storm the lightning is intensified as it shoots through our window and reflects in the dresser mirror brightening up the room beyond normal. Our little roof window is one of my favorite things about this old house.
But sometimes when it is snowing you can hear the heaviness upon the window. You can hear the coldness in the air. And if you listen close enough you can hear the woods calling, “Come walk with me. Things are quiet and peaceful here. You can hear the crunch of the snow beneath your feet [I wonder what it might be like to go barefoot in the snow] you might even hear your breath or better yet that little voice within.”
The great thing about snow is its silence.
But sometimes when it is snowing you can hear the heaviness upon the window. You can hear the coldness in the air. And if you listen close enough you can hear the woods calling, “Come walk with me. Things are quiet and peaceful here. You can hear the crunch of the snow beneath your feet [I wonder what it might be like to go barefoot in the snow] you might even hear your breath or better yet that little voice within.”
The great thing about snow is its silence.
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