Rocks, Plants and My Gazing Ball

This is the prettiest this corner has ever looked.  My hostas are bigger this year, which makes the perfect setting for my bright red gazing ball and the addition of my attempt at rock stacking.  The Inukshuk is in honor of my blogging friend AC and his lovely wife Cuppa.  They are from Canada, and AC recently posted pictures of different inukshuks, so I decided to stack one in their honor.  Sorry, AC, but no Canadian flag!

When I say this is the prettiest corner, I am not kidding.  I have not planted flower number 1 this year.  I was gone to TX during the best planting season, and to plant now would be fighting the hot summer sun, which I have found, cooks some plants.  I do want to get something white to put in a bright red pot I found at Big Lots and have sitting right outside my entry door, full of dirt, just waiting.  Otherwise, no more plants.  The perennials that my late wife planted years ago are blooming out front.  I have Russian sage, and something that is yellow, a moonbeam something, and red rosebushes, so I have the primary colors out there, plus some green ground cover and of course some weeds for good measure.

That's it for the garden this year.

Peace,
JE

I'm Not Complaining, But It's Hot!

After the winter we had, I swore I would not complain about the heat of summer.  So, I am not complaining, but it is hot out there.  I usually use 80-84 degrees F as my guide to turning on the air conditioning.  I don't particularly like A C (not my blogging pal, he's a good guy!) but it seems to be a necessary thing this time of year.  Especially as one ages.  I don't do the heat too well any more.  Especially if it is humid, too.  Anyone who has ever been in Indiana in the summer knows that until the heat of August arrives, we usually have high humidity.  That takes a toll on my breathing when outside. 
Today, it's 88 degrees here with high humidity.  The wind in blowing, but that doesn't seem to be helping.  I went out to do some errands earlier and was riding with my windows down and could feel the "wet" inside my car as I rode along.  I wasn't going far, so I just put up with it.  By the time I got home, I not only felt like I was breathing wet air, I needed a shower...again!
But weighing the summer against the "being cooped up in the house all winter because of several feet of snow feeling," I will still take the summer.  At least, I can get out of my garage, I don't have to wear a coat, I can go in as few clothes as decency allows, and wear my flip flops.  I can stay in when it's the hottest part of the day, and still enjoy my screened porch in the mornings and evenings. 
Yes, I will take summer.  And speaking of summer, I think a few hours at a nearby beach might be in order one day this week.  When I get too warm, a quick dip will cool me off.  Hmmmm, sounds like a wonderful idea!

Peace,
JE

My Last Few Weeks

My last few weeks have been a whirlwind!  The weekend before May 20th, sorry I have lost track of time, my sister in law called me saying that my brother was having brain surgery for a hematoma on the left side of the brain.  She was concerned, but said that my brother said that he didn't think it was serious enough to warrant me coming to Texas.  The procedure was to be relatively minor, and the neurosurgeon stated that he would be home in 3 to 4 days and could continue to live as usual.
A few days later, she called and things looked pretty grim.  So, I decided to take off for Texas.  I packed quickly, (forgetting some stuff, naturally) and made a mad dash for the Lone Star State.  When I arrived late in the pm of 5/22, I was really "shook" by what I saw.  My usually strong and vibrant bother was on a breathing machine, was semi comatose, medically induced, and was ashen and lying perfectly still.  It seems that before surgery, he was being given plasma to thicken his blood, due to the fact that he takes blood thinner for his artificial heart valve (now 14 years+ old).  The neurosurgeon's people called and said that Bro's surgery could be moved up a couple hours than originally scheduled, so in an attempt to get him ready sooner, the nurse on duty took it upon herself, without any orders from either the surgeon, or Bro's heart doctor, to speed up the plasma IV.  When she did so, Bro had a heart attack!  Sis in law (now on called Sis) said that it happened almost immediately.  Bro's lungs began to fill with fluid and he couldn't breath.  A pulmonologist was called in immediately and gave to order to intubate Bro.
Well, he was on the breathing machine and kept in a semi comatose state for 5 days until the doctor's all agreed that his lungs were clear, and the heart strong enough for surgery on the brain.  That surgery he came thru with flying colors.  The surgeon said that when they drained the fluid away from the brain, the brain went back right where it was supposed to be.
Bro spent another week and a half in the hospital then had to be moved to a rehab facility.  We were assured that none of that would have been necessary if the heart attack hadn't occurred, causing the delay, and the damage to his heart.  He had to have physical therapy because he laid so long.  The occupational therapy he received was to help with he minor results of the pressure on the brain.  Those things, fortunately, are relatively minor.
In addition, because of the heart attack, when he is strong enough, he will have to undergo some tests,and possible corrective procedures depending on the damage to the heart muscle.
So, I was there for basic support, both for him and Sis, and to help out any way I could.  There wasn't anything I could do buy pray and believe me, pray I did.  And it paid off, too.  I can see God's miracles at work in my Bro.  Medical science is God's work, too. There were many friends and relatives from all over the USA praying for Bro's recovery.
I am happy to say that when I left, Bro was home, and walking with a cane, and on his way to a full recovery.  My hope is that the damage to his heart is minimal when they run the tests.  He came a long way in a short amount of time. 
If anything, this has taught me to live each day fully, tell your family and friends how much they mean to you, and when you go to bed at night, kick those slippers under the bed far enough so that when you want them the next morning, you have to go down on your knees to find them, and while you are there, just thank God that you are alive and given another day!

Peace,
JE

It wasn't a vacation this time.

Hello fellow bloggers!  I 've been away from the blogger world for the last few weeks.  I made a rush trip, and I mean "rush" driving 85 mph sometimes, to be near my seriously ill brother.  I am glad to say that he is better, is back home after narrowly escaping the "grim reaper."  I just arrived back in Indiana from Texas,  literally "just arrived" this evening.  Lots to do around here to get things back my semblance of normal and order.  I even had poison ivy growing up one of the posts on my front porch!!  But right now, I am tired after the emotional turmoil, and then the trip home which consisted of two days of over 9 hrs each of mostly interstate driving.  So, bear with me, and when I get it all together again, I will fill you all in on what happened.  Maybe I should say y'all after being in Texas for 3 weeks!  G'night all!
Peace,
JE