Healing Thoughts

Good News!

My physical therapist told me last week I could begin exercising outdoors.

As soon as I returned home from his office, I got myself ready for a walk.

I left from the house and walked a half hour on the plowed dirt road nearby.

I was careful.

I was v-e-r-y slow....

I was exhilarated!

At one point, I realized my face was wet with tears.

How embarrassing - I was crying tears of joy.

I pulled myself together and kept striding.

Now, I go for a walk nearly every day.

I take a hiking pole but only use it if there is an icy patch.

I'm able to walk over an hour most days.

My ankle is stiff by evening, but I see improvement daily.

I continue meeting with my PT.

storm clouds hide Red Mountain

Winter landscapes are constantly changing.

Clouds move in and bring snow.

Each dawn bestows the gift of a new day.

 

This photo is for a blog friend who loves foxes.

She recently received a troubling diagnosis, so I send her healing thoughts.

My One Good Thing today is the body's ability to heal.

I wish you strength.

I wish you sunshine.

I wish you healing.

Barb

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A Setback but Still Good Things

 There are good and bad times in every life. 

Sometimes life feels easy and sometimes it seems hard.

About a week ago, I had a major setback with my ankle. I tripped in the house and felt something snap. I knew I'd reinjured the tendon. An MRI confirmed that the tendon is now torn. I'm in a soft air cast for at least a month and in a brace at night. It's a walking cast, but the DR prefers I stay off it as much as possible. I'm mostly sitting with my leg elevated.

scattering wildflower seeds 

Bob is running himself ragged taking care of me, cooking meals, and doing all the chores. 

Yesterday, he scattered wildflower seeds while I "supervised" from a chair on the deck.

Snow is starting to accumulate. I admire the falling flakes from inside the house.

Obviously, I can't venture outside in icy/snowy conditions.

I try to focus on the many good things in my life:

a husband who takes care of me

books that help pass the time

family and friends who offer love and support

A former student heard I was ailing and sent 2 dozen roses.

They were quite spectacular.

I still have a few in bud vases to enjoy.

I watch the moon set to the west.

A rising sun casts a glow over Red Mountain to the south.

Can you find 3 moose in the photo?
Only the ears and head of one of the calves are visible through the middle evergreen.
The twin calves are huge though they were only born this spring.

Wild things still wander near the house.

I'm grateful for these Good Things.

Thank You for visiting - I hope you're well.

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Where There's Smoke, There's Fire - Small Stone - 13

Tenmile Range

Our normally bright blue sky is hazed by smoke.

Imperial Peak

In town, I wear a mask so I won't breath too much smoke on the way to the dentist.

My eyes itch and burn from particulates in the air.

along the Blue River

The fires are north and west of us, but prevailing winds are bringing smoke into our county.

I'm very allergic to formaldehyde which is in wood smoke.

Fire is a constant threat in dry western states.

I'm housebound until the smoke clears.

small stone

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Where the Wild Things Are

Fall is a busy time for wild animals in the forest and on our property.

Can you find the moose?

During the summer, I rarely see foxes, but lately they visit every day.

One small female is very tame.
If I'm outside working, she rests nearby, watching carefully.

Some mornings, she comes onto the deck and peeks in the window.

I recognize a large, regal male with silver rump.

I'm always happy to spot him.
He's cautious and keeps his distance.

the brown spot in front of the cow is one of her calves

We have moose stopping by every day.

Sometimes, when I look outside, I'm startled by a large ungulate grazing just off the deck. 

One day, a cow and her twin calves spent hours resting at the edge of our yard.

Once, I also had twins to tend, so I sympathized with her exhaustion.

Deer are drawn to the seed heads in my garden.

Sometimes a whole herd of doe and fawns graze on what's left of my perennials.

One doe that often came alone in the summer is now accompanied by twins.

I think she hid them when they were younger as she grazed nearby.

I always felt she was thin, but I suppose it was because she was feeding two.

Snow fell several days ago but is mostly melted already.

We need moisture badly.

One spark could start a devastating wildfire.

Bob went for blood work yesterday.

The blood draw site in the hospital is a small room.

After he registered, people started arriving.

Soon the room was packed, and he was still waiting.

Our county has stopped mobile testing for covid even though numbers are rising.

People now come to this little room in the hospital.

Finally, he left without having the draw.

It seemed too dangerous to expose himself to possibly sick people.

All this time we've isolated. Now we hope he wasn't exposed in the blood draw room!

Wild things are my one good thing today.

Thank you for stopping to visit.

(Perhaps you're a wild thing too....)

Smile and stay healthy.

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Pandemic

I'm sure all of our worlds have changed dramatically since I last posted.

The Governor of Colorado issued a state of emergency earlier in the week.

dawn

In Breckenridge and throughout Summit County, CO, places where people congregate are closed.

This includes schools, shops, restaurants, cafes, bars, rec centers, and ski areas.

People are asked to keep away from others, staying in their own homes.

Outdoors we should keep a safe distance from others and avoid crowds.

Some popular parks and sledding hills are off-limits.

None of our shuttles or buses are operating.

Short term rentals and hotels are closing.

Tourists and second home owners are supposed to leave.

the fox is curious - what's happening Barb?

Bob and I hunker down in isolation.

Even prior to the government edict, we asked our family not to visit.

Before the emergency, we stocked some groceries and supplies.

Unlike families with children, our supplies last a long time.

Meals are simple - we don't eat a lot.

We can exist on what we have for awhile.

the pine marten visits - he abides by social distancing

We maintain a similar schedule to our normal one.

I wake early and give thanks for another day.

I answer e-mails and do some reading.

We work around the house and property.

We get fresh air and exercise.

exercising on snowshoes

We discuss what's happening here and around the world.

If we get sick, we'll care for each other just as we've done for over 53 years.

We don't feel panic though we've never lived through quite this kind of situation.

Each morning we ask each other, "How are you feeling?"

So far, so good.

Perhaps we all can get outside and breath fresh air.

Keep in touch with family and friends electronically.

Smile and remember happy times.

Let ourselves believe that this too will pass.

deserted ski trail

I hope wherever you are, you're well.

If you're able, offer help to someone in need.

May peace and love abide with you.

Barb

A friend sent me this meaningful poem:

Pandemic

What if you thought of it

as the Jews consider the Sabbath—

the most sacred of times?

Cease from travel.

Cease from buying and selling.

Give up, just for now,

on trying to make the world

different than it is.

Sing. Pray. Touch only those

to whom you commit your life.

Center down.

And when your body has become still,

reach out with your heart.

Know that we are connected

in ways that are terrifying and beautiful.

(You could hardly deny it now.)

Know that our lives

are in one another’s hands.

(Surely, that has come clear.)

Do not reach out your hands.

Reach out your heart.

Reach out your words.

Reach out all the tendrils

of compassion that move, invisibly,

where we cannot touch.

Promise this world your love–

for better or for worse,

in sickness and in health,

so long as we all shall live.

–Lynn Ungar 3/11/20

sunset

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