HOSPICE

I know this doesn’t sound like it would be a title of one of my posts. I’m usually posting something a bit more witty, well I try to anyway, with a slightly? morbid sense of humor, (fortunately my family has the same sense of humor), up beat, making each other laugh, and generally having a good time, trying to out do each other. Well, this post doesn’t seem to be working that way this time.

That’s because this is not really a post about me . It is actually a comment ( a very long one) to one of Rudees from “A Knitting Nurse” that she posted last Saturday on Nov. 7th. I know it took me a while but I was so angry at the time, that I figured I’d better take time to think about it till I cooled off a bit and could at least try to sound a little bit rational. I’m not sure it worked, but at least I’m not taking all her comment page space up, and decided to take up my own space up instead.

I’ve never met Rudee, except through her blog, but I’ve gotten the idea that she is a nurse that is one of the ones that comes in at the later stages of the patients illness. I could be wrong of course, correct me if I am) and so far I have only met the nurses, social workers, and the doctor that are the ones that come in at the beginning. Since the middle of September of have met the most caring, friendly, courteous, wonderful, people that go out of their way to explain your illness to you, explain all your options to you, try to relieve all your and your familys anxieties, manage your pain levels until they find the right combinations, (which they definitely do) visit you sometimes daily to do this, and when they are not here, they are constantly calling you to see how you are, if you need anything. Aside from my own family, Hospice workers are second to none!!! I can’t say enough good things about each and every one of them.

From what I have read about patients in the care of Hospice, sometimes the different combinations of medications can alter the mental outlook and cause some mean, and obnoxious behaviorism through no fault of their own. But all Hospice nurses know that and I’m sure are quick to forgive this kind of behavior. But…when it’s a family member who treats the nurses this way, it is totally unacceptable!!!! Treating a nurse that way, swearing and abusing them, the one who is there for the sole purpose of taking care of your loved one, making sure they get the best of care in their final days, is deplorable.

While that is fresh in my mind, I will now write letters of apologizes to all my family members in case I start to act like that, ( I know they’ll forgive me, cause we’ve talked about this, and I know they will not treat any nurses in this abusive way either because I’ve already threatened to slap them up side the head if they do) and I’m sure the nurses will also do the same. Well maybe they won’t slap them, but they have my permission if they want to.

All that being said, my hats, ( which are plentiful at this time thanks to all family members) are raised to each and everyone of you who choose to pick this type of career, taking care of others in their time of need, and hopefully are always treated in the best possible way. You certainly deserve it!!

SICK OF THESE YET?

I hear you nodding your head yes, but since I haven’t been out and about much lately you’re once again stuck with my own flowers.

First, the Illumination Begonias. The ones that I planted in the hanging baskets are pretty much done, and hanging limply in their containers. But not these. Planted in a large planter in the front, these are looking good as new. Better than new!!


And how about this Verbena. Not a spot of powdery mildew this year, and still looking terrific.



And when all other petunias have turned straggly and brown, how about this gorgeous Supertunia.




Oh, and by the way, I’m still blooming over here too. Maybe not as full and lush as I once was, maybe not actually blooming either, but hey, what do you expect at the end of September of 2009. But I’m still a little bit cute. Right?

Still Hanging In There

A few surprises hanging in here in the middle of August.

The first is this Verbena. Usually by this time of year all my Verbenas are in the trash heap. Loaded with powdery mildew and totally wilted. But... looking good

How about this Lantana. Still full and healthy...

How about these window boxes. Still going like gangbusters..

And last... how about the view from my favorite sitting place....

Oh, and one more thing

Yes, I'm still hanging in there too.:))

Thirsty?

How about a little Cola.
Better yet, how about a huge, oversized, colossal cola?


Last year this lily was 54” tall. This year it’s 6’ tall. Next year I plan on climbing it to grab the goose that lays the golden eggs and maybe the magic harp while I'm up there too.

Not thirsty…how about hungry?

Lollipop Lily. I love this little cutie.

Not hungry? How about just some eye candy then.
This delicate flower is on one heck of a strong climber. Mme. Julia Correvon Clematis.


This larger flower is on a weaker climber that requires a lot of tying, but worth it. And I don’t know the name of it because it was mis-labeled. It was supposed to be a double blue but I’m happy with the result (although I really did want a double blue).


This one I’m not so happy with. Bought last year, it didn’t bloom but instead spread out. Okay, I was a bit disappointed, but waited for this year to see it. Well, there are a ton of blooms this year, and I would be ecstatic except for one thing.

It was supposed to be CHERRY RED. %&&$$# What’s with these people and their labels??

I guess if you want to be sure you get the colors you want, you buy them already blooming. Thanks to Betty Boop and SisterNan, I have instant color in my back yard with this Supertunia "Bordeaux"

And this multi-colored Verbena


And last but certainly not least, this one is for Rose of Prairie Rose’s Garden. She mentioned in one of her posts that she couldn’t find an Illumination Begonia this year. Hey Rose, you’re certainly welcome to share one of mine.

Peanuts!! Camera!! Action!!

All it takes is a platform feeder and a handful of peanuts….

First to arrive every morning and the last to call it a day at night is this tired looking fella.

Maybe because of these two fluffed up offspring waiting patiently on the trellis.

Well, maybe not too patiently because they’re squawking up a storm, until one decides she’s waited long enough and helps herself. Smart girl.

Yes mom does feed them too, but not as much as he does because after all, she did the hard part at the beginning, right?
Next to show up…

Stuffing his mouth to take to this little tailless fellow hunkering down in a corner by the little birdbath. Hey, you need water with those peanuts.


Last I saw of this little guy he was jumping through the back fence to hide in all the shrubs back there. Probably a good idea till his flying improves.

Soon to arrive is this handsome fella announcing his arrival by a rat-a-tat-tat on the gutter first.

His little one (not really that little now) is hugging the large oak tree in the back waiting for his share.

And this little downy is usually next.

Her little offspring is following so close behind her that he actually thumped into the window a few times before he finally learned to land on the trellis instead. No he wasn’t hurt.

How about this plump mama.

Since there’s no babies in sight, I don’t let her stay. An eating machine if I ever saw one. And when she’s done eating she’ll still park her fat self on here and sit forever!!!! So off she goes.

This is one that I never allow.

Wicked grackle. Killer of babies. Off with you!!!

And of course there’s Mr. Nose. He can smell a peanut a mile away. So far he hasn’t been able to figure out that all he has to do is jump up 2 feet and he’d be in peanut heaven. But I’m sure he’ll catch on pretty quick.


Unlike his larger rodent cousin, this guy had no problem scrambling up the side of the house and helping himself.



I guess that means I’ll have to be moving that feeder to a different place. Pain in the butt rodents, spoil all the fun..sigh..

Hey, She Likes It !!

She first showed up last Tuesday and has been here every day since, which is unheard of in my backyard in June. If that's not a woohoo I don't know what is.

So...WOOHOO !!!!!!!

Weeds

Did I ever mention that I hate to pull weeds? No? Well I will now then. I hate it, hate it, hate it. I’d rather be poking myself in the eye with a sharp stick instead of weeding. But eventually I do get around to it. Forcing myself to work a 4 foot section of flower bed at a time on a daily basis until it is finally done.

Well I kinda got behind this time. Waaaaay behind.


You wouldn’t think I’d have the nerve to call this a “flower” bed now would you? Poor little impatiens don’t stand a chance in that mess. Being crowded out before they even have a chance to grow.

Well, relax.


And how did I manage that? Well, "I" didn’t. The only person I know who says she actually likes to weed did that. The one who has flowers, and ONLY flowers, in her beds (yes I checked). The one who has been known to sit all afternoon in her lawn and patiently pull out every bit of clover because it really doesn’t belong there. The one who stopped by my house a few days previously and was accidentally shown the front bed which caused an immediate

And the statement “I’m coming back on Tuesday!!
And who might that be? Why that would be Bonkers Betty Boop of course.


Not only did she show up with all her garden tools, (hey I have tools too, and mine are sparkling clean and look like new for some reason) but she also brought a crispy, brown, tasty chicken for my lunch!!!

So guess what I was doing while she was slaving away out in front.
Well, you’re wrong!!! I was NOT in the house scarfing up the chicken. I was outside the whole time keeping her company AND doing a little fertilizing and watering (I like doing that) AND I even pulled a few weeds (guilt).

After she finally had enough fun for one day, and went on her way, I did indeed make short work of the chicken for dinner though.

Hmmmm, I wonder what she’s doing next week as I'm sure with a little watering and fertilizing I can get those weeds back in no time.