Category Archives: Sylvia

Family to the Rescue

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I won’t show you a “before” picture of the area along the foundation wall of our house.  It is the area we call “Granny’s Garden.”  It got that name when Briana (our granddaughter) gave Sylvia a sign to post there.  The sign said, “Granny’s Garden.”

We had the veggie garden planted and that was the next item on the TO DO list.  Our son, Bryant, and wife, Barbara, volunteered to help us on a Saturday morning.  We gratefully accepted the offer, and they showed up on time.

Soon, Sylvia, Bryant and Barbara were cleaning up Granny’s Garden.  It was a lot of work.  While they did that, I used the tractor and chain to pull out some unwanted mulberry trees in the walk-out area.  With Bryant’s help, I even pulled out an overgrown shrub.

Barbara cleaned up the holly bushes (one male, one female)

Barbara cleaned up the holly bushes (one male, one female)

A couple steps back to reveal more.

Gone is the chaotic jumble that ruled this region

Gone is the chaotic jumble that ruled this region

Turn and see the other half of Granny’s Garden.

Hollyhocks and roses hold forth in this side

Hollyhocks and roses hold forth in this side.  Can you see the garlic?

There’s still a lot left to do.  We expect to make slower progress on that front.

Therapy

Sylvia’s therapy is going well.  Mobility is rapidly returning to her wrist as she faithfully does her prescribed exercises.  Her goal is to be finished with therapy by month’s end.  I believe she’ll do it.

Wildlife

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This week started off well.  Monday, Sylvia had the cast removed from her left arm.  It was two months to the day since she broke her wrist.  X-rays show that the fracture is healing.  Thursday will be the first therapy session for her.

The last few days have been very busy days for us.  There has been much to do.  I’ve not had time to attend to this blog.  Fortunately, I have put the camera to work and here are a couple of items from its memory card.

The grass is not only greener, it tastes better

The grass is not only greener, it tastes better

I saw the doe cross the driveway and walked over to the neighbor’s fence.  I raised the blinds and reached for the camera.  The deer had crossed the fence.  She ate some grass and then came back and disappeared into the willow brush and tall grass down by the road.

On Sunday afternoon, I saw an unusual sight.  It was out on the lawn.

A duck surveys the possibilities

A duck surveys the possibilities

We’ve had a lot of rain lately, but a duck?  They usually consider this “flyover” country.  Maybe she was tired and that’s why she stayed for a while.

Enough is enough

Enough is enough

As I watched her fly away, I thought of how Sylvia was going to feel when the cast came off.  She is enjoying the freedom.

Spring Goodness

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After planting the garden, Sylvia came into the house picked up a knife and three plastic bags.  I dropped what I was doing, picked up a knife and followed.  She was already in full attack mode on the rhubarb patch.  I stood outside the fence and took the stalks she harvested, cut off the leaves and bagged the rhubarb stalks.   Later, I dropped them in neat piles.  We were in the rhythm and soon the cutting was done.  It only took a few minutes to dispose of the cut leaves and gather the harvest.

That will make a lot of pie

That will make a lot of pie

That, my friend, is what 26 pounds of rhubarb looks like.  Earlier, we took 14 pounds from the patch.  We are happy and so are a lot of our friends.

Speaking of friends, we think of Rosey and Dale C every time we see the patch and speak a word of thanks with each serving of this wonderful perennial vegetable.

Yesterday’s asparagus harvest went to our neighbor.  When Sylvia mentioned that we had some cedar trees she wanted removed, he volunteered to help.  Within minutes he was on the scene, chainsaw in hand.  Thanks, Hubert.

Planting Before the Rain

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Yesterday, I left a hint that Sylvia was at work in the garden.  What had she started?

Popping in the potatoes

Popping in the potatoes

The “trench” on our left was planted to green beans.  Onions have been placed along the fence.  Sylvia is planting potatoes.  Perhaps we can go another year plus without bringing home potatoes from the store.  The ones we grow are much better!

Just cut them up so that each piece has at least one eye

Just cut them up so that each piece has at least one eye

Each piece is dropped in a hole and covered.  Then you wait . . .

Still going . . .

Still going . . .

Butternut squash behind her and jalapeños at her feet, Sylvia keeps going.

She’ll sleep well come night.

Out in the Garden

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The peas have broken through.  Lovely spots of green adorn our garden.

Tender shoots come out to greet the sun

Tender shoots come out to greet the sun

Because we have bunnies in the area, and because they have rabbit habits, we have to install fence around the garden.  That’s what we did yesterday.

Safely behind the fence.

Safely behind the fence.

That was yesterday.  This morning, I went to look for Sylvia and found her inside the fence.

Busy, busy, busy

Busy, busy, busy

Do you think you can keep up with her?  I can’t.

Come back tomorrow.  I’ll tell you what she was doing.

Good News

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Our visit with Sharkbytes ended with Sylvia and our guest attending our church’s Mother/Daughter banquet.  Sharkbytes was the featured speaker and everyone loved the program.

Ready to hit the trail.

Ready to hit the trail.

Sylvia observed Mother’s Day with our son and daughter-in-law.  Good food and good conversation.  It was a most enjoyable day for both of us.

Barbara and Sylvia

Barbara and Sylvia

On Monday, we were back at the orthopedist’s office.  We were in dread after the doctor’s telephone conversation on Friday.

After a round of questions from a nurse, the physician’s assistant came in and showed us the images from the C-T scan as she explained what we were seeing.  Obvious signs of healing were evident.  The displacement is visible in the images, but should be no hindrance to healing or life thereafter.  Sylvia has only one limitation for now, “Don’t lift anything heavy–like a full gallon of milk.”

We left feeling a lot lighter and with hope and optimism in our hearts.  Happy campers.

We’ll go back in three weeks to have the cast removed and more X-rays to see how healing is progressing.  If necessary, they’ll give her a wrist brace that is secured by Velcro.

Up Tempo

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Last evening, right on schedule, we heard a knock on the door.  It was our friend, Sharkbytes.  This evening, she is the featured speaker at our church’s mother/daughter banquet.

Yesterday, Sylvia had harvested sixteen pounds of rhubarb.  In the afternoon, with assistance from her part-time helper, Sylvia baked a rhubarb pie.  It was not easy, but we did wait to bite into that delightful creation until Sharkey arrived.  You can see a picture here.

When last we met, we made a promise to do some music together and that’s what we did.

Just having fun.

Just having fun.

Sylvia was supposed to join in on guitar, but the broken wrist has removed that option.  She still has her voice and joined in the singing.

We heard from the orthopedist today with results from the C-T scan.  Sylvia has a dislocated fracture.  We’ll be back in his office on Monday morning.  Further diagnostics to follow.

We’re having a fun day.  Lots of music, talk and laughter.  Life is good.

What a Week

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It has been one busy week for us.  It started Sunday.  After lunch Sylvia and friend, Bonnie, drove to Flint for Crystal García’s graduation party.

Angel, Crystal, Sylvia, Eveliz and Edeline. (photo by Bonnie

Angel, Crystal, Sylvia, Eveliz and Edeline. (photo by Bonnie)

Crystal just graduated with high honors from the University of Michigan – Flint.  Her degree is in psychology.  We’ve known Crystal and her family since her father came to pastor the church we attended in Connecticut.  At that time, Crystal was a pre-schooler.  Later, Rev. Angel Gardía accepted the call to pastor a church in Flint.

That was Sunday.  On Monday, I took Sylvia to Hastings in the morning.  At the orthopedist’s office, they removed her plaster splint, the doctor examined her wrist.  It was not perfectly set as we had thought.  After that a technician put a fiberglass cast on her arm.

Monday afternoon I took her back to Hastings for a C-T scan of the break area.  We are still waiting hear about the results.  We expected a call on Tuesday, but are still waiting.  The office said, “Probably tomorrow.”

So far this week has flown by with many things happening.  I want to do like Hobbes (Lin’s not Calvin’s) and take a nap.

Discovered

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Yesterday (Tues 4/27), I took the snow blade and front end loader off the tractor.  I then hooked up the tiller and tilled the garden.  Now, the tiller is off and the freshly lubed mower deck is in place and ready to go when I am ready to go.

On the way to the barn, something caught my eye.  It was a bird’s nest in my short tower at the back corner of the garage.

Can you see the nest on the cables?

Can you see the nest on the cables?

Mama and Papa were not around so I went in for a closer look.  This is what I saw:

Three eggs. Will they hatch?

Three eggs. Will they hatch?

My first thought on seeing the eggs was, “Robin.”  They are not.  These are too large for robin eggs.  The nest construction is familiar.  It looks like a mourning dove’s nest.  What about the blue eggs?  Dove’s eggs are usually off-white to light tan, aren’t they?  A quick search revealed that doves occasionally lay blue eggs.  I don’t know why.

Sylvia Update

This morning, four weeks after the accident, Sylvia had X-rays taken of her broken wrist.  The technician was concerned that she could see no sign of the fracture.  The technician sent the image to a senior colleague in the city.  He too could see no sign of the fracture.  He also said that it was a good image and no need to try again.

That’s good news, isn’t it?  Two more weeks and then the splint comes off.  Sylvia can hardly wait.

Out on the Lawn

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“Roses are red,
Violet are purple . . .”

How does the rest of that verse go? Maybe, “Everyone knows I love maple syruple.” Can anyone lend a line?

I’ve been watching for them. Sunday I found them.

There were lots of these little beauties

There were lots of these little beauties dancing upon the greensward

My searching eyes were rewarded with the sight of these violets. Does anyone out there remember the old-time radio program “Mr Keene, Tracer of Lost Persons?” His theme song was, “Someday I’ll Find You.” Next on my “To Find” list are the grape hyacinths that grow on the lawn.

Sylvia Update

Sylvia continues to do well. The broken wrist is doing fine as it heals. She only suffers from the restrictions that are imposed on her activities. I’m having to learn to get out of her way and let her do what she wants to do.

Together, we’ve worked out how to do some tasks that neither one of us can do alone. We usually ending up smiling and laughing . . . a lot.

With her dad this week, she has planned well and had meals for a week all set to go when she left here. That woman is amazing. :awe: