Wednesday, January 12, 2022

Settling In

 

We had an unusual visitor yesterday. This Sharp Shinned Hawk decided to check out the possibilities in our front yard. By the time I noticed him, or her, they had scattered all of the chickadees and sparrows and finches and juncos that frequent the feeders and that maple tree in front of our family room window. They have to eat too, but hopefully not one of my sweet little birdies.

Watching birds is one of the things we do as we settle in for these virus impacted winter months. 

Tom is spending a lot of time on genealogy research. He might have found a connection to the Reeder line back to Long Island in 1640, but he now has to hook up the past to the present with a yet obscure middle.

I spent a lot of time yesterday on self care, with a long PT session, more stretching and icing on my hip, trying to see if that works, putting up with a new pinched nerve in the back of my "good" knee, and I dusted off the stationary bike in the garage and did seven miles. 

Today the pinched nerve seems to have settled down. I'm trying to settle down to the limits of home confinement. I'm told sunshine is on the way in a day or so, and I can go outside.

Yesterday Jake, with the help of my cousin Dan, moved into his new apartment in Friday Harbor. They were on the Anacortes Ferry to San Juan Island by 8:55 with his car and the U-Haul truck. He reports that everything went smoothly and by early evening he was getting his kitchen set up so he could cook his dinner. I am promised some photos today, after he is settled in. 

Jill is recovering at home and Irene was doing a Zoom math class when I was last updated.  

My sister Laurie gave me this glass dish of Paper Whites when we were together before Christmas. Tom had them in the greenhouse on a heat mat.  Oddly, one bulb flourished and is blooming while the other three are languishing. Is that some kind of a metaphor of our times? 

The fragrance is delicious. 
We'll put the other bulbs back in the greenhouse when the early bloomer fades.


Sometimes late bloomers just need more time.

Hang in there. Bloom where you are planted. 


15 comments:

  1. Bloom where you are planted. On our first date my husband and I came to his house to get his spare motorcycle helmet. That saying was in a little frame on his mantel. 🤗 Now that same frame and saying is on a wall with pictures of our family.

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  2. Bird watching here, too. Good entertainment through the window in a comfortable chair and WARM. I never have much success with the paper whites these days either. But, oh, the amaryllis. Got a new one for Christmas present. Can't wait. 'Posed to be orange. How are yours?

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  3. We call those paper whites suisen or narcissus. Wonderful fragrance and representing the new year. I'll go look for some in our nurseries, thanks for the reminder! I haven't had any for years.

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  4. Gosh... This brings back memories of the Paperwhites we used to watch every day growing in the winter when we lived in Illinois. Living in Hawaii, we never put potted plants in the house. I think it could be because we don't want to encourage insects to come in the house. Besides, we always have plants outside.

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  5. how fun to have bulbs bloom...sounds like everyone in your family is busy doing something...keep on doing is all we can do!

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  6. So glad Jill is still on the upside. Hope they will both be set free soon.
    That was a great shot of the hawk. I'm like you. I know they have to eat, just don't want to see it.
    The late bloomers look like they are making an effort.

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  7. Interesting to wonder why one does so much better than the other. It's beautiful and I'll take your word on the fragrance part. I woke this morning with my SI joint hurting so bad I can barely move. It happens to me once in awhile and while I know it will get better, I won't be doing much until then. I might end up going to a chiropractor, who helps if it doesn't heal on its own. But I can relate to what you're saying about being limited in movement. Wish I had a stationary bike to dust off! Nothing would make me go to the gym right now, even though they have them. :-)

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  8. Good news that your pinched nerve has settled down.
    I wonder why only one Paperwhite bulb did well. So far mine are all growing but are only a few inches high.

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  9. Sharp shinned hawks are sneaky. He's probably been there many times.

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  10. Nice to have a bloom in winter.

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  11. The paper whites are so very pretty!
    I hope the hawk moves along. I have a Merlin that visits in the summer too and I'm never happy to see him - last year there were six of them in the neighbourhood. The number of small song birds goes down significantly when they are around.
    Good luck to Tom in his genealogy research. It is fun, but can be quite frustrating too.
    Take care!

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  12. I agree with Red! I have seen them swoop in at our feeders and snatch a song bird...buggers. Pretty blooms in winter!

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  13. That is a beautiful picture of the hawk. I worry too about all the birds we feed, and watch out the kitchen window. Occasionally, a hawk will swoop through and once I saw one catch a beautiful Cardinal. Broke my heart. I'm so sorry about your newest pain. Honestly, I don't know what is happening to me. Now it is both my hips. When I sit, the bones in my hips hurt and so do the backs of my legs and the shoulder pain is still with me. Surely this can't be all age related? Hope Jill and Irene are well soon.

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  14. I have noticed leg joints much stiffer and more painful if I sit too long or right after I get out of bed in the mornings. I am wondering if it is this medicine that I have to take? I love the modern drift of the bulbs and that makes me sure that spring is not far behind. My amaryllis are up!

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  15. Glad that Jake is firmly ensconced in his new home. Those flowers are beautiful.

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