Tired

 

One of Tom's Bonsai trees, newly leafed out. Spring green can raise one's spirits.

We slept in a little this morning, Tom read the news and I did my long day of PT. Then Tom went outside to garden and I went to our office to pay the bills. I have to take my time doing the accounting these days, since it's easy to make mistakes when you're not as sharp as you used to be. Then I paid the second half of the property taxes. I have to pay them while I have the funds. They are getting higher and higher, and our national economy, and our Social Security, are more and more uncertain. 

Today was Trump's 100th day in office, which might be one reason why I was feeling so tired today. What a mess his presidency is, and we still have most of four years to go. He gets more delusional every day.

Candy Tuft and Basket of Gold along the driveway.

After I finished the accounting, Tom came in and we put together our order for tulips for next year. We have a catalogue for RoozenGaarde and the tulip growers of the Skagit Valley. We have been ordering from them every year. This year we decided to order early so we would remember what we liked when we were there for the Tulip Festival, and ordering early gets us some free bulbs. Of course the bulbs are still in the field now. They will arrive in October. 

By lunch time, 1:00 for us, I was just so tired. I ate my lunch and read the paper leisurely. Tom was already back outside when I finally decided what  I needed was to go for a walk at the park. I walked 1.08 miles, resting now and then, and enjoying sunshine, greenness, pleasant people, and lively dogs. When I got home I was tried, but it was a much better kind of tired. 

Thursday is going to be much warmer. I am looking forward to finding small jobs to do in the garden. I'll have another day of good tired. 

Yes or No?

 Last week I had two appointments that gave me two different answers. My knee surgeon on Monday said, yes, it probably was tendonitis in my surgical knee. Use a topical pain treatment. It will go away eventually.

My Physical Therapist on Friday said it was most likely nerve pain from my spine, which is also quite likely. I got new exercises to do, hoping they will help, because treating my back is much easier than getting rid of tendonitis. 

Well, I was left with wondering what to do, so I am doing the exercises for my spine, and using the topical for tendonitis, and stopping the pregabilin for nerve pain because it may be affecting my balance, which is worse than ever. 

Medicine is not an exact science. 

What is certain is that Spring is progressing here on schedule, as tulips begin to fade and perennials and shrubs begin to bloom.

The first Perennial Bachelor Button, Centaura Montana

More blooms on the King George Rhodie

'Gold Heart' Bleeding Heart

The first Columbines are opening.

May Apple has "apples"

Saxagrage

Late Double tulips

While I was out after dinner taking these photos, Charlie came to beg a treat. 

Inside two Amaryllis that Tom raised in his green house are blooming, the red in its second  set of blooms.

Today was house cleaning and laundry day. I spent a good part of the morning undecorating and packing up all of the Easter/Spring decorations. It's nice to have the flowers. 

Gardening Season

 We have been blessed with sunny, dry weather, time to get outside and work in the garden. At the same time we can enjoy what's blooming and growing up close.

Between the two of us we have pruned and trimmed and edged and cleaned.

The lawn now crisply edged. I did the stand up scissoring and Tom did the crawling, weeding and picking up. 

Tom has worked hard and now salal and binder weed are under control. Sword fern fronds have been clipped. Apple trees have been pruned. And so much more. My contributions are small compared to his.

I had an appointment with my knee surgeon on Monday and x-rays show that all is well with the bones, but of course there are soft tissue complications. I have tendonitis in my knee, and my hip flexor is still causing issues. My balance is worse that ever. I toppled over in the yard yesterday and added a few bruises but no real damage. I see my physical therapist tomorrow for what to do next. 

Meanwhile the beauty of spring progresses. Welsh poppies are starting to pop, and our King George Rhodie is opening with it's huge and fragrant blossoms.

Life is good.

Easter 2025

 

Jill's Lilacs are blooming. I brought some home. Their fragrance is wonderful.

We had another very good family Easter gathering at Jill's home on Sunday. Again it was the seven of us: our two "kids", Jill and Jake, our two grand kids, Isaac and Irene, Tom and I, and Tom's twin, Jan. 

Except for my contribution of Marion Berry pie, Jill did all of the cooking, with assistance from Irene. Isaac did clean up.

The dinner was delicious: ham, twice baked potatoes, asparagus, cinamon rolls, and fruit salad.

After dinner we rested while Jake hid eggs outside.

 Tom and I had been for a walk in the morning, and we chased the rain away. It did not rain on our egg hunt.

Besides Easter we were celebrating two birthdays, Jake's 50th and Irene's 20th.

They each requested their favorite dessert, Marion Berry pie for Jake, fruit topped cheesecake for Irene. 

In order not to burn the house down, the candles represent decades. 

Thanks go to Jill for all of the cooking and organizing, and for taking all of the photos, which is why she isn't in any of them. I should have fixed that.

Easter for us is a time of celebrating family and spring renewal. In the morning some of us went to church, some of us went for a walk, one of us just got off work, and one of us drove the freeway to join us. We are grateful for yet another Easter together. 

Flowers For Easter

 We are home now from our wonderful three days on the island and at the Tulip Festival in the Skagit Valley. It's time to gear up for Easter, and I promised you more from the Tulip Festival. 

Here is my Easter gift to you. 

Mt Baker is peaking up between the tree trunks. 

Roozengaarde's windmill.

Crown Imperial Fritillarias and daffodils

Happy Easter!