THIS IS LATE SPRING????

 What??  Late spring?   Looking at the rain coming down and the wind blowing, forgive me if I doubt the calendar............But according to these recent photos of my garden flowers, I just might have to question my senses a little.   Crazy south coast weather........rain and showers all week here is what we'll be looking forward to.  At least it allows the flowers that ARE blooming to last a little longer than they would if it were hot.  And I did get all (almost of my weed whacking done before Mother Nature's latest joke on us.  These above flowers are English daisy; the second is my first clematis of my favorite vine and the last is my friend, Nanci's rhoddy.   I don't know what kind of fertilizer Nanci uses but she has the biggest and healthiest looking rhoddys of anyone I know.   This one is particularly pretty, don't you think?

Well, some annoying news on Norm's latest ear surgery and healing.   He's had 2 surgeries over the past few months..........lots of cleaning, tending and bandaging...........Finally, last week he got the final good-bye and all-clear from the original surgeon.   Hip-hip!!   The skin graft doctor (doctor #2)  said Norm could treat the heal/ed ear the same as the other...........(NOT!!!)   Norm got out of the shower a few days ago and briskly dried his ears........and I'm pretty darn sure that along with the water drops went his new skin graft.   I know it sounds petty but I'm so ticked off!........it seems like a personal insult to all my hard work of helping it heal up.   I'm just really SO not happy with this.  The man doesn't know his own strength but wouldn't you think that a body would know to be careful of a body that was partly a new body???
So.......tomorrow we're back up at the crack of dawn to make it to yet another doctor's appointment where we sit for over an hour along with all the other patients.  Maybe the doctor will say that he won't need any further surgery and let it heal up slowly from the inside out.  And really, when I get un-ticked, I do feel so sorry for Norm haven't to extend the whole ordeal further..........for a man who has had excellent health and stamina almost all of his life, this must seem like some of life's unfairness.  Oh well, you do what ya' gotta do.

I have a wonderful book I'm reading right now that I think shows more of the future trend of medicine.  It's name is "Mind Over Medicine" by Lissa Rankin.   She's a doctor who realized that the type of medicine that she was practicing was not the kind she had envisioned.   So, she quit and moved to a farm to write and paint.  But her purpose of healing won out and she began exploring healing minds and how they seemed to make such a positive difference in healing the body.  I know most of us have heard a lot of this previously but the depth of her exploration and expansion of study and results are really pretty remarkable.  It's an easy read so you don't have to have a doctorate to understand it............(always good to know).   If this type of a read interest you, be sure to take a look on Amazon.  The description and reviews will do a better job explaining all that this book holds than I can do justice for in this limited space.    What is fascinating is how, as if to validate the road I'm exploring,  there have been a number of people I know who have recently had some pretty substantial healing or improvements to a particular health issue, that was related to mind healing.
If any of you have had anything in your experience like this, I'd love to hear about it........

OK.........done for today..........Have a great rest of the week, everyone.  And a happy weekend!!

A TRIP TO RIVERTON

 Today is Mother's Day and I'm wishing all you Mom's out there.....or surrogate Mom's, happy Blessings for the day......It's not an easy job, so celebrate yourself!  

We were looking for a particular tree for a good friend of ours whose own mother recently passed over.  We had given a liquid amber tree to her when her Dad died..........so she could remember him every fall when the leaves turn those beautiful colors............Now, one for her Mom.  Well, we aren't have an easy time finding one.  Norm thought there was a nursery over in Riverton that might have some.  That's what our reason for our trip was.......fruitless as it turned out to be in that regard..........But there were many photo ops and I had my handy little Nikon at the ready.   As always, the problem lies in convincing my chauffeur to stop.  I did get a few though.......
The top photo was a charming little cottage about a block off Hwy. 42 in Riverton, itself.   There were many flowers around and the garden looking lush and healthy.  I'm finding the blooms, both cultivated and wild, to be just glorious this year!   Everything is so full!

 This magnolia bloom I had some fun with in editing.......trying to keep the softness but intensifying the color since it's a single close-up bloom.
When we finally found a nursery (it was not the right one........that one went out of business), but they had a flock of chickens out behind the greenhouses..........Silly birds!  As I walked closer to their  yard they started running towards me.  I know they must have thought that I had feed to throw them.   I love this one shot of them, all lifting their skirts up to charge forward.   They are such characters with their funny mannerisms.   I threw them some grass blades that I picked and they moved fast forward, only to look in confusion as to the poor choice of treat I sent.  

The name of the nursery was Copper Goose Nursery.   They have about 4 or maybe 5 greenhouse......large greenhouses, full of beautiful color, and the most delicious aromas...........Ahhhh.  Makes you want to inhale only.   Mmmmm.........

So.......our trip didn't produce the tree we wanted but we do have the 3-B's nursery in Coos Bay on the hunt for us.  I can't remember the owners name but he is exceptional in helping you find what you want, if he doesn't already have it in stock.........and he has a very full nursery.  I'm sure we'll find our tree eventually, even if it isn't until the fall.  Personally, I like to plant things in the fall anyway.  At least perennials.  They have all winter to settle their roots and do well in the spring.

Hope you're all having a good weekend and getting well refreshed for the coming week.   And everyone think "SUN".   Ours is trying to disappear again...........The time is NOW, Mother Nature!

SIGHTS AT THE DOCK

 Good Spring Day, Folks...........Here in the south of Oregon we're having a beautiful spring and the photos on this page are just a few of some of our local sights.   Norm and I started out at the gorgeous view from Paradise Point.  Here is Norm over-seeing the spectacular sea........He has the stance of a sailor, doesn't he?     I just bet he spent 20+ years in the Navy........(I have inside info).   From there we went on to some other places around town........all involving water.

 Our last stop was down at the dock.  I don't think I've ever been down there when the weather is so perfect.  This above photo is of the dock workers separating the fish and weighing them so they can tell how much the fishermen will be paid.   Some fish are worth more than others.  

 This view from the dock looking down at a boat waiting to go out that just sighted the whale that was spouting around and feeding.  "Thar' she blows!"

And here is another boat and you can see the blow of the whale behind the boat about half way to the shore.  I don't think the whales were humpbacks........they didn't seem very big to me but seeing this is the first time I've actually seen a whale while I was down at the dock, I was still excited about it.  

Our garden is just full of spring blooms right now.  The rowan trees are full of white blossoms.....eventually turning into red berries come fall.  My prize bearded iris........one sky blue, the other black, are almost out.  First year my tower of jewels is blooming.........a tall big stalk filled with tiny purple flowers......Thank you, Emily!   I hope to have many baby 'jewels' next year.  Calla Lilly, clematis, roses, etc. etc.

And all the birds and assortment of critters are all here and accounted for......goldfinch, house finch, grosbeaks, chickadees, hummers, squirrels and chipmunks........rabbits eating Norm's chard, and raccoons washing their paws in a dish of water with shells and rocks in it.  Every year they dig out a few of the shells looking for what tid-bits there might be inside.  They're always hopeful but never find any treasures....

Went over to Roseburg shopping last week.  It was beautiful, warm and sunny.   One of the few times that it felt sort of dismal to me returning to the foggy coast.  We're getting  more fog this year, it seems to me.
We're wondering what a move to Roseburg might hold for us.   Then I think of the summer heat......I don't know about that......some pretty great shopping opts over there and a nice offering of homes plus an active art community.   Have to sell our place first though, and to do that we would definitely need a looker!   The couple from northern California were a no-show.  I'll keep my opinions to myself about that......

If any in the Port Orford area didn't make it to the Tri-Angle Square Art Gallery to see the newest work of Elaine's, be sure to take a little time to drop in and see her most impressive collection yet.   Her theme is "The Art of Praise"............It is inspiring and highly spiritual......especially if you know that Elaine's heart and love is very much in her work........

Al Alfonso has some of his woodworking on display also........It's beautiful, fluid and is another example of Al's appreciation of the world of nature around him.

Hope you all are enjoying your week and have good plans in the making for the weekend.