The Mountain Thymes

 Cliff's friend, Jamie from station 25, graded our driveway this morning.  With all the rain we've had all spring and summer, the water pools and doesn't run down under the fence.  It always amazes me how he makes it look.  Jamie moves the scoop like it's an extension of his shoulder.  We got our flu shots Monday.  No reactions.  No difficulties.  I can't inject for another two weeks to allow this immunity to take, which will become four weeks in all.  So far no aches, no joint pain.  Doctor told me to carry Tylenol and Motrin with me until I can inject again and to behave myself.  Be cautious and gentle to the body.    Foggy every morning again. Temperatures vary from forties to fifties at night and days run in the seventies with sun, thank goodness.  We've been walking most afternoons when the fog is burned off and the temperature is comfortable.  Cliff is doing well.  Tired, as expected, but looks fo...

 There's not an abundance of energy or movement in the house today.  When Cliff went for his chemo Monday morning, I drove to Walgreens for my third Moderna vaccine.  By evening he was feeling the normal fatigue set in and I began experiencing the dreaded vaccine effects.  His joints and bones began their aching routine and I never slept from eleven on.  Along with every joint and muscle in my body yelling at me, I had quite a stiff neck and painful headache that radiated down into my shoulders.  I never have headaches so I have empathy for people who suffer from migraines now.  My dear friend, Barb, baked yesterday and brought us "meals-on-wheels" in the afternoon. She and I share lots of likes.  She's happiest with her hands in the garden soil and creating palate pleasers in the kitchen.  Her basket of goodies included a meatloaf, twice-baked potatoes with cheese and bacon toppings, deviled eggs, chocolate chip cookies, and cooked apple sli...

 Nature is intriguing.  If you pay close attention there are lots of life lessons in observing creature behaviors and nature.  I'm no David Attenborough but I do enjoy watching nature unfold it's marvels.  I have the laptop on my lap on the front porch because I don't spend much time inside this time of year and I've neglected to sit still long enough in the house to blog.  My intention was to settle out here and catch up on reading The Land of Mango Sunsets by Dorothea Benton Frank.  I enjoy many of her stories because they take place on coastal South Carolina where Cliff and I enjoy our get-away destinations.  While reading, my curiosity piqued with the sound of tiny snapping twigs. Two squirrels biting tiny branches off the trees were making the only noise in the trees behind me so I sat and watched. I believe they were gathering nesting leaves for the cold winter ahead.  The Farmers Almanac predicts a colder than normal winter for our region....

 There is an eerie stillness in the air this morning.  No bird songs.  Not even a flicker of movement in the trees.  Haven't seen a bird at a feeder or sitting on a branch.  No sign of our two chipmunks.  Each morning I scatter a small handful of seeds containing various kinds of nuts on the back porch.  Within minutes chippy pouches as many as she/he can until the cheeks are lumpy then scurries home to deposit them in storage.  This morning the seeds remain on the porch.  We're hoping a snake or other predator hasn't eaten our chipmunks.  The only sound and sight is the three hummingbirds that never cease feeding and fighting, even during a heavy rain.  It's said that animals sense approaching storms.  TS Ida is a huge storm now and we're under flash flood warnings again for Tuesday and Wednesday.  At 9:45 the temperature is 70 degrees with a 97% humidity.  Cliff has his chemo appointment this morning at 10:45. ...

 The final rain total from Fred was 5 inches.  And where did the hurricane experts come up with "Fred"? It's not Greek or Latin.  Fred Flintstone? The University of Central Florida sends out their Pegasus Magazine four times a year.  Since I graduated from UCF in 1987, the university has grown by leaps and bounds.  One UCF grad led the charge to create Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine that opened up the possibilities for the future of medicine. UCF's Modern(a) Man, Darin Edwards class of '97, was the leader who rolled up his sleeves with his hard-working team to get the vaccine that changed the world. My thanks to scientists and medical personnel for their sleepless night and perseverance.  Cliff had his 4-week follow up appointment with our doctor this morning.  The doc spent over an hour listening to Cliff, answering questions and reassuring him that his body is following his personal pattern.  By the time we left Cliff felt more comfortable and reass...

 Tropical storm Fred is slowly changing our atmosphere as it makes landfall in the Florida panhandle.  Yesterday my joints, wrists, and hands told me there was a barometric change happening. Motrin is my friend.  Cliff had his chemo this morning.  Blood platelets were very good. He's trying to include more fresh steamed greens with his lean meats and other natural platelet building foods and plenty of water.  When he goes into the clinic for his treatment, I usually stay in the parking lot, put my feet up and read.  When he first started going, I'd wander around Home Depot or pick up a few items at Ingles but with the high increase of the Delta variant, it's safer to sit in the clinic lot.  If his appointment is an early one, I sit in a rocking chair way down the end of the porch at the Sawmill Restaurant with a coffee and my book.  The restaurant is only about two miles from the clinic.  This morning I looked like I was going away on vacatio...

 Just  a quick update......... Cliff did not have his chemo treatment today because the platelet count was too low and unsafe.  He had a choice to have it today and skip the next one and made the smart move by skipping this one.  We both feared today's chemo would have put him back at Piedmont Atlanta.  So we had bacon and eggs at the Sawmill instead of chemo.  Much more fun, too!!