You guys are the best, and such a comfort for me. It is so nice to have people who understand the power of gardening and the effect it can have on the mind and body. You are such wonderful friends.
I am enjoying my day! no clocks today, just how I feel and what what my creature needs are food, water, you know.
Got up moving slow, ate breakfast. DH left for work and I got my book, water and headed to the hot tub. Sat in there till 11:00 reading and soaking. Feeling much better. Still walking slow, but better at getting around. I took a slow tour of the gardens and a few pictures.(will post later on another MA thread.)
I did bring up a few plants up from the basement, I have a very old picnic basket that is light weight but sturdy enough that if I have to use it as a "walker" going up the stairs it will give me the support I need. Don't worry if I feel the stairs are more then I can handle I don't go near them.
I am taking a lot of breaks, and only doing little things to enjoy my day. No rush, no fuss. Maybe another hot tub treatment after dinner tonight!
News (not so) good. Part 2
Checking in with you my friend...so glad to hear you're listening to "you" - continuing to pray God's healing...both body and mind...I can't even imagine how mentally exhausting this could be...but true to form you - with your amazing spririt...love you
Praying for a 'sunshiny' day for you. Continue to listen to 'you' and enjoy those hot tub treatments.
Lady, you make us all fearless. God Bless You.
I think things are starting to turn around now, much, much better today. I stopped taking the "pain" Pills which is what the Dr. wants, only take when the pain starts to set in 3 days after treatment and continue till I fell the pain part is over. So I ween myself off them. I do not like how they seem to effect my reflexes, sort of quick hand-eye motion, is slow.
I am starting to figure out how this treatment is effecting me and I am learning what to look for. Next treatment May 5th. then here we go again. Rough, road ahead bumpty, bump !!!!
Glad to hear your positive report, Chris. It sure is bumpy.~^ ~~^~~^~~~~ I know you'll make best use you can of this smooth part though. And all of us who think we have it "bumpy" are inspired by you! We all should do our best to enjoy the smooth __________________________ ^_^
Holly, I'm glad you sign your names. I'm never sure who I'm talking to till I peek at the end, LOL! Thanks, no rain means no weeds. I love my hand pump too. I even want one in the house. If we ever have to have city water, I think we will.
Chris, it's so nice to use your name when you feel good, and call you by your Dave name when you don't feel good. You have brought a dignity to cancer. You take your days as they are without trying to make something of them. You understand the need to let everything go and concentrate on what you need. You ARE an inspiration to anyone reading this thread. I'm so glad you can get almost well before the next treatment. I'm also glad you CAN wean off the pills and not be in great pain. (((((Great big hug for being a big girl!!)))))
Butterfly bed. It's new this year. The plants are tiny, but I think just the right amount. I chose purple petunias, white alysum and red dianthus. I had red snapdragons picked out, but the tag said up to 32'' and that would be too tall. I put them at the back steps.
I got to the grocery store for my usually weekly shopping, actually it has been 2 weeks LOL. The wind had a chill to it so that turned me off to being outside gardening. I did tour the yard, just to see what was growing and to get the legs pumping. The rest of the day was doing little things around the house.
I can see where it is taking longer for the side effects to subside.
Might get out a do some planting in my Heuchera bed. It is under the weeping cherry so the new plants from Bluestone will have protection from any frost that may hit.
I found out that my chemo has Periwinkle, Pacific Yew and Asian Happy Tree in it.
Somehow, I'm sure it's the Happy Tree that's making your TM number continue to go down!
Those little things around the house do pile up when we're not feeling well... puttering around and doing a little here & there without wearing yourself out sounds like the way to go. I'm glad you're in less pain and better able to get around, and I hope your energy will return for a few "I feel like myself again" days to enjoy!
Chris, I've never heard of any chemo ingredients. I would feel so much better knowing about that! Our weather was nice at 4:30 this morn. It's to be in the 50's with north winds gusting to 30 MPH. That's usually all the higher our gusts get, except in severe weather. Not going to be nice.
The rain was just under us, heading our way yesterday, so I used all the Preen I had on the big flower beds. Only a few dandelions have started seeding out, but the sneaky chickweed was! I'm hoping the rain soaked it, and the iris borer granules in. The borers got a good start already. I hope they aren't becoming immune. I would miss having iris in the spring.
DD brought the Grandkids yesterday afternoon and will pick them up this afternoon. They took a few of their young Boer meat goats to the Kalona Salebarn. It's the day for selling nice fair animals for the kids to raise and show. I hope they got good bids on them. The boys brought play-doh and the thing that squeezes it out ti make worns, ovals, stars and other shapes. I'm sure first thing this morn they will want to play with it.
I also brought the peppers and tomatoes back in the house. It's much too chilly in the garage and I only have one window for all to try and catch the sun. It's not enough.
The boys are stirring! Have a good day everyone!!
Chris, So happy your out and about, food shopping always makes me feel good!LOL Speaking of out and about, so are our columbines. Ric
Ric, what a beautiful columbine! My wild are out and the pleated will be next. I'm nursing one along that I started from seed last year. Firecracker. I'm anxious to see how different it might be in color.
We got a bit more rain this morn. I went out at 5:00 am to dump the guage before it hit. So far we've had 1-8/10''. Plenty for plants to explode with growth!! I'll be mowing tomorrow!
We watched "Little Big Man" last night. What a wonderful movie. We watched Cast Away the other night. Another good movie!
Chris, I hope your cold weather is over. We never did have one last frost or freeze. I'm so glad! It hasn't been cold this week, yet, like they said it would, and our wind didn't come till last night. It finally started raining late afternoon and we got a pounding rain after it got dark. It was music to my ears. We were needing it, (just so we didn't have to tote water,) but the farmers don't. They've been running tractors and spreading manure and ammonia.
My bleeding hearts out-did themselves this spring!
There is this great web site Cleveland Clinic and Scott Hamilton's names are on it. It has a list of the chemos, It has been very helpful, it go into side effects, breaking them down it to the degree pf seriousness. You can look up the side effects and see if there are any suggestions as what to do about them, if anything. My oncology nurse prints me out a list of the chemo I am on, when I am there so it is easy to look things up.
http://www.chemocare.com/
I did not get to my Heuchera garden yesterday, but I did get my tub of compost spread. I got a lot of little things done it the house, which made me feel good. We had a slow soaking rain last night, which I was so happy about as my vegetable garden needed it badly, onion and beet seeds needed the water.
I have 2 thumb size asparagus starting to emerge at the same time, just looking to be popped on the grill.
No columbines blooming here yet, no hummers either.
Did get a picture of the Heuchera bed, I plan to add compost and add the plants I got at BS, the hostas are the ones that stay small.
May have rain most of today, need to check the weather and plan my day. What gets done, gets done, if not, there is always another day.
Oh my gosh, for a minute there I thought that was the picture I thought about posting, LOL!! That's a beautiful bed!!
Chris, I always feel beter if I can read about my medicines myself. I even looked up my high blood pressure pill and it's just a waterpill. Scott Hamilton really has done a lot for cancer awareness. I've bookmarked the site so I can read on it later.
We are all getting rain. I just went out and walked the yard. I'm not taking the srtorm windows off my kithen now simce my new computer sits in front of them. I took the squeegie out and wiped down the dirt and wiped them dry. I'm not looking thru spots!
Asparagus on the grill. Food of the Gods! We've picked 3 times already, but with the rain it should literally shoot out of the ground. I checked the guage and we got another tenth of an inch since this morn!! One more tenth and we'll have 2'' total. A perfect amount for us. I'm so happy. I was watering the asparagus, but it's not the same as rain. Pray for rain :o)
Now I'll have to post the heuchera picture that is like yours :o)
Billy, that is my new columbine, Aguilegia Music. I have several different varieties, couldn't tell you what most of them are. The pink one Critter gave me last year is blooming beautifully. I'd post a pic but we have rain here.
Ladyg, That sounds like a really good resource. The Heuchera bed is looking very good. I have been working on that little bed behind the potting shed. I have quite a few heuchera in there along with some hosta, ferns and other shade loving plants. I still have a lot of work to do in there but it isn't a bad looking bed considering it started out as just a spot to put some extra plants for the winter. LOL Holly
Holly, some of those nursery beds turn out to be keepers! I love the arching flowering shrub> Shrubs are what took me forever to decide on. I don't have a lot of room so there is a lot to consider before I buy. I love your little area! What a neat ''reach in'' shed! Time to create a new nursery bed :o)
LOL, Billy. I sent post just after you posted. That is so funny.
I just love those Cast Iron Birdbaths, I have a round one, They add so much to a bed. They also fit into a low garden budget.
I am trying to add some lighter Heuchera I have a Lime Rickey, adding a Citronelle, and the Pineapple Upsidedown Cake Hosta should give the bed the punch I would like it to have.
I can also move the logs out a bit as the bed expands. LOL
Holly that potting shed garden is nice, just that picture alone says "A gardener live here."
Just another view of the H. bed. Watergarden is to the right.
Chris, I have a wonderful neighbor who gifts me for watering her flowers. She has a lot of containers and sometimes flats that aren't planted yet. I'm reliable and close. That was one of her generous gifts. She has exellent taste and I love her gifts, altho I would do it for an extra plant from her garden.
I love the new colored leaf heucheras. They draw your eye right off. This one finally got big enough to be two. I've had others, but babied or not, they fade away. I love expandable beds. Your's could get pretty big :o) I also love the small ornaments that can be tucked in.
I went out to dump the garbage and it's spitting a fine rain. I didn't know it was. A very good Sunday for rest.
I was at Lowes a few days ago--and they had some VERY interesting leaf-colors in Heucheras....like, golds, oranges,
dark Cinnamon, etc....All kind of fall colors.....
I got the compost on the H bed this evening. 5 not quite full 5 gal. buckets. Now ready to plant, maybe Wednesday, if the weather is good and I have to find my trowel. Maybe in the basement in some pot.
Gita, recognize this? It's one of your babies. The first bloom of the season.
lady---
You have a Datura blooming inside the house???? WOW!
Or--is it a Brugmansia??? I can't tell.....a bit over-exposed....
My Daturas have been planted in the beds--and all my Brug Babies are re-potted and the bigger ones have been planted in the beds for the season....
I always appreciate updates on all my "Babies"....I am a real "Momma"....
Thanks for the update---Gita
Gitagal, they sound so pretty!
Chris, smiling over the lost trowel. I'd have two! Indoor and outdoor :o) I have 4, five gallon buckets of manure stacked in the little open shed. I am not sure where to use it yet. Well, yes I do. Around the astilbe and delphiniums for starters. I wish I had been smart enough to put it on before this wonderful pounding rain we got. I am so forgetful! I need to pick rhubarb today. I'll cut it for the freezer this week. We get a new driveway Thursday and it's busy busy now!
Yesterday we cut down the peach tree we planted 7 years ago. Actually it's where we put a few store bought peach pits and a tree grew. Being a chance seedling, we only got one good canning crop from it in all this time. The driveway boys would have had to work around it, so down it came. I don't miss it. It was crowding the apple and wasn't a pretty tree. It really opened up the sky for no more room that it took.
Peach tree and DH
Chris, that's a pretty good size job for you to tackle. Well done!
You can never have enough trowels rolling around the yard~~~ I have two or three~~~at least
billy--I did the same--I mean have found sprouted peach pits and this year got one to blooming size for the first time. I am going to try real hard to keep up with pruning, but gawsh you have to cut off almost half the tree LOL I am really excited to see lots of baby peaches already. Now I have to thin those. I think it's only four years aold though so thats pretty quick action for a seed grown fruit tree.
Really wet here today.
Gita, That is the Rose Souvelons Burg. that you gave me at Holly's Swap. I took that picture at night when it fully opened. The flash washed out the peach blush on the edges.
I do have a few trowels, but this one is my oldest and favorite, I think DH used a harrower one to apply some cement, just never rescued it and cleaned it up. Then a friend got me one that was a set with the plastic handles and the handles split. My old one has a good wooden handle, I think I'll paint it red so I can find it better.
Sally, "slow and steady get you to the finish line" that my motto these days.
I thought peaches needed 2 trees to produce fruit but maybe I'm wrong.
I have two great sturdy trowels from Frank's Nursery and Craft- remmember that chain? Nice vinyl handles but green, so you really lose them! And yup, or nope, peaches are OK with one tree. I've been reading up!
Sally, me too on the trowels! Good luck with your peaches. These grew really fast in just a few years, but only had blossoms every few years and none this year. It's not pulling it's weight, plus it's shading a good apple tree.
Chris, laughing over the cement trowel! I do have another peach in the back yard and it has a couple blossoms this year, but they didn't seem to help each other.
I mowed yesterday and the yard looks so green and carpety! I had two people stop by, so I never got much weeding done. Today is another day. Today I label!
Chris, spreading 5 buckets of anything is work. You must be getting some stamina back! I'm glad! I think exercise helps build the immune system too. Sitting in the warm sunshine doesn't hurt either. A big ((((hug)))) to get your day starrted. I hope the birds are singing and a warm breeze floats thru your yard!
The sun is out today, but I think it will remain chilly. I don't have to go into work early today, since we are having my Birthday Dinner after work. Everyone brings something except the BD girl and we all hang around and enjoy each others company.
I need to get to the basement and check on my seedlings. If it is nice tomarrow, (I'm Off work) I can get that H bed planted. The only thing I have to do tomarrow is get the girls to the groomer and pick them up.
Happy Gardening everyone.
Are you serious! It's your birthday? I don't think I checked the b'days on Dave's, and, I have my own list too that I haven't checked.
A very very HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you!! I'm so glad you aren't ''down'' for it. Have an extra special day!
Coral Bells and a bunny
lady--
You do not have to take a photo at night of the Rose Souvelons.....The blooms last on the plant at least 3 days!
Maybe you were confusing the Brug with the Night Blooming Epis?
Gita
Gita, I was just worried that the bloom might drop. I still have the heat on in the house, and when I brought it upstairs from the basement it dropped 2 buds. i know they need a lot of food and water. But I am holding back a bit till I can get it outside for the summer. Don't want the pot to heavy right now. The stand it is on is not that trust worthy for weight.
Here is a picture I just took.
Amaryllis Charisma also opened up the same night. Second flower stalk.
Hey, Billy that's ok. It was really the 26th but who knows how long the partying will last, I think my 50 lasted about a month at the office, I work with a bunch of fruitcakes. LOL
OH! How pretty lady!!!! She is a good bloomer!
My Brugs are all out--potted up and 2 of them in beds for the Summer. Giving one away to my manager today--It is the last plant i "owe" him.
But b/c of the awful weather forecast for tonight, I have spent all morning covering up, stashing plants under tables, putting the bigger ones in my shed and bringing a couple trays back into the house (my Coleus), and my 2 Brug cuttings that I repotted.
I put lg. pots over my 5 tomatoes that have been planted and also some pots over my 4 Daturas that I planted.....they looked a bit wind-whipped after that severe T-storm we had a couple of nights ago. Even had hale--and I see the holes in the leaves!
Tomorrow--I will spend all morning taking all the pots and covers off and bringing things back out.
Can't really "get into it"----not today, and not tomorrow, as I have to be at work by 3PM both days.
Then i am off 3 days until Sunday. Weekend is supposed to be in high 70's and loe 80's. Lets hope that this will be "IT" for the cold nights!
Gita
Chris, I can't believe I missed it on the homepage. I do have you down in my personal list too. Holding hands out for the ruler smack. Ouch!
I'd rather work with a bunch of chocolate cakes, LOL! It sounds like someone gave you a fabulous birthday!!
I picked a breadsack full of rhubarb today. I think I should have been out there the day it rained. I'll have to try and put a couple of pies together tonight.
What beautiful blooms!
Gitagal, you must be expecting some bad storms.
Beautiful Chris...simply beautiful!!! Someone above mentioned Columbines...how's this for funny? One of ya'll gave me some at a swap...2...maybe 3 years ago...they didn't last long. I looked up the info on them and realized that maybe even my back yard got too much sun for their liking...then what to my wandering eyes should appear last week?
Gita, I am so happy with the burg, she put out a lot of blooms near the end of the summer, I hated to put her in the basement, but she needed the rest.
We are dropping into the low 30's tonight but I have put nothing out. All are in the basement. I have some petunias blooming down there now. I started my tomatoes late so they are still small. I have another 4 weeks to go before I can be totally safe from a frost. But right now the trees are pretty much leafed out, which provides a bit of protection as opposed to some totally open areas. My friend lives out in the country and there are no trees in her yard, she always get frost, where sometimes I escape it.
Billy I think I have enough rhubarb for a pie too, my DH loves straight rhubarb pie. If he knows it is ready to pitch he will sometimes make him self one.
I came home from the party , tummy full. We have good cooks in the office. And the gang all chipped in and bought me a laptop. So I can sit outside or in my recliner and be on the internet. I was so thrilled, I had talked about getting one and was looking for the guy that we call in to troubleshoot our computer at work to see if he had one that someone ordered and did not want, so the boss started asking questions.
When the boss put the box in front of me, he said they all pitched in and got me a good set on gardening tools. Then everyone yelled at him for ruining the surprise. And yes of course I cried.
well catch you all tomarrow, good night.
What an AWESOME surprise!!! Oh, to be able to 'talk' to DG friends while out in the garden is a dream.
Chantell, what a gorgeous color! And a wonderful suprise!
Chris, I think we had a bit of frost last night. The neighbor's roof is white. Oh my gosh!! A laptop! They are a wonderful, wonderful, group of people! I had considered a laptop for the same reasons, but ended up with a desktop. You are really going to be in 7th Heaven!
We should have a nice day ahead. I really need to weed while the ground is wet. The grasses are pulling pretty good. The other day it was like they were set in cement. Yesterday, I did do labeling before the blooms closed and I would have to wait another year to remember what I had. I wish I had labeled more last fall. Oh, you think you'll remember....
Have a great day everybody!! I've got to keep moving!
lady--
My house was 58* when I got out of bed! I don't think my furnace is working....
I checked the month ahead weather forecast--and most May nights will be in the 40's--some in the 50's.
Not having a warm start to this gardening season....
Here--tonight is forecast to be 41*. I know I need to take all the covers off everything outside--but then I might have to put them back on.
SOOO time consuming!
You had more sense to start things a bit later-----us impatient souls are now paying the price...
Brrrrrr.......Gita
Chantelle--
I have the same Columbine---and I know I got it at a Swap....I believe Sally knows the name of this one....
Yooohooo, Sal!!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY LadyG!
I'm glad you had such a wonderful celebration... too cool about the new laptop! You'll love it. I'm using mine now in the family room, sitting on the floor with the 'puter on the coffee table... Little Bit is playing next to me. :-)
I do find that I have to be in the shade outside, or I can't see the screen, even when it's on its brightest setting. But it's handy not to be tied to the desk with it! DH is a computer guy, so he's got us all set up with a wireless network. He even has a computer hooked up to the TV (we use it to record programs, love Windows Media Center for that, and we can also check email or watch the video monitor in the nursery)... oh yeah, we are a couple of geeks! LOL
Pretty Columbine, Chantell! It does look familiar, just can't think of the name... may have to trot out back and look for a tag! Mine have started blooming, and I'm so relieved, because the ones growing between the irises just about disappeared last summer & I thought maybe I'd lost them. I may have lost a few, but I have some pots of wintersown ones from last year to plant out there... I'll have to throw some seeds out there next year, since they also seem pretty good about volunteering.
Oh! Could that columbine be 'Winky Purple' or is it really tall?