September 17, 2008

September 14, 2008

  • Ike Showers & Blooming Flowers

    Dallas really dodged the bullet regarding Hurricane Ike. Conditions here were no worse than a regular Texas thunderstorm. However those East & South did not fair as well. Lots of loss and much of it is irreplaceable history on Galveston Island. Keep sending those good vibes and donate to the Red Cross if you would like to help!

    Here at RnBoW House, the flowers are very happy with the rain and cooler temperatures.

     

    Mexican Sunflower

    I grew these from seed that a fellow gardening buddy gave me

    & my labor of love has finally come to flower!

    Four O'Clocks

    These came up unexpectedly amongst the Oxalis corms. I guess a root got mixed in with them when I planted last Autumn. They were certainly a welcome surprise! Sometimes the gardener has the plan and nature tells us otherwise!

    Alyssum

    Despite what some will advise, this plant can withstand a great deal of heat and will bounce back very quickly once the temperatures drop. Some will also say it's a bit invasive because it reseeds and spreads to make a short carpet, much like Phlox.  I like the way it fills in all the gaps beneath & around taller plants!

    Yellow King Humbert Cannas

    These are just a must in any garden for me. This is just one of many varieties,  they are virtually maintenance free and give the garden such a lush, exotic look & feel.

    Images By RnBoW

    Death Cab For Cutie-I Will Possess Your Heart

September 12, 2008

  • Ike Is On His Way

    Good news is the reports say voluntary evacuations started early yesterday. Houston & the island of Galveston are said to be virtual ghost towns. Now we wait and see where the hurricane makes landfall and how much damage it actually inflicts! I'm in North Central Texas so there is little danger of more than high winds and flooding due to heavy rains. Please send good vibes to my coastal neighbors who won't get off so easily! 

    Ike Turner & Jackie Brenston-Rocket 88

September 11, 2008

September 9, 2008

September 8, 2008

  • Runneth Dry?

    It's a combo of real world stuff that brings me here and then wisks me away with nary a word posted. I have thoughts and concepts brewing but real interactions and conversations seem to be more important than the written ones these days.

    I'm still here & I will post when the urge strikes.

    I'm quite happy & well.

    I hope all of you are too!

September 4, 2008

  • Feeling The Changes

    The years go by and so much can change and yet there are constants that float upon the tide of time. A crispness in the air which arrives with September twilights. The sound of a local practicing high school marching band heralds the coming Autumn. Here in Texas, the second growing season begins as plants & grasses rise from the heat to grow anew. Lots of people claim to have Spring fever, but I get Autumn fever! It makes me anxious for cooler weather & building fires. I daydream of lazy days on the couch with a bottomless cup of coffee & movie marathons. It makes me yearn for hiking & camping in the wilderness. It is a time to be alive just before the death of nature. Although I wish to hurry it along I will be patient until she unveils her timeless secrets.

    Bill Evans Trio - Autumn Leaves

September 2, 2008

  • Controversy Will Get Ya Everywhere

    Yes, there is a monologue about retards.

    Yes, it got the movie lots of bad press.

    Bad press equals cha-ching at the box office.

    For the record, it was horribly funny about all the wrong things

    in all the right ways!

September 1, 2008

  • Good Morning Garden

    Morning Glories

    Datura

    Sometimes when the gardener is away the flowers will play!

    I came home to many surprises & these two are my favorites this morning!

    Cat Stevens-Morning Has Broken

August 31, 2008

  • What A Week

    6:30 Tuesday morning, I got one of those calls that nobody ever wants to receive. It was an out of state number not entered in the contact list on the phone. My heart and stomach were on the floor before I ever answered. “Your Dad was eating breakfast and collapsed. We aren’t sure if he had a stroke or just choked. We’ve done the Heimlich and we are waiting for the paramedics to arrive.” I think I asked and answered all the right questions. I made the necessary phone calls to family friends that can get to the hospital before I can. I packed a bag, took a deep breath & attempted to make the 3 & ½ hour drive to Oklahoma without falling apart. Rush hour traffic was awful & it took me well over an hour just to get North of Dallas. I called to check on him in the ER. He was on a respirator so he was unable to talk but alert & knew who & where he was. I spoke to the nurse & she said his condition was non-emergent, would be extubated and most likely sent home that day. I sighed a relief and called off the trip to Oklahoma. Finally got to work around 9:30, did my best to make my way through the morning & decided to check in on him at 11:30. He was still intubated & on the respirator. They were using words like “advance directives” & that changed the course of my day once again.

    I was back to the truck and on my way to Oklahoma. By the time I got there he had been extubated an was able to talk a little. They had inserted a g-tube in his nose on precaution that he may not be able to swallow properly. Three years ago Dad began to have some slurred speech & I told him he needed to get it checked out. There have been numerous doctors & visits in that time period & was finally diagnosed with a slow progressing case of ALS (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), also known as Lou Gehrig’s, a few months ago. Wednesday they performed a swallow study and the results were that he aspirated on all three liquid thickness levels (liquid, nectar & puree). In order for him to receive nutrition in a safe way, a PEG tube would have to be surgically placed in his stomach. The surgery for that was done Thursday afternoon & I was able to bring him home Friday afternoon.

    I initiated home health service visits for him for the next 60 days to make sure everything is ok with him medically. That is my only worry, he is still the Dad I have always known. He is very active, walks two miles a day, goes to garage sales and collects antiques, has lots of close friends that he goes and does things with. The only impairment he has is not being able to swallow or speak very well. There will be some speech therapy in the days to come to help with that & maybe by the grace of God he can eat a few things again. I have prayed , chanted , talked cried and maybe even done a little voodoo to every deity I could think of that he went out for breakfast instead of eating at home. It means his work and time are not over yet & I am thankful for that!

    Gary Jules-Mad World
     
    This song was playing near the elevators on some tv infomercial for the
     hospital every morning I went to see him.
    I'm sure I will hear it years from now and still remember.