Sunday, June 19, 2022

A Bump in the Road

I’ve been sitting here at least two lifetimes with a brain that keeps whiting out its own thoughts, giving me nothing to write about.  I have no stories to tell.  

I’ve decided to talk about this moment in time… my time… mine and Charlotte's time, as she is watching with attentiveness as these letters magically pop one after another onto the laptop screen.  She did step onto the laptop keyboard to take a swipe at the screen and close me out, oops... and was nudged gently back into her place, so now she's fending disinterest, leaping to the top of her cat tree for a bit of personal grooming.






I've had to chuck out all ideas of how I thought I would be using this laptop into the trash bin and start anew.  It sits on a metal stand on a small table askew to my armchair.  A foam insert from a small gun case sits on my lap with a Logitech MX Mini Keyboard on it.  I store the foam and keyboard under the metal stand when not in use.  I also use a cordless mouse.  I had to make my cursor green so I could find the darn thing.

Life's in scorching hell this month with high 90's and a few low 100's thrown in.  A shade cloth has been ordered so I may plant the purple coneflower I have in nursery pots still sitting on the back deck.  Thunderstorms came along with a cold front from the north leaving temperatures in the high 80's for two days, then back to hell on Monday.

I've been icing the ball of my right foot to calm down the pain of one bone moving out of place and crossing another.  I'll eventually  have inserts made to fit my shoes to alleviate the pain.  An epidural shot last week to calm down a flareup of a pinched hip nerve, and I'm not as good as new.  So be it.  Sitting isn't easy these days.  A second and maybe third shot down the road may be needed.  

I have to say, as I so uncomfortably sit here typing away, this mini keyboard is fantastic.  Not much to offer with my photographs, as my foot slows me down.  Microsoft updated their photo and paint programs, which is where I work on my photos, and it was a few days of frustration before I mastered the new links.

The standouts of my week are all the honeybees hanging around the front yard birdbath, taking sips of water.  Wasps visit also.  Three birdbaths front yard - three birdbaths back yard, requiring water changes three times in a day, most days... keeps us on our toes.  The Leucauge venusta, commonly known as Orchard Orb-weaver is the spider that dominates the garden.  It's pleasant to see them, as so many insects are missing these years.

Charlottes moved down to her little hassock to finish her grooming, then up to the laptop to take another peek, then higher to perch on the back of my chair, gifting me with headbutts while drooling onto my hair... oh, joy.  A shake of her head and a spray of drool fans out from above to smother me in saliva.  Now purring fills my ears with contentment.  Thank you Charlotte... I love you, too. 









Lullaby Baby Daylily in partial shade





Orchard Orb-Weaver Spider


Seven-Spot Ladybug, Coccinella sseptempunctata 







Honey Bees at birdbath drinking





Goldenrod Soldier Beetle, Chauliognathus pensylvanicus
This one is young and small, trying to balance on a little grass blade
without much success.








Young Eastern Cottontail Rabbit munching on 'Paten' Aster leaves.
Rabbits usually live short lives,
 as there's much in nature working against them.
A new viral disease is emerging now that is also killing them off.


They have a cuteness about themselves 
that brightens my day, when I spot one in the garden.





Years ago I planted Purple Coneflower 'Magnus'
and these petals that barely curve look like it.
Its friend might be a type of Crane Fly.








Much love and thanks for stopping by.
Take care.



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17 comments:

  1. Hello Yvonne,
    I am sorry you are in pain, I hope your recover and feel better soon. Cute photos of Charlotte. The rabbit is adorable, it is sad to hear the disease killing the cute rabbits. I love your pretty flowers, our Coneflowers are not doing well this year. Take care, have a great new week!

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  2. ...Ibuprofen has become my new best friend.

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  3. Charlotte is such an attractive cat! Sorry to hear you have foot and hip pain. I hope you get some relief soon.

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  4. So sorry about your physical issues. There is always something, isn't there?
    Lovely photos of flora and fauna.
    (ツ) from Cottage Country Ontario , ON, Canada!

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  5. Hi Yvonne!
    What you write about beautiful Charlotte reminds me of my little el-cat (now an angel) who used to sit on the monitor (those monitors as a suitcase) and try to catch on the screen the books that "flew" when I was playing Free Cell. In a day he stretched his paw on the keyboard and pressed a key that helped me find out something new about that game.
    I'm sorry you have problems and I hope that the treatments will help as much as possible.
    The bunny is adorable! It seems like too many infectious diseases in animals appeared like overnight.
    You already know: I like very your garden.
    Good health! ❤️

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  6. We have a muddled relationship with our cottontails. They are lovely creatures and we enjoy them immensely, but they can drive my wife crazy when they attack her plants. She has given up on coneflowers. As you say, they have a short life. A six month old rabbit is exceptional.

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  7. Charlotte is absolutely adorable. Your images are stunning! Getting older is life's little trickster I believe. Hope you feel better soon.

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  8. Hello dear friend, I'm happy looking through your pictures, especially sweet Charlotte kitty. Your flowers are just gorgeous, and even more impressive is that they are flourishing so well in this oppressive heat. Sorry to read you are dealing with health issues, I could have written this post myself, same problems, hip and foot pain.
    Sending healing thoughts and wishes your way.
    Hugs,
    ~Jo

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  9. I am so sorry to hear that you are in pain, Yvonne.

    I hope your recover and feel better soon.

    Loved the cute photos of Charlotte.

    ((hugs and blessings))

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  10. I love this beautifully written slice of life and hearing about Charlotte's computer exploits. She's a little gem and sounds like a sweetheart, drool and all. And the photos are beautiful. This would be such a perfect moment if I didn't know that you were writing and working in pain with your hip and foot. I know the hip pain all too well lately and have to be careful of sitting too long as well. And a bad foot makes so many otherwise pleasurable things quite miserable. I hope you get your custom orthotics soon. I'm seeing the orthotic pedorthist on Monday next and cannot wait to get mine adjusted! Hang in there, my friend.

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  11. Hello Yvonne,
    Charlotte is adorable, looking out of her little house. The bunny is cute too.
    I have not seen many ladybugs lately, they are good to have around your plants. Wonderful photos. I hope you feel better soon! Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, have a happy weekend. PS, thank you for leaving me a comment.

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  12. I hope you feel better and the pain eases. Your cat is adorable and I love seeing the little bugs in photos. They can be a nice surprise. The bunny is extra sweet too!

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  13. Oh Charlotte is so attentive and precious ~ sweet photos ~ Lovely floral, bunny and insect photos ~ despite the heat ~ not easy ~ and do hope you feel better soon ~ sending lots of distant reiki energy hugs to you ~ Xo


    Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,

    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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  14. Hi Yvonne, I guess you are not as well as I am.
    Beautiful insects all around you.

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  15. Tu gatito es lindo. Te mando un beso y te deseo que te mejores. Enamorada de las letras

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  16. Hope you get well soon! Beautiful images, I especially like the insects.

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  17. Hello Yvonne, I love the way you started this post, “I’ve been sitting here at least two lifetimes with a brain that keeps whiting out its own thoughts, giving me nothing to write about.” So true for me too. Things are whited out and I struggle to recall some of them. 😊 Your photos always leave me with a smile. I love the way you share nature! I’m sending you a wish through the ether that your foot pain will be alleviated. Thank you for sharing and for your kind comment on my blog. Take care! John

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