How about a garden photo where something is blooming? This day lily, by the way, is situated between the two plants chomped on by the deer. I’m trying a homemade remedy that Vicki of Turkey Feathers has blogged about in the past. She uses it on her garden in Oregon and it seems to keep the deer away…. we’ll see. I sprayed it all over my plants this afternoon. Cross your fingers.

My blogger dashboard has completely changed! I use Blogger in Draft, so I don’t know if this is an official change yet or if it’s in the trial stage. It takes some getting used to, but the post editor is much clearer and easy to read. Have any of you discovered this yet?

Thank you, thank you for all the wonderfully supportive comments on yesterday’s post. I received some great advice and even a talking to or two that were sweetly and lovingly stern. My pal Brenda even called me right after she left her comment and proceeded to tell me to SLOW DOWN. Then she had me put Don on the phone and told him to keep me indoors!!

You are all right, I need to slow down and let my body recover from the illness, the hospitalization, the anesthesia, everything. Though it is not easy for me, I will take it easy. Don mowed a big chunk of the property today and just seeing the nicely mown lawn makes a difference. And acceptance of where I am in the healing process brings a sort of serenity. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your love and support.

We’ve been changing the way we ‘hang out’ in our home lately. I’ve been in the living room more often as a way to keep Riley (who has been suffering from a painful right hip) from going up and down the stairs into the den. This has become my place to read and blog – at least for a while. At the same time, Don has requested that we not sit in front of the television every night, endlessly looking for something to watch. He’s right; we waste so much time that way. We decided to only watch television if there is something specific we want to see. Otherwise, we’ve been spending our evenings in the living room, reading and talking. What a concept! Actually stop watching endless, loud commercials and advertisements for some pharmaceutical or other? Not watch something just because there’s nothing else on??  Radical, but I’m in. I feel calmer because of it. And also because I am on day 11 of no coffee. I’ve decided to stop drinking it for the sake of my digestive system and also because I have slightly high blood pressure. I never thought I could do it – but I have! I decided to take advantage of my time being sick and in the hospital to wean myself from it. Don is also doing it. He’s on day 7. Coffee is really problematic for those who suffer from chronic lyme disease and he does. Obviously, it is much easier for him to stop drinking it if I am not brewing up a pot every morning. Though I’m not a tea lover, I need something hot and warm every morning, so I have been making a cup of herbal tea. So far… so good.

Okay, I know this is a long post. I just had to show you something Don found in the shed this summer.

I made this plate rack with my very own hands about 11 or 12 years ago. I was collecting brown transferware and I wanted a place to display it. Every plate rack I saw was too expensive so I decided to make one. It has cup hooks (which you can’t see) under the bottom shelf.

I’m thinking I should find a place for it somewhere, although space is at a premium here at MHC. I’m rather proud of it. Should I paint it? What do you think? Any ideas will be welcome!