Still here, but hobbling around!

Well, we are still here.   Grandkids are back IN school, but I don't know how long that will last.   There are already cases of COVID exposure at their school.  (They are both now at the same school.)...we'll see...sigh...

I pulled a ligament in my left knee a month ago getting up out of my recliner.   I heard a loud "POP" and half my kneecap went one way, the other half went the other direction.   I screamed!   I nearly collapsed on the floor.   I woke hubby up from his nap!   I've been hobbling around ever since, but now I also go to physical therapy twice a week.   After each  session, I am physically EXHAUSTED!   Obviously I'm not doing much right now.   It took me 3 weeks to make 2 journals! I just couldn't focus or concentrate!   I'm getting better about taking time in the mornings and afternoons to work on some fall journals now.

So, life goes on.   I had to let my garden go because I just couldn't get out back to water it and, with it being August, it was time to rest it anyway.   I'm already planning my fall one IF (and that's a big "if") I can get out and get it ready.   If not, well, then I won't have one.

Coopers' hawks are returning almost daily to the bird bath and we still have doves, finches, and sparrows, and the occasional woodpecker.  I've heard a male grosbeak now for about a week, but haven't spotted him yet.  This August has been NO WHERE near as hot as last year's and next week, we will have double digit temps!   And, nights down in the 70's...YAY!   I'm going out for a very short walk (with my cane) every morning in our cool air.

Take care and stay healthy!

Cheryl Ann

Storm clouds up in our local mountains after a monsoon storm last week...

Another view of our mountains and clouds

Still here and still healthy!

 We are still here and our family is still healthy.   We (4 adults) have been vaccinated, but not the 2 youngsters.   We just spent a wonderful weekend up in Big Bear, but I got altitude sickness and then hubby did, too, so we are glad to be home to our 200 foot elevation.  I didn't even take any photos!   Bodie got to socialize with our daughter's new Shiz Tsu puppy and the 2 dogs got along.   The grandkids wore us out, however, with their constant bickering.   We DID get to go to some yard sales and I bought an old dictionary and some linens to use in my journals.

It's been a long year many ways.   First, I had to babysit the granddaughter every 2 weeks.   Her other grandmother did the other 2 weeks each month, but she can no longer babysit since she has to take care of her brother.   So, that leaves me...I'm finding that babysitting an 8 year old can be EXHAUSTING!

My garden has taken off.   I have 6 tomato plants, 2 basil, and 2 peppers.   All are doing quite well.   I've picked some of the Roma tomatoes and they are DELICIOUS!

Hubby and I will be celebrating our 49th wedding anniversary tomorrow. He is cooking dinner and we are having a bottle of bubbly.

Stay well!

Cheryl Ann

Still here...slugging along

 Since we are both over 65, we have now completed our 2nd COVID vaccine shot and are back to normal...whatever that is.   We now just stay at home.   I run out to the grocery store about once a week, although yesterday I did visit 2 fabric shops and I went to Target with our daughter and granddaughter and then I also ran to the post office to mail out a journal.   PHEW!   That was a busy day!

I've gained 10 pounds and hubby has gained 20.   I'm noticing my legs don't work like they used to and I have to consciously THINK about where I put my feet.   I'm 69 now and slowing down...YES!   I hate to admit it, but it is true.  Sometimes when I go out in the back yard, my feet get tangled up and I nearly go down.   And, I tend to shuffle a lot.   Hmmm....guess more walking is in order!   Doctor won't be happy with all the weight gain, either.   Well, when all you do is STAY HOME....

Some photos from the yard.   My hollyhocks are starting to open up.   Sunflowers are done in 2 areas, but new ones are coming up in another one.   Oh, and I have California poppies AND African daisies where the Chinaberry tree used to be!

My sunflowers in February

 So far I have two patches of sunflowers out back and more are sprouting.   I went out with my Nikon D40x and took some photos.   It is still my backup camera, but sometimes I prefer it to the Canon.   Hopefully you'll see why.

2nd COVID vaccine shot nearly did me in!

 We all got our 2nd Moderna covid shot on Thursday.   I awoke at 3 a.m. Friday with severe chills that 4 blankets didn't help.   I staggered out into the living room (where it is warmer) and sat in my chair for the rest of the morning.  It was a LONG morning...headache, body aches and the chills.   Finally, 12 hours later, the chills were gone, but I still had the headache and body aches.   I ate nothing that day.   Hubby did bring me a cup of coffee, which was nice.  I basically slept on and off for 36 hours.   This morning, however, I'm back to normal.  I went out and fed the birds, cleaned and refilled the hummingbird feeders, and watered out front.   So far, NONE of my sunflowers, black eyed Susans, cosmos, and marigolds have sprouted.   NONE!   We haven't had any rain since...??? (I don't even remember).   I did set up a sunflower circle out back, but nothing has sprouted there either.   I'm going out today and turn on a portable sprinkler and hopefully they will sprout in the warm weather next week.   We'll see...

Stay safe and stay healthy!

Cheryl Ann

Garden started!

 Well, my spring vegetable garden is started.   I have 5 tomatoes, 4 peppers, 2 basil, and some lavender and alyssum (to attract bees) in it.   I made it in the old dog kennel cage so he can't get it and dig it all up!   Ha, ha!   We got a nice 2 days of rain a couple of weeks ago and all my sunflower seeds are now coming up.   I already have some nice sunflowers, but I need to go out and pull up all the grass around them.   Yes, the grass sprouted, too...sigh...

We just stay home, read books, watch TV, and I get out every morning now and work in my garden for about 45 minutes to an hour.   LOTS of weeds are coming up and if I don't keep them down, they will take over everything!

That's Bodie "helping" me out in the back yard!