• landscape,  mountains,  sunsets

    Today’s Gratitude

    December 29, 2022

    I am grateful today that my family did a wellness check on me this past week. I was taken by ambulance and admitted to the hospital on Friday (12/23) due to a UTI infection that moved into my blood system. I knew I was ill and was assuming I had influenza or even covid. Negative on both those tests. I have a bruise on my forehead and right hip which indicates I may have fallen. My CBC numbers were, and still are, all over the place, none were in their normal range. I had high white blood cell count, low red blood cell count and my platelet count was at the bottom. An EKG showed the heart valve replacement I had 4 years ago is only functioning at about 60-65%. So for the next 6 nights I was poked and probed in an effort to monitor my blood and look for origins of all my issues to medically address them. I didn’t know I was that sick, I was that sick. We are addressing the infection as quickly as we can along with the heart valve issues. 

    So I spent Christmas in the hospital, which was not on my radar. I was discharged and home by about 6:30 pm Wednesday night (12/28). Took me a while to recognize the silence of my condo again, compared to the bustle of a hospital. I’m very anemic, have little energy and will be weak for a couple more weeks until my body heals and the numbers get back to normal. More tests are being scheduled then probably have the valve replaced via a TAVR procedure. I may not post much over the next few days/weeks as I regain my energy back. I don’t want to make this long but there are a couple people who watch my blog and I wanted to let you know why I have not posted here for a few days. Hope all is well with you and you had an enjoyable Christmas. ❤️

    The above image was taken back on 12/16/22 along Weld County Road 88.

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  • coffee life,  coffee shops,  quotes

    Way of life …

    January 11, 2022

    For me photography is to place head and heart and eye along the same line of sight. It’s a way of life.

    Henri Cartier-Bresson

    Cold mornings have kept me snuggled under covers rather than braving the cold at one of the natural areas to greet the sunrise. I’m gonna need to change that attitude and spend time with nature, otherwise you will probably see more images of coffee cups, which could get boring quickly. I must admit sitting in one of the soft cozy chairs with a mocha latte and a good book is good for the soul, and warmer. However, I also need to be touched with the spirit of nature, in the cold. Looks to be cold for the next few days so we’ll see how often I am able to lift off those heavy covers. After all, photography is a way of life for me.

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  • flowers,  Metro Parks,  Plants/Nature

    Music from Within

    May 12, 2009
    Iris

    I sure don’t sing very well. Practice would probably help but I doubt I could make a living at it. I would most likely loose a few friends if I sang too often. I also do not listen to much music since the radio in my car and my home stereo went “kaput.” I have an iphone but have not music on it. The music I enjoy at this place and time in life is sounds of nature: wind as it blows through trees, birds sining their morning song, water flowing in a stream, leaves crunching under foot, rain falling and even the quiet of snowfall.

    But there is another enjoyable music in my life. I find at times while riding in my car or on a walk, that a song will rise up inside me and my spirit will quietly sing. There are those songs from the past, stored in my memory, that rise up and every once in a while a newly created song will flow forth. So when my spirit wants to sing, I do. It’s music from within, not from my ipod.

     

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