Good News, Bad News...Sunny, beautiful day! 32º

 I knew my doctor would be happy with the results of my thyroid test, but when I told her that my energy level was still in the "toilet," she ordered other tests...Last evening she called to report that the dreaded UTI has returned...I haven't had one for almost 2 years that we know of, but it is hard to tell because I don't have the usual UTI symptoms...So this morning I will pick up the high powered antibiotic at safeway pharmacy and also start taking probiotics to counter the damage that the antibiotic can do!..Fingers crossed that this will rid my system of the UTI, but also know that I could be back, continually fighting it, as before.

In the meantime it is a beautiful day, so I will continue to walk the track, getting my steps in and also plant the sweet pea seeds along the garden fence and look forward to the blooms and wonderful aroma that they produce in mid summer until late fall...Keep looking on the bright side, I have much to be thankful for...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Finished this puzzle 

last night, love

the bright

 colors.

Corrected Spelling....Sunny this morning, snow on the ground.

 Reviewing my blog from yesterday, I have changed "giggly" to "Jiggly" which makes a little more sense...When Herb was still reading my blog, he was my spell checker, now I go it alone and the auto spell check doesn't catch mistakes like this one...Anyway the very warm surgical glove really works to make veins more visible for the phlebotomist to poke!

Today I visit with the doctor about my blood test and my wacky thyroid...It is now at a level she will be happy with but now she will want to get me off of another drug that helps keep it in balance, because now this drug seems to be causing AFIB in the elderly! (I don't like that word)...That will mean more blood draws in the future...Luckily I don't get nervous and my blood pressure doesn't go up...Enough about this!

Sunny/cloudy today, hoping to get in another walk, I've been able to do 4000 to 6000 steps on most days for the past two months...Slow but sure I see a little improvement...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Winter Returns...30º

 Keeping positive thoughts that the sun will break through a few times today...Wallowa County always has a difficult time getting in Spring Mode...It is a good think that spring flowers are resilient!

Yesterday was a busy day for me, grocery shopping first, acupuncture, then blood draw to test my thyroid, then home to put groceries away and prep veggies before putting them in the fridge.

Blood draws are always a bit sketchy for me, depending on the latest phlebotomist, that maybe needs more practice, or the familiar smiling face as J.....a greets me...I breath a sigh of relief...I've started taking precautions before going to the lab, after years of repeat pokings, trying to find a vein that produces blood...My acupuncture friends assist me in this endeavor...I take a surgical glove (bought many years ago at a yard sale) and give it to Terry, who, after my acupuncture treatment, fills it with hot water and ties a knot...I manage to hold this "Jiggley" thing on my hand (where my best vein is) drive a mile, check in and by then my veins are warm and begging to be poked!..Hugs to All  OWAV:)

I went looking for a bitmoji of a blood draw and came up with a "Bloody Mary."  Maybe i'll try that next time instead of the "Jiggley glove."  I'll bet Nathan can make a "Wicked Bloody Mary."

Bridge collapse in Baltimore...30º, Cloudy

My friend Pat, who lives in Maryland, text me this morning about a collapsed bridge, when a ship hit the bridge...The Key Bridge went down like dominos...The following link is a video of the collapse and more info...I don't have TV, so don't normally see this kind of news, maybe many of you have already seen it...I hope the link works. I can't help but think of all the bridges in Portland OR. Gives me shivers... https://twitter.com/DrEricDing/status/1772518180717572110?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

Life is moving along here on Barton Heights, cooler temperatures with little moisture has slowed things a bit, but the aspen trees are starting to get their little "fuzzys", crocus are blooming and the garlic is about 4 inches tall...Rusty is working on building new garden beds for our summer veggies so they will be easier for me to harvest, not raised way up, but narrow enough that I can reach the middle from both sides..Hope that makes sense.

I love watching the flower beds gradually come to life, after being frozen and buried under snow for the winter months...It is always such a miracle...First the crocus, then starry twinkles and grape hyacinths... Soon the daffodils will be dancing in the morning sun...I love spring...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Garlic will be ready in July.

A scenic day...34º Winter returns.

 Possible snow, a reality this morning...It is only a smattering and will melt in no time and after all it is spring break and it can be crappy weather in March!

Rusty and I went on an adventure yesterday...It all started because I wanted to go to a memorial service in Wallowa and since it was rainy, Rusty decided/begged to come along...His first mistake was putting me in the navigation seat...He should have asked Bobi, Pam, or Sue if that was a good idea...I'm notorious in this family for my sense of direction, or lack thereof, reading a map, googling maps on my iPhone and relating to the driver which way we are going or should be going...If only Herb was still here, he would have told him that it wouldn't work, he had many experiences with me holding the map upside down and possibly it was a map of Idaho and we were in Arizona! OH MY

Carol is a new friend of mine from water therapy, she was a newbie, I was an old timer...But from the moment we heard each other say, "my husband has dementia," we were each others rock...At first "the guys" came with us, Herb was in the water, Greg sat alongside the pool reading a book, then things changed, they would rather stay home, where they felt safe and it worked for awhile...Carol and I would talk, trading stories of what it was like at home and then we would float around the pool, letting our minds go free, not a care in the world, until we dressed, drove back home to the real world...

Our days at the pool ended but we kept in touch, texting...Herb was needing more care at home, we no longer left him alone, Rusty moved home...Carol text me that she was moving them to the valley, more care centers, more family nearby...I text her when Herb passed away and she let me know that Gregs memorial would be in March.

I didn't know Greg but wanted to go, to connect with Carol...We arrived at the memorial at their beautiful home atop a hill, a home that they had built together...We were only an hour late, a huge crowd filled the house and patio, we got in line, filled our plates and sat down at a table...I picked Carols face out of the crowd and as soon as possible made my way to exchange hugs, share a few words and promise to keep in touch...All was good.

Rusty and I saw new country, laughed a lot, scratched our heads at the roads we were on, backtracked twice, never said a cross word to each other, but I think he knows not to put me in the seat to navigate ever again...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Bread ready for the oven

was perfect to take to 

the potluck.

A Long Break...Possible rain/snow, 42º

 Taking a break always sounds like a good idea, but then I find it difficult to start writing again...Sharing my memories of life long ago is fun for me and seems to be entertaining for my readers...As I talked to friends and they related their childhood, I've come to realize that I was indeed lucky/blessed to have the upbringing that I did. 

To have unconditional love, a safe haven at home, the best homegrown, homemade food, a clean house and healthy environment, living on a small farm...We all worked hard, never went on a vacation, but I had the freedom of walking, riding a bike or horse with abandon, 400 acres was my playground...My restraints were, up by 5:30am to milk the cows and be home ready to milk cows again at 5:30pm.

The summers were filled with farming the ground and harvesting the crops, that took all of the daylight hours...Summers also included relatives visiting, farm style dinners, a table laden with food to feed the haying crew, swimming/bathing in Boulder Creek to wash away the itchy hay chaff...After a super of bread and milk, we fell into a bed between line dried sheets, to refresh our bodies for another day.  

Winters were endless days of shoveling snow, feeding animals and keeping barns clean, (shoveling manure) hauling wood to keep our house warm...The smell of fresh baked bread, cinnamon rolls, greeted us after a long day...Sometimes pies topped off with our own whipped cream was a special occasion ...For many years we heated water, filled a round tub in the middle of the kitchen floor, for our weekly bath before we snuggled between those freeze dried sheets, and slept the night away breathing in that smell, that no one can reproduce!..Fun playing in the mountainous snow was a team of horses hooked to a bobsled, with us sitting on hay bales, wrapped in blankets, we skimmed over fences, breathing frozen air, with frosty eyebrows and red noses...It was and idyllic childhood, that I am forever thankful for.  Hugs To All...OWAV:) 

Random photos, Lake Fork, Idaho...In the shadow of Jughandle mountain.