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Who does not thank for little, will not thank for much.--Estonian Proverb


Sometimes it's hard to notice the "little things" in life to be grateful for... until something happens to them. For instance... taking the dryer for granted until the heating element suddenly quits working... and then you realize how very much you use your dryer... and how nice it is to have one that works. Just an example... but it happened to us earlier this year... and now every time I do a load of laundry... I am thankful for my washer and dryer and the fact that they work.

And so... here are FIVE "little things" I am grateful for today:
1. heat. I am grateful for a working heating system in my house... and in my car.
2. adequate plumbing. Toilets that flush... sinks that drain... faucets that shower me with fresh water.
3. electricity. Lights that allow me to work late at night... a refrigerator that keeps my food from spoiling.
4. fresh air.
5. fresh foods available at my local stores... many of it organic. I am so grateful for the farmers who provide me with great local produce.


And so... the top photo is from Los Poblanos... where tons of fresh produce is gently farmed and gathered for local people to buy. And the bottom two photos are from Trader Joe's... a local (fantastic) chain of shops where I can get lots of fresh, organic... healthy, whole foods.

*photos by Elaine A. Russell

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Migraine... (I actually went back thru my blogposts and discovered that it's day 10 of this horrible migraine). And it's going as well as you'd think it would be. However... I did help my mom get some financial stuff settled today... and we did take a drive... and I did get some photos... and I did visit briefly with a friend of mine from high school... and it was all good.

If I can finish the paperwork that needs done... and help my mom with a few things on the "To Do" list... then I feel like I will have done as much as I can for this trip. Not to say that I've done alot... as I feel like I have been pretty much useless (*but I have tried... I think it's just that I have been sick and I always feel pretty much useless when I am sick)... but right now I am overwhelmed... and ready to be going home...
(and in the words of my very wise daughter... it's time).



*photos by Elaine A. Russell

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You already make a difference.
One of the greatest misconceptions that people have is that they feel like they don't make an impact on the world.
Julia Butterfly Hill, a novelist, once wrote "The question is not 'Can you make a difference?' You already do. It's just a matter of what kind of difference you want to make, during your life on this planet."

"Your life can be a path of coincidence, happenstance, and luck, or it can be a purposefully charted course to touch the lives of others and make the differences that only you can make in the world."
Food for thinking on today...


*photos by Elaine A. Russell

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Pennsylvania is a gorgeous place. It really is. If nothing else.... my daily drives prove this to me. On the flip side... I have had bad allergies... and a migraine to top all migraines... and I feel as if my body is at war with me this week. It will pass... I know it will.... but in the meantime... I am cranky, sleep deprived and miserable.

Fortunately for you... I will quit whining... and just show some pics :)


*photos by Elaine A. Russell

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The thing about family..... there are good points and bad points..... and you always have lots of examples to choose from. Today I went to visit a cousin-once-removed... henceforth known as "TT".... and we got to talking about family. Ours is a family of "collectors"... (shall we say)... everything from books... to paper ephemera... to clothes... to fabric... to "things that might be useful to someone someday..." We run the gamut. And at some point... one has to shake their head and wonder where all this stuff came from. We all do it to some degree.
We come by it honestly, and well meaningly. I personally, think it goes back to our Irish heritage (on my father's side)... and the notion that we can fix up most anything... especially things that other people... *dare I say... normal people* ...throw out. And... we occasionally do... which is why we accumulate so much of the stuff.... because we have had some degree of success in the past. It is actually a compliment to my forefathers and mothers... that they were talented enough to make something out of virtually nothing.

And so... TT and I got to going thru stuff and organizing it a little... and we had fun talking about heritage... genetics.... family quirks.... and such. It was great.

*photos by Elaine A. Russell


About the photos for today's post: I took these photos about a week ago. They were taken on a farm just outside of town... and it is so very picturesque there... right out of a Rockwell painting. The sun was setting on the fields... and the cows... who may have thought I had food (sorry gals)... started heading up towards the fence line where I was...
and allowed me to take their photos.
I know. It has nothing to do with what I wrote... I just thought they were cute.

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Today was filled with the fine details of the memorial service... arranging songs and verses and such in order for a program to be printed, ordering and paying for the flowers, and gathering photos for a video that is being made by the funeral home as a service for the family. It is frustrating... because certain photos we had wanted to include... we just can't seem to find copies of.
In 2005, I had made a point of copying all sorts of family photos that belonged to my parents, and also of my sister's family... and arranged all the photos into boxes at my parent's house. Copies were made and distributed to various family members. It was a huge expense at the time... but well worth it.
Somehow in the interim however... things have gotten wonky and mixed up.
Such is life I suppose... but it is annoying when you are looking for something in particular.
One of the things I hope to do over the course of this coming year, is to (once and for all) get all my photos onto digital files. I have tons and tons... and sorely need to get them organized. Times like this remind me how important it is to me to have photos such as these readily available if they are needed/wanted.


In other news... we went on our daily drive today... and explored some of the county back roads. We saw lovely fields, cows, pigs, sheep, horses.....lots of farmland... we even stopped at a roadside stand and got fresh tomatoes and cucumbers which we ate for dinner.
The photos for today's post are from this drive...

*photos by Elaine A. Russell

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photos by Elaine A. Russell


First thing after I awoke ... I somehow got convinced into cutting my niece's hair... and all I kept hearing in my head was Bones from Star Trek... " I'm a doctor Jim, not a barber... " well...She likes it... and I guess that is all that matters.


I took my mom to the hospital to see my dad; but merely dropped her off for a visit with him alone... I decided to take the afternoon off. I'm not sure how that decision went over with *the masses*.... but I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I went on a drive through some of the Susquehannock State Forest... which happens to have an area not far from town. Even though it rained the entire time I was in the woods... and even though it was really coming down at times... and I was soaked.... it was absolutely fabulous.

Anyway... now I have some pics to play with for a day or so... if they turned out....

On the way out of town... just past the nursing care facility... is a farm that my mom says used to belong to the Leet family. Not sure if they still own it... but it certainly is picturesque... and there were several families of Canadian Geese there... so I stopped to take a couple pics....


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Today has been a trial of all sorts... the final straw being the loss of my internet connection here at the house. I am not sure what was wrong... but I drove all over town trying to get a connection in known spots where I've gotten one before... and it still didn't work. So I powered everything down when I got back to my parent's house... and for some reason it is working now. Go figure. It has been like that with everything I tried to do today... just one of "those" days I guess.

I have also been trying to wrangle up a small-ish TV with a dvd/ vcr player for my dad's hospital room. There are no sets available at the facility... and every lead I have had today has gone dry. Watching movies seems to be one of the few things he is enjoying these days... and I am trying to make it so he can continue to watch them as he feels able. Tonight... we watched "Father Goose" on my laptop... but this is not an ideal solution long term.

And in other news... I am down to the wire on getting paperwork in for the grant I am trying to get. I am at a complete loss as to what to write... and I am very limited in the photos I have available with me to submit (only the past year's worth of photos are on my laptop). It is extremely frustrating to say the least, and everything needs submitted by tomorrow night. Wish me luck.

The photo for today's post is of a farm on the way to the nursing care facility where my dad is. It is a quiet... very picturesque setting... and usually the cows are all over the field right in front of the barn. Today, however, they were lazing about in the sunshine a little ways away... so I had a scenic view of the barn and the creek sans cows.


On a completely separate subject... I filled up my dad's car with gas today. He has always preferred this little station just on the outskirts of town to get his gas... so I went there today. Would you believe it?! The attendants still come out to each and every car, and pump the gas for you... plus.. they offer to check your fluids and air and such if you need it. I thought that these kind of places were a thing of the past... but no... not here! I was in shock ... and just thought I would mention it....it was pretty darn cool.

* all photos by Elaine A. Russell

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Today is monday... and I have had very little sleep. I am beginning to get cranky and exhausted... and so I took some extra time this morning to rest.

I picked up my mom from the hospital after lunch, and decided to take her for a drive in the countryside. It was a beautiful day today... and it was wonderful to enjoy the sunshine... the very blue skies.... and the plant life bursting to life around us.

We went onto some of the backroads today... and it was teeming with the critters and such of springtime. Bunnies... hawks... cows... goats and sheep and horses... even a turkey vulture looked at us as if we were disturbing his springtime frolicing.



I have been taking lots of movies and music up to my dad... and we have been enjoying them all over again. He rests alot in between times... but every so often he will burst into laughter and grin like a kid at Christmas over something.
It is a joy to see.

I am trying to make sure my mom is well rested and eats...
sometimes this is easier said than done.

But for now... here are a couple shots from our drive today...



------->all photos by Elaine A. Russell

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----------------------------------------turkey at a farm in Gold, PA

Today was an incredibly busy day. Dad had an appointment with his primary physician at 9am. It was good to be able to have a lengthy visit, and get everything straightened out.
From there... we had lunch at Fezz's Diner. I have mentioned Fezz's before.. it is a fantastic 50's diner just outside of town. My dad hadn't been there in quite awhile.. and actually felt up to staying for lunch.. so that was awesome.

Around Noon, he had his first infusion of Zemetta; which is an IV medication that helps with bone formation and strengthening... used primarily with cancer patients.



In the afternoon, my daughter and I went back to Gold, PA to drop items off at the Recycling Plant. It is a very pleasant drive. We stopped at the Gold General Store... just as quaint and old fashioned as you would imagine it to be.
Just past the Gold General Store; it a small farm... and in the front area were a stunning pair of turkeys.
In Colesburg, we stopped at the Wending Creek Farms to get fresh spring water for my parents. We filled several jugs.. and admired the spring beds of daffodils that were in full bloom.



We got back to Coudersport just in time to take my dad up for his first radiation appointment... and he seemed to do very well.... but by suppertime he was not feeling well. Assuming it was just the effects of a very busy day; he went to rest. By midnight.... he was running a fever.....


----------------------------------------all photos by Elaine A. Russell

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So... do I need to tell you that it's raining again?


Spent the later afternoon/early evening at the hospital with my dad... who seems slightly better today. He didn't get much rest; as he was having trouble breathing. He is now on oxygen.... probably not a good sign. However, he was able to eat a little more today... including a pickled egg that I got for him from the cafeteria.
I am very pleased with the hospital cafeteria here at CCMH. I realize that hospital food (in general) has a bad rap... but they do a really good job here. I went down to get myself something to eat... and all the food was fresh, healthy... and tasted wonderful. And tell me... how many hospitals offer freshly made pickled beet eggs, home-made pies... and real meatloaf?



I also stopped at the Hershey Farms Market on Route6. They had gorgeous flats of spring flowers in.... and I was able to get a lovely flat of beautiful Johnny-Jump-Ups and a really pretty pale ivory and pink mum. I had already bought a big planter, and dirt... and now I am going to fix them all up into a nice piece to sit right near the front deck of my parent's house. This way... it will greet anyone who comes to the house.
I had gotten a new birdfeeder as well for my parents, and this morning I made sure all of the feeders were full and outside. Mom and dad love to watch the birds... so that will be nice for them I think.



The photos for today are from Hershey's new shipments of spring plants. They had primrose, tulips, pansies, mums, gerbera daisies, lilies.... and the most gorgeous hydrangeas I have ever seen.


Links:
Charles Cole Memorial Hospital: see here
Hershey Farms Market: see here


**all photos by Elaine A. Russell

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I took some time this afternoon to go and take some photos. Just outside of town on Route49... in Colesburg... is the WaterWheel Farm. I think it is still owned by the Regis Family, who live nearby. Either way... it is stunningly beautiful. Even with winter's coat still on.... and spring but a whisper away... it is still gorgeous.



And so... Kristin, Sabrina and I all walked around the farm, ponds and such. This red winged-blackbird kept calling to me... but stayed just far enough away that I really couldn't get a great shot of him.... but I tried.



There is a creek that feeds the several ponds on the farm... and it was bubbling with fresh cool water from the hills surrounding the farm ...



Sabrina found several gopher and rabbit holes to investigate... and was having a wonderful time frolicking about. We weren't there maybe an hour or so... but it was timed right so that we had the opportunity to see the sun beginning to set while we were there...



We then drove to get my mom from the hospital from her visit with my dad. My mom is quite sick with the bronchitis... her cough is just awful. She is on a good dose of steroids as well as antibiotics now... and the meds are giving her some fits as well (hot flashes, really flushed and sore cheeks, upset stomach, etc). I think she is just plain wore out.

Kristin also came down with the flu this am... although tonight she seems a bit better for having taken some medicine and gotten out in the sun...




And then there's my dad. He is not doing well. Seems like every day he is getting a little worse. He is on nebulizers now for a bad cough, and continues to be distended in the abdomen and very swollen in his legs. Additionally, he is becoming somewhat lethargic... and has no appetite at all. I just don't know what to do...



On the home front... my son and his girlfriend have gotten engaged... and are planning their wedding! They are anxious to begin their new life together... and want to get things moving along. So much has happened while I have been gone... I just can't believe it...

And tonight my hubby told me that he picked up this week's issue of the ALIBI ( the local ABQ newspaper we get)... and it looks like I have WON their annual photo contest in the category of "manipulated images"... holy cow!

It all seems like such a merry-go-round at the moment.... I can't process it all. But I am trusting that everything will work out just the way it is supposed to... and I just need to "keep calm and carry on"... as the saying goes.....


**all photos by Elaine A. Russell

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Everyone seems wiped out today. Not sure if it is the weather (still raining most of the time)... or just everything catching up with us.... but it is one of those days when you wish you could stay in bed. Even Sabrina is content to curl up on a couch and let the world disappear for a bit.
Fortunately, I made a big pot roast the other day in the crock pot... and I do have some photos for my blog... so I just need to get a photo for the day ( for my 365 photo every day - photo challenge).



A friend of mine asked me yesterday where I find all the interesting things to take pictures of. I am not sure that my "subjects" are exactly riveting... (especially today)... but I try to take photos of things that perhaps we see every day.... but don't really see. I try to make what most people see as "ordinary"... perhaps a bit more extra-ordinary....



The photos for today were taken over a 10 minute break from running errands yesterday. I stopped near the Hershey Farms on Route6; and took 4 or 5 photos of the cows, the geese... the creek... simple, ordinary things that the people here see every day. I added a retro color filter scheme... to make them all look a little golden; a little vintage... and that's it. I'm not really happy with the photos of the cows... but they were being shy, and every time I tried to get a little closer; they would take off. Plus... using a simple point and shoot sometimes has it's limitations... and in this case... not much of a telephoto zoom. Some days are like that....



And this last photo is our submission for this week's Echo Challenge. Brenda (my partner in crime) did the photo of the guitars and I did the photo of the stickers. The theme for this week was "collection."
You can see everyone's entries here
And here is a link to Brenda's Blog

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(House of Care, Danville PA)
--all photos by Elaine A. Russell--

(Geisinger Medical Center, Danville PA)


It was an interesting night at the House of Care. The place is very, very nice... but I was sharing a room with my mom... and it just felt strange. Coupled with some alarming news from home... I just couldn't sleep. We got up early, and got to the hospital just in time to see my dad getting loaded and transferred via ambulance to go back to PA.


(Treats at Mom's Dutch Kitchen)


We then went to Mom's Dutch Kitchen for breakfast. This is a local (in Danville) restaurant with an attached gift shop that features alot of Amish related gifts. The food was a typical small town diner type experience... I had steak and eggs, hash browns and coffee. It was awesome. We then went back to the House of Care to do some of mom's laundry, and to wait for my aunt and uncle to arrive. They got there around 2pm, and then they all left for Philadelphia to attend my Uncle Ed's funeral.

I stayed around Danville briefly and took some photos... Danville seems very Colonial in style. They have some beautiful stone houses and churches.... and the flowers were starting to bloom a bit.


(Hellebore plants around the Presbyterian Church in Danville, PA)


(Historic "Montgomery House" in Danville, built in 1792 ... it was the home of William Montogomery [the founder of Danville PA]... now the Historical Museum)



I then headed out with all the stuff to drive back to Coudersport. The drive back was very scenic. The weather was nice... and I was able to get a few photos along the way. Just outside of Wellsboro, I stopped at an alpaca farm. The alpacas were very adorable ... and very friendly.


(the cutest little alpaca in the world)


I stopped at various area "landmarks".... Nine Mile Inn ( fabulous pond, creek, and cabins), the marshlands at Wolf Run (Canadian Geese hangout), Galeton (scenic downtown), Wellsboro Diner (converted train car/ now diner), Denton Hill Ski Resort, the old red schoolhouse (now an antique place), etc.


(Nine Mile Inn near Galeton, PA)



Once I got back to Coudersport, I went up to Charles Cole Memorial Hospital and visited with my dad in his new room. He is not horribly happy, as he is having to stay on the extended care ward... but he will be OK.

It was very late when I got to sleep... but I had a warm cup of fresh brewed coffee with my daughter, and a snuggle with Sabrina... so all is well ♥

ABC Wednesday





*all photos by Elaine A. Russell


ABC Wednesday is a blog posting with a twist. The host (Mrs. Nesbitt) hails from Great Britain... and there are participants from all over the world. Each week, people focus their post on a letter of the alphabet. They started with the letter "A" --and each week you post something in regards to the next letter of the alphabet. It is a fun, imaginative exercise... and it is great to see what everyone comes up with. This week's letter is, "O".

Today there were just soooo many choices.... organic, ochre, orange, omnipotent.....olive, opalescent, owl, ozone, ort.....

In the end, my word choice was:
Oratory: Etymology: Middle English oratorie, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin oratorium, from Latin orare. Date: 14th century
: a place of prayer; especially : a private or institutional chapel

To go with this word, I decided on photos I took at the Los Poblanos Ranch this weekend. It is a totally organic farm, inn, shop, heritage house, and lands located here in ABQ.
To me.... this garden area is an oratory. It definately feels like a sacred place of prayer to me... enveloped in gorgeous cottonwood trees, falling golden leaves, peaceful winds, and the sound of songbirds.

To see more on this fabulous place: http://www.lospoblanos.com/

Los Poblanos Ranch


This weekend, I went to the Los Poblanos Ranch with a couple friends. I have never been there before.... wow... what a shame. This is the kind of place that you could spend years at, and never get tired of. ((http://www.lospoblanos.com/)) While there, we saw the poultry area, the lavendar fields, a gorgeous sitting area amidst the cottonwoods, the farm shop... there was even a plein air class going on.(http://painting.about.com/od/landscapes/a/plein_air_paint.htm). Words cannot adequately express how beautiful the place is... so I will leave you with some photos. I will show more photos over the course of the next few days.




*photos by Elaine A. Russell

Heritage farms



photos by Elaine A. Russell

These are all photos from the Heritage Farm at the Rio Grande Botanical Gardens. Wandering through there is not very much unlike alot of the farm scenes I grew up around. Now, we didn't have a whole lot of grapes growing in PA... but... the orchards.. yes.

It is a truly beautiful section of the parks, and I encourage you to visit if you can.

More info here: www.cabq.gove/biopark
*click on photos to see them bigger :)

to be known

photo by Elaine A. Russell

I was going to write about something completely different today.. and I have changed my mind. I got a phone call from a dear friend of mine. Probably one of the most influential people in my life... In fact, if I could choose to be like anyone in the world, it would be a combination of this lady and the older lady I spoke about in my blog several days past.
Nancy was my Sunday school teacher as a child, but she left the church (for many reasons) years ago. She was one of the few people in this world who actually understood me as a kid... helped me emotionally through some of the worst years of my life... and still loves me. I have always thought of her as sort of an older sister.. although she is technically old enough to be my mother.
She now lives on a farm near Ulysses PA ( not near anything ). At one time, her father owned the entire valley she lives in. She and her husband own about 70 acres now. They have a horse, a dog, some hens, a beautiful pond, a barn... and an extraordinarly gorgeous home. The home encompasses what was once the farmhouse, but they have expanded and tweaked it over the years. They have these stunning windows that look out over the entire valley.. and a wonderful wrap-around deck to sit on and enjoy the views. She took me on a drive in her truck all around the "back 40" so to speak. We walked thru the woods. We named all kinds of flowers and trees. We walked around the pond. We startled bullfrogs, ate raspberries, and watched the sun set. We talked about life, love, and learning.....We talked about families, and priorities. We talked about illness and death. We talked about the meat and bones of life that most people avoid talking about. We talked about religion, and philosphy.
We also watched as Sabrina found her new-found joy in life... rolling in bear shit. And, we gave her her 3rd bath of the week or so for having rolled in it. ..again.
We went back to the house and had eggs and toast, discussing books all the while. The day ended far too quickly.
As soon as I am able, I will post some photos of her spot of heaven. In the meantime, I am relishing in being known. Being understood. Being loved for who I am. She and her husband are truly some of the best people I know. And some day -- when I grow up, I want to be like them.