pond

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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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-----------------------------------horses grazing in the fields of Gold, PA


So... today; we had alot of company at the house... which is good, but can also be very tiring.

I loaded the car full of recycle-able goods... and headed over to Gold where there is a recycle plant. Unfortunately, by the time I got there.. it was closed. Apparently, it closes daily at 3pm; instead of the 5pm that I was told. Ah well. No bother. It was a very nice ride; and I can do it again tomorrow.

For dinner, my daughter and I stopped at the Sweden Valley Inn again. She has never been there; so we sat and ordered some food. She got the "double baked" potato soup... which was absolutely fabulous... loaded with yummy melted cheese on top. Then she had a salad with shrimp on it. I had a cheeseburger with bacon and blue cheese, and an order or mozzarella sticks and some fries. As a special treat... I had another one of those butterscotch schnapps hot cocoa drinks I mentioned a couple of days ago. It was still just as good as it was the other night.
As a bonus.... we sat more in the dining area this time ... and there are lots of vintage photos on the walls of places around town... but circa 1900 through the 1950's. I was able to take photos of a couple of them... and will post them on my flickR account as soon as I can.


------------------------ "double baked" potato soup at the Sweden Valley Inn


My dad managed to fall in the shower today... banging his hip that he had the surgery on. Fortunately... he didn't seem to do any damage.... I think he hurt his pride more. Problem is... my mom tried to pull him up... and hurt herself as well. Sort of a comedy of errors I suppose.... but not funny at the time.

I mention this only in the context of .... I never really thought about this time in my life. When I was younger, I dreamed of being in love... perhaps having children... traveling.. that sort of thing. And after I got married... I would daydream about growing old with my hubby... always in a "rose-colored glasses" kind of way.


I don't recall however, dreaming of being middle-aged. I don't like to think of myself as middle-aged. I am not sure what that even entails. But I don't like it much. It is very strange to have my kids on the cusp of getting married/ leaving home... and at the same time... being in a position of taking care of my parents and helping them out as much as I am able. It is a very strange in-between time. I am sure I will get used to it.... but for now, it is almost freakish.


------------------------------------the pond beside the Sweden Valley Inn


**all photos by Elaine A. Russell

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The past couple of days that I featured architecture around the town.... I really didn't talk about anything else that has been going on. Partly because I don't want to bog everyone down with useless information... and partly because I am simply overwhelmed.

As I mentioned in a previous post.... my son got engaged to his girlfriend when I was down in Geisinger (where/when my dad had his surgery). I love my son... and I adore his fiance... but it was kinda sad that all this was going on while I wasn't there. Since then, they have been very busy with various preparations... sharing the news to family and friends... and trying to get things organized. They are both in school, and he is also working full time... so their lives are crazy busy at the moment. Add in relatives who aren't so happy about the wedding... trying to find an apartment, minister, church, reception hall.....school, work.... and then add that they plan on getting married on the 23rd. Yes... this month.
There has been alot of additional stress... as plans keep changing... almost daily... for alot of reasons that I really won't go in to... you'll have to trust me on that one... but as a mom, you always want to be their for your children, and this time... I can't.
Fortunately... I am married to a wonderful man... and an excellent father... who is more than handling and helping out with things at home.


Last night I was feeling very tired, and frustrated. This has been a "long haul"... for everyone involved.... and I was feeling a bit tapped out. I was in the kitchen while my parents were getting ready for the night.... when my mom quietly announced that she was having chest pain. It is probably comical in retrospect... but here I was trying to help my dad with his stuff... and running back to my mom who was having chest pain... giving her nitroglycerin... taking a pulse... watching the clock... trying to keep her calm (*no small feat).. and rushing back to check my dad....

Fortunately, my daughter is simply awesome and took over bedside calming and observation for my mom. When the nitro didn't help; and things were getting worse pretty quickly... I called 911. 8 hours later we got back home. Mom had had a pretty intense episode of angina... but fortunately (because of early administration of the nitro and the fact that I bullied her into stopping and laying down... O2... and fabulous care by the ambulance crew and the ER crew)... she was spared any damage.

My daughter stayed at home with my dad... and was excellent with him, and helped him with his care... and helped him keep calm as well. I couldn't be more proud of her.

We all finally got to sleep around 8am.


We got up late in the afternoon... and I went "foraging" for dinner. I decided to head out of town slightly, and took a detour through a quiet road near the woods. (yes... I went on paved roads... no more getting stuck in the mud).



I ended up stopping at the Sweden Valley Inn. This is a fabulous family owned bar & restaurant. I haven't been there in years... but I know the family who owns it.... and I have heard wonderful things....


I was not disappointed.


I sat at the bar area and ordered some food to go. While I waited, it was suggested that I try one of the specialty hot cocoas. They have several "international" selections... the Irish Cocoa includes Bailey's Irish cream; one features Kahlua and cream, etc. I chose the one that had Butterscotch Schnapps in it. WOW. It was freakin awesome (photo below).

Just as I was finishing.. my dinner arrived and I took it home. We had fresh baked haddock with lemon and garlic, home-made coleslaw, fresh applesauce, rolls, and a dinner salad as one entree. The other entree I got was southern fried chicken with french fries. Between those 2 entrees... we had more than enough food for the 4 of us. I also was gifted an entire peanut butter cream pie from the owner's mother... who is a friend of the family, and wanted to give my parent's a gift.
This pie was a thing of beauty.... and I couldn't adequately describe it if I wanted. Trust me. Get some. Total cost for the dinners and drink $26.
I am including a photo of the small pond beside the inn, where there is a family of mallards ...



We are all exhausted. Tired from being sick... tired from traveling to appointments, hospital visits... day to day activities made harder due to stress and illness.... it's been formidable.
And yet... out of this all... such wonderfulness. Well wishes and prayers from tons of people... some of whom we don't even know. Fresh flowers... spring blooming around us... birds chirping.... nice weather.....
A lady not only took time out of her schedule... but came to the house to cut my dad's hair... and then would not take payment; saying it was her gift...
Bags of books sent because my dad likes to read.....
Offers from people to help with transportation when my dad starts his daily radiation soon...
And like the pie that we were given... it's all be wonderful, gracious... and so very very sweet.


*all photos by Elaine A. Russell



See more on the Sweden Valley Inn: here

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One thing about being where it rains alot... is that there sure are some pretty ducks and birds around. My parents love to watch the birds... and they have their "regulars" that come to visit. Robins, evening grosbeaks, nuthatches, blue jays, cardinals, doves, wrens, finches.... the list goes on. There is also a local small group of ducks that come every night and wander through the back yard to get to the river.



This mated pair are just adorable. He follows slightly behind her no matter where she goes; always pausing so that she eats first and such... I'm not sure if mallards mate for life... but these two sure seem to get along well.



This afternoon, my daughter and I went slightly out of town on Route6 west to what used to be Dr. Clarence Baxter's home. My parent's don't seem to know who owns it at the moment... although I did notice that it's been for sale for a couple years now. It is a gorgeous piece of property... nestled in a luscious pine-wooded area.



At this property, is a whole flock of Canadian Geese. They are beautiful. My daughter and I walked around for a short while... watching the geese swim in the ponds, and wander about the grassy areas....honking all the while at our intrusion in their space....




And so... these were my photos for the day. Not much else is really going on. I feel ... to a certain extent... that I am simply treading water and biding my time here. I am not sure how very useful I am; save for driving my mom back and forth to the hospital, and talking with my dad. I do a little laundry, wash some dishes, burn the trash.... walk the dog. Simple stuff.
Well.... that and answer the phone as it is constantly ringing....


I went to the grocery store late this afternoon, and got some goodies.... Kristin and I made butter and garlic roasted chicken breasts, and a pan full of fresh veggies (yellow squash, red/yellow & green sweet peppers, fresh mushrooms, celery, scallions, garlic, & snow peas). I also made acorn squash slowly cooked in the oven with butter, brown sugar, raisins, cashews and almonds as a sweet treat....oh, and pickled beet eggs and whole wheat bread from the store.... good "country cookin' "...



...and so.... I will bid you all a safe and happy goodnight.....



*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