SEPTEMBER 2020 WALKER NEWSLETTER

 

Hello!

While the weather remains humid and hot the nights are starting to cool down and you can feel autumn right around the corner. This year we've had a wetter summer so my water barrels that usually run dry by August- where I have to carry water for the animals- never did run out. The veggie garden is mainly over so I'm gathering seeds for next year along with a few fresh tomatoes except for the marigolds, zinnias, and Mexican sunflowers that are flaunting their bright colors in full glory. Spending time in the garden is such a joy among the flowers, many butterflies, honey bees, and hummingbirds that time goes by before I know it. It also became my downfall when the other rainy Sunday I was out in the garden hurrying to cut flowers to take to church. Some of my Mexican sunflowers this year are over eight feet tall. I was gazing upwards and not looking where I was walking when I suddenly found myself face down on the ground. Talk about quickly coming down to earth! Thankfully no bones were broken, but instead of going to church like I planned, I ended up in the recliner popping pain pills with an ice pack on my right shoulder that I wrenched again. Definitely not the way to spend the Sabbath day! So I was slowed down for about a week again. Soo ratty!!!

This summer I ordered some Monarch butterfly cocoons to hatch out. Its something I've wanted to do for some years now as I noticed we no longer have Monarch butterflies around like we used to. It was a miracle right before my eyes watching gorgeous three inch Monarch butterflies come out of a tiny inch long narrow capsules. And setting them free to see them for the first time stretching out their fragile wings and soar up in the air was something I'll never forget. I released six  Monarch butterflies hoping they would come back to me next year after hibernating and spending the winter in Mexico. So imagine my surprise and joy when t his week harvesting some milkweed seed pods that were opening to discover four Monarch caterpillars and eggs! Even though I hadn't seen but a couple of the butterflies I released, some had come back and laid eggs!!! Hopefully we won’t get an early frost this year. Meanwhile I shall monitor the caterpillars and if need be bring them indoors if the weather gets too cold.

I really needed this uplift as seeing Dana’s brilliant mind slowly deteriorate has brought back painful memories of taking care of my mother years ago and going through the same process. It’s heartbreaking so see a loved one slowly slipping away from you. I’m so thankful I have Dwight living with us to help give support.

Dawn, Randy, and their children all got the covid virus this summer. While the kids had a mild case and quickly got over it, Dawn and Randy were sicker with Dawn having pneumonia in one lung and having to go on antibiotics. Randy is back to work now, but Dawn is still struggling so I’d appreciate prayer for her. It is a big concern as she has had lung problems before.

Update on the animals: Each evening I tie up Tex much to his dismay, who now is the guard dog for the ducks and chickens to deter the fox that keeps trying to get them through the electric fence (when he isn’t chasing them himself) so I can get the animals up in peace. So like the shepherd with the sheep, each day I count my fourteen hens to make sure they all are in- a process in itself as brown feathery bodies mill around the pen. Then it’s time to put up the ducks. I still keep the little brownish ones separate from the large white ducks as the drake gets after them if they get too close. I’ve learned to put the small ducks in their pen first so they can get in the duck house and up where to where they spend the night. Like a conductor conducting a symphony, I wave one arm to round up the small ducks and get them headed towards the pen while with the other arm I keep the big ducks back for a peaceful transition. Of course at times we have some loud jarring notes when the big drake decides to attack the little ducks scattering them in all directions and the process has to begin again as Tex barks a loud crescendo. By the time all the animals are put up, Tex is praised for what a good dog he is, and given scraps, I’ve had a good cardio workout and am ready to sink into the recliner to catch my breath. At last peace reigns and I can once again relax for the night.

Meanwhile I stay busy. I did up two canners full of tomato juice that I canned and put up corn. I finished trimming the rest of the long hedge row in front, painted trim on the duck house window that we took out, and gave my clothes line poles another coat of paint this week. I also harvested lavender and some mint that I dry for tea. There is plenty more to do so every sunny day I can I’m hanging out wash and trying to catch up on some more chores before summer ends between taking Dana to doctor appointments and taking care of him. I’m so thankful for the strength God gives me each day. God is good to us!

Take care on your end and stay healthy!

Until next time~

Dorcas

JULY AUGUST WALKER NEWSLETTER

 

Hello!

I have been trying to write a newsletter since last month, but here we are in August already so I'll have to combine two months again. So sorry.

The bright colorful lilies that are so gorgeous have bloomed and gone as well as most of the roses. Right now my double pale pink and rose- along with the single white and lavender- rose of sharon are blooming in my hedges along with bee balm.  In the garden zinnias, tall yellow sunflowers, and orange/red Mexican sunflowers are blooming amidst the corn and beans. So far this summer has been quite humid and damp with rain every week so my tall phlox and bachelor buttons didn't do well this year, which has also affected the beans. You know it is a wet year when you have wild mushrooms growing in the garden. Even the tomatoes are rotting before they get completely ripe so I am picking them earlier than usual. The blackberries didn't last long either. Thankfully most of the tomato vines are still healthy. I've pulled my pea vines out as they are over.

Each week has found me picking beans, corn, tomatoes, blackberries, and dried peas for seed along with trying to keep the weeds- that no matter the weather thrive and flourish- out of the garden so the veggies have room to grow. There is nothing like eating fresh green beans, tomatoes, and corn from the garden.

Besides my garden veggies, I did up a bushel of peaches and green beans, and have canned some tomatoes.  I trimmed my formal garden hedge, cherry bushes, and have gotten half of the long front hedge trimmed so far. I can't work out in the heat like I used too- not to mention I am slower- so it takes longer to accomplish the many tasks needing done. I always keep water/Gatorade with me to stay hydrated. I'm just thankful I am back up on my feet and able to go.

I'm also very thankful to have the Durango back once more to drive, although in switching vehicles I did the dumbest thing. I had just gotten back from taking Dana on a Friday on one of his many doctor visits to Cookeville and it had been a long day when I went to get the Durango. I so was thrilled to have it back that I didn't bother checking the gas gauge. It sat parked in the driveway until Sunday morning when I am backing it out to go to church and I looked at the gas gauge and it was down on empty. I couldn't believe my eyes. I pulled back in figuring first thing when I went to town I'd get some gas. In my defense, I have always had a fear of being stranded while out on the road- that had happened recently on a Sunday morning- so I’ve always put gas in whenever it gets down to one fourth of a tank. The guys had the Durango for two weeks, driven it around several times while trying to figure out what was going on, and the day I picked it up they had let the Durango run for half of the day to make sure it wouldn’t suddenly stop again. So I didn’t have a clue of how much gas was in the tank. When Dwight got up later he checked it out and said that there was half a tank of gas. I felt horrible because if I had known I would have gone on to church no matter what the gauge said. Dwight figured that maybe the gauge was going bad. Monday morning I get in the Durango to head to town and checked the gauge and once more it showed empty. I turned it off and on again and the gauge didn’t move so I went and got Dwight to prove I wasn’t seeing things. Dwight gets in, turns the Durango on, and says, “Mom it shows half a tank.” He gets out; I get in, and point to the gauge that still shows empty. Dwight grins and tells me that I’m looking at the temperature gauge instead of the gas. Did I ever feel stupid! On the truck the gas gauge was on the opposite side of the Durango so I had gotten used to looking there. Why these vehicle manufactures don’t keep things on the same side is beyond my comprehension. It’s enough to drive one completely batty when one’s brain cells are already overloaded.  Needless to say I got teased about that one quite a bit. 

I’ve had to drive Dana long distance every week- sometimes twice- lately as his cardiologist took him of the lasix that was no longer working- Dana was retaining a bunch of fluid and put him on two others meds, which put his kidney function blood work off. They halved the dosage; his fluid retention came back, put the dosage up again and keep doing blood work to keep an eye on it. Unfortunately, the blood work can’t be done local. We had a wonderful answer to prayer a couple days before I was going to have to admit Dana to the hospital due to running out of his psych meds as I couldn’t get any refills. When calling the hospital I discovered that his previous psychologist had just decided to take a couple of patients again. I was able to get a hold of her and she agreed to refill his meds until we could get an appointment to see her. Dana’s dementia has gotten worse. He now no longer remembers to brush his teeth, comb his hair, shave, can’t retain what he reads, drops stuff more, sometimes is up at night, and is stuttering more often when trying to speak so needs more care . We saw the psychologist this week and although she added another med, wasn’t very optimistic about anything helping Dana’s dementia that they have tried to slow down. Instead she discussed with me about putting Dana in a nursing home which at this point I’m not considering. Physical therapy has also come again trying to help keep Dana on his feet as he is weaker physically.

Dwight’s burns have all healed; he had a bout of intestinal flu that lasted almost three weeks so lost weight- at times I felt like I was running a hospital between him and Dana. Dwight is gaining back his strength, down at his shop each day, and I am trying to fatten him up again.

I do need to hush up, but I want to thank all of you who support us in prayer daily. At times I am physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted trying to keep up with everything. Thanks so much! It is what often keeps us going. Meanwhile take care on your end!

Dorcas