Oh what a state I'm in . . .

Red-bellied Woodpecker

 It has been a very good but tiring day. I had an appointment with an orthopedic doctor in Zachary for 1:30 this afternoon because my left leg has not been walking properly. The office called and asked me to come for 3:30 as they were extremely busy so that's what I did. At 5:00 I did get to see the doctor and I hate to say this after all of that waiting and uncertainty but it was worth every bit of time I spent waiting for him. The left hip has bursitis. I received probably the most painful shot I have ever had (and I have had some pretty painful shots) but I am feeling better already and can walk without limping! Yay! I will be going to physical therapy starting next week. 

The doctor is from Boston and went to medical school in New Orleans. He asked me where I was from and I told him Denham Springs but home was Connecticut. He went to BU and I told him our youngest went to Northeastern. He was full of stories about Boston.When his wife, one of the nurses came in she immediately asked where I was from because she heard me talking with her husband and she thought her husband's grandmother was in the room! I thought that was the funniest thing and she almost hugged me. A great time was had by all; I was the last patient of the day. I left the office about 6:45 and came home to a quick pickup supper. I am so happy that I went to this young, handsome couple at the clinic in Zachary. 

I'm out of time tonight. Bon soir, les amis.

Quote:  The poets did well to conjoin music and medicine, because the office of medicine is but to tune the curious harp of man's body.    _____Bacon

Sweet and Low (Joseph Barnby) - New York Polyphony - Poem by Alfred, Lord Tennyson 1849 - Music by Joseph Barnby 1863

My mother used to sing lullabies for us; this is one of my favorites. My father used to read poetry for us.

Eastern Bluebird . . . that is all . . .

 

The rest of our Sunday story . . .

Cypress knees

Beginning of our swamp walk

Sewing Needle - that is what we called them when we were young back in the 1940's.

Forty shades of green

Cypress

Wild iris

My father's Libellule

Crossing the tracks to get back to the truck. We have often seen trains on these tracks when we are at the Manchac boat launch or having lunch at Middendorf's.

We saw no bears. I swear I don't think I could follow the rules.

Was hoping to see this boat really race along the water but it was too crowded. It is amazing to  see all of the people and boats maneuvering in and out of the boat launch area. There is a sand bar where the boats filled with kiddos can ? land ? so they can  play and picnic on the sand. I believe it can only be reached by water.

When we reached the end of the walk and were admiring another large body of water where you could sit on a bench and savor the peace and beauty we met a small gathering  of people coming towards us with balloons. We greeted each other and since there was a child and balloons I said we would leave so they would have room for the birthday party. To my sorrow and amazement they had come to spread the ashes of a man they loved. I offered my sincere sympathy and excused myself for being thoughtless but they said they were happy to be doing what their friend had asked them to do. They asked about the pictures I had been taking and Puppy's Pop made a funny remark which made us all laugh and we left them to their Sunday service. I really believe that they chose a perfect place for their friend's remains. 

Quote:  Is death the last sleep?  No, it is the last and final awakening. ______Walter Scott

Quote:  Alexander the great, seeing Diogenes looking attentively at a parcel of human bones, asked the philosopher what he was looking for. "That which I cannot find," was the reply; "the difference between your father's bones and those of his slaves."

Photos and video of part of our Sunday outing . . .

The largest Great Egret we have ever seen

 

The Joyce Wildlife Swamp Walk is in Ponchatoula, part of Tangipahoa Parish. The best strawberries in all of Christendom come from Ponchatoula. That is a fact.

 

 

We decided to go for a ride today and ended up on a swamp walk. We were watching the boats coming and going in Manchac when some of the people who were waiting to leave the boat launch in their pontoon boat told us about 3 different walking trails nearby. We found the Joyce Wildlife Management Area and Swamp Walk. It was a very interesting day. More anon.

Quote: People do not lack strength; they lack will.

Yesterday's crew change on the flooded Mississippi . . .

The video is about 2 1/2 minutes long. It shows the Lester Cruse pushing the nose of the barge into Bayou Sara where they will wait while changing crews. We are always impressed when we watch the workers coming and going. 

 

A Solitary Sandpiper searching for lunch as the crews exchange places.

To the far left of the photo you can see the tug boat through the trees. To the far right through the trees you will see the end of the barge. The fisherman is not quite equidistant from either end.

This crew is getting off of the Lester Cruse and will meet the incoming crew at the flooded boat dock. I decided against showing the videos of the arrival and departure.

We started the morning with breakfast at the Bird Man. It will be wonderful when all businesses are  back to normal. I must admit that the greatest pleasure of going to the Bird Man is the people and there is no way I can be in my comfort zone with the masks. It is a small cafe and it was always nice to sit at the counter, watch the cook and bump shoulders with the couples next to us and chat or listen to a guest play the piano. That can't happen anymore. Something is missing in my enjoyment of living. It seems I'm not living my life to full measure and that is too cruel. Well, I guess I can never write without having some sort of complaint. Since I write for my own pleasure I cannot fake my feelings but since a few people do check my blog it's not really fair to complain!  

When we returned home I walked in our neighborhood and grabbed a few photos. 

Pink Evening Wild Primrose

Quote:  The errors of woman spring, almost always, from their faith in the good, or their confidence in the true.   ___Balzac

Quote:  Wonder is involuntary praise. ____Young

I needed that . . .

Photos were taken about 3 years ago

 I finally decided to enjoy myself in Baton Rouge. I had an eye doctor appointment at 10:30 this morning and everything is just fine. I just complain a lot because I hate wearing glasses and sunglasses with bifocals but I should be pleased that I see so well and the colors of my life are perfect. The Doctor wanted to dilate my eyes but I said unless it was absolutely necessary I didn't want to do that so he let it go until next year. 

After the visit I went to Perkins Rowe. It's been over a year since I indulged myself at Barnes & Noble. Oh my, what a lot of fun. I only ended up by buying 3 books and 3 cards but it was so pleasant roaming around a book store. It really is one of my favorite pastimes. Before I went to comfort myself by gliding around the books I stopped at La Madeleine for French Toast with strawberries and their special cream garnish. I swear I felt pretty close to heaven as I sat and enjoyed people watching through the window.

 

To top off this beautiful sunny, cool, dry day I spoke with my younger sister and she had just received the Calla Lily  I sent from FTD Florists. She was delighted that it fit perfectly on the window sill in her room at Meadow Brook. Now I must prepare something for supper but that's okay. I'm up to the task!

Quote:  In my youth I thought of writing a satire on mankind, but now in my age I think I should write an apology for them.  _____Walpole

South Park and home neighborhood . . .

Gate to South Park

Iris almost on the street where I live!

Neighborhood beauty

Part of the neighborhood

Red-eared Slider at South Park

Beautiful Hunter at South Park

 Disgruntled. Trying to reach a doctor's office and the answering machine just sends you in constant circles. I finally reached someone in the wrong office and I was told to dial 4 the minute the answering machine picked up. It worked. How 2021ish.

Quote:  Music washes away from the soul the dust of every-day life. ____Auerbach

All fixed . . . for now . . .

Northern Mockingbird flew right across my path.

 Eastern Bluebird Mama

Eastern Bluebird Papa

Gate to South Park

On duty

Cattle Egrets

 I finally figured out a way to trim the Red-winged Blackbird video. After speaking with the Big Kiddo and looking things up on line I managed to do it but it is doubtful I shall remember all of the steps I went through to finally make it work if I need to do it again on another video that gets stuck in Shell Infrastructure Host!

This was a perfect Sunday morning. We could finally go to South Park and I walked with an almost perfect gait! The sunshine was truly divine and on top of all that splendor I kept my really good sunglasses on as I walked and took photos. I bought Hydrotac's Stick-On Bifocal Lenses for my Maui Jim sunglasses and they worked to perfection. I can now walk out into the bright Louisiana sunshine and listen to Audible on the little iPod and if I stop to chat with a neighbor I can see what I'm doing when I pause the iPod or restart my listening. I am blown away by this marvel. 

We had a good family dinner at Big Kiddo's yesterday. I'm glad they like stew and Sally Lunn bread because those are  about the only items that are easy for me to make and don't cause a pile up of dirty dishes! My laziness knows no bounds. This growing up does have its advantages! Slowing down a bit is to be expected and well earned.

Quote:  He that doth public good for multitudes, finds few are truly grateful. _____Massinger

Quote:  It will always do to change for the better. ____Thomson

Experiment . . . having trouble with videos . . .

 Having trouble with trimming my videos because Windows 10 just did an update. At least that is what I think is the problem. So I used Youtube but it hasn't been trimmed. Merdeski!

Stringing together all of the rainy days . . .

Red-winged Blackbird from May 2018. They call to me every day. I put out fresh seeds but they will not show off for me so I had to find an old shot.

A mite wet yet I put out some seeds and he came.

A bit of sunshine so I could get a decent shot.

I love the colors. Hope it doesn't drown!

Feeling just a bit tired.  It's been a crazy wet week and I've had a lot of work to do. With the carpeting all cleaned up I went into a partial cleaning frenzy (only partial because it is not my favorite pass time, to be sure.) The house is looking really good and very comfortable for us Northern folks. So I will be able to spend some time just lazing around listening to Jane Austen on Audible. I don't mind her because Audible has turned her novels into what I call - radio format - Original Drama Series. It's fun to listen to the characters and sounds of the times. It's lighthearted, easy listening. Audible's Les Miserables was  magnificent but I had to really pay attention. As a matter of fact I had to slow the reading pace down a smidgen as my ears and brain could not keep up with the speed of the French language readers. It worked very well that way. Les Mis is a heavy book filled with so much that is perverse in man  yet we also discover the angelic ways of man. I find Jane Austen's novels very easy to enjoy.  It is rewarding to find books that are pleasant or unpleasant at times yet make you work hard and listen attentively to find the pathos in our imperfect world. 

Enough of thinking. I shall finish this day by completing the laundry, sitting in my new over stuffed rocking chair as we watch the few decent shows on what my father used to call 'the idiot box.'

Quote:  There is an evening twilight of the heart, when its wild passion waves are lulled to rest.  ___Halleck

Quote:  There is little peace or comfort in life if we are always anxious as to future events. --He that worries himself with the dread of possible contingencies will never be at rest.   ____Johnson

And this is what happens when you have the carpets stretched and cleaned . . .

Laundry Room

Taken from in front of the sink.

Looking through the master bedroom into the master bathroom. No room

From the hall into the kitchen

From the kitchen sink.

Ethan did a great job today. I almost decided to just get all new carpeting but a good friend suggested Ethan to do the job of stretching and cleaning. At least 10 times less expensive and I won’t worry as much when Puppy stays with us.It’s too difficult to write on the iPad. I quit !PS You must wait at least 5 hours before putting the furniture back but we’re going to give it at least a day. Had the couch cleaned also!

House cleaning and laundry Saturday . . .

This Red-winged Blackbird has been here all week and I can't get a good shot of him. He's driving me crazy.

First little red tomato

Broad-headed Skink missing his tail. I've never seen this type of lizard before.
 

I've got to take some time and get caught up on three days worth of The Advocate. Shouldn't take long.

Quote:  Hatred is the vice of narrow souls; they feed it with all their littlenesses, and make it the pretext of base tyrannies. ____Balzac