Poem Inspired By A Photo

Photo
Taken in Stebbins Wildlife Preserve in Longmeadow, MA. The mushrooms on the tree inspired the following poem.

Forest Night
Forest floor littered with debris
of fallen trees, animal scat,
ankle deep leaves.
Nature’s recycling plan.

Clusters
of Artist’s Fungus,
Chicken Mushrooms
in ample supply on dead trees.

Courage is required
to linger past sunset
as long shadows cast by setting sun
make everything frightfully surreal.

Leaves rustle.
What was that?
A herd of deer beds down
for a night of watchful sleep.

Foxes, raccoons, coyotes, skunks
ghost their way
from path to riverbank
become lost in shadow.

Faeries, nature sprites, pixies
tiptoe from beneath the Shadblow
at river’s edge to play in eerie glow
from stars and Foxfire.

Rhiannon, Queen of Faeries, invokes
luminescence upon mushroom sconces
arranged on a nearby tree.
British Soldiers and Dog Lichen stand guard.

Dawn’s first blush
signals revelry’s end.
Forest secrets kept safe in dreams
until next dark of night.

© Beverly R. Titus 11/04/06

Another Day In The ER

Photo
In honor of my Mother, I chose this beautiful swan for today's pic. Graceful, elegant, and you don't want to mess with either of them! ☺ ☺

Stress
Last Saturday my mother was not feeling well. Vague complaints. I got her to the ER and by the time I left 5 ½ hours later, she had been diagnosed with a blockage of her small intestine.

She was admitted and, to make a very long story short, her surgeon decided to wait until Monday morning to see whether the blockage would clear itself—or he would have to operate.

She’s 95. He really didn’t want to operate. There was a one in three chance the blockage would clear on it’s own.

The good news is the blockage did clear itself. What a relief.

She should be discharged from the hospital tomorrow. I had postponed the installation of Life Line and it will now be done on Thursday.

Please, God. No more emergencies! ☺ ☺

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Full Moon and the ER

Photo
Tangle of masts and lines in Provincetown Harbor.

A good day turns bad
When the day began, yesterday, I had no idea we were coming up on a full moon. Before noontime came along, I was suspicious. Have you ever been in an emergency room on a full moon? I’m sure you have heard stories about ER and police activity increasing during the full of the moon. True stories I assure you. And, yes, the Full Moon is today. This one’s a doozy.

My mother fell in our kitchen yesterday. Just keeled over backwards, bouncing her head off the floor. We arrived in the ER around 9:30 a.m. and were there until 5 p.m. Initially she was put in a hallway just outside Triage where all the ambulances come in. There was a steady stream of activity there plus a steady stream of very sick people coming in on foot. All sections of the ER were full of very sick people. We stayed in the front hall for 3 ½ hours before she was moved to a hallway in the back (near a room). A half hour later she was given a room. At this point I had to go home to get something to eat. The hospital cafeteria was closed.

When I got back to the ER she was up in X-ray where she had a CT Scan and x-rays of her hips and chest.

The good news is nothing is damaged and they could find no cause for her fall. If you had seen the “egg” on her head you would consider it miraculous that she had no head damage internally. The only thing they found was she had a bladder infection. This is the second time she has ended up in the ER after a fall and all they found was a bladder infection. It sounds a little crazy to think there is a link.

She will have to get one of those alert gizmos where she can push a button on a pendant in order to summon help. Otherwise I can’t leave the house unless there is someone here just in case she gets into trouble. I haven’t told her yet, but when Kathy and I ride the Erie Canal she will have to go into a nursing facility for the time we are gone. That way, we can all have peace of mind. I guarantee she will go up like a rocket when I announce that plan.

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Photos and a Poem

Photos
Both photos are of the Connecticut River at Great River Park in East Hartford—taken one day after the storm of 2/13/08. It was a storm of snow, sleet, freezing rain, and finally, all rain resulting in a layer of slop! On the left you can make out ice and debris in the current. On the right, note the gull in flight. The total scene inspired the following poem.

One Day After the Storm
River
Cold
Swollen
Ice floes
Debris
Racing current

Great River Park
Complaining gulls
Boat launch submerged
Bike path in danger of flooding
River rising

©Beverly R. Titus 02/14/08

Chiropractic Relief

Photo
The best fudge and salt water taffy shop on Commercial St. in Provincetown. It's on the corner of Ryder, across from the Town Hall.

How much pain can I take
I went to the chiropractor Friday afternoon. Dr. V. used to be with Westside Chiropractic in Tolland, where I’ve been going for years. She specializes in sports injuries. I saw another DC at WC 6 months after I hurt my right hip at the gym doing single leg presses. What was the rush, right? That was a year ago. Things still are not right so I decided to go to Dr. V. I did not know she had left WC at the end of last year and was now in private practice in Willington. WC was good enough to give me her phone number.

After giving me a finger wagging lecture about waiting so long to get treatment (and I deserved that!) we went to work. I injured my hip flexor and sprained the sacral area in my lower back. After watching me walk, then march in place, she could see how I was locked up. After some manipulation and adjusting I felt much better. I’ll go back in 2 weeks to see how I’m doing and what other treatment I need. She wants me to use my balance ball to sit on when I am at my computer, but the ball I have is not big enough. I guess that means a trip to Sports Authority to get the biggest balance ball they make. Or—find something really low to put my laptop on.

The day after
Yesterday morning the result of my visit to Dr. V. set in. I had the ice pack on my lower back followed by the heating pad. While the heating pad was on my back, the ice pack was on my left shoulder (which had muscle pain due to the injury to the right pelvic area). After the ice pack left my shoulder, the heat went on. Now the ice pack was available for my hip flexor followed by heat. The headline should read: Heat chased Ice all over her body. This morning, all is well. No discomfort and I’m moving like a normal person.

Tense Moments

Photo
Beach grass and blue sky. Coast Guard Beach, Eastham, Cape Cod.

Doing a favor
I had to go to the home of one of the Marines I write to. His mother had a box of stuff to be sent to Iraq and I agreed to pick it up and get it to Kathy. I took the back roads to Liz's house but after I cleared Ellington 5 Corners I noticed a car behind me. And it stayed with me. If I turned on my signal light the other car's signal went on. If I didn't signal, neither did the other car. Turn for turn for turn right into Liz's driveway. This is where I’m wishing my bike riding gear was in my car. I would have access to my pepper spray and could defend myself.

Identity Crisis
The young woman in the other car and I gave each other quizzical, dirty looks. We got out of our cars and I told her she was creeping me out. She said I did the same thing to her since this is where she lives! It was one of Liz’s daughters. ☺ ☺ I had never met her before. ☺ ☺

Friends & Poetry

Photo
Winter on the Air Line Trail.

Today was outstanding
First, lunch with three friends, that took up most of the day to almost 4 p.m. I had time to get home, make my coffee (like I hadn’t had enough already), and grab a quick bite to eat. Then it was off to Wood Memorial Library for an evening of poetry. Either I’m becoming more appreciative of what I’m hearing, or the poetry is really getting better.

What's Your Hair Color?

Photo
I posted this picture before only in a full version. Here, I have cropped just a head shot to show hair color—which is the topic of today's post.

The Question
I went to AAA to have my passport photo taken. It’s not bad. Then I went to the post office to pick up the application. I stood there reading the questions I will have to answer when I came upon this question: Hair Color. There were several women in line so I asked them if they knew if it meant the real color (which in my case is gray) or the color I have chosen to make it (medium golden brown)? We got into fits of laughing. But, no one could answer my question.

The Answer
I called the Town Clerk’s office where I will have the application processed. Got some more chuckles, but I also got an answer. Put down the color that shows on the photo. Brown it is! ☺

Horses Rough Up The Trails

Photo
This is just one hoof mark taken yesterday on a section of the Air Line Trail in Colchester. Multiply this one by hundreds and you can see why I get upset. (click on photo to enlarge)

Sunday’s hike
The hike in Colchester had its moments. Parts of River Road along the Salmon River were very icy. We got to a point where our guide, Marty, turned us around and we took a side trail up onto the Air Line Trail.

Downside of multi-use
Once on the Air Line I immediately noticed the surface had been badly chewed up by horses hooves. These hoof marks will still be there (and added to) by spring when the surface dries out. These were gouges. Riding the Air Line on my hybrid bike with no suspension is going to feel like I’m riding a jackhammer. Bike riders would like to live in harmony with equestrians, however as long as horses leave deep hoof prints and piles of manure all over the place, harmony isn’t likely to happen. Only one trail that I’ve ridden has a separate path for horses. All trails need this separate path. My bike tires don’t leave the trail all messed up for the horses. It would be nice if they didn’t mess them up for me. I should mention that horses are not allowed on all trails. Most do not. Just my favorite ones.

No breakfast meeting
I was going to have breakfast with Kathy Sunday morning so we could go over our plans for riding the Erie Canal. She called me early to let me know (and I could hear) she was not well and Lou was down with full-blown flu. We will try again.

Double postBTW: I posted a picture yesterday that I had posted in early January. I must like that picture. Actually, I just like stone walls. I have to start checking my list first. ☺ ☺

Plans for this week
Have my passport photo taken, get a haircut, meet friends for lunch, poetry at Wood Memorial, a chiropractor appointment and a sound healing session with Marie Menut. The only two that can be put off is the photo and the haircut. Everything else is by appointment. You have no need to know I will be meeting with Loving Care #78 this afternoon. ☺☺☺

Super Bowl Over

I am in shock.

The Giants played a better, smarter, more aggressive game. This I don’t gotta love! ☹ ☹

Superbowl Sunday

Photo
This scene is on the Air Line Trail in Chaplin, CT. I love stone walls. They have stories to tell and one of these days I will sit down with one of them to listen.

Boots? Maybe.
I received an email from Land’s End mail order catalog and, lo and behold, there was a winter hiking boot (of sorts) for forty bucks. I have ordered it. The boot is warm, waterproof, and has a sole that looks like it will be good on rocky ridges where I do a lot of my winter hiking. Not in time for my hike today, but I don’t think I will need winter hikers today.

Today's Hike
The Colchester Land Trust is having it regular first Sunday of the month hike. Today we will be on River Road along the Salmon River. I’ve wanted to go down there for some time now. Our weather will be in the upper 40s and since we had heavy rain on Friday, I doubt there’s any snow left.

I will start my day having breakfast with Kathy. We have to decide the exact dates we will be on the Erie Canal. It will be some time during this coming September. For me, the later in the month the better, but since Kathy has to work, I’ll go with whatever her schedule will allow.

From breakfast (which will be at 10 a.m.) I will head out to meet my hiking buddy, Jon, and we will travel to Colchester for the hike. Once the hike is over I'll get home in time for the big game. I think it will be a closer game than most people think. The last time the Giants played the Pats it was a very close game. I expect the same today. Gotta love it! ☺ ☺


GO PATS!!!!!!!

God's Country!

Photo
Speaking of God's Country. This photo was taken on Coast Guard Beach, Eastham, Cape Cod.

It’s good being a sports fan in New England
This is the short version of an email chuckle I received recently.
Reverend, I’ve been in churches all across the country and in each church I have found a golden telephone and have been told it is a direct line to Heaven and that I could talk to God. In the other churches the cost was $10,000 a minute. Your sign reads only 35 cents a call. Why?
The pastor, smiling benignly, replied :
"Son, you're in Boston, Massachusetts now, home of the Boston Red Sox, the Patriots, Celtics, Bruins and Boston College!
You're in God's Country, It's a local call."

GO PATS!

In addition to all the Boston teams, we here in Connecticut add the UConn Huskies basketball and football teams; UHart women's basketball and Central CT State U basketball and we're pretty delirious!