F***

If there was ever any question in my mind about the use of profanity, which I doubt, there is not anymore. Fuck perfectly describes my feeling after talking to the dermatologist Thursday afternoon. He was kind, just the bearer of bad news, this THIRD time. Not a third "black hole," commonly called melanoma, but new dark mole of errant cells which has developed smack next to the long scar on my back from the excision of the second melanoma. So I am being forwarded to a surgeon, actually the capable surgeon who extracted the first melanoma, Jolene Henshaw, who graduated from U of Arizona, (Arizona being the capital of melanomas). I'll be in good hands, but what will be left of my back? And the future is peering glum. So Fuck. I am now in serious retreat from the afternoon sun and weary of any sunshine at all. I take a too quick swim in the river or just a wade in the shade. Could be worse, no doubt...and I have plenty of diversion from dwelling on this situation. I guess I'll add a turmeric bath to  my routine which already includes turmeric in most food! 

precious new grand daughter

Little Fia with her grand Godma. We arrived in Houston on Tuesday, driving through heavy rain much of the way, relieved to find Hotel Zaza easily in downtown by the Museum of Art. It is a direct ride to the Heights where Fia and her people live and Kingsley. Ezra suggested that Sharon and I baby sit the next afternoon so that Jen and her mom (who had not had a chance to get out of the house) get facials. We jumped at the opportunity. Because Fia had had two overnights at two different hospitals, Jen was pumping breast milk - so we could feed her. What a joy, I had forgotten the flesh/heart connection, the joy of baby lying on my chest. We enjoyed the next afternoon baby sitting again. Not so easy to leave. Glad I have 4 year old P. next door. lucky me




 

Have a Heart - well...

Two varmints in one day; a record for the hollar. Not much heart in it, however, as rabbit was delicious curry dinner; this ground hog will just be buzzard food. Can't exactly relocate a groundhog; nobody wants one - at least I can't imagine. I will leave town a bit less anxious about the garden; although I know there are many more rabbits about.

I caught a rabbit

I had so given up on the Have a Heart trap that I had placed bird netting over the sweet potatoes and beans - but low this morning "Bunny Dinner" was in the trap! I stuck the carrot in to try to amuse him while waiting for death. He's going to be dinner thanks to Baldwin's careful execution, skinning and gutting.

What Was I Thinking

It was a bit cooler and certainly improved the peripheral vision, however, the cow head perched a bit high - besides it might have been better to be unrecognizable. Riner cow in Blacksburg parade! It is almost as if a separate part of me decided to join the Montgomery County Democrats for the 4th of July parade in this costume. That rooster segment, the one that just has to be different when everyone else wore the blue WOMEN FOR OBAMA t-shirts. I suspect that part of me is most likely to arise when seriousness veers towards the dull - and I am prompted to make fun. Nevertheless, it was a terribly HOT time - I poured a cold bottle of water over myself at the end - with little relief.

Squash Galore

Luckily my squash has come in relatively early and I distributed a bag full at Qigong this morning. I dare not complain and thanks to a phone call to Fred I have a back up plan for my newly planted beans to protect them from the rabbit/groundhog while I am in Houston, plastic bird netting. My thought is to cut it in generous size to place over the beans; Fred says that the critters dare not walk over it for fear of tangling their feet in the mesh. I hope this proves true. 

I have the notion, prompted by said referenced conversation above, that my blog is boring. No doubt this is the case as I have been prompted to account for items which I wish to remember. For instance, this morning I buried pennies by tomato plants in the garden - hoping that the copper might prove anti bacterial to the plant. It works for humans, why not plants, I thought! A penny held against in insect bite can take away the sting, for a tick bite, it can stop the infection that has caused an itch! It is an experiment. And here's a picture of two great souls of the hollar!

summer

The garden is beyond its historical self and green tomatoes dangle amid the thickened tomato plants - all of which I have had to secure with stakes after the high winds. My summer squash has been bountiful - I eat one in my morning green smoothie and saute squash for dinner and I've brought a bag to qigong class to give away! This plants are huge mocking the pathetic plants last year which were eaten by stink bugs. I've an interloper however, a ground hog whom I have failed to trap in my save a heart. I suspect I need to try Pink's suggestion of baiting the trap with cantaloupe.

baby baby

It is hot and much of Montgomery County is still without electricity, needless to say, Giles County and much of West Virginia remain hot (without fans hot)! I know what that is like, but fortunately my power returned after 24 hours. On last Friday, June 29, a very wide front, furious from record heat, in the evening blackened the sky with 60 to 75 mile winds. We got no rain, mercifully no hail. Just direct wind which knocked out power from Maryland to DC and down throughout Virginia and West Virginia. The tops of trees nearly touched the ground, some stayed down. We were lucky, just branches in the yard. Stories at qigong this morning: a neighbor was lifted in the air attempting to close a deck umbrella, another neighbor spent the night at her sister's as trees fell across the road, someone else lost their heirloom apple trees. 


On a much cheerier note, I've pictures of baby baby!