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| Apple Blossoms |
This has been a month of changes. Weather has changed from chilly to very warm, plants have grown from seedlings to a reasonable size and the closing of another chapter in our lives has occurred.
With the weather finally deciding to warm up and be sunny, our garden plants have begun to show progress.
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| In go more plant starts |
I had another day of planting out all of the warmth loving starts: sweet potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants and flowers.This week I sowed snap and shell beans, cucumbers and squash.
Right now, we're in the process of putting up the supports for our drying beans. I plan to sow all of those, as well as sweet corn over Memorial Day weekend.
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| Apricot knocking |
The fruit trees have finished blooming and are now developing fruit. The apricots were the first in the parade, and so their fruit is the farthest along. The trees were loaded with more fruit than they could support, so Bob gently knocked the branches and this helped the trees shed excess, usually less productive fruits.
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| Rhubarb sauce ready for the oven |
Rhubarb is at it's prime now. I've already frozen three batches of my rhubarb sauce. So good!
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| Morel Mushrooms |
In the woods, the Morel mushrooms have made an appearance.
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| Morel dinner |
We picked a small basket of Morels and made a delicious dinner: simmered in coconut milk, seasoned with salt, pepper and chives from my herb garden, served over whole wheat angel hair pasta. Life's tough for us plant based diet folks, don't you think?
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| Bob at the large falls |
We've taken time to visit Taughannock Falls State Park which is less than 30 minutes from our house. We go there fairly often.
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| One of the ponds in Montezuma |
We also took a little longer journey one day to the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge. We spent much of the morning walking trails and had a picnic lunch we had packed. It was a very nice day and we saw a few Eagles and a lot of Great Blue Herons.
Now, since this update is read by relatives and others who knew my mother, Keitha Neill Wise, I will share this.
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| Mom age 15 |
On May 12th, my mother passed away. She was 88, and would have been 89 in just three more months.
Due to tenuous financial and medical circumstances, 25 years ago, Bob and I stepped into the gap and assumed responsibility for her care and support. For ten years she lived in our home. For the next 15 years she lived in assisted living settings. She lived in a skilled nursing facility for only seven days before suffering a series of seizures. (Possibly from a stroke. This could not be confirmed.) She died four days later. We were with her for the last several hours and know that she was being kept comfortable and passed peacefully.
My mother had many medical ailments including cardiovascular disease and advanced dementia.
For 15 years, I was the primary responsible party, taking her to medical appointments, social engagements, shopping, etc.
When we moved back to New York ten years ago, Bob said it was his turn. So I taught him how to document medical appointments and handed over the reins to him, and I took up a supporting role.
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| Flowers sent for mom |
My mother could be quite difficult, so ours was not an easy task. As her dementia progressed she became less obstreperous, but lost all ability to reason. This opened a whole new area of problems.
Bob worked tirelessly on her behalf and always treated her with patience, (Far more that I could sometimes muster!)
He has earned the "Best Son in Law in the Universe" award in my opinion.
Her life was far short of ideal, but now her struggle is over.
I like this photo of her. I see so much of my brother Matt in that face.
And so ends another chapter in our lives. It has been a month of changes.
Until next month,
Peace to you all.
Kathleen and Bob
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| The only Trillium on our land |
