Trying to Accidentally Commit Suicide

This is the scene of the accident. This morning Brian decided he would ask me to help him cut down a dead tree in our back yard. He had already cut down some smaller ones yesterday. So I am thinking, "I can do this". My part was to hold on to the rope and pull when the tree started to come down. The other part was to move to the left, right, or back when the tree began to fall. I cannot describe what happened, or what my thinking was at the time. I just know I heard Brian say, "Ok, it's coming down. GET OUT OF THE WAY!!!!"

I was standing there watching it come; but for some reason, I did not move. I was either thinking that I was standing far enough out so that the branches would miss me, or I was totally mesmerized by the falling tree. In any case, I did get hit by some of the side branches.

Brian began to come at me immediately and was sort of shouting, " I told you to move. Why did you just stand there? You could have been killed! I'm not kidding!" I thought he was going to take me by the shoulders and shake me for a minute. I deserved every rebuke that I received. I still do not know what happened.

Here is the result.





It could have been so much worse. I did get a tiny scratch on my face and neck. This is the real damage--a nasty scratch on my leg and foot. The top part of my foot is a bit sore and bruised.

Brian said that I would not be a good candidate for a logging job---I would be the first casualty. HA! He is not kidding.

No more tree cutting for me. I will stick with gardening, house work, and sitting at a computer.

Childhood Memories of Spring

Since I have been longing for spring and warm weather, I recently started thinking about some of my favorite childhood memories of spring. Instead of talking about all of them in one post, I have decided to write about just one each time.

One of the things that I really loved about spring was getting to go barefoot. My feet had been confined in shoes and socks all winter, and now it was time to put the shoes away and let my feet breathe and enjoy the cool green grass. Irrigation used to involve cutting ditches for the water and then using tubes to siphon the water into rows to water the crops. There was a ditch that ran close to the house. I would go out and sit on the bank and put my feet into the cold water. There would usually be some new clover coming up, and I loved the way it looked and smelled. There just seemed to be some sort of freedom in not wearing shoes. I knew that when I got to go barefoot, school was nearly over for the year and the entire summer was ahead.

Container Gardening In May

Here is the scene of the crime referred to in my last blog. This is where we were starting our "container" garden on Saturday. It was on this very deck that something stabbed me right in the back. I am still convinced that "voo-doo" may have been involved. Update is that I am doing much better.





Believe it or not, the next picture is taken on the same day....later in the afternoon. As you can see in the previous picture, it looks to be a nice day. It must have been a mirage.


Since the weather is less than predictable. We decided to do a "container" garden for a few weeks. Notice the "containers". : ) Not what you were expecting?


Hopefully in about 3 weeks we can graduate to a regular garden. It will take at least that long to get the ground ready. Weeds need to be eradicated, garden pests (like nasty little black ants that eat all the seeds) need to be exterminated, soil tilled, watered, and fertilized. Then comes the row making and finally getting the plants transplanted. I even planted some squash seeds in a container. Last year not one squash seed came up. Ants got them. We are also hoping to get a back yard started this summer and to re-build our horrible looking deck. Summer fun, here we come!

TRASHING THE BACK

This is a perfect picture of how I felt yesterday morning. We were re-potting plants. After we had finished I got ready to pick up a pot that was maybe 3 lbs---at the most. Just as I bent to get the pot I had a searing, electrifying, knife-stabbing pain. This is one of the worse pains I have ever experienced. Not to say that I have not done this before, but by far, this took top honors in the torture category.

I fell to my knees, grabbed my back, and began to immediately groan and moan. Brian had to literally pick me up. I seriously thought I was paralyzed. I could not move my legs or get them under me to stand. Finally after an agonizing few minutes, I was able to start moving my feet and legs and slowly go to the house. Finally got up the stairs and on the floor to try to stretch and move some.

Yesterday was not a fun day, but I am feeling a tad bit better today....... I think. I did not go to church since I have to move around pretty often to get in different positions to get some pain relief.

The worst thing about the whole situation is that my back gets trashed over the most piddly experiences. I am never trying to hulk a load of 100 lbs. It is always the piece of clothing on the floor, a piece of paper, a pillow, etc. What do I do? I have not a clue because believe me, I would be very aware of the incorrect motion I am making that causes such pain and avoid it.

Maybe I can post a picture soon of our "container" garden. I may even post a scene of yesterday's crime of back trashing.

Hoping I can go to work tomorrow, but I'm not counting on anything.