Spring on the homestead.

It's been rather warm the past few days.  The flowers are really putting on a show!

Pale yellow daffodil with yellow center.

White hellebore.

Purple hellebore.

White daffodils with orange centers.

Yellow daffodils.

We had some VERY high winds on Wednesday, 3/01, early in the morning.  Our dogs woke me up at 3:20.  They were terrified!  The wind sounded like a train coming through the house.  I'd heard that description for a tornado before... but I don't think we actually had a tornado.  Just high wind.  We didn't have any damage to our property.  A large tree fell down next to our neighbor's hunting cabin, no damage to any structures though.  Thankfully.

The tree just missed the cabin & garage.

Big tree

We've made some progress on the Hobbit House.  Joshua worked his buns off, removing clay that fell in over the winter.  John got the tractor out & used the bucket to help.  Sorry, I have no pictures of this activity.  I was busy removing splattered cement from the slab (floor) inside.  Why didn't the men put plastic down to protect the floor before they started adding cement to the dome??  ARRRRRRGH!

Anyway, the french drain is now in.  We should have several warm, dry days next week.  We'll be applying the rubber sealant to the structure.  That should make it waterproof.  Then I can start working on the interior walls.

Pictures of the progress...

French drain installed.

French drain, the black perforated pipe, then covered with gravel.

Scraping the splattered cement to clean up the floor inside.

I finished the boot cuffs I've been working on.  They came out well.  I like them!

We have an unidentified tree blooming in "the pasture".  It also bloomed last year.  We've had several people say  it might be a Bradford Pear. There's no aroma.  It looks like an apple blossom.

Dealing with carpal tunnel surgery

I went to the family doctor back in December and told him my right arm & elbow were really bothering me.  Pain in my elbow, traveling up to my elbow.  He referred me to the same orthopedic surgeon I had seen 2 years ago, Dr. Varela, in Mountain View.

Two years ago my right hand and elbow were hurting.  Tennis elbow was the diagnosis.  After several cortisone shots, I had outpatient surgery to relieve the pressure on my nerve.  That surgery wasn't too bad.  A week in a surgical wrapping, a few months wearing a splint... and all was well.

But now my elbow has been hurting on the other side.  We arrived at the office on 28th.  Dr. Varela listened to my complaint... Poked my elbow and had me squeeze his fingers.  He had one of his staff come in and do a nerve conductivity test.  Just what I love... having someone shock my arm over and over until I almost jump out of my chair.... He came back in and told me I have both carpal tunnel syndrome and nerve compression of my ulnar nerve.  What did I want to do?  "I want to be able to garden and knit without pain".  And when did I want to do this?  "As soon as possible".  Can we come tomorrow?  "You bet"!

So now I have a surgical wrapping on my right arm.  And some pain pills.  I spent the first 3 days stationed in my chair, arm elevated, watch the boob tube all day.  Oh, fun, fun... I could at least move my arm around the next few days.  Not using my hand, but I could atleast move around.  We went out to lunch.  Eating in public with my "off" hand and Parkinson's disease was an adventure.  But I managed. 

Joshua has been caring for my birds.  John or Josh have been cooking.  I need help with buttons, barettes, tights, bra... I feel like a 4 year old!

I took care of the birds today.  And my fingers are now swollen and burning.  Cripes!  Back into the house and take half a pain pill... and type this rant one handed.

I go back to see Dr. Varela on Monday to get the surgical dressing off and the stapes out.  I understand I will be wearing a splint for several weeks/months to come. 

OK.  Enough gripping.

The hellebores are blooming.  Don't they look nice?

It's spring!

Spring has sprung here on the Farm!  We have daffodil and hellebore blooming.  Our peach trees are showing off (they looked better before the winds today). 

Peach trees on the north side of our house

Peach blossoms on the ground from the wind

We have thundershowers moving through our area today.  Winds, some thunder, a tiny bit of rain.  Some sun.  A typical 75 degree spring day.

Daffodils and wild violets I've transplanted from the woods

I wish I had taken a picture of the trees yesterday.  They were beautiful!  And the fragrance!

My lilacs should start blooming soon.  I love the smell of them!  One of my favorite smells from childhood.

Guinea fowl on the south side of the house

The guineas were out looking for fresh shoots and bugs.  They can be out and about until we get ready to plant the garden.  Then they have to go back in their run.  They just DESTROY the garden, dig up everything.  Even if they aren't going to eat it.  We had replant last year and the year before because of their digging.  So, they have to live in the run during egg laying/gardening season.




Our banty hen, Pebbles, and her 3 little chicks are doing fine.  Those chicks are so cute!

I didn't get all the leaves burnt yet.... too much wind.  But, I'll get it done slowly but surely.

I've been taking it kinda easy, since I know I have that kidney stone in my left kidney.  I had an outpatient procedure on Tuesday to put a stent in.  On the 10th the doc will try breaking up the stone so I can pass it.  I really hope this works, because I don't want to spend time in the hospital.  The stone is too big to pass, so if breaking it up doesn't work, they will have to remove it through my back.  Not something I would look forward to!

I've been working on one of my longterm knitting projects.  A peach/pink merino and silk spiral lace shawl.  I started it back in October 2011.  And now it's done!  Hurray!!

Here's how it looks.

How you wear a circular shawl

A closer look at the shawl

Late winter flowers

The weather here has been on a bit of a see-saw.  Cold, warm, cold, warm.  One day we had a high of 31.  The next day it was 51!  That confuses the birds and the bees.  And the flowers. 

Our daffodils and hellebores are peaking through the mulch.  I haven't had a chance to take pictures yet this year, but here's what they looked like last year....

Helebore by the den window

I love the color of this hellebore.  I hadn't ever grown any before.  But I planted them in 2011, and here's what they looked like that first early spring.

Daffodils by the west door

This hellebore is right next to the purple one.  The 2 colors really compliment each other.  I'm really happy with the way these plants have thrived.






All the daffodils around our house have been transplanted and redistributed from those that were here when we bought the house.  We have several different colors, some doubles and even some that are very tiny white and yellow.

Tiny white and yellow daffodil

I love this little flower.  I've been looking for a small figurine of a fairy that I can hide in beside it.

Tiny double daffodil

These found these tiny flowers in this spot when we started cleaning up that first spring (2006).  I love the way they're placed in amongst the rocks.  It's very picturesque.  It makes me smile.

Trillium

 

This trillium is also a new flower to me.  I saw some in a catalog and thought I'd try them.  I really like the soft purple color...  Can you tell I like purple?





Back in 2010, I decided to handquilt a square as part of the Parkinson's Disease Foundation's (PDF) Awareness Quilt that was to be displayed in Scotland in that fall.  So, I sorted through my fabric stash and selected all my batik fabrics.  The background is a lovely sky blue.

My Parkinson's Awareness block

I cut each petal and leaf separately, then used matching embroidery floss to stitch it down with a blanket stitch.  I didn't have an exact design or layout in mind when I started.  I just let each piece of fabric "talk" to me and tell me where to place it.  It was a great project and I really enjoyed doing it.
Here's a picture of the work in progress.  See it there behind my leg??

And here's what the quilt looked like on display.

I was honored by PDF, and was featured in their 2012 calendar and their Parkinson's Creativity project.  Here's the PSA (public service announcement) they provided on the subject:

Williford Resident’s Artwork Selected for Parkinson’s Charity Calendar

 

New York, NY, December 13, 2011 — Williford, AR resident Penny Teem is one of 13 artists whose work was selected to appear in the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation’s (PDF) 2012 Creativity and Parkinson’s calendar. Her quilt panel entitled, “Flowers of the Field” is featured in the month of April, which also is recognized as Parkinson’s Awareness Month.

Ms. Teem, a Navy veteran, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s seven years ago. She has been creative since a young age; she began sewing and knitting at the age of nine. In recent years, she began creating quilts using applique, a technique of using smaller pieces of a fabric to create a design on a larger background. Ms. Teem says she that when she is quilting and keeping her hands moving, her Parkinson’s tremors seem to stay under better control.

PDF’s Creativity and Parkinson’s Project exists to explore, support and encourage the therapeutic value of creativity in Parkinson's. So when Ms. Teem she heard that the project was creating awareness quilt for Parkinson’s, she was eager to contribute her talents.

Her quilt panel was chosen from 600 others to be featured in PDF’s annual print calendar, which is distributed nationwide to nearly 20,000 people.

Ms. Teem said of her experience with creativity, “In a way, being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease was a blessing. It changed my life for the better because it gave me the life I wanted. If my hands are going to move, I wanted to focus them in a positive direction and do something creative with them. The saying ‘Flowers in the Field’ inspired me to create this quilt. Many of us have Parkinson’s but the disease is different for each person. Like a flower we are similar but we are all unique.”

Robin Elliott, Executive Director of PDF, said “We thank Ms. Teem for her contributions to the Creativity and Parkinson’s Project and applaud her for having her artwork selected for the 2012 calendar. Her works, those of the 13 other individuals featured in calendar and the more than 270 in the online gallery, have inspired those affected by Parkinson’s who come to PDF looking not only for information, but also for hope. At PDF, we are hopeful that by creating for Ms. Teem works and those of other people living with Parkinson’s; we can begin a conversation about the reports of beneficial effects of creativity.”

Those interested in learning more about Ms. Teem’s artwork may contact the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation by calling (800) 457-6676, emailing info@pdf.org, or visiting www.pdf.org/creativity.

About the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation
The Parkinson’s Disease Foundation (PDF) is a leading national presence in Parkinson’s disease research, education and public advocacy. We are working for the nearly one million people in the US who live with Parkinson’s by funding promising scientific research while supporting people living with Parkinson’s through educational programs and services. Since its founding in 1957, PDF has dedicated over $90 million to fund the work of leading scientists throughout the world and over $37 million to support national education and advocacy programs.