Saturday, November 01, 2014

Time Of The Season


For as long as I can remember that song has always been a particular favorite of mine and forever conjures up some kind of connection to this time of year that I can't quite put my finger on but is definitely there. And, since it was done by The Zombies, I figured it was more than appropriate enough for a post-Halloween/ Dia de Muertos post.  The album upon which it appeared was released in 1968 also, the year I was born, so that is just further proof I am actually an old hippie, born about a decade too late.  Lol!  Well, my oldest brother was 8 years my senior so my childhood years were spent listening to Steppenwolf, 3 Dog Night, The Doors and so on.  Not exactly the target audience of such music but it left a lasting impression on me for sure.
It wasn't until my 20s and maybe early 30s that I really indulged myself in the spirit of that time and music and I have to say, it was enjoyable.


We've had some cooler weather the past few weeks but today turned decidedly cold.  The wind picked up too and so it made for a day best spent by a warm fire with a hot, filling meal.  The girls seemed about as happy with the change as I was and stayed under the deck most of the time until the late afternoon brought a calm to the wind.  They ventured out at that point but it didn't take them long to end up in the garden.  They fuss and fuss to get out of there in the morning but then voluntarily go back in the afternoon.  But, hell, they're chickens.  Whadya do?


The day was so bright and clear it was hard to stay inside the whole time though and I took Chigger for a walk up the ridge.  There she managed to run a raccoon up a large oak tree and that pleased her to no end.
The coon did not seem particularly impressed.


 I managed to plant some broccoli and brussel sprouts but don't have very high hopes of them doing much at this point.  Even in the south if you want such crops to actually produce they must be planted when the ground is still warm and can foster actual growth.  They can survive winter temps here fine but don't do much growing during that time.  It was a last ditch effort on my part to be honest.  We may have a warm spell that would spur them on to produce but if our last few winters are any indication, that's not likely.  The lettuce mix I planted has sprouted though and will likely come up enough for me to get a decent harvest through the last of the fall.  My cold frame is pretty decrepit at this point and I need to go ahead and rebuild it in a new location, or I would sow some stuff there.





A few of the girls have not totally finished their change into winter clothes and biting cold days like today are fairly uncomfortable.  Greta just tried to hunker down between the tomato plants but the best bet was to just go inside.  That's been my strategy lately too.  Inside that is, not the tomato plants.  I got the results of my MRI and the official word from that was that I have "subchondral edema at the iliac margin of the SP joint."  In other words, my butt joint is swollen at the bone or, as we used to say in construction, I've got a sore ass.  Well seriously, it may be some type of odd arthritis, I don't know and neither do they exactly, at this point.  The BFD put me on a steroid pack to see if it would help the swelling and pain but so far, no such luck.  Now, you long time readers know I must really be in pain to take steroids and it is sort of a last resort for me.  And admittedly, if the BFD told me to I am more likely to follow his directions but, unfortunately, it has not helped.  I don't know what the next step is.


So, I do little bits here and there.  Lots of stuff to keep me standing up and not tempted to sit but eventually you kinda have to.  Since we are expecting lows int he 20s tonight I harvested all the herbs that I had been meaning to that would be affected, like the parsley and some sage, etc.  I picked all the cayenne peppers and have dehydrated a large batch to grind and I cut the few marigolds that the chickens had not absolutely trampled on for an inside bouquet.  They are one of my favorite summer flowers and I wanted to cling to their sunny beauty for as long as possible before the cold winter claims everything.

9 comments:

JO said...

Maybe the meds will work in about a week I sure hope so. The sign is really nice and looks good there. I love the chicken with her neck all tucked in.lol

One of my friends was on her way home and had been camping in her mini van when this cold hit. I hope she was able to find some place to spend the night last I heard everything was booked solid

Caddie said...

Waking this morning with one big body 'toothache' sort of pain sure put me in 'pissy mode'. Exhausted dealing with such. I can certainly understand your position.

At least you are getting out and about ...nice pictures too, even though your air was nippy. Snow all day left me 6-8 inches. Melting TG. The woe - I'm not prepared very well.

Darn, I can't read part of that "not a robot" stuff.
sissy

Caddie said...

Hmm, I made a good guess, didn't I?
Sissy

Ed said...

You are not old. That would make me old too and I'm not old. I prefer just getting started!

Although I've been reading your blog forever, I don't remember why you don't do steroids. I've known several people with afflictions of the knees, backs and other joints who get steroid injections and they all swear by them. Anyway, now that you've got a diagnosis, perhaps you will be able to find something that can treat the pain.

MamaHen said...

Hey Jo! Oh wow, ya'll go the cold too?! I guess most of the country did 'cuz I heard TN got a bunch of snow.
I thought it might be a delayed reaction on the meds too but I'm not sure now.

Hey Sissy! Yeah, I try to get out and do something every day no matter what. I saw where TN got huge snow in some areas!

Hey Ed! well, I guess I didn't mean "old", lol! because no, we are not old!
I don't like steroids because of the side effects that come along later. Yes, they often do help dramatically but after seeing guys at work take the steroid shots and such for years and then have their bones crumble, their immune systems become almost ineffective, I just am very wary of the drug.

Ed said...

That makes sense. I do know that at least two of the people I know taking steroids also take calcium supplements. Now I know why. It a damned if you do damned if you don't scenario.

MamaHen said...

Hey Ed! yes, it very much is. And, they have a number of other side effects that aren't much better so I just can't justify taking them very often.

Anonymous said...

Wish we could pass a medicinal mary jane in Al. Heck for all the states. So many folks in pain and it has to be better than steroids and yes, it eats our bodies up. Degrades them. I think it comes down to a quality of life thing, especially with unrelenting pain. Gotta be better than oxycontin too.
Hang in there. tammy

MamaHen said...

Hey Tammy! yeah, I wish we could pass that too, but I imagine Alabama would be about the last state that would allow it.
I'm a member of an online group of people who have Klippel-Feil and several of those members in other areas use marijuana and say it helps greatly.