First Blooms....

 The fern leafed peony is starting to bloom.  It has a short blooming time so I like to photograph every development. 

I had to move the plant away from a new fence project so it set i back a whole year. It looks like I have man blooms this year.

One of my collected cemetery iris is looking great.  It has a lot of buds on it this year and looks like it might crowd things out if I don't stop it.

This is the first bloom of the season from that iris.  It is like a smaller one that still has great color.

Sunday....

 

 

 

The flowers that were recently planted in the pots around the entrance of the hospital are taking off. The company plants them and then maintains them all the season until the first hard freeze.

 

 There were many tornadoes that touched down in Iowa a couple of days ago. The temperatures outside were balmy and the sky looked like this.

The towns of Creston, Pleasant Hill and Osceola had touch downs there. I am sure area farms were hit that were not identified with the towns.  The winds were clocked at 125 miles an hour in some places.  Anything that was poorly built was tested. 

We are going on four weeks and five days in the hospital zone.  My wife is better with her eating skils and now can chew and swallow.  Her appetite is going to have to pick up to put any weight back on to  her structure.  We still don't know when we will be out of the hospital and into the nursing home setting. Having talked to a doctor from the original start that is on the team  we may not be leaving so fast as there are issues that have to be dealt with concerning her gallbladder.  They are all watching her by the computer stats and rarely does a doctor walk into the door.  Time is irrelevant to them apparently and getting it right is what I do want them to do.

 

Saturday

My fern leafed peony had buds on it. Sadly I have not returned to see blooms. Life has been too busy. I saw pictures of my friend’s bushes and they were big and beautiful.

 I didn’t plant the creeping phlox. I like at this time of the year. I don’t like that it had crowded out the fancy tulips. I have to decide if I should tear a lot if it out. 

 I have cloud storm photos but my blog doesn’t want to connect with them right now. I will share another day.

Flowers Galore

The flowers that were planted around the hospital in differ pots seem to be doing well.

 My wife received this wonderful bouquet from our church.

My wife continues to improve. Her ability to chew and swallow has so much improved. We do have plans in the works for her to go to a nursing home where there is skilled therapy programs. I am not sure when that all happens as there are some medical things that need to be resolved first. 

Fresh Flowers

 A gift to my wife as she remains hospitalized.

Four Floors

 This set of stairs are so well designed. It is four in the morning and I just had to take the shot with my phone.

The photo above the stairs is a shot of the wonderful sculpture that hangs down the center of it.

Middle of the Week.....

 Shopping for the now 8 year old grandson was fun. He has a lot of things already.  I take photos and check it out with his dad to see it it will not be a duplicate.

The bluebells were pretty but they have had better showings than this year. Dry soil is still the problem.

The peonies sure have grown the past week. The tulips are holding so far.  My other ones elsewhere are already spent. 

A block print that hangs in the hallway of the surgery area.  Della is better than a week ago.  She has had problem swallowing and was on a liquid diet. It caused her to lose so much weight and I complained to a couple of doctors.  We have a specialist that has her now partially swallowing. It is ironic that it makes me so happy when she finishes a whole bowl of oatmeal, even when it is cold. Thanks for stopping by today.

My neighbors are taking turns to  mow my yard. That is so great. I am going to hire someone soon but I was so honored that they wanted to do that.

Tuesday’s Things…

 A new nest on top of an old nest. It is a new thing for me to see. The other thing unusual is what is going on on the opposite beam.

This is a bad, but artistic, shot of the other robin's nest.  I didn't know that they were that friendly to one another.

 

 

 

 We are still at the hospital. Della is better but still has not been able to walk. Supposed ly Medicare is going to kick us out in seven days unless a doctor can give them a reason to keep her on for a while longer. Decisions are in the works but I can't say anything is etched in stone.  They had here sitting in a chair this morning while I was gone to do my chores at the house.  Della is on a  better diet of soft food now and not strained thin food.  She is learning how to chew and swallow to cover for the venting injuries. A good solid diet of real food might make here have some strength again. 

 

Clump Birch

 I really miss my true Minnesota birch at our old place. The clump birch just isn’t the same but I can appreciate my neighbors tree across the street.

Sunny Sunday....

 I sit here for a quick moment as I make a pit stop at home. I return to the hospital soon. I fix a quick cup of coffee and pretend I am not living a frenzied life. Della is better but still has swallowing problems. It is a horrible way to lose weight. I am concerned.

It is Sunday.  Monday is coming and I hope for the good of the future. Thanks for checking in today.

Random Shots......

 

 

 

 

Friday.....

 When I was sick a few years back I had decided to just mow it all down. I didn’t have the energy to keep the grass out of it. The former owners had tiny patches of a sage that looked out of place and like wild weeds. I am glad that I filled it with tulips and some hostas are now there.

 

Thursday......

 When you are up at four in the morning you get to see views like this. The nurses come in and do the job, lights on bright, and wakening the patient. I took off for a while walking the halls and eating a bag of potato chips.  Washed it down with coffee.  The chips were a mistake as they sent my blood numbers sky high.  I didn't get to have a pancake for breakfast as my punishment.

Yes they are the same tulips but it is a different shot. The Rembrandt tulips are some of my favorites. 

My newest tulips that I planted last fall are not so impressive.  I suspect the drought gave them a slow start and maybe next spring they will be more showy.

When my wife was put on the ventilator they did some damage. It has been a while and she still can't chew and sallow food.  She is on a liquid food diet and really needs calories and nutrients to get the muscles restore.  It is frustrating as I had to call back the throat, swallow therapist and said things are not right. I watched my wife choke and stop breathing from a noodle in a chicken soup.  I did get the professionals attention and she is in every morning now.

It was a bad night for the patient and the husband caregiver.  I just think they are not giving her health enough attention unless I point things out. A sick person who has a fever and a bad  head ache isn't going to b able to tell how she is feeling.  A nurse should be watching them close enough that they can see something is wrong.

Take Off.....

 Five years ago I arrived in an ambulance, middle of the night and entered that garage door. It was so strange to be in a garage and then be transferred of to an emergency room holding room.  Later that morning I had my gallbladder removed.  

 Above the garage sits the Life Flight helicopter.  We hear them come and go all day with emergency pickups of patients. 

Yes, that is the moon up there in view as well as the helicopter.  We hear them come and go a lot now thqt the weather has warmed up. 

Della is better.  She has throat problems from the vent and swallowing is keeping her from eating the way she should. Liquid diets is all she can handle and she really needs to eat. Rehab is slow and exhausting but much needed.  Day 23 of being in he hospital.

The Primary Colors....

 Red, Yellow and

 Blue.

Monday...

 I am not sure as to what building is sitting out on the horizon I. Am thinking it might be a hotel out on the interstate.

 

 During the COVID era the computers didn’t move in and out of the rooms. It became a permanent practice to have them work in the hallways. It makes for a a good solution.

 

The creeping phlox are beautiful and yet they seem to have taken over everything.
 I am still staying at the hospital nights. I went home today and the neighbors on both sides swarmed in on me to see how Della was doing. She is better but she has a lot of physical rebuilding to do after 21 days in the bed.

Sunday

 

 

Back and Front and to the Side....

 

Hospital garden angel

My wife is in rehab now. The transition from intensive care to now was not an easy one. Better is the word that I will use as she does have a long way to go. Use of her legs is a concentrated effort but will take time.