Happy News and Happy Mother's Day~

~Happy Mother's Day to my mother in heaven and all mothers~

Remember to double click on the first image, to view a larger slideshow presentation after                                                                you have read the narratives~

***Special Note  I have not yet figured out how to add Eileen's link for the meme below~

                                                          I am joining in the fun with Eileen at:

   http://viewingnaturewitheileen.blogspot.com/saturdays-critters/

                                                                          Saturday's Critters

& 

Stewart for:

http://paying-ready-attention-gallery.blogspot.com.au/

Wild Bird Wednesday

Above are our two Long Coat German Shepherds ready to do what they enjoy best, going bye-bye with us.  

Above is a lovely Bobwhite and below one of our nest boxes fully loaded with baby Chickadees~

A Yellow Shafted Flicker checking out nesting possibilities~

Below a quick bit of territorial dispute~

A Red-bellied Woodpecker not so much looking for a nest site, but finding insects in the rotting tree, which BTW fell the following week~

A Weeping Cherry Tree~

 Red-Winged Blackbird, sounding his morning call to his mate~

 I just about missed this little beauty.  A Pied-billed Grebe was the only one of it's kind in a nearby lake two weeks ago~

The official Bugler of the famous Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs made a trip to Louisville Collegiate School this past week to celebrate their 55th annual Kindergarten Derby and school program.  My twin grandson Kerrick was chosen to present flowers and special gifts to this years Kentucky Derby Festival Queen, while a few of his classmates gave flowers and gifts to the festivals crowned Princesses~

The newly crowned 2016 Kentucky Derby Festival Royal Court The Queen top left image and her Princesses~

Grand-twin Kerrick presenting a special gift and flowers to the queen ;)

I see a spot of blushing on his handsome face afterwards~

Grand-twin Cullen ran fast in his last track event at the St. Francis School in Goshen for his Louisville Collegiate team earlier in the week~

Before the races began Cullen gave me a little bit of dancing...he is always on the move~

I had the pleasure of spending some time with grand-daughter Maci this past week and took her to visit our neighbor and their two Beagles.  My friend Linda also let Maci pluck out a tune of her own design on the keyboard~

She also played outside and our dog Silveit was her best buddy~

A sweet White-tailed Deer surprised by my presence~

wink emoticonShe also thinks that my sudden Lupus adventure may have been triggered by Gabapentin/Neurontin that I had taken 4 years ago and went off of when we thought the side affects may have been causing my weird events for three years. Last December my Internist had put me on it for the side affects from my pinched nerve. When she told me, I mentioned that I had even looked up the possibility myself and there were quite a few cases where people felt that their sudden Lupus had been triggered by this same drug. She said she saw those same conversations, but also stated there is no real research yet that can substantiate that, but we are going to just see what happens and quite using it! I was also told that the reason my hands got blisters and have been peeling is that this 5 week tomorrow onslaught has been like a second degree burn. My heart wants to thank each of you individually, but that would be impossible. I appreciate so very much your kindness, love, encouragement and support during this really scary time for me. I have to also say again, after my daughter Brittany who is an RN saw my newest three page report, said "Good grief Mama, you are so healthy... you are a whole lot healthier than I have been for years." I hate that for her, but was happy at my age to get to repeat that. I feel tremendously blessed... Love and many thanks~So, I had my Dermatology appointment at 7:45 this morning. I remember a feeling of calm come over me as I entered her office. My daughter Ashleighhad spoken the most beautiful prayer earlier in the morning for me. The Dr. did not need to say too much to turn the calm into full blown JOY and PEACE. I do have Lupus on my skin, but I am NORMAL/NEGATIVE for any internal Lupus. Praises went up immediately and I promise I think that I danced from her office out to my car, but maybe I was just thinking that. wink emoticonShe also thinks that my sudden Lupus adventure may have been triggered by Gabapentin/Neurontin that I had taken 4 years ago and went off of when we thought the side affects may have been causing my weird events for three years. Last December my Internist had put me on it for the side affects from my pinched nerve. When she told me, I mentioned that I had even looked up the possibility myself and there were quite a few cases where people felt that their sudden Lupus had been triggered by this same drug. She said she saw those same conversations, but also stated there is no real research yet that can substantiate that, but we are going to just see what happens and quite using it! I was also told that the reason my hands got blisters and have been peeling is that this 5 week tomorrow onslaught has been like a second degree burn. My heart wants to thank each of you individually, but that would be impossible. I appreciate so very much your kindness, love, encouragement and support during this really scary time for me. I have to also say again, after my daughter Brittany who is an RN saw my newest three page report, said "Good grief Mama, you are so healthy... you are a whole lot healthier than I have been for years." I hate that for her, but was happy at my age to get to repeat that. I feel tremendously blessed... Love and many thanks~So, I had my Dermatology appointment at 7:45 this morning. I remember a feeling of calm come over me as I entered her office. My daughter Ashleighhad spoken the most beautiful prayer earlier in the morning for me. The Dr. did not need to say too much to turn the calm into full blown JOY and PEACE. I do have Lupus on my skin, but I am NORMAL/NEGATIVE for any internal Lupus. Praises went up immediately and I promise I think that I danced from her office out to my car, but maybe I was just thinking that. wink emotico

I had my special Dermatology appointment at 7:45 this past Monday morning and while I do have Lupus on my skin, I do not have it internally.  The physician also thinks that my sudden Lupus adventure may have been triggered by Gabapentin/Neurontin.  Last December my Internist had put me on it for the side affects from my pinched nerve in my neck.   I was also told that the reason my hands got blisters and have been peeling is that this 6 week this Tuesday ordeal has been like a second degree burn. My heart wants to thank each of you individually, but that would be impossible. I appreciate so very much your kindness, love, encouragement and support during this really scary time for me. I have to also say again, after my daughter Brittany who is an RN saw my newest six page report, said "Good grief Mama, you are so healthy... you are a whole lot healthier than I have been for years." I hate that for her, but was happy at my age to get to repeat that. I feel tremendously blessed... 

Love and many thanks~

Starview...Who Knew, and Mother's Day Greetings~

It is absolutely glorious everywhere you look these days.  The white Dogwoods are some of my favorites.  

Below are images that I cherish of my mother and one with the two of us.  She has been gone for 22 years and I still miss her and love her forever.

~Happy Mother's Days to all mothers~

Remember to double click on the first image, to view a larger slide show presentation after you have read the narratives~

I will be linking up with Judith for:

www.lavendercottagegardening.com

Mosaic Monday

&

Stewart for:

   http://paying-ready-attention-gallery.blogspot.com.au/

Wild Bird Wednesday

We lost so much this past Winter in our front yard, especially.  In the 34 years of living here, I do not ever remember this kind of thing happening.  It took a toll on trees, and even coniferous bushes.  I have worked myself into the ground all week, lopping off dead branches, digging up roots and planting new growth, where the old ones passed.   While at the nursery, I selected not only new trees and bushes, but some hanging baskets. 

Wildflowers along the country lane~

Last week was our Kentucky Derby, which is my only sports activity, other than when the grands play games.  The twins had a little Derby at their school and each made their own race horse.  I happened to arrive one afternoon, when my grandson Kerrick and classmates were practicing~

My three daughters, Hillary, Brittany and Ashleigh.  

They are such a huge blessing in my life~

We live in the heart of horse country~

My pupcubs look like they are in jail, but honestly they are not ;)  We had our first snake and I had to coral them while I got rid of it.  It got away...which means it will show up again and be much larger~

I was driving down the lane the other day and spotted a cat with a collar and bell on.  I am thinking it may not catch much, but then again~

My friend Sandy invited me to go to Starview Greenhouse and Nursery last week.  That was kind of interesting in that another friend mentioned it too.  We have lived in this county since 1978, and I had never even heard of it, even though it has been here for over 50 years.  It is not even 10 miles from home...goodness was I in for a treat.  They have a huge greenhouse for perennials, one for annuals, one for sun loving plants and another for shade.  Then there is the outside for standing trees and shrubs, not to mention several rooms of gift shops.  Well I was delighted and have gone back twice~ 

Very well camouflaged Red-tailed Hawk~

The Forget-Me-Nots were gifted to me as seeds some 12 years ago and now they have become naturalized on the land here~

Happy, happy when Swallows return and the Tree Swallows are always such a treat~

More from the greenhouses~

A beautiful Eastern Meadowlark~

Yellow-rumped Warbler~

I got a bunch of the Caladiums, so gorgeous~