Visions of Pink

Hello friends!  Yes, it's been awhile!  May was an incredibly busy, crazy month.  Bobby has just finished round 2 of 12 chemotherapy sessions and is doing fairly well.  He had a PICC line inserted the week before he started chemo and gets 2 of his 3 chemo drugs administered by IV at the cancer centre.  He comes home with the third drug which runs for 46 hours and is disconnected by home care.  His "bad" days start around day #3 (today) and last about 4 days.  Then life returns to "normal" for a week until the next round (he gets chemo every other week).

I photographed these beautiful apple blossoms early in May.  Apple blossoms were a bit scarce this year as a late frost killed them off, which means local apples will be in short supply this fall.  It's apple country around here and many of the local orchards won't have much of a harvest.  One farmer lost his entire orchard and another expects apple prices will more than double.

But I'm glad I found one tree with blossoms!

Unlike apple blossoms, crabapple blossoms were plentiful!  I almost missed photographing any Spring blooms this year but caught these just as they were finishing - thanks to my Mom who spotted them for me.

I'm hoping (fingers crossed), now that Bobby has a regular schedule for his chemotherapy, I'll be back posting regularly again.  But first, my house is in dire need of a good cleaning!  So much has been swept under the rug (literally!) over these past few months. I've decided to take advantage of a rainy weekend to put things back to order.  I did manage to plant my garden even though it took me about two weeks to do it.  I miss having my husband's help!  I tucked a strawberry plant among the flowers and I can't wait until the fruit ripens.  It goes without saying that you'll be seeing the photos!

Have a great weekend!  See you soon.  xo

Blue Hydrangeas

Hi everyone!  It's been awhile but I think things are starting to settle down a bit.  Bobby had his surgery on April 4th.  Everything went well, and while the surgeon removed "suspicious" lymph nodes, there was no obvious spread.  He developed an infection about a week later which meant a trip to emerg and a minor procedure the next day.  He was able to come home with daily home care visits, which will probably continue for another 2-3 weeks.  As I'm writing this, we still don't have the pathology report on the lymph nodes but we should have it any day now.  We finally got the report back!  Only 3 of 35 lymph nodes were affected!  He'll still need chemo but this is such good news!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your prayers, comments and emails ... you have no idea how much they mean to us.  Bobby has done amazingly well!  We're actually beginning to feel like we're getting back on solid ground again.

We celebrated our Easter a week early because Bobby would be in the hospital on Easter Sunday.  My parents bought me a gorgeous blue hydrangea, which I've been photographing.  Yes, I've finally picked up my camera again!  It's been a long time and it feels so good to be back taking photos.

 I can't wait for my hydrangeas to start blooming in my garden!  We've had such a strange spring ... unseasonably warm one day then freezing cold the next.  My crocus, which usually bloom prolifically, only had one or two flowers and I think only one daffodil and one tulip actually bloomed.  Lots of leaves, just no flowers.  Oh well, it won't be long until I have lilacs!

The idea for the flower petal heart was completely inspired by my friend, Georgianna ... but I couldn't resist!  :)

Before I sign off, Vicky from Simply Hue is once again running her e-course, Raining Umbrellas.  In Vicky's words, Raining Umbrellas is "a 4 week long creativity e-course to inspire you and motivate you in your creative journey".  The course begins on May 7th and registration is now open.  Click here for more details.

Well, that's about it for now ... I hope you have a lovely weekend!  See you soon.  xo

a slice of life

Dear friends,

I've always tried to keep my blog lighthearted.  My purpose has always been to highlight the beauty that I encounter and not bring the ups and downs of daily life into it.  But I'm afraid that I now have to share a bit of personal news with you.

After some routine tests, it was discovered that my husband has colon cancer.  Unfortunately it is quite advanced and has already spread into his lymph nodes and possibly into his liver.  He will be having surgery at the beginning of April and once recovered, will start chemotherapy.

Needless to say, this past week has been a roller coaster of emotions as he underwent further tests and visits to the surgeon.  We're still numb at the news.  He never had any symptoms so this is quite a shock to us. 

I know we'll get through this but it's going to be a long journey.  I'll still be blogging but not with any kind of a schedule ... it might be once a week or once a month.  I'll be sure to keep you up to date with Bobby's progress.

So many of you have left comments and sent me emails that I regret have gone unanswered.  It's always been important to me to reply to your comments quickly but for the past couple of months that just hasn't been possible.  Please know that I appreciate each and every one of your visits.  Without you, there wouldn't be a blog.

xoxo

Rustic Barns - Part 2

Each barn I "discover" is destined to become my newest favourite.  I wonder how many times this laneway has been used to get to the farmhouse that is no longer there.

Remnants of fading red paint still cling to the wood, with a roof bleached almost white by years of sun and wind.

Outbuildings that look as if a gust of wind might bring them down forever.

Barns that still look beautiful, in spite of their age and wear.

After reading your comments on my last post, I'm thrilled that so many of you love barns as much as I do!  Sadly, most of the barns I've photographed will soon disappear as developers purchase more and more of our precious farmland.

Rustic Barns

I've always had a thing for old barns.  I love their weathered wood and fading paint.  The overgrown trees planted beside them oh so many years ago.

The doors that never seem to close anymore, allowing a peek into what's stored inside.  The remnants of silos, unused now but reminders of another time.

Barns filled with the sweet fragrance of hay.

Barns that have seen better days, with missing boards and a roof that leaks when it rains.

Barns that have tiny windows to let in the light.

Barns embellished with a white star that the surrounding trees threaten to forever hide from view.

I'll share a few more barns with you in my next post ... see you soon!

Fresh herbs

I miss my herb garden in the winter.  I miss being able to dash outside and snip a sprig or two to add to whatever I'm cooking.  So last weekend, I bought a pot each of basil and parsley to sit on my kitchen windowsill.  Now I can have fresh herbs to add whenever I want to use them.  It's not my herb garden but it's the next best thing.  Besides, I love the scent of basil ... it smells like summer to me.

It's been awhile since I've posted!  Almost a month to the day actually.  My Mom is home and doing much better.  Thank you for the emails so many of you wrote asking how she was doing.  I'm hoping to get back to a more regular blogging schedule soon but in the meantime, tell me what you've been up to!  Are you more than ready for spring?  Or are you already seeing signs of spring where you live ... lucky you if you are!

Another break ...

Hello dear friends,

I'll be taking another blogging break ... my mom was rushed to the hospital early Friday morning.  She's now out of ICU and doing much better but I need to give my full attention to her right now. 

I know you'll keep us in your thoughts and prayers and I can only say how much I appreciate knowing you're here with me.  I hope to be back soon.  xoxo