Beautiful Walks and Some Very Hard Days

New morning walk along the river and less than fifteen minutes from home.

Then we took in the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest that had poorly maintained trails so I stayed in the parking lot and wrote. Took the following pictures from there.

Then this morning back to Lake Chatuge for more birding.

I am waiting on a call from the Memory Care Home on how Lee is doing. Since my last blog it was discovered that he has bruised himself badly banging his hip on exit doors and was sent to the hospital twice for falling. Then again all the way to Chattanooga because they found a contusion on his head and needed more tests. He has been physically cleared for the psych ward at yet another location if he can not get calmer. Seeing me would increase his need to get out. I can only call or get phone calls in the middle of the night that he is being taken to the hospital due to a fall.

They just called and are waiting on calls and transport to Summit Ridge where he can get the psych evaluation and medication he needs, Right now he is sitting outside the office of Tracy, the head of the Memory Care ward. He is holding his stuffed cat and telling them he needs to get home. She will text me with whatever happens next.

It has been a very hard week and our daughter and partner are staying a few more days before heading home and back to work. They have been working remotely from here but that only lasts so long. They went with me to get a few fish.

And Ben keeps fixing new drinks for me each evening. Here is a saffron/chille infused gin and tonic.

And my most favorite, a Tumeric Whisky Sour with a garnish of rosemary.

This is made with a simple syrup of one cup sugar, one cup water and one tablespoon tumeric that is brought to a boil and then strained through fine screen strainer. For the drink, over ice pour one shot of syrup, two shots of bourbon, juice of one wedge lemon and one wedge lime, top with rosemary sprig. It is delicious!

I have not been in the studio to do anything. With Lee’s situation I am like a BB in a boxcar….completely unable to settle down. I did do a little drawing of a mountain laurel bloom in my sketchbook but will wait until I get some swatches sewn before I photograph it.

The mountain laurel is just beautiful this year and is all over the yard and trail.

And the last of Michigan lilacs Amy brought me.

This afternoon I am off to Asheville for a doctor’s appointment. The concern was having enough gas to get there and back with the pipeline problem here and over anxious people cleaning out gas stations. Luckily I found a small station coming back from the Memorial Forest yesterday and filled up. Amy and Ben have the whole day to work remotely and figure out dinner.

Til later….