Sun Dogs

Growing up, my momma would point out sundogs to me if they happened along.  She said it meant a change in weather.  You've probably seen sundogs, maybe you didn't call them that or maybe you didn't know they had a name.  I thought momma just made it up until I happened to see a story on Discovery channel about sundogs.  There is a scientific reason for the halo and sundogs and it was explained.  Basically the information boiled down to a change in weather.  Go ahead, Google it. Momma knew what she was talking about. The ones I saw today were unusually bright.  They made almost a rainbow circle around the sun.  In fact there was a mirror image rainbow above one of the rainbows at the apex of the halo. They were beautiful making rainbow darts in the fall sky. And, I don't remember ever taking a photo of the sun.  Today was a first!

Pancakes for breakfast

Had a hankering for Pancakes this morning and wanted them to be different.  Here's my thought process regarding ingredients:  Bisquik.  And for moisture, Dannon Plain Greek Yogurt.  Mmmm... Blueberries.  Still too thick. Need a grain:  Ground Flax Seed.  Now for the moisture, some kind of juice maybe... don't want to use skim milk and not the soy or almond milk.  Opened fridge door and saw the container of Pineapple Rings full of juice. (100% juice, no sugar added).  Added enough Pineapple Juice to make the batter thin enough to pour.  Used my griddle and cooked 3 at a time (first batch).  Placed on my Fiesta Plate, opened fridge door for the I Can't Believe It's Not Butter spray and saw the  Hormel Real Bacon Bits... hmmm.... love that Smokey Bacon!  Sprayed with the Not Butter Spray and topped with Bacon Bits and covered with Pure Maple Syrup.

Yum, so good!!  What a way to start my first day of VACATION!!!

My new stretching exercise

This week I felt real dumb when my supervising PT gave instructions in an evaluation of my patient to stretch the patient's iliopsosas muscle.  It's been so long since studying anatomy in school and working in home health with little (here's a potential Raising Hope moment and I'm not about to use a word that sounds close to the word I'm looking for) .....interaction (yeah, that's the word I'm looking for!!) with therapists that  I'd clean forgotten where it is!

Let alone how to stretch it.

So, last night I set about sussing the information on the www and came across some interesting finds.  First, I found a couple of websites that were a plethora of information:  Dynamic Chiropractic had an article with in-depth information, that when I read it I realized I really need to stretch mine (sitting for long periods, scoliosis, spondylolisthesis).  You can find the article, The Psoas Syndrome, there along with some diagrams on performing the stretch.  The other website is Floota Fighting Chronic Pain where I read articles on performing a test to determine if the psoas muscle is tight (after determining the relationship between the two muscles - psoas and iliopsoas - from the first article) and another way to stretch the muscle as well as a great anatomical drawing of the muscles on the skeleton.

Not only did I find information on how to help my patient, I discovered the exercise that completely obliterates the pain in my right low back, albeit for a short period.  But, with continued practice, my posture should improve and the muscle will lengthen, which will be a blessing.

Nest Necklace

My first of (I intend) several necklaces.  I thought these were cute when I found a link to the tutorial on Pinterest.  It wasn't quite as easy as I thought it would be, kind of awkward... seemed that I had too much hand in the way lol.

Pinterest

I've discovered Pinterest.  If you haven't yet, you must.  Addictive it is.... giving me the go-ahead to dream again.  So, dream I do as I scan the photos posted by the people I follow.  Trouble is that it's so much easier to dream than to follow-through so will I ever get around to actually doing some of the things that I admire?  Check out my boards and discover my interests.

Following through on the ideas will be posted later in my blog.  I will set up a new board at Pinterest to house posts of those that I actually have done.  The photos of my version will be posted here in my blog.

Here's to a year of doing!

Flowers, Flowers and more Flowers

It's been over a month since I posted!  Busy at work and haven't done much on the computer, nothing interested me.  Took photos today of the roses added to those I took the other day of the coleus and petunias.... never grow tired of taking photos of flowers.  Odd that way, I guess.

It seems that the flowers are so beautiful now... a shame that it's September and the season is almost over. The first day of Fall was Friday and it was 47degrees this morning when we got up.  Won't be much longer
to enjoy the blooms.

The Coleus were volunteers from those I'd planted
in the same bed last year,
except the group of 3 that Ginger gave me.

beautiful and varied colorations

and even pretty blooms, which I'd pinched
back until this last month

Next year's crop should be interesting, too.

We found some unusual Petunias in the spring...
had never seen one that's black with yellow stars
Nov 17 note: I saw photo in magazine, petunia is named "Phantom"

 
                           

Unbelievable how the roses have grown this (their first) summer!

Stopping to smell the roses

Mama Alice's roses.
This bush is from a cutting of a bouquet
I'd make in 2008 from the bush that my mother
planted at my house years ago... many years ago.

It's fun to make various combinations of colors for the bouquets. My dear hubby did these.
I just added the vase of 3 in the back.

The pink roses are unbelievably the prettiest pink I've ever seen!
(I am not a pink person)
The light color rose in the middle of the pink ones is the Peace rose.

Love my bouquets of roses and my little
Willow Tree "Sunshine" Angel

The Rose Bowl

What do you get when you take Pyrex and Tupperware....

....add some fresh roses, placed just so?

A rose bowl... 

thanks to my creative husband!