Friendly Lady

Friendly Lady
Originally uploaded by CaptPiper

This morning I walked out on my front porch and saw about a dozen Painted Lady butterflies fluttering all around. They landed on the cement, the house, the furntiure - about every place but the flowers. I think they were looking for moisture.
This one allowed me to gently slip my finger underneath it and then it got a taste of the salty sweat on my skin. That was good enough to make it stay while I walked around, took pictures of it, and just enjoyed the moment-in-general of feeling like Snow White in the forest.
I completely forgot about physical therapy.

Doused!

Doused!
Originally uploaded by CaptPiper

I took this shot two years ago on vacation at Lake Superior, Twelve Mile Beach. I entered it along with another shot in the 2006 National Parks "Share the Experience" Family Fun Photo Contest.
Today I got a UPS package informing me that I won second place!
A Casio Exilim Zoom Camera. Wow!
Now I'm going to find out exactly what that is....

Ex-ray - June 14, 2007

Exray - June 14, 2007
Originally uploaded by CaptPiper

The broken foot ordeal continues: June 14, 2007

Today I went to a different foot surgeon to get a second opinion on my foot.
There's this bump on the inside of my foot. I got the ex-rays from the hospital and could see that there were some bones out of place - the metatarsals didn't line up correctly with the tarsals.
And the bump was from that tarsal bone that wasn't lined up with the metatarsal that leads to the big toe. I was puzzled as to why the doctor didn't mention this and more over, why he apparently didn't fix it when I had surgery to put the broken ankle bones back together.
The next appointment I had with him, I asked about the bump. He spent several minutes trying to make me believe that bump had always been there and I didn't know my own feet. Then I pulled out a print of the ex-ray and showed it to him. His mouth snapped shut and he admitted there was a problem. He suggested that we wait six months and see if it didn't fix itself. I tried to imagine this bone working it's way back into place and decided that that was a long shot, if not completely impossible. My insurance advisor suggested I get a second opinion.
Today the second doctor took a new ex-ray to determine if this was a serious problem. Take a look. See anything wrong?

He recommended surgery to repair the foot. He said that this type of fracture was "often overlooked" but I think he was just trying to be helpful to Travis (the original surgeon). A six-year-old could see the displacement.
Travis either didn't see it, or forgot about it. I would guess it was the second. He tends to be forgetful - always in a hurry - And because if he didn't see it, he must be practicing medicine without a brain.

So there goes my summer. If I can wait until he gets back from vacation, I can have a month of summer before being laid up on the couch in a cast for six more weeks.

Two Hungry Mouths - June 9th

Two Hungry Mouths - June 9th
Originally uploaded by CaptPiper

So there is no change. My life is to continue along on this same path for another year at least. I'm glad. I wasn't ready for a change yet.
This is a nest in my MIL's wisteria vine. I can't tell what kind of bird the mother is. I think she is either a sparrow or, more likely, a purple finch. But as soon a I approach she flys away swiftly and I can't get a good look.
There were six eggs in the nest - four from the mother bird and two cowbird eggs. The big mouth is actually a biological child, but one that hatched two days before the other two. The second mouth- I'm not sure which kind of bird, biological or cowbird. There is a third baby just hatched and still feather-wet form the egg. He/she is so tiny and weak - I hope it makes it. I should know by tomorrow.

Crossing the Log

Crossing the Log
Originally uploaded by CaptPiper

I’m slowly regaining use of my foot. On Memorial Day we were invited to a picnic at Wahl’s farm, and I enjoyed being outdoors so much, I hobbled through the paths in the woods and meadows with my moon boot on, no crutches. Of course, I paid dearly. My foot punished me for my reckless ways.
This picture suggests something else to me. I think a change is coming in my life. I’m crossing a bridge. More on that later.