Tall Tales from Kansas

you never know when you might need one more

The opening of the Lawrence Farmers Market was a smashing success. For me anyway. I hope for all the vendors who were there as well. 

Local asparagus, flowers, and HONEY were top on my list. All acquired.

There was a wonderful selection of beautiful greens, and how can a market day not be great when you see this duo below? The simple joy of a market can make a lot of things feel better. 

People were practicing social distancing, and hand sanitizers were available.

Just about everyone was also masked. Less important in a wonderful outdoor market, than in an enclosed space, but still it's the right thing to do right now. 

New practices with less touching did not appear to stop anyone from getting just what they wanted. 

It was good to be back at my market. Among familiar faces. Supporting local vendors. Out on a Saturday morning.

Even though there were no "official"entertainers present, this fellow did a mean version of "The COVID-19 blues" egged on by his friend in the red bandana. 



And if all that wasn't enough... how about this cactus? Good to know there is going to be a nice selection of succulents at the market this year. 

Yes, my pots are all planted out back, but you never know when you might need just one more...

... or maybe two.

color me EXCITED

Happy Friday night from Kansas! Here are some of the regular things happening around our pad lately. First up, I channeled my inner Mary Joan and made a new wreath (out of an old wreath) for the front porch. It hangs on the old chair I got out of Aunt Alice's garage in Russell Kansas sometime around 1995.

Sister and I had a long distance audiovisual sketch session and I drew "brothah Paul". He's not really our brother but we call him brothah and he calls us sistah. Extremely long, winding story with too many details that are only funny when told in person. 

I boiled some really pretty eggs.

Flowers were cut and arranged. I have not previously used blue false indigo/baptisia as a cut flower. Why not?? 

Chris and I have been walking. My hair continues to grow. 

The Pandemic Mail Art project has begun. That means sister sends me kick ass mail art and I display it. I am not required to return in kind.

The poppies out back are still blooming and the pods are almost as pretty as the flowers. 

P.S.  I have my basket, money, and camera all lined up by the door so I can be the first person at the Lawrence Farmers Market in the morning. It's the first market of the season - delayed from the usual early April start because of COVID-19. Color me EXCITED!

they look good all the time

The pots on the back sitting area at Tall Tales headquarters were properly "filled up" recently. It started with a 45 minute shopping appointment at a Kansas City nursery that has a varied assortment of succulents. Including some more unusual specimens.

I really appreciated that they limited the numbers of people who could be in the place at one time, required a mask, and had signage to encourage proper distancing at the check outs etc. 

As you can see, I had no trouble finding everything I needed and then some.

I also brought out 5 of the little pots I wintered over, to add them back to this year's pots. 

Sister and I love to go to nursery's, botanical gardens, etc... when we travel. I am always so jealous that she can buy whatever she wants to bring back to her home, so I really had a great time making my selections. I was especially happy to find the Kalanchoe "flapjacks" with the red edges above along with a fairly large "sticks on fire".

This year I took care not to put in specimens that will completely take over a pot... I sure hope that "string of pearls does well  and spills over the edge of the pot below. 

That bright lime crassula sunset jade also made me really happy.  I will certainly be wintering over some of that. All the jade plants from last year are on my front porch and did great over the winter.

I plan to provide regular updates of the progress of these pots. 

If succulents aren't your thing, you can fast forward. But seriously, doesn't everyone LOVE succulents these days? They are so easy, tolerate the sun, require little attention, are interesting to look at with all the different colors and textures, are much more widely available locally than they used to be, and finally the very top reason... they look good all the time. I hope I didn't just jinx myself. 

P.S. I will appreciate your suggestions for your favorite flowering vine that will do well in a pot in a spot that gets sun from about 11am until sunset everyday. 

from Jeannette Sclar many moons ago

Memorial Day poppies burst upon the scene in the back garden the other day. These are volunteers that re-seeded from last year.

What I have learned about poppies, is that the longer they are in a place, the more they settle in...



...and the better they do.

From the looks of it, there will be a few more blooms on this plant.

But seriously, it there are only two, won't these two be so enough?

The original seeds from these poppies came from Jeannette Sclar, many moons ago. I have spread some around when I cut down the dried pods each year but I never deliberately put any here.  Apparently the birds (or the wind) knew this would be a good spot.  

the dream channel

Last night in my dreams I was on a never-ending loop of giving a talk about what it was like to be working in COVID-19 times, how the work flow had changed, what I was learning. In none of them was it going well.  

The night before that I dreamt my roommate from college came and picked me up and we were driving somewhere and it always looked like she was going to crash into something but never did. When I commented on how that was possible she said the car was in "flying" mode. Then I looked around and all the other cars were flying too. 

I can not recall what was playing on the dream channel the night before that, but I may need to keep track and seek help from a dream analyst. Or not. Uncertain times mean uncertain dreams? That seems pretty clear. 

We are seeing some patients, with very severe cases of COVID-19, taking a long time to recover. I am not used to seeing patients for multiple weeks on end. It reminds me of the old days working on the oncology unit when I would get to know patients and their families so well.

And as in those days gone by, this week as I was saying good-bye to a couple of families I have been having zoom meetings with for many weeks, I got a little choked up. The 3 sisters whose mother is going to a long term acute care hospital to see if she will eventually be able to recover. She no longer needs to be in our hospital, but she is not waking up yet. To hear those girls say "I love you mama" through the iPad as they saw her on the screen cracks the heart wide open.  Then there was the daughter and son and their mom whose father/husband is going to rehab to get stronger. All he wants is "pan dulce and galletas", which I told his daughter to absolutely put in the bag for him when she drops off his sweat pants and tennis shoes for rehab. I wanted to give her a big bear hug. Maybe someday. 

All this to say that virtual technology may not be perfect, or even close to perfect, but when it's what you have to work with, you make do. This week will mark week #9 of COVID-19 palliative care duties. As I look back, on the 25th of March there were 55,148 cases of COVID-19 in the US. Today in the US there are 1,705,754 cases and 99,784 deaths. I can not guess what the final toll will be.

I am keeping the faith, washing my hands, wearing my mask in public, taking wonderful walks, appreciating nature, loving my back and front porches, reading books, writing in my journal, doing lots of Marco Polo'ing with family and friends, and making do. Hope you all are doing the same.

 

"closed for spraying"

The rain did not stop me from my appointed rounds at Loose Park recently. I am pretty sure that I have been here in the rain before and for sure I will come in the rain again.

When I arrived I noticed a sign that said the rose garden was closed. I felt certain they meant for everyone BUT me. To be sure though I walked around to the opposite side.

Sure enough, there was a sign on that side that said "closed for spraying". 

Except it was raining, and no one was spraying, and in small print it said "if you are from Lawrence Kansas and you see no reason not to come right in, please do so".

So I did.

The rest of the park was lovely as well.  Nary a soul did I see on my ramble. 

To say it was splendid does not quite capture the feeling, but you get the idea.

he could smell the motor working overtime

This morning, using a somewhat loose interpretation of this recipe, I whipped up my first açaí bowl. It started with making some granola using this tried and true favorite recipe.

I put some flaked coconut in it because that seemed like a good idea. 

I even sliced and froze the very ripe banana ahead of time because that's what the açaí bowl recipe said to do. 

I did not "chop up" the packet of frozen açaí puree, but will the next time since we don't have a super duper blender like a vitamix or a blentec. Chris said he thought we might need one "if you are going to be making those regularly". He said he could "smell the motor working overtime". Me on the other hand, I think chopping up that big frozen block of açaí puree will do the trick, the blender handled the frozen mango chunks and bananas just fine. 

I should have taken a photo before sprinkling the granola on top. I was totally surprised by how simple it was and how good it tasted. Tomorrow, version #2. Which will be the same as version #1 except for the frozen açaí puree chopping. I love learning that something I thought would be difficult is in fact, very easy. And delicious. Frankly I was a little amazed the texture even came out right. If I become an açaí bowl expert, the next time I am in Carpinteria I will have to have a conversation with the lucky llama açaí bowl chef. We can discuss trade secrets and blending/chopping techniques. I feel certain they will be quite interested in my methods.

the nest recently vacated by the baby robins

Last Saturday I went walking somewhere I haven't been to in awhile. It's a place with steep inclines, old stacked stone fences, and wildflowers.

There were also big trees and some wide open spaces. I had the place to myself, so I practiced whistling bird calls. When you do this does it seem like they answer you too? 

This mass of wild phlox smelled heavenly as I walked by. Such a pretty flower.

As if that wasn't enough, there was also a babbling brook. As I write this, I have just talked myself into going back there tomorrow morning. To do this exact same walk. AND, see if the birds are really responding to my calls and I wasn't just imagining it.   

Speaking of birds...

I removed the nest recently vacated by the baby robins. I have it on my front porch and filled it with treasures collected from the earth. Along with a teeny jade plant and a special bird my friend Barb gave me many moons ago. 

he never asks me for anything and is receptive to all my overtures

Three notable moments from this past week included the following:

1. Harvey coming to visit me on the front porch one morning. How is it possible to love a cat that is not your own as much as I love Harvey? He is like the very, very, very, best neighbor I could ask for. He doesn't talk much. His visits are regular but short. Lastly, he never asks me for anything and is receptive to all my overtures. 

2. Coming upon a patch of blooming chives in the school garden by our house on an afternoon walk. 

3. One pound of Pendleton's asparagus, freshly picked, and just about ready for a super quick cook and a squeeze of lemon. The best accompaniment ever to a Sunday dinner - especially with a crusty roll and a glass of wine on the side. 

I picked up the scissors on my table and did some "air snipping"

Last week on a Prairie Makers Zoom gathering, I might have asked Pam how her peonies were doing.

She let me know they were in full bloom and that she had an abundance.

"Pink, white, and the deeper fuchsia colors" ...

At this point I think I picked up the scissors on my table and did some "air snipping". 

She let me know I could come by and get some.

So I did. 

I got to meet Scout. That's the one giving me the stink-eye. 

Spectacular color.

Divine fragrance. 

Such perfect flowers.

Thank you Pam!!!

if I call the Lucky Llama in Carpinteria and ask them if they can send a mango bowl to me in Kansas

This weekend I found a "new for me" trail to walk on in Lawrence. 

I've walked by the river before, just never on this trail. The rider of this bicycle provided reliable information before I got too far down the path... veer to the left, there's a pond, yes if you do all that you will get at least 2 miles in...

It's good to have signposts to watch for when embarking on a new trail.

In addition to tree-hugging squirrels, there were geese. With their goslings.

There were 2 fellows fishing at the pond. I did not disturb them.

The wild honeysuckle around the pond was plentiful. 

I can't resist a shot with a grain elevator in it. It's a Kansas thing.

And if my name was Dottie, you know I would have stopped here and done some swinging. I have that planned for the next trip. When I bring a book. Maybe. 

I am trying to find new early morning experiences. Ones that feel a bit out of the ordinary, to make up for all the "usual" types of adventures I have been cancelling. 

While I had been really holding on to the thought of getting to California at the end of June, I now realize, and have said out loud, that it's not going to happen.  Sister and I are thinking up activities we can do virtually. I wonder if they will laugh at me if I call the Lucky Llama in Carpinteria and ask them if they can send a mango bowl to me, in Kansas? 

Who among you has the exact recipe for the açaí bowl they make there? Send it post haste please. The one with mango and peanut butter...  

contradiction is my middle name

Over the years I have become a bigger and bigger fan of Columbine. It's one of the faithful returnee's to the garden. I am especially fond of these colors in the blue-ish/purple range. They do quite well in the shade with just a touch of sun in the early morning. 

I know those directly above are not Columbine. I think they are Brunnera Jack Frost. The flowers are blue though, and I have developed a fondness for groupings of flowers that are similar in color. It seems restful to me.

Except when it comes to Zinnia's.  Zinnias should be all colors of the rainbow, all together, the more the merrier.

Clearly, contradiction is my middle name. 

she was absolutely enchanted by that chick

Tonight I want to tell you about the highlight of my day at work on 5/14/2020. It's a simple story, and it goes like this. 

Once upon a time, during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an older woman with dementia in the hospital. Her name was Betty. She was a bit cantankerous and sometimes downright agitated. But at the very end of the day when she and her daughter (Judy) were connected on a ZOOM meeting, and Betty saw Judy's face on the screen, and gasped and said "how'd you do that?", it was pure magic. 

But wait, it gets better. 

The daughter turned around in her kitchen and picked up a perfectly perfect little yellow chick that she was keeping under a warming light and showed it to her mom. She held it up to the camera on her computer and the image filled the iPad screen. Betty first ooh'd, and then ahh'd, and smiled and smiled as she kept stroking the iPad screen with her finger. She was absolutely enchanted by that chick. 

And that was it. A very simple moment of absolute joy. Made possible by technology combined with a bright yellow chick... and a daughter that knew exactly what would make her mom really really happy.

The end. 

P.S. Happily brought to you by palliative care teams across the world making connections in this time of isolation.

if you're lucky it will come back again next year

There are some amazing things happening out in the garden right now.  Starting with these big, bold, oriental poppies.

These lilac bushes have been written off every single year since they were planted but for some reason I haven't moved them yet. But hey, hold on, this year they did produce some blooms. Fragrant ones. Does this mean there is a chance they are starting to like this spot?

My rose bushes are coming along well, saved from an outbreak/infestation of aphids by a few drops of dawn soap in a spray bottle. A good thorough spraying every other day for a week took care of it. 

I am looking forward to a harvesting roses for a few weeks. Placing them in small bottles & vases all around the house, until it gets too hot. And they stop blooming. But that's the way of the Kansas garden. Enjoy it while you can, if you're lucky it will come back again next year.

And sometimes, as in the case of these Iris from Angie's garden in Arkansas, they will multiply and spread, and remain reliable for many years.

when it's peaking up over the edge of the horizon

Monday morning on my way to work, the sky opened up in a thrilling, spectacular, way. Reminding me that from about the middle of May to early June is the best "season" for sunrises here in Kansas. When your commute encompasses the time frame between 5:50 and 6:15am that is. 

Technically it's right before the sun rises, when it is peaking up over the edge of the horizon, getting ready to round the curve and start the day. That's when it's my very, very, very, favorite. Note to self: when you retire, plan very early morning adventures with your pals who live to the east of you so you can still witness this amazingness. 

for example, cause a cookbook to fall out of the shelf

In honor of Mother's Day, here's an oldie, from way back in 2008, after we had been out to play golf, and mom was anticipating a round of monopoly, followed by a Chris-made dinner. 

Happy Mother's Day Angie! In my mind we are having a re-do of this exact day in your honor. I have not decided for sure what we are going to have for dessert though.  If you have a request, send me a sign. For example, cause a cookbook to fall off the shelf, and land on the floor open to the page of the thing you are craving.  Like the time you called me and said "I need some peanut butter cookies real-real bad".  

And while I am at it. Brother sent this classic around today. It's from 1969, Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. Lord, what a crew.  At least I wasn't the one wearing brown socks with brown loafers and shorts. 

P.S.  I still have that big glass float/ball. Which of you is a macrame/knot tying expert who knows how to remake a holder for it?  

I LOVE my town

On a stroll downtown today, to take the pulse of the Lawrence community, while wearing our masks and keeping proper distance, here is what we saw:

Just exactly what you might expect. A little quirky, optimistic, colorful, cautious, innovative, kind, and of course generous. I LOVE my town. 

future escapades await

These are some of the funny, tasty, pretty, fancy, healthy, shady, purpley, things that have been going on around here of late. 

A coloring book from my niece Krissy who is all too familiar with the Moss sisters penchant for a certain word.

Chris made bierocks. These may have been his best batch yet.  The remaining photos require no explanation.  

These Columbine were grown from seed purchased at a small garden in Lincoln City, Oregon a few years back. They have really done well in this shady spot, and I love the deep purple color combined with all the other blue/violet/periwinkle things growing in this location.  

Happy Friday friends. It's going to be a quiet night here in Lawrence. Pizza and The Call of the Wild on demand. We are permanently operating in "low key" mode. Which truthfully is not all that different from non-pandemic times, though I will admit to seriously missing hanging out with my friends - in person, going on adventures, doing things women enjoy doing together. All in good time... future escapades await. 

drifting on a soft current

When you are on a walk do you make up stories? For example ... about how you walked up this lane and turned to the right and on the porch sat a friend that you were delighted to see.  But in greater detail... as in the house was a white wooden structure with a deep wide porch, with two gliders (complete with cushions) to sit on, and the sun was at just the right angle to keep you a little warm in the coolness of the morning. 

And there was a nice table between the chairs with a tray that had an old fashioned silver coffee service with a pitcher of cream and a glass bowl with sugar cubes, as well as a basket with a hand embroidered cloth covering freshly baked cookies for your friend and scones for you.  And you sat there and talked about how life could be so hard some days but with moments like this you believed you could get through. Then a fluffy cat walked by and rubbed on your legs and plopped it's head down on your friends foot. And there was nothing else you had to do the whole day long. Unless you wanted to, and if you did you could just get up and go, no explanation needed.

While I am at it, I will also admit that sometimes when I am on one of my extremely early morning walks, when no one is around, and I might be listening to music, I occasionally get the urge to lift my arms and move them like I am a bird drifting on a soft current. In case you were wondering, I do not make wild bird calls or hoot like an owl. Not out loud.

I believe in giving my mind free reign to wander in any direction it needs when it is outside of the confines of work. Over the years I have come to appreciate a good solo walk as the best springboard for all sorts of adventures. 

don't stand so

High marks to the person responsible for this sign on the Granada Theatre in downtown Lawrence. I do love a good sign. Especially when it makes me want to sing. And while we are on the subject of clever and music... 

Is it just me or are Jimmy Fallon and the house band (The Roots) AMAZINGLY talented? OK and STING too.

At the end of a crazy busy exhausting day I could come home and listen to this about 50 times and never, ever, get tired of it. This health care professional says THANK YOU for doing this essential work.

Even from the inside of the house, I sneak peaks

This weekend, I have been distracted, entertained, and soothed, by the activities of a couple of baby birds.

They are beginning to fill the nest. I see them flapping baby feathered wings.

The look at me when I come out the door. I tell them I mean them no harm. 

Even from the inside of the house, I sneak peaks. 

Last night I made Chris watch Winged Migration with me. I am not sure if it's being at home more than normal, the location of the nest, or just that in the past I have been oblivious to this whole cycle. Whatever. While I would not classify this as an obsession, I will say, without question, I am endlessly fascinated by all things bird related.

it's just a human thing

This past Friday, at our weekly update from the medical executive staff at the hospital, we began to hear about the plan to start to "re-open" the hospital. Not that it's been closed, but our census has decreased drastically as non-emergent procedures have been delayed to reserve beds, staff, medications, and PPE for the surge of COVID-19 positive patients that would require our care. We are not seeing the growth rate we had all been dreading. Maybe we will not? Much will depend on the impact of businesses beginning to open again, which starts on Monday.

In Kansas, as of 5pm on Sunday, we have had 4,896 cases and 143 deaths. There have been 55 identified clusters in the state - 18 in long term care facilities, 20 in workplaces (including a prison and meat packing facilities), 6 in churches, and 2 in health care facilities that were not long term care homes. 

1,185,167 cases in the US with 68,495 deaths. The numbers are mind boggling. Impossible to comprehend really. But when I think of the individual faces, stories, and families I have interacted with, it is very real. This past week I spoke with a daughter whose mother is critically ill on a ventilator - she buried her father last week, 2 uncles have also died. A total of 16 members of her family have been ill. I met another family (mother, father, son, 2 daughters) all have been sick. Father is now critically ill on a ventilator, all the rest are recovering, except the youngest daughter was admitted to the hospital the day after I met them on a ZOOM meeting. None of these families able to come into the hospital to see their loved ones. 

When I hear about the protests, the demands that we get back to "business as usual", it is hard to reconcile the ignorance. And yet, if a family has not been touched by the pandemic, maybe it feels like something that can not happen to them?

Amidst the sadness and multiple deaths, I have held on tightly to three patient stories - the elderly man whose wife died of COVID-19 that was able to be extubated and discharged, the 81 year old firecracker of a lady who tells me her mother lived to be 106, who was transferred out of ICU and may get to rehab this week, and the young man with 3 little girls who is now off dialysis and slowly weaning off the breathing machine. This week when I was showing his mom what he was looking like, I asked the nurse in the room to tell him I was showing his mom what he looked like - he looked over towards me and gave a thumbs up! You can not imagine the joy that gave his mom. Small victories.

Over my 39 years as a nurse there have been many patients who have stayed with me; for differing reasons. Many of these COVID-19 positive patients will long be in my memory as well. That is not a bad thing. It's just a human thing.