2015 Christmas Letter

To those whom I love,                                        Christmas 2015

I decided to show you my year in pictures. Other people had to build my garden for me, because I broke my left arm near the shoulder. It couldn’t even be casted since the break was high on the bone. I did manage to plant everything with only one hand.

Broken arm in March

Angels built my garden. This was a week after I broke my arm. It was an great gift.

Two new keyhole gardens

Gardens in June

Several summer storms

 

Walking the dogs   

                                          

Counting the fogs in August

Canning salsa in August

My article was #1 bestseller in its category for over a month.

John visiting during Oktoberfest. Sorry, it’s fuzzy.   

Photography date with Les.

Thanksgiving with Angela                    

Hoar frost in December (three of 150 pictures)

The Lord has been good to us in 2015. The year has been interesting in a few large ways and many small ones. I’ve enjoyed them all as they happened and recorded as many as possible with my camera, It’s hard to believe that I will qualify for Medicare in a few months. I’m learning that I can still do almost everything I’ve ever been able to do – it just costs me more than it used to.

This year I lost my uncle Paul and attended a few funerals for friends. I’ve experimented with photography, writing, and gardening. Some experiments succeeded better than others, but I’ve learned quite a lot from all of it. I eagerly await the new year and what all I will learn in the future.

I pray God’s best blessings for you in the coming holiday season and the coming year.

Encouraging Word To The Grieving Remnant! - Peter Michael Martinez

Dogs romping in fallen leaves

This Summer's Garden

Earlier, I posted pictures of my new keyhole gardens.  See how they grow:

This was a month ago. I'll have to take more soon.

This is what I get out of my garden:

Deep in the winter, it's going to be worth the effort.

Thanks for visiting with me,

Kathi

Parting Gift

One of our summer interns at the library is leaving us on Monday to return to college. He's worked for us in Information Services for two summers now and I hate the day he leaves. I honestly don't know how we get along without him the rest of the year.

Anyway, we were trying to think of something we could give him for a parting gift to show our appreciation.

If you know me at all, you know that I suggested that I crochet an afghan. I honestly didn't know if I could turn out a whole afghan in three days since my arm works pretty well now, but I haven't pushed it that hard and that repetitively since March.

I had yesterday off. I took some ibuprofen and picked up the crochet hook. The long and the short of it is that I crocheted for 12 hours yesterday (with a few breaks for eating and walking the dogs). The blanket was finished except for a couple of rows to finish either end by 11 pm.

And here it is. Ready to be gifted.

Thanks for visiting with me,

Kathi

My Angel Garden

When I told my boss that I had broken my arm, she immediately said, "Garden." She knows me pretty well.

In January, I first heard the term "keyhole garden". By February, I had done some research and decided they are one of the best thought-out gardens I ever heard of. They are raised bed gardens, easy on the back and knees. You can build them to any height you want. You fill them with "junk" like cardboard, sticks, shredded newspaper, and compost. Top that off with a layer of topsoil and let it sit for a month or so to start the internal composting process. They have a central circle made out of anything permeable for watering and kitchen scraps. You waste nothing.

I had just arranged to get my cinder blocks when I fell in the shed getting stakes to mark out my circles and broke my left arm at the upper end of my humerus. This post is brought to you completely right-handed.

So I'm looking at weed tarp with two chalk circles and a pile of cinder blocks. I also had some old broken bricks for drainage and the trimmings from my neighbor's bushes. It looked like junk and there was nothing I could do about it. That was Saturday.

On Sunday, a strong friend came by and laid out my bricks in two circles. All I could do was watch.

On Monday, a friend from work came over and threw in all of the broken bricks and sticks.

For the rest of the week, this is what it looked like. I couldn't possibly go get the composted manure and topsoil that I needed to fill it and I knew I should have some more drainage rubble in the bottom.

On Saturday, angels - absolutely angels - brought a pickup truck load of everything I needed and laid it all into my gardens.

I was blessed beyond measure! 

On Sunday, another friend offered to wash my hair (which is difficult to do one-handed) and while we talked about the gardens, she said she could give my some good horse manure that had been sitting out all winter. Perfect!

So now I only have to wait a month or so for the weather to finish the work for me. I should be able to plant by the end of April or early in May.

I simply can't believe how this turned into such a community project! Thank God. He's the only one who could have put this all together so perfectly.

Thanks for visiting with me,

Kathi

Broken arm - Warning - Photo included

I was starting to set up a keyhole garden. Went to the shed to get some stakes. Tripped and fell on my left arm. It is broken a little below the shoulder joint. I don't have a cast because the break is too high on the arm. I'm wearing a sling and my arm is strapped to my ribs.

It's been a week and it feels much better than it has any right to do. I feel very blessed as it could have been so much worse.

I can't do a whole lot unless it only requires one hand. Do you know how hard it is to wash one hand? The basics are difficult, but I am creative and Les is helping me a lot. He's already admitted that he would rather work his job any day than keep up with my chores.

I took a picture of my arm in the mirror. Don't look at this unless you are not squeamish.