completely random babblings...

*We found a lovely organic fruit farm near us, and yesterday we visited for the first time. We already knew that the vast majority of New York's cherry crops were lost. The stupid summer-like weather of March had trees blooming way too early, and then when we went back to more seasonal weather of hard frosts and snows in April, the fruit was done for. The wonderful couple who owned the farm we went to lost not only all of their cherry crop, but also all of their peaches, apricots, plums, pears, and they figure at least 40% of their apples as well. So sad.

Their blueberries, however, were thriving. Seriously, they were just so beautiful! We picked 28 pints...and they shall be my big job for the day.













*Heard a story on NPR about how black lung is making a big resurgence among coal miners. One of the men they talked to just broke my heart. He was younger than I am, and he talked about how he could only hold his two-year-old grandson for very short periods of time. You could tell just listening to him talk, what an effort simply breathing was for him. I'm sure this story took my attention away from my reading because my Grandpa was a coal miner. He had black lung, and well, of course, emphysema. Anyway, I don't know I even brought this up, but it just made me so sad to hear--I thought black lung was largely a thing of the past.

*Had a doctor appointment the other day. Looking at the diagnoses list that is printed out on the patient plans she gives me after each appointment always makes me feel like such a mess...hypertension, fibromyalgia, chronic insomnia, iron deficient anemia. :P She was actually quite concerned about my blood pressure--it was rather high, reminding me of my old preeclampsia days. But I honestly think it was because I had a tad of a stomach bug that day...we'll see if my theory holds, as I have to take my blood pressure twice a day for the next week and call her with the results. She's thinking about adding a second blood pressure medication. She doesn't want to up the dosage of the one I'm on because one of the common side effects is fatigue...and as she said, I'm in over my head already with fatigue because of the fibromyalgia, insomnia, and anemia.

*Look what we have:

Actually we have eight luna moth caterpillars. A professional naturalist friend of Rich's gave them to us. We've raised painted lady butterflies a number of times, and once a prometheus moth, but never luna moths. I think they are just one of the most beautiful creatures on the planet.





Well, I suppose I should get back to my blueberries now. I think I hear their little voices out there calling, "Freeze me, dry me, turn me into syrup!" Sure, it's probably just my imagination, but I'd still better get back to work I guess.