Sunday, August 18, 2019

I CHALK SOME OF TONIGHT'S THOUGHTS UP TO THE NATURAL ACHES AND PAINS OF AGING

I'M GUESSING ALL THE BUTTERFLIES IN TONIGHT'S POST ARE 'PAINTED LADIES'
An absolutely beautiful Sunday morning here in Southwestern Ontario Canada.  I have mentioned countless times in my posts about how much I look forward to the coming of Autumn which if one is aware begins very quietly around the middle of August.  I was very much aware of that this morning when Pheebs and I went for a gravel road walk near Kerr's Campground southeast of Varna.  Late summer Crickets are like music to my ears as they sing of Autumn's slow and steady approach.  A touch of crisp in the air, and an abundance of purple wildflowers everywhere.  Another prelude to Autumn is the slight change of smell in the air with apples ripening on trees. And oh my the butterflies.  We walked us into a whole bunch of what I think were Painted Lady butterflies which you will see some of in this post.  Sure wish there was an easy way to shorten up summer and extend Autumn.  It was a good morning for my mind.
Another hot and miserably sticky afternoon thankfully stuck in the coolness of our house.  At least we are fortunate enough to have a cool place to escape too.  Millions upon millions of people do not.  A series of sudden and unexpected storm cells roared in across the lake late this afternoon bringing big winds and heavy rains for a short period of time.  And it also brought a much welcomed band of cooler air right in behind it.  Popped Pheebs into the Jeep and we drove a short distance out into the countryside just to look at all the groovy swirling clouds overhead.

THOUGHT IT ODD THIS MORNING TO SEE THIS HEAVILY LADEN WAGON OF STRAW BALES SITTING OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD
OH YES THERE'S THE PROBLEM
EVEN THE BACK TIRES WERE PARTIALLY FLAT FROM THE HEAVY LOAD
NICELY COLORED BINDER TWINE
THOUGHT IT KINDA NEAT WHILE SEARCHING AN INTERNET BUTTERLY SITE TODAY TO FIND SOME OF MY VERY OWN PAST BUTTERFLY PICS  ON THERE UNDER THE NAME 'TRAVEL WITH THE BAYFIELD BUNCH'
I chalk the following thoughts up to the natural progression of aging and I'm sure some readers will understand what I am getting at.  I have different favorite times of the day but have noticed I seem to have reached the point where the 'going to bed' time seems to have taken priority.  There is a mental and physical relief when I finally crawl into my recliner for the night.  Mentally, the difficulties and challenges of another day are over for a few hours and even though it may be temporary at least sleep brings a welcome reprieve.  Physically those commonplace aches and pains whether large or small are also temporarily relieved for a few hours.  No need for me to explain about the aches and pains, eeks, tweaks, and bothersome yeaks because I think most if not all readers well understand what I'm talking about.  Aches and pains come upon us so gradually as we age that we reach a point where they inevitably become the norm and we simply have to accept that whether consciously or not.  It's at the beginning of each day when I become especially aware of these aging grunts and groans knowing what a welcome relief it will be to get myself through to the end of the day and off my feet to kick back in my recliner for the night.  However, hauling myself out of my recliner first thing in the morning brings all those stiffened aches and pains stampeding back and it is the worst time of day until one get's moving around and things settle down into their normal achy breaky state.  In fact they have become so normal over these last years we sometimes hardly notice them unless of course one has to bend over and pick something up or horror of horrors get down on the floor or ground to look under a cupboard or vehicle.  Getting down was bad enough but wait for the getting back up part and OMG!!!  That is if you can get back up.  Quite an ungainly performance at times and hopefully not seen by any passers by.  Here an 'ouchy, there an ouchy, as we kinda flounder our way along from morning to night until finally taking ourselves off our feet and laying ourselves gently down in our favored and very welcomed sleep position again. Just imagine if we stepped into a time machine and were instantly transported back 50 or 60 years and had 5 minutes to simply walk around and perform a few simple tasks like maybe sitting on the ground and getting back up again.  Oh how I wish.  Then and only then could we ever really know the truth about just how bad this aching deteriorated shape we are in really is now that we are inextricably mired in this ever increasing age of Senior deterioration.

GROANER'S CORNER:(( An older couple had a son, who was still living with them.  The parents were a little worried, as the son was still unable to decide about his career path, so they decided to do a small test.  They took a ten-dollar bill, a Bible, and a bottle of whiskey, and put them on the front hall table. Then they hid, hoping he would think they weren't at home.  The father told the mother, "If he takes the money, he will be a businessman; if he takes the Bible, he will be a priest; but if he takes the bottle of whiskey, I'm afraid our son will be a drunkard."  So the parents took their place in the nearby closet and waited nervously, peeping through the keyhole they saw their son arrive home.  He saw the note they had left, saying they'd be home later.  Then, he took the 10-dollar bill, looked at it against the light, and slid it in his pocket. After that, he took the Bible, flicked through it, and took it also. Finally, he grabbed the bottle, opened it, and took an appreciative whiff to be assured of the quality, then he left for his room carrying all the three items.  The father slapped his forehead, and said, "Damn! It's even worse than I ever imagined...""What do you mean?" his wife inquired.  "He's gonna be a politician." the father replied.

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It seems I'm always in the right place! Unfortunately it's always at the wrong time.
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17 comments:

  1. Goldenrod coming into bloom is the big early sign of fall for me. I love your picture of the teasel. As for your aches and pains I do sympathize but I don't feel sorry for you. Be glad you can still move at all!

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  2. Exceptionally nice pictures of the butterflies, but all of your photography is great.

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  3. Great close-up photos of your painted ladies. You caught the light on her face and graceful legs. Like your thoughts on sleep. It is a time the body restores and heals. But joints get stiff when they do not move. A morning hot tub helps me... also walking. I love walking and talking with my husband. When we get tired of walking around the neighborhood, we catch the bus or link rail train and walk somewhere else. Seattle is changing rapidly. There is lots to see and experience.

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  4. Glorious photos tonight! Totally understand about the aches and pains associated with getting older.

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  5. Spectacular Butterfly pictures. Just amazing shots for sure.

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  6. Misery has company! and here I've felt only self has these 'maladjustment' issues and fearing they worsen in time - Yep, they sure do. They haven't effected my pleasure though, looking at your wonderful snapshots. Thank you, Al.

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  7. That darned prolific Spotted Knapweed. We have volunteers pulling it like crazy around Sleeping Bear Dunes, as it takes over the dune grasses.

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  8. Love you pictures as always, This aging thing does kinda sneak up on us over time,

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  9. Fantastic butterfly photos. I don't see as many of them out here as I did back in the field. Thanks for taking the time to post that many photos, I know how time consuming that is. Your zoom lens really has me considering going to a 300mm for the types of photos you took.

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  10. I am just the opposite. I hate bedtime, because I have "night terrors" associated with anxiety. My imagination runs wild at night...and I feel like I am vulnerable. This is possibly because my Dad died in his sleep at age 67, my Mom dropped dead at age 64 and my big Sis died of heart age 69. I have already outlived them all...Hugs to you and Kelly...and of course, Pheebs.

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  11. Your post had me mentally saying Yep, yep, yep, yep...
    My goodness, getting old is fun eh?
    It is very hot and windy in the Ottawa Valley today. I was worried about a potted tree on the side porch, so I dragged it close to the wall out of the wind. Think I undid all that expensive therapy I've been paying for the past couple of weeks. Will we ever learn?

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  12. Not surprised to learn a butterfly site includes some of your pics. They are so beautiful. Feel like I could reach out and touch them. Looks like that hay has been there for a long time! Sometimes those aging ouchies sneak up and others just hang around it seems. Like a cool place to relax in the heat of late summer, many never had the opportunity to experience aging so I suppose it's a mixed blessing.

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  13. Great pictures, as always:) It seems to be true that getting old is not for whimps:(

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  14. Those butterfly photos are magnificent. I thought I was the only one that had a hard time getting up in the morning.😁

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  15. How lovely that your special butterfly photos have been shared for others to see.

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  16. Today's images are truly outstanding. The Monarchs cooperated for you.

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  17. Neat photos Al...You have a lot of patience (and luck perhaps) in getting those shots. Thanks for sharing...ouch, I just pinched a nerve in my neck...

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