The View from Here

God's Plan

I find my eyes wandering this morning to a sheet of paper laying on my desk. It’s the order from my new specialist for a new MRI at a hospital I had to locate with the help of Google. A series of unexpected events and a variety of new physical problems have led to this result. They have also resulted in my appointment for physical therapy later today. God’s plan. Very clearly God’s plan. I can sit here this morning and review the events of the four months that have led me to this day. I also have confidence that this new circumstance, these new people, this new test, this new process will find me stronger, healthier, and happier with my condition sometime in the future.

Next to my morning coffee is a card that arrived yesterday. It’s a lovely friendship card from someone who was a “friend of a friend” about fifteen years ago and now means more to me than I can even explain. We “chat” daily. We share concerns about family and friends and life in general. We celebrate triumphs and pray about challenges. We also live 800 miles apart and have never met in person. God’s plan. I clearly see how our virtual friendship has benefitted both of us.  

There are two writing projects on my desk. One is ready to turn in to someone I’ve known for years. It sits beside a new project for a new person I’ve never met. Again, God’s plan. However, I have no idea how this new project arrived on my desk. There are no memories for me to recall, no clear path from event to event. It was simply the result of a question asked and answered.  I trust that I gave the right one. Still God's plan. What happens next will be interesting to observe.

Finally, I’m looking at the calendar that sits on my desk. Yes, I’m one of those people who likes to see it each morning without consulting my phone. I see there are now as many days left in the month as we’ve already lived. I have a few appointments and some ideas about some things we might do. But always in my heart and mind is the knowledge that God may have other plans for me. Already, the MRI mentioned earlier has been rescheduled from the 27^th to the 22^nd because someone else cancelled their appointment. Is there a reason for that change? Of course there is, but I won’t try to figure it out. I’ll just keep asking God for guidance and following my path according to His plan. He’s never led me astray.

The Rooster's Crow

             Sometimes a blessing can be found in the smallest, simplest things.

            Yesterday morning as I was sweeping the patio, I heard the morning greeting of a rooster somewhere in the neighborhood directly behind me. This was a new sound, and certainly one I welcome. I love to think of someone in our area raising chickens and eating fresh eggs as I did when I was a child. And I was pleased to hear him crow at least three more times before I finished my task.

            I’ve mentioned before that my father showed poultry in high school and that our family always had chickens if at all possible. This morning I’d like to share another memory that came to mind when I heard the rooster crow. This is a story written by my mother. (Click on the image to read.)

Fall Fashion

   

Recently, while researching past Halloween events in our area, I used the word “costume” and a variety of items, unrelated to Halloween, appeared from the archives. I was instantly intrigued by this illustration of a “sports costume” in the Caddo Herald, November 7, 1924. This is a serious suggestion for the young woman who wanted to be “well turned out for the usual sports that interest young women”. The description of this outfit is detailed and states that a woman will be “well and correctly equipped for most autumn sports if she possesses one or two sturdy skits, short enough and full enough to allow perfect freedom”. Suggestions for additions to the sports costume included a sweater, sports coat, wool stockings, “substantial and easy” shoes, and perhaps a felt hat.

 I’m not sure what autumn sports could be enjoyed while trussed up like this. Perhaps hunting…but not in the shoes shown here. And I can’t see either of my grandmothers, who would have been 17 and 18 at this time, wearing anything like this.

Good Intentions

As a person who is fascinated by local history and its impact on our present lives, I count it as a special treat to find a story in the newspaper that not only details a past decision with current consequences, but is also about birds - quail in particular - AND someone I actually knew and talked with.

Indian Citizen (Atoka, OK)

March 23, 1950

Mrs. Ross Faudree of the Liberty community is planting lespedeza bi-color around her farm pond for a quail habitat. She is very interested in wildlife and states that “Other farmers should provide a habitat for quail to live in.” (Note: Atoka Co. farmer, Jesse Fox, planted 20 acres. C.C. Cooper planted an unspecified amount. Earl Kenney planted 12 acres. 1949-50 Atoka County soil conservation board reported 800 pounds of lespedeza harvested.)

A brief look at the consequences of these and other plantings in the state can be found on the OSU website. I’ve copied a bit here and underlined pertinent facts.

From the OSU Extension office:

Sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata) (Figure 1) is an introduced perennial legume. It is relatively free of insect and disease problems, very competitive with other vegetation, and capable of thriving in a variety of environmental conditions, which are among the reasons it has become an invasive and noxious weed in Oklahoma. Sericea was promoted in the past to control soil erosion and provide forage for livestock and wildlife. It has been planted by both federal and state agencies on flood control dams, channelization projects, rights-of-way on highways, county roads, and private roads…

Wildlife species are adapted to the native plants of an area and are much better served by them for food and cover than most introduced plants. Sericea lespedeza has been promoted for use in food plots and for cover. Although some wildlife eat sericea foliage or seed, its greatest benefit to wildlife is its ability to provide thermal cover during the summer. However, sericea’s negative attributes overwhelm its few benefits. White-tailed deer will utilize sericea in early growth stages and during drought. Quail occasionally consume the seeds, but the seed are very low in nutritional value for quail. Although summer cover from sericea can be beneficial to quail, when sericea is dormant its beneficial cover qualities are eliminated. The exclusion of other plant species by sericea also reduces the diversity of plant foods needed to support a variety of wildlife.

Why am I posting this?

Why should you care?

As I read about Bea in the paper, I recalled how active she was in the community and how influential she was in local politics. I wondered how many of her neighbors, including my grandparents, might have listened to her pleas for help in creating a “habitat for quails”. It seemed like such a worthy cause. She and others had the best intentions. And yet the consequences were much more negative than any of them could have imagined.

It just seems to me that we should all reflect seriously on our “good intentions”, especially those that might influence others to duplicate our actions. I know we never have enough information to understand every aspect of a situation. We don’t have ESP. We don’t know what might happened ten or twenty years from now. But perhaps we might just take a little more time to think and pray before we decide what we’ll do today.

October

“In the next three months we'll be making some important decisions regarding our health, safety and future. Let's begin this month with serious reflection and prayer. Let's think about flu season, family gatherings, holiday shopping, Halloween, voting, and celebrating Christmas. Instead of strictly adhering to what we've done in the past, let's do what is best for our families and friends now. Instead of judging others or fearing ridicule ourselves, let's pray about our decisions and make them with confidence. Let's think and pray and decide...not act impulsively.”

That was my post on Facebook today. I feel strongly about this subject of fall planning because I already see some postings about Halloween and Thanksgiving that concern me. This is not the time to adhere to traditions that will endanger the lives of family and friends. Instead, let’s make a few simple changes and celebrate in ways we won’t regret in January.

The Blue Birds of Happiness

We have been blessed with bluebirds for the past few days.

 

Taking Stock

Looking Back While Moving Forward

Wondering What the Future Holds

It occurred to me this morning that September is almost gone. It’s been an emotional month for me personally…a month of memories, decisions, changes, and challenges. I’m reluctant to post some of them for fear of sounding self-centered and ungrateful. I know so many people who are going through much more serious situations. They’re living with the loss of loved ones. They’re dealing with much more serious health problems. They’re unemployed and/or homeless. They have children to protect and feed and educate. Who am I to complain?

And yet…

If I don’t acknowledge that MY struggles matter, how can I claim to understand and respect yours? So I feel compelled to admit that limiting my involvement in community activities, altering my life to accommodate my changing physical condition, and dealing with my husband’s recent diagnosis of Parkinson’s has not been easy. I’ve had to think of ways to help others in more of a “behind the scene” capacity. I’ve had to get creative with my daily tasks in order to do them while requiring the use of a cane most of the time. I’ve had to drastically limit all gardening efforts. Gary and I are researching everything we need to know to make sure he remains as healthy as possible in the future.  We’re both trying to eat healthier food and lose weight.

Of course, we’re trying to stay as socially active as possible, while at the same time staying “distant” enough for safety. The precautions required by COVID affect every decision about our actions outside our home. Can we safely go to the library? Should be shop for something not truly necessary? Is it wise to attend church? Should Gary continue to volunteer at the museum? Should we eat in a restaurant?

Like most older citizens we’re also emotionally drained by the daily chaos and controversy displayed on our screens. Even if we don’t watch television, the news creeps in on our computers and phones. Political problems dominate our country. People are exploited. Needs are ignored. Disrespect is flaunted.  Violence is accepted, even encouraged. Those of us who have lived through some of this in the past know that there isn’t a “happy ending” in the future. The best we can hope for, pray for, is a slightly better world.

My greatest concern at the moment is for education. We’ll never see the return of the educational system we had before the virus. That’s not a “doom and gloom” pronouncement. Numerous things – agriculture, pandemics, war -- have drastically changed education in the past. Any student of history knows that most of our ancestors went to school 6-9 months of the year, divided into sessions that accommodated harvests, and graduated from the eighth grade…ready for a job. Only those with means and motivation went on to higher levels. The best way to educate our children has been hotly debated in every state for the past decade. The virus has simply forced us all to focus on some of the more critical issues and come up with solutions quickly. My hope is that the majority of the changes are not made just for convenience. I pray that the future of education will be better…much better.

October should concern all of us. It’s the beginning of the HOLIDAYS, and the traditional gatherings of friends, families, neighbors, and strangers. How will we preserve some of our beloved traditions without endangering others?

October is also the beginning of flu season. How will we deal with the addition of another threat to our health? Will our COVID precautions suffice?

And finally, October marks the beginning of the “depression months”. Many people have already limited their social interactions and are suffering emotional challenges due to the restrictions imposed by the virus. Colder weather and fewer hours of sunlight will only add to those problems. We need to prepare to maintain our own mental health and be sure to check on friends and family members.

So…a few more days remain in September. I’ll continue to reflect and plan. I’ll remember Mom on the 30^th. I’ll begin to take stock of what we need for winter.

There is no way to see what the future holds except to live it.

Tiny Blessings

Gary and I went to the wildlife refuge yesterday and were a bit disappointed by the lack of wildlife out and about. The water levels are down. The weather has been stormy. The sky was overcast. Not the best day. However…

When we toured the garden next to the visitors’ center we were blessed by the antics of a couple of hummingbirds. Sometimes the tiniest creatures provide the biggest enjoyment.

Fall

It’s always a blessing to welcome my mom’s favorite season. She loved the colors, the flowers, the cool-but-not-cold weather and the return of some favorite events…like her September 30^th birthday. The first time I wear a sweater always reminds me of her and brings back lovely memories.

It’s often difficult to tell one season from another in Oklahoma, but this week has delivered some cooler temperatures and today we received an inch of rain. I washed one of our blankets and will soon wash some sweatshirts in anticipation of more permanent changes. Of course, we might be wearing shorts again next month, so nothing gets packed too far away.

There are pumpkins, gourds and Indian corn bundles for sale at the local markets --- a sure sign that I need to make an attempt to decorate my front porch. It’s usually not impressive, but with a chrysanthemum and a few fall veggies I usually manage to add a little color. Perhaps I’ll do that this coming weekend.

Fall means the return migration of the Monarchs and I saw my first one this week. Soon the geese will be honking overhead.

Some of the events and festivals and celebrations of Fall 2020 will be modified, postponed, or cancelled. There may be more changes necessary this season than last, simply because the weather will force us inside more often and in closer proximity to each other. Still…I’m happy and hopeful that fall will be a blessing.

New Days, New Ways

My current medical evaluation required that I have an MRI yesterday. In a family known to have faulty spines, and given my own history of accidents and surgeries, the procedure is equivalent to other people having their teeth or eyes examined periodically for the inevitable changes that come with age.

I’ve had at least six of these procedures in the past. Most were done at the same facility and some of the staff has even remained the same. However, yesterday was further evidence of how much our world has changed.

In the past I would have encountered a waiting room of at least a few people -- some filling out paperwork, others waiting for patients. Now…one patient at a time and alone. I automatically stopped at the window to have my temperature taken, having previously done so at every other medical facility I’ve visited. I wore my mask until I was situated in the machine. The staff kept theirs on. When the test was completed, I went to my truck and wiped my hands, purse, and cane.

Next week I’ll go to my doctor’s office to review the results with him. I’ll wear my mask.  I’ll have my temperature taken in the lobby. I’ll get on the elevator alone. I’ll stay six feet from the two or three other patients who will be in the waiting room. I’ll talk to my masked doctor. I’ll follow my routine in my truck and at home.

These days I don’t think twice about the need for a mask or the procedures required by medical facilities. However, I do find it interesting to think that when I was a teenager Dr. Moose made a house call to treat me for pneumonia. New ways indeed…