I was definitely feeling better.

For one thing, I noticed the house needed cleaning which I hadn’t noticed at all for the previous six weeks.

Photo: Garry Armstrong

There are more birds every day at the feeders and this morning, there was a big gray squirrel swinging from the wires. It appears that most of the birds have come back. I even saw a little Goldfinch the other day.

Photo: Garry Armstrong

I think I missed Autumn. To be fair so did everyone else. I was thinking “Okay, but maybe I can finally get out of the house and do something.” I’ve been stuck in the house feeling really crappy for weeks and it seemed like a couple of days more and I’d be almost normal again.

That’s when Garry broke a tooth. I think it’s in his upper jaw and the doctor concurs. Talk about a lot of pain. I broke that tooth about 15 years ago and it was really bad. I ended a vacation to come home and go to the dentist.

During the two days ago from when I was beginning to feel better and Garry broke his tooth, he seems to have developed infections in one ear and a lymph gland infection too. He’s on the biggest dose of Augmentin I’ve ever seen as well as muscle relaxants, plus some impressive pain killers. Not surprisingly, he’s also sound asleep.

It’s cold today.

I don’t mean a little chilly. It’s a two-sweater kind of cold. Maybe it’s the dampness because it’s also raining. It was this cold last week, but it didn’t feel this nasty.

I finally gave in and turned up the heat to 67 (from 65). My bones were rebelling.

I feel more than a little put upon. I can’t get well from one illness before the next thing wallops Garry? Is this some kind of competition? It ain’t fair!

Meanwhile, Autumn has gone missing. There are yellow leaves, but no reds or orange. We’ve lost that delicious fall weather with a bit of cool snap in the air, the crunching of leaves underfoot — as well as the color. If ONE season had to go missing, why did it have to be the one I like most?

On the street where we live.

I did discover that hemp seed oil makes Bonnie stop barking without putting her into a stupor, so that’s good. In fact, she likes hemp seed oil so much, I could give her the whole bottle and she’d lick her lips and ask for more. I think the other two dogs are getting jealous.

And so it goes. The doctor today and the dentist tomorrow. Are we having fun yet?

Still water and the rush of the dam

Nonetheless, hope remains alive. We have one bright red leaf on our maple tree out front. A single scarlet leaf. It’s a promise that no matter how miserable it is now, it will get better. That red leaf is a promise of more and better to come.

These photographs are here to remind us of Autumns we used to have, back in those golden olden days.

Categories: #Birds, #foliage, #Photography, Autumn, New England

Tags: #foliage, autumn, It's always something, Marilyn Armstrong, October