My First Amaryllis of the Season - Such Beauty

Farewell to Tree Viking - an old warrior has been felled.

This gorgeous sunflower was refusing to look at me - so I took this picture and now I can see it all the time! 

Today? Really? You mean it's cuddle-shmuddle tonight!!??? I am overcome with joy!!

Oh No!! Say it isn't so! I won't listen - I don't wanna hear it! Just wake me up when you're back.

Here is Timmy, enjoying the spring from the inside, as outside is still a little too cold. We all need to see the green soon - to warm ourselves after a long cold winter. 

On Aging and Death

Well it has been over a year that my mother and brother passed away, and I feel that ever since, there has been a shift, a very dramatic shift in how I think and how I feel. It is not for the better. I read the obits every day - and look at the ages of the people who died, some very young, some very old, some close to my age. It could happen soon, or not -we just don't know. I look to see what they died of - accident - suicide - horrible lingering illness. Am I obsessed? Do others do this? I look at my face for those signs - and sometimes I see my mother's face - some days more than others - and I must admit that at times it scares the hell out of me. I wonder why? Maybe because my mother was attractive - and I saw what aging did to her - even though she was my mother, and I loved her - it was ugly to see - so ugly and so frightening. And I cannot get the image of her as she lay dead on the hospital stretcher. What was that? Who was that? Why was I barely able to touch her hand, so cold and white. Why was my sister unable to stop touching her? Is there something wrong with me? A fatal flaw? So how do I change it? I would if I could.

The Big P's 2nd Christmas

...Before...

...after...

"Ah - Christmas Schmistmas - just let me get some shut eye, will ya?! " Before and after views of The Pumpkin's 2nd Christmas.