the times they are a changing......as seen by me.

Turmoil and transition Bungalow Style....
Family responsibilities...
and eldercare, bestowed upon by a legal document that was drawn up years ago...in a time when thoughts were as far from here as could ever be imagined.

Once upon a time, long ago and far away...Young spirited parents early retired, not "stinking rich" but comfortable, and happy, embarked on many adventures hard earned by years of hard work, toil and sacrifice.
Life was good...there were local spring and summer boating trips and holidays seeking warm winters, snowbirding to a sunny California desert where a home was purchased.
Great grandchildren were born...photos were taken, albums created...family moments were sealed in the memory box for all time.
(I seek these out for comfort now)

Time passes and the little grey cottage by the sea becomes home base...the boat tethered to the dock in front, cruises are few and far between...and now beside, another boat is tied...a Classic Chris Craft.

The grey shingles pale and weather, the days grow dim...and the inhabitants grow old and frail...they press on with a stiff upper lip they go through the motions and resist any help or intervention.
Friends start to ask questions...a bit too nosy...my comfort is shaken, my eyes open wide.
I do not do worry well, so I take action when the family is stuck.
I am not a blood relation...I married their son.
I go in and take charge, I hire, I fire and I get flack.
(I will live with this guilt but it doesn't weigh me down because I have their best interests at heart)

There is a  death and we are at the helm...health and minds deteriorate...
and you must act...
and act you will
as hard an act as ever could be...you put one foot in front of the other and press on.

Act with a sound mind but with a shattered heart, a heart that has loved and remembers all the good times...a heart that wants more than can be possible...a heart that aches and breaks.

Details are not necessary...
I am clinging to the positive....
there is nothing else to be done...
accentuate the positive and minimize the negative.

We will survive...we must.
I am getting up tomorrow morning and placing one foot in front of the other and pressing on...with a stiff upper lip...life goes on...
I hope it does.....

Toadstools, mushrooms, funghi alert!

If you go out in the woods today

you're sure of a big surprise...

I couldn't resist this!

Yikes!

look at these toadstools

bright orange

these mushrooms are poisonous...

I was able to determine their name by googling images

these are amanita muscaria

flat topped and spotty

looks

like a space station 

beneath the shrubbery!

these images were captured a few blocks from the Bungalow

not in the woods or the forest

Never eat mushrooms from the wild unless you know for a fact that they are not toxic

every year people die from eating poisonous mushrooms.

Hydrangeas...

My neighbour Diana has an orchid house

and she grows a wide variety of orchids year round.

A recently retired university professor,

 she has embraced orchid growing with an academic and scientific perspective.

Gauges, thermostats, heaters, fans, fertilizers

potting mediums, shade cloth, and on it goes.

She possesses a firm grasp on the Latin nomenclature

 of all things orchid.

The rest of her postage stamp garden is comprised of a few woody shrubs

and 

some climbing clematis

and 

her prolific and robust hydrangea bush

She lopped off numerous blooms as they were large and heavy

 bending the branches to the ground

 I just happened to be about

and gratefully accepted this bounty of blooms.

We are very fortunate to know our neighbours

we socialize on occasion

and keep watch when someone is away.

I have passed quite a few zucchinis over the fence between us this summer

it's so comfortable

sharing natures' bounty

with each other.

What's in the box?

 What's in the Box?

 open the latch...

read  the directions...

shells in a jar

a reed diffuser

a bit of a splurge

discounted slightly

what an interesting bit of background India!

Crabtree and Evelyn

India Hicks

has a variety of scented candles

perfumes, lotions

and soaps

The Bungalow Bathroom 

is delicately scented with a light tropical air

floral and fruity

as for the box...

what should I use this for?

it's too nice to discard..

(I don't have a pistol!)

I could use some ideas.

yellow blooms, a hasty planting...

a little burry image of my pudding bowl 

I planted these in a hurry

lots of things happening here

we have

a house guest

family obligations

and

we are dealing with a dysfunctional relative

there's one in every family!

         I thought that these were pansies

I do know

     they are sunny yellow

    and they add light to the grey rainy days

and I love blooming things

cheap and cheerful

they'll have a spot on the porch

on the black wicker table

I have taken all the cushions off and stored them for the winter

Fall is upon us...

summer is over

I feel like

pulling the covers up 

sipping hot tea

look what my houseguest brought for me!

from England

reading a good book

and 

cocooning in my nightgown

I'm off to the serenity of my bedroom

sweet dreams to all...

Hugs